Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

Who's The Boss?



    But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction

    - The Apostle Paul

Oftentimes when I am cruising around town with my kiddos, Chandler (my six year old) will invariably want to buy something. It could be a happy meal, candy, pizza, you name it. I usually am able to get whatever he's asking for, but sometimes I don't have any cash on me- so then it's a "no".

That used to work, until Chandler discovered the concept of a credit card. Now he is awed by the power of that little piece of plastic. The funny thing is that he has a very difficult time understanding the difference between "credit" and "debit", so he decided to combine the two concepts- and when he did I was reminded of a very important Biblical truth. Let me explain.

We were driving home one night, and I was kinda anxious to get there. As I mentioned before, Chandler wanted to stop on the way and get something. I didn't have any cash, so when I mentioned that to him, he immediately came back with this sentence:

    'Well Daddy, why don't you buy it with your 'dread-it' card"?

Yep, he's right. We should all have a certain amount of dread and dismay when it comes to the derisive dollar, do you know why?

One day (about 2000 years ago) Jesus was in a financial discussion with the rich pastors of His day...

    "No one can serve two masters! For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, naturally scoffed at all this. Then he said to them, "You like to look good in public, but God knows your evil hearts. What this world honors is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:13-15)

The Master doesn't mince words...we should all be afraid, very afraid of the potential dominance of dough.

Notice He didn't say, "it is hard to serve two masters", or "few people can serve two masters"...it's as plain as the nose on George Washington's face: no one can serve two masters.

That includes me, and it includes you.

Perhaps today would be a good time to do a "who's the boss?" inventory. Let me describe someone whose king is cash:

    * He/she thinks about money more than God.
    * He/she spends more time shopping/looking through catalogues than at church/reading the Bible.
    * He/she believes in the term 'my money' (which it really isn't)
    * He/she makes school/career decisions based on future financial gain
    * He/she thinks that tithing is an Old Testament principle that is no longer valid
    * He/she has no clue about the difference between 'want' and 'need'
    * He/she parts with money as cheerfully as a mother bear with her cubs

Get the picture? For many of us it is time to add a "dread-it" card to our wallet/purse- and don't leave home without it!

[Soldier4Christ]

Why Mother's Day?



    My son, obey your father's commands, don't neglect your mother's teaching. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you. For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life. (Proverbs 6:20-23)

The author of these verses is Solomon. Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived. He knew that the day you start ditching your parent's teaching is the same day your life starts heading towards the ditch.

Just what have you learned from your mother? Here's a list to 'jog' your memory:

    My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION:
    "Just wait until your father gets home."

    My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:
    "You are going to get it when we get home!"

    My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE:
    "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

    My Mother taught me LOGIC:
    "Because I said so, that's why."
    &
    "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

    My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE:
    "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

    My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:
    "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."

    My Mother taught me ESP:
    "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"

    My Mother taught me HUMOR:
    "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

    My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:
    "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

    My Mother taught me about GENETICS:
    "You're just like your father."

    My Mother taught me about my ROOTS:
    "Do you think you were born in a barn?"

    My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE:
    "When you get to be my age, you will understand."

    My Mother taught me about JUSTICE:
    "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like."

    My mother taught me RELIGION:
    "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

    My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:
    "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

    My mother taught me FORESIGHT:
    "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

    My mother taught me IRONY:
    "Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."

    My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:
    "Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

    My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:
    "Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

    My mother taught me about STAMINA:
    "You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."

    My mother taught me about WEATHER:
    "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

    My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS:
    "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?"

    My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:
    "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't Exaggerate!!!"

    My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE:
    "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

    My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:
    "Stop acting like your father!"

    My mother taught me about ENVY:
    "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

    (courtesy mikey's funnies: www.mikeysfunnies.com)

Bring back any memories?

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that a mother has no choice but to operate out of one simple and pure motive: love. You may doubt that, you might question that, but it is absolutely true. That's the way God wired all mothers. Here's a testimonial from someone who knows:

    I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also.

    But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

    My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less, --not one hour and one minute.
    I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

    We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends?

    The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept, my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

    She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us, and it nearly did.

    By the time we were teenagers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there? I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

    Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hangnail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.

    As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us were put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout.
    My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out?

    You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.

    Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean.

    Because, you see, I thank God; He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

    This is the original copy of "Meanest Mother" written by Bobbie Pingaro (1967)

Can anyone relate to this? I hope so. Moms are put on this earth to accomplish the highest responsibility on earth. Is that to make lots of money and attain great status? I don't think so. They are given the high calling to raise children. Does anyone have the perfect mom?

Probably not.

Yet this weekend is a reminder that we are to honor our mothers and obey the teachings with which we are raised.

The Bible promises that if we keep the instruction of our parents, then most likely life will go well:

    "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother--which is the first commandment with a promise that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3)

[Soldier4Christ]

In Remembrance of Me

My Dearest Child,

It seems that lately we have drifted apart. Activities, friends, and jobs have crowded our time together out of your schedule. I feel that perhaps you even doubt my love... So I wanted to write just to take you back to the day I demonstrated my undying affection for you.

Remember how they unjustly arrested me, slandered me, and tortured me? Every blow, every sneer, and every lash from the whip was for you my dearest one.

Then the cross was placed on the ground and I was quickly thrown backwards with my shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of my wrist. He drove a heavy, square wrought iron nail through my wrist deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull my arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement so that I wouldn't die too quickly.

Then the cross was lifted into place. My left foot was pressed backward against my right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving my knees flexed.

All this time I was thinking of you, and how the nails being driven through me were also nailing your sins to the cross as well.

As I slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in my wrists, excruciating fiery pain shot along my fingers and up my arms to explode in my brain. As I pushed myself upward to avoid this stretching torment, I placed the full weight on the nail through my feet. Again I felt the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of my feet.

Yet all this time I remembered that because I was enduring this pain for you, you would be free from the anguish of hell.

As my arms fatigued, cramps swept through my muscles, knotting them into relentless and throbbing pain. With these cramps came the inability to push myself upward to breathe. I fought to raise myself in order to get even one small breath. Sporadically, I was able to push up just enough to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. There were hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, and searing pain as the tissue was torn from my lacerated back when I moved up and down against rough timber- but what is a few hours of suffering knowing that it purchased an eternal place in heaven for you?

It is now almost over. My compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues and my tortured lungs are making frantic efforts to gasp in small gulps of air. I could feel the chill of death creeping through my tissues...soon I could allow my body to die.

The worst agony of all was when my own Father abandoned me- that caused more pain to me than all the torture combined. Yet I would face that a thousand times over to redeem you my friend.

All this that I have described for you, the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him..."

But I want you to remember that verse as meaning this:

P.S.- I love you!

Jesus

[Soldier4Christ]

Starlight, Starbright



    "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-16)

Perhaps like me you rolled out of bed on Thanksgiving morning and flipped on the tube to catch part of the Macy' s Parade. It's a pretty big deal, you know- big balloons, famous people, and special talents broadcast around the world.

It's kinda funny, because this year I noticed that they end the parade with a huge tribute to the star of the show. The star in this case is our favorite diet challenged "big guy" himself: Santa Claus. Maybe that's because I've heard that Santa Claus is comin to town or something. Was I missing something? Here all along I thought that Jesus was the reason for the Christmas season. I guess in all the parade planning Macy's forgot that.

Long before Macy's celebration, there was another parade that had the right idea. It was the wise men from the east, and they followed a literal star in order to worship and celebrate the bright and morning star: Christ the Son of God. And y'know what? Wise people still seek Him.

Colossians 1:15-16 reminds us that Jesus made the whole world and everything in it, and He made it so His Name would be made great! This season let 's focus on the Creator of all things and parade the true Star: Jesus Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Do you hear what I hear?



    In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (Luke 2:1-8)

(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

    12/25 - Bethlehem, Israel -
    The night has been calm, as has been the general spirit of the community. Caesar's unfortunate tax has brought an amazing influx of visitors, but generally speaking the day seemed as if it would continue as normal.

    However, just a few hours ago, we received word that a young woman (supposedly a virgin), has struggled through the final stages of delivery. Strangely enough, her fiancée remained by her side (even though it appears she was pregnant out of wedlock), and a baby boy has been brought into this world in the surroundings of a stable.

    Obviously there have been many births this night, so why single this one out above the rest?

    Evidently because we have received the report that this particular child is allegedly the incarnation of God Himself! Sources say that this birth is the fulfillment of prophecies given centuries previous concerning a Messiah (or Savior) to the world. Strangely enough, rumor has it that this child is none other than "Immanuel" - God with us. According to tradition, this "Messiah" will bring redemption to all to those who have eyes to see and a heart to believe.

    In a related story, a group of ordinary shepherds claimed that during a normal evening of tending sheep in the hills of Judea, an amazing event occurred. The shepherds insist that in the midst of the darkness, a piercing light broke through, and the voice of an angel delivered the news of a miraculous birth- none other than the birth of the Messiah. The shepherds then reported that following the news of the birth, an inconceivable chorus of hundreds, perhaps thousands of angels proclaimed the message of peace on earth.

    Editorial note:
    Although these breaking reports seem impossible, all the facts related to this point have checked out. If indeed this was the night that the true Savior was born, then nothing in life should ever be the same. In fact, the coming of the Savior should very well be the center of one's universe, and the guiding principle for all of life's decisions. That is, of course, if we are to believe that these accounts are true. I suppose only time will tell. If all this is a hoax, then the history of these events will be looked upon as a joke. But if they are true, then consider what impact they must have upon your life and destiny.

[Soldier4Christ]

The War on the Church



    "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." (2 Corinthians 8-10)

This past weekend as I celebrated our country's independence I was reminded of how blessed I am to be an American. I thought to myself about all the blessings, but the biggest of all is the freedom to follow Jesus Christ! Yet, at the same time, my heart was deeply saddened as I remembered those in other countries who do not have the same privileges as we do. For instance, believers in China are forced to meet in secret rooms and attics to worship Jesus. They know the risk, but they are willing to pay the price. They gather with the knowledge that at any time someone could bust through the doors and kill them, or capture them for torture. Believers in the Sudan face mass genocide at the hands of militant Muslims who claim to kill for oil, but in reality kill for religious purposes only. In Columbia, Christians are forced underground to escape the brutality against them and their families. Whatever the situation may be, we know that God has promised He will be with us. He has given us the ability to endure it, and we will receive a far greater reward than what this earth can offer.

    I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

    Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heave, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

For some reason God has placed the persecuted church on my heart and I am broken by the atrocity taking place throughout the world. This is a story I read on the internet regarding the persecuted church. Last month in Baghdad several Christians were on their way to work when they were tracked down and killed. Three women were killed in a drive-by shooting and a couple was also killed. The wife was beaten to death and the husband had his throat slit. All of them never expected to die that day, but because of their beliefs in Jesus Christ, people were out to stop the life changing message of the gospel from being shared.

Would we profess Jesus Christ? Would we be willing to die for our beliefs? It is hard to imagine how we would react if placed in a similar situation. It is an incredibly scary thought to even consider, but I believe that Jesus would be with us, giving us sufficient strength and courage to profess the truth. In the book of Acts we read about Stephen who became the first martyr for the gospel. The account reads of Stephen who was being stoned to death as he peered up in the sky and sees Jesus standing at God's right hand (Acts 7:55). Which I believe is proof that Jesus is with us, no matter what kind of persecution we face. Whether mock and ridicule from our friends at school, or torture in a prison in India, Jesus is standing at God's right hand ready to receive our suffering. In fact, He already did. Jesus knows what it is like to endure persecution. He knows what it means to suffer, and He knows if we choose to follow Him, we too must endure persecution.

    You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:18&20)

Even the disciples of Jesus understood persecution far too well. Paul especially knew what he must suffer so he could truly live. In fact, he lost everything the world considered important and dear to follow Christ-who was far greater than all other things (Philippians 3:7-11). He understood Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. We too, must realize that crosses are incredibly hard to bear. They are heavy, uncomfortable, and painful, but there is nothing more worth it. Do not allow fear to rule your life, pick up that cross and get going!

It is possible that in our lifetime that we may not always have the freedom to follow Christ here in the United States. In fact, we are approaching a scary time, where our culture is rapidly changing, and God is being pushed out more and more. The persecution has already begun, with people trying to take God out of everything we do. Many are working tirelessly to ban the pledge of allegiance from our schools, simply because of the reference to God. Others are adamant about taking the phrase In God We Trust off of our currency. It starts small, but persecution is nonetheless evident here in the United States. Will we take a stand? Will we pick up our cross and follow Him, no matter what the cost may be?

Although the persecution we face here is minimal, we must not forget our brothers and sisters in foreign countries who endure far greater suffering than we do. Many of them wonder if they will even make it through the day, just because they serve Jesus Christ. Please remember to help them any way you can, especially through prayer. It is easy to lose sight of what is important when we live in a place like America that offers so many wonderful things, but they need our support through prayers to get them through the trials they face.

[Soldier4Christ]

Columbine

"my life was absolutely turned upside down. Life as I knew it would never be the same again..."



On the morning of April 20, 1999 I had not a care in the world. In fact, I was excited about life, and the bright future ahead of me. I was a junior at Columbine High School, with plans and dreams beyond the imagination. I was just sixteen years old, my life was only beginning. I had my driver's license and I could go anywhere or do anything I wanted to do. On that particular morning as I headed off to school, the biggest concern on my mind was passing my physics test later that afternoon.

11:10 am would find me spending my lunch hour with two of my close friends in the school library in preparation for the test.

11:15 am a teacher came running through the doors screaming, "THERE'S GUYS WITH GUNS AND BOMBS IN THE SCHOOL!" My friends and I were confused, surely not here, not at Columbine High School. We lived in a nice area, where nothing bad ever happened, so we found it hard to believe the warnings. We honestly thought it was a joke and we ignored the teacher's plea to get under our tables. After the teacher entered, one of my classmates ran through the doors stumbling to the ground. All color was gone from his face, and he lifted his hand that had been clutching his shoulder to reveal the shot wound, dripping with blood. We began to take things a bit more seriously, yet it was too late to run, all we could do was hide. Although it wasn't much, we found shelter under the small wooden table, and wrapped our bodies around one another.

My friend Seth turned to us and said, "Start praying, I don't know what is happening, but only God will get us through." I began praying, and asking for the horror to end, and for the police to save us. But instead of ending, it got worse. I could hear screams in the halls, and the sounds of guns and bombs coming closer and closer and closer.

Suddenly, the two killers: Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were in the library telling everyone to stand up. We stayed where we were, and listened as they began their campaign of terror throughout the room. They were picking out students by their physical appearance, such as weight, and skin color, as well as the religious beliefs of several students. They approached several students that day, including Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall and asking them if they believed in God. Each girl answered YES, and they were killed. I shook uncontrollably under the table waiting for my turn to die. The fire alarms rang out the emergency, the strobe lights flashed, innocent children screamed, and smoke filled the air making it impossible to breathe. Dylan and Eric yelled, "WHOSE NEXT? WHO WANTS TO DIE NEXT?"

I waited for the sharp pain, I waited to meet death face to face, but quickly I uttered a desperate prayer to God saying, "God if you are real, get me out of here alive and I will serve You! Lord I didn't understand then, but now I understand, God I will live for You, just spare my life!" You see prior to this day, I was a party girl. I was concerned about what others thought and being popular. I would drink, try drugs, and mess around with guys, but none of that seemed to make any sense. If I was going to die, I wanted to go to Heaven. Suddenly my worst fear came true as the boys approached the area where we were. They were pushing in chairs to get through, and pushed one into my arm, I could hear them talking, and knew it was my time. Yet, they talked about running out of ammunition. At that point they exited the library and went to reload their guns. We knew they would return, but we found a small window of opportunity and we made our escape.

By the grace of God, I live today to tell my story. I wanted to share this story with you today to encourage you with two main things. First, that you would make a decision to live for Christ. If you are already a Christian, I invite you to take your relationship with Him to a new level. In addition, I ask that you would be bold in sharing the faith you possess. Tell everyone you know about the greatest message ever told! The life changing message of the Gospel. If you have never accepted Christ, I would like to invite you to do so now. There is no better time. We have no certainties in our lives, therefore, we must not wait! I promise that you will not regret this decision.

I want to share how you can come to know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior right now. First and foremost, know with all your heart, that you were created by God to be with Him. He loves you and He is seeking your heart. He desires a relationship with you. Next, you must confess that you are a sinner and you need to be saved. There is nothing you can do on your own, you need Him. You need Him, because He is the only one who can save. God sent His one and only Son to die a brutal death on the cross, to take on your sins and defeat death once and for all. All you have to do is believe this to be true, invite Jesus to come into your heart, and you will have the full assurance of spending eternity with Him, forever! If you did this for the first time ever, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!

Lastly, I want to encourage you as you will face trials and struggles of many kinds. They are hard, yet they build our character, and refine us more than any other time in our lives. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 5:3 it says, "... we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character; hope." If we allow God to heal our brokenness and restore us through all the junk in our lives, He will do amazing things! I am not defined by this horrible tragedy in my life, rather I am more of who I am today because of what I experienced. I am thankful for who I am in Christ, and I would never want to go back to the life I used to live! No matter, what it is you are going through, God's grace is sufficient for you today and everyday!

Today as you go through your day, please remember the 13 who were killed as well as their families, the many wounded, the physically unharmed students and the community who still fights to survive.

[Soldier4Christ]

That's Impossible!

The teacher asked her class what each wanted to become when they grew up. A chorus of responses came from all over the room:

    "A football player," said Jim.

    "A doctor," said Alfred.

    "An astronaut," said Suzy.

    "The president," said little Al. (Everyone laughed).

    "A fireman," said Fred.

    "A teacher," said Lisa.

    "A race car driver." said Mario.

Everyone that is, except Tommy.

The teacher noticed he was sitting there quiet and still. So she said to him, "Tommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

    "Possible." Tommy replied.

    "Possible?" asked the teacher.

    "Yes," Tommy said. "My mom is always telling me I'm impossible. So when I get to be big, I want to be possible."

So...what do you want to be when you grow up? Not in the physical sense. What I mean is spiritual. When you start to get 'older' as far as your walk with Christ, what do you want to be?

I think a lot of us are like little Tommy. We would like to have big dreams of what God could accomplish in and through us, but there seems to be someone or something in our lives that tell us it's impossible.

Maybe it's a friend or family member who feels a little 'uncomfortable' with your Christianity. To them, you are going through a temporary stage that will soon pass. Your counter cultural values and constant habit of attending church are getting in the way of them feeling good about their godless lifestyle.

Did you know that Jesus Himself faced opposition from his family? Check this out:

    As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." (Matthew 12:46-47 NLT)

This probably wasn't a case where they wanted to know what He wanted for dinner later on. I believe that they were embarrassed by His sudden change from a carpenter to a preacher, so they kinda wanted Him to chill on the challenges to the crowds.

In other words, they were saying: "impossible", but Jesus wanted to be "possible".

Or perhaps it's a lack of belief on your part. It's always other people who do great things for God, not you.

If that's your attitude, I would say: good job! The people who were used the greatest by God in the Bible were the least likely heroes of all time. None of them, I repeat, none of them thought that they were on God's A list for accomplishing great things for the Kingdom. So they never dreamed big dreams of what they wanted to be when they grew up, because everything around them was shouting "impossible". So they gave up...that is until God came along and said "I want to use you" to Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, and so on.

This week I would challenge you to simply present yourself as 'possible' to the King of Kings. The Apostle Paul wasn't kidding around when he said:

    "And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." (Philippians 1:6)

God desperately wants to use you right where you are. When you wake up each morning, ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and use you to advance His Kingdom...then get ready for quite a ride!

There may be others who are always telling you that you're impossible, but Jesus said:

    "What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God." (Luke 18:27)

[Soldier4Christ]

When Satan Attacks



    "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

Somebody hates you. He wants nothing more than to destroy you. He is seething with unbridled rage every time he thinks of you. He is bigger than you, stronger than you and smarter than you. He knows what makes you tick and what gets you ticked. He's seen your kind for 6000 years. He knows which buttons to push in your life and which temptations to whisper in your ears. He is the devil.

This cosmic bully goes by many names... Satan, The Accuser, The Serpent, and The Evil One just to name a few. But he has one specific goal... to steal God's glory by destroying God's plan through deceiving and destroying God's people.

Although he was defeated at the cross of Christ "...so that through his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is the devil" (Hebrews 2:14) he still has the power to deceive. As Paul reminds us in II Corinthians 11:3, "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be lead astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

He wants to destroy your testimony. He knows that if he can ruin your credibility as a Christian then few will believe your message. He distracts your prayers, whispers temptation in your ear, and tries to keep you away from Scripture.

He desires to replace your faith with fear. He understands that you'll never share your faith if you are bullied by your own nervousness rather than focused on Christ's power.

He longs to twist your message. If he can't destroy the messenger he'll attack the message. He knows that if he can tweak your gospel presentation and make it unclear then your lost friends will misunderstand it.

All hell is breaking loose against you. The more you seek to represent Christ with your friends and family, the harder the devil and his demonic army of evil doers seek to stop you.

There's only one way to stop a bully... get someone bigger and stronger to stop him for you. Well, guess what? Our big brother Jesus goes with us everywhere we go. Jesus makes Satan nervous. He beat Satan to death at the cross. He can do it again with no problem. So don't try to fight the devil in your own strength. Look to Big Brother to do it through you.

    "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." (Eph. 6:10)

[Soldier4Christ]

The Only True Failure is the Quitter



    Since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1)

There was once a baseball player named Mick. In his heart he knew he could play, but I'm not sure his stats back that up. Over the course of his career, Mick's walks and strikeouts totaled well over 3000- basically seven seasons. What would you think of a baseball player who played seven seasons without hitting the ball in fair territory? One might think he could never amount to anything.

By the way, I neglected to give you Mick's full name: Mickey Mantle, and I'm glad he didn't quit baseball, because the world would be missing one of the greatest players of all time.

There was also an aspiring inventor named Tom. Tom had this notion that he could be successful in inventing something, even though he had already failed hundreds of times. What would you think of an inventor who failed hundreds of times in his experiments? Thomas Edison, perhaps the greatest inventor in American history, spent many long months failing before he found a filament that would stay lit in his incandescent light. I'm glad Thomas didn't give up, because the world might still be in the dark.

History is replete with stories such as these, and the lesson behind them is clear: The key to success in any endeavor is not power and position, or brains and brawn. The key is perseverance- the ability to keep on going despite failure. The determination to never 'lose heart' even though your heart has been broken.

The Apostle Paul was well acquainted with difficulty and perseverance. His list of failures was long, and his circumstances would cause the majority of Christians today to quit.

What was so difficult about his life? For one, the people in a church he founded in Corinth stumbled badly and fell into flagrant disobedience right to his face. For another, he suffered in dark and disgusting prisons for many years just for sharing his faith. Throw in the shipwrecks, beatings, and betrayals (2 Cor. 11:23-27), and you could have a picture of defeat. Yet Paul persevered, and changed the world.

There is now a believer named ________(you). There are many difficult and trying circumstances going on right now, but perseverance will win out and keep you from quitting the Christian race. I'm glad you're not going to give up, because the world needs to hear the gospel.

[Soldier4Christ]

Persecution University



    "...everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted." (II Timothy 3:12)

This is the time of year for graduation. Students are proudly walking across the stage and receiving their well deserved diplomas. Hours of studying, writing, taking tests, and surviving the rigors of modern education have finally paid off.

As Christians, we all attend an additional school. Its called Persecution University, a highly honored institution that has been around for thousands of years.

Jesus graduated from this school with honors. The apostles followed His lead. As a matter of fact, in the last 2,000 years thousands of committed Christians have put on the spiritual cap and gown and walked the aisle to become part of the prestigious tradition that comes with being honored graduates of Persecution University.

Did you know that all but one of the apostles died a martyr's death? The only one who died of old age was the Apostle John. The only reason he lived so long was because he endured being boiled in oil without dying.

Through the centuries many Christians have refused to refuse Christ. As a result they have been imprisoned, beaten, hung, burned to death, stoned, dismembered, decapitated, impaled, whipped, strangled and a host of other cruel and torturous persecutions.

Many Christians don't believe that that sort of thing is happening today; that the school has closed down. I'm here to tell you that Persecution University is alive and well on planet earth. According to Dan Hodel, president of the Christian Coalition, "More than 160,000 Christians were martyred in the last 5 years in a monumental escalation of religious persecution..." As a matter of fact, more Christians have been killed for their faith in the 20th Century than the first nineteen centuries combined!

Now you may be thinking to yourself that these statistics have nothing to do with you. Think again, soldier of the cross, they have everything to do with you. Many spiritual forecasters believe a religious persecution will soon be coming to a country near you. The storm clouds of demonic oppression are gathering on the American horizon even as I write. Increasingly as our country moves away from Christian values, we'll see the signs of a full-out persecution in America. Increasingly in the biology, history, sociology and philosophy classes of the public schools and secular universities, Christians are directly and indirectly mocked. Someday the mocking may escalate into a full on physical harassment. For some strange reason, our "tolerant" society does not tolerate Christians.

So what should your response be? Do you fight back? Do you clench your fists in fury? Absolutely not! If you are being persecuted for being a Christian by being mocked, laughed at or made fun of, then carry out the same philosophy as the disciples in Acts 5:41. When they were severely beaten they "left... rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Christ]" The disciples counted it an honor to be graduates from PU! So should we!

[Soldier4Christ]

Who Wants to be a Martyr?



    As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:5-7)

It must have all been a big conspiracy. You know, just like alien abduction? Those sneaky disciples didn't really believe that Jesus rose from the dead. They just wanted to be famous and have followers, so they kept the lie alive. After all, given the choice between fame and fish, renown or rainbow trout, most people give into the lure of the spotlight and take the bait.

Believe it or not, that is a very widely held belief. Most people have no trouble accepting the idea that Christ lived on this earth and even died on a cross. However, when you begin throwing the word 'resurrection' around, your credibility gets thrown out the window.

There are many religions that teach a symbolic or 'spiritual' resurrection of Christ. That is that Christ never physically rose from the dead- His body is still in the grave. This belief is nothing new- in fact; it was around at the time of Paul. False teachers in the church were spreading the idea that faith in the resurrection of Christ really isn't all that important, thus the disciples had to be wrong.

So what do you think? Were the Apostles simply lying to be famous?
Let's look at how the Apostles died:

    * Matthew suffered martyrdom by being slain with a sword at the distant city of Ethiopia
    * John was put in a caldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner, and was afterward branded and exiled to the remote island of Patmos
    * Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downward
    * James the Greater was beheaded at Jerusalem
    * James the Less was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of the temple, and beaten to death with a fuller's club
    * Bartholomew was flayed alive
    * Andrew was bound to a cross, from which he preached to his persecutors until he died
    * Thomas was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel in the East Indies
    * Jude was pierced with arrows until he died
    * Philip died a martyr's death; however, traditions conflict about the way he died
    * Simon the Zealot, was murdered by a mob in Persia
    * Matthias was first crushed with rocks and then beheaded

Some fame-eh? What a foolish notion to think that any human being would suffer so greatly for a known lie- much less twelve apostles!

Would you be willing to go through any of those fates to promote some dead guy who lied to you about being the Son of God and the only Savior of the world?

Thousands of people watched the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. They witnessed the sun get swallowed by a storm, felt the earth shake, and watched ghosts walk the street. Over five hundred people saw Jesus after He rose again. They went out as witnesses and within a few months thousands of people were believers in Christ. Many of them even died for their faith. Why would they do this for a fairy tale?

Answer: they wouldn't. Jesus is alive and well, and asks us to be as committed to sharing the gospel as were the disciples. Rest assured, you may face persecution- but your message is the truth of salvation. Proclaim it! Seize the day! For if we are unfaithful in sharing the gospel, then we make a mockery of the Apostles' suffering.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jesus Freak

    Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11,12)

"Jesus Freak" is more than just a song. It's a title, a badge of honor, a mock word. For almost 2,000 years Christians have been called names. From "troublemakers" to "fanatics" to "Bible-bangers", Christians have been labeled again and again by the enemies of the gospel.

Even the title "Christians" probably started out as a taunting title. According to Acts 11:26: " The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch...."

The word "Christians" literally means "little Christs." In other words, when unbelievers mocked the disciples, they did so by calling them "mini-Christs"- i.e.-"Christians."

Can you imagine the scene? The New Testament believers are doing acts of kindness, demonstrating a lifestyle of love and boldly sharing the gospel of Christ. Suddenly, not praise but mocking begins: "Hey, look at all the mini-messiahs running around. They're like little Christs! Just who do they think the are... the second coming of Jesus?"

What would you do? What did the early believers do? Retaliate? (Shut up! Get a life!) No! They took that mock word "Christians" and wore it like a badge of honor! They were proudly labeled as "little Christs".

In fact, Jesus says that we are actually "blessed" when we are persecuted. The word "blessed" communicates the idea of having inner joy. So, Jesus is commanding us to be joyful when we are being torn down.

Doesn't sound easy does it? The key here is to remember two things:

   1. When you are persecuted for your faith, God keeps a record of those times and adds to your reward account. Persecution in itself does not bring us joy, but knowing that the persecution is earning us rewards does! That's why in spite of a temporary razzing, we can be joyful because of the perspective of eternal reward.
   2. When you are persecuted for your faith, you are in great company- the prophets ("For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.") In other words, when people put us down for being "little Christs", we are in company with the heroes of the Bible. That's why in spite of a momentary bummer, we can be joyful because of the perspective of historical honor.

Hey - Jesus Freak, don't be ashamed of being tagged! When people are making fun of you, don't retaliate- be joyful! Wear your mock word as a badge of honor and trade it in for a crown of righteousness in heaven someday!

[Soldier4Christ]

Who Needs Prayer?



    Three preachers sat discussing the best positions for prayer while a telephone repairman worked nearby. "Kneeling is definitely best," claimed one.

    "No," another contended. "I get the best results standing with my hands outstretched to heaven."

    "You're both wrong," the third insisted. "The most effective prayer position is lying prostrate, face down on the floor."

    The repairman could contain himself no longer. "Hey, fellas," he interrupted, "the best prayin' I ever did was hangin' upside down from a telephone pole!"

So why does it take the most desperate situations to bring out our most desperate cries to our Father? It's almost as if we delight in handling life in our own strength, until life rears its ugly head and gives us a serious beat down...only then does the idea of running to Jesus cross our minds.

Just like those three preachers, I think we might have the wrong idea about what prayer is supposed to be all about.

Do I know what prayer is all about? Absolutely not! It's probably one of the biggest mysteries in the universe. But don't let that stop you from challenging your perception of the most powerful force in the universe.

For some, prayer is like carrying around an 'emergency use' cell phone. It doesn't cost much, it's cool to have around, and if there's ever any trouble you can just dial for help.

For others, prayer is like dieting/exercise. You know you need to do it, you know it's incredibly good for you- but it's just too much work. So you talk about it, read about it, hear others chatter about it, even imagine what your life would be like if you did it...but you don't.

For most, prayer is like an incredibly expensive gift. You are so honored that you received it, and you'd love to use it- but you're just not sure how.

I think that's why God went out of His way to send the instruction manual in the pages of Scripture. Because I'm not the one who has the right to tell you how to pray, what I thought might be helpful is to list some key passages that have to do with proper use and care of the amazing privilege called prayer. Please take time to slowly read and meditate over these words, because you never know when you could be hanging from a telephone pole!

    Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. (Ephesians 6:18)

    Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said, "This is how you should pray: "Father, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us our food day by day. And forgive us our sins--just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation." (Luke 11:1-4)

    Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6)

    Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

    Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again. (James 5:16-17)

[Soldier4Christ]

The Lion Doesn't Sleep Tonight



    "Yes, I came face to face with a lion once. To make matters worse, I was alone and weaponless..." "Goodness! What did you do?"

    "What could I do? First I tried looking straight into his eyeballs, but he kept crawling up on me. Then I thought of plunging my arm down his throat, grabbing him by the tail and turning him inside out, but I decided it would be too dangerous. Yet, he kept creeping up on me; I had to think fast..."

    "How did you get away?"

    "I just left him and passed on to the other cages."

Have you ever wondered why the Apostle Peter describes Satan as a lion? Probably because he was very familiar with the Prince and Power of the air, and he would have also known about the King of the beasts- so naturally he made some comparisons. For example, lions are incredibly intelligent and sneaky to boot. They also rule whatever land area they happen to be residing in, because when they move in- every other animal instantly becomes a menu item. Peter had also personally witnessed friends being torn to shreds by lions in the Roman coliseum- so he knows what he's talking about.

Satan is also amazingly intelligent. In fact, he is the most powerful being ever created. At this very moment he is 'on the prowl'; ready to pounce on a napping believer, which is why Peter gives us such a strong warning:

    Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (I Peter 5:

The problem is that many Christians are like the person in the dialogue mentioned at the beginning. They have all the bravery in the world facing him because they think he is behind bars.

Here's some important information: in the spiritual world you cannot simply move to the next cage. Satan is loose in this world, and believers who are "prayer less" and "Bible less" are on the top of his menu list.

I have personally seen the testimonies of some of my friends ripped to shreds by the evil one, and to be honest with you- it is quite frightening. Every time it happened the same way: skip church here, ignore your devotions and prayer life there- basically fall asleep in your walk. If this is happening to you, start listening-because you may here the lion's roar right before he very soon attacks you.

Or you could choose to "be alert and self-controlled". Basically, this means get your head on straight! Don't mess around with ungodly people, stay involved in your church and youth group, talk to God all the time, memorize Scripture, and don't forget your spiritual armor. All this will at least get you ready for his attacks, and when they occur, you'll be ready to take the next step that God commands:

    Resist him, standing firm in the faith. (I Peter 5:9)

It's pretty difficult to avoid a lion if he's looking for you, but that doesn't mean you can't resist him in the power of the Lord. If you keep Jesus close to your side, you will have a Defender at the ready when the devil is looking for an easy meal.

So if you happen to come face to face with Satan the lion this week, make sure that you aren't alone and weaponless, because those bars are imaginary, and those teeth are real!