Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Christmas Blues

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test , he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12

Sometimes Christmas time can be sooo stressful. I'm not talking about Christmas itself, I'm talking about the preparation. I'm horrible at figuring out what to buy people for presents, and it doesn't help that i hate shopping. (yes I'm a girl who hates shopping, go figure) Around the holidays the malls are flooded with thousands of people, and more often than not the people aren't in the happiest moods. Last week, i kid you not, i saw two women fighting and cussing each other out because "apparently" the one lady cut in line. I've never seen anything like it! Luckily i made it out of the malls alive this year. Once Christmas finally rolled around, and i got to give the presents i "fought" so hard for it was so rewarding. To see the smiles and how happy they were to receive a gift, it melted away the all the stress.

Living a life for God can be the same in a way. Sometimes we feel like we are getting made fun of for our faith, standing against temptation, serving others above ourselves, turning the other cheek etc. ,all that stuff can take a toll on us . God has promised us that when we are persecuted for our faith we will be blessed. I have noticed that when i feel like I've been doing so much for the Lord and i feel like I'm being run into the ground, God opens up a door and blesses me, and helps me to rest in Him. Our work for the Lord does not go unnoticed. He has promise us blessings beyond our belief in reward for surrendering our lives over to Him. God sacrificed His son for us, so what will you sacrifice for him?

[Soldier4Christ]

  Parents and Discipline

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline." Rev. 3:19


"Be home by 10:00 and no later!"
"Oh, mom, do I have to? All the other kids get to stay out later."


My mom is so strict! I mean she tells me who I can be friends with, how long I can stay out and even exactly what I can and can't do! I mean really! She must think I'm six years old! I just turned sixteen and can drive, but with all her rules, it's amazing she'll even let me out of the driveway.
Have you ever thought this way? Ever wondered why your parents are so strict when it seems the other kids get to do whatever they want to? Why is it you have to be in at 10:00, but your friends get to stay out until 12:00? Why do you have to help around the house, but your friends don't have to do a thing? Why is it you have to get all your homework done before going anywhere, but your friends don't even have to open their books?

It's called love. Your parents love you enough to show you the right way of doing things. God gives parents many examples of this. When the Israelites disobeyed God, they had to wander in the desert for forty years. Just as there were consequences for the Israelites, there are consequences when parents are not obeyed. Sneaking out and going to that party may mean alcohol is served and the police called for underage drinking. Even worse, someone could drive home under the influence of alcohol and have an accident. Parents were teenagers once and know all the things that can happen if rules are broken. They want to protect their children from the consequences. So, if you have a parent who is strict, thank God for them. If your parents are Christians and strict, praise God! They love you and want the best for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  No Fear

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18

There has been a popular brand of clothing and decals around for many years that has capitalized on the saying "No Fear".  The use of this material is supposedly a way to give one enough courage to not be fearful, or at least to make other people believe you are not afraid.  The basis of the clothing company's slogans used on their apparel is actually rooted in Existentialism, which uses metaphysical principles to formulate its' system of beliefs.  Quite the opposite of a Christians' belief.

Christians are provided a far superior way to not live in fear.  The dismissal of fear in our lives is rooted in the fact that we are loved by God.  By virtue of being his children, we have no reason to be fearful of anything in this world, not even Satan.  As we know from the Book of job, Satan can only inflict on us what God allows.  In the same way, the world can not cause us to be fearful; unless we allow it to. 

The above verses from 1 John provide the key to our ability to keep fear out of our lives.  God loves us.  He loves us with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)  That love is ours to accept.  God wants us to feel His love, because being fearful is the opposite of love.  And, as the verse goes on to say, if we have fear, we don't really know His love.  One of the reasons that God does not want us to be fearful is so He can use us for His purposes.  If there is any fear in your life, you probably want to face it head on and let Jesus heal it.  If this is not done, you are limiting how God can use you for the Kingdom.

As we see in these verses from 1 Peter 3, "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened", we are being told that we need not fear anyone when we are going about the Fathers business here on the earth.  God's protection and favor will be upon us and we should not be fearful of being harmed.  Instead, we will be blessed by doing whatever God asks of us by trusting in His love for us.

A bit earlier in verse 6, Peter provided a good example for us.  "Like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear."  In this verse Peter explains that when a woman does not become fearful and does what the Lord instructs her, she will be used in much the same way that Sarah was.  In all of those verses a common thread stands out; love and obedience to the Lord casts fear out of us and allows God to use us in mighty ways that impact not only ourselves, but those around us as we are blessed.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Living Like You Don't Belong

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
1 Peter 1:17-19

As Christians, we sometimes forget that we don’t really belong to this world and that we are only passing through.  Instead of making the most of the time we have here, we often get caught up in things we shouldn’t.  When we get caught up in the things of the world, we lose focus and become unproductive in our Christian journey.

This last week I took a vacation to Boston to visit my girlfriend’s parents.  We had the best time touring all over Boston and the surrounding areas.  We went and visited Cape Cod, we checked out some lighthouses and we even went deep-sea fishing.  Want to know how we accomplished so much in one week?  I never forgot I was on vacation.  I was a Houstonian in Boston and never lost sight of that.  I knew I only had a few days to explore so I made the most of the time I had.

What do you think would have happened if I had gotten into Boston and tried to find an apartment?  What about if I had tried to interview for jobs?  My vacation would have not seemed like a vacation would it?  I would have wasted the time I had, instead of doing touristy things and exploring.  The same is true when we, as Christians, get involved with earthly things.  When we stop telling others about God and start chasing after money, good jobs, trying to fit in, we have lost sight of our purpose on this earth.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these things if we don’t allow them to become more important than sharing the gospel with others.

As Christians, we need to remember what we are supposed to be doing here.  We are strangers in this present world, sent on a mission for God.  We are here to have a relationship with Christ, and spread His love everywhere we go.  We don’t have a lot of time on this earth and need to make the best of the time we do have.   D.L. Moody says, “What has your attention, has you”.  What has your attention today?  Are you remembering you are not home?  Or are you trying to make this place your home?  Refocus your thoughts and heart today on God and begin to live in to the calling you have received.  Don’t waste the time you have here, the lives of your friends and family may depend on it.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Here I Am

     Lately in my Bible reading, I've been paying attention to detail.  One detail that really caught my attention was the phrase "Here I am!".  I never realized how many prophets in the Bible said that when God called them.  I prayed about why God would point that out to me and He gave me the following 3 points.

     We have to be........
          1. Willing to listen - How many times have we actually listened to God?  We want Him to answer us but we don't take time to stop our busy schedule and listen to Him.  Some of us take 5 to 10 mins for quiet time but spend all of it doing the talking instead of listening.  We should be like the prophets.  When God speaks to us we should say, "Here I am" instead of "Hold on God, I have life happening".  One good example is Moses.  He was tending his sheep when God called out his name.  He didn't say, "Hold on God, I'm tending my sheep".  He said "Here I am" and listened to God.
          2. Willing to go - When God calls us to do something He has a purpose for it.  It may be a little or big job but they're all important.  God doesn't show favoritism either - He can use ANYONE regardless of age, sex, denomination, etc. but we have to be willing!  We need to have the heart of Isaiah:  "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?'.....And I said 'Here am I, send me!"  (Isaiah 6:
          3.  Willing to sacrifice - When we are willing to listen and willing to go God will use us.  When He uses us He doesn't want us to just give part of what we have.  He wants us to give our all.  Therefore, we must also be willing to sacrifice.  We've got to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him.  Remember when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the one God promised him?  Abraham didn't even think twice about his decision.  He did what God told him regardless the sacrifice and God honored him for that.

     Will you be willing to listen, willing to go, and willing to sacrifice?  I'm saying to the Lord, "Here I am!  Use me!"  Will you join me?  We will be amazed what God can do through us when we do these 3 simple things.  God bless you and remember to LISTEN, GO, and SACRIFICE!

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Love Without End

But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him. (1 John 2:5) NIV

When we first enter a new relationship with the opposite sex, everything seems perfect. Every thought that enters our minds has something to do with them. Every time the phone rings, your seen making a mad dash in anticipation for the new love of your life to be on the other end. Constant butterflies seem to have invaded your stomach and nothing stands in the way of spending every second of everyday either thinking or longing to be in their arms.

As days fly by, time takes it's indisputable toll. Once strong relationships of love, turn into battles of doing everything possible to keep from falling apart. Some say you need time away. Some think you may need to see other people. The point is, that you have lost the sparkle you once had.

When your first saved, there is a fire burning in your eyes that everyone can see. You head off into the day with a new found hope, one in an awesome savior named Jesus. Just like every relationship, you can't stand being separated. Praying before bed just doesn't cut it anymore. Your praying in class, the hallways, at lunch and any spare second you get. Your constantly reading a letter of love that He has given you known as the Bible in every period.

But in every relationship, hard times seem to seep their way into any crack we may have? If your not truly committed, truly honest with yourself and with others, it will fall apart. Believe it or not, Jesus never leaves us. We always seem to try and find others to fill His place. Whether it's secular music, teen magazines, drugs, or even your friends, we allow outside forces to try and convince us on what is right. Don't listen to what people say on who you should or shouldn't talk to or date. Listen to your heart. Jesus knows that your right for Him. And He wants to have a relationship that will last more than a life time. Invite Him into your life, and find a love that will never end. May peace be with you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Another Milestone

Acts 28:15 ......."When Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage." 
(NKJV)

Here in the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we see that Paul had just landed on the shores of Italy to venture toward Rome. Reaching the city of Rome was a milestone in the life and ministry of Paul. He so longed and prayed that he would be able to see Rome one day, to see the brothers and sisters in Christ and teach them more about His love and grace. Paul made it!

You see Paul had a very big reason to thank God and take courage for he had many ups and downs in his life and ministry to be able to see it to this point. He utterly thanked God for getting him to this milestone because of all that he had been through in his life. While on the shore of Italy and starting the trail to the city, he ran into some of the brothers of Rome. What an encouragement to Paul, and this gave him courage.

Friends, when we look back at our lives and this past year with all of the events, achievements, disappointments, wars, terrorism, things that we are sick of, and many other things that have happened in our lives, what is our attitude about them? Today, as we stand on the new year, a new milestone, what is our attitude? Are we thankful to God no matter what? Are we taking courage? I challenge you to be thankful and take courage this new year as Paul did when he reached a milestone in his life and ministry. May God’s Grace Abound In You.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The American Movement

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.


There is a movement in America that has gotten a firm hold on us.  This movement has blurred the lines between what is right and what is wrong.  This movement says that good is evil and evil is good.  This movement is called political correctness.  It takes the evil desires of people and labels them under new and nice-sounding titles.  It takes child pornography and calls it art.  It says pre-marital sex is ok as long as it is "safe".  It says people can cuss and be lewd and bash Christianity, because of freedom of speech.

We live in a time when people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.  We love to blame it on someone else. Well, I do this because my parents or what is worse they say, there is nothing wrong with this.  People have hardened their hearts in the name of freedom, true freedom doesn't come from following sin.  Sin traps us and makes us victims of it. 

As Christians, it's more important than ever for us to know what is right and know what is wrong.  We like to accept Jesus as our saviour, but we dont like the whoel part of our salvation.  We need to dig into Gods word and find out how He wants us to live, so we can be examples to others.  This world is hurting more than ever.  Political correctness has given people a good sounding reason to be what sinful desires want them to be, but political correctness doesnt offer the freedom that it promised.  It has only trapped us more.

It's wrong to be gay, it's wrong to cheat on your spouse, it's wrong to divorce, it's wrong to cuss, it's wrong to worship other gods, such as Allah and Buddha.  It's wrong to blend in with the world's way of doing things.  Subconsciously, people know this and that's why they are trapped because they don't know the truth.  The truth is that it's wrong, but the bigger truth is that God loves the people who are doing this and wants them to come to Him.  He molded each one of us together in His own hands, making us in His image.  God loves the doctors who perform abortions, He loves the people who get abortions.  He loves everyone, no matter what sins they are committing.  God offers these people freedom, but they have to know the truth.  They have to know.  We have to tell them.  We have the right to proclaim the truth of the gospel, after all, we do have Freedom of speech, Satan's using it, we should too.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Losing Control

Until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Genesis 27:45

I was extremely hungry. When my stomach started to grumble it meant one thing and one thing only, “feed me!” I proceeded to jog out to my vehicle in between classes in hopes to find a few quarters. After about five minutes of an extensive search and rescue mission for the lost coins, I found sixty five cents. Enough for a pack of peanuts in the vending machine. Life just might be worth living again.

I jogged back to the cafeteria while checking my watch to make sure I had enough time. When I finally reached my destination I quickly put in the sixty five cents and proceeded to press the combination that would send my peanuts tumbling down. As I watched the vending machine dispense my prize, horror shook my entire body. NO! This could not be happening! My peanuts got stuck!

Oh the thoughts that went through my head. I never realized how much a packet of peanuts could mean to someone till that point. I was so upset and my face started to turning red. I was going to lay hands on this machine and it was not going to be in a good way.

Why do we get so upset during the stupidest of times? If we let anger take control of us then anger is going to make us look like an idiot. Plain and simple. This week try and control your temper and do not let it get control of you. Once you lose your control on your anger, you lose your witness. Don’t let that happen. God Bless and Keep the Faith!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Waiting Patiently

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  Psalm 40:1

Have you ever had to wait for something that you wanted so bad you could hardly stand it?  I think we all have had instances of patience testing in our lives.  Some of them we are waiting for good things, like being accepted to a college, or an upcoming prom dance, or perhaps a wedding to someone we love very much.  Other times it's for not so good news like a medical test report, a prayer request sent up, or in the front seat of your car, waiting for the police officer to come back with, or without a ticket in their hand.

In either case, God wants us to wait patiently for the results to be made known to us.  Have you ever given any thought to the reason for this?  Maybe you have heard the old story, I prayed to God for patience and God made me wait 10 years before I finally learned how to be patient.  All kidding aside, God doesn't want us to live lives filled with anxiety.  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Philippians 4:6

God knows that anxious Christians are not the best individuals to send out on Kingdom missions, small or large.  He wants us to be of use for Him, to help with the heavenly work He is trying to accomplish through us here on this earth.  Anxiety and patience go hand in hand.  Both are closely tied to our maturity and character, which are the two main areas of our lives He is constantly growing, shaping and developing.

I remember a time in my life when I had to wait patiently for God to change a very troubling circumstance around.  I will be the first to admit that I had to deal with a great deal of anxiety, at least for the first couple of months of waiting.  Slowly though, as I began to give the situation more and more to Him, I became less troubled and eventually arrived at a place of complete peace, as I witnessed how He was working out the circumstance I was in.  One of the things that really helped was some verses a good friend had shared with me; Proverbs 3:5-6. 

Now, at first, I would not have thought those verses had much to do with patience.  However, as the days and weeks went by, praying those verses every day, I began to develop a new found patience which I had never known before.  My advice to those of you looking for some patience: try looking in the Book of Wisdom, beginning with Proverbs 3:5-6 for an appetizer, before going on to the main course; the Psalms of David.  It's amazing what we can accomplish with even a little piece of God's wisdom.  That is, of course, if you have the patience to wait for it work.

[Soldier4Christ]

  You Might Die Today

No one wakes up in the morning thinking, "Maybe I will die today." But someone will die today.

Someone got out of bed this morning never to return to it tonight.  Some said good-bye to their wives, husbands, children, parents, brothers or sisters this morning over breakfast telling them they will see them later.  But some will never come home tonight.  Some have great plans for the weekend that will never happen, instead their family will be at their funeral.  It happens.  On June 12, 1999 at 7pm my husband kissed me good-bye and left to go to the store to get steaks to barbecue.  As I was making the salad and setting the table on our porch for dinner, the call came in.  My husband was dead. 

He had not been sick or hurt or anything.  He died of a brain aneurysm.  He was dead before he hit the floor in the grocery store.  He didn't wake up that morning saying, "I might die today."  He had plans, a good job, a family, a life.  When it is our time to leave this world there may be no warning at all.  Some are ill and know that the time is drawing near, but for most, we do not know.  I know that when my husband left and never came back that he did go to a place that was prepared for him.  Heaven, my husband went immediately to Heaven, how do I know that?  The Bible says:
"I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."  John 11:25 KJV

I witnessed during our lives together my husband prepare his soul to insure he was going to Heaven.  I saw my husband pray to Jesus Christ to forgive him of his sins and to change his life.  I saw my husband dedicate his life to God.  I saw him grow in a personal relationship with Jesus over the years.  I saw the spirit of the Lord within him each and every day.

IF YOU WERE TO SUDDENLY DIE TODAY -
DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHERE YOU WILL GO?
DO NOT WAIT !!!!

Do not wait another minute because no one knows where our time is come.  Go on your knees NOW and pray to God for salvation.  Ask Jesus to come into your heart and live there, changing your life and forgiving you of your sins.  You need no fancy prayer, just talk to him from your heart as you would your best friend.  This guarantees a place in Heaven for all eternity.  Especially when we are young we may think we have plenty of time to do this in our lives - but we just never know.  An actual prayer to God must be said, just thinking and feeling it won't make it so.  Go down on your knees NOW and ask Jesus to come in your life.  Believe me I never expected to never see my husband again when he left that evening. Go to God now and make your reservation for a wonderful eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.  I know one day I will see my husband again when it is my time to go to Heaven. Do it before its too late, you don't get a second chance after you die.  The alternative is ever lasting life in torment separated from God in Hell.

"For me to live in Christ and to die is gain."  Philippians 1:21 KJV

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  Jon 14:1-3 KJV

[Soldier4Christ]

God is Txting

?4U...did you even think four or five years ago that text-o-mania would hit the world and radically change the way we communicate? From brb to bff to bfn, there are enough abbreviations being bounced off satellites to fill the universe and then some - imho anyway - based on the stat I read that indicated an average of 1 BILLION text messages are sent every week - which means that every six weeks or so there are more text messages floating around than there are people on the planet!

Of course I'm not telling anything you didn't already know. In fact, I bet you're texting right now - aren't you? I know this because I've seen the incredible multi-task-text-with-my-eyes-closed skill of teenagers first hand. The scariest is when they are driving and texting at the same time. That's when the most common message is this:

    O no! I'm abt2 reck!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging you. In fact, I txt n drv farly ofn - dnt evn need 2 lok @ the phn!

So all this texting got me thinking. What if you and I could send a message to God? What would you ask or say to Him? Would He answer, or would He just ROFL?

Personally, I don't think he would laugh at us for trying to communicate. God is a person, and he is absolutely crazy in love with His creation. Think about a time when you got a text from someone you really like or love...you got back as soon as you could, right? Same with Jehovah God. In fact, He has already sent us a 'text message' that has 774,746 words and would take you 70 hours to read out loud.

Of course I'm talking about the Bible, and because it's not exactly a short message, I'd like to take a moment and throw in my two cents on what I think would be common text questions people might send to God, and what He would say in return.

Dear God - do u love me?

    Ivenvr quit luv'nu&nvrwill. xpctluv, luv, &moreluv! (Jeremiah 31:3)

Dear God - will u ever leave me?

    Illnvrleaveu or abandon u (Hebrews 13:5)

Dear God - do you care about my future?

    4 IK the plnz I have 4 u," sez the Lord. " Theyre plnz 4 good not 4 dzastr, 2 give u a future & a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Dear God - I feel so guilty all the time - can u help?

    If you confess ur sins 2 me, im faithful & just 2 4give ur sins & 2 cleanse u from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9)

Dear God - do u ever think about me?

    My thoughts about u r rare and beautiful! u'll nevr comprehend em! U couldn't even bgin 2 count em - anymore than u could count the s& of the sea. (Psalm 139: 16-18)

Dear God - I'm worried and sometimes scared...can u help?

    Im leavin u w/ a gift- peace of mind & heart, & the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't b troubled r afraid. (John 14:27)

See what I mean? The God of the universe loves you more than you could possibly imagine, and the best part is that He is in complete charge of the universe and knows everything about you. He's a heavenly Daddy who is always ready and willing to listen to your cries, answer your prayers, and applaud your victories. He has a picture of you on the screen of His phone, and He waits with delight for the incredible moments when you look up to Him in faith with a message.

The next time you text, remember the ultimate communication called the Bible, written by the hand of God Himself. I promise it will be d gr8st msg u evr read!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Meet Friends: Mercy and Justice

For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalms 30:5)

Lately, I’ve seen so many people under trail. I have one friend who, despite her wanting to stop the physical relationship with her boyfriend, the guy she wants to marry nonetheless, her own effort to stop has become useless. She’s cried out to God in her agony to stop pursuing that type of relationship, only to have the guy eventually end things. She’s under pressure now to let God be the real focus of her life so He can refine her.

I also know someone else who, in the past had gotten pulled over for drinking and driving and ended up in jail over night, with their teen daughter at home not having a clue where her mother was when she woke up the next morning.  Her mom had her license taken away and had to see a probation officer for a time. You’d think that would be a lesson learned. But a few years later I watched as this mom was pulled over for speeding, she reached over in her console. Somehow I knew what she was going to do. Then finally while the officer was in his car running her traffic history, she slipped the penny in her mouth.  I had learned that she had almost an entire bottle of wine since that afternoon. When the officer came back he told her that since she hadn’t had a history in almost 3 years he was going to let her off with a warning. She didn’t even have to pay the ticket. As we drove off I asked God why He had let her off. Why did he have mercy on her when the officer could have asked her if she had been drinking? He could have done something to make this woman wise up.  What I thought was God doing nothing could very well have been something.  Having enough fear to put the penny in her mouth was a signal though that for that moment she was under trial. That may have been God’s justice.

God always has His justice, but in Him there is mercy… a mercy that puts fire under the trials… a mercy that transforms the heart. Through trials is God’s justice. Through mercy is His grace.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Fulfillment Of The Law

"For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Romans 13:9) KJV "

Staggering into my room around midnight is nothing new to me, but collapsing onto my bed after traveling around the world was. My trek from Italy back to Florida took a total of 24 hours. Looking back over the nine days the marching band spent together will be a memory I will cherish forever, as well as the lessons we learned about each other.

We were like four brothers rooming together. We loved each other one minute and would love to give each other a swirly the next. It's one thing to say you know someone, but it's a whole other story once you live with them for a few days.

Oh, we had lots of fun, I remember holding down Chad when he got this bright idea that he would steal my bed as Matt introduced a wet towel to his rear end. I also remember seeing that same person dazed and confused when the girl he liked didn't like him in return. Then we had Derrick which was God's gift to women, then Matt who just stayed in his own little world most of the time. Last was myself who joked around and sat back and watched the events unfold.

I believe Paul knew how much it meant to love one another, he was beaten, whipped, and imprisoned for trying to save people's lives. When he wrote the book of Romans he spoke of experience. What experiences do you recall? Have you had times when you felt unloved and alone? Remember the times when you first met Jesus? Remember the warmth and comfort and security you felt when you accepted Him into your heart? Now you know what Paul continued wit the next verse. "Love does no harm to it's neighbor. There for love is the fulfillment of the law." May peace be with you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  A New Day Is Here

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5

2008 is known as the year of new beginning. I believe some of us just want to have a new day. Some of us in 2007 had bad days. We had some bad night seasons and we thought the night will never end. Some of us have been through some stuff that cause us pain, cause tears to come down your face. Hurt that seems unbearable. One thing you must understand is that before morning comes, there is night. So you will have night seasons. It will be a time where you wonder is God is still here and with you. But he is with you no matter what. 2007 was known as the year of completion meaning God was completing the work he was doing in you. Now that he has completed the work in you and doing what he has to do in your life. You can now enter your new day, your new beginning. You will understand why you went through what you went through in 2007. God want to take you to another level, you have completed your work in 2007 and now he will take you higher in 2008. Do you believe that? Enjoy your new season, enjoy your new day. I will leave a song with you that we sing in our church. It goes like this. God will do a new thing in you. God will do a new thing in you. Whatever you ask for. Whatever you pray for. Nothing is deny said the lord, nothing is deny said the lord. God bless you.