Falling into a nightmare of reality

This is for those that didn't make it last Wednesday night.

Will You Stand Firm?

In Genesis 39 Joseph the son of Jacob has just begun a journey into the unknown, all on his own. No parents, no friends. We remember that his brothers hated him mostly because of the love their father had for Joseph. They took they anger out on him by selling him to a band of slave traders.

Joseph finally wakes up from this bad dream of his brothers throwing him into a pit and then selling him (like he was one the many sheep that his father owned), to find himself in another bad dream. He woke in the pagan empire of Egypt.

Joseph was sold and bought again by the captain of the Pharaohs Guard. His name was Potiphar. In chapter 39 verse 2 its says - "And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was prosperous." God wants to bless our lives but we need to first be obedient to Him. Joseph as we will see was obedient to the heavenly Father.

Catch the continuation of the decisions that Joseph had to face in Egypt. Remember he was a teenager when he was first sold.

Rachel Scott

"I lost all my friends at school. Now that I've begun to 'walk my talk', the make fun of me." Rachel's journal entries shower her disappointment that the very people whom she wanted to show Christ's love turned away from her. But she wouldn't give in.

"I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus. I will take it. If my friends have to become my enemies for me to be with my best friend, Jesus, then that's fine with me. I always knew being a Christian means having enemies, but I never thought that my friends were going to be those enemies"

Rachel was a student at Columbine High school on the day two students opened fire in the school. One gunman asked her if she still believed in God. She look him in the eye and said yes. she still believed. He asked her why, but he didn't let her answer before killing her. 
Rachel Scott passed her test, and because she did, her light reached beyond her school to around the world. Long before the test came, Rachel expressed her willingness to give her all for Christ. The words from her journal, written exactly on year before her death, tell about her commitment. "I am not going to hide the light that God has put into me. If I have to sacrifice everything, I will."

That all happened in the great U.S.A.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see you goods works, and glorify you Father which is in Heaven."

Are you ready for the extreem?

Just as Pastor Li Dexian began his sermon, the doors of the house church burst open. Armed officers of the Chinese Public Security Bureau poured into the room, threatening everyone present and grabbing Li to arrest him. 

"Wait, please allow me to grab my bag." As always, the pastors tone with the officers was polite yet firm. The officers were surprised at the request. "Whats in there?" they demanded, grabbing the black zippered bag Li held and ripping it open. The bag contained  a blanket and a spare change of clothes, Li told them, because he had been expecting to be arrested that day. 

Pastor Li had been arrested many times. Twice, police had beaten to the point that he vomited blood, and one time Li's face was beaten with his own bible. Li was warned that police were watching the village where he held his Tuesday meetings. Today, Chinese citizens can be sent to labor camps for up to three years without a formal trial. 

The risks were great, but Li's bag was packed. More than having a bag packed, though, he had his mind and heart prepared. He was willing to pay any cost to preach the gospel. He was convinced God would care for him - even in prison.   Readiness is a sign of commitment, are you committed to Christ? 

1 Peter 4:12 - "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trail which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you."

What do Lightning bugs and humans have in common?

It is their ability to produce light. What is the main purpose of the light produced by fireflies? It is to serve as a homing beacon to attract potential mates. This amazing creature God created with such a unique tool that sets it apart from other bugs. You might say well who cares about fireflies? The answer is God does. God made each of us so different from each other and yet we are all still humans that have the breath of God in us. Jesus said that we are the lights of the world. It’s funny that one of the key ingredients that allow a lightning bug to grow is oxygen.  Oxygen is what we need to survive. How do we keep the light on in our house? You might say “Pay your electric bill”, although that is right for the physical, but what about the spiritual side. Can your light ever go out? The answer is no for those that know Jesus as their personal Savior. We keep our light burning hot and bright by learning about the heavenly Father every day through His written word. You might never see a lightning bug during the day but you know that they are there because when night comes they are faithfully shinning their God given lights.

It is a dark world out there and it’s not getting any brighter. God gave us homing beacons so that the lost may see us.  Its time for us to let our “lights so shine before men that they might see our good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” We reflect the true light of God.

Evidence in the Sand

If you have ever been on the beach first thing after a storm you will notice something missing. What is it? No footprints! The rain the storm brought took away any evidence that any foot had set foot on it. Storms seem to erase the footprints that we leave in life, but there are the memories of before and during the storm that stick with us. The early Christians died for the cause of Christ and many died terrible deaths. Those doing the killing thought that by killing them would squelch the cause. The storm might of erased their physical footprints but their legacy was passed on. This last Sunday we celebrated Easter. We are reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus and all that He did for us and is still doing in our lives. Christ did let the storm wash away the evidence of His life, for He entrusted it to the men that served Him and many more. Paul reminded the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 15:1) that he had preached the gospel to them and that they had received and that they could be confident that God had them secure. 

Don't let storms discourage you, for we all go through them. But remember that Jesus paid the ultimate price for you, and that He doesn't want you to worry about the storms. Trust in Him. You can take cover in the Lords arms during the storm, but once the storm is gone get back out there and leave footprints in the sand.

Are you ready?

Are you ready for Eternity? If so, are you helping other get ready for that journey into eternity that each of us must take? Are you ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you? As believers we all know we should tell others about the Lord and what he has done for us. To many times we don't take advantage of the opportunities that God is giving us. To many times we have allowed our God given senses to be turned off when an unbeliever is in our presence. Jesus said in John 7:38, "He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rives of living water." We have rivers of water that flow from us that only come from the Holy Spirit. Have you become like the Colorado river that flows at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, that seems so out of reach and so hard to get to for those that are lost? We are the ones that God has given the charge of spreading the gospel.

Please watch the video below that speaker Mark Cahill gave and ask yourself what am I doing to put myself in situations of sharing the faith in Christ that we have?