Being a Christian means that we are in a battle. Every since the adversary fell from heaven, satan has made himself an enemy to God and to His prized creation, mankind. In Ephesians 6, our Father has given us the tools that we need to win. One of our weapons is prayer.

There are 3 principles to a successful prayer life:

There is a time to talk
God is our source. He holds the keys to the universe in His hands. He is the Creator. When we have doubts, concerns, and questions, He is the one that we should run to. In fact, He is anxiously waiting to hear from you. It is a shame that some of us only talk to Him before we eat or only when there is a dire emergency. I believe that God desires to have a running, consistent, conversation with us just like He did with Adam and Eve in the garden. You shouldn't just always run to Him with your laundry list of requests. Prayer is our opportunity to tell God how much we love Him and how grateful we are for all that He has done in our lives. It is also time for us to tell Him how much we look forward to what He is going to do in the future.

We should always tell God how we feel if there are things in our lives that are making us nervous or afraid. As a matter of fact, we should bring all of our burdens, cares, and concerns to Him. The great thing about this transaction is that we can bring them to Him and leave them right there. He will deal with everything that concerns us and perfect them all.

There is also a time to listen
Conversations between two parties are usually more effective when there is only one person speaking at a time. Sometimes our problem is that we spend all of our prayer time talking. We have to tell God all about everyone and everything that has been getting on our nerves. We have to tell Him about the guy that cut us off on the expressway. And we also have to tell Him about our unrealistic boss and nosy neighbors.

We even spend a great deal of time in prayer telling God how wonderful He is and thanking Him for all His wonderful blessings. The moment we get exhausted from talking for 30 minutes straight, our time in prayer is over. We rarely give God 5 seconds to talk to us.

Prayer is a 2-way street, and we have to give God ample opportunity to speak to us. We should never jump to our feet without getting some sort of response. He may not always respond in the way we desire but we must give Him room to be God. Sometimes we are afraid of what the answer might be - thus the reason we 'END' our prayer time. Make time to listen not only in your prayer time - but throughout your day. Be willing to accept his plans and direction for you - not always your own. Have a consistent awareness that he is with you always...

There is a time to act
Once we have brought our petitions to God and once we have given Him room to respond, we must not stop there. We must allow the connection to God through prayer to give us the strength to act upon what He has said to us. There may be a time after prayer that we may need to call a friend or loved one that we haven't spoken to in years. There also may be opportunities to witness to a co-worker and be their LifeSaver.

On the flip side, there may be times of distress coming where we need to act calm and rational. Our connection with God through prayer will show us how to act peaceful and right. Whatever the situation may call for, like in any war or battle, we must be prepared for action.

There is an ongoing effort by our enemy to destroy us or, at the very least, hinder our progress. When we learn who we are and all the advantages we have with prayer as a weapon we can cause mountains of despair and confusion to be cast into the sea of forgetfulness. When we connect to God through prayer we maintain our status as more than conquerors. The power of prayer is our weapon of choice. Get back to the basics - Use it and benefit from it!

Sometimes it seem like it takes a very long time for the things that we are trusting God for to happen. We begin to get anxious and even doubtful. When we deal with other people, it is understandable that we might have doubt because we are dealing with human beings who are just doing the best that they possibly can. With God and His promises, there is no reason to doubt.

God has done and will do everything He said He would do and more. When things do not happen as soon as we would like them to, or when we have waited as long as we think we should, or when that breakthrough takes time, we can find ourselves in doubt. We get anxious and wonder where God is or if He heard our prayers. All sorts of things enter into our mind and the wait seems endless. We try to be patient, but it seems as if it is taking forever.

We often ask, "When God... when?" Often in my life as I prayed about certain things I have felt so anxious, even impatient at times. Sometimes to the point of saying, "Will this thing ever happen?" Other times asking, "Did I hear God clearly? Did I get my signals crossed?"

Then I begin to doubt and question what I thought I knew. At other times I tried to work it out myself and just got in God's way. It is hard to be patient and wait, especially in today's world filled with instant gratification. However, we must be like Abraham who had the faith to believe that God would do what He promised. The Bible tells us that Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4: 20-21, KJV).

I remember as a young man listening to older believers talk about the importance of "knowing" something. I never could understand why people in church insisted that you "know that you know that you know" something (followed by a head shake).

At the time I had no idea what in the world they were talking about. I just knew that they believed what they were saying.

But now I know and can relate to what they were saying.

I know that I know that I know (head shake) that God is in control.
I know that I know that I know (head shake) He will do just what He said.
I know that I know that I know (head shake) He may not come when you want, but He is right on time.
I know that I know that I know (head shake) He is all knowing.

That head shake was eliminating any doubt! That head shake meant that they were fully persuaded that God would do just what He said. Instead of doubting and/or being anxious and getting in God's way, let's wait patiently and realize that everything is in God's timing.

God's timing is perfect because everything about God is perfect. We need to get to the point where we do not want anything outside of His timing. If you are waiting on God for anything, wait patiently and He will bring you to that expected end.

Eliminate any doubt in your mind and be fully persuaded that God is not slack on His promises. He is FAITHFUL.

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31, "And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I'd do this if I wasn't convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus"? (The Message; emphasis mine) One translation words my highlighted portion of this verse simply as, "I die daily." While it is tempting to interpret this as Paul's way of saying that he dies to self every day (something that we as Christians should do), the context better shapes an interpretation that is explaining how Paul's work is in vain if there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul's point: why endanger your life every day over a lie? But wasn't Paul still dying to self by allowing himself to face death every day? I would say yes!

Paul was compelled by the truth he knew of God; a truth he learned as the resurrected Messiah Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on that road to Damascus. Before that, Paul felt like he was doing the right thing; zealously hunting down Christians to be punished (for God)...so he thought. In Acts chapter 22, Paul describes to the Jews the reason for the big change in his life. "'Brothers and esteemed fathers,' Paul said, 'listen to me as I offer my defense.' Then Paul said, 'I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished. As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from Heaven suddenly shone down around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' Who are you lord?' I asked. And the voice replied, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.'" (Acts 22:1, 3-8; NLT, emphasis mine)

As part of my continuing confession I have to mention that I've struggled throughout my Christian walk with the issue of my emotions. Not that I've been too emotional, but actually, the opposite. Ever since I accepted Jesus as savior and Lord of my life I've noticed that many of my decisions to do the right thing were not based on my emotions, but rather, the simple fact that it was right. I didn't get saved, for example, because I was so overwhelmed with a sense of love from God. On the other hand, I know many for whom God's love was the reason they accepted Him. Don't get me wrong, I knew God loved me... so much that He was willing to come to this world and die for me to give me the hope of eternity with Him. But what honestly drove me to my knees was the fact that I believed God's Word. I believed the truth of who He is and His claims on my life... especially the fact that if I didn't submit my life to Him, I would spend eternity in Hell. Okay, you got me! So there was an emotion involved... fear! And while I know fear should not be a sole motivator in our lives, it worked to get my attention! So, now as I have continued to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, my walk has grown to include more than that fear of God which first got my attention.

I can't say that I've never been emotional when it comes to God; it's just not been the norm for me. This, though, to me, is different than that sense you get from God, whether it be a sense of compulsion to do a certain thing, or... conviction from God when you're doing a certain thing wrong. Believe me...I 've certainly experienced both. But there have been times, for instance, that during worship services I've been in, many people would be overwhelmed by God and it was a very visible experience. Now, I've been around long enough to know that not everyone who expresses themselves to God this way is genuine. Still, it's a very genuine way to express oneself to God. No matter how we express ourselves to God, it should be genuine. The issue, then, is not whether it's a valid form of expression; rather, it's a matter of one's heart... their motivation.

What it came down to was that I wanted to experience what I saw and heard someone else so obviously experiencing. I knew it was about being submitted to God in such a way that true intimacy could be experienced; just like the disciples in the upper room and other very obvious examples in Scripture where God visited His people in a very visible way. But I think where I was getting it wrong was in my focus. John 4:23-24 reads, "But the time is coming-it has, in fact, come-when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship. God is sheer being itself-Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (The Message; emphases mine) God wants us to be intimate and emotional with Him... that much is obvious. The problem, though, was that, in my quest for an experience like that I was seeing in others, I wasn't being simply and honestly my true self. I was comparing the effectiveness of my worship to somebody else's.

I've long heard the saying, "God wants us to seek His face and not His hands." In other words, God wants us to seek Him... for Him... not for what He can do for us! Put another way... we need to seek the gift-giver, not the gift! I was recently reminded of this fact by an encounter a friend related to me he had one night before a church service. He was visiting his cousin's church and had gotten there a little early. So, with no agenda in mind he began to seek the Lord. During this time the Spirit of God overpowered him in a very visible way that carried-over into the church service. Now, what's amazing is that my friend didn't enter into this time with God for this experience. He just wanted to spend some time with God to get himself ready for the service. What is also amazing is; if you had known him before this encounter and then see him now, you would know God has undeniably moved in his life.

Up to this point He had not been very consistent with God; he had been making some unwise life decisions and it hurt to see him in this condition. He believed in God, but wasn't fully committed to Him (sounds a bit like Paul on that road to Damascus). And just like Paul, who wasn't looking for the experience he received, my friend was also knocked off of his horse (so to speak) and arose with a new vision and life direction. His whole countenance is different now. And as for those unwise life-decisions... he's now walking the complete opposite direction. All of this, due to a sovereign move of God in his life.

Now, does this mean he'll never have another problem? Unfortunately not! In fact, not long after this sovereign move of God on his life, the enemy turned right around and took a shot at him which was very obviously designed to take him back out of the game. Fortunately, though, some wise people let him know in advance this kind of tactic may come. As such, he was able to hang on to the truth of the experience he'd had no matter how the enemy was seeking to toy with his emotions.

The thing is, my friend was not in a place of deserving this move of God. And obviously, he wasn't orchestrating it through some ritual or routine. Rather, he was quite simply and honestly being his true self, and God honored that. Like the other friend of mine who, in the midst of his own need for physical healing, prayed for someone else's healing during a church service and immediately was healed himself! This, I believe, is the core issue here: namely, that of getting our eyes off of ourselves and putting them on God and others. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Kelly and I could tell you many stories... examples of how God made a way when we had no solution ourself.  Well, yesterday He did it again! We witnessed a very cool instance of God showing off a little bit :).  In just a few days, we have TWO kids that will have braces put on and one of them having 4 teeth pulled in the process as well. We need a certain amount of funds upfront to begin the process, and if you've ever paid for this type of work before, you know that doing it for two at one time is no small chunk of change. We had been planning and counting on being able to get a "bonus" from my web development business in time to help with this. As the time has come, Kelly and I were discussing just how much we needed to come up with and whether or not I was going to be able to make it happen or not. The last few weeks have been pretty good so I expected to be able to do SOME extra... just didn't know if I could do the larger amount that we really needed.

In my business, besides regular website projects, we develop other applications that people purchase to use in their own website development. That additional element of income for the business has become a real blessing as it generally brings in a fairly steady flow of income daily. I track this pretty seriously so I know how much money those sales generate from a day to day basis, monthly, etc. So, on to the cool part...

After Kelly and I discussed the specifics of our need and that we were pretty much out of time to come up with anything else, I went back to my office to determine what I could do. I prayed a simple prayer and said "God, you know exactly what we need right now and exactly how much. We really need you to help us make this happen." Within a few minutes, I was contacted by someone making an inquiry about our most expensive application package which is not something that is regularly sold. After a couple of emails back and forth, he made the purchase. That purchase, combined with a steady stream of other sales throughout the day/evening, the day closed with the largest amount of sales of our applications that has ever happened in a 24 hour period... in the 4 years of the business' existence! Not only is that cool in itself... but the amount of sales that came in was a little more than the amount of money we had determined that we needed extra this week!!

God knows what we need and He wants to bless us!! I know without a doubt that Kelly and I can always count on God taking care of our family because we have always been faithful in our giving... following the instruction found in the Bible regarding tithes and offerings. Even when our income was much less, we still made sure that we gave God the portion that was His. It was never an option. We didn't have to decide if we could afford to tithe from week to week... because we knew that we could not afford NOT to tithe! How could we ever expect God to bless us if we stole from Him... keeping the tithe that belongs to HIM?? (Malachi 3:8-9)

Now, please don't think I'm patting my own back for tithing... I don't see tithing as something extra that we can do for reward or recognition. It is simply what is expected and instructed of us to do... so we just do it.

Malachi 3:10 (NLT) "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the Lord Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!"

In this blog, I want to accomplish two things:  one, to brag on my God and His continued faithfulness; and two, to testify and encourage you in the fact that as you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you!  As the Word says above in Malachi 3:10, try it! Let God prove Himself faithful to you!

During the course of the past year, many of us have faced some sort of trial, test, setback, or disappointment. Some of us have even experienced failure. But in spite of all of that, God has prepared this year, this moment in time for you to have a New Beginning. The enemy's objective is to keep you locked in yesterday, the place where the pain originates from. God has a different plan for your life. He knows all about the things that have gone wrong. He's not surprised at some of the questionable decisions that you have made. He's knows that you have let Him down. He is not shocked at all.

The good news is that He also knows your future. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away and all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)

When you have life in Christ you have the ability to experience new possibilities in life. There is a season of new opportunities that await you and you must be willing to pursue it. Victory in this new year takes some understanding.

You were not created by accident. You were made by God himself. God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He designed you to live for a unique reason. When He made you, He pulled out all the stops. You are His prized creation. You were made to overcome obstacles. You were made for victory. He didn't create you to blend in with the scenery. Out of over 6 billion people in the world, there is only 1 like you. So, don't be shut off or boxed in by traditions or customs. Don't be held back by someone else's expectations. You were created for brilliance and excellence. You were made for success.

Before planting seeds, the ground must first be prepared. The ground must first be dug up and turned over in order to receive seeds. In the same way, we must cultivate our lives so that we will be able to yield a successful harvest. We must do some work in order for our lives to be ready for a new beginning. We have to make choices and not yield to the power of sin. As we choose God's way, the Holy Spirit will strengthen us even more.

There are some spiritual disciplines that we must develop to cultivate our lives:

1. Prayer - Not just asking God for things but communing with Him.
2. Giving - We must change our perspective on our possessions.
3. Studying the Word - We must take in His promises daily.
4. Serving - We should always look for ways to improve someone else's life.

There is a lot of noise in this world. There are people shouting from every angle, trying to get your attention. To be able to distinguish between the voices, you need to be able to listen very closely. God is always speaking; we just have to listen for Him. The time is come to get your hearing in order. The alarm has sounded.

What is the sign that you are waiting for? The light has already turned green and you are clear to begin your journey. Step away from the crowd. Separate yourself from the average people who don't want anything other than what they have always had. You have been called out to make a difference. You have been called out - reclaim territory for God and live out your destiny.

It's time for your New Beginning.

During the Easter message at CAMPUS LIFE, 55 students gave their lives to Christ... hard to beat that on a Tuesday morning at 6:30am!

In May we launched a new youth service called DOMINATE... for one purpose: to DOMINATE a city for CHRIST... watch out New Palestine... here we come!

June was a big month for 2 reasons... I decided to pop the big question to Malorie... and of course she said "Yes." It's official, we're getting married June 19, 2010 (by the way you're invited). But that was not the only awesome thing that happened in June. A week later we took our DRIVE and COLLISOIN students to summer camp...1 word... AMAZING! Security duty isn't all its cracked up to be! Late nights chasing unruly teens. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

In July, CHURCH52 had the opportunity to be a host church for the band Casting Crowns. Great music with a powerful altar call. Prayer + Worship = changed lives!!!! Mark Hall you rock!

In August we said goodbye to summer vacation and decided to kick off the school year right with a back to school rally where we prayed with each student for the upcoming school year... not a bad way to send the kiddies back to school!

In September CAMPUS LIFE kicked off at Doe Creek Middle School. We had over 250 students come together in the gymnasium at 6:30 am. It was cool but we are not satisfied... there are still hundreds to be reached.

In October the staff took a road trip to Atlanta, Georgia to the Catalyst Conference... heard fantastic speakers that changed my life. The best part taking "Sharkie" on U turns... just kidding those who went know the food was the best part... need I say more ?!?!

This year for Speed The Light our AWESOME youth leaders made over 40lbs of fudge, which raised over $400.00 for our missionaries. A huge thank you goes out to the Gootee's! Also in November we took 28 students to Youth Convention. There we joined hundreds of students who were hungry for God. Some students received salvation... some rededicated their lives and other swere filled with the Holy Spirit!!! Wooohooo! Late nights up in the hotel led to students sleeping well the next night... parents you can thank us later for that one :)

December came fast but that's ok because CHRISTmas is my favorite time of the year. To quote a famous ELF "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear". So that is what we did! We celebrated Christmas the whole month of December. Youth Christmas service titled "The Night Before Christmas" with cool pj's and funny gag gifts. We worshiped... ate... played games... opened presents... ate some more... and of course told the Christmas story. Happy Birthday Jesus!

So there it is year 3. A phenomenal year... incredible year... indescribable year... and the best is still yet to come.

Ephesians 3:20

As usual, we over-bought on the food, which is okay... we'd rather end up with too much as opposed to too little; and any left-over's were either sent home with our guests, or will travel with Judy and I to Mom and Dad's tomorrow for Christmas. Some of this may seem like a real hassle, but when I stop to consider how different our circumstances were this time last year, I'm grateful.

At this point last year I had just heard (a month earlier) that the company I had worked for nearly 21 years was closing their doors in ours, as well as 7 other locations nationally. Things were already pretty tight in our lives, but rather than the sense of dread one might expect I would've been hit with, I was actually gripped with a sense of excitement about what God was about to do, even though I had no idea of what that would be. In the midst of the trials Judy and I had been enduring, God had continued to encourage us through His word, through messages at church and through other reliable friends in our lives. I won't say that it didn't get stressful at times, but just when it would seem like it was too much, God would intervene in some way that would calm any fears we may've had. God provided so mightily in our circumstances that it can truly be said that our test has become our test-imony.

This leads me to the next point I wanted to make in all of this. Part of the Christmas experience for Judy and I, is that we like to watch a lot of the Christmas movies that get shown this time of year. Some are pretty good... from the Classics, (Like "White Christmas" and "It's a Wonderful Life"), to the newer "made-for-T.V." types of movies. Well, today I happened to catch White Christmas (with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye... NO... they weren't watching the movie with me... they were in it) when the lyrics to a particular song in the movie caught my attention. I feel they spoke well to the situation I'm writing about here. Part of the song goes, "If you are worried and cannot sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep... and you'll fall asleep, counting your blessings."

To me, the sheep represent our focus on whatever problems or worry we may be experiencing. Staying focused on the "sheep" will keep you awake. And isn't that exactly what the devil wants us to do? If he can keep us awake with worry, we'll get weakened to the point of despair and quit. The best way to "get to sleep" is to focus on God's faithfulness. And the best way to do that is to count your blessings. Like someone once said, "All it takes to praise God is a good memory." Through every test and trial of the last few years (which really reached its height in the last year), God would show up and show us His favor... maybe not always in the way or in the time we hoped for, but always in a way that it was obvious God was involved. Still, in the midst of the storm, even when Jesus is right there in the boat with you, it can be easy to forget where you've been, especially when the next huge wave is coming at you. Psalm 124:2-5 read, "What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us? They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger. The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us. Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives."

The bottom line is... God hasn't brought us this far to destroy us. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God has a plan for us. And if we can allow ourselves to focus on God's goodness... counting our blessings (even when times are hard), realizing that even the bad times are an opportunity for God to reveal Himself to us, as well as others, then we will have withstood the attack of the enemy against our minds and emotions with the truth of God's character, best seen in His word and in the instances we allow ourselves to recall of His faithfulness in our lives. Let's, then, learn a lesson from Jesus who was able to sleep in the midst of the storm (Mark 4:35-41) while the disciples were apparently busy "counting sheep."

On this Christmas Eve, let's also remember to count the blessing of the ancient promise fulfilled of Jesus coming to earth to set us free. He truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

It's not surprising, then, that I was so enamored with T.V. specials like In Search Of, especially when they would investigate claims about U.F.O.'s, Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness Monster; or That's Incredible, which would show people performing miraculous physical and mental feats that were, well... incredible! My brother and I were obsessed with super heroes like those on the old Superfriends cartoon or Marvel Comics heroes such as The Hulk and Spiderman. It seems we humans are always looking for that something or someone bigger than ourselves to believe in and give us hope for the future. Even Carl Sagan, the world-renowned astronomer once said that, (and I paraphrase) if we could find proof of life elsewhere in the universe it would give meaning to everything.

As I sat down to watch some T.V. recently, I found a program dealing with the recently revived discussion of the year 2012, no doubt sparked by the soon-to-be released movie of the same name. How couldn't "2012" be on my mind? The full-on media-blitz of this prophecy of doom, complete with all of the C.G.I. (computer generated imaging) trimmings, is filling the air-waves with questions of when it could all happen, as well as what it could look like when it does.

But what is this prophecy of doom, and is there any truth to this theory? Many historical figures and artifacts spanning a variety of eras and locations, as well as modern-day computer programs, seem to agree that some sort of cataclysm or world-ending event is set to happen in the year 2012. The most popular of these sources is The Mayan calendar created by the Mayan Indians, which is said to be more accurate than our own modern-day calendar. This calendar (along with some other sources) even goes so far as to pin-point the exact "D-day"...December 21^st, 2012. Man... couldn't the end of the world wait at least a few more days until after Christmas... what a buzz-kill!

An L.A. Times article read, the issue of [2012] has been generating wider audiences because it so forcefully underscores the turmoil of the times, as indicated by the stock market plunge, Iran's nuclear ambitions, the September 11 attacks, global warming and the possibility of a magnetic pole shift and stronger sun spot cycles. All of the mounting crises in the world are feeding the popular notion that the end may be near."

The world knows something is up. And as well-intentioned and intriguing as some of the theories may be, I couldn't help but notice, especially when they would attempt to refer to the Bible to support their claims, (which is interesting, seeing how they ridicule The Bible when it contradicts them) how off-base it seemed to be. Even the 2012ologists are divided as to whether "The End" is to be taken literally or metaphorically. Ranging in everything from a transformation of consciousness which would lead to a whole new social structure, to "re-setting the clock" through some galactic disturbance, to a time of flat-out global cleansing... it's very obvious all of this comes from humanistic ideology and New Age Mysticism which ultimately seeks to side-step what Scripture has to say about "The End." Not being a prophecy expert, though, I turned to a book by a well-known Christian prophecy teacher (Mark Hitchcock) titled, "2012: The Bible and the End of the World" for a little help. In it he covers everything the T.V. specials were putting forth as proof of the legitimacy of December 21^st, 2012 as the end... whatever form that "end" would take. As it is, the vast majority of scientists, archaeologists, and anthropologists reject 2012 Doomsday.

As Hitchcock says in response to this, "How will a galactic alignment or even a global crisis change [our human nature]? The world has experienced horrible crises many times in the past. Sure, they can bring people closer together for a while and cause people to reflect in ways they haven't before, but it doesn't take long before man's inhumanity to man begins to surface again. Man cannot usher in his own utopia by some shift in consciousness." Hey... we all want peace. The issue here, though, is that Jesus is the only way to true peace. And the Bible warns us against getting all caught up in this kind of issue; "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

So, do you wonder sometimes how those like the Mayans came upon such advanced knowledge, or how even different people today who seem to walk in some kind of spiritual power, got the ability and power they did in the first place? While they may not have sought the "spiritual powers of this world" as they are referred to in Colossians above, they were certainly influenced by them. This makes the need for the spreading of God's Word... the truth, so necessary. If we don't know the truth, or maybe have been turned off to it because of some person's misrepresentation of God, we are open to counterfeits from the spiritual realm. The truth is there is warfare in the heavenly realm vying for our attention. 1 Timothy 4:1 reads, "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons." Someone like Nostradamus is a good example. Despite his vagueness, he is lauded by many in this area of study for his predictions about the future. And not only is his vagueness (as opposed to the very specific words of the biblical prophets) astounding, but even his method of divination/sorcery is strictly forbidden in the Bible (see Deuteronomy 18:10-12,22; Isaiah 47:13-14; Jeremiah 27:9; Revelation 21:8). Being "close" doesn't count in prophecy.

When I first started working at a Christian bookstore back in 1988 someone authored a book titled, "88 reasons why Christ will return in 1988." Needless to say, the book didn't sell well in 1989, which, if memory serves me correctly, he attempted to follow it up the next year with a book titled something like, 89 reasons why Christ didn't return in 1988. Well, I can tell you the main reason right now. Matthew 24:36 reads, "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in Heaven or the Son Himself. Only the Father knows." And the reason for this is so we'll stay in a state of readiness. Yes, there are signs that give us some idea of where we are in God's time-table, but we are not to go about setting dates.

For a thorough run-down of the Bible's explanation of how it will all pan out, read the Bible and consult good books like the one from Mark Hitchcock to help guide you in your studies. But whether it's "Bible Codes" (which have already been proven to be false-despite the enthusiasm of some Christian leaders with this), computer programs (like The WebBot Project-which only spit back out the information we humans feed into it), false-prophets (well-intentioned or not), or even similarities between what the Bible says about the "End" and the 2012 theory, I like the words of J. Paul Tanner which say, "People do not need some 'biblical crossword puzzle.' Instead they need to read and meditate on the revealed truths of God's holy word. They need to be engaged in Bible study to learn the marvelous truths God has revealed, rather than being diverted by the speculative counting of letters" (this, referring to Bible codes-but applicable to this whole topic). All that the Bible has to say about the "End" is caused by God, not man.

The bottom line is the Bible is the source we need to look to for answers about the future. And even more important than knowing when the end will come is being ready whenever the end comes. This means we must heed the words of Jesus in John 14:6 which read, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." While this is offensive to many (sometimes because we in the body have a way of being mean, rather than compassionate toward the lost), it shouldn't be taken with offense. God, in His love for us, has shown us how to secure our future with Him. Any good parent who loves their child will redirect their children from what isn't good for them, even if it looks good to the child and regardless of the fit that child may throw. It may seem mean to the kid, but from the parental perspective, it's love... and in the long-run is proven to be by the securing of their future.

Yeah, 2012 is on my mind... but because of Jesus, I don't have to fear. Rather, knowing that Jesus can come back at any time, I'll choose to direct my energies toward keeping people from having to go through the horrors the Bible says await those who don't know Him.

In the same manner that our bodies can get out of alignment, we can experience the same problems spiritually. God has given us instructions on how we are to live and when we follow His Word, we can live in alignment with the Scripture and in alignment with Him. When we do this, we will experience His blessing and protection to a level that we would NOT see if living a life according to our own desires. We are in a constant struggle to make right decisions, having to CHOOSE daily which way we will go. The apostle Paul talks about this here:

Galations 5: 16-17 (NLT) "So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict."

Just like the body when out of alignment will experience pain, restriction of movement, and other various physical symptoms, Paul goes on to explain the results you will experience when living your life out of alignment with the Spirit:

Galations 5:19-21 (NLT) "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Now, while we all have this ongoing struggle of choosing whether we will go to the right or to the left, Paul also explains what we can expect when we choose to live according to God's plan:

Galations 5:22 (NLT) "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law."

We ALL go through struggles in life from time to time, but if you seem to be going from problem to problem, struggle to struggle, have you considered that maybe you have some alignment issues? Examine yourself today and ask God to show you anything in your life that is out of alignment with the plan He has for your life. Picture a large umbrella and imagine that this umbrella symbolizes God. The umbrella provides a covering, a protection. When we stay in alignment with God, we are living underneath that umbrella. There we experience His protection from the attacks of the enemy, His blessing on every aspect of our lives, and His peace that passes all understanding.  On the other side of this, if we choose to NOT live in alignment with Him, we find ourselves outside of the covering of that umbrella. We are then an easy target... open to attack, more prone to fall to tempation, more likely to act in ways and say things we know we should not, and not in a position to receive all that God has in store for us.

Of course we all would prefer to be living under that umbrella, but it's sometimes easier said than done. Every day we make the choice. We all do... and sometimes we make a wrong choice and find ourselves out of alignment. In my situation, the physical therapist has pinpointed specific issues in my body and is working to correct them, then show me things I can do to keep my system in alignment. What about you... what things are keeping you out of alignment spiritually? Spend time in the Word and in prayer... God will show you what those things are and He can help you deal with your alignment issues.

John 1:1-3, 14:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

This passage from the Book of John tells us what Christmas is all about. It is about Jesus coming into the world. It is about the Word of God, the Living Word; Jesus is called the Logos, or the Word of God, and it says, "In the beginning was the Word."

Notice that verse 1 says "the Word was with God." This verse shows Jesus' separate and distinct personality. Then it says "the Word was God." Now, I can't explain this to you. I can't explain it in a rational way so that you can understand it intellectually, but that's what the Bible says, it says that the Word was with God and then it says that the Word was God. Praise God that He doesn't require us to understand it mentally in order to gain the benefits from it; all we have to do is simply believe it. :)

Romans 8:1-3:

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

This is the purpose of Jesus' coming. His purpose was to come and take away our sin. To come and pay the penalty that all of us should have rightfully paid as a result of Adam's sin in the garden of Eden. Jesus came to do it for us; that's what this season is all about. That's the true meaning of Christmas, that Jesus came to do what the flesh could not do and that is to bring us back into fellowship and communion with the Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 2:10-15:

10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Jesus came to set us free from the ravages of death. Praise the Lord! The real meaning of Christmas is Jesus Christ: crucified, dead, risen, ascended, and coming again! Get to know Him as we celebrate his birthday this season!

Merry Christmas!

Anyways, looking forward to Christmas and spending time with family.

Peace Out!

Pastor Ryan

It's important that we pay close attention to the timing of events that occur in our lives. We shouldn't allow time to float by or to let things just happen. For those with a destination in mind, you have to understand the value of providential moments. We serve a God with a purpose. He uses providential moments to effect and or change our current paths permanently if we are obedient. As we get closer to the end of this year of trying times, economic challenges and multiple job losses, it's imperative that we draw even closer to God.

Often times, we as Christians don't practice what we preach. We consistently say that 'we want what God has for us'. It troubles me that when God gives us what he has for us, we question him, curse him and even turn our backs on him. The story of Job is so befitting for those that want to finish well. We know that God allowed the enemy to test Job. We have to understand that our tests and trials are no surprise to him.

If we are doers of the Word, we know that the enemy will want to challenge God's best, which we all are. What assignments have you not completed that you know you must before the end of this year? Is it a book, a program for youth, become a small group leader, serve with the outreach team, or even a new career? What providential moment did you experience that clued you in that its' time to take the next step?

It's heart wrenching to get knocked out when you are in a fight. I have seen one too many end up right back where they started. Successful fighters spend years preparing physically and mentally for the challenge that lies ahead. Like fighters, God prepares us seasons in advance. Don't take anything for granted. You may not be where you think you should, but what you have already experienced was for you to use in this season. God knew then what he could trust you with.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. One man was given 5 talents, one was given 2 and one was given 1. The catch is that they were given talents based on their ability. In order to finish the rest of this year of "birthing" it's important to get back in place, refocus, and commit to go all the way so that you finish well.

I was driving home after the game and thinking about how I went through the motions to get the "full experience". How many times do we go to church just going through the motions? How many times have I showed up at "game time" with no pregame activities? If we want the "full experience" you have to pray before church, prepare your heart all week and then game time! I know that all the pregame activities we did before the football game made the actual game amazing and the same principle applies this week at church. See ya at warfare prayer on Sunday morning!

Certainly the Bible urges us to give thanks to the Lord. We are told in Psalm 106:1, "Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (NKJV). Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (NKJV). Then in Hebrews 13:15, we read, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (NKJV, emphasis mine).

Sometimes worship and thanksgiving can be a sacrifice. Why? Because we don't feel like it. It may be because we are down or depressed or things aren't going all that well for us. Maybe we are experiencing hardship or a tragedy has struck, and we don't want to thank God. But Psalm 106:1 doesn't say, "Give thanks to the Lord because you feel good." It says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."

We are quick to ask for help, but we are slow in returning thanks. Yet we should be just as definite in giving thanks to God as we are in requesting help from Him. As a result, there are at least three things about giving thanks that we Christians need to know.

First, to give thanks, we must recognize that God is in control of all circumstances surrounding our lives, both good and bad. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (NKJV). God is paying attention to what is going on in our lives. And He knows what you are going through right now.

Second, we must realize that God loves us and is always looking out for our eternal benefit, even if what we are presently going through is difficult. As 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (NKJV).

Third, we must realize that God is wiser than we are. He is always dealing with us for our best eternal good, where in contrast, we are always interested in what is for our temporary good. But sometimes what is good for us eternally is not easy for us temporarily. God will make that determination and work in our lives accordingly.

When is the last time you said...

Lord, thank You that you have allowed me to live in the United States of America...

Thank You for my church and allowing me to be a part of it...
Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins...
Thank You that He rose again...
Thank You that my life, which was once filled with guilt, is now filled with Your purpose and peace...
Thank You that no matter what happens, You are coming back again for me...?

There is so much to give thanks for. Have you been thanking God? Let's not wait until the fourth Thursday of November. Because for the Christian, every day should be Thanksgiving.

Why are some people healed instantly and some are not?  Why do some people struggle for months or years before they receive their healing?  Why do some people not ever receive it and eventually pass away?  Why do some people receive their results through the hands of a doctor and some others through a supernatural miracle?  These are questions that you have no doubt asked, thought of or heard others ask at some point in time.  I believe we all have been there.  Here is my answer to all of the above questions... "I do not know".  I don't think any of us can truly answer these.  While some think they can, I believe this is just one of those areas that we can't fully understand.  We are not God.  HE is and His ways are above our ways... His thoughts and understanding are far beyond what our finite brains can reach.  Some people are not satisfied with an answer of "I don't know", but through my life and experiences, I have come to realize that there are MANY things that I do not and can not understand.

When I was a very young boy, my mom suffered with sever migraine headaches for a year. She went to all types of specialists and treatment centers in various places in the country... she was given all sorts of reasons for her symptoms... put on a large amount of medications... put on special diets... but continued to suffer to a point of not being able to function in the manner she wanted and needed to as a pastor's wife and mother.  Were lots of people praying during this entire year? You bet they were!  Did my mom have faith to believe that God could heal her?  Of course she did! After about a year, she WAS healed in a camp service at our Lake Placid district campground. From that evening on, she's been completely healed and not needed any continued medication. God healed her, without a doubt. Why did it take a year? We don't know, but the fact remains that God showed up as her healer.

In 1986, my youngest sister was born was transposition of the great arteries in her heart. She had open-heart surgery as a 9-month old, 9-10 pound baby. She could have died at that early stage of her life, but she did not. Her entire life has been filled with struggles, limitations, medications, treatments, surgeries... and now is on a list for a heart transplant as a 23 year old youth pastor's wife.  God has spared her life many times and that has been very evident... but why has He not healed her heart condition yet? We can't know the answer to that, but God knows what he is doing! I know that God gives us abilities and intelligence and expects us to use them... and I believe that many times God uses the hands of doctors to bring correction and healing to our sicknesses and diseases. God has a purpose and a plan for all of our lives. Have you ever thought that God's plan for some people is that they would be a doctor and use the God-given abilities and insight to bring physical correction to people's problems?  I believe that God could very well be using the hands of man to bring my sister's healing in the form of a heart transplant. Could he supernaturally give her a new heart? Yes He could and who knows... He just might do that.  Or He could choose to work through the doctors that are involved. Either way, I am believing for a miracle.

In 1991, my family was in a major car accident where we all received various injuries. My mom and 5-year old sister were lifelined via helicopter with very serious injuries. My sister (with the heart conditions) almost died 3 times on the way to the hospital with internal injuries.  Later, after the doctors reported to my dad that my sister would be flat on her back and unable to move for many weeks... that they were fighting the internal issues... they left the room and then my sister sat up, started moving around saying "look at me!". Within an hour she was released from the hospital and was healed!  My mom should have not survived the accident, but she did. She's had 12 surgeries since the accident and lives still with some limitations. However, she walks in races after she was told she'd never walk again. She rides a bike... which she was never supposed to do.  She does many things that she is "not supposed" to be able to do.  She is a walking miracle.  Has she received a 100% healing? No. Why?  I don't know.  I do know that doctors were used to fix some things, then God took her even further.

In 1995, my grandfather died from cancer. He had been an Assemblies of God pastor for over 40 years.  He was an awesome man of God with an effective ministry... a man that impacted everyone, everywhere that he went. There are many things in my life that I can attribute to him.  Could God have healed him and kept him with us longer... and kept him doing the work of the ministry longer?  Sure. It's hard to know why he did not receive his healing, but again I trust in God and know that He is in control.  The picture is always bigger than me. There is always more to a situation than just what affects you. There is a bigger picture that I can't always see, but God can and He knows best.

Now as I face my own physical struggle, I was recently reminded of a passage in the Bible that helped me and I trust will help you as well.  When the three Hebrew children refused to bow before the king's image despite the threat of being thrown into the fire, they stood in faith believing completely in their God. They told the king that their God was able to save them from the fire and that He would save them. Then they continued on and said even if He doesn't, we will not worship the image you have set up (Daniel 3:16-18). They believed that God was able to save them, but declared that regardless of how this situation panned out, they would still stand for the God they served and declare who He is even in the face of death.

In the same manner, I choose to have faith and believe that God is able to heal me... that God will heal me (through His hand or a physician's)... but even if He doesn't, that does not change the fact that God IS the Healer. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Even when I do not understand the timing or the end result, God is still God... and I am not.  I know this is a long post, but I hope it helps you as you read it.  Keep the things of your life in perspective and remember that God is on your side. He will never leave you. Trust and believe in Him today and don't forget to keep praising Him even in the midst of your trial!