Is God present in your church? What about in your home? Do you take Him to work or school with you? I don't know a lot about psychology, but I know enough to know that most of the people walking around telling everyone how important they are have issues with their self-esteem. Christians are often no different. We may look tough on the outside, but inside we're all trying to keep secrets from God and from the people around us. We're born sinners! Why are any of us surprised at what goes on inside our minds when we're not careful? What SHOULD happen, however, is that as followers of Jesus Christ we ought to be firm enough in our "God-esteem" to speak the truth to those around us. No more mincing words and pretending we don't know Him. No more hiding secret sins! No more pretending we're not worthy when we know that Jesus died to give us power to serve Him! Authentic, genuine, real, earth shattering and world-changing Christianity is simple at its core. It means getting real with God and then getting out of the way so He can use us to change a dying world. "But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, 'God is really among you!'" 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Remember that little nursery rhyme we've all heard so many times, "Star light, star bright, first star I've seen tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight?" Believe it or not, that little rhyme, like many others, has its roots in Godless pagan religion. While I'm sure a child's wish is a harmless thing, I believe that teaching them to go somewhere other than to God with their "wishes" can be harmful to their growth and faith in Christ. How can we teach a child that they should put all of their trust in Jesus, and then tell them in the next instant that if they "wish" for something hard enough, or if their stars are lined up correctly in the Horoscope they just might receive it? The truth is that wishes ARE granted by two opposing forces, and only one of them is good. I don't mince words with my children. Instead, we look at each thing independently, and weigh it against what we know of God's Word. In our home, seeing a "first star" is a simple reminder to pray to the God who made the star! As you grow in your faith, learn to look at everything critically--you'll be surprised at what you find. "At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped. They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground." Jeremiah 8:1-2 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Do you believe for a second that you can buy something directly from God? Believe it or not you can! Unfortunately for those who believe they are rich in this world, the currency of heaven is not cash, or even disciplined work. The currency used in heaven is disciplined repentance--which essentially means humbly listening to the convictions brought by the Holy Spirit, and prayerfully and continuously turning away from our sins and toward God. Such currency is worth more than all the cold, hard cash this world has to offer! "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent." Revelation 3:17-19 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I get a substantial amount of mail from teens who say they don't "feel" like God is close to them. My typical response is that it doesn't really matter how we feel, if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then God is near. He is near because He says He is--period! Satan does some of his best work by making us believe his lies, and often he uses our emotions or how we "feel" to make us believe something is or isn't true. Frankly though, there is a little more to the story. Some people are consistently dishonest with God, and as a result, God isn't "near" them, in the sense that their prayers are not being taken seriously because of the sin in their lives. This does not mean that they are not "saved" or that the Holy Spirit is not in them, but rather that their inability to be honest with God has hurt their relationship with Him. Let's face it, being dishonest with God who already know everything is like living in a glass house and pretending you're not home when everyone can clearly see you are! It just doesn't make any sense. "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Have you ever been cut? I don't mean with a knife or anything like that. No, I mean have you REALLY been cut-- have you been cut by someone's words? I've had a few occasions to catch the sharp edge of someone's wrath, and I can tell you that even as a getting toward old man, I can still feel the sting of some things that were aimed my way in elementary school. No doubt high-school was the worst though. Not only did everybody catch a wound or two there, we also learned to dish them out very well! Words are something our Lord reminds us over and over again to be extremely careful with. The Scriptures tell us the power of both life and death are in the tongue. Whether it's with friends, enemies, family, or even total strangers, as Christians, let's make sure we use the life part and not the other! "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) Dear Friends, Have you ever noticed how God has a way of placing people in your path—often when it's least convenient? A neighbor with a flat tire. A coworker who seems withdrawn. A stranger who shares just a little too much in line at the store. It's easy to see these moments as interruptions… but what if they are invitations? With the realization that God is either in charge of everything, or He’s in charge of nothing, the people you encounter just can’t be accidents. People are placed in our lives with purpose—by a God who orchestrates everything for His glory and your growth. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us (above). Sometimes meeting needs is big—like helping someone move, giving financially, or stepping into a mentoring relationship. Other times, it's small—an encouraging word, a listening ear, or a silent prayer. But no act of kindness, done in Jesus’ name, is ever wasted. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus was often "interrupted." A bleeding woman reached for His cloak. A desperate father cried out for healing. A tax collector climbed a tree just to see Him. In every case, Jesus stopped. He saw the person, not the inconvenience. And He met them where they were. If we’re to walk as Jesus walked, we too must learn to slow down, to look around, and to listen for the Spirit’s prompting. That nudge you feel to call someone? Do it. That person you keep running into? Ask them how they’re really doing. You may just be the answer to someone’s prayer.  God uses people to reach people—and you never know when your obedience could be the turning point in someone’s life. When we remain open, available, and responsive, the ordinary moments become extraordinary. Blessings in Christ, Pastor Jim Kilby

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40, NIV) Friends, Driving down I-35 has become a routine part of my day. Along the way, it’s impossible to miss the tents lining the road or the people at nearly every exit holding signs that read: “Need Help,” “Hungry,” “Homeless.” Honestly, there are times I just want to keep my head down, avoid eye contact, and continue on with my day. It’s not that I don’t care. It’s the feeling of being overwhelmed. There are so many people in need that I sometimes don’t even know where to begin. A friend recently asked if we knew anything about “the man on the corner,” and Aaron and I both responded, “Which one?” It's become such a common sight, and that reality is heartbreaking. So where am I going with this? There’s a quote I’ve shared before, often attributed to preacher Andy Stanley: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.” That line has stuck with me. I know we can’t provide food or housing for every person in need—even just in Dayton. But I also know that refusing to help one person simply because we can’t help them all doesn’t make any sense. That’s where Harvest Helps comes in. We don’t have a multi-million dollar budget, but when applications come in, we do our best to thoughtfully evaluate each one. Sometimes, something as simple as a gas card can be life-changing—and that single act of support can ripple out into the wider community. Each of the names on the “sticky notes” is one person who has been seen and loved because of your generosity and given hope for another day. Thank you! Some More Sticky Notes: Mr R - Given one time rent help so he wasn't evicted! Miss C. Single mom given a gas card so she could continue to work! Miss S - Given help with a car payment so she didn't lose her transportation! Mr S - Given a gas card and food box when he missed a paycheck due to injury! Blessings, Elizabeth Kilby

A college student and friend of mine is majoring in "actuarial science," which are the big words to say she's learning all about insurance; how to figure out the odds of something terrible happening, etc, etc. Honestly, I think she's on a great career path because in today's world we want to insure everything! There are even laws that force us to insure things! I have car insurance on multiple vehicles, home insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance... need I go on? Let's face it, like most people, I spend enough on insurance in the course of a year to pay for at least one of the major disasters I'm trying to insure against! And while I'm not at all against insurance, I want to use it to make a point. As Christians we can insure things just like everyone else can, but is that where we should put our trust? Does our being "well insured" mean we are no longer called to live by faith? The Scriptures clearly tell us we simply cannot know what is coming tomorrow, but of this we can be sure: Jesus is coming again and even a mountain of insurance cannot change anything He has promised will happen. As end times draw nearer and Satan increases his attacks on God's people, all insurance will become worthless. Eventually things will become so confused I doubt we will even be able to buy insurance! For the mean time, I'll continue to insure what is intelligent to insure, but the only insurance I've ever had that is worth a grain of trust are the Words and the promises of Jesus! "And he [Jesus] was amazed at their lack of faith." Mark 6:6 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate