As a New Testament buff, I find myself looking at the great characters I find there and almost trying to model their faith and deeds. The other day I was talking with a friend about how I often feel like I just don't have the faith I should, when I told him "The Apostle Paul's faith was so strong that people touched him with handkerchiefs and then touched others with them and healed them!" Now, that would be awesome, if it were only true! I was right about the actual act of taking things that had touched Paul and having other's healed through them. But I was wrong in the critical area of who got the credit. Upon re-reading, I found that although Paul was surely no slouch in the faith, it wasn't Paul who performed the miracles. "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." Acts 19:11 It was GOD who did the extraordinary miracles, and it was the person touching Paul and then carrying the article to the sick person who had the incredible faith. Paul... He did what he always seemed to do--he set a great example of how a Christian was to live. No doubt that's why God did things "through Paul" and why the faith of those watching him was able to grow so strong. So... is it you who are trying to do great things, or are you just trying to be faithful to God? If it's the later, you also will have extraordinary miracles done THROUGH YOU! Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

When it comes to understanding Christianity, some people just don't get it! For those who have yet to be introduced to Christ, that makes perfect sense. But what about for those who call themselves Christians and still don't seem to have much of a grasp on the tenants of the faith? In the Apostle Paul's small but powerful letter to a man named Phile we learn something about why some believers are very slow to understand their position in Christ (if they ever do!). Believe it or not, much of it is their own fault. They may or may not spend time in the Scriptures, but even if they do, they will be slow to learn if they don't go out and apply what they find there. Seeking knowledge for the sake of having knowledge is absolutely worthless. On the other hand, even the newest Christian who follows God's commands to go and share their faith will grow quickly and have an amazing grasp on the Truths of God's Word. "I pray you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 1:6 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I did some pretty stupid things when I was young. It started when I was a pre-teen and seemed to continue right into my late twenties. If I could undo some of my life and do it correctly, I would go back and unhurt some of the innocent bystanders. Most of all though, I just wish I hadn't dishonored God the way I did. As a friend of mine once tearfully wrote in a song, "I wandered through His garden taking things that didn't belong to me!" And as the great Psalmist King David wrote to God, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight" (Psalm 51:4a). To hear some Christians give their testimony you'd think they were bragging about their exploits. That type of testimony rarely marks true repentance. Repentance is obvious because the soul that bears it is broken before God. That soul regrets what was done against God. Frankly, regret is the one thing I find hard to live with as a man who didn't walk with Christ until far too late in life. Regret for the things I did, and regret for the things I failed to do. If you haven't strayed off the path, don't let high-sounding testimonies lead you astray. Regret is something you can do without! "After I strayed, I repented; came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth." Jeremiah 31:19 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

A young woman I've spent a fairly considerable amount of time witnessing to gave her life to Christ. For quite a while I thought it might be a nearly hopeless case as she was heavily involved in Wicca and was quite given to casting spells, learning the doctrines, etc. As you can imagine, she and I didn't have a lot in common when she walked into one of our teen centers covered in black clothing, wearing black lipstick, hair dyed black, etc. But as I got to know her we had deep conversations in which I pulled out every imaginable piece of truth I thought she could stomach. I worked hard at beating her religion to death, all quite gently on the surface of course, but praying to myself and smiling lovingly as I tossed logic-grenades into her lap. Some people take the approach that such a ministry is ridiculous, since if God wants this young person to be saved, He will call her. My take is that God IS calling her! And, He's expecting me to be the servant I've been called to be while He uses me to bring the gospel home to her! I don't believe in passive Christianity, and I don't believe anyone who's truly been saved from an eternity separated from God would think any differently. "Since, then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." 2 Corinthians 5:11 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I was held hostage today! Not by a gunman or anything that dramatic, but by a silly gas pump! Even though it's so cold outside you could probably freeze in ten minutes, the gas station I chose to pull into thought it would be appropriate to let me "chill" while I answered a few questions. "Do you want a car wash?" I wanted to answer "No, because it's CLOSED and I couldn't get one if I wanted without turning my car into a block of ice!" "What type of gas do you like?" "Do you want a receipt"... Well, you get the picture. Earlier today I was held hostage by a salesperson that desperately needed to sell me something, and then by a credit card company that soooo had something I would want! I guess along the way we've became so desperate that we've begun to think that extortion and kidnapping are perfectly normal ways to sell things. And maybe that's true, some people will buy things just so you'll leave them alone. But did they really want anything? Will they really appreciate it? Unfortunately, this same type of thought process has also worked it's way into the hands of well-meaning Christians. They believe that if trapping someone and force-feeding them a good dose of "Jesus" might save their souls then it's worth it! But did they really want anything? Will they really appreciate it? Did they just pray with you to get you off their back? While I cannot disagree with the Jesus saving them if they would only listen, it's the hostage taking and force feeding I'm sure will never work. I cannot find one reference in the Scriptures where Jesus forced Himself on anyone. Instead, He gently asked people to leave everything, follow Him, and sin no more. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"Cutting" or "Self-Mutilation" are quite common among certain segments of today's teens. I get a fairly substantial amount of mail on the subject, and I see the telltale marks on even more teens. Although many may find the concept of purposefully cutting oneself ridiculous, there are actually some very understandable reasons for it. 1. Control issues (feeling out of control or being controlled by parents, society, etc., and wanting something they can control). 2. For attention (usually only cutting in areas where everyone can see the marks or scars). 3. Demonic attacks (or demonic possession). They cut themselves (and do even worse things) because they've begun to believe Satan's lies about their self worth. 4. Numbness--wanting to feel SOMETHING, even if its pain. At any rate (and in any one of these cases), Jesus has got the "real" answer--not something done with a knife when no one's looking, but something done on a cross when everyone was looking! If you or someone you know is involved in cutting themselves, I suggest a thorough read of a workbook by Dr. Neil Anderson called "Ministering the Steps to Freedom in Christ." The issue is really not the self-mutilation, but likely something much deeper and more sinister. "They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones." Mark 5:1-5 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

When I was a pre-teen boy we lived on a farm for a couple of years. I learned things you just wouldn't believe unless you've had a similar experience. From helping a cow give birth to killing a chicken for dinner, I've done it all! I also learned that animals can be quite messy and each has its own way of making a stink! I used to have to shovel out the barn, the chicken coop and, of course, the rabbit, goat and pig pens! Interestingly enough, I also learned if you get enough manure piled up, people will actually come and buy it from you. Chicken manure takes top dollar for some odd reason, but people also mix cow manure into their fields as a fertilizer. Just imagine... people coming to our farm to trade what I'll affectionately call our "crap" for their hard-earned money. The world has a similar program... Take valuable things and make them appear to be worth nothing, and then take "crap" and merchandise it as if it were gold. And unlike manure, most of the "crap" we buy from the world is absolutely worthless. Virginity sold for nothing, while purity is mocked. Life destroyed on the altar of "choice" while true freedom in Christ is considered narrow-minded. We use our money to build monuments to ourselves (in the form of "stuff") while others created in God's image starve within blocks of most of our homes. We work our entire lives to get money so we can buy "crap" and we scrap what's infinitely valuable in the process. "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 2:5 ht, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?" Isaiah 64:4-5 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

The millions who practice Voodoo (mostly in Africa) believe that the Voodoo gods take care of absolutely every detail of life for them. Not unlike the gods of Greek mythology, their gods get angry at them and must be appeased in many different ways. If not appeased properly, the followers believe the gods will cause terrible things to happen to them. As such, they would never dream of doing anything without first consulting their gods. If this seems far-fetched, it's no more bizarre than a few hundred million other people who believe superstitions things like opening an umbrella inside or breaking a mirror are bad luck. Unfortunately, most Christians aren't half as committed to their faith! At a basic level though, man has always wanted and even needed to understand God. Unfortunately for those who would invent Him rather than simply seek and understand Him, no amount of "appeasing" will gain any favor with him. "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?" Isaiah 64:4-5 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate