"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

I love my children as much as any father, but that does not mean I'm not sometimes angry at them. Children will inevitably do things that get them on a father's (or mother's) bad side at least temporarily. Likewise, God loves all His creatures, but that does not mean He is always 100 percent pleased with us. Even for the genuine Christ follower, there will be times when the same God who loves you will discipline you and teach you new ways to behave. For those who hope and pray to avoid such chastening, humility is the only way. And just so we don't get confused, "humility" does not mean lowly in spirit or always walking around like we were just beaten, but rather someone who is self-aware--aware of his or her position and condition with God. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2b  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

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