Somewhere in your adolescent years you probably realized that your life would one day come to an end. It's not a pleasant experience for most, and it certainly wasn't for me! It was scary! I remember that it happened near when my great grandmother died--It was the first time I had to deal with death. The uncertainty of "life after death" and especially that whole being buried in a coffin didn't set well with me. Fortunately, even for the newest Christian, one of the first signs the Spirit of God is in you is a gentle loss of the fear of death. What could death do to us anyway? Sure, I'd rather die in some quiet and peaceful way, but in the end it won't really matter. For the believer, death is simply another beginning! A beginning where we will once and for all be rid of the sin we struggle with--The beginning of an eternity with Christ. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." Jesus of Nazareth (Revelation 2:11) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

When the Lord led the Apostle Paul to write us nearly two whole books dealing with sexual immorality, He no doubt understood this would be one of our major struggles. The Corinthians were not unlike modern day people in that they were given over to all types of sensuality, and especially those of a sexual nature. With our focus being so concentrated on fulfilling our every desire, maybe it doesn't make such an impact on us when Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit is right there with us in our sin when we (as Christians) become involved in lewd acts. If not, then maybe the next time you feel the temptation to fall into something immoral, imagine your actions causing the whip to strike Jesus' back yet again. Or maybe imagine Him, God's only Son, standing there watching you. After all, that's where He is--closer to you than your clothes! "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Romans 13: 13-14 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

We live in crazy times! It seems like vast groups of people want to decide what truth is and then push that truth on everyone else. If it pleases them, they want to do it! Even those who should know the truth, like ministers, teachers, prophets, etc. are spouting all sorts of craziness and calling it "truth". Fortunately for Christians, we have the real Truth to grasp onto, but many of us are deceived into being timid about sharing it--no doubt fearing persecution. But, like a rock in a raging storm, Jesus (Truth) is our only hope. He's also the only hope of a lost and hurting world, listening to the crazy voices around them. Our charge remains the same: "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Are you cool with the way you relate to God? Are you comfortable that you've done as much as you can to draw near to Him; that the religious things have been taken care of now you just need to coast through life? If so, you might be one of those people who've been blessed to grow up in a home where the Word of Truth was preached to you. Because you've maybe never committed sins that seem as bad as other people's sins, you may also have been lulled into a slumber by the devil! Is it any wonder as you look around you that many who have been so far from God in their previous ways now serve Him harder than you've ever considered serving Him? It may be that you've forgotten that you too were the worst of sinners, and that even the least of your sins caused Jesus to die for you. "For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:9-11) On one of my trips to Israel I noticed that there is probably not anther place on earth with so many rocks! Maybe that's why the Bible writers so often used references to rocks. At any rate, I also noticed that most of the rocks are not huge, but are about the size and shape of a loaf of bread. Do you think there's any connection in the ways the rocks are shaped and when Satan tempted Jesus, he tried to get Him to turn one of those rocks into bread? Hey, it already looked like bread! And that is often how Satan works. He deceives us into thinking we know what we're getting into--Hey, we can see it with our own eyes! Unfortunately for us, not long after we "bite into it" we realize it's all a lie. Maybe that's why Satan's such a terrible "father figure." He actually would give us a rock if we asked for bread! As Christians we need to ask our loving Father for what we need and stop depending on the god of this world (Satan and the world's systems) so much. Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." 1 Peter 2:17 When I was young, my mother and grandmother used to remind me to use my manners with the gentle reminder, "Use your manners, Jimmy!" I've seen a drastic loss of simple manners and respect among people in my lifetime. People treat friends and family badly, and they often treat strangers even worse. In the past, while running teen organizations, I've been cursed by kids who aren't even old enough to attend junior high school. What's worse, I've been cursed by their parents as well! Manners and respect are more than just nice things to give others; they are in fact biblical commands. If we lose our manners, we begin to see a slide in the way people in society as a whole treat each other. If that lack of respect grows, people begin to be hard-hearted toward one another. The result is people who feel unloved, and refuse to love anyone else, including Christ. Believe it or not, just using your manners may be one of the best witnesses you have. "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Philippians 1:27 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

No doubt every generation has its downfalls, but we'd be hard-pressed to find one in recent history with such a prevalence of immorality, godlessness, and self-serving motives. The lack of a realization of God's existence has truly begun to take its toll. Like young people who've been born into other wicked generations, each person must individually choose to separate themselves from the crowd and acknowledge God. Have you chosen to follow the only One who can save you? "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call. With many other words he [Peter] warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Acts 2:39-40 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Do you secretly think you're "da bomb"? Maybe you're one of those folks who play it cool, but inside you're just positive that people want to be like you. No matter how highly (or lowly) you think about yourself, it's an absolute certainty that if you are not "in Christ" you are nothing. You have nothing to brag about and nothing to look forward to. You may even be envied by those around you, but if you continue to worship yourself that envy will one day fade away and be replaced by pity. It's time to face reality--it's better to be worthless in the world's eyes and priceless in God's eyes than visa versa. "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'" 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate