Although we should all strive to become mature in our faith so that we can teach others, we must also understand that doing so changes the way the Lord looks at us. He can use us to grow others, but if we are then unfaithful in the way we speak, or teach, then we will be judged more harshly than a new believer. And it's not just how we speak when we're teaching that gets us... it's how we speak all of the time. We must set the standard for other believers, and be a model Christ follower for those who are not. "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." James 3:1-2 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

The Scriptures tell us that God did not have a beginning, and that He does not have an end. For you and I that may be hard to understand (possibly because on this earth we will have both!) Knowing that I had a beginning (in my mother's womb, or even before that in the mind of God) serves to humble me greatly. I did not ask for life, and yet I have it! Think about it for a moment... the same God who put the stars in the sky conceived you in His mind before your mother conceived you. Then, the Scriptures tell us He "knit" you in her womb. While we probably will never be able to fully understand how God could always have been, we will one day move from the restraints time and space put on us and into eternity. Once we're there, I'm betting our perspective on life will change radically. Then the ignorance of thinking unborn babies are "choices" and human embryos are fodder for "experiments" will be exposed by God Himself. Until then, He relies in great part on you and I to carry the torch of "life!" Believe me friends, God is pro-choice in the sense that He gives us choice in whether or not we follow Him. But the Scriptures are resolute in the fact that He is pro-life when it comes to shedding innocent blood. Just some 60 years later we now look back at Adolph Hitler's "experiments" as cruel and inhuman. Think back to your school lessons. In his mind didn't Hitler believe he was advancing mankind through "selection" and the through the sciences? Death only advances itself. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Jesus of Nazareth(Matthew 15:13b-14) One of the most wicked things about the religious leaders during Jesus' earthly ministry was that they had absolute control over everything, weighing down people with terrible things they "had to do" in order to be okay with God and to be okay with them! They were essentially judge, jury and executioner. One of the worst things about some of the religious leaders today is that they do just the opposite. They allow all types of unholy and ungodly practices and they even champion evil practices themselves. Their ministries, like those who led in Jesus' day, will amount to nothing good. In fact, their ministries are controlled by Satan and are not ordained by God because they go against His Word. Unfortunately, anyone who follows these false leaders will be held accountable personally. The truth is that many follow them because they like things the "easy way!" Friends, the easy way is very rarely the right way. Even as young people we must all be careful to only follow! leaders who follow Jesus and His Word closely and without compromise. "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." 2 Timothy 4:3 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

If you accidentally left the water running in your bathtub would you try to turn it off before it flooded your whole home? What if the carpet was already wet? What if there was two inches of water in your house? Would you just decide to leave it running if there was already damage done? If you think those are silly questions I'm with you all the way. I also think it's quite silly when people tell me they are in debt, but they don't stop spending more money than they earn. Or, that they are pregnant, or keep getting diseases, but they don't see why they should stop having sex with every new person they meet! And probably the most painful of all is when young Christians write me and tell me that "since they're not virgins anymore, what's the difference if they just have sex with lots of people?" Well, it doesn't make sense with your flooding bathtub and it makes even less sense with your body. Hey, you could rebuild your house if necessary, but even the biggest bathtub on the planet won't help you wash off that terrible un-clean feeling you'll get from sinning with your body. Soooo, if you've walked down that road, know that today is the day the Lord has made, and today is the day to start getting better! As Jesus often said, "Go and sin no more!" You will never regret starting over, and the Lord will bless it too! He died to give you the power to win out over sin... so WIN! "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." Romans 6:6-7 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

The words, "Christ the Saviour is born" ring through our ears each Christmas as this widely known song is sung at millions of Christmas parties. The words are sung, but do the people realize? Jesus isn't just "the Savior," He is the ONLY Savior! He's not just the "truth," He is the ONLY truth... and He's not just the "light," He is the ONLY light. Without Him, our depravity and our desperation would be bottomless. Without the birth of Christ that Holy night, we have NOTHING! Silent Night Silent night, Holy night, All is calm, all is bright, 'Round yon Virgin Mother and Child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, Holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ, the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. Silent night, Holy night, Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy Holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. We wish you the merriest of Christmas Holidays! Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, and the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14 The enemy is busy trying to silence it, but this is the TRUTH! Jesus laid aside everything to be born into a sinful world... knowingly giving Himself a death sentence--a death sentence that renders a "not guilty" verdict for all who believe and receive Him! Now, that's the meaning of Christmas! Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

One of the first signs that the Spirit of God is working in you is that you'll have a great desire to search the Scriptures and learn more about Him. Unfortunately, many people will never do that, instead they'll listen to the rantings of hell-bent teachers and preachers and never check the Scriptures, even when the Spirit prompts them that something they've heard is not true to His Word. The saying "Act like a Berean!" is one I like to use when I challenge young Christians to take responsibility for growing in their faith. This Scripture says it all! "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

There are a lot of ups and downs in a life, and the Christian life is no different. I find a lot of young people have a serious misconception about this simple fact. They somehow think God is powerful and loves them when things are going well, and somehow He's either no longer powerful, or doesn't love them anymore when things seem to be going poorly. If you're going through some rough times then maybe it's a time of discipline, or maybe it's a time of testing and growth, but two things for sure: God is still God, and God is still love! If you are, you can be sure God still loves you, too! Are my children (my own flesh and blood children) any less "Kilby" when I'm disciplining them? Are they any less loved? Certainly not! And you're no less Christian during the tough times in life. Soooo... when God is doing amazing things and everything seems to be going well, write it down, then go back and read what God did for you when times get tougher--The same God is still ultimately in charge of everything! This too shall pass! "The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things! I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death." Psalm 118:16-18 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate