Again and again I'm confronted with people who tell me they blame God for all the evil in the world. In my mind it's kind of similar to blaming me for something one of my grown children does. It just wouldn't be fair. I did my best to raise them right, and still sometimes they choose to do wrong. Sure, God's arms are not so short that He couldn't put a stop to evil, but in order to do so, He would be sentencing all those who will one day come to know Him to an eternity without Him. The prescribed time for the end has not come yet. Those who know Him must suffer and wait along with the Lord. Evil prevails in the world because WE, you and I, allow it! Not only have we allowed it, but we often help it through our sins. Evil people are evil because they give into the flesh instead of giving in to the Lord. Until Jesus returns, nothing will change--except that evil will become even more prevalent. And none of it is God's "fault!" "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it." 2 Timothy 3:12-14 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Often we find things written in the Bible that demand a response. The Scriptures will tell us to start doing something, or stop doing something, as the case may be. Typically, a similar conviction will come from the Holy Spirit and will urge us to do what God asks. At that moment of conviction, have you ever said in your heart, "I just won't do it?" If so, like so many others before you, you have denied Jesus His rightful place in your life! Before you think too harshly of yourself, please know that we all struggle with the flesh--wanting to do the right thing while a war rages inside us urging us to do it our own way. Jesus is not just our Savior, but also our Lord. That means that He should be calling the shots in our lives, and He does that through His Word and through His Spirit, always working in concert together. When we obey, then He can use us further and teach us even more. When we disobey, we are left wondering why we feel so far from our Lord and often blaming Him when it was our fault right from the start. "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord." 1 Peter 3:15a Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Unless you're in charge of a large corporation, downsizing has become a word working people don't care much for. It's just not cool to go to work one day and find that you've been "downsized!" Parents and kids alike suffer through the stress and strain accompanying the lack of funds that generally accompanies the loss of work. As modern day Americans though, we should probably take the time to consider how much we really do have. Often we have more than we even know what to do with. We work ourselves harder and harder, but generally not for necessities--rather for the niceties of life. Basically, we work harder so we can have more stuff to compare with our neighbor's stuff. As for me, I can appreciate nice things, but I'm no longer willing to chase after them. God has changed my heart a lot in this area and even caused me to want to downsize the amount of stuff I have. Let's face it, every thing we own must be dusted, washed, insured, folded, polished, or otherwise maintained. Is impressing our neighbor really worth it? "Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 4:6 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Have you ever laughed when Jesus told you something? No, really? Have you ever looked at something in the Scriptures and said, "That may be OK for some people, but not for me!" Believe it or not, being convicted by any Scripture and then just walking away does just that--it mocks your Savior. It also minimizes the ability for God to work in your life, and it all but stops your Christian growth. Jesus is well aware that just about everything we read in His Word will be impossible for us to do alone, that's why He died to break sin's bond on us! If we could have done it alone, we wouldn't have needed Him. Laughing at Him only makes us look ridiculous. His miracles will continue, they just won't happen in our lives or our ministries. "When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region." Matthew 9:23-26  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Has God given you a heart for those who have yet to receive salvation through His Only Son? I believe that is precisely what He desires to do. The problem is that we are often just too busy with school, work, or pleasure to be that interested in those who have less than us, much less those who have never heard the good news. Yea, we know there are missionaries out there somewhere, but do we give them even a casual second thought? What about the hardships they endure? What about the things we now enjoy that they had to give up sharing God's message with those less fortunate or less desirable to the world? I recommend praying for a missionary on a daily basis. If you don't know one personally, it doesn't have to be for one who's in a far off land. Pray for someone who's busy sharing his or her faith in your school or your neighborhood? If that doesn't bring someone to mind, then pray for me if you like. And please remember that those who are sent by God to share Christ's love must be sent--that means they must be called by God, and under girded with prayer and material support by those who stay behind. If your lot in life is a more comfortable one, consider giving financially to the missionary or ministry God brings to your heart. You just might find you appreciate all of life a lot more! "As the scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.' How, then, canthey call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:11-15 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"And without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6a Would it make you angry if you gave me a list of all the things you were going to do with and for God and I told you that you were incapable of doing any of them--And in fact, that it would be absolutely impossible for you to do ANYTHING for God? I'm sure it would bother anyone who has the Holy Spirit in him. Maybe that's a good thing! But the fact remains that MANY who wish to do things with and for God will be able to do nothing that will please Him. Frankly, they might as well be pinned on the floor with a sumo wrestler sitting on them! They are defeated before the starting bell ever rings? And why? Because of their lack of faith and their prideful and unforgiving hearts. Without first allowing the Spirit to do surgery in the heart, nothing... and I mean NOTHING will ever be done that will please our Lord. If we have bad feelings for one another; if we have unresolved issues of pride; we must first throw ourselves to the mercy or our Lord. "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been COMPLETELY DEFEATED ALREADY. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers." 1 Corinthians 6:7-8 (Emphasis Mine) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

If you were walking by a mirror and saw a black mark on your face, would you stop to do something about it? Most people wouldn't go another inch until they were looking presentable again. In the Christian realm we often look into the mirror of God we find in His Word, notice that we've got problems, and then wonder off without giving it a second thought. Here's a test: What was the sermon about in your church last week? Did you feel any real convictions coming out of it? What did you do about them? Surveys show that the vast majority of church attendees can't recall the sermon topic after even one hour! We need to remember that the conviction that comes from God's Word comes directly from the Holy Spirit. Ignoring that conviction is ignoring God Himself. With the revelation of sin in our lives comes the immediate responsibility to act. To do anything less is even more sinful. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Does that whole "if someone strikes you, turn the other cheek" thing bother you as much as it does me? When someone slaps me (either verbally or otherwise), my first reaction is to get a piece of them before they get away. Unfortunately, my first reaction is almost always wrong! The problem really isn't about who hits who, but about pride. In order to have a strong walk with Christ, we must be firm in knowing who owns us and who we follow, but we must also be humble in the way we deal with others. Pride simply won't allow humility, and so pride must go. It's been years, and there's still much work to do, but I believe I now am beginning to catch a glimpse of why Jesus gave such a difficult command. Besides, vengeance is not ours--it's God's business and any humble servant would know that! "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:39) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate