I get a barrage of questions for teens each day and by and large it's a blessing to be able to answer their questions. Still, I'm often amazed at the number of them that start with, "I love Jesus with all my heart..." and then go on to ask questions that are so far from "Christian" it's shocking! Forget the one's that ask if sleeping together is OK since they are "in love and going to be married some day" and forget the ones that say "I love Jesus, but I can't stand my parents" (impossible), and focus just for a minute on the one I get the most. It always goes something like this, "I want this and I want that, how can I get it? OR... "I know God wants me to do blank, but I want to do something else, what do YOU think Pastor Jim!" The simple truth--no, the utterly simple truth, is that anyone who has died to self would not have even one of these questions left in them. When you realize you are dead in your sins, then risen with Christ to a new life, there is only One you wish to please. Going back and trying to please your old rotten flesh is a waste of time and dishonors your calling. "And he died for all [believers], that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:15 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I get the impression from many Christians that they think God doesn't keep any record of the mistakes they make in life. Sure, the Scriptures tell us that in Christ we are found righteous, and that God puts our sins as far as the East is from the West, but that is true of the sins we committed in ignorance while we were lost. It does NOT apply to those we commit after we know better! This errant belief can often be used to justify all types of sinful behavior. The obvious thinking is that since a person is "saved" then they can get away with murder. Two points here.... first, if you don't want to please the Lord, then the Holy Spirit is not in you--it's an automatic reaction for a sinner who's been saved by grace to want to honor God. And second, there WILL be an accounting for the sins we commit after we are saved. God is not so dense that some perceived loophole will keep Him from giving each of us exactly what we deserve... Even those who are "In Christ" will shed tears on that day! Do not confuse the "Great White Throne of Judgment" (where some will be sent to hell) with the "Judgement Seat of Christ" where His followers will be held accountable, both for good and for bad done in His name. "So we make it our goad to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it [after we die]. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I like to think of myself as a hard-charging and energetic guy who does ministry with a passion. Believe it or not, God probably doesn't like that much! Occassionally, He'll even take an opportunity to remind me of as much. Several years ago I took my laptop, cellphone connection, and other various reading/working material and headed off to a two-day retreat. As is my nature, I wasn't there twenty minutes before I had my laptop fired up and searching for a wireless connection through my cell phone. After an hour of trying to fix something that wasn't broken, I realized I was nearly 100 miles from the nearest digital phone connection--something that would utterly paralyze me looking in on "my ministry" for nearly three days. Yea, I know... God would rather see me as a guy with a passion for Him, who uses that passion to do ministry for Him! As I returned home, I found my in basket jam-packed and the truth is I just don't seem to be as excited to start shuffling through it--I'm still in a place where God seems to be able to speak to me more clearly. If you haven't been "paralyzed" by God lately, maybe you should try it, too--only don't be as reluctant as I was. ""Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I remember an old Bible that laid around my house when I was a young man. I picked it up a few times and thought God sure had a lot of stuff in there, none of which applied to life today, and especially not to MY life. After God finally broke through my hardened heart, I learned the Bible actually is jam-packed with universal truths that apply to every situation and every person on the planet. Still, it took me even longer to learn through His Spirit, God would actually translate that universal Word directly into my life, making it an intimately personal conversation between the two of us. Now I'm never more than a few inches from any one of the stack of Bibles I call my own. When I look back and think of how simplistically I looked at what I once thought was just a dusty, outdated book it makes me sad. I could have had a personal relationship with my Creator nearly 30 years before I did! Thanks be to God He pursued me relentlessly! If you haven't picked up your Bible in a while, or if it just looks like words to you, ask the Lord to send His Spirit to translate for you. You'll be amazed at how it comes alive in your hands and in your heart! "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." John 6:63b Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

“[they] did not honor God or give thanks....” Romans 1:21 (NIV) Dear Friends, Lately I’ve been reflecting on how easily our hearts drift when we stop practicing gratitude. Scripture warns us of this. In Romans 1:21, Paul says that when people “did not honor God or give thanks,” their hearts became darkened. Ingratitude isn’t just a moment of forgetfulness — it slowly reshapes the way we see God, ourselves, and the world around us. When we stop giving thanks, our hearts grow restless. Fear replaces trust. Complaining replaces worship. We start to believe we don’t have enough, or worse, that God isn’t enough. Gratitude is the antidote — a spiritual anchor that restores joy, softens our hearts, and brings our focus back to God’s faithfulness. Even one moment of recognizing His goodness can recalibrate everything. We see this all the time in the teens and families we serve. When they identify even a single blessing — an answered prayer, a caring friend, a moment of peace — hope begins to grow again. Gratitude opens the door for God to work in their hearts. And so today, I want to thank you. Your prayers, support, and generosity help us continue sharing Christ’s love with youth who desperately need it. Because of you, lives are being shaped by the hope found in Jesus. Without you, and God’s love, we can do nothing. As we move forward in this season of “Thanksgiving,” may we all choose gratitude daily — keeping our hearts tender, joyful, and attentive to God’s goodness. Blessings in Christ, Pastor Jim Kilby

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:7) Friends, I was over at the thrift store recently and overheard a customer chatting with the cashier as she checked out. The conversation was full of gratitude as she shared how many times she’s been able to find — and afford — beautiful things there. What a blessing for me to hear! One of the goals of Second Harvest is to provide our community with quality (and beautiful!) items at reasonable, affordable prices. Mission accomplished. Of course, there is always more to it, isn’t there? God has been so faithful this past year to remind me how He loves to give us good and perfect gifts, beautiful things if you will. He delights in showing His love in ways we could never imagine. I’ve seen it when a friend texted, “God said this was the one — do it right now,” after an urgent rent request was posted online. I’ve seen it in gifts of household basics and warm coats stacked high in my office for a momma of eight who is starting over with almost nothing. I’ve seen it in a grocery pick-up that fed a family for a week. I’ve seen it in bus passes, appliances, kitchen tables, shoes… and as I type this, my eyes fill with tears remembering each of these moments and how we were able to say, “And also — Jesus loves you.” YOU made that possible. Thank you for being part of the beautiful things God is giving our community — gifts that reflect the generosity of Jesus Himself. Blessings, Elizabeth Kilby

"Red Alert, Red Alert!" Imagine you're the captain of a sailing vessel and those ominous words wake you out of a deep sleep. As you jump to grab your radio monitor to investigate what the problem is all the worst case scenarios are running through your head. "What's the emergency?" you ask, and the answer sets you back onto your bunk... "We've sprung a huge leak captain. The bilge pumps can't keep up--we're taking on water fast." As you ask how much time you have left all the possible solutions screaming through your mind are all focused on accomplishing one thing--you've got to stop that water from coming in... Now, imagine you're the God of the Universe (or maybe a pastor, or a parent). You watch as your precious children learn to surf the web for pornography, or begin to flirt with homosexuality, or start building destructive relationships in their lives. The list could go on and on, but the answer is still the same... you've got to stop and do what you can to stop the flow of filth because you know what it will do! They'll stop reading their Bible soon, and then they'll stop praying. Quickly they'll ignore input from godly friends, possibly even trying to drag them down too! You beg them to turn as you present them with the truth, but the damage is already being done so quickly. Will Satan destroy their witness? What will be left of their real God-given personalities once the heart has been flooded with sin. Will another group of hopeful saints become utterly worthless to the Church you love so much? "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Have you ever been really irritated at someone and then after some time went by you felt foolish for being so easily bothered? What about being really angry? Have you ever been angry one moment and then almost forgot what you were angry about in the next? When I look back over the years I can see countless incidents where I wish I had been less easily frustrated. And even the times when my ire was justified, I often wonder if it was the other person's fault as much as it was my prideful heart! At any rate, it's easy to lose focus when we're only focused on ourselves and our "rights." If we're not careful, we'll lose focus on the church, our once close friends, our families, and even the Lord. If you've been irritated at someone or something for far too long, today could be the day healing starts. Even if you've been wronged terribly, remember that God was wronged even worse by us. All that and He went all the way to the cross to regain our relationship. "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,'[a Hebrew term for fool] is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:22-24)  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate