What is it that drives you? What is it that makes your heart jump for joy and consumes all of your days? For most, it's the pursuit of happiness. Happiness that they might find for sheer moments, but that never lasts long enough to be worth the chase. For those driven by the Spirit of God, the desires for material wealth and worldly pleasures are overshadowed by the things of heaven and the work He has given them to do. I quite often bump into brothers and sisters in the Lord who tell me the Spirit is urging them to move forward with Him, but they just can't seem to leave this or that behind. What holds them, though it may seem dear at the moment, is nothing compared to the glory that awaits those who will let go. Is there something that's holding you back? My guess is that it is something that only the sinful nature desires. Let it go today! "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." Romans 8:5 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind." Isaiah 65:17 It's the last day of another year... While one thing is ending, another is beginning. And so it is with many things in life, and in the Christian walk as well. The Scriptures say that even the terrible things we see in the world today are signs that Christ is coming again, "to make everything new." In order for "new" to come, "old" must end. There must be an end to evil so that good can prevail. So, even as humans often stress over change, don't fret the end of anything, up to and including your life! Remember, if you hadn't died to self, you wouldn't be new in Christ! And if you are secure you are secure indeed! "Therefore, if anyone is he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

For many people, Memorial Day is a great day for backyard barbecues, friends and family. Many also mourn and remember loved ones who've passed. This Memorial Day I spent some time remembering a few close friends and some family members, and also one brother in Christ who passed away just this year. And since I was at it, I remembered someone else. I remembered myself! I reminded myself that every thing I say and everything I do will one day be my a memorial to my family, to the Church, and to my Lord. I even penned my name and my date of birth under "Deaths" in a family Bible. I left the date I will pass blank for now. Unless the Lord returns soon, my family can fill it in later and hopefully remember I was a faithful Christian--that I did not live for myself, but for them and for my Lord. "And he died for all, 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

As a New Testament buff, I find myself looking at the great characters I find there and almost trying to model their faith and deeds. The other day I was talking with a friend about how I often feel like I just don't have the faith I should, when I told him "The Apostle Paul's faith was so strong that people touched him with handkerchiefs and then touched others with them and healed them!" Now, that would be awesome, if it were only true! I was right about the actual act of taking things that had touched Paul and having other's healed through them. But I was wrong in the critical area of who got the credit. Upon re-reading, I found that although Paul was surely no slouch in the faith, it wasn't Paul who performed the miracles. "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." Acts 19:11 It was GOD who did the extraordinary miracles, and it was the person touching Paul and then carrying the article to the sick person who had the incredible faith. Paul... He did what he always seemed to do--he set a great example of how a Christian was to live. No doubt that's why God did things "through Paul" and why the faith of those watching him was able to grow so strong. So... is it you who are trying to do great things, or are you just trying to be faithful to God? If it's the later, you also will have extraordinary miracles done THROUGH YOU! Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

When it comes to understanding Christianity, some people just don't get it! For those who have yet to be introduced to Christ, that makes perfect sense. But what about for those who call themselves Christians and still don't seem to have much of a grasp on the tenants of the faith? In the Apostle Paul's small but powerful letter to a man named Phile we learn something about why some believers are very slow to understand their position in Christ (if they ever do!). Believe it or not, much of it is their own fault. They may or may not spend time in the Scriptures, but even if they do, they will be slow to learn if they don't go out and apply what they find there. Seeking knowledge for the sake of having knowledge is absolutely worthless. On the other hand, even the newest Christian who follows God's commands to go and share their faith will grow quickly and have an amazing grasp on the Truths of God's Word. "I pray you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 1:6 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I did some pretty stupid things when I was young. It started when I was a pre-teen and seemed to continue right into my late twenties. If I could undo some of my life and do it correctly, I would go back and unhurt some of the innocent bystanders. Most of all though, I just wish I hadn't dishonored God the way I did. As a friend of mine once tearfully wrote in a song, "I wandered through His garden taking things that didn't belong to me!" And as the great Psalmist King David wrote to God, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight" (Psalm 51:4a). To hear some Christians give their testimony you'd think they were bragging about their exploits. That type of testimony rarely marks true repentance. Repentance is obvious because the soul that bears it is broken before God. That soul regrets what was done against God. Frankly, regret is the one thing I find hard to live with as a man who didn't walk with Christ until far too late in life. Regret for the things I did, and regret for the things I failed to do. If you haven't strayed off the path, don't let high-sounding testimonies lead you astray. Regret is something you can do without! "After I strayed, I repented; came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth." Jeremiah 31:19 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

A young woman I've spent a fairly considerable amount of time witnessing to gave her life to Christ. For quite a while I thought it might be a nearly hopeless case as she was heavily involved in Wicca and was quite given to casting spells, learning the doctrines, etc. As you can imagine, she and I didn't have a lot in common when she walked into one of our teen centers covered in black clothing, wearing black lipstick, hair dyed black, etc. But as I got to know her we had deep conversations in which I pulled out every imaginable piece of truth I thought she could stomach. I worked hard at beating her religion to death, all quite gently on the surface of course, but praying to myself and smiling lovingly as I tossed logic-grenades into her lap. Some people take the approach that such a ministry is ridiculous, since if God wants this young person to be saved, He will call her. My take is that God IS calling her! And, He's expecting me to be the servant I've been called to be while He uses me to bring the gospel home to her! I don't believe in passive Christianity, and I don't believe anyone who's truly been saved from an eternity separated from God would think any differently. "Since, then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." 2 Corinthians 5:11 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I was held hostage today! Not by a gunman or anything that dramatic, but by a silly gas pump! Even though it's so cold outside you could probably freeze in ten minutes, the gas station I chose to pull into thought it would be appropriate to let me "chill" while I answered a few questions. "Do you want a car wash?" I wanted to answer "No, because it's CLOSED and I couldn't get one if I wanted without turning my car into a block of ice!" "What type of gas do you like?" "Do you want a receipt"... Well, you get the picture. Earlier today I was held hostage by a salesperson that desperately needed to sell me something, and then by a credit card company that soooo had something I would want! I guess along the way we've became so desperate that we've begun to think that extortion and kidnapping are perfectly normal ways to sell things. And maybe that's true, some people will buy things just so you'll leave them alone. But did they really want anything? Will they really appreciate it? Unfortunately, this same type of thought process has also worked it's way into the hands of well-meaning Christians. They believe that if trapping someone and force-feeding them a good dose of "Jesus" might save their souls then it's worth it! But did they really want anything? Will they really appreciate it? Did they just pray with you to get you off their back? While I cannot disagree with the Jesus saving them if they would only listen, it's the hostage taking and force feeding I'm sure will never work. I cannot find one reference in the Scriptures where Jesus forced Himself on anyone. Instead, He gently asked people to leave everything, follow Him, and sin no more. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate