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Sharing the Amazing News of Jesus Christ Around the World

2010-07-30T16:44:00Z

As you know, I do not allow any type of 'AD' or commercial on takecaregodbless.com.
However, since Ronnie has worked with Samaritan's Purse for years, I pass this on to you: Maggie

Sharing the Amazing News of Jesus Christ around the World

July 22, 2010 - God has given us incredible opportunities to preach the Gospel in the last six weeks, and more opportunities are coming this month.

A Letter from Franklin Graham

At the end of May, I led an evangelistic Crusade in Belo Horizonte, the third largest city in Brazil with a metro population of more than 4 million people. We were scheduled to use the large soccer stadium downtown, but were preempted at the last minute when the city had to change the dates of two championship soccer matches to make way for World Cup qualifying. We moved the Crusade to a megaplex about 10 miles outside the city, and I wondered how people were going to make their way that far out.

To my surprise, thousands came the first evening, with crowds totaling more than 65,000 on the last day, and several thousand people surrendered their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the days and weeks since then, hundreds of local churches who partnered with us to proclaim the Gospel have been following up individually with those who made decisions.

Immediately after returning from Brazil, I left for China where I had the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel in Harbin, a city of almost 5.5 million located above the Korean peninsula near China’s border with Russia. It is the largest city of northern China and has many active churches. I preached to an overflow crowd at the Hallelujah Church, which seats 8,000, and when I gave an invitation, hundreds stood to make public decisions for Christ.

While in China, a very special opportunity was given to me to visit Huai’an, the city where my mother grew up. She was the daughter of Dr. L. Nelson Bell, a medical missionary in China. The Central Church of Huai’an, a thriving church close to my mother’s birthplace, has opened a training center that will prepare 60 to 70 lay Christians at a time for strategic outreach and ministry. They’ve named it the Ruth Bell Graham Bible Institute and Museum, and it includes a historical exhibit area with artifacts, displays, and media presentations designed to preserve the stories of what God has done through the years in China.

When the Lord held back the waters of the Jordan River to allow the people of Israel to cross near Jericho, He told Joshua to remove 12 large stones from the riverbed and place them nearby as a permanent memorial. Joshua set up the stones and told the people, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground’ … so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty” (Joshua 4:21–22, 24, ESV). The new public exhibit in Huai’an has a very similar purpose, and through it the Gospel is clearly presented.

My daughter, Cissie, and my sister Gigi participated with me in a dedication celebration as, together with our Chinese Christian hosts, we officially opened the center. The next day, on what would have been my mother’s 90th birthday, I preached to more than 5,000 people at a joyful worship service in the Central Church of Huai’an. In the audience were some of my mother’s friends who showed me photos taken with my mother when they were children. It was a wonderful experience for my daughter, my sister, and me to meet them.

What thrilled me the most, however, was when so many stood at the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. While the church in America is losing religious freedom and struggling to grow, the church in China is gaining freedom and growing rapidly. It’s not perfect by any means, but it certainly has come a long way in the past 20 years. We’ve already received invitations to preach the Gospel in several Chinese cities in 2011. Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and guidance so that we may reap the harvest the Lord is preparing.

Help Spread the Gospel

You gift can help BGEA spread the Gospel through every available means and to every nation. Donate online today to support Festivals or other ministries.

I’m preparing for another Rock the River Tour, traveling this month across western Canada from British Columbia to Alberta. Young, high-energy Christian bands will play for about an hour and a half, and then I will get up and preach Christ and trust God for a harvest. The bands will play again, and I’ll return to preach, and trust God to convict of sin and righteousness. More live music will follow, and I’ll preach God’s Gospel again and trust Him to work through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray for me that God will give me strength, that many young people will be delivered from a hedonistic lifestyle of sex and drugs, and that the power of the Gospel will save them from Hell.

Last summer, God brought thousands of young people to saving faith as we took Rock the River up the Mississippi from Baton Rouge to Minneapolis, and I would appreciate your prayers this month for our outreach in the cities of the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, and then in Edmonton and Calgary.

Like the United States, Canada is an increasingly secularized, godless culture in great need of the Gospel. Pray for a great harvest.

As we move into a busy season of ministry in late summer and fall, BGEA’s income is somewhat down. Pray with us that God will provide resources that match the opportunities He has placed before us. Any financial gift you can give this month would be greatly appreciated. It would be an investment in reaching souls, and we are thankful for your generosity.

My father is well for his age, and his mind is clear. He wants to preach again and is hoping the Lord might give him strength to do so in coming months. I know he would appreciate your prayers. Thank you, and may God richly bless you,

Franklin Graham

President

ATTENTION READERS

2010-07-27T15:24:00Z

First, thanks to all who read my website. I really am grateful. However, I need to say that
I shall not 'endorse' any product, even if it's 'slipped in' to a comment on any article. I really
do appreciate those who take the time to write a genuine comment, but there are a few who write different ones on the same individual article, and include specific websites of their own, probably believing I will not catch it. Most of these are not the type of sites/blogs I would ever visit myself, therefore would never make it seem that I endorse them. To those of you who are doing that, with the same email address, or the same IP address, I ask that you refrain in the future. Again, to those who genuinely read and enjoy www.takecaregodbless.com, I thank you. Maggie

A.S.A.P.

2010-07-21T14:27:00Z

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.?

Generally we think of it in terms of even more

hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think

of this abbreviation in a different manner, we

will begin to find a new way to deal with

those rough days along the way.

*************
There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
'Quality time' is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P.. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

A Man from Norfolk

2010-07-15T17:23:00Z

A man from Norfolk , VA called a local radio station to share this on Sept 11th, 2003, TWO YEARS AFTER THE TRAGEDIES OF 9/11/2001.

His name was Robert Matthews. These are his words:

A few weeks before Sept. 11th, my wife and I found out we were going to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit her sister.  On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I said 'amen,' we both
heard a loud pop and the car shook violently. We had blown out a tire. I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but we still missed her flight. both very upset, we drove home.

I received a call from my father who was retired NYFD. He asked what my wife's flight number was, but I explained that we missed the flight.

My father informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak.. My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. 'This is not something I can't just sit by for; I have to do something.'

I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was made up.  Before he got off of the phone, he said, 'take good care of my grandchild..  Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died while helping in the rescue effort.

My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quickly became anger. I was angry at God, at my father, and at  myself. I had gone for nearly two years blaming God for taking my father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never accepted Christ, and I never got to say good-bye.

Then something happened. About two months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the  door. I looked at my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with a small child.

The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got the chance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son.'

He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find his wife and free her.  My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, 'there is something else you need to know.'

His wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talked to him and led him to Christ. I began sobbing at the news.

Now I know that when I get to Heaven, my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this family would be able to thank him themselves ..

When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew, in honor of the man who gave his life so that a mother and baby could live.

This story should help us to realize this: God is always in control.

We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control.

Please take time to share this amazing story.  You may never know the impact it may have on someone.  God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.  His love endures Forever."  Psalm 136:1

God Has A Positive Answer

2010-07-15T17:07:00Z

Matthew 9:36
"When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd."

Have you ever said the words, "I don't know what to do"? Are you ever confused or despondent? That's the time you reach for your Bible. Thanks, Lavelle, for sending me the following:

Hope you have a magnificent day. Maggie

________________________________________________________________________

HANDY LITTLE CHART - GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER:

You say: 'It's impossible'

God says: All things are possible

( Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'

God says: I will give you rest

( Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'

God says: I love you

( John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on'

God says: My grace is sufficient

(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'

God says: I will direct your steps

(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'

God says: You can do all things

( Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'

God says: I am able

(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say:'It's not worth it'

God says: It will be worth it

(Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'

God says: I Forgive you

(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage'

God says: I will supply all your needs

( Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid'

God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear

( II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'

God says: Cast all your cares on ME

(I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'

God says: I give you wisdom

(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone'

God says: I will never leave you or forsake you

(Hebrews 13:5)

Getting Older

2010-07-14T17:03:00Z

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde

on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore... I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

- author unknown
but submitted by Elaine

God Is Good

2010-07-10T11:03:00Z

Hebrews 1:14

"Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation."

Have you ever told anyone that they are an 'angel'? I've been so blessed in my life to know many - those who have so blessed me in so many ways. A friend sent me the following this morning, and it really 'spoke' to me.

Limited as we are to our steadily aging bodies,

we find it fascinating that angels can take any form that suits the message.

A "classic" angel, with wings and all lighted up,

perhaps with pale skin and eyes of blue flame,

seems to be less often glimpsed than do angels in the guise of ordinary folks of all sorts--

male or female, young or old, tall or short, any race, any dialect, any description.

- Traci Mullins,
"Breakfast with the Angels"

There's a commercial on T.V. - I think for a new television series or a movie - which starts with how many real friends one has. Then it expands to 'e-pals', and then to Facebook, through which one can actually have a thousand or so 'friends' .... I, personally, am not on Facebook. I really like just having my friends from childhood through those I personally have met over the years. Then, there are my 'e-pals' who I love, have never met 'in person', but who bless me daily via email messages. Emails are personal. They are not 'posted' on a 'wall' for all to view. There are several e-pals from whom I hardly ever hear because they are so glued to their Facebook, and if that works for them, then it's great... just not my 'cup of tea'. What I'm getting to is that I appreciate the angels in my life. Thank you, for the love, the support, the caring, the contact. Maggie

________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee Break

"God Is Good"

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Psalm 73:1

Many people accuse God of not being good by saying, "If He is good, then why does He allow bad things to happen? If He is good why are there wars and violence? If God is good where is He when evil seems to be prevailing?" They just want to focus on the bad and negative. Just because bad things happen doesn't mean that God is not good or that He has ceased to be good. This morning I want to draw your attention to some areas where we see the goodness of God.

Did you wake up this morning? It was the goodness of God that woke you up. Do you have a roof over your head, shoes on your feet, food to eat? Then you are a recipient of God's goodness. It was the goodness of God that did not wipe all of mankind out of existence when Adam disobeyed Him by eating the forbidden fruit.

The greatest expression of God's goodness was the cross. Mankind blew it when Adam sinned, yet God in His goodness and love toward us, sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we could have another chance to have eternal life and a relationship with Him.

If a person would just take the time to look at the good things that the Lord has done in their life, instead of focusing on the bad, they would find that God's goodness towards them far out weighs any accusation that He is anything but good. Today, take time to count the ways that God has been good to you. You will find that it's too many to count.

Have a great day. God is still good even when bad things happen.

For further reading:

Romans 2:4 - "Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?

Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?"

Lamentations 3:22 - "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease."

James 1:17 - "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

www.mastersbusiness.org

Bank Account

2010-06-23T18:40:00Z

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'

'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.

Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.  So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!  Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
                        1. Free your heart from hatred.
                        2. Free your mind from worries.
                        3. Live simply.
                        4. Give more.
                        5. Expect less.

Are You Spiritually Healthy?

2010-06-21T17:38:00Z

Proverbs 16:24

"Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."

To Act
Start another day just right, with a new hope.

~ Daily Thought from Guideposts

Ronnie, and a dear friend Robert, are walking every evening - to 'get healthy'. I think it's a great idea, and cannot wait until I'm able to join them. I don't know about you, but I tend to make 'New Year Resolutions' all year long, and usually, they fall by the wayside. Hope that you have a healthy and fulfilling day. Maggie

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are You Spiritually Healthy?

Spiritual health brings satisfaction and happiness, just as physical health does. But you can’t get healthy spiritually by joining a spin class or running a marathon. Spiritual health requires spiritual exercises.

In a letter to his young assistant Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).

The Apostle compared physical fitness with spiritual fitness.

(1 Timothy 4:8) “Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Bodily fitness has a certain value, but spiritual fitness is essential, both for this present life and for the life to come”.

For spiritual growth, nothing can take the place of prayer—simply spending time with God, thanking him for his gifts to you, praising him, asking for guidance, admitting your sins and asking forgiveness and help. You will grow as you set a good example—“in speech and behavior, in your love and faith and sincerity” (1 Timothy 4:12). And “keep a critical eye on yourself” (verse 16). From time to time, ask yourself how you are doing spiritually—and take the steps necessary to continue growing.

Here’s how you can check your own spiritual health:

1. A spiritually healthy person has a definite goal. Abraham’s goal was to reach the land God had in store for him. Paul’s goal was to reach the whole known world for Christ. What is your goal for this month? This day? Think big—God will help you!

2. A spiritually healthy person is realistically humble. Paul, probably the greatest saint of all time, called himself “less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8). He reminds us not to feel self-important with the question “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). St. Teresa called herself “a pencil in the hand of God.”

3. A spiritually healthy person is confident. “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

4. A spiritually healthy person is optimistic. They believe God is on their side and all will be well. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Take steps today to become more spiritually fit!

~Guideposts
________________________________________________________________________________

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down..

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5.. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life apart from God, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it.. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

Worry about nothing, pray about everything!!!

Guy Fieri - Just Like Dad

2010-06-15T18:30:00Z

Just Like Dad

Why super chef Guy Fieri didn't have to look far for the perfect role model

By Guy Fieri, Food Network

Who’s my greatest inspiration?

No, it’s not a chef, though I’ve met some awesome cooks road-tripping across the country…you know, the ones at mom-and-pop joints who serve up crazy-good food. And sure, there are football players and movie stars who make me think, Wow, he’s a cool guy.

But real greatness? That I find closer to home. My biggest inspiration, the best role model this Guy could ever hope for…it’s my dad, hands down.

I grew up in Ferndale, California, a little dairy town north of San Francisco with a historic Main Street, and quaint Victorian houses. We moved there in the early seventies—the last stop in a meandering migration from Columbus, Ohio.

My parents might’ve looked like hippies with their long hair and green van, but they were old school when it came to values. They were big on hard work, responsibility, persistence. And they believed that if you’d been given a dream, it was worth exploring.

They did it themselves, opening a country-western clothing store in town, even though neither of them had experience in retail. Mom had been a teacher and dental assistant. Dad had served in the submarine corps. I loved hearing stories from his Navy days and colorful episodes from his own growing-up years in coal-mining country.

“Don’t let the specifics get in the way of a good story,” Dad likes to say.

My parents bought an old house in Ferndale. Dad fixed it up, learning as he went. He put my sister and me to work too. Dad loves to tell the story of the time we built a deck. He’d tacked all the boards in place. They just needed to be nailed off. That was my job. I had my hammer and I was pounding big 16-penny nails into the wood. Sure, I was only six, but Dad had taught me well—those nails were going in
straight!

Some family friends came over for dinner and saw me. “What the heck is Guy doing?” they asked my
dad.

“Finishing off the deck.”

“But, Jim, there’s like a thousand nails he’s got to put in!”

Dad shrugged. “He’s got all weekend.”

It wasn’t child labor. It was just how we did things. We kept cows, pigs and horses, and my sister and I had chores. Mine were bringing in firewood and feeding the animals every night. There was a huge trough for watering the horses. It took forever to fill.

One night I got tired of waiting and turned off the water before the trough was totally full. I went back inside and crawled into bed. Guess who woke me? Dad. “You get out there and water those horses.”

“I did,” I said weakly.

“You know what I mean, son. Go finish what you started.” I went. There was no skating by. Do a job once and do it right. Dad had no tolerance for laziness.

That included mental laziness. He always urged us to think for ourselves. “I don’t know” was not an acceptable answer. I remember one day we were driving to the dump. I was staring at a grassy field, zoning out. “What are you thinking?” Dad asked.

“I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.”

“That’s ridiculous. There’s no way you’re not thinking something.”

“Well, I was wondering, what happens to that grass? It grows and grows. Where does it all go?” What followed was a discussion about dairy farming and how much grass cattle go through.

To this day, I’m on a quest for knowledge. You can learn so much just by asking people about what they do.

Don’t be afraid to ask, that’s what Dad taught me. Don’t be afraid to try either, especially when it comes to chasing your dreams. You’ve got to know what it takes to make them come true, right? For instance, there was a time I wanted to be in the rodeo. I wanted to ride bulls.

“You want to be a bull rider, you’ve got to practice,” Dad said. “I’ve got it set up. Go down to Ron Queen’s Saturday morning.” Ron was a horse trainer who had a bunch of young bulls. Early that Saturday I put on my cowboy boots and hat and biked the five miles to Ron’s.

“I’m ready,” I told Ron. He tied a rope around a bull and loaded it into the bucking chute. I jumped on its back. Right away I got bucked off. I tried again. Same story.

“Put some rosin on the rope,” Ron said. “You’ll get a better grip.” I held on tight. The bull came out of the chute and made such a racket it riled up a cattle dog in someone’s pickup. The dog leapt out of the truck, over the fence and bit the bull in the nose. The bull freaked out and sent me flying. My arm got hung up in the rope. I did a face plant on a rock, busted my lip. Then the dog bit me in the back of my leg!

“Gonna ride one more time?” Ron asked.

I got to my feet, dazed. My right arm was killing me. “Sure,” I said. My parents didn’t raise me to give up as soon as the going got tough. I got back on that bull and held on with my left hand. This time I managed to stay put for eight seconds (you’ve got to stay mounted that long for your ride to count). I never did it again.

Never needed to. I had other dreams to explore. If it weren’t for my dad I would never have become an entrepreneur or had the guts to start my own restaurants. My very first business was a lemonade stand. I had it down—sixty-nine cents for the mix, a five-gallon jug of water, ice, cups and a busy corner on Main Street.

Then one year our family went skiing in Squaw Valley and I discovered something more exciting than lemonade. I found a guy at the lodge who sold hot pretzels. Big, salty New York-style pretzels slathered in mustard. I spent all my lunch money on ’em. Dad couldn’t believe it. “That’s all you ate? Pretzels?”

“Yeah, ten of them!”

“That good, huh?” Dad said. “Want to open a pretzel business back home?”

“How do I do that?”

“Ask the guy where he gets his pretzels. Get the address.”

I ran to the pretzel cart. “Excuse me, sir,” I said. “I really like your pretzels. Can you tell me where you get them?”

The man stared at me. “Are you kidding? So you can sell ’em next to me?”

“But I don’t want to sell them here, just maybe at home,” I tried to explain. “I mean, I’m only eleven.”

“Not a chance, kid,” he laughed. “It’s a trade secret.” I was crushed. I went to my dad and told him what happened.

I should’ve known Dad wouldn’t look at a problem without coming up with at least one solution. “Go and watch him,” he said. “Wait till he fills up that cart and see what he does with the box the pretzels come in.” I sat there, watching and waiting, for three hours. Finally I saw the pretzel man toss a box in the trash. I did a Dumpster dive and dug it out.

I went running proudly to Dad like a dog with a bird. He tore off the address and we chucked the rest of the box.

Back home he helped me write a letter to the pretzel company. We got a three-wheeler from Goodwill. After school, I met Dad at his buddy’s wood shop and we built a pretzel cart. I painted it yellow.

“What do you want to call it?” Dad asked. “The Awesome Pretzel Cart,” I decided. That summer at the town fair I set up my cart and sold hot pretzels. I made a thousand bucks. A sixth grader with his own business. It was awesome!

I’ve heard it said that what the mind can conceive, man can achieve. That’s Dad in a nutshell. Everything I’ve ever done, he’s been there encouraging me, working with me to figure things out and, yes, sometimes kicking me in the rear.

Now I’m a father myself, with two boys, Hunter, 13, and Ryder, four. My parents live next door, and the boys spend a lot of time with their grandfather—they call him Jamps.

Still, I like to think they’ve got a pretty good role model right at home. The other day Hunter and I were playing “You wanna bet?” As in “You wanna bet why they have three awnings outside that store?” My way of getting my son to figure things out, to think for himself.

“What do you mean you have no clue?” I said. “I’m not taking that for an answer.”

“You know what, Dad?” Hunter said. “You’re just like Jamps.” Did I say I’m a good role model for my sons? That’s because I was blessed with the best!

Weathering the Economic Storm

2010-06-11T18:13:00Z

Weathering the Economic Storm

Ultimately, it’s not God’s faithfulness that is in question, but ours.

by Travis Koop

“We just can’t seem to catch a break.” From newscasters to grocery store clerks, this phrase has found its way into every facet of life. Gas prices continue to rise. College tuition has increased. Interest rates from loans to credit cards have skyrocketed. There are days we cheer as Wall Street celebrates short lived success, but then the next day our hearts sink with the devastating decline. It so difficult to have faith in a time when the only question on our minds is “How long until this is over?”

It’s so easy to get caught up in the darkness and despondency of our circumstances. Even if we are not feeling the direct affects of the recession, we know someone who is, and because of our own struggles, we often feel unable to help. This sense of hopelessness extends to many Americans living in constant fear of losing their jobs, homes, or families. Many have lost so much already. And while the question “How long?” may feel appropriate in these times, we as believers are instructed to walk by faith.

Know that God is in control and that God is good. In Matthew 14, we read the familiar account of how Peter had just walked on water when he began to sink. Yet the circumstances around him hadn’t changed. There was no sudden surge of waves or an overpowering gust of wind. Rather, it was Peter’s direction and focus that had changed. After taking his eyes off of his Savior and focusing on his surroundings, Peter was filled with fear and began to be consumed by his environment.

After we see the waves of life, possibly losing the home after being laid off, it’s easy to be consumed with fear and doubt. Yet it is in just this state that our cry should mimic Peter’s: “Lord, save me!” Christ’s gentle response is the same today as it was when He lifted Peter from the water: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Ultimately, it’s not God’s faithfulness that is in question, but ours.

How then do we live this life of faithful submission and obedience when the torrents of life crash against us? I Peter 5:7 instructs you to surrender your cares, fears and doubts upon God because “He cares for you.” Consider those words: the infinitely and all-powerful God of the universe cares intimately for you! Christ is deeply acquainted with your suffering, and He longs to carry your burdens. If you find yourself asking God to change the circumstances, remember, it is not God’s will to lift you apart from your burdens, but instead it is His delight to carry the weight of your burdens for you. Your responsibility is to submit and surrender.

This submission to obedience and surrender is so easily said, but so difficult to do. May our prayers then echo those words of a desperate father’s plea to Christ, “I do believe; but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) Remember, just as Peter did not walk on water because of his own ability, God does not expect us to stand the trials of life on our own. Walk forward in obedience and though the waves crash against us and the wind drives us down, they will have no power as long as our eyes are fixed on Christ.

When the trials of life become impossible to bear, remember His command: God will take care of the impossibility of enabling you to walk on water; you must simply “Come.”

Billy Graham's Prayer

2010-06-09T14:18:00Z

BILLY GRAHAM
At Age: 90

Truth...........from a man the media has never been able to throw dirt on.....amazing!

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

THIS MAN SURELY HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY!

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'

Advice from the World's Oldeset Evangelist

2010-05-31T00:10:56Z

Advice from the World's Oldest Evangelist

Pastor Otis Clark is a living example of the power of the Holy Spirit -- and he has more than a century of experiences under his belt.

Clark, the world's oldest evangelist, knew the original members of the Azusa Street Mission in California and was even baptized at Azusa Church.

Decades later, he's still going strong. And at 107-years-old, he says his goal now is to keep up with the "young folks."

Associated with History

Clark was born in 1903, before Oklahoma was an official state. In 1921, he moved to California to escape the Tulsa race riots.

While in Los Angeles, Clark began to live a "fast" life, working for movie stars like Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Charley Chaplin. But at 25, he was tossed in jail for bootlegging whiskey.

Jailtime eventually led him to Christ, and he was baptized at Azusa Church in 1930.

The church is associated with the Azusa Street Mission, started by William J. Seymour in 1906. Out of that group came a massive revival and the Pentecostal church. Clark was given power of attorney over the Azusa Street Mission.

Living Strong

Clark took his first mission trip to Africa at age 103 and returned again the following year. He plans to visit Jamaica in July for another mission trip.

The evangelist is in great health, takes no medications, and never stops making friends. He also continues to preach all over the world and says his source of strength can be found in the power of prayer.

When Prayer is Controversial

2010-05-27T19:00:00Z

When Prayer is Controversial

A Letter From Franklin Graham

May 17, 2010 - There was an alarming amount of controversy recently about the National Day of Prayer.

The truth is, whether or not there is an official day of prayer, no judge and no critics will ever stop believers from praying.

Although its roots go back to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and Congress authorized an annual National Day of Prayer more than half a century ago, a federal judge took steps last month to have it declared unconstitutional.

At the same time, the news media gave extensive coverage to outspoken anti-religion activists who persuaded the military to cancel my personal participation in a Pentagon prayer event on grounds that it might offend Muslims.

Then an Islamic advocacy group in Washington tried to keep me from participating in a prayer event on Capitol Hill with members of the House of Representatives.

It is shocking to experience, in our own country, such open opposition to Christian prayer for the nation. Despite that, millions of people across America did pray on May 6. And on May 7, on May 8, and every day since.

The truth is, whether or not there is an official day of prayer, no judge and no critics will ever stop believers from praying.

In the Bible, God says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage” (Psalm 2:8). That is a clear call to prayer—evangelistic prayer. And it is a call to pray for more than just our own country.

God sent Jesus Christ “as a light for the nations” (Isaiah 49:6) and intends “that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Daniel 7:14). But God wants us to ask.

Imagine the great, eternal heritage of ordinary Christians who commit to intercede in prayer on behalf of a nation, asking God to bring its people to repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Divine Dreams

2010-05-17T18:13:00Z

Divine Dreams

In a popular GUIDEPOSTS article, Ptolemy Tompkins asked, do our pets go to heaven? Now he's written a book about it.

By Ptolemy Tompkins

A few years back I wrote an article for GUIDEPOSTS on a subject I knew readers were interested in: Do our beloved pets join us in heaven?

It’s a comforting notion, but I wanted to see if there was theological justification for it. Your response was an overwhelming yes.

The topic, I realized, deserved more than could fit into a single article. It deserved a whole book. Do animals have souls? Where do those souls go when they leave this earth? Will our pets be there to greet us when our own time comes? And what happens to that unique, God-given personality we miss so much when a beloved pet dies?

Most of my article focused on what the Bible says on these subjects. But the Bible was only the beginning.

I eventually left GUIDEPOSTS to work on the book full-time. Instead of spending my days in an office filled with people, I found myself alone with my computer.

Or rather, almost alone. I did have one steady companion, my schipperke Mercury. Schipperkes are smart, hyper-alert dogs. Once, I’d watched in astonishment as Mercury leapt up and caught a sparrow in mid-flight (don’t worry, I took the startled bird and released it unharmed).

But those days were long gone. Mercury’s glossy black coat was dull now and fringed with white, and his sight was so bad that when we visited friends with cats, he tottered right past them. Often, in the midst of writing, I’d look down at Mercury lying at my feet and wonder how I’d cope when his time came.

Most of the letters I received in response to my GUIDEPOSTS piece came from people who wanted to tell me how deeply they had grieved the loss of a pet. A surprising number had received assurance that came in a dream, a heavenly confirmation that their animal companions lived on.

“I was crushed,” ran a typical letter, “when my 15-year-old white Persian Mindy died in my arms. I’m a widow and my kids are grown. Mindy was all I had. I didn’t know if I could continue without her. One night a week or so after Mindy left me, I had an unbelievably vivid dream. Mindy was curled in my arms just as she always used to be. She was young and healthy again, her coat bright and shiny, her big yellow eyes clear and sharp. She looked up at me, and in those diamond eyes of hers I saw something I’ll never forget. I’m still here, she was telling me. Even though you can’t see me or touch me anymore, my spirit is with you…and always will be.

“The dream was so vivid that it jolted me awake. I sensed something in the bedroom with me. Right away I knew what it was. Mindy’s spirit. I lay there quietly, thanking God for what he’d shown me. Finally, I went back to sleep. The next morning the feeling in the room was gone, but my view of the world had changed—for good.”

I did a little research into this phenomenon and discovered that these dreams usually come to us in what is technically known as the hypnagogic state. Hypnagogia occurs when we are in that strange place between waking and sleep, where we are neither fully conscious nor unconscious.

The word “hypnagogia” comes from combining the Greek words for “sleep” (hypnos) and for “conductor” (agogeus). The third-century A.D. Greek philosopher Iamblichus called the visions that occur in this state “god-sent,” and even Aristotle—a philosopher not known for his flights of otherworldly fancy—wrote that “in the moment of awakening” a man may “surprise the images which present themselves to him in sleep.”

Can we—or, perhaps more important, should we—trust the messages we receive in the hypnagogic state? From Jacob’s vision of the ladder of angels in Genesis to the prophecy in Acts that “your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams,” the Bible is rich with suggestions that dreams can be a genuine conduit for God’s word.

As the biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann notes, “The ancients dared to imagine that this unbidden communication is one venue in which the holy purposes of God, perplexing and unreasonable as they might be, come to us.”

Most of us experience the hypnagogic state twice a day—in the morning when we exit the world of sleep and in the evening when we enter it again. At those moments, the doors of our mind are open, and evidence of a larger world can creep into our consciousness before the everyday waking world comes along and crowds it out.

That’s not to say every dream we have is a message from beyond. But some dreams unmistakably are. Some dreams are simply different from others, and when we have them we know it. These dreams, the philosopher and religious scholar Titus Burckhardt writes, “mostly occur at dawn and continue until waking” and “are accompanied by an irrefutable feeling of objectivity. These are the dreams that come from the angel.”

In the classic hypnagogic pet dream, a bereaved pet owner sees her ill and aged animal young and vigorous again, in a beautiful setting—often, a green field alive with flowers. People typically awake from these dreams suffused with a feeling of well-being. They know with certainty that their pets are okay, and that they will see them again one day.

My wife and I adopted a

Submitted by wblankenship on Mon, 05/17/2010 - 13:12.

My wife and I adopted a rescued Miniature Pinscher named Angel. Angel was just that bringing us much love in a world that hadn't been that kind to her. Our 1st Palm Sunday as my wife was taking her for a walk with our other Min Pin Ty Cobb, Angel was attacked by a Pit Bull. Angel was severly injuried, but many blessings were bestowed upon us that day. The owner of the Pit Bull had trained it so well that when he commanded the dog to stop it did so immediately. A friend of our had just been talking to my wife and placed her and our dogs in his truck and brought them home. I knew of an emergency hospital where we take Police Dogs when they are injured, so we got her there quickly. The doctor advised due to the extent of the injuries Angel would need a specialist as we discussed this she happened to drop in to see how things were going and immediately took Angel's Case. Angel Survived the attack, but last year on Mothers Day became very sick. This time there was no miracle. As the tears streamed down my cheeks I held my Little Girl while her life ebbed away. I think of her daily and sometimes can hear her distinctive bark. We have adopted 2 more rescued Min Pins since Angel died. I have no doubt when my time is over I will meet my Angel and we"ll walk the Bridge together.

My cat Tiffany recently died

Submitted by pamela.hearne on Mon, 05/17/2010 - 11:07.

My cat Tiffany recently died from cancer. The first time Tiffany had cancer, it took almost two months for the vets to find what was wrong with her, 20 Oct 07 to 16 Dec 07. She went from weighting 12.5 lbs to 6.75 lbs. Her blood work never showed any cancer. Thru an ultra sound, they found something in her intestines, everyone thought it was a blockage. It turned out to be cancer. Thankfully the vets were able to remove the tumor from her intestines with clear margins on both sides. She gained all her weight back and was a happy little kitty. On Apr 29 2010, I took her in for what I and the vet thought was a bladder infection. As before her blood work did not indicate any cancer but an ultrasound showed something in her bladder. On May 13 2010, Tiffany underwent surgery to remove what was on her bladder, when the vet went in he saw where the cancer had came back and spread thru out her little body. My little Tiffany Toes died on 13 May 2010. God bless me with another 2 years and 5 months with Tiffany. She never showed any signs of sickness until the last week. Tiffany was 12 yrs old. Thank you for this article on 17 May 2010. I know I'll see all my little fur babies in heaven someday. I'm planning a picnic with Jesus and all of my fur babies.

I started to cry when I read

Submitted by violet on Mon, 05/17/2010 - 10:25.

I started to cry when I read this. We just lost our 3-year-old cat last week unexpectedly and I'm just devastated. I've had so many pets throughout my 50+ years but Tink touched my heart in a way that had never happened before with a pet. I really felt that she was my baby (I have two children who are in middle school years). About an hour after we found her dead, I was crying in my room and then, out of nowhere, I heard her cry. She had a very distinctive cry. I really think that God was telling me that she was in heaven and alright. I do believe that pets go to heaven, otherwise when will the lion lie down with the lamb?...thanks for this article, it helped me heal a little bit.

My husband John and I lost

Submitted by suetornai on Mon, 05/17/2010 - 10:22.

My husband John and I lost our pal Boo of fourteen years October 2009. In our grieving God comforted us with a vision of Jesus holding our dear Boo--just as He held children in one of my favorite pictures. I know your article and book will encourage many. Thank you.

I would like to think you

Submitted by kathyfisher on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 19:07.

I would like to think you for this article. I read this article the other day during my lunch break at work. When I came home that day I found out that my 15 year old cat, Scrappy, had passed away while I was at work. He was the sweetest cat and had been part of my life for a long time. I found him behind my house 15 years ago in the mouth of a dog and he was the scrappiest thing fighting off that dog. He was so tiny and the dog was a large dog. That was how he got his name "Scrappy". I miss him, but after reading your article earlier in the day I felt better about him passing. I knew then that he was in Heaven, maybe meeting Mindy.

I want to tell idlesandy2002

Submitted by kim_1 on Wed, 05/05/2010 - 00:34.

I want to tell idlesandy2002 that I know you will see your sweet dog in heaven and that he is there now, whether or not you have had a vivid dream that shows him there. I believe you are hearing him bark from Heaven. I just lost my beloved kitty of 14 years, Baby, to cancer last Saturday and the grief has been so profound. Even so, I heard unmistakenly the deep, loving voice of the Holy Spirit has saying the words, "She is dwelling in the safety of My presence, in My care." I felt a pronounced joy and comfort. In addition, later I had a very, very vivid dream in which I was running along a beautiful path with lush green park land on each side. It felt wonderfully exhilerating to run, with no breathlessness at all, just strength and joy. About 4 feet in front of me on the path was a full-grown cat running as well. Then, from the right side of the lush green park area my dear sweet kitty, Baby, bounded onto the path in front of me, running effortless and joyfully straight ahead. "Baby!" I said with joy and we all ran straight ahead a bit, then Baby ran a bit faster to the lead position in front of all of us. She ran on a path that curved off to the left and into a little cul de sac area, where she stopped and turned around. "Baby!" I said again, joyously and I bent down as she leaped into my arms and nestled her face into my neck. The full grown cat that had been running with us sat and watched us embrace with such a pleasant and friendly expression. I thought to myself, "I wonder who this really friendly cat is?" Instantly I heard the Holy Spirit say, "That is Baby's natural mother. You will always be her Mama, but she now has a dear. loving companion, too." I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. I'd never thought of any such thing as I'd never known Baby's natural mother, but had gotten Baby as a rescue kitten. So many layers of joy in that vivd dream in the midst of my grief. You see Baby was visually impaired and could not run full speed ahead in a straight line when she was on earth...

I had the experience of a

Submitted by marysmcmann on Fri, 04/30/2010 - 16:53.

I had the experience of a divine dream after I lost my cat a few years ago. After she was gone I questioned God as to whether I would see her again since she was as close as a family member to me. A few days later I had a dream where I was looking through a window onto a field of grass and flowers. The colors were brilliant. After a minute or two my cat entered the field leaping and playing as if she were a kitten again. Her colors, brown and white, were deep rich brown and glowing white. I watched her for a few minutes and then woke up. I believe God gave me a gift of that dream to assure me that all of my cats will be with me in heaven. A few years later I read an article about a man who had died after an accident and was brought back to life. In his description of his short trip to heaven he said one thing that stood out was the colors there are much richer and brighter than we are used to here on earth. That was a confirmation to me that my dream was from God and I was shown a little piece of heaven where my pets are playing and waiting for me.

I had a dog and he had a

Submitted by idlesandy2002 on Wed, 04/28/2010 - 05:16.

i had a dog and he had a tumor on his leg and i had it taken off last year and it came back and in feb. he would lose weight and i took him to the vet and he gave him some medicine to take and he gained the weight back in march he lost weight again and i took him to the vet and they xrayed his lungs to see if his cancer has spread and it was in his leg. sat of this month he got worst and he couldn't even walk i sent my daughter to the store to get him some soft dog food and i had to put it down him to make him eat and drink he took his last breath on sunday around 10:30 am he was 11 yrs old i miss him so much i had to give his dog house away because when i would open the bathroom window his doghouse would be right there i had to he would let me do anything to him but my family couldn't he would not be still i loved him. when he died it really hurt me it felt like i lost one of my kids. i lost my sister in 1973 it felt like that again. i had him in the house in the kitchen were it was cool and i wanted to make sure he was in were i could take care of him i know he had a happy life i took him to the park and he loved to get in the water i know he is in heaven catching his treats i always give him. i buried him in the back yard were i can go and talk to him. sweet dreams i love you

idlesandy202, please read my

Submitted by kim_1 on Wed, 05/05/2010 - 00:33.

idlesandy202, please read my recent post on 05/05/2010. I had almost an identicle experience with my beloved kitty Baby in all the details you mentioned. I feel a deep connection with you in this and really feel God allowed me to "stumble" upon this article in order to encourage you. Jesus said that He was going to Heaven to prepare a place for each of us. It is so important for you to know that God delights to prepare that special place in Heaven for you that includes everything you love and delight in, including your beloved doggy. Your doggy is there NOW in preparation for you to join him later. You have heard him bark because he is alive in Heaven even if you can't see him. God gave you the gift of your dear dog and God's gifts last forever. His gift to you goes on into eternity where there will be more days (to infinity!) ahead with your beloved doggy than you had with him in the mere 11 years here on earth. Take heart, my friend, for the Lord has surely done this for you.

Salvation Through Jesus Christ

2010-03-05T15:14:00Z

1. God's Purpose...Peace and Life

God loves you and wants you to know Him so He can fill you with peace and give you real life -- forever.

The Bible says::

Because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God (Romans 5:1)
God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never die (John 3:16).

Jesus said:

"I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest" (John 10:10).

Since God planned for us to have peace and real life right now, why are so many people hurting or angry inside?

2. Our Problem...Separation From God

God created us in His own image so we can know Him personally and have a joy-filled life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him, but gave us a will and a freedom of choice. Since the beginning of time, we have chosen to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God and ends in misery.

The Bible says:

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's holiness (Romans 3:23).
The result of unforgiven sin is death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The Bible says that disobeying God results in being separated from Him.

Our attempts can never unite us with God. Through the ages, people have tried many ways to bridge this gap and reach God -- without success.

The Bible says:

Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die (Romans 5:12).
You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead (Proverbs 14:12).

There is only one way to reach God.

3. God's Remedy...The Cross

Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He is the only One who can bring us back to God. He died on the Cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.

The Bible says:

There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God (1 Timothy 2:5).
Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God
(1 Peter 3:18).
But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful (Romans 5:8).

God has provided the only way -- we must make the choice.

4. Our Response...Give Ourselves to Christ

We must trust Jesus Christ to forgive our sins and determine to obey Him for the rest of our lives. That way we can know God and find peace again.

The Bible says:

So you will be saved, if you honestly say, Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with all your heart that God raised Him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this (Romans 10:9-10).

Is there any good reason why you cannot turn your life over to Jesus Christ right now?

How to give your life to Christ:

1. Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.

3. Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for Him for the rest of your life

Have You Got the Power?

2010-03-02T00:23:00Z

Have You Got the Power?

The Bible is an historical parade of men and women who overcame incredible problems by the power of God. Hebrews, chapter 11, begins to list these people. But there are so many that the writer finally stops and says, “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong…”(Hebrews 11:32-34). Pay special attention to how the writer summarizes these people: out of weakness were made strong.

God delights in meeting us at the lowest points in our life, in order to raise us up to the highest points. When we experience that, we can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

God isn’t an idea; God is power. God isn’t a philosophy; God is power. God isn’t a theology; God is power. He is power! He is waiting even now to help you face whatever life brings your way. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…” (Psalm 46:1-2).

Thought on Childhood Wisdom

2010-01-30T23:50:00Z

Not to know what happened before you were born is to be a child forever. For what is the time of a man, except it be interwoven with that memory of ancient things of a superior age?

Variant translation: To be ignorant of the past is to forever be a child.

~ Author unknown

Dreampilots: "God Can ALways Restore

2010-01-29T20:13:00Z

BETWEEN THE LINER NOTES

Dreampilots: "God Can Always Restore"

By Hannah Goodwyn
CBN.com Producer

CBN.com – With rave reviews heralding their arrival to the U.S. Christian music scene, Dreampilots are off to a great start with Comedown. Their radio single (of the same title) debuted at #28 on the Billboard Christian Rock Chart.

This Norwegian-based band is new to us, but Dreampilots have already enjoyed some success in their native country. Now, they are bringing their multi-layered message and stylized rock sound to the States (Check out CBNmusic.com's review of Comedown).

Before Dreampilots formed, Gulleiv Wee, the band's bass player, rocked for years as a founding member of the platinum-selling pop band The September When. Inge Engelsvold, the keyboard player, is a known name in Norway's music scene. Dreampilots' drummer Karl Oluf Wennerberg also is the drummer for the multi-platinum group a-ha.

Dreampilots and Their Faith

In an interview with CBNmusic.com, Gulleiv Wee and Dreampilots' lead singer Oddi Nessa shared about how they both experienced faith when they were younger. However, as Gulleiv grew older, he decided to leave the church.

"I wanted to play rock music, but the church didn't accept rock music. So, I kind of went out of church, finding new friends that could play my kind of music," Gulleiv says. "I left the church and left a relationship with God behind. Then, suddenly, [my former] band was playing and broke big-time in Norway; so I became a rock star and we sold like 300,000 records."

The quick success and fame hit Gulleiv hard. His faith was lacking, but that changed when he realized he needed to make some changes in his life.

"It all led towards kind of a nervous breakdown for me because of too much of everything," he says. "Then, I recognized that the reason I had this breakdown was because I left God, and I took control over my life instead of letting Him have control. I kept playing in the band, but I started more and more to feel like I was in the wrong place. I wanted to quit, but I needed the courage to do so -- because as a musician and as a bass player, I was like on the top, the best gig ever in Norway, and I needed the courage to say no to that. In a way, it's almost like suicide, career suicide.

But, then I read in the Bible, this verse: Revelation 3:8, "I see you have little strength, but you have not denied My name. And I have put before you an open door that nobody can shut." I felt that I could go through this door."

How Dreampilots Got Together

Before that revelation, Gulleiv was already starting to give his life back to God. He went back to church, and that's where he met Oddi and Inge (the keyboard player).

"Then, we started this worship band. One month after I quit my other band, we were at this place having this outreach, and suddenly the Spirit just fell on us and the crowd when we played," Gulleiv recalls. "I felt like God kind of looked at me and said, 'Don't worry. You did the right thing. I have plans for you' ... just kind of approved what I did. And the funny thing is, that verse that I got one month before, that was actually printed on a big banner over the stage."

It was all definitely a different experience compared to what Gulleiv knew as a rock star.

"What happened there was that people were lifting their hands and really worshipping. But they weren't worshipping the band, as I was used to, being a pop star," Gulleiv says. "They were worshipping God. So it was actually us and the crowd, we were one, in a way, in our worship to God."

"We've experienced it many times when we play, how God uses us," Oddi says. "What really we feel that unites this band is we are involved in other secular projects and working for other artists, but our faith unites us in a different way. And we can pray. We can share our hearts. And it's so powerful."

Dreampilots Talk about Comedown

Asking an artist which song is their favorite, is a tricky question because they're all significant. But, Oddi isn't slow to claim his favorite off the band's new album, Comedown.

"It's one track that's called 'Walking Through Walls'," Oddi says. "Like Gulleiv talked about, we grew up in church. When I sing this song, it's like I sing to my brothers and sisters in the church, that we want to search for the freedom of being who we are and that God wants us to be who we are and then walk through the walls of our own limitations."

The title track, "Comedown", is one that stands out to Gulleiv.

"The songs are actually about...it's about the world and the stupid things we do. I don't know if they're stupid. But we're so proud, and pride keeps us actually from God's heart, in a way," Gulleiv says. "And it's about the brokenness you feel. Like for me, when I had this breakdown, then I came to my senses.

"The prodigal son, when he came to his senses, then there was hope for him," Gulleiv says. "And so it's a record about brokenness and hurt and pain. But, it's also a record about how no matter how bad it gets, God can always restore."

The Mouse Story

2010-01-29T16:17:00Z

THE MOUSE STORY

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered.
He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed this warning:
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse,
I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap
. . .. Alone. . .

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it.
It was a venomous snake whose tail was caught in the trap.

The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital.

When she returned home she still had a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup. So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient:

But his wife's sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.  To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig..

But, alas, the farmer's wife did not get well...   She died.

So many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn't concern you,
Just remember ---


You say: 'It's impossible'	God says: All things are possible	( Luke 18:27)
You say: 'I'm too tired'	God says: I will give you rest	( Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: 'Nobody really loves me'	God says: I love you	( John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )
You say: 'I can't go on'	God says: My grace is sufficient	(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: 'I can't figure things out'	God says: I will direct your steps	(Proverbs 3:5- 6)
You say: 'I can't do it'	God says: You can do all things	( Philippians 4:13)
You say: 'I'm not able'	God says: I am able	(II Corinthians 9:8)
You say:'It's not worth it'	God says: It will be worth it	(Roman 8:28 )
You say: 'I can't forgive myself'	God says: I Forgive you	(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: 'I can't manage'	God says: I will supply all your needs	( Philippians 4:19)
You say: 'I'm afraid'	God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear	( II Timothy 1:7)
You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'	God says: Cast all your cares on ME	(I Peter 5:7)
You say: 'I'm not smart enough'	God says: I give you wisdom	(I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: 'I feel all alone'	God says: I will never leave you or forsake you	(Hebrews 13:5)

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As you know, I do not allow any type of 'AD' or commercial on takecaregodbless.com.
However, since Ronnie has worked with Samaritan's Purse for years, I pass this on to you: Maggie

Sharing the Amazing News of Jesus Christ around the World

By Hannah Goodwyn
CBN.com Producer