Sunday, August 31, 2003

I’ve not found it hard to talk to God but listening, that’s another story! I think that from God’s perspective He must think the world is full of talkers and very short on listeners! Which are you? The correct answer is, “both!”
-Lyn Sahr

-Prov 22:17-19 NIV

17 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I teach you today, even you.

Saturday, August 30, 2003

To grow up the this world you must get down, get down on your knees and seek God’s perfect plan for you life. Too often young people settle for God’s second best or even twenty-second best!
-Lyn Sahr

-1 Tim 3:13 NIV

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Friday, August 28, 2003

Where you attend church is important. It doesn’t guarantee that you will be some spiritual giant but a church can sure stunt your growth. Listening to sermons that never challenge you or confront sin are not sermons that are of value to you. To grow spiritually we must be stretched and it doesn’t happen in churches or by pastors who just give us spiritual massages.

What kind of person do you want to be when you grow older? Spiritually mature should be your answer and it usually doesn’t happen in superficial churches or with immature pastors!
-Lyn Sahr

-2 Tim 4:2-5 NIV

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Thursday, August 28, 2003

The other day I was reading in Ezekiel where God tells Ezekiel to eat the scroll. I thought of the different times in the Bible when God instructed a person to eat His word and what that means for us.

When we eat something, it becomes a part of us. If we eat things that are healthy, we have a better chance of avoiding disease than if we eat only things that are bad for us. In the same way, if we have a steady “diet” of God’s Word, our spiritual life will be much healthier than if we feed on worldly things. There are people who will stay up late reading the latest romance novel, or the latest mystery, but who spend little if any time in the Word. The TV programs and movies we watch will also affect our spiritual lives. I remember a book that I read that was made into a movie. It was a pretty scary movie, yet not too bad compared to what is out there. But, one night, I had a dream in which I saw my family as the victims in this story. I removed the book from my house the very next day. I thought of giving it to someone, but realized that it needed to be destroyed.

I have heard people say that they can listen to music that promotes violence, or read novels and watch movies that promote violence or drugs, or whatever and they say it has no impact on them. But I don’t believe that. We need to take a stand for what is right, and stay away from the things that promote ungodly behaviors. Then maybe, our neighbors and friends will notice that there is something different about us and want to know what (or Who) that is.
-Ardis Rivera

-Ezekiel 3:1-2 NIV

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

-Philippians 4:8 NIV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Last night I went to the Minnesota State Fair. I ate a bunch of unhealthy, greasy food and walked what seemed like a million miles in the heat. As I walked down the midway I noticed people lined up to get on rides that would obviously scare them. When you take the time to think about it, the word “strange” enters my mind along with “why?”

But even stranger was what I saw when I came to the most scary ride of all. In fact, it looked like most people were barely breathing when they got off that ride. I am quite sure there was a lot of left over lunch by where you exited it. But the part that caught my eye was that in front of this ride they had landscaped it with the most beautiful flower bed and shrubs making it look like it was the nicest, safest, friendliest ride anywhere. It was so deceiving because it gave people a sense of peace and safety only to almost come to life’s end on the ride!

Then I thought of how Satan paints the same look in things in life to distract us from the reality of the rough times ahead on the “sin ride.” The problem with the “sin ride” is that you actually can lose your life!
-Lyn Sahr

-Job 15:31 NIV

Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless,
for he will get nothing in return.

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

The Price of Church is Too Cheap!

In recent weeks I have heard of people going to rock concerts where the tickets cost $80 or $90. For me, being older than dirt, this seems pretty far-fetched that anyone in there right mind would pay that kind of money to listen to a bunch of people who can’t sing or play! But because the people who told me have no reason to lie I know it is true. Can you imagine paying any amount of money to hear someone stand up and swear, damn God, give glory to the devil, promote illicit sex, advocate disrespect for parents and all authority, encourage suicide as an escape or payback, deify drugs use and promote killing cops or anyone else you don’t like. Frankly, I can’t imagine anyone attending even if the tickets were free let alone paying that kind of money.

I also know that it is becoming commonplace for even Christian concert tickets to be $35 to $50. This too seems far-fetched considering that Jesus never sold a ticket to hear him preach or teach in His entire ministry.

And then we have the televangelists, many who are still on their soapbox giving away their trinkets for $10 a month. Some of them have accumulated personal and ministry wealth of multi-millions of dollars. But for every one of them there are thousands of churches, pastors, missionaries, and small para-church ministries that are an empty donation envelop or empty offering plate away from ceasing to exist. And it goes unnoticed.

The local church has stood the test of time but many of them are in trouble financially and some are closing right before our very eyes because they are not “commercializing.” Churches that really care about people are going to disappear if we do not support them generously. And we are going to miss them. After they close it is too late to help financially.

The value of our churches in our community is immeasurable. Can you imagine calling up the rock star, Christian recording artist or the televangelist the next time your family is devastated or your life is in distress and in need of help? What do you think they would say? I think they would say, “Buy a ticket” or “Donate and we will send you a trinket!”

It’s been a busy summer for all but as you settle back into your church fall schedule I encourage you to contribute generously to the Lord’s work. After all, the price of admission is still the same, “Come as you are!”
-Lyn Sahr

-Heb 10:19-25 NIV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Monday, August 25, 2003

I used to think that church was a bunch of dos and don’ts. Like many people, out my own ignorance I criticized it. Today I am thankful that the scriptures and Christianity is a bunch of dos and don’ts. Without it we would know nothing of right and wrong and even more people would be “doing the don’ts!”
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 34:11-18 NIV

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Sunday, August 24, 2003

It as been particularly dry in recent weeks. As I was walking out of my driveway this morning I noticed that there was this crack in it. This driveway is extremely hard gravel and I was quite surprised even though I know that when it doesn’t rain for days the earth dries up and cracks.

When we are young we often fail to realize how important water is. But the greatest mistake we make when we are young is failing to realize how important the living water is to our souls. It doesn’t take too many days without “living rain” and like my driveway, we experience dry cracks in our spiritual lives.

So how important is it to worship with other believers, pray and read God’s Word on a regular basis? Well, it sure helps to keep your life from being cracked!
-Lyn Sahr

-Isa 53:1-6 NIV

Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Saturday, August 23, 2003

A number of years ago I decided that I would like to go hang gliding. Across the river from where we lived there were high cliffs that people would go to the top of, run of with their hang gliders; float down over the valley and land. It looked like great fun and I wanted to try it until one weekend a downdraft of some kind occurred and one of the hang gliders splattered unto the road below. It took away all my desire for hang gliding. I have never once thought about trying it again.

Not so with people and sin. It doesn’t seem to matter how many young people are killed from driving while drunk or riding in a car with a drunk driver, they still drink. It doesn’t seem to matter how may friends die from an overdose, people still do drugs. It doesn’t seem to matter how may people suffer from venereal disease or unwanted pregnancies, people still engage in illicit and premarital sex. It doesn’t seem to matter how many terrible or abusive relationships that people have or their friends have, they still continue to involve themselves in relationships that have disaster written all over them from the onset.

The problem with most people is that they never learn until they, like the dead hang glider, are splattered on the road of life from their choice of risks.

The good news is that God still knows how and loves to put splattered lives back together.
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 80:3 NIV

Restore us, O God;
make your face shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

Friday, August 22, 2003

Little things are not always readily seen as important, but they are. It’s the little things that I pick up on that tell me about a person’s attitude. Those little things tell me a lot about a person’s heart and character. Little things also tell me about a person’s relationship with Jesus. Salvation is a little thing that makes all the difference in this world… and the next!
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 37:27-28 NIV

Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Thursday, August 21, 2003

I can still remember my first kiss. I was kind of nervous but I planted the big one on her anyway. I was in first grade and so was she. It was not connected with any impure thoughts because neither of us new of such things. We were innocent.

Innocence is a very special thing that God has given to children. It is resemblance of a time when man was without sin in the Garden of Eden. That’s why I find it so heartbreaking to see young people shatter their innocence on drugs, tobacco, alcohol, pre-marital sex and all types immoral behavior.

Innocence can only be lost one time and can never be humanly found again. Once it is gone, it is gone. Innocence is of such a great worth I just can’t understand why anyone would give it up so cheaply!
-Lyn Sahr

-2 Tim 2:22-23 NIV

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Wednesday, August 20, 2003

On a television news program the other day they interviewed a young man who was rejected by a dating service because they determined that he was not compatible with anyone. What a blow. The good news is that it was just the dating services opinion, not God’s.

Perhaps there are times that you feel that there is no one who is compatible with you. Nothing could be further than the truth. What is the truth is that the people whom one associates with who are not Christians are not compatible with Christians. One of the great mistakes young people make in life is trying to stay in a group of friends who are not believers or dating unbelievers. I could tell you heartbreaking stories for hours caused by this. Being incompatible is not bad if you are incompatible with ungodly things or people.

Could it be that the young man was rejected because he had Godly principles that were incompatible with the purpose of the dating service?
-Lyn Sahr

-2 Cor 6:14-17 NIV

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
“Therefore come out from them and be separate,says the Lord.

-Rom 15:30-33 NIV

I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

I woke up one day and started a new journey. I started grade school.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started junior high school.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started senior high school.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started college.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started the job of my career.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started a new life, I got married.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started a family, we had children.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started to see my children grow up.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started to see my children attend school.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started to see my children graduate.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started to see my children get married.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started to have grandchildren.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started retirement.
I woke up another day and started another new journey. I started my first day in eternity.

The question is, “Where will he or she spend eternity?”

What’s wrong with this picture? This person never started their first day of their journey with God. Don’t make the same mistake. Ask Jesus into your life now and start a new spiritual journey with Him now. Then, and only the, is the answer, “Heaven.”

Life is short but eternity is long!
-Lyn Sahr

-Zeph 3:5 NIV

Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,
and every new day he does not fail,
yet the unrighteous know no shame.

Monday, August 18, 2003

Although I never felt poor, we really never had a lot. I learned at a young age that there are always people out there who had more things than we did. I remember some neighbors of ours who went skiing quite often on weekends in the winter. It never bothered me because I never wanted to ski. However, the time that a father took me into his garage to show me the Go Cart that he was giving his son for Christmas brought instant anger and jealousy. I quickly realized that I would never have such a gift. After all, it was the ultimate gift for a 12 year old, a Go Cart!

As children and teenagers we must learn and understand the lessons of jealousy. As adults, we certainly can’t afford to entertain jealousy. If we do sense it we must squelch its emotion instantly. One of the great lessons in life is to learn to be happy for the accomplishments and successes others and the benefits they receive from it. If we can’t do that, it will affect us spiritually.

We all think we are not jealous, until some buys something or is given something we would like to have and can’t afford! We are all susceptible to Jealously. If we allow it to enter into our lives, it will stand in between a close relationship with God and us. God cannot co-exist with a jealous spirit.

Jealousy causes people to lie, slander, gossip, steal, hate and even kill. Jealousy is not the root of all-evil but is certainly from the same plant!
-Lyn Sahr

-Prov 14:30 NIV

A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.

Sunday, August 17, 2003

This is the day of worship practiced by the church since the resurrection of Christ. Many young people find church boring or go but for many of the wrong reasons. We attend worship services to express God’s worth to us. But recently someone said they didn’t attend church because they just couldn’t handle the guilt and heartache they felt from the sin in their life when they went to church. That’s exactly the reason to go to church, to seek God and come into His presence, sin and all. If this describes you I challenge you today to attend church and let God touch you and restore your faith.

Remember, the church is built on “healed heartaches,” not heavy hearts!
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 25:15 NIV

My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Saturday, August 16, 2003

Education is very important these days. But there are still options as to what kind of education to receive. College and tech school are always good options but many successful people learned the ability to succeed from a mentor. There is wisdom in all of these. But for those who have become educated in the use of illegal drugs, alcohol and illicit sex there is no wisdom.

I suppose the obvious question should be asked; “Would Jesus hang out at the dance clubs and bars drinking alcohol, doing drugs and sex?” Absolutely not! The mystery is why young people who call themselves Christians would.
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 24:4-6 NIV

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

Friday, August 15, 2003

Dating is such a difficult thing because it is very hard to know the heart of the person that you are dating. A famous young country singer vowed she would not have sex with anyone before she was married but after dating the man she thought she was going to marry she compromised her commitment. Unfortunately, Mr. Right turned into Mr. Wrong and she gave up the greatest gift she could give to her husband, her sexual purity.

The lesson to be learned here is that premarital sex is never right and you can never go wrong by waiting.
-Lyn Sahr

-1 Thess 4:3-8 NIV

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Thursday, August 14, 2003

Many people asked God to give them the heart of a champion. I asked God to give me the heart of a servant because then I could achieve the greatest victory of all, the victory over myself.
-Lyn Sahr

-Eph 4:22-24 NIV

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Wednesday, August 13, 2003

Big dreams are achieved through the mundane tasks of each day. Jesus spent 3 ½ years doing the day-to-day things in preparation for Calvary. In reality, He spent an entire lifetime preparing for those 3 1/2 years. If Jesus had to do the little daily things to accomplish the greatest act known to man most certainly God’s plans and dreams for us will also be achieved one day at a time doing things that are not always so exciting.

The great sign of a Godly heart is to follow Jesus example of daily duties.
-Lyn Sahr

-1 Tim 1:15-17 NIV

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

It’s really hard to wait, especially when you’re young. I am not very good at it. I used to tell people that I still have all the patience I have ever had because I haven’t used any of them! I have spent a lot of my life not waiting and it has taken most of my life to learn how to wait. I remember when I was young, like most of you; I couldn’t wait to grow up. Then I couldn’t wait to get on with my life. Then I couldn’t wait to have all the things in life that I thought would make me happy. Basically, I couldn’t wait for anything.

Then I learned the secret to waiting… wait upon the Lord. When He is in something you don’t have to force it. His timing is always perfect. God is never late but He is never early. If you don’t wait for God, He can’t be in whatever it is that you are waiting for.
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 27:14 NIV

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Monday, August 11, 2003

Decisions, even though they may seem minor at the time, can and often do affect us for our entire lives. Few good decisions are remembered for longer than a few days, weeks or months but bad decisions burn such a deep crevice in our existence that their wounds are remembered for a lifetime. When you are young, make the critical decisions carefully because you have to live with the result of those decisions for decades.

But there are two good decisions that young people can make that pave the way for a wonderful life. First, by making a decision to accept Jesus Christ. And second to live for Him by faith in obedience to His Word.

If you think you can only going to done thing right in your life, do the right thing!
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 65:4 NIV

Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.

Sunday, August 10, 2003

The problem with being young is youth lacks experience. This affects many things that young people do and the way they think. So, what is experience? Experience is the knowledge one receives from right and wrong decisions in life.

Some say, “Experience is the best teacher!” That may be true but it is also an unnecessary teacher. Young people often seek the advise of “experienced” adults but rarely use it. It seems that all of us in our youth want to learn the hard way, through our mistakes and a rare success. Strangely enough, there is nothing new under the sun and the same truths of previous generations still hold true for the generation of youth today.

Too often there is a huge price that is paid for “first hand experience.” The young girl who gets pregnant by an irresponsible boy is connected to that “man” for life through the child they consummated together. And the same is likewise true for the boy. It’s a big price for “first hand experience.”

That’s why the church has been built on the Word of God, passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years as a guideline for a lifetime of good experiences. Yes, the Bible is the guideline for good experiences in life!
-Lyn Sahr

-Gal 5:7-11 NIV

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.

Saturday, August 9, 2003

Someone once said, “Dating is like an onion. You have to peel away the skin to get to it!”

I think there is a lot of truth to that. One must get beyond the outward appearance and see what is on the inside of another person to determine if this is someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with. When you do that you may find you won’t want to spend the rest of the day with that person.

By the way, God peels away the skin of each of us one layer at a time to get to the real us! It shouldn’t seem so strange that we should do the same with someone we may spend the rest of our lives with.
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 11:5-7 NIV

The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.
On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

Friday, August 8, 2003

Greetings from Seekers Bay! This is where I generally write for the ChurchMouse Chronicles and now for “Truth For Youth.” It is actually a small bay on Lake Pokegama in Pine City, Minnesota where my wife of 37 years, Lonna, and I share a home with a magnificent view of a small bay that really has no name. I find it so inspiring that I called it Seekers Bay because in it’s beauty I seem to always sense God’s presence. And it inspires me to write my thoughts.

I founded the ChurchMouse Chronicles in October of 1997. Part of my vision was always to have a daily inspirational for teens and young adults. Because of the schedule that I keep and human limitations I did not think it was feasible for me to start because it has been difficult to write daily for the Thought For The Day. However, Erika Cervantes of Tampico, Mexico came to us six months ago and shortly thereafter I asked her to take on the challenge of getting Truth For Youth started. She prayed and believed God wanted her to do so, even though she had little writing experience. She has been terrific. However, her visa ran out and yesterday morning she flew back to Mexico. So for the time being she will be unable to write. So, here I am, doing what I thought I didn’t have time to do. If you feel a calling to writing for this ministry I would be interested in hearing from you. I may be reached at my personal email of lyn.sahr@churchmouse.net .

So for the next few weeks or months I will be writing on the issue of relationships, dating and friendships. Young people’s lives are so deeply affected by the decisions they make in these areas, many paying huge prices for their poor decisions for a lifetime. Perhaps my experiences in life, marriage and as a father of four adult daughters can give you some insights that will be helpful in your spiritual, emotional and physical decisions. As we grow older the window of experience that one looks through is much wider than when we are young. I trust that God will help me write the things that will draw you close to the heart of God.

So, starting tomorrow this new journey begins. Please feel free to share this ministry with your friends and family by sending them to our website http://www/churchmouse.net where they may register to receive the Truth For Youth emailed to them daily. And if you would like more information about our ministries check out http://www.pinecitychurch.org and http://www.homeandawayministries.org .

And today’s truth in regard to sin is this “When you slip and fall down a mountain doesn’t mean you have to roll all the way to the bottom!”
-Lyn Sahr

-John 8:31-32 NIV

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Thursday, August 7, 2003

Seekers Bay is a special place to me. I look over the bay and I see the beauty of God in the night, at the dawning of a new day, the fullness of the day and the sunset. This morning I am writing before sunrise as I woke up early, still reflecting on the events of the past two days.

I tried to explain to a young person about the devils traps only to be treated as if I knew little of what I was talking about. Unfortunately, I know a lot of what I was talking about, some from watching the horrible mistakes of others and some from personal experience.

Another young person came to my office yesterday. This person went with us on a short-term missions trip to Mexico some time ago and I witnessed how God had really touched his life placed a special call on Him. But because of the inability to say no and the tendency to follow the crowd drugs replaced the Jesus high. This young person is a victim of the devil’s schemes and believed that those who sold and did drugs were friends. This is a tragedy but the real tragedy is that there are literally millions of these stories taking place every day.

So today if you or someone that you know is taking drugs, I give you the same advice that I gave this young person. Quit listening to the lies of the devil and start listening to the voice of God. Unbeknown to you, the picture you are living in is changing from bad to worse. Soon the picture fades and the only thing left is the pain. The devil always paints a beautiful picture but the picture is not real!
-Lyn Sahr

-Ps 31:14-16 NIV

But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.

Wednesday, August 6, 2003

A few days ago, I was at the fair and I realized that people were spending a lot of money. They would buy food without thinking about the price. They would spend $20-$30 in a few minutes and I wondered why they didn’t seem to care about the amount of money they were spending. And the money spent for food wasn’t all. The rides and candy were yet to come.

I began to think how many don’t tithe or give offerings to the church because it is so hard to give up the money. But they don’t seem to mind spending money on other things.

If you are that type of person, think about the fact that everything you have is given to you by God and it’s not right that you don’t give back to God (from what He has given) the part that belongs to Him.
-Erika Cervantes

-2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Tuesday, August 5, 2003

When a person is in an accident and loses a part of his/her body, that part is unattached to the body. That part is left without life because it is not connected to the fountain of life. Just like that body part, humanity is separated from the fountain of life. Paul calls that condition death. When we are separated from Christ, we are spiritually dead, far from God.

Many times, doctors cannot reattach a part of the body severed due to accident. But Jesus is able to unite all of us to God. When we recognize our condition of death and we draw near by faith to Jesus, we are connected to the fountain of life.
-Erika Cervantes

-Ephesians 2:1 NIV

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Monday, August 4, 2003

Nowadays we realize that with time, words have undergone many changes. I am thinking about the word “to believe” for example. Nowadays, it has a different meaning. If someone were to ask you: “What do you think? Will it rain?” You might answer…”I believe it will” or “I don’t believe it will”. You use the words “I believe” instead of the words “It could” or “it might”.

In Biblical language, the words “I believe” indicate a firm faith, never a wavering opinion. So when you use the words “I believe”, remember the important significance of those words according to the Bible.
-Erika Cervantes

-Romans 10:10 NIV

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Sunday, August 3, 2003

Yesterday I went to a parade here in the USA. I was surprised at the three different ways candy was given out to the people watching.

1. The people in the parade went by and threw the candy to the people. The children went running to pick up the candy. Even adults ran to pick up the candy.

2. People asked the people in the parade for candy. There were some that even brought bags to put the candy in.

3. The people in the parade asked the spectators if they wanted candy and gave to those who said yes.

You might ask why I mention this, but it illustrates how it can be with God. In the first case, God is pouring out His blessings and His spirit, but if you don’t run to Him, you won’t get anything. In the second case, if you don’t ask God for things in prayer, probably you won’t get what you need. And in the third, many times God asks you if you want what He has for you, but sometimes you are too busy doing your own thing and you don’t hear His voice.

At the parade, there were those that didn’t move—they stayed in the same place the whole time. As you can imagine, these people didn’t get any candy. If you want to receive what God has for you, you have to go where He is. Don’t wait any longer. Don’t lose out on the candy He has for you.
-Erika Cervantes

-Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Saturday, August 02, 2003

Yesterday, we were at out church’s booth at the County Fair. I took a walk around the fairgrounds. There were a lot of young people there. It started to rain and it didn’t stop the young people. They didn’t seem to mind that they were getting wet.

When I got back to the booth, I sat down and started thinking. On Sundays, many young people don’t go to church because the weather is bad or because they are tired or because they have other things to do. But these things didn’t seem to matter to the young people I saw at the fair.

If you are giving a higher priority to things other than God in your life, be careful. God wants you to be faithful. I think that is the least you can do when you consider all He has done for you.
-Erika Cervantes

-2 Samuel 22:26 NIV

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

Friday, August 1, 2003

Last weekend, two of my children (now adults) went to a rock concert. I was not happy about it, and I asked them why they would choose to go to that concert, especially since it was extremely expensive. But, since they are now adults, they didn’t need my permission to go.

On Monday, my youngest told me that all he could sense in that place was evil. He said it was far more than the amount of drinking and drugs on the scene. There was a sense of evil in the arena. He and his friend left early.

I am not saying that all secular music is bad. But, I do say this—pay attention to the words in the songs you listen to. I have heard all sorts of reasons for listening to music that has terrible messages in the lyrics. Most of the time the reasons go something like this: I don’t really listen to the words, I just like the rhythm. Another reason given is that even if the message is bad, it won’t affect you. If you allow something to enter your brain over and over, it will affect you eventually. There’s an old saying that says that if you play with fire long enough, eventually you will get burned.

Start considering what you are listening to. This deals with even more than music. What is the message you are getting from the TV programs you watch? What is the message you get from the movies you see? Ask God if there are things that need to change so that you can be more in tune with Him. There is no better way to live than by being completely in tune with God. Don’t let anything distract you from Him and what He has for you.
-Ardis Rivera

-Titus 2:11-13 NIV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,