Kirk and John MacArthur on TBN

I am so amazed at this programming, to see 2 godly men preach absolute truth!!

In Memory of Jim

I made this video to remember Jim. I hope it blesses you and inspires you to be out there, not looking back, keeping your hand to the plow...Jim was an example to us all. May we go and live as he did...a Living Sacrifice.

In Memory of my best friend, fellow evangelist, Jim Jones.

I wanted to write up something, but Tony Miano did such a wonderful job I am pasting his blog here.
Jim was truly a best friend and I will miss him greatly. While I am rejoicing that he is home with his Savior, the One he boldly proclaimed, my heart grieves as I think of his precious wife and daughters. I know that God is taking care of them and yet, I still am so sad to have such a loss. I love you Jim and I miss you already tremendously. What a legacy you have left behind. See you in Heaven my brother.

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The Lawman Chronicles-Tony Miano

The biblical street evangelism family has lost a faithful brother in the Lord. Jim Jones (Grant Pass, OR) was killed yesterday in a bicycle accident. Jim was 40. He leaves behind (but in the faithful hands of the Savior) his wife, Kelly; and his two daughters, Willow and Holly. Please keep the Jones Family in your thoughts and prayers.

Jim was an Internet service provider, by trade; but his passion was proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jim's close friends often joked with him about his name, since he shared the same name with the infamous cult leader. But everyone who knew Jim knew that this Jim Jones sought to glorify God with his life and to love people with the Gospel.

As Jim would say, he "reclaimed the name." Yes, Jim, you did--all for the glory of Jesus Christ. You did.

Jim led an evangelism team in his area. In his most recent newsletter, Jim wrote:

"It's still amazing to see how people will just stop here in downtown Grant Pass and let us talked to them about the things of God. "

Jim was already well-known in biblical street evangelism circles when I was new to open-air preaching. Jim was a front line warrior for the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His passion and leadership inspired other Christians to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus Christ.

While Jim will be sorely missed by those who knew him and served the Lord with him, those same people also know that God is good and sovereign. God does cause all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28).

May the good that comes from such great loss be that many with whom Jim has shared the gospel over the years (particularly those in the young, Gothic subculture for whom Jim had great compassion), upon hearing about his death, will remember the gospel he proclaimed to them and then repent and believe that same Gospel. May the good that comes from such great loss be that Jim's brothers and sisters in Christ will, in his memory but for the glory of Christ, preach the Law and the Gospel all the more.

We'll miss you, Jim. But we will see you again, one glad morning; as we worship the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorious presence.

I will close by sharing a video of Jim doing what he loved most--proclaiming the Law and the Gospel.

Quote of the Month

"The New Testament continues the testimony to the radical depravity of man. In fact, when Paul seeks to present a systematic argument for the gospel to the Romans, he does not begin with 'Jesus loves you' or 'God has a wonderful plan for your life.' Showing that he would fail almost every evangelism class currently offered in seminaries in our land, Paul begins with a dreadfully long discussion of the universal sinfulness of man. Without a single poem, no funny illustrations or multimedia aids, the inspired Apostle drags on about the sinfulness of men, Jew and Gentile alike. It is no wonder this section is so little preached in our day. But might it just be that good news cannot be properly understood unless the bad news is fully realized? Such would seem to be the case."

-James R. White, The Potter's Freedom

Sen. John McCain’s Position on Abortion Setting the Record Straight

by Wesley Strackbein and Bob Renaud
Vision Forum

With the 2008 presidential election just one week away, it is time that Sen. John McCain’s record on abortion be clearly explained.

This last Sunday, LifeNews.com published an article entitled, “John McCain’s Pro-Life Abortion Record Gets Buried With Focus on Obama,” wherein journalist Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com’s editor, observed:

With the intense focus on the extreme pro-abortion positions of Barack Obama, there has been little reference during the weeks leading up to the presidential elections of John McCain’s pro-life record on abortion. McCain isn’t as outspoken as past presidential candidates, but his record speaks volumes.[1]

Mr. Ertelt’s conclusion is right: Sen. McCain’s record on abortion has largely been “buried” this election cycle, and it indeed “speaks volumes,” but not for the reasons that Ertelt has suggested. A more careful look at Sen. McCain’s formal voting record and statements indicate that he will not make the protection of life a priority in a McCain presidential administration. While Sen. McCain voted in favor of the partial birth abortion ban in 2003 (as did Senators Tom Daschle, Harry Reid, and sixty-one others)[2] and has often stated that he does not “support Roe versus Wade” and would like to see it “overturned,”[3] the Arizona senator has actually stated his opposition to take active measures to overturn Roe for fear that such a move would endanger the lives of women.[4]

Moreover, Sen. McCain supports abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and he has actively campaigned to strike the prohibition of abortion in these cases from the Republican Party Platform.[5] In addition, Sen. McCain has voted to confirm radical pro-abortion judges such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer and has recently affirmed that he would vote for pro-abortion judges under a McCain presidency, so long as they met basic “qualifications.”[6] He also has been outspoken in his support for embryonic stem cell research and has voted in favor of funding for Planned Parenthood.[7]

The point is this: Attempts to paint Sen. John McCain as a pro-life candidate are grossly misleading. Mr. Ertelt of LifeNews.com and other pro-life groups such as the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) have “buried” widely known aspects of Sen. McCain’s record on life that demonstrate — while Sen. John McCain may not be as far to the left as Sen. Barack Obama on the life issue — he is not a champion of the unborn, and, should he be elected to the presidency, his past record and recent claims offer no confidence that he will do anything to advance the ethic of life as president of the United States.

We agree with the National Right to Life Committee’s conclusion of eight years ago — a position that they have now suppressed due to political expediency — that “John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause”[8]; and as a service to voters in this 2008 election cycle, we have brought to light key facts on Sen. McCain’s record on abortion for readers to consider in forming their own conclusions regarding his stance on this critically important issue.
Sen. McCain Supports Abortion in the cases of Rape, Incest, and the Life of the Pregnant Mother

In their 2008 presidential candidate election issue, USA Today reported that “Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican, opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the life of the pregnant woman.”[9] On August 30, 2008, The New York Times highlighted Sen. McCain’s support of abortion in the case of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, explaining that the Arizona senator has long sought to undermine the Republican Party’s pro-life plank which does not allow for these exceptions:

Mr. McCain argued strongly in 2000 for the platform to include the abortion exceptions. He affirmed that position as recently as May [of 2008], in an interview with Glamour magazine to appear in its October [2008] issue.

“My position has always been: exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother,” he said. Asked if he would encourage the party to include them in the platform, he said, “Yes,” adding: “And by the way, I think that’s the view of most people, that rape, incest, the life of the mother are issues that have to be considered.”[10]

Sen. McCain Wants Roe vs. Wade made “Irrelevant,” but He Opposes Active Steps to Repeal the Decision

While Sen. McCain has indicated on a number of occasions that he would eventually like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, he has made it clear that he will not take active measures to pursue this because he believes a repeal of Roe would endanger the lives of women. In an August 22, 1999, interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Sen. McCain stated:

Ultimately, I would like to see the repeal of Roe v Wade, but to do it immediately, I think would condemn young women to dangerous and illegal operations.[11]

In a separate interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, McCain noted:

I’d love to see a point where [Roe v. Wade] is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.[12]

Sen. McCain Has Supported Pro-Abortion Judges in the Past and Has Stated He Will Do So as President

On Sen. McCain’s current campaign website, the following summary is offered concerning Roe v. Wade and his policy for the appointment of federal judges:

John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.[13]

This statement is an example of carefully-crafted obfuscation. At first glance, readers might take this sentence to mean that Sen. McCain will not appoint pro-abortion judges, but he himself has explained that he is willing to appoint judges who support Roe v. Wade — so long as they meet basic “qualifications.” During his dialogue with CBS’ Bob Schieffer which occurred during the third presidential debate held on October 15, McCain gave this response:

SCHIEFFER: ...Someone who had a history of being for abortion rights, you would consider them [for a federal judge]?

MCCAIN: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. . . . I certainly would not impose any litmus test [on the issue of abortion].[14]

During the same October 15 debate, Sen. McCain emphasized his support of Justice Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, two stridently pro-abortion judges who McCain voted to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court:

I voted for Justice Breyer and Justice Ginsburg. Not because I agreed with their ideology, but because I thought they were qualified and that elections have consequences when presidents are nominated. This is a very important issue we’re talking about.[15]

McCain also conveyed his willingness to support pro-abortion judges to seventy-five Hillary Clinton supporters with whom he met following Sen. Clinton’s loss of the Democratic nomination. When questioned about his judicial philosophy by one Clinton supporter during a private meeting held at McCain’s Virginia headquarters, the Arizona senator offered assurances that he stood with “Bill Clinton [on] both Ginsberg and Breyer.”[16]
Sen. McCain Supports Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Senator McCain has long been an active supporter of embryonic stem cell research. The National Right to Life Committee explained:

[O]n May 8, 1992, McCain authored a letter ... noting that abortion is “a practice which is currently legal in this country...” McCain said he had concluded, “I support lifting the ban on the use of fetal tissue for research by the National Institutes of Health.”[17]

Sen. McCain reaffirmed his support for federal funding for fetal research when the issue resurfaced in 1997 and voted again on April 11, 2007, to use federal funds to pay for the destruction of, and experimentation on, human embryos.[18]

Since this vote in ‘07, Sen. McCain has indicated his desire to expand funding for embryonic stem cell research even more:

Q: Would you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?

A: I believe that we need to fund this. This is a tough issue for those of us in the pro-life community. I would remind you that these stem cells are either going to be discarded or perpetually frozen. We need to do what we can to relieve human suffering. It’s a tough issue. I support federal funding.[19]

Sen. McCain Supports Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood and Medicaid Abortions

In 2005, Sen. McCain voted in favor of H.R. 3010 to Fund Title X and Medicaid Abortions and Birth Control to minors in the cases rape, incest and the “life” of the mother.[20]

HR 3010 — the HHS Appropriations Bill — included provisions for the following:

* Tens of millions of federal dollars for Planned Parenthood (Title X and Medicaid)
* Selected Medicaid surgical abortions (rape, incest, “life” of mother)
* Title X and Medicaid chemical birth control abortions
* Title X and Medicaid birth control for unmarried adults (singles)[21]

Evangelical Gamesmanship on Sen. McCain’s Pro-Life Record

On February 20, 2000, the National Right to Life Committee published a hard-hitting expose entitled, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause.” In this article, they documented Sen. McCain’s “disrespect for the pro-life movement” and pointed out that — at the time — Sen. McCain was publicly championing his “17-year voting record,” even as he had taken active steps to undermine the integrity of the pro-life cause. Among the many telling evidences they brought to light was a comment that Sen. McCain made on the Don Imus show wherein he “referred disparagingly to ‘otherwise intelligent people who say that [the issue of life is] the only issue that will determine their vote.’”

The details that NRLC uncovered in their critical research on Sen. McCain’s checkered record on the life issue formed the basis for leading conservative organizations and leaders to oppose his presidential candidacy in 2000.

Sen. McCain’s compromise on the life issue continued to be a source of irritation and concern for evangelical leaders up through the 2008 primaries. On February 5 of this year, during an interview on the Laura Ingraham show, Dr. James Dobson indicated that the life issue was one of the chief reasons why he could not in good conscience support John McCain for president:

I am deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who ... voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings. . . .

I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are. He has sounded at times more like a member of the other party. . . . [A] spoonful of sugar does NOT make the medicine go down. I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience.

But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should Sen. McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. . . . If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.

Regrettably, Dr. Dobson and the NRLC have done an about-face. Following Sen. McCain’s pick of Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, they — along with other conservative leaders and organizations who were previously hesitant to support McCain — have now actively come out in favor of the McCain/Palin ticket. On the day that Sen. McCain announced his pick of Gov. Palin, Dr. Dobson told talk show host Dennis Prager, “I can tell you that if I had to go into the ... voting booth today, I would pull that [McCain] lever.”

Tellingly, the NRLC recently removed their article “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause” from their website and — in a new, one-page summary entitled, “Sen. John McCain’s Record on Abortion” which they now have posted — the NRLC altogether excludes their former research while highlighting Sen. McCain’s support of the partial birth abortion ban, among other pro-life votes that he has made during his senatorial career.[22]

The NRLC’s political action committee has also declared that “Senator John McCain has a solid voting record against abortion” and noted that their PAC “strongly supports Senator John McCain for United States President. . . . “[23]

The National Life to Life Committee’s current characterization of Sen. McCain’s record stands in stark contradiction to the NRLC’s previous findings wherein they documented significant problems with Sen. McCain’s stance on the life issue. In view of the NRLC’s recent attempts to portray Sen. McCain as a “solid” pro-lifer, they would do well to remind themselves of the insightful observation they made in the hard-hitting article on Sen. McCain that they have pulled from circulation: Sen. Al Gore had a 84% pro-life voting record according to one pro-life watch dog group, and yet he could not be trusted as a pro-life leader. As they pointed out in 2000: neither can John McCain.[24]

The efforts to which certain conservative organizations and leaders have recently gone to exclude critical facts concerning Sen. McCain’s record on abortion that they once rightly emphasized to potential voters — to sugar-coat Sen. McCain’s pro-life record — is one of the most shameful demonstrations of party politics that has occurred in this decade.
Conclusion: Sen. John McCain will Not Be a Champion for Unborn Life if Elected as President of the United States

Should Sen. John McCain be elected as the next president of the United States, he will not be a champion for the life of the unborn. While he recently stated that he believes life begins “at the moment of conception,”[25] based on his past record and statements on the life issue, Sen. McCain will not actively seek to overturn Roe v. Wade; will appoint pro-abortion judges, if he deems them otherwise qualified; will continue to support embryonic stem cell research; and will seek to undermine the Republican Party Platform’s pro-life plank which opposes abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother.

In sum, those who cherish human life should not trust Sen. John McCain to represent them on this issue.

1. October 26, 2008, “John McCain Repeats Stance: Roe Abortion Case a ‘Bad Decision,’ Overturn It” by Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com.

2. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/rollcalllists/rollcallvote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00051.

3. October 26, 2008, “John McCain Repeats Stance: Roe Abortion Case a ‘Bad Decision,’ Overturn It” by Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com.

4. See footnotes # 11 and 12 for more details.

5. See footnote # 9 & 10.

6. See footnotes # 13 and 14 for more details.

7. See footnotes # 18 and 19 for more details.

8. NRLC article, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause,” February 20, 2000.

9. http://asp.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/issues.aspx?i=9&c=1.

10. New York Times, “G.O.P. Holds to Firm Stance on Abortion” by Katherine Q. Seelye, August 30, 2008.

11. August 22, 1999, CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpGUiEWZDUI&feature=related

12. San Francisco Chronicle, August 19, 1999.

13. http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm.

14. http://debates.org/pages/trans2008d.html.

15. Ibid.

16. http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/McCainmingleswithClintonsupporters.html

17. http://www.nrlc.org/Whatsnew/McCainrecordbodyparts.html; See roll call vote here:http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/rollcalllists/rollcallvote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00127

18. See Senate bill S.5 at http://thomas.loc.gov

19. 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

20. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/rollcalllists/rollcallvote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00281

21. See this link for further information: http://lefemineforlife.blogspot.com/2008/02/pro-abort-john-mccain-voted-hhs-funds.html.

22. “Senator John McCain Record on Abortion,” http://www.nrlc.org/Election2008/mccainrecord0608.pdf.

23. http://www.nrlpac.org/.

24. NRLC article, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause,” February 20, 2000.

25. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/16/se.02.html.

Third Party Vote is NOT A Waste!

Curriculum Advice from Victoria Botkin Volumes 1 & 2

Homeschooling. Lots of families have done it. But can you do it? How hard is it? What does it actually look like? How do you know if you’re on the right track for success?

Victoria Botkin has seven well-educated children who love home education and who plan to continue the tradition when they have children of their own. This inspiring home educator will tell you how you can teach your child ­ at home ­ successfully, inexpensively, calmly, and with the powerful confidence that you are doing the right thing before God.

Her advice will give you not only practical ideas, but confidence, enthusiasm, and a vision for the importance of your labors. If you want to combine a godly home life with high academic standards, listen carefully to these CDs.

In Volume 1, learn about:
# Developing the right attitude
# Choosing materials
# Choosing curriculum
# Inspiring them with creativity
# Turning your home into an incubator of curiosity, exploration and discovery
# And much more!

In Volume 2, you will also hear from Victoria's seven well-educated children as you learn about:
# Guiding children into character, maturity and integrity
# How children can take responsibility for their own education
# Teaching children to love writing
# How to use the media
# Helping your child develop a vision for the future
# Recognizing and encouraging your children’s gifts
# Teaching life skills
# And much more!

Make sure you visit the Visionary Daughters website to read what they had to say about their mothers new cd.

Is Your Devotion Like that of the Old Paths?

Ten Reasons To Not Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

By:
Todd Friel



The music weeps, the preacher pleads, “Give your heart to Jesus. You have a God shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it.” Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people who want to get their spiritual life on track make their way to the altar. They ask Jesus into their heart.

Cut to three months later. Nobody has seen our new convert in church. The follow up committee calls him and encourages him to attend a Bible study, but to no avail. We label him a backslider and get ready for the next outreach event.

Our beloved child lies in her snuggly warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy. I want to ask Jesus into my heart.” You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks. You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it. Puberty hits and the answer reveals itself. She backslides. We spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.

Telling someone to ask Jesus into their hearts has a very typical result, backsliding. the Bible says that a person who is soundly saved puts his hand to the plow and does not look back because he is fit for service. In other words, a true convert cannot backslide. If a person backslides, he never slid forward in the first place. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (II Cor.5) No backsliding there.

Brace yourself for this one: with very few if any exceptions, anyone who asked Jesus into their hearts to be saved…is not. If you asked Jesus into your heart because you were told that is what you have to do to become a Christian, you were mis-informed.

If you have ever told someone to ask Jesus into their heart (like I have), you produced a false convert. Here is why.

1. It is not in the Bible. There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20. To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong.

The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.
Even if the context didn’t tell us this, we would be forcing a meaning into the text (eisegesis). How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.

The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.

2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense. What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds
us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.

3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38). Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.

4. In order to be saved, a man must trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).
Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.

5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security. Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.

6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden. Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.

7. It presents God as a beggar just hoping you will let Him into your busy life. This presentation of God robs Him of His sovereignty.

8. The cause of Christ is ridiculed. Visit an atheist web-site and read the pagans who scoff, “How dare those Christians tell us how to live when they get divorced more than we do? Who are they to say homosexuals shouldn’t adopt kids when tens of thousands of orphans don’t get adopted by Christians?” Born again believers adopt kids and don’t get divorced.

People who ask Jesus into their hearts do. Jesus gets mocked when false converts give Him a bad name.

9. The cause of evangelism is hindered. While it is certainly easier to get church members by telling them to ask Jesus into their hearts, try pleading with someone to make today the day of their salvation. Get ready for a painful response. “Why should I become a Christian when I have seen so called Christians act worse than a pagan?” People who ask Jesus into their hearts give pagans an excuse for not repenting.

10. Here is the scary one. People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment. How tragic that millions of people think they are right with God when they are not. How many people who will cry out, “Lord, Lord” on judgment day will be “Christians” who asked Jesus into their hearts?

So, what must one do to be saved? Repent and trust. (Heb.6:1) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.

If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.


If you have been preaching that people should ask Jesus into their hearts, I beg you to stop immediately. You will give an account for all the souls you have led astray. Read two articles on this site that will help you present the Gospel correctly: Hell’s Best Kept Secret and How to Witness Manual (”Witness Tools” section).

Quote of the Month

"They will go away to eternal punishment, but
the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:46

There is an essential difference between the death of the
godly--and the death of the ungodly. Death comes to the
ungodly man--as a penal infliction; but to the righteous--
as a summons to his Father's palace! To the sinner--it is
an execution; to the saint--it is an undressing from his
sins and infirmities! Death to the wicked is the King of
terrors. Death to the saint is the end of terrors--the
commencement of glory!

Leornard Ravenhill-The Judgement Seat of Christ

Evangelism, Wife, Motherhood and the Kids

"How do you do it? Where do you find the time? What does your husband think of your mission trips? You think it's safe to take your kids out street witnessing?"

Since our involvement with biblical evangelism I have heard these questions time and time again. So I want to take some time to address these questions and I hope that as a result of all this I can encourage other Moms who are struggling to find the balance between motherhood, raising the children, homeschooling and the Great Commission.

1. How Do You Do It?

First off, I don't "do" it, but the Holy Spirit enables me to be a witness. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 Notice in this verse who enables us to be witnesses. The Holy Spirit! Of course I can't do it. My flesh struggles with it all the time. I struggle with not wanting to go out to witness and also mostly struggle with fear. But...What is this fear really? A fear of man? Fear of their opinion of me? Why do I witness? For His glory alone! If I am not out there for His glory then I am better off staying home. What a privilege it is to be a witness for our Savior! I see every witnessing opportunity as a time that is spent glorifying His precious name. And of course, the person I am speaking with hears the wonderful, beautiful message of the Cross by which they can be saved! He is glorified in this!

Through the godly teachings of Way of the Master Ministries our family has been equipped to be a witness and preach the biblical Gospel to the lost anytime, anywhere. If you have never heard of Way of the Master I would highly recommend you to get acquainted with them. But as with anything else in our lives, whether it's motherhood, raising children, how to homeschool and being a witness, it's much better to be equipped and ready and we can learn from others. As Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ". Way of the Master has done this for us in the area of evangelism. I love how they put it, "Arm any soldier with a feather duster and push him into the heat of modern warfare, and he's not going to be very courageous. However, if you give him state-of-the art weapons and teach him how to use them, those weapons will give him courage!""Hell's Best Kept Secret" will put a state-of-the-art weapon into your hands. It will give you courage. Simply go to Hell's Best Kept Secret" or watch the video if you prefer.

2. Where Do You Find The Time?

I always like to say that what we do is called "lifestyle evangelism". What I mean by this is simply we see everyday as an opportunity to be a witness, whether it's our postman, UPS dude, Fed EX dude, the lady at the cash register, the Walmart greeter, grocery store cart boy, the baggers, our neighbors, gas stations and more! I don't have to "find" the time to witness, but the witnessing always is in front of us. Have tracts ready so that you can hand them to the cash register person, or the bag boy. Say hello to the person pumping gas next to your car and hand them a Million Dollar Bill and tell them their car looks like a million bucks! My twins LOVE handing out tracts to people. If I don't have one ready at the grocery store they are digging through my purse for my wallet to get that Million Dollar Bill ready!
I tell my kids, "Let's go to the grocery store to hand out some tracts and while we are there we'll grab some groceries" You don't always have to engage people one on one to say you have witnessed to someone. Many people have been saved simply through a sound, biblical Gospel tract.

The great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgon said:

"I well remember distributing them in a town in England where tracts had never been distributed before, and going from house to house, and telling in humble language the things of the kingdom of God. I might have done nothing, if I had not been encouraged by finding myself able to do something ... [Tracts are] adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers ... They may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast.

"I look upon the giving away of a religious tract as only the first step for action not to be compared with many another deed done for Christ; but were it not for the first step we might never reach to the second, but that first attained, we are encouraged to take another, and so at the last ... There is a real service of Christ in the distribution of the gospel in its printed form, a service the result of which heaven alone shall disclose, and the judgment day alone discover. How many thousands have been carried to heaven instrumentally upon the wings of these tracts, none can tell ...

"Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing."

What an awesome way for us mothers to show our children how to be a simple witness through the use of Gospel tracts! So get those Gospel tracts ready and start handing them out together as a family! The most important aspect of using tracts is to be sure the message is Biblically sound. Does it open up with the Law (Ten Commandments) and warn of judgment day and hell? Does it preach the cross, the resurrection, repentance, and faith? Is Jesus presented as the answer to life's problems (the popular "happy gospel") or as the Savior from sin (true, Biblical Gospel)? A tract with a Biblically sound message does not guarantee that every tract from the same source is also sound. Be discerning and examine every tract prayerfully before using them! (http://www.gospelreport.org/tracts.htm)
For good, sound, biblical Gospel tracts please visit Living Waters or Custom tract Source.

So, as you can see, it's not about "finding the time" to be a witness, but changing your perspective of your time. Is our time here on this earth only to live life, clean the house, laundry, homeschool, paying the bills, etc? I don't think that for a minute! Who says we can't do it all? We can! Because He enables us to be a witness! Before anyone shoots me for saying we can do it all, I want to encourage you to really sit back and look at your priorities. Do you have time to watch tv? Movies? Be on a computer? Go to the beach? Go on a field trip? Be on the phone? Read a book? If you said yea, of course, Then you have time to be a witness for Christ! What's your priority? Or WHO is your priority?

To be continued.......feel free to comment!
To see recent evangelism pics of our family visit our Photo Album

Why Sarah Palin Inspires Us

Very well written, thought out blog, a must read for all of us women and men alike.
Thanks Visionary Daughters once again for your godly insights.

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http://visionarydaughters.com/2008/09/why-sarah-palin-inspires-us

Quote of the Month

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer.-JOHN WESLEY

Quote of the Month

One of the most fearful things about sin is its power to harden the one who practices it.
The deeper a man goes in sin, the less sin bothers him. . . . Every sinner finds himself now committing sins that he once despised,
and the sins that he now despises, he will someday find himself committing.
It should shock us to remember that Adolph Hitler was once a little boy playing with toys just like other little boys.
Man knows the beginning of sin, but no man has ever known the end of sin.

~Charles Leiter

In Remembrance of Princess Gemma

Our friends, Kevin and Liz were blessed with a beautiful baby girl they named Gemma. Gemma graced us all with her beautiful face, big beautiful alert eyes and just the miracle of her life. But her life ended on August 8 at only 1 month old. Words cannot express our grief for Kevin and Liz who waited patiently for years to conceive and have a baby. Gemma's funeral service is this Wednesday at 2pm at our church, Harvest Bible Chapel. Please be in prayer for Kevin and Liz, for Pastor Bill as he shares the gospel at the funeral as many unsaved people will be there. Here's a beautiful picture of Liz and Gemma before her passing.

My 3 girls birthday today!!

Today is Elizabeth's 14th birthday and Kiara and Kayla's 7th birthday!

It's hard to believe that the twins are the age Elizabeth was when they were born. It doesn't seem possible!

Here's recent pictures of the girls at Angie's wedding.

A Fun Day At The Beach

Since it was so beautiful today the girls and I decided to walk to the beach. Here's a silly moment on video with me singing the Cupid Shuffle for Elizabeth to dance!

Quote of the Month

"If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him, sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence...?" - Keith Green

Family Scripture Memorizing

Bible Passages for Memorizing
by Ruth Beechick

A basic family tradition is memorizing Scripture. Your family can do this together—easily. Choose a Bible passage such as the Twenty-Third Psalm, and choose a time. Family devotions are an ideal setting for this tradition. Otherwise, choose breakfast or another meal that you share together. Even car time will work for some families with a regular driving schedule.

The Best Memory Method

To begin, you all simply recite the psalm together. Those who read may use their Bibles. Children who do not read follow as best they can, listening or saying some parts as they trail along behind. That is all for day one. The following days are similar. The goal is that in three months or so, all who are old enough will know the psalm by heart. Even the very youngest children gain in many ways, whether or not they actually memorize.

This method of memorizing is called the “whole method.” When you learn a passage this way, you end up able to recite smoothly through it all, just as you recite smoothly through the alphabet without stopping to think which letter comes next. You also learn faster with less work by using this whole method. Research documents the results of the whole method: memorizing is more efficient, takes less total time, and produces better memory results.

Most people commonly use the “part method” for memorizing extended passages. This means learning one verse, then adding the next, and so forth. This takes longer, and the result is usually a less smooth recitation, as they sometimes pause to think which verse comes next.

As you recite the psalm each day, the children who read will gradually quit following in their Bibles, or you may need to suggest that they look up from their Bible pages when they can. Occasionally you might check that a child correctly pronounces a word like righteousness. Answer questions the children have about meaning, but it is not necessary to study the psalm while memorizing it. Some books for Sunday school teachers say, “Be sure the children understand the verse before they memorize it.” This is useless advice. When do any of us fully understand a Scripture? Children can just as well memorize first and learn the meaning more fully as they grow older.

Continue reciting daily until you have not just learned a passage, but overlearned it. Then review on a diminishing schedule. For instance, for one or two months recite the passage once a week (instead of the new passage you are starting to learn). Then review once a month. Eventually, once a year will be sufficient. There is no specific rule about this schedule. The length of a passage, the amount of overlearning, and other variables all affect this, so adjust as you see a need for more review or less. The principle of a diminishing need for review will continue to apply.

If your family learns three or four passages a year—or even just two—these add up to considerable Scripture for your children to carry in their hearts wherever life may take them—to legislative halls or to enemy prison camps, to their future families or to fellow workers. After some passages of six or fewer verses, your family may feel brave enough to tackle a longer passage, perhaps a full chapter.

Bible Passages for Memorizing

Make your own selections or choose some from this list. You can shorten most of these or, in some cases, extend to make a longer portion. (My son Allen, who learned all these as a child and many whole books as a teen, says Psalm 34 is his favorite. At age 8 he recited Isaiah 53 with its big words, and said, “I like the words of the Bible; they sound so good.”)

Psalms 1, 8, 19, 23, 24, 34, 100

Exodus 20:1-17, Ten Commandments

Joshua 1:7-9, meditate on the book

Proverbs 8:22-31, wisdom speaks (Christ himself)

Proverbs 15:1-6, soft answer

Isaiah 53:1-6 (or the whole chapter), Man of sorrows

Matthew 5:3-12, Beatitudes

Matthew 5:19-24, treasures in Heaven

Luke 2:1-7 (or to 16 or 20), Christmas story

John 1:1-14, the Word became flesh

John 3:14-18, God so loved the world

John 14:1-4 (or to 14), mansions in the Father’s house

Romans 1:14-15 (or to 20 or farther), not ashamed of the Gospel

I Corinthians 13, love

Ephesians 2:8-10, saved by grace

Philippians 4:4-8, rejoice

James 1:22-25, doers of the Word

Created To Worship-Ted Tripp

Created to Worship
by Tedd and Margy Tripp

Human beings are worshipers. It follows then, that children are worshipers. We can almost hear someone say, “Not my children, Tedd and Margy, they fall asleep in church every week.”

But nonetheless, your children are worshipers. They have been created in the image of God. The world in which they live is designed to display the glory of God, and children—indeed, all human beings—are uniquely designed for worship. Like explorers driven to find distant shores, your sons and daughters go off every day in search of excitement, seeking an answer to the question, “Who or what is worth worshiping?”

The fact that human beings are hard-wired for worship is a unique aspect of our creation. It is the reason we love to hear a symphony or watch a juggler or marvel at an athletic feat. We love to be dazzled. It is the reason we watch sports on TV. Do you know that Antarctic penguins hold no diving competitions? They perform marvelous feats without color commentary or slow-motion replays. A brown bear grabs a salmon from the Columbia River, by any account an amazing feat of timing and coordination, and yet none of his fellow bears line the shore to applaud. Human beings do this sort of thing because human beings are uniquely designed for worship. Your kids love to be entranced by something amazing because they are instinctively worshippers.

Now, what happens when children who are designed for worship fail to worship the God in whose image they have been made? These children do not cease to be worshippers; they simply worship and serve something else. The apostle Paul speaks to this in Romans 1:25: “[ They] exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (NKJV).

This is what your children do; it is what all humanity does. If your children do not worship and serve God, they substitute something for God, worshipping and serving something in the creation instead. They manufacture an idol—a substitute for God.

These idols your children find are not small statues of wood or gold; they are much more subtle. Leaving a Chinese restaurant recently with two young granddaughters, I felt a tug on my coat. “Grandpa,” one asked, pointing to a large statue of Buddha in the corner, “who’s that fat man?” The question provided a wonderful opportunity to speak to the girls about idols.

The human heart creates so many idols:

Pride and performance. Some children will lay all at the altar of performance. They are driven. The joys of performance and the praises that attend excellence stimulate and impel them.

Power and influence. Other children exhibit a lust to control the people in their world. These are the organizers and arrangers. If the game is playing school, they will always be the teachers.

Pleasure and sensuality. You may have a thrill-seeker in your family. This is the child who constantly seeks the rush of exciting, heart-throbbing, and adrenalin-pumping experiences. He finds the joys of ordinary living boring.

Possessions. Some kids crave stuff. They pore through the catalogs that enter your home. They collect stuff; they polish stuff. When they leave the house, they want assurance that no one will touch their stuff while they are gone.

We could add to the list. People are endlessly creative when it comes to finding substitutes for God. Other idols include the fear of man, the desire for approval, the longing for friendship, or simply the consuming desire to be someone or have something that elicits the response “Cool!”

All of this brings me to my point: The most important job you have as a parent is to show the glory of God to your children, who are compulsively worshippers. Your kids are hard-wired for worship, but in their fallen state, they instinctively worship and serve created things rather than God. Psalm 145 talks about this when it says,

I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. (Psalm 145:1-4, NKJV)

Your job is to be one generation commending the glory and excellence of God to the next generation. (See also Psalm 78:1-7.)

Help your children see that we find our greatest joys in the nearness of God rather than in fulfilling our appetites. “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased” (Psalm 4:6-7, NKJV).

Show your thrill seekers that the lasting joys and pleasures that people crave are found in knowing God. “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, NKJV).

Illustrate for them that the greatest deliverance from adversity is not removal from difficulty (Psalm 27:1-3), but enjoying the beauty of the Lord. “One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4, NKJV).

Other Psalms to which you may turn to underscore the joys and delights of being entranced by God are Psalm 36:5-9, 63:1-5, 73:25-26, 81:10-16, and 96:1-6.

Why is this so important?

1. Your kids do not merely exist amidst the facts and circumstances of their lives. They interpret everything that happens around them, and their interpretation determines how they respond. The key to correctly interpreting life is the being and glories of the God for whom they are made. If they are worshiping and serving idols, they will never accurately interpret the circumstances of life.

2. Since you love your kids and desire their happiness, you will always be tempted to feed their idols. Many parents do just that. They fill their children’s lives with stuff and take delight in their children’s delight in possessions. Yet they cling to the hope that someday their children will see that life is not found in possessions, but in knowing God. Resist the temptation to polish your children’s idols.

3. The Christian life begins with glory. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV). The Christian life continues and grows as we behold God’s glory. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV).

Perhaps the best thing you can do for your children is to go before God, behold His glory, and then move toward them with the encouragement that they have been created for a great and glorious God who longs to bring them abundant life.

Tedd Tripp is the senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He and Margy have been married since 1968, and they have three adult children and six grandchildren. Tedd holds a B.A. in History from Geneva College, M.Div. from Philadelphia Theological Seminary, and D.Min. with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is the author of the popular childrearing book Shepherding a Child’s Heart (Shepherd Press, 1995).

Kiara and Kayla's Jazz and Hip Hop Routines

In this first video, the girls are dancing to the Finding Nemo's Wipe Out song. Kiara is pretty much leading the whole crowd! We were cracking up! At the end Kayla is on the left trying very hard to keep her leg up!

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Here's the last routine the girlies did, to a KJ-52 song called, Coke, Fry and A Cheeseburger. Scroll a little bit forward, like a minute as first it's KJ trying to order and coke, fry and a cheeseburger. The girls were on the right side..you can tell it's them because they have the same hair...imagine that....at the end they are both posing, Kayla stands up, Kiara knelt down. Oh and both the girls during the free styling part did the "worm" and Kiara did a stall! Very cool!

Last Years Dance Recital

Last year we were all involved with the Christian dance studio in our area, Eternity Dance Center. Donna did a number to a very powerful sermon mix, the twins were in hip/hop and jazz together and Kayla did a clogging routine and Jonathan danced his very first hip-hop routine. He was a beginner and did so well!

In Kayla's clogging, she is the one on the very right..smallest one on the end, curly short hair. She was simply adorable!!

Jonathan is the boy with the black and white hat on in the front. He surprised up with the "rubber band" dance movement when they go off to the side, he kinda does this back flip thingie!

Then of course, Donna is the one with the really long dark hair preaching at everyone..haha...enjoy! Donna is also the scary masked person on the left. Jeff said I looked funny speaking with a mans voice..oh well! lol...

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Here's Kayla's Clogging

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Jonathan's Hip Hop

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Here's Donna's Sermon performing arts number..scroll to about 2:46 secs as Crystal played a sermon first before our routine started...

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Donna's Silly Clogging routine! Dancing..err..clogging to the 80's with Apologetix parody songs! All lyrics are Christian lyrics to these old songs, so please don't pass out!

Quote of the Month

(James Wells, 1839)

"They will say of Me--In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength." Isaiah 45:24

Those who are taught of God feel that they are but dust and ashes, that they are vile, carnal, sold under sin, helpless, and have no might of their own.

Where this experience is--the great truths of the Gospel become interwoven in their
souls, mingled with their minds, and so entwined about their hearts--that they are carried away in their affections . . .

from earthly things--to heavenly things;
from sin--to salvation;
from this world--to that which is to come.

Their hope is in heaven, they have no confidence in the flesh--but in the Lord alone, they have righteousness and strength, life and light, joy and gladness, glory and honor. Unto these things they look; for these things they seek; upon these things
they live; of these things they boast; and by these things they defy death, hell and the grave! They thus put on Christ, walk in Him, commune with Him--and rest ALL their hopes upon HIS holy life, and sin-atoning death.

His life is our justification.
His death is . . .
our redemption,
our pardon,
our sanctification,
our victory, and
our peace with God.

"You are complete in Him." Colossians 2:10

Sing The Word!

Our family recently purchases 2 cd's from Sing The Word. I HIGHLY recommend them! Read below, visit the website and grab your cd's today!
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What makes SING THE WORD valuable to you?

Proverbs 27:2 tells us: "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth". In light of this counsel, please read what a member of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra has to say about Sing The Word®:

"The Heavens Declare", from the very musical Harrow family has very quickly become one of my favorite CD's from any genre. And I have to say that being a member of the NY Philharmonic, I am very particular about what I listen to when I am not performing myself. The musical and production quality alone should place this CD at the top of Billboard's charts and were it not for the fact that it is devised for a very different purpose and audience, I believe it would be. And though I could recommend this CD for purely musical reasons alone, the most compelling quality is how fully God's anointing permeates it. I have found it to be a real help in not only retaining the scripture verses used in the songs, but also as a faith builder and strengthener in times of trial. I also love the fact that I can sing the songs with my three year old and can actually look forward to extended car travels with the CD in the car! I greatly look forward to future musical and spiritual endeavors from the Harrow family. I really can't stress enough how much we all have enjoyed this CD and the others that you have made."

Roger Nye, bassoon
New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Visit their website!
Sing The Word!

Joshua is 17 today!!

It's amazing how time flies..to think 17 years ago today I held this precious little baby in my arms. And now, he shaves and has acne! What happened!

Some news about Joshua's 16th year:

*Graduated 10th grade with CLASS
*He started 11th grade with CLASS
*He played softball for our church softball team
*He started his very fist job at Funtown/Splashtown as a ride operator
*He took Drivers Ed and got his permit. We're still working on the 35 hours driving so he can take his final exam.
*He came with me to Okinawa, Japan for 3 weeks on a missions trip.

His favorite things:

Paintball and paintball and did I mention paintball?

He loves his Geneva Bible.

So there's just a few highlights...I am very proud of my boy. He is growing into a spiritually strong young man. He loves talking theology with anybody who will talk. He is talkative!

Here's my boy....Happy Birthday Josh. I love you so much! I am so proud of the young man you are becoming.

Paul Washer Sermon Jam-Regeneration and Self-Denial

Leonard Ravenhill - The Value of the Human Soul

L. Ravenhill - Forget Miracles Preach Holiness & Conversion

Hold Fast to the Word-Paul Washer

He who truly believes in Christ-J.C. Ryle

He who truly believes in Christ

(J. C. Ryle, "Do You Believe?")

There is a dead faith as well as a living one. There is a faith of devils as well as a faith of God's elect. There is a faith which is vain and useless, as well as a faith which justifies and saves. How shall a man know whether he has true saving faith? The thing may be found out! The Ethiopian may be known by the color of his skin; and the leopard may be known by his spots. True faith may always be known by certain marks. These marks are laid down unmistakably in Scripture. Reader, let me endeavor to set these marks plainly before you. Look at them carefully—and test your own soul by what I am going to say.

He who truly believes in Christ—has a NEW HEART. It is written, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature—old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) A believer has no longer the same nature with which he was born. He is changed, renewed, and transformed after the image of his Lord and Savior. He who minds first, the things of the flesh—has no saving faith. True faith, and spiritual regeneration, are inseparable companions. An unconverted person—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—is a HOLY person in heart and life. It is written that God "purifies the heart by faith," and that Christians are "sanctified by faith." "Whoever has this hope in him, purifies himself." (Acts 15:9; 26:18; 1 John 3:3.). A believer loves what God loves—and hates what God hates. His heart's desire is to walk in the way of God's commandments, and to abstain from all manner of evil. His wish is to follow after the things which are just, and pure, and honest, and lovely—and to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. He falls far short of his aim, in many things. He finds his daily life, a constant fight with indwelling corruption. But he fights on—and resolutely refuses to serve sin. Where there is no holiness, we may be sure there is no saving faith! An unholy man is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—works godly WORKS. It is written, that "faith works by love" (Gal. 5:6). True belief will never make a man idle, or allow him to sit still, contented with his own religion. It will stir him to do acts of love, kindness, and charity, according as he sees opportunity. It will constrain him to walk in the steps of his Master, who "went about doing good." In one way or another, it will make him work. The works that he does may attract no notice from the world. They may seem trifling and insignificant to many people. But they are not forgotten by Him who notices a cup of cold water given for His sake. Where there is no working love—there is no faith. A lazy, selfish professing Christian—has no right to regard himself as a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—overcomes the WORLD. It is written, that "whoever is born of God, overcomes the world—and this is the victory which overcomes the world—even our faith" (1 John 5:4). A true believer is not ruled by the world's standard of right or wrong, of truth or error. He is independent of the world's opinion. He cares little for the world's praise. He is not moved by the world's censure. He does not seek for the world's pleasures. He is not ambitious of the world's rewards. He looks at things unseen—he sees an invisible Savior, a coming judgment, and a crown of glory which never fades away. The sight of these objects, makes him think comparatively little of this present world. Where the world reigns in the heart—there is no genuine faith. A man who is habitually conformed to the world—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—has the witness of the Holy Spirit. He has hopes, joys, fears, sorrows, consolations, expectations, of which he knew nothing before he believed. He has internal evidences which the world cannot understand. Where there are no inward pious feelings—there is no faith. A man who knows nothing of an inward, spiritual, experimental religion—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—has a special regard to the person of CHRIST Himself. It is written, "Unto you who believe—Christ is precious" (1 Peter 2:7). That text deserves especial notice. It does not say "Christianity" is precious, or the "Gospel" is precious, or "salvation" is precious—but Christ Himself! A true believer's religion, does not consist in mere intellectual assent to a certain set of propositions and doctrines. It is not a mere cold belief of a certain set of truths and facts concerning Christ. It consists in union, communion, and fellowship with an actual living Person, even Jesus the Son of God. It is a life of . . .
faith in Jesus,
confidence in Jesus,
leaning on Jesus,
drawing out of the fullness of Jesus,
speaking to Jesus,
working for Jesus,
loving Jesus, and
looking for Jesus to come again.
Such life may sound like enthusiasm to many. But where there is true faith, Christ will always be known and realized, as an actual living personal Friend! He who knows nothing of Christ as his own Priest, Physician, Redeemer, Advocate, Friend, Teacher, and Shepherd—knows nothing yet of genuine believing!

Where these marks of which I have been speaking, are utterly lacking, I dare not tell a man that he is a true believer. He may be called a Christian, and attend a Christian church. But if he knows nothing of these marks—I dare not pronounce him a believer. He is yet dead in trespasses and sins. Except he awakes to newness of life, he will perish everlastingly.

Show me a man who has these marks—and I feel a strong confidence about the state of his soul. He may be poor and needy in this world—but he is rich in the sight of God. He may be despised and sneered at by man—but he is honorable in the sight of the King of kings. He is traveling towards heaven! He has a mansion ready for him in the Father's house. He is cared for by Christ, while on earth. He will be owned by Christ before assembled worlds, in the life which is to come!

The Gospel Call by Paul Washer

A Powerful Gospel Preaching Rapper

I know some of ya'll may not agree with current rap etc..but you can't deny that what this dude is saying is right on! Keep preaching it bros! Thank you for standing up for the BIBLICAL GOSPEL!!!

Quote of the Month

"What grace! He declares the wicked righteous by the blood of His dear Son, He prepares good deeds for them by His sovereign will, He empowers them by His Spirit, and then He rewards them for what they have done as if they had done it. What grace! What grace! What marvelous grace! In such grace, we will wait upon Him." ~Paul Washer

The Tolerance Rantthe

Taken from a sermon on Nehemiah 13, in this clip Mark Driscoll is enraged over the "tolerance" that's crept over God's people and has diminished the Gospel. "When tolerance overtakes truthfulness...the feelings of people take over the feelings of God ... passion diminishes to passivity ... and people just don't care."

Concerning The Four Spiritual Laws

Concerning The Four Spiritual Laws and the late Dr. Bill Bright:
(Taken from The Way Of The Master, by Ray Comfort, Chapter 10, page 78.)

Over the years that I have shared my concerns about contemporary evangelism, I have been careful never to name names. However, many have guessed that on occasion I have been referring to the incredibly popular tract The Four Spiritual Laws, penned by the late Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. More than a billion copies have been distributed in all the major languages of the world, and his approach has become the model for the modern gospel presentation.

In July 2002, Kirk and I were invited to Orlando, Florida, to join Dr. Bright at his home for breakfast. After breakfast, we sat down in his living room and heard this warm, humble, sincere man of God (then eighty-one) confess that he had been in error. Let me use his own words from his book Heaven or Hell - Your Ultimate Choice (published the same year) to tell you what he said to us:

"In his approximately 42 months of public ministry, there are 33 recorded instances of Jesus speaking about hell. No doubt He warned of hell thousands of times. The Bible refers to hell a total of 167 times. I wonder with what frequency this eternal subject is found in today's pulpits. I confess I have failed in my ministry to declare the reality of hell as often as I have the love of God and the benefits of a personal relationship with Christ. But Jesus spent more of His time warning His listeners of the impending judgement of hell than of speaking of the joys of heaven....I have never felt the need to focus on telling people about hell. However, as a result of a steady decline in morals and spiritual vitality in today's culture and a growing indifference to the afterlife, I have come to realize the need for greater discussion of hell....I have thus come to see that silence, or even benign neglect on these subjects, is disobedience on my part. To be silent on the eternal destinations of souls is to be like a sentry failing to warn his fellow soldiers of impending attack." [Bill Bright, Heaven or Hell - Your Ultimate Choice (Orlando, Fla.: New Life Publications, 2002), 32, 48]

Dr. Bright even took the time to use the Law lawfully, by quoting every one of the Ten Commandments, then expounding the Law by saying, "Breaking these commandments will take us to hell without the intervening grace and mercy of Jesus Christ." [Ibid., 37] By admitting that "benign neglect on these subjects is disobedience on my part," Dr. Bright revealed his honest humility and his genuine love of the truth.

Please, follow Dr. Bright's example and examine your evangelism methods in light of God's Word. At stake is the eternal salvation of millions of people. You don't have to throw away The Four Spiritual Laws. Simply make four important changes. First, don't tell sinners that Jesus will improve their lives with a wonderful plan. Second, don't make the unbiblical mistake of giving the cure before you've convinced them of the disease. Third, take the time to follow in the way of the Master by "opening up" (or explaining) the Ten Commandments. And fourth, faithfully remember to include the terrible realities of Judgement Day and hell.

Mission Okinawa Video -Beautiful!

Edwin and Linda's pastors son made this video of our missions trip to Okinawa for their church. It brought me to tears! Grab a tissue!

Church service at CC in Okinawa

Here's Pastor Tim and Trevor translating for him at a regular Sunday morning service at Calvary Chapel Church in Okinawa. We were so blessed to be able to worship with this awesome family in Okinawa. When I lived in Okinawa as a new Christian I was always amazed at how many churches there were in Okinawa, but the American churches stuck to Americans and the Okinawan churches were only Okinawans. I always thought how special it would be to have everyone together, worshiping together. It was awesome to find this CC church doing exactly this! I thank God for them!

Sherry Pierce's Okinawa Report

My beautiful fellow team mate to Okinawa has written up her Okinawa Report. You can view it here.

Praise the Lord!

Interview with Yui..Part 1 and 2

Here is Edwin and I interviewing Yui. This was such a beautiful witnessing encounter and Yui was very receptive to the Gospel. It's mostly in Japanese, but part 2 at the end Edwin and I give a recap of the interview. You can read about the interview if you scroll down a bit.

Pray that Yui gets soundly saved.
Part 1

Part 2

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Kissing the PIG!!!! EEEEKKK!!! We visited the fish market and they have real pig heads as they sell the pig heads for eating! Linda and Sherry wanted nothing to do with the pig, but leave it to Edwin and I to gravitate to a decapitated pig! LOL!

Kissy kissy! Snort!

Edwin! The pig doesn't want to eat his own hoof!!!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's some series of Curved Illusions pics. These were such a HUGE hit in Okinawa! Here Josh shows a guy and then he turns around and does it for Josh..and Josh acted so surprised! lol....

Dave's turn!

Edwin's turn!

Josh's turn again! In this pic you also see how the team, including the wonderful brother in the orange hat, Joe from CC, as we stormed around this market place doing the Curved Illusions! It was so much fun!
Donna's Turn!!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's some pics showing folks reading the tracts, including one man who got out a magnifying glass to read it!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's a man named Higa-san who I spent about 2 hours witnessing to at the Koinonia Cafe. With me is Trevor who attends CC and praise God he was there to help me! Trevor was on his way home when he felt a need to one more time walk around the cafe and even though I really didn't know him, I knew he spoke fluent Japanese as he translated Pastor Tims sermon the Sunday before, I reached out and caught his sleeve and asked him to help me. What a miracle from God again! This is why he wasn't supposed to leave just yet! Higa-san has read one too many books in every sect of religion you can imagine. He was asking so many questions and he kept telling me "I don't understand why He would save me...I can understand why He would save others, but not me" Oh how sad to hear him say this! Trevor and I showed him scripture after scripture, and finally we just prayed! Higa-san continued coming to church and the cafe, he was there for every event as well..including the hula outreach we did. Pray for Higa-san to be set free!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

In this picture you will see a beautiful witnessing encounter with a precious girl named Yui. Yui agreed to do a video interview with Edwin, and I would translate and Josh was taping. This turned out to be an incredible divine appointment from God! When Edwin asked her if she thought she would go to heaven, Yui said matter of factly, No, I am going to hell because I have disobeyed my mother and have given my mother much grief! We were stunned! Edwin continued witnessing to her and eventually I kinda took over as I couldn't translate everything Edwin was saying. To make a long interview short, Yui was so influenced by a Mormon doctrine, she felt there was no hope for her as she was too bad to go to Heaven! I am not kidding you when I say there are so many that have been witnessed to by Mormons in Okinawa! Saints, this shouldn't be! Anyway, Yui was so grateful to hear the good news of the Gospel. She now had hope! She could be saved! At one point towards the end she said to me, "I must pray! I must pray!" We encouraged her to get hooked up to a godly church and we asked her where she lived and miraculously Yui lives in Ginowan City, exactly where Calvary Chapel Church is!
Please pray for Yui! She didn't come to church while we were there, however, about a week after we met her, Edwin saw her near the church and he was able to wave to her. We have this interview on video and as soon as I figure out how to get the video onto my new puter I will upload it somewhere so everyone can see it.