My Favorite Tract

 There is a great tract by Paul Washer that I like to give to the checkers at the store or our waiters. I also leave them in bathroom stalls sometimes. When I hand it to someone, I just say, "This is for you; have a great day!" and then smile. People usually smile back and say "Thank you." Only once has someone refused me. She said," No thanks.", so I just smiled and said, "Okay. Have a great day ma'am!" Many people take them though, and I just pray they will read them and God will prepare thier hearts to recieve the gospel! 

These tracts do not replace one on one witnessing conversations, but I like to use them when I can not share the gospel otherwise; for example, it would not be good to hold up the line behind you at a check out in order to share the gospel. Sometimes I give them to people after I have shared the gospel with them. They are mostly scripture, and that is what I like about them. This is currently my favorite tract! To view them click here.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 For I am not ashamed to the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

Semper Reformanda

Our culture is constantly bombarding us with media. The question is,"How are we to navigate through our media-saturated culture in a Christ-like way?" Have we been captivated by the media all around us? Are we a slave to it, or do we use it to advance God's kingdom? Are we simply being entertained, or are we actually being edified? Is there too much media in our lives? Do we need to cut back on how much we use it? Are we constantly on guard against Satan's schemes, or do we shut our brains off and just relax when we turn on the computer, radio, or TV?

I really appreciated the message of Captivated, a wonderful film that caused me to evaluate the way I use media in my own life. Its message convicted me. I hope you take the time to watch Captivated. Do not just watch it, but evaluate your life and ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you need to make any changes in this area of your life. Semper reformanda is a Latin term that means "always reforming." Every area of our lives must be reformed to the glory of God. May we glorify God in our media choices; may we be conformed to the image of Christ; and may we never stop reforming!

 

Ashamed of the Gospel

I finished reading "Ashamed of the Gospel (When the Church Becomes Like the World)" by John MacArthur! It is an amazing book that I would recommend to anyone! I came away wishing there was more to read, and with a greater wealth of knowledge and passion for the purity of the Church and the gospel! This book deals with the pragmatism that has infected many churches. Many churches are so consumed with entertaining the goats, that they forget to feed the sheep. Not only this, but many pastors will dance around others feelings trying not to offend them. However, their job is not to make others feel comfortable but let them know the danger they are in and the hope that we have in Christ! If we do not tell others the danger they are in, they will not see their need for Christ. The gospel is offensive often, but that is what we are called to preach. This book is not only helpful for pastors, but all Christians. We are all called to share the gospel. The question is are we ashamed of it?

Great Worldview Resource

I learned so much from William J. Federer's DVDs  called Political Islam's War on the West! Mr. Federer gives a fascinating account of the history of Islam. I knew so little about the Islam before watching these! He teaches from a Christian perspective and contrasts the way of Mohammad with the way of Christ. If you know a Muslim and would like to understand them better, or if you'd just like to know more about Islam so that you will be able share the gospel with Muslims better, this would be a great starting point!

 This series is in an interview format, and Mr. Federer is very interesting to watch. If you are still under your parents authority, please have your parent's review it first, and get their permission first. You can also learn the information in this series from his book: What every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an- A History of Islam in the United States. (I have not read the book, but the series is based of the book.) I hope you take time to learn about the religion that has deceived so many. May God have mercy on the Muslims, and may He bring many to faith in Christ!

Wonderful Article!

I happened across a great article yesterday entitled "Keeping a Pure Conscience" by John MacArthur. It can be difficult to remain sensitive to our conscience in such a conscience numbing culture. We can easily get used to the wicked and depraved ways that surround us. Keeping a pure conscience is vital! Mr. MacArthur gives five keys to keeping your conscience sharp. I hope you take the time to read it! (To view this article, click HERE. )

Worthwhile

My last post was on standing in awe of God's creation and what He's done. This film will cause you to do just that!  "God of Wonders Exploring The Wonders Of Creation, Conscience, And The Glory Of God" is an eighty-five minute film that will amaze you! "God of Wonders" is a breathtaking tour of God's  creation wonders, visible and invisible, and the greatest wonder of all- His redeeming love!

Great Sermon!

I just read a great sermon online by John Piper. It was entitled: "Final Judgement: Eternal Life Vs. Wrath and Fury (Romans 1:28-2:11)" It was not full of fancy analogies, funny jokes, or cute stories, but it was full of wisdom. I appreciated his straight-forwardness and boldness.

1 Million Views in 22 Days!

Suprise! Surprise!

The news
   It was a casual Wednesday. I'd finished my studies, and I was at war once again with the tangles in my hair. Then Mommy called my name, so I came. She had a very interesting look on her face. Her smile and laugh portrayed that she had an enigmatic surprise. Perplexed, I asked "What is it?" She just kept laughing instead of replying. My suspense had heightened at this point, but I would never have even begun to speculate what  she was about to inform me of. Our dear friends, the Williams, had invited me to go to Kentucky with them to the Creation Science Museum!

   I'd been hoping to go to the museum ever since I'd heard of it. Upon receiving this announcement, I was thrilled! The decision to take this trip was very spontaneous! The Williams said they'd be arriving to pick  me up in about two hours, so I hastily packed for our five day trip.

Our First Stop
  On our way, we stopped at Mammoth Cave National Park and toured the cave. Of course we did not see all of it considering the fact that it spans hundreds of miles. We toured for two hours and still only saw a small fraction of the cave. Without our guide and without the lights in the cave we would be lost. For a few moments our guide turned off all the lights in the cave so that we could see just how dark it really was inside the cave. There was no light at all! It would be impossible to find your way around in the cave without lights. There were deep  pits and tiny passage ways. In many places crouching was necessary and in some places there were enormous rooms such as the Rotunda. God's word must be our guide and our light in this life. God's splendor was displayed in intricacies of the design of mammoth cave!

Memory Making
   Sleeping arrangements were quite comical. Anna Clair, Sarah Grace, and I all shared a queen sized bed one night. We decided to sleep horizontally on the bed so we'd have more room; our feet, however, hung off. I slept well every night because I was really tired, and we all enjoyed being together.

The Ride
   The car ride was pleasant and I enjoyed it! We watched videos on worldview, apologetics, and history. We had great conversations about politics, history, and religion. I learned a lot from their family just by traveling with them. It was in the car that we ate salt and vinegar flavored crickets, and I watched in disbelief as Anna Clair ate her lollipop with a real scorpion in it. We got lost a few times in Cincinnati, which was an adventure too.  I was glad that I wasn't responsible for getting us to the destination; I was just in for the ride. God should be in control of our lives. He never gets lost, but sometimes he takes our lives on a different course than we'd planned. This can be difficult if we're still trying to "drive"; there can be only one driver though. We just have to trust him and submit to his plans.

An Unexpected Visitor
One evening as we were eating our dinner, a man pulled up a chair and asked us about our modesty. We explained that we are Christians, and as Christians we value modesty, want to glorify God by the way we dress, and don't want to cause others to stumble. The way we dress sends others a message. In the same way that a Muslim  can easily be identified by his or her attire.

Leaving Bread Crumbs
We stayed in several hotels. Before we left, if I had time, I would gather all the towels, and remove the bedding and place it on the bed to make it easier for the maids to clean our room. I also left a tract for them. I wanted it to be obvious that a Christian had stayed. Leaving little acts of kindness is like leaving bread crumbs that lead the way to sharing the gospel.

The Museum
I greatly enjoyed the museum! It was very faith strengthening! There was so much to see and do! It dealt with a lot of the popular oppositions to the Christian faith, and "evidences" for evolution. I could have spent hours just looking at the books and resources in the gift shop! I would highly recommend this museum  to all people of all backgrounds. It simply lays out the evidence for God in creation, and shows why we can depend on God's word.

The Aquarium
We also visited the Newport Aquarium! It was amazing to see God's fingerprint and master craftsmanship in his creation that he made to inhabit the water! The creatures were so vibrant, elegant,  and intricate! I knew also that  I was only seeing a small fraction of his creation, and I was blown away! I enjoyed seeing yet another part of God's creation!

My Overall Thoughts
I was very grateful to the  Williams family for inviting me to join them. At each stop, I was able to observe, explore, and enjoy God's glorious creation, but how much more glorious is the Creator! I have rich memories and my faith was enriched! I know that everything God has planned for me is to conform me to his image. This was one of the more exciting and pleasant things that he used! God does use unpleasant things too. He is working all things together for the good of those who love God. I'm just excited to see what He is going to do next on this journey of becoming more like Christ.

 

Another Great Book!

"Shepherding a Child's Heart " by Tedd Tripp was an enlightening book! In our culture, parents often deal with children's behavior rather than the reasons for their behavior. Tedd Tripp addresses the heart issues behind children's behavior and explains how to Shepherd and guide a child's heart. Whether you are parent or not, this book is a must read.