When I was a young teen I got myself in some trouble and even spent one very long day in jail. I admit there are a lot of people who would look at one day as some pretty light time for stealing, but being locked up even for a few minutes can be a life-changing experience. It sure was for me! For years I remember applying for jobs and having to indicate on applications that I had a criminal record. When I went into the military I actually had to get a waiver just to have them consider allowing me to enlist. Until I turned 23 my "sins" were available for anyone in law enforcement to pull up on the screen. It was a terrible feeling. On a spiritual note, for about 25 years I always felt like I had a criminal record with God--that He would never even consider allowing me to "apply" for entrance into His presence. And then I learned that we all--every human on earth--also has a criminal record with God. And along with it, I learned that through Christ, the Father is ever ready to erase it from His memory. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 26:28)  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

How important are you in your school, sports team, or other group? Are you one of those people who are immediately the most valuable player, or are you one who has to struggle for any recognition at all? As sad as it may seem, there are teens who take their own lives each day because they don't feel like they fit in--that they are somehow less important or valuable than those around them. On the other side of the coin, there are teens that always seem to find ways to point out just how valuable they are. Some of them never seem to shut up about how good they are at this or that! Either extreme is wrong from a biblical perspective. We ARE valuable, because God made us and gifted us with talents and abilities to serve Him and others. Because we each are incredibly valuable in our own right, we don't need to be prideful about it. The truth is that many of the people who talk endlessly about their worth are the ones that doubt it the most. Practically everything they do is in an effort to convince themselves. So, no matter what everyone else says about you and no matter what you may think about yourself, you are an incredible work of art! God says so, and that's all that matters! With that settled, spend the time you once spent on that subject investigating what He wants you to do with the life He gave you! "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 10:29-31) the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men." Matthew 9:8 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

A good friend wrote me about a concern he has about his church body. It seems they get real excited about the worship band and other musical events, but he wonders if the applause is for the musicians or for the Lord. Frankly, I believe it's OK to praise God for the talents and abilities of the musicians and for their service to the Body, but my friend is probably correct in his concern. I've been in many churches and believe that most of the applause is not aimed at the Lord (as in a big "Amen!"), but rather toward the musicians who are there to serve the Lord. Honestly, we hold them in much higher esteem than we should, i.e., not for their service to the Lord, but because our culture worships musicians! We have several biblical examples where apostles and prophets of the Lord worked miracles and then were presented with payment. They always refused the payment or the praise and reflected the credit toward God. Many musicians I know do exactly that--reflect the praise toward God. But, as worshippers, we need to be sure to aim it there in the first place! "When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men." Matthew 9:8 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Have you ever tried to comfort someone and had them cry those words on your shoulder? Have you ever spoken those words in a tearful slobber? I've done both, because life just isn't fair at times! People are wicked to each other, and frankly, few seem to care! Oftentimes, even those who care don't seem like they've really ever been through the same things you've been through. How could they really understand unless they've been there? We can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus lived through every type of pain possible, and did it all without striking back at His oppressors. He too cried, but not for Himself. He cried for those who would murder Him, and for those who needed comfort. There is nothing man or beast can do to you that Jesus cannot understand. "I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor? The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread." Isaiah 51:12-14 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Some of the most on-fire Christians I know are teenagers. The Lord has preserved a large number of young people who call on His name regardless of what everyone else is doing. The Lord always does that, but my question for today is "What IS everyone else doing?" From my vantage point I see three camps. Many young people see no God but themselves. They ignore every message from Him in honor of what they would rather be doing. Another group is lost in church, but the meaning and the Holy Spirit are missing from their congregations. They hate church, and they are left wanting and wondering. The last group is a large and growing group that's begun taking up what many a nation of young people have taken up before--New Age (or should we call it "old age" remixed) religions. This group is probably the most dangerous of the lot, because at least the other two groups know they're not "down with the Lord!" Satan's lies work well on this last group because their hearts have been grabbed by things taught by demons. "They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled--do not forgive them." Isaiah 2:6b-9 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

If there's a biblical word that's not used much any more but that is still quite applicable in the world today, it's got to be "haughty." Often the Lord describes sinful people as having haughty spirits or a haughty nature. Stiff-necked is also a similar phrase that brings an immediate word picture to mind. At the most root level, haughty means being prideful and vain. All sin comes from a prideful and vain approach to life. Is it any wonder God had such a problem with it? There's nothing He can do for such a person--they're they last people to acknowledge either Him or their need for Him. So what does a person who thinks they may be guilty of such a sin do? They go to the cross and remember what the Lord has done for them. They remember who they really are without Him and how sinful they are. Self-inspection with the aide of the Holy Spirit will do much to aide in putting a haughty spirit to death. I'm reminded what a pastor friend of mine said just this week, "If a dog is biting my son, I'm not just going to go over there and tell it to stop! I'm going to kill that dog!" Putting make-up and perfume on a haughty spirit would be like scolding that dog. Put it to sleep--permanently. Then wait and see what you're God can do through you! "You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low." 2 Samuel 22:28 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

To a lot of young people, drinking as much alcohol as possible is just plain sport. It's fun to try to out drink your friends and still "maintain". Of course, many a young person who decides to drink to excess will be the old person of tomorrow with DUI arrests, liver problems, and all the other things that can come along with drinking. All that, plus God isn't happy about it either! Hmmmm... You think it's worth it? "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine." Isaiah 5:11 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks," Isaiah 5:22 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I hated to do it, but I kind of had to scold a young woman in front of a Bible study group today. She chose to say something unfitting about her parents in front of the group, and when I tried to stop her, she added "Anyway my older brother's a strong Christian and he completely agrees that they are jerks!" Since she chose the time and the place, I didn't feel like I had any choice. My response: "You are not honoring your parents with that kind of talk, and if your brother is bad-mouthing your parents to you, he's not half the Christian he thinks he is." You may not always agree with your parents, and in fact there will be hundreds of times when you don't agree with them at all. This fact does not give you the right to disregard the Lord's command to honor your mother and father. Tell them you disagree. Pray for yourself and for them. If necessary, talk to a pastor or youth leader about the issues in private. But never, never, speak ill of your mother and father in front of others. It does not honor them and it does not honor God. "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Colossians 3:20 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate