"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 My take on how the world works requires a simple man's understanding. In a ministry where a lot of people ask me questions and want God's answers, I need to be able to break things down to their root as quickly as possible and without later having to cower before my Lord. Basically, my understanding of the world and our place in it goes something like this. Either people are for themselves, or they are for God (and through Him, for others). When I approach the big questions of ministry, the Bible, the cosmos, etc., I weigh them with simple things I know to be true from God's word. Here's an example from a father just today. Question: Why don't my children want to pray? Answer: They don't believe it's valuable? That answer bears another question: Why don't they believe it's valuable? Answer: Because they are blinded to God's truths? Question: How did they become blind? (Especially, since only someone who says they believe in God would even consider prayer). Answer: they were born blinded by sin, and although they may have a relationship with God on some level, the god of this world (Satan) has blinded them; enticing them with worldly and personal pleasures and comforts so that they can no longer see the truth. Analysis: Someone who does not value prayer is either unsaved, or saved and subsequently led astray by the enemy. I know that was ultra simple, but maybe my simple approach to big questions will help you, too. All you need is a basic understanding of Biblical truths (that comes from reading the Bible, Bible study in church & with others, believing on the Lord Jesus, and praying to Him earnestly). It's also a must to be involved in a solid Bible-believing church where you can learn and serve (and so that you've got someone to bounce things off of when they don't make sense). At any rate, you are needed in the Lord's Army, but He needs you to be in training! I spend far too many hours explaining basic Bible truths to people who've been professing Christians for years upon years--It's time to get moving people! Take it one verse at a time. "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!" Hebrews 5:12  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

There are a fair amount of poor people in the Western World, but even the poorest are generally better off than many of the third and fourth world nations around the globe. If you find yourself among the poorest, then be generous with what you have when you have it. If you find yourself among the most wealthy of the world (in monetary terms), then be generous with what you have. Just like a child who screams "mine" when someone else is thirsty, selfishness is ugly--clear to the core! "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE!" 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (Emphasis mine)  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Although my children may not understand it when they are young, I have a God-given responsibility to teach them His ways and to discipline them with love and truth. Surely my two year-old doesn't understand that "time out" is good for him in the long run, nor does my eight year-old appreciate that going to bed without dinner is building her character, but those acts (although appearing to be cruel at the moment) are acts of intense love. The Scriptures actually say that if I fail to discipline my children, I hate them (Proverbs 13:24). Likewise, our God disciplines us when we need it (which is often!). What we may think is a long run of bad luck may be God trying to break through our Spiritual blindness. The interesting thing about spiritual blindness is (to quote Pastor Paul Tripp, PhD whom I recently saw on video), "the one who's blind doesn't know it!" In the Scripture below, try to see God's love as you read the accounts of His discipline of Israel. (Amos 4 6-12) 6 "I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. 7 "I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up. 8 People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. 9 "Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, I struck them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. 10 "I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. 11 "I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. 12 "Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Working with young people can give you a whole new perspective on foul language. Sometimes the way they speak to one another has actually caused me to cry. And, although I often used mean, hateful and even dirty words when I was a teen, I never realized just how bad they sounded until I gave my life to Christ. He's still got plenty of work to do in my heart, but I can safely say that my language comes from a whole different perspective now. That new perspective has allowed me to work with others who have the same struggle, showing them that it's not "just they way they are" as they often will suggest, but actually it's just the way their heart is without Jesus! "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out to the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I'll readily admit that being in the U.S. Military for more than 20 years might have given me more of an appreciation for discipline, but the truth is that discipline is not learned in the military. It is learned as a young child, and it is carried into life. Many parents today have given in to athe well-intentioned but absolutely wrong idea that teaching a child through "discipline" (meaning to teach, or to disciple) is somehow wrong. I even received angry mail this week when I suggested in one of my devotionals that I might (although I never have) send one of my children to bed without dinner to teach them something. Maybe I should put it this way. Either a parent teaches a child a healthy respect for rules and laws or society will. What's worse, either they have a respect for God (and His desires) in this life, or they'll pay an even worse price. Frankly, I'd rather my children learned it from me. After all, God clearly placed that mantle of responsibility on the shoulders of parents. So, if your parents discipline you (in love and in truth), then you can thank God for them. They love you! "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death." Proverbs 23:13-14  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

"She [or he] obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does not draw near to her God." Zephaniah 3:2 Still struggling with the same little sins? Submit yourself to God! Still struggling with the same big sins? Draw near to God. Still having trouble controlling your words, your attitudes, and your flagrant disregard for others you know you should love? Self-help programs just won't work. Being closer to your Maker is the only answer! The problem is not that you have drawn too close to Jesus, but that you, like many before you, have fallen into Satan's pride trap! If you draw near to God, He will help you with every struggle--including the one you're in right now! Let go, and let God. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:7-10  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Divisions among church folks don't just happen among adults, they quite often happen in youth groups as well. Divisions among brothers and sisters in Christ will happen for what appears to be a litany of reasons, but when you boil it all down it will come down to the same thing every time. Someone is prideful and judgmental. Often it will be more than just one person, and probably even more than two. When groups of people seem to be aiming arrows at each other instead of at the enemy, you can be sure the enemy is hard at work in hearts everywhere! Friends, the church we belong to is also known as the Bride of Christ. Jesus doesn't like it when we smear mud on his bride! "And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:21  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

There are at least a few hundred different ways to approach Christianity, but I would like to highlight three I often see. The first is the church-goer who doesn't bring a bible to church, has no real interest in moving forward in his/her faith, and who probably doesn't even know the Lord. The second is the person who studies the Scriptures, takes copious notes during services, can argue just about any theological point, but never really seems to reflect much of the character of Christ. And the third is the person who I'll call the "disciple of Christ." They are actively engaged in the practice of Christianity, always learning, but also doing what the Scriptures command each and every day. When it comes to the a true and active faith, the "observer" and the "learner" are left out in the cold. Jesus is looking for disciples, plain and simple. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 6:46) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate