What Is ‘Cool’?

In a study conducted last year, researchers examined the attitudes of 18,000 “tech-embracing” young people between the ages of 8 and 24 in 16 countries. They looked at 21 technologies which impact their lives including the Internet, cell phones, and television.

The study revealed that friends had the most influence on what study participants considered to be “cool.” Recommendations by friends were the greatest determining factor on what websites participants viewed and what videos they downloaded.

This eagerness to know what others thought is confirmed by the growth of social networking. According to the study, “Globally, the average young person connected to digital technology has 94 phone numbers in his or her mobile phone, 78 people on a messenger buddy list and 86 people in their social-networking community.” Throughout the teen years, these social lists expand dramatically.

Even though young people are increasingly turning to other technologies, television still is a dominant form of escape and entertainment. Why? Because TV helps them relate and form their values and attitudes.

This study opens our eyes to trends going on all around us. We see attitudes being shaped not by the Word of God, pastors, or parents, but by friends, TV programs, and websites. More than ever, it’s important to present young people with Godly role models and reach them through Christ-centered ministries like Steelroots and Biblically-based websites like inspiration.net.

Be sure that you are a living sacrifice, dedicated to serving God. Be an example to others. Help to reach people with the Gospel while there is still time.

“Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath, even a whirling tempest; it will swirl down on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart.” - Jeremiah 23:19-20 NASB

In 1929, as America entered a great economic depression, rain stopped falling throughout many of the Plains states. Excessive planting and grazing had left the topsoil depleted. Earth began blowing, and dust clouds swept across the prairie, often extending thousands of feet into the sky, rolling “like moving mountains.” Dust was everywhere, penetrating everything.

By May 1934, the drought covered more than 75 percent of the country. By the end of 1934, 100 million acres in crops had lost all or most of the topsoil. And, millions more would be lost in the coming months.

In his book on the “Dust Bowl,” Timothy Egan describes how many suffered from “dust pneumonia.” Often, people couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces. Animals were confused. “Cattle went blind and suffocated…horses ran madly against the storms.”

Yet, while millions suffered, many throughout the country and the world didn’t believe the accounts. It just didn’t seem possible. However, eyes were opened in May 1934 when a dust storm moved eastward, dropping twelve million tons of dust on Chicago. Even ships as far as three hundred miles off the Atlantic coast were blanketed with dust.

Finally, the rains came in 1939. But those who had been impacted by the drought were left devastated by the destruction of the dust storms.

The Bible promises that storms will come on the earth. This world is being changed and that means conflict.  There will be a time of judgment when God will call everyone to account for their lives to face the consequences of their actions. Yet many aren’t prepared, and many refuse to heed the warnings. Today, make sure you are ready. Dedicate your life to bringing the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

My daughter, Alisha, had fun with the camera as we were headed back from the Black Hill. (South Dakota).  It was a beautiful drive back.  The snow made the bad lands beautiful.  We had a great time.

SOS – Sick of Snow!!
 

Born on this day in 1583 in Delft, near the North Sea in modern-day Netherlands, Hugo Grotius demonstrated that he was a gifted writer, even as a child. When he was fifteen, he began studying law in Orléans, France. In 1601, he was appointed to an official position for the states of Holland and increasingly became involved in politics and government. His efforts included defending free access to the ocean for all nations.

However, because of his involvement in religious and political disputes, Grotius was arrested in 1618 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Three years later, hidden in a chest of books, he escaped, fleeing to Paris. In 1625, still in exile, he published his legal masterpiece, On the Law of War and Peace, which laid the foundations for international law.

For Grotius, law began with a belief in God and the Bible. He wrote, “Whatever God has shown to be his Will, that is Law.” No one could rule a kingdom, village, city, a family, or even oneself, without reason, and no one can be ruled by reason unless they can be “ruled by God, and (wholly) be obedient to Him.”

Today, many people seek to remove God from our political life and our laws. But as Hugo Grotius knew and the Bible reminds us, if we want to be successful, we need to live according to God’s Word.

Make sure that you base your life on the Bible and put His Word into practice. Don’t compromise. Pray for our leaders. Pray for revival in our country and the world.

Spiritual Warfare

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” - Ephesians 6:10-12 NASB

Born on this day in 1336, in what today is Uzbekistan, Temur (or Timur) came from humble origins. Suffering a crippling injury in his youth, he became known as Temur the Lame, or “Tamerlane.” He began his rise to prominence as leader of a small band of nomads. About 1370, he proclaimed himself the sovereign of the region, with a goal of restoring the Mongol empire.

Temur conquered by terror, his armies moving with lightning speed, demanding his foes to submit or face annihilation. Gradually his power base expanded. From his base in Samarkand, to the east, he conquered Persia, invaded India, and menaced China. To the west, he fought the Turks and then threatened Europe. Initially, even though his kingdom had grown through ruthless conquests, few Europeans had heard of him or taken him seriously.

As they began to realize the danger Temur posed, many woke up, fearing that they were too late and his victory was inevitable. But Temur became distracted to the east and died in 1405 before he could launch a serious assault. Europe was spared. Yet Temur remains a hero to many Muslims as a man who was defiant and determined, who demanded absolute submission and tolerated no compromise.

Today, we face a real spiritual enemy who is even more defiant, crafty and deceitful, powerful and determined to destroy. Make sure that you take him seriously. Resist him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Be strong in the Lord. Put on the full armor of God.

“He’s just …” There wasn’t anything about Jesus’ early life that attracted the attention and fascination of his fellow townspeople. They expected nothing great of him. He was just another kid from their town.

They knew his family and they expected no great thing out of him. So they were offended by actions that captured the hearts of other people and they refused to believe what so many called compelling evidence of his divinity. Despite thousands of years of witnesses, the faith of many in the scientific community, and the testimony of close friends, many today refuse to believe. For some, the problem is pride. For others, it is a lifestyle they don’t want to change. For others, it is a lack of interest. For others, there are some intellectual hangups.

But underneath it all, there is a refusal to believe … a refusal to seek after something that they can’t identify or analyze with empirical investigation. So which are you, one who refuses to believe and denies faith or one who seeks after truth and finds faith?

I’m headed to Rapid City, SD for a BGMC Appreciation Banquet.  My daughter Alisha is going with me.  It’ll be fun.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 5:1 NASB

On a recent “Muslim Journey to Hope” program, a former Muslim related that, in his youth, he was so devout his family followed his example and became “quite religious.” He prayed, read the Koran, and bought many books to help him understand the religion. But he still wasn’t content and “didn’t have the assurance” he was going to Heaven. He dreamed “about the day of judgment” and knew he wasn’t ready. He “tried to be a good person,” but there was “something missing.” He just “couldn’t feel peace.”

Then he met a Christian woman who told him what a difference Jesus made in her life. He started reading the Bible she gave him, initially just to improve his English. As he had questions, the woman prayed with him. He began experiencing “a tremendous change…I could feel God. I could feel someone there listening to me.” He learned that Jesus died for his sins and that he would go to Heaven if he accepted Him as his Savior.

He started going to church and heard how Jesus is humble and gentle and how He carries our burdens. One Sunday, the man went forward, prayed with the pastor, and accepted Jesus. He remembers so vividly, “It was just a very beautiful experience. I can never forget the joy I felt. Jesus really changed my life.” For the first time, he felt really free. He had peace and the assurance that he was going to Heaven.

Today, as this former Muslim learned, “There is no peace apart from Jesus.” He “is the only way.”

Make sure your life is right with the Lord and that you have peace. Spend time with Him. Let Him change you. Dedicate your life to helping others know the Good News.

(Again sorry if I don’t respond – I have an extemely slow computer – until I get a new one.)

Free in Christ

“Put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” - Colossians 3:10-11 NASB

Booker T. Washington was born on this day in 1856 in a slave hut in Franklin County, Virginia. After slaves were emancipated, his family moved to Malden, West Virginia to try to escape abject poverty. Unable to afford school, he began working when he was nine, first in a salt furnace and later in a coal mine. Determined to get an education, he enrolled at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia, walking the 500 miles to the campus. A few years after his graduation, he joined the institute’s staff.

Washington achieved a breakthrough in 1881, when he was selected to head a newly established school in Alabama, which later became known as the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. Under his leadership, this became a respected institution, providing thousands of African-Americans with a first-rate education. Washington was influential in helping countless people to realize their God-given potential.

Careful to give praise to God, Washington found strength in his Christian faith. In 1895, he told an Atlanta audience about the importance of prayer, saying, “I make it a rule never to go before an audience…without asking the blessing of God upon what I want to say.” As a man who overcame overwhelming obstacles, he demonstrated that miracles could take place-for anyone.

Today, no matter what your background or the obstacles you face, remember that you are free through what Jesus has done for you. Seek to be an example to others. Live for Him. And remember: With God, all things are possible.

The Great Power of God

“When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.” - Exodus 14:31

Each year, millions of people worldwide hear performances of “The Messiah,” by George Frederick Handel. However, many don’t realize that this was but one of several works Handel wrote on Biblical themes. Another of his most powerful oratorios was “Israel in Egypt,” which premiered in London on this day in 1739.

As with “The Messiah,” the words were compiled by Charles Jennens, a literary scholar and editor, who adapted the words from Exodus and several Psalms. Initially, many listeners seemed bothered by the number of pieces Handel had written for chorus, as they expected more operatic solos. But succeeding generations realized that Handel had written a masterpiece.

Through music and words, Handel tried to recreate the background, trials, and obstacles faced by the Jews during their exile in Egypt. He vividly portrayed the message that God gave to Moses and his confrontations with Pharaoh. We feel the agony of their struggles, and we experience the plagues. We join the Israelites in jubilant praise as God delivers them and brings salvation and freedom.

A key moment takes place at the end of the first part of the oratorio when the chorus proclaims the great words, as the children of Israel “believed the Lord and his servant Moses.”

Handel endeavored to depict through music and words the great power that God displayed and the overwhelming miracles that took place when His people believed that He could deliver them. They realized that, with God, nothing was impossible.

Today, God still is at work, and His miracle-working power is still available. It’s available for you! Ask Him for the miracles you need and have faith…do not doubt. Believe!

NASA reschedules shuttle launch date

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) — The U.S. space agency has announced a new launch date for space shuttle Discovery and its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration controllers said the re-scheduling of the May 25 launch to 5:01 p.m. EDT May 31 was necessitated by a delay in the shipment of the shuttle’s external fuel tank.

The shipment of the tank from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was delayed by weather. Additionally, NASA said the rescheduling avoids having the launch team work through the Memorial Day weekend.

Discovery’s STS-124 mission — NASA’s 26th flight to the ISS — is the second of three flights that will deliver components to complete the Japan space agency’s Kibo laboratory that will be the space station’s largest science laboratory, measuring 37 feet long and 14 feet in diameter. The shuttle also will deliver the lab’s robotic arm system that support operations outside of Kibo. The lab’s logistics module, which was installed in a temporary location during STS-123 in March, will be attached to the new lab. 

Love

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” - John 3:16-17 NASB

On a recent episode of “A Muslim Journey to Hope,” a man named Emrah, who grew up in Turkey, described how his devout Muslim parents sent him to a Catholic school because they had seen corruption and “bad behavior” in the public schools. There, in the Catholic school, he had his “first exposure to Christ.”

In the beginning, Emrah was just curious. Then a friend shared Jesus with him, warning, “If you don’t receive Christ as your Savior, you will go to hell!” Emrah became angry, abusing his friend verbally and even physically. Finally, realizing that religion was driving a wedge between their friendship, Emrah proposed a truce. But his friend relented and explained to Emrah that he felt compelled to tell him the Truth. His friend desperately wanted Emrah to know how much God loved him.

Emrah simply couldn’t forget his friend’s words and later asked more questions. He “started questioning who this Jesus person really was.” He heard Jesus could change hearts and lives and realized that this was what he needed.

Finally, one day he got on his knees and prayed, “Okay, Jesus, if You are real and if You can really change hearts the way people say You can, then You can really change my life. I want You to do this.” From that moment, his life changed. Only later, Emrah learned that many people had been praying for him. Now he wants to tell everyone about God’s love and what Jesus can do for them.

Today, millions of people need to know this same love, this same Savior. He loved us so much that He died for us. Share your testimony, and live your life so that others might know the Truth.