Worship and Study

Part 6 of 6

Obviously, one of the primary reasons universities exist is to develop the mind. But we will never truly understand the importance and value of higher education until we grasp two principles of faith. First, academic study is a spiritual discipline. It strengthens the mind, just as other disciplines (like fasting and prayer) strengthen other aspects of our being. It helps shape us into the image of Christ. It is not something we do as an afterthought the night before an exam, or as a filler when we are bored and can't find anything better to do. No, scholarship is a high and joyous purpose, because the pursuit of truth is a joyful and sacred journey, and it deserves the very best we can give it.

And second, learning is an offering and a form of worship. Imagine two students meeting on the sidewalk. One is holding a Bible, and is on the way to a Bible study. The other is holding a history textbook, and is on the way to the library. Can you understand that both students are on their way to worship God? I can praise and glorify God in reading an anthology of literature, or solving a difficult math problem. God is both the source of truth and the path into truth. In the simple act of studying the world, then, we ascribe worth to the Creator, which is the very definition of the word "worship." If you are like me, sometimes you wonder if you have anything at all that is truly worth giving to God. When the offering plate is put in front of you, your pockets feel empty. May I suggest that one of the greatest offerings you can ever give to God is your intelligence?

God in His sovereign grace has brought you to here. Do not miss this fundamental truth: attending Simpson is not just preparation for good thing later; it is a good thing in itself. It is a season of your life. Of course education is a lifelong process, but this is the purest setting you will ever have for focusing simply on learning, on acquiring facts, knowledge and intellectual skills. So let God be the Lord of this season.

God is worthy of everything you have. Worship him by learning; love Him with your whole mind.
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The Power of Education

Part 5 of 6

But there is and even broader truth behind the Great Commandment. We often think of the human mind strictly in terms of the individual. In other words, most of us only care about our own minds, and perhaps those of our friends, but not the minds of the billions of people on the earth. To be so narrow in outlook is to miss one of the most significant points of all to be co-creators, to steward the earth's resources, to apply our minds to solving problems. Human potential is a vast God-given planetary resource, and imagine what the world would be like if every single human was developed to his or her full potential.

The fact we can only imagine such a world, and do not actually see it, is witness to the monumental impact of sin. Human potential is clearly not operating at 100 percent of capacity in this fallen world. Instead, it is seriously underdeveloped, and this has always been the case. There are many reasons for this, including poverty, oppression, racism, laziness, drug abuse, inadequate education, and selfishness. It must grieve God to see the waste of his good gift!

Developing human potential, then, both in ourselves and in others is the call and duty of everyone who wants to be a steward in the Kingdom. And higher education is one of the best means we have to unlock this vast resource.
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What Would Jesus Think?

Part 4 of 6

Everyone of us can identify individuals whom we consider to be role models of intelligence. Perhaps it is a professor, or an author you have read. A frequent theme of our hymns and choruses is wanting to be like Jesus. We think of Jesus as a master teacher, a model leader, a true servant. But have you ever thought of Jesus as an intellectual? He was literate, he was an orator and storyteller. When he preached, he used illustrations from the natural and social world. He studied the ancient Scriptures. He debated with the religious leader, using historical texts and logical arguments. In fact, the passage we heard from Mark 12 is an excellent example of Jesus at his intellectual best. If we love God and want to be like him, then, we need to have the mind of Christ, to think after his thoughts, in other words, to think like a Christian.

I love the phrase "What would Jesus do?" While it may have been trivialized through overuse, it helps to guide my behavior and determine my priorities,. But here is another phrase to consider: "What would Jesus think?" ...about advertising, or 19th century philosophy, or voting, or global warming, or Islamic extremism? Christ want us to visualize the world through his eyes and his intellect, and through the lens of Scripture and faith. This, too, is what it means to love God with your mind.

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The Whole Person

Part 3 of 6

So the human mind is a central aspect of our identity in Christ, and part of what makes us the integrated beings we were designed to be. The truth behind "the Great Commandment" is that we are made as whole persons, body, mind and spirit. We simply cannot be effective if any of these elements are ignored or undeveloped.

Consider basketball: to play well you must be physically well conditioned. You must have skills important to the game, such as jumping ability and eye/hand coordination. And you also need analytical skills, to understand the structure of the game, and its strategies. One cannot excel in basketball unless all of these skills are well developed and working together. Imagine a player who has great endurance, but can't dribble or handle the ball well; or a player with a solid understanding of the game and strong skills, but who is out of shape physically. Neither athlete is likely to make a lasting contribution to the team.

Unless our potential is fully developed, then, with all component parts working together, we will never achieve maximum impact in sports or any other endeavor. This applies to the life of the mind, too. The full value of our minds can only be realized through disciplined learning. We can't hold back some parts of our intelligence from the control of the Spirit Nor can we use our minds only some of the time, or only in those areas where it is easy to do so. Higher education is tough work, but nobody said serving God would be easy.

Returning again to Mark 12, note the important modifiers in the commandment about our minds. Christ said to love God with ALL your mind, not just part of it; and to love God with all YOUR mind, not someone else's. In other words, think fully, and think for yourself; in so doing, you will be expressing your love for God.
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The Importance of the Mind

Part 2 of 6

But how important is it, really, to develop our minds? Does a Christian need a sharp intellect to serve God? No; even a child can serve God. But consider the automobile: how can a car run efficiently on an engine that is badly tuned, or composed of inferior parts, or not large and powerful enough for the chassis? Or how can a computer operate properly when its memory is insufficient to run the software?
The mind is a wonderful and powerful tool, by far the most important one we posses. We use it to navigate through daily life, to form opinions, to draw conclusions and solve problems. And as we use our minds, a remarkable thing happens: our character is being shaped. Learning makes us certain kinds of persons. What we read, and talk about, and think about, forms who we are. In the company of great truths, and rigorous intellectual pursuit, we flourish.
John Calvin once said, "The mind of man, though fallen and perverted from its wholeness, is nevertheless clothed and ornamented with God's excellent gifts." The mind is a gift; and like every other such gift, it is from God; it is good; it is to be fully developed; and it is to be used in service. In Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman and his servants. The point of this disturbing story, as described in verse 26, is clear: those who develop their gifts please the master, and those who ignore or bury their gifts will have them taken away. So we are dealing with a very serious issue.
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What Does It Mean to Love God With Our Minds?

Part 1 of 6.

It is not
too hard
to under-
stand most
of this passage.
To love God
with our
whole heart
(kardia) means
to have no
idols, no
wavering, no affairs with other gods; in other words, total captivation to Him. To love God with our soul (psuche) means with our entire being, our whole person. And to love God with our strength (ischus) means to serve without growing weary or giving up, holding nothing back. But, what does it mean to love God with dianoia (our mind, our intellect)? What is "intellectual love" for God?

In his book Reaching for the Invisible God, Phillip Yancey tells the story of Frank Laubach, the man who founded the modern literacy movement. His lifetime goal was to think continuously about Jesus. Yancey describes how he practiced this discipline with increasing success, keeping a log of how often he thought about God. He gradually got to the point where on his best days, he thought about God every few seconds. But is this what the passage means? Do we "love God" by thinking about Him?

Unfortunately, many Christians think that our intelligence is somehow not honoring to God. Intellectual activity is seen as being "worldly," and an intellectually strong person cannot possibly be spiritually strong. As a result of this serious error, some Christians do not even try to develop their minds, defaulting instead to simplistic thinking and emotionalism. This is a dangerous posture to take, and it creates a poor testimony: non-believers assume that to be a Christian one has to give up thinking, and when they hear us using God's name, they assume we are either praying or preaching. There is double sin at work here: to be against intellectual activity is an insult to God, since our gifts and abilities all come from him; and it is poor stewardship to not develop and use every gift we have by His grace. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, commenting on Jesus' teaching that we will never enter the kingdom of God unless we become like little children, said: "Christ never meant that we were to remain children in intelligence: on the contrary...He wants a child's heart, but a grown-up's head."

To love God with our mind, then, means to love God by thinking. The human mind is a good gift from the Creator. To think is a godly thing to do.
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What About Prophecy?

Predictions! Which do you trust? The weather report? Tabloid headlines? Whether silly or serious, predictions are intriguing. Why? Because our knowledge of events is normally restricted to the past and present. The future is a mystery.
Prophecy isn't prediction Prophecy is divine communication, the revelation of God's truth. Some Bible prophecies contain predictions which fall into four categories: fulfilled in the past, fulfilled in the present, fulfilled in the future, and dual fulfillment (partial fulfillment with more yet to come).

THE "LAST THINGS"
Eschatology is the "study of last things," events which have to do with the end of human history. Since earlier predictions have been fulfilled with astounding accuracy, the remainder seem certain (2 Peter 1:19-21). Prophecy has been called, "history written before it happened" because God knows "the end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46:10).

A PROPHETIC CALENDAR
The prophecy of Daniel contains a time-line of prophetic events. Within the framework of "seventy sevens," an outline of history moves toward the fulfillment of all "vision and prophecy" (Daniel 9:24-27). This time-line depicts a succession of world governments up to God's eternal kingdom under "Messiah the Prince" (Daniel 7:13-14). But the time-line is broken by a space Jesus called the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 24:21) during which salvation is offered to the world (see Romans 9-11, especially 11:25). When the time-line resumes, God will return His favor to Israel and history will quickly come to a close. When Israel became a nation in 1948, many people felt it marked the beginning of the last period of history.

END TIME EVENTS
The Great Tribulation. The Old Testament refers to a final "judgment day" bringing an end to evil but, also salvation to God's people ("The Day of the Lord," Joel 3:14-17). Though judgment days occurred in history (Isaiah 13:6,9) an ultimate day became a central theme. During this day of darkness and disaster (Ezekiel 30:3; Amos 5:18-20), described by Jesus as "great tribulation" (Matthew 24; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 6-13 & 15-18), the whole world suffers and God's people are severely persecuted. Another feature of this time is widespread deception (Matthew 24:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:3), culminating in a blasphemy called "the abomination of desolation" - a shrine to the evil world leader, or "Antichrist" (Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).
The Rapture. Christians who are alive when Jesus returns will be "caught up" to meet Him "in the clouds" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is a sudden event and instant transformation (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Philippians 3:20-21). Much speculation shrouds the "rapture" and there's debate among Christians as to when it will occur. Biblical evidence supports a "pre-tribulation" rapture.
The Return of Christ. Jesus' promise to return for His followers is the New Testament hope (John 14:3; Acts 1:9-11; etc.). This is His parousia ("coming" like the arrival of a king), apokalupsis ("unveiling, "Revalation 1:7), and epiphania ("appearing" in which He "shrines forth," 2 Thessalonians 2:8). It is also the day of resurrection for all believers (1 Corinthians 15:21-23) and judgment on unbelievers (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
The Millennium. When Jesus returns He will begin a thousand-year reign. The earth will be a paradise without violence or sorrow. At the end of the millennium sin resumes briefly, and then is abolished forever. (Revelation 20:1-10).
The Judgment. At the end of time, all humanity appers in God's court (Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who know Jesus as their Savior are listed in His "Book of Life," but the actions of everyone else are found in His "books" (Revelation 20:12). Though believers in Jesus escape judgment, the quality of work is tested (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

APPLICATION TO OUR LIVES
When studying prophecy, it's easy to misuse and misinterpret scripture. Too often people believe they've found a match between predictions and specific, current events. We shouldn't be dogmatic about our discoveries and we shouldn't exploit the fear people feel when hearing about these things for the first time. Christians need to be humble; there's more to the end times that we don't know than what we do know.
Peter asked, "What kind of people ought you to be, "knowing the world will come to and end? He answers, "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God..."(2 Peter 3:11-12). This is the message of prophecy: worship God (Revelation 19:10), live "upright and godly lives in this present age: (Titus 2:11-14), and keep watching for Jesus'return (Matthew 24:42-44).
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What About Baptism?

Water. We drink it, cook with it, swim in it, and bathe in it. We also use it in a Christian ritual; Baptism. But the value of water in Baptism is in symbol, not substance.



BAPTISM IS A SPIRITUAL RITE-OF-PASSAGE
Spiritual life involves constant progress. That is marked by transitions from one level of faith to another. Baptism is the mark of our most important transition.
The ritual of Baptism duplicates the model of Jesus Christ when He was crucified, buried, and returned to life. When Christ rose, His body was different than before. He was free from the limitations and pain of mortality. This is the transition from death to life.
The Christian life follows His pattern. We "sacrifice" our lives by giving them to God. Our old lives, with their wrong actions and evil desires, are "buried." God then gives us a new life, inspired and energized by His Spirit. Baptism represents this three-stage process. We believe in Jesus and join Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is our rite-of-passage into the Christian life.
If we're willing to be baptized, we're ready for the sacrifices and joy of following Jesus.

THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Something happens in baptism we cannot see or control. It is the invisible work of God's Spirit in the person being baptized. We tend to exaggerate the external rite of Baptism and miss the more important spiritual part.
Baptism is a physical act, but isn't "magic." When people of genuine faith are baptized as and act of obedience to Jesus, they are "initiated" into the Church, God's spiritual community on earth (1 Corinthians 12:13). Their Baptism becomes a powerful witness of God's forgiveness, the end of their old life, and the beginning of their new life in Christ.

THE PHYSICAL RITUAL
The act of Baptism involves being submerged in water - or sometimes sprinkled - to symbolize the death, burial, and resurrection which we share with Christ (Romans 6:3-7). As the person being baptized is immersed, the minister pronounces the words, "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." In this way we "act out" our new allegiance to God and identify ourselves with His people.

WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
Every Christian needs to be baptized and should try to make it one of their first spiritual acts. (Matthew 28:19) The rest of our Christian life depends on our willingness to obey Jesus and go with Him through death into new life.
Jesus commands us to be baptized because He wants to mark us as His own, fill us with His Spirit, make us members of His church, and have us grow in God.

BAPTISM IS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
Jesus does something special for you in Baptism by recognizing a point in time when you leave the old life and enter the new. Through Baptism He brings you another step closer to God's design for you.
Our church celebrates Baptism as an act of worship. The whole church is involved. We sin pray, and seek to draw close to God. When you're being baptized, it's good to know God is near and, on the other side of your Baptism, the church welcomes you into a more complete, Christ-ordered life.
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Monsoon Floods

September 15, 2006 GFA Responds to Floods Archives My Account 211,000 Subscribed. Last month I sent you an urgent message asking for prayer for the victims of the monsoon floods that have ravaged vast regions of India. Today I write to you to let you know that the rains have continued and many more lives have been lost and entire villages destroyed—yet in the midst of it all, our GFA Compassion Services missionaries and volunteers are sharing the love of Christ in real and dramatic ways. I encourage you to read the stories from India that will not only give you "the big picture" of how these unprecedented floods are bringing much destruction to India, but also how our missionaries and pastors are serving others, even when they themselves have been impacted by the raging waters. And when you do read the stories and see the pictures, please pray for the missionaries, their families, and those they are serving so sacrificially in the name of Jesus. Yours for the lost in Asia,K.P. Yohannan Founder & PresidentGospel for Asia
P.S. Any gift you can make to GFA Compassion Services will help us bring the Good News of Jesus to these suffering men, women and children.
About Gospel for Asia: learn more about GFA.

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What About Prayer?

A twelve year old boy decided he didn't like the way the postal service handled his mail, so he wrote a letter to his congressman. He was shocked when two federal agents showed up at his door! He didn't know his letter had such power. Most Christians have never guessed the tremendous power they have when they touch God through prayer.
THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND PRAYER
Prayer is a spiritual conversation. Our prayers aren't helped by making them sound religious or eloquent. Prayer is a
conversation, we speak and listen. Through prayer we reach God, who can change our lives and circumstances. That's why people pray.
CONFESSION
The first prayer we need to learn is confession. Wrong actions create blockages in our prayer life. We confess our sin to be rid of it. Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The Bible assures us of forgiveness if we confess our sin to God. We also confess weaknesses and the tendency to sin. God transforms our attitude and behavior to promote our spiritual development.
PETITION
A petition is a request for yourself. It covers basic needs. Through petition we ask God for help in all the affairs of our lives. No request is too small. God would rather have you relying on Him for everything, than not trusting Him for anything. Jesus taught us to make our requests "in His name." He provides us access to God. He is the "one Mediator" between God and humans.
INTERCESSION
Intercession is a request for someone else. We are able to help people by praying for their physical, emotional, or spiritual well-being. We can pray nearby or from miles away. We're to pray for Christian leaders too, and members of the church, so their lives will be always oriented to Jesus. The secret of intercession is to pray as seriously and energetically for someone else as you do for yourself.
PRAISE
Praise is an acknowledgement of God's goodness, greatness, and "loving kindness." The Bible tells us to give God thanks for everything. And it is very important to thank God when He's answered your prayers.
FRIENDLY CONVERSATION
Perhaps the most satisfying prayer is when you want to communicate with God without asking for anything. This is sometimes called "fellowship" or "communion." It is a form of prayer that is intimate and satisfying.
OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY
We believe anyone can develop an effective prayer life. We want you to feel comfortable talking to God, and pray so well it becomes a "second language."
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Missionary Dragged Away at Bus Stop

Would you choose to go into a situation that could place your life in danger? A native missionary named Jackson did. Read his story here. Since graduating from a GFA Bible college in 2004, Jakson has faithfully labored for the Gospel in an area of Rajasthan, North India, where many pastors have been attacked and churches destroyed. Recently, Jakson was attacked as he stepped off a bus. Read the rest of the story here. I am continually amazed at the deep commitment of so many of our native missionaries like Jakson. Like the Apostle Paul's declaration in Acts 20:24 that he did not count his life dear to himself, their lifestyles reflect an all-out abandonment to Christ and His call. Through your prayers for these faithful men and women, you share in their labors. For this, I am deeply grateful. When we get to heaven, we will clearly see how it was worth it all. Yours for the unreached, K.P. Yohannan Founder & President About Gospel for Asia: learn more about GFA
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Journal Update, Beg. 8.6.06

8.6.06, Well off to church to see our family again. It is so good to be back! We took the box of little booklets to share and it was good to see all our friends again. Pastor Dave gave a great sermon as always. We had sandwiches after the service because it is softball day. What a great time of fellowship! We went to Harley-Davidson to hand out more tracts and little booklets. After the softball game, Gunny and I went bowling and had a blast!
8.7.06, Had our bible study this morning and got some stuff done. Went to Monday night prayer meeting and it seems that Jason & Cindy's son, Donny, might be demon possessed. The boy is only 10 and wrote a suicide note. He is now being diagnosed in Bloomington, IN. The church has set aside a date to pray and anoint oil on him when he comes home. We layed out some more prayers to our Father and then discussed church issues. Pastor Dave liked the fliers we made so we will be making copies of those and handing them out. Saturday is set aside to help Jason & Cindy move into their new home. We prayed and read before bed.
8.8.06, After our morning coffee, Gunny checked his email and he received one from Pastor Dave regarding us spending some time at the church to do small jobs and ministry work to those who need it. We are excited about it and have tentatively set aside Thurs. afternoon. Pastor Dave and his wife Tammy offered us the use of their little guest house for a week if we cannot stay at the park during our week out. We are praying about it. I updated mom and dad on my journal entries while Gunny read.
8.9.06, We went to see a lawyer today regarding filing bankruptcy and it is not a good idea. So we found Christian Debt Relief and beginning in Sept. we will be paying them for debt consolidation. This is what the Lord wanted and we are pleased with it. Went to bible study at church and we are in Psalms. Had some great fellowship afterwards and Gunny practiced on his harmonicas while Rich played the guitar. It sounded good. I sang a song with them and now they want me to start singing! I will need to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide my voice for this. smile.
Bye for now.
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Journal Update Beg. 8.2.06

8.2.06, Made it to Clinton, IN and it was very hot. Our A/C in the trailer has been making this awful noise and we just don't know what to do about it. At least it works! Gunny called Racheal and Jaclyn to let them know we were here. Racheal has been sick so won't graduate from corpsman school until 8.18.06. Josh, Jaclyn and baby Cutdy are doing well and considering moving to AZ in the winter. That sure would put them close to us and I could see that baby more often! Whatever is the Lord's will, let it be so. I said a pray3er to God to give us strength and endurance with the heat and storms and when we woke up form our nap, the A/C was not making anymore bad noise! Praise the Lord! (It has been fine ever since.) I started reading K.P.'s book, "Reflecting His Image".
8.3.06, Our bible study this morning was on 'Fellowship with the Body of the Church'. Very good! Went into town, got a P.O. box and also got 2 great books to read from mom & dad. We also got a whole box of little bible pamphlets and cannot wait to share them with all! Stopped and bought some green tomatoes and corn on the cob. I decided to read "Jerusalem Countdown" right now instead of K.P.'s book. This is by John Hagee, whom we both love to listen to on TV and is one sent by mom and dad. Thank you God for a good day.
8.4.06, Got 6 loads of laundry ready to take to town where there are more washers and dryers than at the park. Gunny and I both read while we did laundry. I notice that throughout the day that the Holy Spirit is constantly with us. It's a good feeling and brings a sense of peace and calmness to the day. I than God everyday for all that he has given us and for bestowing us with the many blessings we have received and see day to day. I know truly that He is in our lives and I praise Him for that.
Bye for now.
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Journal Update, Beg. 7.31.06

7.31.06, It is going to be a scorcher today! No sitting outside with coffee this morning. We started in "First Steps" in our bible study in the "New Believers" bible from Calvary Chapel that Tina gave me for Christmas. We sure do love it! we read on 2 sessions this morning. The first, 'How to Study the Bible' and the second - 'Pray'. It really opened my eyes and heart to prayer. I know what faith is now - it was like a light bulb clicking on inside of my head. Praise the Lord! All this time I wasn't realizing that God answers our prayers before we ever pray! We are to thank Him first and then pray. It gives me a feeling I cannot explain except for the joy that it brings me. And now I also know that the Holy Spirit will help me pray when I can't think of the right words to say. Amen! This is how I should pray if this time occurs: "Lord, here is my problem. It looms ever larger in my path, so I am putting it into Your hands. I am not going to worry, Lord. Instead, I am going to trust You. I am even going to thank You in advance for what You will do, because You know what You are doing." I love it! This prayer will help me to experience God's peace. When I learn to do this, then I will be ready to totally put others first, after God of course. Gunny and I got some stuff ready to go back to Clinton, IN. Gunny read on his book by K.P. for awhile and we called it an early night.
8.1.06, Even though I was up at 0430, I could not sleep, we left for Clinton at 0821. Right before we reached Shelbyville, IN the port side rear tire on the trailer went flat. We had the Lord with us and the tire change went smooth. We found a Discount Tire in Greenwood, but they won't have our spare until tomorrow. So we went to Hooter's for lunch and won a free lunch. Then we got a room at Travelodge and got 10% off our dinner at Denny's and also got a coupon for one free game of bowling! We figure as long as we take on this world step by step while listening to the Lord, we know He is leading us in the right direction because that is His choice. It was a pretty good day after all.
Bye for now.
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Journal, Beginning 7.29.06

Finally found some time to get back to it. We are both doing well and we begin on 7.29.06 - At this time we are in Batesville, IN. It is another warm day. It is going to be a lazy day. Gunny read on his book "Come Let's Reach the World" by K.P. Yohannan. I updated my journal and when I do that now it makes me think of my Father in heaven. So I guess that would be everyday now. smile. I worked on my bible study while Gunny worked on our "Marriage" outline. It is going well. We built a fire and relaxed before our night time reading before bed.7.30.06 - Even though we knew it was going to be warm today, we decided to take a bike ride and go on a picnic. We went through Batesville and on to Oldenburg, the town of spires. Gunny saw some bikers parked at on old church in town so we went to check it out. There were 18 people and 15 bikes! We asked if we could ride with them and they said yes, so we visited a bit. Met everyone and handed out some of our tracts. Several of the riders were Christians, but we shared with all. It was a great ride! Good fellowship, fun, beautiful country and we took to Kenny and Jean right away. Kenny was the leader of the pack, smile. We stopped first in Friendship and had some cool drinks. Next stop was t fuel up and Gunny told Kenny we would be parting our ways because it wasn't in our budget to go have lunch with them. He told Gunny no problem, top off the tank on Pearl and he would buy us lunch also! He is a very nice person. Before that, he had invited Gunny and I to houesit for them for 2 weeks! We are going to pray about it. We all had lunch in Vevay and the food was great. There is an annual wine festival there in Sept. and we would really like to go. It was about 1730 when we left Vevay and our next stop was the last fuel stop for some. On our way there we passed some Amish people, 2 buggies and a bicycle rider. We slowed down for them of course. About 10 minutes after the last stop, Gunny and I parted the group to head for home. It took us only another 10 minutes to get home and it was 1930 at this time. We were hot, sweaty, slightly sunburned and happy. This had to be one of our best days yet. Everyone on the ride was so nice. Including Gunny, there were 4 marines on this ride. Because it was Sunday, we considered this our church service today. What a blessed day it was! We had prayer time before bed. That is it for this page. On to the next day.
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My Journal, July 2006

As mentioned before, we have bible study almost every morning and we love it. We are still in Clinton, IN staying at Horseshoe Lakes Thousand Trails, Inc. resort and the park manager here is very nice. We have a campfire ring so he brought us some free firewood. We thought that was pretty cool since nothing is free anymore except the love of Jesus Christ. So of course that night we built a campfire and it was enjoyable. This was actually the parks Independence Day show and we could see the fireworks from our campsite. It was a good show. This particular Sunday after church services we had hot dogs and chips. Then everyone went to the park and Calvary Chapel played softball with the "House of Hope". This is an organization that has a program for alcoholics and drug addicts. They help the people stay off the bad stuff by teaching them about and filling their minds with Jesus rather than booze and drugs. It is a really neat place and is very successful at helping the people stay clean once they leave. It is very warm out these days as it is the middle of summer and it sure is humid in Indiana. :-) I started reading a book called, 'Falling in Love With Prayer', by Mike Macintosh. So far I really like it. We are continuing to help out at the church (Calvary Chapel) over the summer and we are excited about it. Also during this month, we went to Chicago twice to see my husbands youngest daughter. She is in the Navy and is now stationed in Rhode Island. We are very proud of her.
I noticed that my husband and I are learning more scripture everyday. Between our morning bible study and our own personal readings that we do, we are learning a lot. I try to pray unceasingly like the Apostle Paul says - I know God can hear me because we are so blessed and He always answers our prayers. I am very excited about walking with Jesus and am very hungry for the Word (the bible). The more we read, the more we learn and that brings great joy to my life. JOY stands for J=Jesus, O=others and Y=you. I love my Lord my God very much, yet I do fear Him. I don't want to do anything to upset Him. I praise Him for His glory and blessings. Just remember that there is always something to be thankful for. God Bless!
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My Journal, June 2006

I will be sharing my personal journal on a month by month basis. I hope you get some good insight from it as it is about my walk with Jesus. Like most people, we (my husband and I) have our morning coffee before bible study. The two combined just seems to start the day off great. Our current book we are using for bible study is the 'New Believer's Bible' that we got from my twin sister for Christmas of 2005. It is an awesome book and Calvary Chapel bookstores carry it or you can order it on-line at http://www.harvest.org/. Although we did not have bible study today, we did watch a really good movie on 'Praise the Lord' channel called, "Jacob". What a great movie. We had ordered 5 books by K.P. Yohannan and they are good books. His first book is called, 'Revolution in World Missions'. This book explains how he got started as a missionary and then started 'Gospel for Asia'. You can get more information on this at http://www.gfa.org/. He has some very profound books for new and continuing Christians. We were in Lynchburg, VA at the time and we always attend a Calvary Chapel wherever we go. (See my profile for more information on this). Met some nice people there and had lunch with them on Fathers' Day. On June 20 we finally watched "The Passion of the Christ". Although it was intense and there was too much violence, it was okay. There was some scripture left out and that was a letdown for us. We left Lynchburg on 6.23.06 and went back to Clinton, IN. We had gotten close to the Calvary Chapel group there last year and it was good to be back. We fellowshipped awhile and I checked out a book to read called, 'Improving Your Serve' by Chuck Swindoll. It has some study guides in it and I am really looking forward to getting started. Also, my husband and I both always read the bible or some christian news before bed. It really helps us get a good night sleep. I hope this is all not too boring. Stay tuned for July's journal news. God Bless!
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Real Freedom

As we ride the twisting roads and sense the freedom that we have on our bike, do you want to sense the same freedom in your daily life? Have you tried to find this freedom in many ways, only to be left with a sense of emptiness after a time?
Real freedom does not depend on the external circumstances of life but comes from a sense of peace deep within. There is only one way we can gain peace and that is to be in a right relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is, however, one problem that keeps us from gaining the freedom we desire - sin. Man is sinful by nature which causes us to miss the best that God has planned for us. Man also deliberately chooses to run his own life leading who knows where. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
Sin, accordingly, will lead to separation from God. In this condition, we cannot experience the abundant life which God planned for us. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) We deserve to be eternally separated from God because of our sinful nature. But God has made it possible for us to choose to have the abundant life now as well as forever in Heaven with Him. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36) The solution, of course, is Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, He paid the penalty we deserve for our sins. His death and resurrection made it possible for us to live the abundant life. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18).
Dear Jesus, Please come into my heart and save me from my sins. I want to begin to experience a life full of real freedom that only You can provide. I know that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I than You for that truth and ask You to forgive me of my sins. Thank you, Lord, for the sacrifice you made for me. In Jesus name, Amen.
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How to Know Jesus Christ as Your Personal Lord and Savior

Realize you are a sinner.
Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
1. No one is good enough to go to heaven. Romans 3:12, "...there is no one who does good, not even one."
2. Being forgiven gets us to heaven, not being good.
Realize the wages of sin.
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."
1. The wages of sin is seen in Luke 16:22-23, "...the rich man also died and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, where he was in torment...."
2. The wages of sin or the gift of God. Which do you want? It's your choice.
Realize you are loved.
Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
1. Jesus took our sins and gave us His righteousness. II Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might became the righteousness of God in Him."
2. The death of Jesus, if received by faith, will make you as if you had never sinned. Romans 5:9, "Much more then, being now justified (totally cleaned) by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
Realize that accepting salvation is up to you.
Romans 10:8-10, 13 "The word is near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart," (that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming): That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
For whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
1. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins and was buried and rose again (you don't have to understand this, just believe it), then ask Jesus to forgive you and save you.
2. How do you ask for salvation? With your mouth-from your heart.
Pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know You love me even though I am a sinner. Please forgive all my sins as Your Word has promised. Come into my life now and be my Savior and Lord. I thank You for saving me.
Amen
Read Romans 10:13
Realize that now is the time.
II Corinthians 6:2, "...now is the day of salvation."
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The Christian Motorcyclists Association

This is a non-profit organization dedicated to reaching people for Christ in the highways and byways through motorcycling. CMA is not a Christian club or a ride group designed to segregate Christians from the influences of the world, but rather it is a ministry designed to thrust you into the mission of spreading the light of Jesus into the darkest areas! My husband and I first saw part of this great group when we went on the 'Rolling Thunder 2006' ride to Washington D.C. It was a very moving experience and an awesome day! The CMA group handed out free water and Christian bibles, pamphlets and stickers. They also had little bags with kleenex, hand wash, mints and gum in them and those were free also. It was there way of helping to do ministry work for Jesus and spreading the good news also. The main purpose of this ministry is to share the Gospel with motorcyclists. This is achieved by attending motorcycling events, rallies and/or tours, developing relationships, offering support and skills as servants and conducting worship services. Thousands of people have come to Christ as a result of these efforts. By combining their love for the Lord and motorcycling, CMA offers a great opportunity for fellowship with other members and CMA chapters through Christian rallies, rides and meetings. Their proven experience in the field of "highway and byway" evangelism has been used to develop training through their winter Seasons of Refreshing Conferences and the Ministry Team program. The credibility and reputation CMA has earned through the years in the motorcycling world offers you identification with a group that has proven itself. Most of all, CMA offers you the opportunity to work with a respected motorcycling organization to open doors for the Gospel presentation to motorcyclists.
http://tjmarshall.blogspot.com

A Baptism

My husband and I attended a Baptism Ceremony on Monday, 9.3.06 at Calvary Chapel, Terre Haute,IN and there were five people baptized. This church is just one of many Calvary Chapels we have visited throughout our travels in the United States. We were here last year at this same time and the people at the church welcomed us and became our very good friends and family. Pastor Dave Hole and his wife Tammy are super people and are filled with the Lord. You can go to this church and not only be welcomed with open arms but also feel the acceptance of the people and the joy and peace they have there. It is way cool. The 5 people baptized just started attending Calvary Chapel and they are Patrick and his wife Sherise, whom Pastor Dave married 2 Sundays ago, Gibby and his wife Bev and her 5 year old son. It was a very moving experience. All that were baptized were full of smiles even though they were cold. Pastor Dave baptized them in his pool and the water was not warm. :-). After the baptisms, we had a big hot dog roast and also made smores. We were all filled with joy and happiness that only living with Jesus can bring.
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My Journal

I have been keeping a journal of all of the blessings we have received from Jesus and our daily walk with Him since the early part of this year. Our life seems full of more joy and peace than ever before. Because we travel full time, I always email my mom updates of my journal. Instead of just copying these to you, I want to rewrite them and add some new and exciting information to them. My future posts are going to be on special and exciting events that take place in our lives, but they will still be mentioned in my journal notes so I can keep on rolling. Are you all ready to read more?
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My Goal

CHECK THIS OUT! YOU MIGHT LIKE IT! I am a Christian and my husband and I are thinking of becoming missionaries. We have bible study together every morning and it just wouldn't be a great day if we didn't. You see, you do not have to be a 'religious freak' to enjoy the word of the bible and to share it with others. People look at us and our faces are shining. Why? Because we are filled with peace and joy. Because we belieive that Jesus died to actually SAVE us is awesome. Think about it. The bible is all facts. How could anyone back in that century write the way the prophets did without some kind of learning or guidance? My goal is to share this good news and to help people realize that the little thing their missing in their life and the emptiness they occasionally feel is that they do not have Jesus in their life. I repeat, you do not have to be a fanatic to love Jeus. Here are a few versus from the bible that are very interesting. Isaiah 7:14 states that 'Seven hundred years before Chist was born, Isaiah predicted that He would be born of of virgin.' Daniel, ch.9 states 'We are told the time of His birth'. Micah, ch. 5 states, 'The place of HIs birth is revealed'. In Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 it states, 'The fact of His resurrection. You see, there is no way the prophets in the New Testament knew this because it was centuries later. My husband and I are currently helping out at the local church in Clinton, IN and are thinking of going to bible college in Murietta, CA when we go back this winter. We are considering decipleship. It would take us a year to do that but we are excited about it and feel that is our calling.
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Christian News

Spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Welcome! Please look forward to future exciting news about Jesus and the love he has for us. There are so many out there in the world that really need Him and not only don't know it but don't know how to even get started. That is what I am here for. My husband also is a Christian, that is why I married him, and has so much love for the Lord and is a good teacher for me as I am for him. We plan on going to bible college in Murietta, CA. We hope next year is the right time. We believe on waiting for the Lords' instructions and if you know how to watch for signs throughout your daily life, you too will notice that when things just happen to go your way, or they don't, think about it. Why? Please read my ongoing teachings that I learn daily and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to comment. Your comments are always welcome!
http://tjmarshall.blogspot.com