Tag…You are It

By Art Fulks

One of my favorite movies is ‘Remember the Titans’. It is a story of school integration in Virginia during the early seventies, and how a football team helped shape a new perspective in a divided community. During one game, the star quarterback is injured. As the coach prepares to send in the back-up, he relays a quick story about the loss of his own parents and how he had to unexpectedly step into their role. It must have worked because they won that game and eventually the state title.

Being thrust into leadership unexpectedly does not just happen in athletics. It happens in families, work, ministry, and can happen with nations. No matter how you prepare, it seems like there comes a moment when you wonder if you are ready. But at some point, you hear, ‘Ready or not…Tag…you are it.’

Joshua had been preparing to take over for Moses for forty years. In fact, he and Caleb were the only men left from their generation after standing courageously during the reconnaissance report from spying out the land of Canaan. But imagine what it must have felt like when God tapped him on the shoulder and said it was time.

Moses had gone up to Mount Nebo and then died. The man God had used for decades to lead the nation was suddenly gone. How could Joshua fill his shoes? Would the people follow him? Was he capable? Was he prepared? But then, just as God had spoken to Moses, His words came to the ears of Joshua.

“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” (Joshua 1:2) God’s words of commission continued with instruction, promise, and encouragement. Then Joshua responded, not by declaring his own position, but by proclaiming and carrying out the commission he had received from God.

When God places someone in leadership, they need not declare what has already been declared. They need only proclaim the commission to which they have been called and lead the people to carry out that mission for the glory of God.

That may sound like a church scenario. However, I believe that this is God’s model for marriage, family, work, and nations. Joshua was one of two potential, faithful men.

Has He ‘tagged’ you?

Taking A Stand For God

By Marty Norman

The world is in conflict. The scripture tells us that in the last days evil will be called good and good, evil. Anyone with spiritual eyes who follows the news is aware that this statement is true. Darkness is, indeed, falling upon the earth.

In Ezekiel the Lord talks about the watchmen on the walls, those who stand and warn the people of the danger that is coming. These are God’s people, the believers. As watchmen, our assignment is to tell what we see and know, to warn of danger when we see it coming.

And make no mistake, danger is coming. In fact many of us believe that danger is here. It behooves us as God’s people to speak out to take a stand for right, to do what is right no matter the cost. If we do not, we are complicit, and accomplices in the coming evil.

Time and space limit the many topics for which we could take a stand. But you know the issues. Take your pick. But whatever you do, pick one and speak out.

Some might say, “but I don’t know how to speak out. I don’t know where to begin; I don’t know what to take a stand on, there are so many issues.”

I say it doesn’t matter. Just begin; begin somewhere. Begin with what you know. Practice taking a stand on things that you know. Start simple Get comfortable on forming an opinion and back it up with fact. Then expand.

I began taking a stand with issues that involve my grandchildren for that is what is most dear to my heart. The topic: God being removed from schools and the public arena. Not only do I feel strongly but I also have personal experience in this area, so I know from which I speak.

As I wracked my brain to give an example, I decided to use one from my upcoming book “The Savvy Grandmother – Building A Legacy of Faith” to be released in June 2012. This is from page 162 and speaks about learning to be a savvy grandmother who stands up for what she believes.

“Whether in the political or spiritual realm, my opinion is rarely in question. Lucky for me that God gave me sons to push me to the next level. Recently one challenged me to compare news stories from opposing media outlets. For three weeks I checked the websites of eight different outlets: four liberal, four conservative. I even charted their differences for my own information.

The exercise not only solidified my own position but it also gave me clear talking points and a platform from which to debate.

A most interesting discussion transpired. As I shared my observations, I also talked about my experience of prayer in school growing up. I quickly realized this world was totally foreign to him.

“But Mom, you attended a parochial school,” he responded.

“Not so,” I replied. “This was not a church school. This was a public school. Religion and prayer were not only in the public schools, they were also at the sporting events, graduation exercises, and more. We sang ‘Fairest Lord Jesus’ and ‘God of our Fathers’ at my sixth-grade Thanksgiving program. There were no conflicting messages. Everywhere—church, school, and home—children got the same message.”

“But what about the separation of church and state?” he asked.

It hit me in the face like a ton of bricks. My son had no frame of reference for the world I grew up in. The change had been so dramatic that his generation, Generation X, had no idea of what it used to be like. How could I have let this happen?

As usually happens with God, this topic came up again not long afterward with one of my grandkids. But this time, this savvy grandmother was prepared. When Jack reported that he was getting out of school on December 22 for winter break and could come visit me, I took advantage of the teachable moment.

I carefully instructed from the other end of the phone: “You mean Christmas break.”

“No, Marme, it’s winter break,” he said.

Raising myself up to all of my five-foot-six-inches, I told him that indeed it was Christmas break. That Christ was born, that the son of God was made man and came to earth, and that is why the celebration began in the first place. Christmas started out as a religious holiday and that is what it still is.

“The school can call it anything it wants,” I said in a firm voice, “but it’s Christmas break, and that’s what I’m calling it.”

No budging for this savvy grandmother.

Signs of the End Times? – Earthquakes and Tsunamis

By Dianne E. Butts –

Last month we watched the happening at the Western Wall in Jerusalem live. It may have been that very wall, or another wall of the Temple Mount that existed before it was destroyed in 70 AD, that Jesus and the disciples were walking past when the following conversation took place.

Jesus said that a, “time would come when not one stone would be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).

His disciples asked when these things would happen and, “what will be the sign that they are about to take place” (v. 7)?

Jesus then gave a lengthy description of what we understand to be the end times of the earth as we know it now. One thing He said was this: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11).

In 2011, we saw several major earthquakes and tsunamis:

Sunday, January 2, 2011: Araucania, Chile, is hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

Friday, February 11, 2011: off shore 30 miles north of Concepcion, Chile, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocks from almost exactly where an 8.8 quake was centered on February 27, 2010, that killed 521 people.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 (local time): 6.3 quake rattled Christchurch, New Zealand’s second-most populous city, killing 181 people. The same area was hit with a 7.1 magnitude quake on September 4, 2010. There were no casualties in the September quake, but it may have weakened buildings leading to more deaths in the 2011 quake. An article on Wikipedia says, “The earthquake has been the most damaging in a year-long earthquake swarm affecting the Christchurch area.” An aftershock on June 13, 2011, caused considerable additional damage. A series of large aftershocks hit Christchurch again on December 23, 2011 (local time).

Sunday, February 27, 2011: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck just south of Concepcion, Chile, one year to the day after the 8.8 magnitude quake devastated the area. Strong aftershocks followed.

Friday, March 11, 2011: An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hits northeastern Japan triggering a massive tsunami. When the tsunami hit Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, seawater flooded power lines causing a meltdown in three of the six reactors. Months later, the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami was 14,919 dead and 9,893 unaccounted for.

One blogger writes, “In short, in less than 11 weeks, the major earthquakes at the edge of the Rim of Fire in the Pacific have covered 3 continents—and have yet to move on to North America.”

The Pacific Ring of Fire, according to Wikipedia, is a 25,000 miles horseshoe-shape ring around the Pacific Ocean where 90% of the world’s earthquakes (89% of the world’s largest earthquakes) occur. The Ring of Fire is so named because it is home to over 75% of the world’s volcanoes.

Chile. New Zealand. Japan. Three of the four “corners” of the Ring of Fire were hit with large earthquakes in 2011. Is it time for the fourth “corner” to feel the earth shake? That would be the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States or southwestern Canada.

Jesus said there would be “great earthquakes.” This has led many Christians to believe there will be an increase in earthquake frequency and intensity as we near the End Times. Today, many people believe we are see that happen right before our very eyes. However, the USGS government earthquake web site says, “The number of large earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 and greater) has stayed relatively constant.”

What do you think?

Bug Eyes

By Cheri Cowell –

In the opening scene of the movie It’s a Bug’s Life, Flick and the other ants are in a long line walking single-file in a begrudging task. They are carrying “heavy” crumbs to the mound when a giant leaf comes barreling toward them. Flick is paralyzed with fear as this “giant” obstacle blocks his sight. As he stands there, knees knocking, the lead ant comes to his rescue by saying, “Keep your eyes on me, walk toward me, and don’t panic.” He then guides him and those who are following him around the obstacle so they can rejoin the safety of the line.

Even though we can laugh at the humor, it touches a place in our hearts because, at some point, we have all become paralyzed with fear.

God comes to our rescue by saying ‘keep your eyes on me.’

Paul is writing to Timothy, a young student of the faith, and he is telling him not to allow his youth to make him to be fearful. He is told to be bold and confident, not in his own strength and knowledge, but in Jesus.

When we take our eyes off Jesus, the obstacles that seem to float from the skies and threaten to block out the sun, seem bigger than our ability to handle them. When all we see is the obstacle, we cannot find a way around it and we stand paralyzed in fear. We are like Flick, with knees knocking.

But God is saying to us, “Keep your eyes on me, I know the way, walk towards me, and don’t panic because in me you have enough power, love, and self-discipline to handle anything.”

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for walking with me on my faith journey. Help me learn to keep my eyes fixed on You, and not the obstacles. Please give me Your eyes to replace my ‘bug eyes.’ I praise You for giving me the power, strength, love, and self-discipline to say to any obstacle, “I am not afraid.”

Rules for the Road

By Cheri Cowell –

Have you ever spent time with someone who criticizes and finds fault with everything and everyone around them? It is tiring being with these people.

Perhaps I should say it is tiring if we are working hard to not join them. It is easy if we just chime in, for all of us have a critical spirit by nature.

While walking by someone who is dressed inappropriately, a comment can be made about dressing to attract the wrong kind of attention, then the conversation quickly moves to how the morals of society are going down the drain, and how your mother never would have let you out of the house dressed that way. How easily we use our superior yardstick to judge others. I have often heard it said that we should be careful when pointing a finger at someone because when we do, there are four pointing back at us. Though we may not dress that way, we do many other things that in God’s eyes are just as wrong.

When studying Romans 8:1, it dawned on me I had heard this verse referred to when people were feeling guilt-ridden and needed relief, but I hadn’t really looked at what preceded the ‘therefore.’

Paul has just written his famous words, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” He explains that his body is still a slave to the human desires he was born with (including a critical nature), yet he is now a member of a new kingdom with different rules. Jesus came along and said He knew we couldn’t keep all the rules, and that keeping rules was not the point. The new rule is to love others as yourself and love Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

When we do this, we desire to do what is right, and we have the power within us in the form of the Holy Spirit to do it – most of the time.

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for Your new kingdom with the new way of seeing the old rules. Help keep my heart, mind, and soul focused on You so I may give others the grace that has been freely given to me.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2 NIV).

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