God's Grace: A Witch's Story

On this October 31st, a reminder that we can never outrun the grace of God.

Consider the story of gospel singer Annie Meadows.

You see... she was once a practicing witch.

Her story is a powerful one.

Annie dropped by the studio recently to chat with me about her journey from darkness to light.

We featured that conversation on our Total Impact segment on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

But since today is Halloween, and because you may have missed the segments, I thought I would post them here so you can listen when you have time.

Annie's suggestions to Christian parents regarding how to handle kids who may be dabbling in the occult is super valuable.

As is the story of her parents and their prayers for her even when she was so far away from God.

Isn't it amazing that our God actually pursues US?!

Reason to give thanks today, for sure.

Here are the segments:

Annie Meadows on Total Impact Part 1: http://www.box.net/shared/t9q9l6rr4x

Annie Meadows on Total Impact Part 2: http://www.box.net/shared/3u9a074xe1

Blessings your way today,

Kurt

Harvest Festivals: Are You Ready?

Just a reminder: we've added a whole bunch of Harvest Festivals to our website.

Just click here:

http://www.sosradio.net/holiday/harvestFestavalEvents.html

Most will be happening at churches tomorrow.

REAL ALTERNATIVES for Halloween night!

What fun!

Just one of many is Kingsfaire.

It's happening at Canyon Ridge Christian Church here in Las Vegas.

Here's a link to the official website:

http://www.canyonridge.org/kingsfaire/index.html

Earlier this week on the show Craig Ruff, one of the pastors at Canyon Ridge, gave us a heads up on what to expect.

You'll really get a feel for the event if you listen to some of the highlights.

Just click: http://www.box.net/shared/gfekymtesp

See ya on the radio,

Kurt

The Need For Speed

Life is like a computer.

Sometimes it moves slower than you want it to.

God has his own timing when it comes to our life.

We trust Him.

Or.. if you're like me... you're trying to trust Him more today than you did yesterday.

If we knew what God knows, we wouldn't want to speed things up.

Now the computer is a whole different story.

You could say God wants to develop our patience through a slow moving PC.

And maybe you would be right.

If you're of that mind, may God bless you.

If you're like me today, check out this article from PC World:

http://tech.msn.com/howto/articlespecialslt.aspx?cp-documentid=10651515

It features some tools to make our computers work faster.

Most of them are free.

Very interesting.

Disclosure: I haven't tried any just yet.

I want to read the fine print first.

Too bad it takes so long.

When The Joke Is On You

Beware of what you find the the dark.

It could come back to haunt you.

Early this morning I jump out of bed and head for the closet.

It's pitch black outside.

Have to get my daily 30 minute walk in.

Don't want to.

But I've made it this far.

I grab a T-shirt, some socks, and a pair of old jeans.

Where is that baseball cap anyway?

Oh... there it is.

Didn't even have to turn on the light.

Awesome.

True to the routine, I wake up my teenager.

"Aleq, time to hit the shower and get ready for school."

"Okay... " he says without moving a muscle.

"I'm taking off for my walk... are you SURE you're going to get up? "

"Okay Dad. Yes. I'm sure".

He doesn't move a muscle.

I'm not so sure.

I get back from the stroll.

I hear the shower going.

He should be out of the shower by now.

He's 17.

He knows what time it is.

The clock ticks.

I wait in the car.

More ticks.

Too many ticks.

I'm ticked off.

He's going to be late.

Calm down Dad and let the consequences kick in.

He arrives and gets in the car.

I'm not all that calm.

Lecture mode kicks in.

You can imagine.

When we get to school we have to check in with the office for an "excused tardy".

We walk in.

The lady gives me a strange and mocking glance as I explain the situation.

An awkward moment.... but I don't know why.

He takes off for his class and I head for the car.

It's only then that I realize what T-shirt I'm wearing.

It's the..... "Yuck Yuck Comedy Barn Shirt" I got on a trip to Tennessee a few years ago.

The one I don't wear in public.

The silly one that sticks out like a sore thumb and begs for glances.

And smirks.

Perfect shirt for a comedy club.... yeah.

Not so funny for a mature man like me.

(If my wife reads this... she'll find that last comment TRULY funny.)

Here's a sweat shirt with the logo on it.... but keep in mind my shirt is bright white:

Moral of the story: don't reach for just any shirt in a dark closet on a dark morning.

Otherwise, the joke may be on you.

In The Game

Watching a game from the stands is one of the great pleasures of life.

Basketball.

Football.

Baseball.

Tennis? (I put that in there because my wife loves tennis.)

But as fun as it is, isn't it so much more fun playing in the game?

I think there are times when I make my Christian faith a spectator sport.

More times than I might want to admit, in fact.

Sit in the "audience" in church.

Watch others sing, pray, preach, and serve.

Listen to stories of faith in real life from people who have experienced it.

Read about God's work in the lives of the heroes of the Bible.

Also the great Christians down through the ages.

Don't get me wrong.

There's a lot of blessing in that.

I need that!

But I also need to see God move in my own life.

To hear His voice and experience His guidance for myself.

To get the plays straight from the coach.

And to remember how much fun it is to play with others who are on the same team.

Serving God together.

Honoring the coach.

That's when life is a whole new ball game.

Those Crazy Dachshunds!

It never fails.

When I mention the antics of our 3 dachshunds on the air, doxie lovers come out of the woodwork!

Once you own a dachshund... or should I say a dachshund owns YOU.. life is never the same.

As I write this, I have no doubt Kirby, Dudley, the Archie are working on a project in the backyard right now.

It could be digging holes in the grass I USED to try to keep perfectly manicured.

Or maybe it's ripping up a branch from one of the plants or shrubs.

In between all of this important work they bark.

I guess they buy into the idea of "I bark, therefore I am."

Watch out, neighbor dog over the backyard wall!

So.. for all of those who have emailed pictures of their doxies, thanks!!

And here are my guys:

Suspect Number 1: Archie.

He's getting gray so I call him the "Silver Bullet".
Even though he's 11, he's still quick out of the gate.
He has to be.

To survive.

Here's Suspect Number 2: Dudley.

Age: A year-and-a-half.

Don't let the smile fool you.

He's way too smart.

Way too athletic.

Way too much energy.

But he's still "Cuddly Dudley".

Finally, here's our big guy ...Suspect Number 3: Kirby.

He's Dudley's brother. They're from the same litter.

Age: A year-and-a half.

Laid back, with a sensitive spirit and a desire to please.
He's kindness and love in a black fur coat.

What a blessing these guys are!

Wait a minute.

Hold up.

I just realized something.

I'll need to re-read this blog entry one day when the latest

"project" is an underground tunnel to China.

Let's see.... I said... "What a blessing these guys are"....... right?

While I'm Waiting

Waiting.
It's not easy.
For the follower of Christ, it's all about waiting for the Lord to make a move.
Answer a prayer.
Speak to us.
Change things.
Change us.
Change the heart of someone else.
Be God in our lives.

But there is great wealth in the waiting.
God may seem closer.
Or farther away.
Both test us.
One tests our ability to have more of Him and still remain humble.

Isaiah 66:2 (NIV) .. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. "

The other tests our belief in His love and goodness.

Psalms 103:11 (ESV) "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.."

Either way, we grow.
If we respond in the right way.
I think the greatest way we can honor God in the waiting is to worship Him.
And be obedient to what He calls us to do, with the Bible as our guide.
To stay.
To go.
To speak.
To hold our tongue.

Press on.
Press into Him.
And click below to get encouragement from John Waller's new song "While I'm Waiting".
It was one of my favorite parts of the movie "Fireproof".
I hope it blesses you wherever you may find yourself today in the "waiting game."

Being Faithful

What is your definition of success?
Good question isn't it?
It sure is easy to use the world's measuring stick.
How much money you make.
How many people know your name.
That's a big one for many of us.
You've got "juice" with the "in crowd".
The movers and shakers in your industry maybe.
Your neighborhood.
Even your church.

The more I think about this whole thing, the more I realize it's much simpler than that for the follower of Christ.
And much more challenging too.

My greatest desire is to be faithful.
Faithful to Jesus who died on the cross for my sins.
Faithful in the work He's given me to do.
On the good days.
On the bad days.
On the in-between days.

But there's always a price.
Being misunderstood is no fun.
Especially by those closest to you.

A life change can be scary too, even if God is in it.
Maybe we'll be asked to give up something.
Something good to embrace something better.

If that's where you are today, let me share a scripture that always helps me.
I read it again today.
I need to read it every day.
Jesus said....

(Matthew 10:39) (ESV) "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "

By letting go of my own agenda and desires and embracing the work Jesus has for me to do, I find true joy.
Even on the bad days.
Because it's worth it to be faithful to the work of today.
Imperfectly, yes.
But desiring to be more faithful today than I was yesterday.
Being forgiven when I fail.
God's applause with every attempt.
That's success.
Full commitment is letting go of something with both hands and grabbing onto something else.
May that something else be a someone else.
Jesus.

Turning Pain Into Praise

Maybe you're dealing with pain today.

And just maybe that pain is the result of physical or verbal abuse.

Now or in the past.

I just wrapped up an interview this afternoon that will eventually air on our Total Impact segment.

Man, what great insight Linda Newton has on this subject.

She's a pastor who counsels folks who need the kind of healing only God can give.

And she's also an abuse survivor.

Take for instance this quote from her book "12 Ways to Turn Your Pain Into Praise":

"The Bible's guideline isn't "forgive and forget.' It's "forgive and set boundaries." Setting boundaries requires that we maintain a healthy distance from our offenders and spend time with the Lord. He will either give us the strength to speak up to bullies or a thick skin to ignore them. David retreated from King Saul. He forgave him but headed back to his stronghold (1 Samuel 24:22).

Like David, we need to retreat to our stronghold, distance ourselves from the damage, and invest in the empowerment we get from seeking God."

I hope Linda's words encourage you today.

Grandma Got Roasted

Yesterday smelled like a Sunday SHOULD smell.

Like a pot roast.

My wife has finally perfected the process of... well... roasting a pot roast.

This isn't a small detail.

It's a hard fought victory.

You see, for years we always tried to copy her mom's pot roast.

Should be easy.

Just follow what Grandma says.

In fact when she comes to visit, she comes packing some heat.

I mean meat.

A pot roast packing granny.

We celebrate.

She cooks.

We take notes.

We think we've got it.

And then she leaves.

We give it a try.

Whoops... that one's too tough.

Rats... that one's too dry.

"Hello, Mom? How do I do this?"

Man oh man. That one tastes like roadkill.

Kind of looks like it too.

Now... what IS a pot roast supposed to taste like?

We've forgotten.

But hope springs eternal.

Years go by.

And not too long ago, my wife gives it another try.

It's.... better.

And with each successive roast we close in on Grandma.

Don't worry.

She's been cheering us on since the very beginning.

She may pack some heat.

Make that.. MEAT.

But her heart has always been as tender as her roasts.

Well, after more than four hours in the oven yesterday, my wife pulled out two roasts.

Let's give this our best shot.

Double barrel no less.

We tasted.

We looked at each other.

We looked at the roasts.
(enter love music)

We agreed.

Even BETTER than Grandma's.

The taste of victory is sweet.

And so is the meat.

So when I dive into the leftovers for lunch today, I'll remember:

All of those failed attempts.

The great surprise of sudden success.

And the joy of knowing a special someone didn't mind being beaten at her own game.

There's a lesson in there somewhere, don't you think?

Scary Stories In The Bible

Yesterday, we were talking about Redeeming Halloween.

But this morning I ran across an article posted on http://www.crosswalk.com/

Shawn McEvoy has another take on this season.

Why not look at some scary stories in the Bible?

Neat idea!

Also, knowing what God says about witchcraft, sorcery, and the occult is valuable info for us to share with our kids.

Coming up the week of Halloween, October 29 & 30, I'll be interviewing a former witch who is not only living for Christ now but is also a gospel singer!

You may even know her name.

Be sure to join us for TOTAL IMPACT at 6:10pm Pacific on the 29 & 30.

But if you have a few minutes, read on.

Scary Stories of the Bible- Courtesy: Shawn McEvoy Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Halloween is around the corner and while some may choose to not celebrate it we may still encounter questions regarding the existence of monsters and other scary stories.

The Bible is not without it's stories that would make Wes Craven envious.

Let's study a few of them. But first let's consider...

1. Does the Bible support the existence of monsters in times past?

2. Read Job 41 and list 10 characteristics of The Creature described.

3. If you had to give an explanation of such a beast to someone, what would you call it?

4. The book of Daniel, chapter 5, relates the Story of The Knocking Kingly Knees...

The music was playing and the dancers were dancing. It was the King's great feast with a thousand lords in attendance.

The king was making merry and called to bring forth the golden and silver vessels taken out of the temple in Jerusalem by his father, Nebuchadnezzar. When they were brought out, he, his lords, wives and concubines drank from them and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Suddenly a hand appeared and wrote on a wall. The king was frightened... so frightened that his knees began to knock together and finally gave out from beneath him.

He called for the soothsayers and the enchanters and proclaimed that anyone who could interpret the writing on the wall would have bestowed upon them a purpose robe, a golden chain and would be given the position of 3rd most powerful person in the kingdom. But none of them were able to decipher the writing on the wall.

The queen heard the kings fear and told him of a man named Daniel who had served his father. She spoke of Daniel's wisdom and recommended that her husband send for Daniel.
The king summoned him and told him of what would be given if he could just interpret the writing on the wall.

Daniel told the king that he could keep his riches and give his rewards to someone else but that he would still render an explanation.

Daniel first told how the king's father Nebuchadnezzar had become arrogant and prideful that he was stripped of his glory and given the mind of an animal and was sent to live in the fields like a wild donkey.

He remained like this until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men.

But then Daniel turned to the king...
But You have not humbled yourself despite knowing all this that your father went through. Instead you have set yourself up against the Most High God. You had the goblets brought from His temple and used them to drink wine and to praise false gods.

This is why he has sent.... the hand. (I doubt the Adams family realized that Hand's ancestry went back to the ancients.)

It has writen Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. This means that you have weighed on the scales and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Daniel received the awards despite his objections but then that night the king was murdered and Darius, the Mede, took over the kingdom.

5. What are some other scary things that God has used in order to deliver a message?
6. Has God ever used something scary in order to teach you something?

The Posse and the Ghost on the Water from Mark 6 and John 6:
The men had been waiting for their leader. He had left them to go be alone for awhile.
They had come to respect His desire for these alone times and so when evening came they decided to head off across the sea without Him.

By now it was quite dark and a wind had blown up as it so often did upon this sea. The rough waters crashed against the sides of the boat and the wind whistled through the lines as the men struggled against the oars.

It was when they were about 3 miles out that they saw the ghost. It was coming straight towards them and they were afraid.

Who wouldn't be? On land one could at least run but at sea all one could do was to row harder.
Then... the ghost spoke... "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

It was then that the disciples realized the ghost was actually Jesus, who had walked out to them upon the water.

7. Have there been times when you were afraid of God? What did you learn during those times of fear?
8. What stormy waters have you encountered that you received comfort knowing that Jesus was with you through them?

Day of the Living Dead- Matthew 27
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

9. What are some other scary stories recorded in the Bible?
Other stories:
1 Sam. 28
2 Kings 13:20

Redeeming Halloween

How neat it is that Halloween lands on a Friday this year!

That means the opportunity for churches to offer an awesome Halloween alternative for kids is HUGE.

Many churches are going all out.

We've got complete listings here:
http://www.sosradio.net/holiday/harvestFestavalEvents.html

For some more ideas on how we can approach Halloween from a Christian perspective, check out my conversation with Kim Wier and Pam McCune.

Their book "Redeeming Halloween" is a classic.

Click here to listen to a part of the interview:

http://www.box.net/shared/y6bmt8me3f

You may not agree with everything they say... but I like their winsome attitude about the whole thing.

Enjoy!

Batman Theme Forever!

For those of us who relish the joy of watching reruns of the old Batman TV series from the 1960's... a sad note.
The composer of the theme song has died in Los Angeles at the age of 85.
Neal Hefti once said that song was "the hardest piece of music I ever wrote."
Can you believe he won a Grammy for it in 1966 for "Best Instrumental Theme"?
Awesome.
And so I thought I'd pay a small tribute of sorts.
Click below to see the open for the TV show.



Also, for the entire "behind the music" story of the theme, click here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_Theme
Gotta go for now.
To the Batmobile!

Breakfast With Dad

Mornings like this are classic.

Bright and early on this Tuesday after I dropped off my older son Aleq at high school, I raced back home to oust my third grader Nicolas from his nice warm bed.

"Gotta get up. This morning it's Breakfast with Dad!"

He actually DID get up quickly.

That's a clear sign he's on this Breakfast with Dad thing like a rat on a Cheeto.

I get ready.

Nicolas gets ready.

So far so good.

Breakfast with Dad has been a yearly event for me and my boys for so many years.

Each year the elementary school hosts this special time in the cafeteria.

Cold eggs, weak coffee, no place to sit.

This is always the stuff memories are made of.

This morning we arrive a little late.

Last in line at the famine I guess.

Not much food left?

No worries.

We'll take what we can get.

Here's our $8.

We're handed plates not much bigger than a SILVER dollar.

And these aren't Silver Dollar Pancakes.

Then they put a couple of sausage links on top.

They roll off.

Onto the floor.

Twice.

What? No cold scrambled eggs?

Okay.

At the next table the kind ladies offer us blueberry topping and whipped cream for our pancakes.

Thanks ladies.

A miracle: we find a place to sit!

I run over to get some OJ and weak coffee.

I'm on my way back.

In fact, I'm within 2 feet of Nicolas.

I'm just about to say...." be careful cutting the pancakes because...."

And then it happens.

He tries to cut 'em.

The plate falls into his lap before I can get to it.

I think to myself... "Why couldn't they serve cold eggs like they did the last.. oh I don't know.... 10 years?"

I remain calm.

Sort of.

I wet a white napkin.

Don't ever use a white napkin on blue sweat pants.

Now the spot is kind of white.

I call 911.

I mean... my wife.

She gives me advice.

We eat and make the best of it.

We put the emergency plan into action.

We're happy with the results.

We hang out for a little while.

The bell rings and it's the start of another day in the third grade.

He heads off to his classroom, but not before turning and flashing a huge smile.

"Bye, Dad."

That smile on his face makes him look like he's just spent the day at Disneyland.

Nope.

It was just Breakfast with Dad.

Total cost: $8.

I just got the bargain of the century.

Sandpaper People

Beware of...... the "Sandpaper People!"

Sounds like a movie.

"This Christmas... irritation has a new name... The Sandpaper People!"

Do you have anyone is your life right now who rubs you the wrong way?

They're abrasive, plain and simple.

Maybe they're even a brother or sister in Christ.

It happens.

But the truth is, everything goes through God's hands in the life of a believer.

Even the smallest details.

Have we considered the fact that God may want to smooth our rough edges a bit?

Challenge us to grow in our faith through the abrasive personality of someone we deal with on a regular basis?

It helps develop our "faith muscles" in areas we may otherwise ignore.

The key is to respond in a way that honors Christ.

With patience.

Kindness.

Long suffering.

Remember Jesus Himself had to deal with MANY "Sandpaper People."

He didn't need any rough edges knocked off, of course.

He was and is perfect.

What He was doing was showing us how to respond in the right way.

If we're dealing with a Sandpaper Person right now we need to read the Gospels.. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John with this in mind.

Learn from Christ.

Not always getting it right.

But getting better at it.

It's really the wise thing to do.

Because maybe God will keep that Sandpaper Person in our lives until we learn the lesson we need to learn.

Now THAT'S irritating!

The Messenger

Have you ever been in the situation where you felt like God wanted to use you as a messenger?

You know... to have you share something with a brother or sister in Christ.

It's that deep down conviction that you need to speak up.

"But what if it's my own imagination Lord?"

"Or what if it's just that spicy enchilada I ate last night?"

It's those kinds of questions that can lead us to ignore the prompting.

Yes, we're human and we can be mistaken.

And being too hasty can be a BIG mistake.

But how many times do we bring this "message" up as we talk with God?

Do we ask for confirmation in His Word.. the Bible.. that this is from Him?

He'll never contradict His revealed will in Scripture.

In fact, the very "message" you feel led to share may be a Bible verse.

Bible teacher Larry Kreider says when getting up the courage to deliver the "message" we need to avoid a "Thus saith the Lord" approach.

Instead we can use the "question approach".

For example, we can begin by saying something like "Could the Lord be saying....?" or "tell me if your spirit resonates with the word that is on my heart."

And then pray for God to take the word, or the "seed" that was planted and cause it to grow if it's His will.

Yes, it's possible for us to be mistaken.

But shouldn't we take the chance?

Who wants to pass up an opportunity to be an errand boy (or girl) for the God of the Universe?

Not me.

Not anymore.

IN-N-OUT: THE RUMOR

Out West, we love our hamburgers.

And we love IN-N-OUT Burger.

In fact, I tried to get my teenage son Aleq to apply for a summer job there.

He took as pass, and I cried.

I was hoping I could visit him in the IN-N-OUT kitchen.

I've always wanted to operate that manual french fry cutter.

Put a potato in, bring down the handle, presto!

French fries ready for the fryer.

So beautiful no wonder I'm a "cryer."

Well, my son opted for another job.

I still love him.

For those who don't know, there are scripture references on the cups they give you.

Very cool.

So have you heard about a possible price rollback on October 22?

That day is IN-N-OUT'S 60th anniversary.

Is it true?

Click here for the official word:
http://www.in-n-out.com/AniversarystatementSeperate.asp

I just did.

Yep.

I cried.

The October Proverbs 31 Challenge

At the end of September, singer Annie Meadows dropped by the studio to chat.
She encouraged all of us to take The October Proverbs 31 challenge.
31 chapers in the Old Testament book of Proverbs.. read a chapter a day ....31 days in October.. it's easy.
Did you decide to accept this challenge?
If so, let me know: kurt@sosradio.net
It's still not too late to catch up!
Walk with the wise and you too will be wise.
Truth is, no one is wise enough to figure this life out on his own.
We need a revelation.
Knowlege beyond ourselves.
God's thoughts.
God's ways.
They aren't like our ways.
They're much higher.
They're perfect.
Just like God Himself.
Have we thanked Him today for that Bible we so often leave on the shelf?
Let's blow the dust off of it!


There.
That's better.
I know I'm jumping way ahead in the October Proverbs 31 Challenge but I can't resist a verse that kept coming to my mind today:

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."

Just a taste of the wisdom you'll find for daily living in Proverbs.
Doesn't it make you hungry for more?

Kingdom Flight

One of the things I love to do is highlight ministries that are "flying below the radar".

Quietly serving Christ with little fanfare and big impact.

Tonight on Total Impact, I'll be chatting with Brad Bieganski from Kingdom Flight.

Brad and his crew are reaching out to a huge unreached people group not far from the borders of the U.S.

Right now they're ministering to the Tarahumara Indians near Juarez, Mexico.

So close to the United States, so far from God's truth.

In fact, according to Brad, many of the people there consider those with white skin to be "of the devil".

It's a hard place to do ministry.

You have to be empowered by the Holy Spirit every single day.

As Brad mentioned to me, he has wanted to give up many times.

But that's when God renews the call.

And so they march on.

There has been great success with the opening of a children's center.

Kingdom Flight provides food and necessities.

As well as the Good News!

And there's never a dull moment.

For instance, the story of a little girl who was taken from the center is amazing.

Brad and the Kingdom Flight folks went after her!

The entire story was captured on video.

You can see that plus learn all about the heart of Kingdom Flight here:

http://www.kingdomflight.org/

This is a ministry that prays for God to provide and waits to see how He will meet the need.

The need is great right now.

Maybe you can help.

Catch the details tonight on SOS at 6:10pm Pacific time on Total Impact.

See ya on the radio,

Kurt

Coram Deo!

I was thinking this past weekend about living the Christian life.
It's not easy is it?
Especially when people misunderstand you.
For instance, you avoid doing some things because God in His Word says don't go there.
People might say you're "holier than thou".
But that's not what it's about at all.
They see us living "by the rules".
Some call it legalism.
But there's a big difference between legalism and obedience.
Legalism means I'm doing this to be forgiven and accepted by God.
That's pointless.
Once we've embraced Jesus as our Savior, we're accepted in Him.
He's why we're forgiven.
It's not our performance.
But if we've truly accepted Christ, we'll know what it cost Him so that we can be fully accepted by God.
And out of that we want to honor Him.
To show great love through wanting to obey what He says in the Bible.
That's the key word too: wanting.
Legalism has to do with outward behavior.
Obedience from the heart has to do with the internal.
The motive.
WHY do we want to grow in Godliness?
To somehow be accepted by God?
Nope!
It's a lifelong "thank you" to an awesome God who loves us.
We're still not perfect.
But do we desire to follow Christ?
Do we confess our sins quickly?
Is there a danger that we could slip into legalism?
Sure.
But I think the greater danger is to live not caring about what God thinks.
So I've got a new motto:
I'm Living Coram Deo.
That means I remind myself that I'm living "before the face of God."
Grace when I fall short.
Strength to make the right choices for the right reasons.

Grumbling And Complaining: A Lack of Faith?

Are you ready to GRUMBLE?
We don't need much encouragement to do that do we?
It comes naturally to us as fallen human beings.
But as Christ followers, we have not only a choice, but the power to make the RIGHT choice.
You know.
Trade in grumbling and complaining for thanksgiving and faith.
It's so often "the road less taken".
Author Larry Kreider tackles this issue in his book "Speak Lord I'm Listening" (Regal):
"Thankfulness is an act of worship. Here's God's general will for you:
(1 Thessalonians 5:18) "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Thankfulness keeps our ears and mind open to God's voice. The Bible says we are to thank God IN everything, not FOR everything. That means that no matter what is going on, we are not to complain, murmur, grumble, or find fault. God doesn't want to hear us grumbling because grumbling is evidence that we have no faith in His ability to make things better."

A good word.
A convicting word.
It's all summed up IN a word in fact.
Worship!
We can think about who God is and what He's done for us.
We can keep our eyes on Jesus.
We can overcome the temptation to grumble and complain.

(Philippians 2:14-16) "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."

White Horse Youth Ranch

If you've been listening to the afternoon show for some time, then you know I have a soft spot in my heart for animals.

One of these days I'll have to post some pics of our 3 packed with personality dachshunds.

But let's talk horses.

I want to give you a heads up on tonight's edition of Total Impact.

We'll be chatting with Amy Meyer.

Amy shares what she firmly believes is a God given dream: to open a horse ranch where kids in Southern Nevada who are facing challenges in their lives can spend some time with these magnificent creatures.

Taking care of them.

Bonding with them.

And of course, riding them!

It can take their minds off of the tough stuff of life.

At least for a little while.

And they'll have the opportunity to see the love of Christ in action.

Right now things are still just beginning for the ranch.

They've got zoning issues to deal with this month.

Funding issues.

The need for more horses.

If this is something you'd like to be a part of, here's the website:

http://www.whyranch.com/

Also, they've got a big benefit concert set for Friday, October 24, at 7pm at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, 5825 Eldora Avenue in Las Vegas.

Several Christian artists will be there including Greg and Janna Long from Avalon, a new artist with some great songs out right now Ayiesha Woods, and Lamont Hiebert from the band Ten Shekel Shirt, J. Teddy Johnson, and the band Kepano Green.

I hope you can check out the interview tonight on SOS.

As always, Total Impact airs at 6:10pm Pacific time.

See ya on the air!

Bible Across America

What a neat idea!

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the New International Version of the Bible, Zondervan has kicked off the Bible Across America Tour.

For the next 5 months they're traveling all over the country.

And during the stops they're encouraging folks to write Bible verses in their own handwriting that will appear in "America's NIV Bible" that will be published next year.

While most verses will be written by "Average Joes" like you and me, they're hoping some famous names sign up.

A couple of names mentioned already: President George W. Bush and Rev. Billy Graham.

Now check this out: The tour will make it's way through SOS territory!

I checked the schedule and they're set to be in Las Vegas on January 17 & 18, 2009.

They'll be in Salt Lake City on January 20.

For more info here's the link to the website:

http://www.bibleacrossamerica.com/home.php

I'm excited... sure.

But considering my handwriting... also known as "chicken scratch"...

I'm not so sure they'll be as excited to see me.

Or maybe to be nice they'll assign me the shortest verse in the Bible:

John (11:35): Jesus wept.

How appropriate.