Beautiful Feet

by Benjamin Burke

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings the good news

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

God calls us to missions. Sometimes, it is only to our neighbors, our friends, those around us where we are at. And other times, it is to the world. He may call us to go to completely different cultures. No matter where God calls us to go, we have to go, period.

It’s a period, but it’s not the end of the story. One way we can prepare for missions is to do what Jesus says most frequently to do; Read the Bible and pray. You have to make sure you are ready, in season and out.

As Christians we know that a time will come that we will have an opportunity to share the gospel and the good news. Many Christians spend time sitting and waiting for the opportunity to do that, but they are not preparing or seeing the daily importance of having fellowship with God. But the truth is, you can’t give what you don’t have. A verse that comes to mind is a verse from Ephesians 6. It says that when we are going out as Christians we need to have our feet “shod with the preparation of the gospel”. You notice that it actually uses the word preparation. Preparing to share with people is the most important part of missions.

God does call us to go out and share. Let’s not just hear the call. Let’s not just look for opportunities. Let’s be ready! If we are full His words then those words can be used to change people when the Holy Spirit leads us to speak them. If we are taking His good news, we are proclaiming peace, tidings of good things, and salvation! Our God Reigns!

Change

by Sterling Burke

In the world we live in, change, might be the principal part life. Some say life is change. Though if life is change, where is stability found? Does everything change all the time? The better question is; what doesn’t?

We live life fearing change when the reality is once you get up from reading this your life will have changed. Everything is change, and change is in everything.

I only wish that as things change, we could learn from the circumstances it brings and so, gain understanding from the past. Maybe if the past is clear we would be able to distinguish just what is needed to produce a brighter future. This to me seems the wisdom in it all, because you cannot stop change, you can only attempt to handle it wisely. Experience teaches, in the end, it will be just that; an attempt. Change will always come, but for better or for worse is up to you. You control your decisions and every decision made affects change. You cannot control actions of others around you, but again, you can control your decisions and your reaction to the future it brings.

You never again will have the same chances and the same opportunities as you do now. You will never view life the same. Enjoy the day. I am by no means saying do not take pleasure in the season you are in. I am simply trying to state when change comes do not shove it away. Move forward. Do not live your life trying to recreate the past by holding on tight to memories. Good are bad, they strengthen you. They are there to learn from. Don’t let them pin you down where you cannot move on. Remember, but do not relive. Live in the present, for soon it will be the past. Look forward to the future for soon it will be the present. Remember the past for it shaped you into who you are.

Change is an inevitable force, which can, in no way be stopped. As a mountain does not melt away into the earth, nor does change linger at your command. Only God does not change. Only God is in control as life gives way to change. If you attempt to control change, you are placing yourself in the place of God. Learn to trust. God knows where you are, He knows exactly what is happening around you. He knows exactly where you are and what you need. He placed you where you are for a reason and only He knows why. Trust and hold on to Him and He will always use all that happens to strengthen you. So, embrace the change God brings.

He is good and He brings us good all our days as we humble ourselves, trust Him, obey Him, and follow where He leads, no matter what has to change to get us there!

A Word to the Young

This is an review of the article A Word to the Young by Pastor Paul Washer by Benjamin Burke

In the article A Word to the Young by Mr. Paul Washer, Mr. Washer covers a lot of things, like reading the Bible, prayer, surrounding yourself with godly companions, and being committed to seek after God. The first thing he talks about is to “Remember the Brevity of Life”. He says that we need to “fight” off the temptation to forget the brevity of life, and that we need to learn from the bible and remember that our days are numbered. I really like this is because he really points out that our lives are going to end just as fast as they began. We must understand that we only have one shot to do what’s right, and that is to believe in the one and only true God.

The second thing he talks about is to “Remember your Creator”. He says that the only way we can remember the brevity of life is to remember our creator. He says that “Unless you purpose in your heart to remember God and use every means at your disposal to remain true to that purpose, you will fall into vanity and your life will be wasted” ¹. This really stands out to me because if you say “I believe in God”, but don’t act on it and just leave it at that, it’s one of the most dangerous things you can say.

”Read the Bible”. Mr. Washer says that “One of the greatest things a young Christian can do is to make a lifelong practice of reading the Bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation over and over again”²… the only thing a real Christian can do to strengthen his faith is to read the Bible. He says that most Christians have a sectioned knowledge of the Bible because they don’t read it the way it is written.

“Pray”. That’s it. Pray. Its brings us closer to God. That’s the only thing that brings real happiness. If you don’t read the bible you can’t pray, if you can’t pray you can’t live eternally with God. What an awful thought. To be eternally separated from our “Creator”. Prayer is only thing that brings us closer to God, and that is the only thing that satisfies.

“Flee Youthful Lusts”. Mr. Washer points out that in the Bible God tells us to stand strong while facing Satin, but to “Flee from youthful lusts”. That’s how strong the secular world is. God makes it that specific to run away from the world. If you open that door just a tad bit, the devil can stick his “foot” in that little crack and he’ll never allow you to shut it. And the only way you can, is to ask Jesus to come into your life, and help you in that area.

Now I want to ask you a question, what do you want people to say at your funeral? Do you want them to say “I was proud of him or her”, or “He was a mighty man or woman of God”? Or do you want them to say “He or she wasted his or her life”, or “He or she knew there was a God, but chose to stray away”? Which one do you want? We must devote our lives to Him, and Him only. We have one shot at this. Our days are numbered.

Sterling - Jan. 2011

I Regret That I Have but One Life to Give

“I regret that had but one life to give for my country.” I want to start this blog out with this quote by a man who loved his country, even to the point of death; Nathan Hale. He was an American spy in the revolutionary war. He had been caught stealing British documents. The British dragged him out to execute him without even a trial, and when asked what his last words would be, he replied, “I regret that had but one life to give for my country.”

If he loved his country so much that he’d give his life for it, how much more should we give our lives for our God? I have had the privilege to meet people like that all over the world. Some of those people have been put in jail up to seven times. Even though most of us don’t have to live like that, we still have a responsibility to do what God has given us to do, whether it’s in our town or even around the world. Like in Vietnam, China, or any where else no matter how old you are, you still have a responsibility to do what you are called to. That can be hard sometimes. Christ never said it would be easy, instead, He said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mark 16:15).” He didn’t say, “go preach the good news where it’s the easiest.” See the difference? “All creation,” that means Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Russia, everywhere! But sadly, most of the people that I know are nice and comfortable in their nice little house with their nice little car. They never step outside of their comfort zone to tell anybody about God. I'm not saying you can't be comfortable. It’s just that you can't stay in the same place, stagnant, when God has called you somewhere else or to lay your hands to something. You need to go! Wherever it is, no matter how hard it is, we need to “go”. We have to “go”.

Jesus died on cross for you and me and we don’t even take time to listen to Him, or tell anyone about Him in the simplest and easiest of situations. Maybe sometimes we just need to slow down, listen, and come before God willing to do what He has called us to do.

Benjamin - January 2011

I am Called to Pray!

I keep wanting to press more into Jesus, to connect more with who He is and what He thinks about situations that are going on around me and in different areas throughout the earth. Many times at night I lay wanting to be able to really pray. I always start prayers with requests that the Lord help me pray. You know where the scriptures say “teach us how to pray” (Luke 11:1) and “I want to believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24), those kinds of prayers.

In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about the armor of God. He describes how to use the armor. He tells us to put on the armor that we might withstand, and having done all, still be standing when we are wrestling in heavenly places. The wrestling that he is describing is a picture of being in a battle. That is exactly what it is, a battle. Thus we wear the armor. It is for protection as we stand and fight for the truth of God. And that is where Paul starts.

In Ephesians 6:14, Paul tells us to stand with our waist protected with truth, and our heart with the breast plate of righteousness, our feet prepared to take the gospel of peace, and above all to have faith as a shield to guard us from the arrows of the devil. He tells us our helmet is salvation and our offensive weapon is a sword. And that sword is the Word of God. It is a powerful weapon!

So, what I think we can learn from that passage is that we are constantly in a spiritual battle and that battle is prayer! In that battle we have to protect ourselves by speaking the truth in all things, walking in Jesus’ righteousness, and knowing we can only do those things through faith! Salvation protects our mind, and that’s why Paul tells us to put it on like a helmet. But the only way that we can come to salvation and be righteous and truthful and ready to share the gospel is by God’s word, and is through understanding God’s Word. And that is the final thing Paul tells us to “take up”, the sword of the Spirit. It is the only power that we will have to use to fight in our battle of prayer.

I do feel called to pray. Reading this passage really made me stop and think. If I want to be effective and able to pray, I will have to know and live by His word. I don’t have to be fearful and wonder what to pray. I can pray His word and know His will through doing that. I can always pray in Faith!

Benjamin - September 2010

Hobbes

I have a little Hobbe“r”s that goes everywhere with me,
He’s cute and very furry and is as fluffy as can be.

I say that he is cute but if you ever saw this dog.
You’d not “Awe!” about his cuteness,
But probably rather pet a frog.

He looks like a little werewolf
double bottom fangs on either side.
They only serve to hinder licking,
Which he couldn’t stop if he tried.

As ugly as he is
He’s the kindest little thing
Ticks and all can’t keep thankfulness away for
All the joy and happiness he brings.

He shows love endlessly
Playing, chasing, sitting near
And never stopping to lick and love you
That’s how he shows you that you’re dear.

He likes to lick everyone,
No matter who it is.
Though many shoves are given him,
He still always has to kiss.

He stands less than a foot off the ground
His upturned hair, you’d laugh if you saw
But sadly now I have to end this…
I know you might say “Awe”.

Not to worry, I’ll be back with more on Hobbes,
And the next time I might tell
Of our big ole burly golden retriever
Hobbes best friend, Brutis Shnell.

Sterling - September 2010

Choosing

In life we have choices. Right or left? Hot or cold? Fast or slow? And every choice we make will change us. So, saying that, do we always think about our choices like we should? Or do we pass them off like nothing? In choosing, we’re setting ourselves up for later. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sit back and watch my life go down the drain simply because I want to do what I want now without thinking about the future. I’m trying make choices to shape my life into what I want it to be later. I’m not doing the best for sure, but I am trying. I see so many people who live for the fun they can have right now. And I see the price of the choices they have made. And then I look at others that have made good choices that set them up for later. We all can make choices that help build a stronger foundation for later. But we can’t do it on our own. We need help from family and friends, but mostly we need help from God. He is the only One who can really help us. We have the choice to live for Him or live for ourselves. We have the choice to go to heaven or to hell because of the price that Jesus paid. I have made my choice. It is time for you to make yours.