• Let your husband be the leader. No home can have two heads.

God would not command the man to be the leader without giving him the ability. With God’s help and yours, your husband can be the leader God intended him to be. If you have willingly or unwillingly assumed the role of leadership in your home, you can begin to ease out of it by gradually transferring to your husband the responsibilities he will most easily accept. When you begin telling the children “to go ask Daddy, he is the head of our home,” they may be as shocked as their father, but this is a good way to start. When your display of confidence in his leadership convinces him that his leadership is a permanent arrangement, not a temporary “whim” of yours, he should begin to respond positively.

• Be the spirit-filled Christian wife you should be.

The most important thing in the life of any Christian is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said, “for without me ye can do nothing.” If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit we are unproductive. I have a beautiful, relatively expensive, blow dryer at home, which I purchased because I have thick hair and it takes me a long time to dry it. That blow dryer, as good as it is, and as much as I need it, does not do me a lick of good unless I plug it into the electrical outlet. Then and only then can that blow dryer do what it is supposed to do. Our power source is the Holy Spirit! We need to “plug in“ on a daily basis. For some of us it may even be hourly!

• Be totally organized.

Nothing creates chaos more than a disorganized person. You have probably met her; she’s always late, she doesn’t know what she’s having for dinner, her laundry is all backed up or what is done is lying around the house in piles to be folded, ironing is never caught up, and her household is a total fiasco! If this is you and you can’t get it “together” on your own, don’t be so full of pride that you cannot ask someone to help you.
Stay home much of the time. You can’t get things done if you are always out running around.

Have chores for your children and see to it that they complete them. Teach them how to do a task before you expect them to do it the way you would have it done. They are learning.
Do not allow your children to be lazy. Lazy children will make lazy mates.

• Have fun!

Life is a gift from God. A healthy step in recovering from stress is learning to recognize and capitalize on the quotient of fun that God has given to each of us. We do not serve a God who is opposed to fun. Have fun as a family:
take bike rides, have popcorn and game nights, attend fun events together, and spend time walking and talking. Communicating with your children is vitally important. Running your children back and forth to the church all the time is NOT spending time with them.

What we do springs from what we remember. In our mind’s eye we clearly see how to solve our problems and whether we want to or not, we draw from the rich memories of childhood. Some adults can bring up a bucket from the memory well that is empty while others draw from one that is refreshing. As parents, we need to establish goals for what we want our children to remember. In doing so, we should keep in mind that our children will remember us not only for the things we plan but also for our unplanned reactions—the temper, flare-ups, discouragements, pouting, and so forth. All of these form the background for our children’s memories. The bright, hopeful side to all this is that our children will remember that we had problems but, primarily they will recall how we worked on solving them.

• Practice saying, “NO!”

You do not have to do everything yourself whether it be at church or at home. It is not spiritual to spend all of your time doing church things while your home suffers. When we have spent time prayerfully developing proper goals, we become much better prepared to say no to plans and desires that don’t live up to the dreams and desires for our family. This however, does not give you an excuse to do NOTHING for the cause or work of Christ.

The need to be needed is the enemy that we often allow to creep into our schedule. Learn to defeat this enemy and you will reduce a fair amount of stress in your life.

• Create a pleasant atmosphere.

Remember that Mom creates the atmosphere in the home. When you get up in the morning, put the coffee on, light a candle, turn on some good Christian or classical music and make your home a place of comfort and release for your family.

I pray that you will have a great summer with your family! Remember it will be what you make it. Make it the best!!

Mrs. Trieber

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1. Structure in the Home
2. Helps for a Happy Home
3. Ideas for an Effective Home

In 1809, Simon and his wife Monique welcomed their fourth child into the world—a lively boy named Louis. The family lived in a small stone house near Paris where Simon was the local harness maker. The shop, with all of its leather working tools, was not a safe place for children, so the toddler had been instructed not to go into his father’s shop alone.

But when Louis was still small, he slipped into the shop and, with natural boyhood curiosity, started to handle the fascinating tools. As Louis was inspecting an awl, the sharp tool used to punch holes in leather, he slipped and punctured a part of his eye. The injured eye became infected. The little boy could not keep his hands from rubbing and scratching the wound, and the infection soon spread to his other eye as well.

Sadly, Louis was completely blind by the age of five. He was fortunate enough, however, to study at the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris where he excelled as an organist.

At the age of twelve, Louis began wondering if the blind might still be able to read. It wasn’t as much if but how. Over summer break at home, young Louis determined to find the answer.

As he fumbled and groped around his father’s shop in search of the right tool for his task, the awl presented itself as perfect for the job. The awl would make the raised dots the French military system used for “night writing.” And with the same kind of instrument that had blinded him years before, Louis Braille worked and worked until he created a system of dots whereby the blind could not only read but also write, work math problems, and compose music—the Braille system.

Author Unknown

Confirming original sources can be challenging, especially in instances when more than one person has been credited to having written a story or at least some version of it or an originator cannot be traced. Authorship will be noted when it is known; but should there be any infringements upon copyright materials or personal ownership, we will correct it in any future publications.

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Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart.

In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA – because I don’t believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy — it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You’ve stripped away our heritage,
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question “Why?”
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs — politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter’s death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!

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Being married to Mrs. Cindie Trieber—40 years on December 23—has been nothing short of incredible! She has been not only a tremendous wife and mother but also an extraordinary blessing to the ministry. Thus, I thought I would list for you many of her attributes, each one having fashioned a truly wonderful life for us.

Please know that these are not in alphabetical order or necessarily in a specific order; yet each one is important to me—

· Mrs. Trieber has been faithful to our Lord, our marriage, our family, and this ministry.
· She’s the world’s best mother.
· She’s the world’s best grandmother (Nana).
· She’s spiritual (wonderful prayer life).
· She’s great with people.
· She’s fun.
· She’s disciplined.
· She’s the best giver I know. If she has a $10 bill, she will give it away.
· She has been health conscious for herself, for our children, and for me (provides nourishing, good meals).
· She’s always taken care of her appearance (weight under control).
· She keeps our home immaculate (daily) and keeps up on all household chores.
· She’s a great decorator.
· She’s wise.
· She has insight. She can read people and situations extremely well.
· She dresses not only in modesty but also in style.
· She’s determined.
· She’s a leader yet a follower.
· She’s musical.
· She’s a great entertainer.
· She’s opinionated but not rude.
· She’s not dull (dull would drive me crazy).
· She doesn’t eat in her car!
· She never goes to bed with dishes in the sink or anything else out of order.
· She always takes time for people (everyone), adults and children alike.
· She’s smart.
· She’s beautiful.
· She’s honest.
· She’s an incredible speaker. She can “out-preach” (out-teach) most men.
· She’s organized—closets, drawers, house, car, schedule, etc.
· She’s feisty.
· She’s social.
· She’s athletic.
· She’s funny.
· She’s thrifty.
· She’s a great counselor.
· She’s an exceptional cook.
· She’s an excellent writer and poet.
· She enjoys work.
· She’s keeps everything clean—house, car, etc.
· She’s tender.
· She’s a people-person.
· She’s perceptive.
· She’s a great example.
· She’s compassionate.
· She’s balanced.
· She’s expressive.
· She lives for others.
· She’s plump. (No, she’s not! She’s the opposite. I thought I would add this to see if you are actually reading this article.)
· She likes to win.
· She’s classy.
· She has a good name.
· She snores. (Again, just threw this in to make sure you are still reading.)
· She’s sentimental.
· She’s forgiving.
· She’s persistent.
· She’s intelligent.
· She’s a multi-tasker.
· She’s sacrificial.
· She lives for her heritage.
· She loves our Lord.
· She’s quiet (not a loud-mouth, gossiping woman).
· She has served in every area of our church these last 36+ years. She’s been the school principal, the church pianist, a secretary, a Sunday school teacher, a bus worker, the junior church “pastor,” a choir member, among many other areas of service. She’s involved in soul winning, youth work, children’s programs, housekeeping, decorating, writing, teaching, counseling, maintenance, etc.
· She has conviction.
· She loves me, our family, my family, and her family.
· She has been bruised, hurt, and neglected many times yet never holds a grudge.
· She’s determined to stay healthy.
· She’s a great reader, especially in the area of health.
· She understands people.
· She’s a working machine.
· She’s a compassionate, direct, no-nonsense counselor to people.
· She’s feminine.
· She’s a first-class lady.
· She’s good at rubbing my back and neck!
· She will abuse me for writing this article. She hates displays like this. Oh well, that’s what makes life interesting with Mrs. Trieber.

Cindie, you’re the best!

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Technology, however, may come at a cost. Any new undertaking will always involve additional work and effort. However, I think we, as God’s people, can count the cost and maximize our reach without being consumed with the change. I mention this because as a result of technology, email has become a primary form of communication. Now, email did not begin this way. Perhaps you can empathize with this . . .

To most people, email has become more of a burden than help. If a repetitive task, like email, is going to be completed efficiently, you must have a system in place. This should come as no surprise. In fact, the Bible commands it in I Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

I receive a fair amount of email. I just checked my email for the first time today (I’m writing this on a Saturday–typically a low day), and I currently have 26 new messages in my inbox. This is mail that I haven’t opened yet. I receive email from customers, vendors, printers, co-workers, and many others. I learned very quickly that if I want to get meaningful work accomplished, I must create a simple system to spend less time with email so I can spend more time doing things that matter!

Let me stop here and say, I have read many articles and received tons of insight on the best way to process email. Unfortunately, I have found the “best way” doesn’t exist. You may read through my setup and say, “That will never work for me!” I encourage you to then adapt the principles below to something that will work for you. Your system is the best system.

This is how I process email with purpose.

Setup
I began with completely rethinking my setup. I simply reduced the number of folders within my email account to just 7. I know people who have hundreds of folders and subfolders within their email accounts! Why? With the powerful search functionality available in most email clients, you have a Google-like search tool at your disposal to do the heavy lifting. Forget trying to remember what folder you stuck that sales quote from 2008 in!

All of my folders are labeled by the action a message receives:

Folder #1 – Inbox
For email that is unread and unprocessed *only*

Folder #2 – @Respond
For email that you can respond to immediately, but requires a response that will take longer than 5 minutes to write

Folder #3 – @Action
For email that requires additional work, research, or information before responding

Folder #4 – @Hold
For email you will want to keep on hand within the next few days (i.e. tracking information, tickets, reservations, etc.)

Folder #5 – @Waiting
For email that will require an action when the sender(s) replies to you

Folder #6 – Archive
For email that you want to save for future reference

Folder #7 – Trash
For spam, junk, and anything else you’ll never need again

Process
By taking the first step above and simplifying the number of folders in your email account, you will be able to process your mail so much easier. Realize you don’t need to respond to all of your mail, you just need to process all of it. This is how I process . . .

1. Delete/Archive
Quickly go through your inbox and delete anything that doesn’t have a place in your life. Next, place any important mail in your archive folder. Remember, your archive folder is a single folder that houses all important mail that may need to be referenced at a later date (e.g. sales receipt). As I mentioned before, to quickly find a past email use the search feature instead of your valuable time. This step alone will eliminate much of the mail in your inbox.

2. Delegate
If I find an email is pertinent to another person, I quickly forward the message to another person. Then, if necessary, I place the email in the “@waiting” folder to follow-up at a later date.

3. Respond
Go through your inbox and locate email that needs a response. Type out a 1-2 sentence reply as fast as you can. Personally, I leave out formal salutations, introductions, conclusions, and non-essential information (I’ll explain this later). Oftentimes, I don’t even sign my name. I no longer treat email the way I treat postal mail! And, by doing so, I have saved much time.

4. Defer
It’s okay to return to mail that needs additional time, but don’t allow this mail to clog your inbox. Have a specific place you can go back to. If email needs additional information before responding, put the message in the “@waiting” folder. If a response will take too long to respond to, put the message in the “@respond” folder. The goal is then to set aside time to process all of this time consuming email in one big chunk rather than breaking up a productive day to answer intermittent mail.

5. Do
Now this last step is the culprit of overflowing inboxes. If there is a task within an email you can do now . . . *do it*! If you can’t do it now, create an actionable item in your task manager of choice. Your inbox should only be for mail that you haven’t read yet! I don’t know about you, but I don’t keep my bills in my mailbox until they need to be paid. If you keep your inbox tidy, you will respect it more!

Tips
Now that I’ve detailed how I setup and process my mail, here are some practical tips that I have found make processing even faster . . .

Disable auto-check for new mail. A surprising number of people have their email set to check for new mail every minute! During an 8-hour workday that is 480 potential interruptions! Why do we do this?!? I challenge you to go through your emails from the last two weeks and see how many required a 60-second response. My computer and phone is set to check for new mail every hour.

Email Dashes. Group your email in chunks. I do my best to process my email work into hourly “dashes” of 10 minutes. In other words, after new email comes in at the top of the hour, I attempt to clear out my inbox in the first 10 minutes of the next hour.

Don’t check your email at the beginning of your day. The direction of your day is often based on your first accomplished task! You never know what may be hidden in that inbox that will set the course of your day. Get your day off to a great start by accomplishing something of purpose first.

When in doubt, call. I generally take so much time to construct an elaborate, perfectly worded email when oftentimes picking up a phone and calling will save not only time, but potential confusion to the reader. Save time and headaches with a phone call

Communicate “action steps” first, not last. People will always focus on the first thing they read. Forget the introductions and make sure what you are asking for is front and center if you want it to be noticed.

Number your questions. By separating and numbering your questions, you are much more likely to receive all the answers you need.

Make your desired response clear. Don’t make the reader guess what the intention of your email is. When I send an email, I don’t want the response to be another clarifying question. That is not just wasting my time, but others! If you are looking for a specific response make it clear.

Include deadlines. If you need a response by 2:00pm tomorrow, say that in the email. If you don’t include a due date, your response will be delivered whenever it is convenient for the recipient.

Use “FYI” for emails that have no actionable information. A simple FYI signifies that no other action or response is needed. I like getting these because I can quickly hit the “delete key” once the info is processed.

Tell them you’ll get to it later. If you can’t get to that important email today, no worries. Simply send a 15-second response, “I received your email. I will get a response to you by _____________.” Then, you will not keep people guessing.

Use expressive subject lines. Just like newspaper articles, the ones with catchy headlines get read first. Be creative and you will have your emails read and responded to faster than others!

Eliminate unnecessary responses. I don’t waste time with one word responses. Best example. . . “Thank you” and “You’re welcome.” Now don’t get me wrong, I am all about showing gratitude. But that type of email is simply wasting time. If someone assisted you in a major way, handwrite a thank you note instead of replying to an email with a two-word response, “Thank you.” Save your time and their time.

With the major influx of email, save yourself time by putting a plan in place. Then, do your best to work your plan. Let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, or tips. Send me an email at nwinn@nvpublications.org

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For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth.
(Luke 22:27)

All of us like to go to a restaurant and be served with a tasty meal. Few of us want to spend 40 hours a week working in a restaurant, serving others. When I was in Bible college, I worked at McDonalds in Joplin, Missouri, for about two years. To me, it really was not a job. I did need the money, but I enjoyed the work. However, the part I liked most was eating the food at break time. Sometimes at closing, there was leftover food, and the manager allowed me to take it to the dorm for my friends. I did not mind serving people their meals, but eating it was even better.

A time should come in a Christian’s life when he enjoys serving others more than being served himself. Jesus gave us the Golden Rule, and we could apply His Word this way in being a servant: Serve others the way you want to be served.

People take it for granted that a missionary is some saintly person who never has a selfish thought. Missionaries of course, know the truth. While we may be giving up our homeland, it does not always mean that we do not desire to be served once we are on the field. But it only in serving that people who need Christ will see Christ in our lives.

In 1895, a great Muslim rebellion broke out in northwest China. It was in a region where the only missionaries were those of the China Inland Mission. News came to Hudson Taylor that Rev. Robert Stewart, his wife, their small child, and eight others were murdered. Up to this point, only a few of their missionaries had been murdered—and never a woman or a child. The eight workers were mainly young, single ladies.

Near the border of Tibet, the city of Sining was overrun by the Moslems. Another C.I.M. missionary named Ridley, his wife, small child, and another missionary named Hall, all lived there. They were the only foreigners in the entire city.

Dr. Howard Taylor, in his biography of his father, Hudson Taylor, records the terrible scene and how the three brave missionaries served others in need.

Ten thousand Muhammadans lived in the suburbs round the city, and it was a terrible night when, contrary to vows and protestations, they turned upon their Chinese neighbours, and amid scenes of fearful carnage threw in their lot with the rebels. Already the city was filled with refugees and the missionaries were working night and day to care for the wounded. Led by a beggar who knew the healing virtue of their medicines, they had found in the Confucian temple hundreds of women and children who had made their escape from burning villages and the horrors perpetrated by their enemies. Groans and wailing were heard on every hand and in the twilight of that summer evening they saw a mass of suffering that was appalling. Burned from head to foot and covered with fearful sword-cuts, scores of these poor creatures lay dying with not a hand to help them, for no one would go near even with food and water.

Then the missionaries understood why they had felt so definitely that they ought to stay on in the city, when they might have made good their escape. This was the work for which they were needed, the work that was to open hearts to the Gospel as years of preaching had not done. With heroic courage they gave themselves to the task, and throughout all that followed never ceased their ministrations. Amid scenes passing conception they cared for the wounded of both sides. First in the seven months of Muhammadan frenzy, when the Chinese were falling before them in thousands, then in still more awful months of Chinese retaliation. With no surgical instruments but a pen-knife and hardly any appliances but such as could be obtained on the spot, they performed hundreds of operations, and treated over 1,000 cases of diphtheria not to speak of the dressing of wounds that occupied them from early morning till late at night. Neither Ridley nor Hall had had medical training, and though Mrs. Ridley was experienced in sickness she was not a qualified nurse. Operations without chloroform that would have daunted many a strong man she bravely took her part in, and they never once lost a life by cutting an artery in the extractions of bullets, etc.

Their servant’s hearts made a difference as Dr. Taylor concludes:

Almost two years in all the fearful business lasted, 80,000 people being actually massacred, not to speak of soldiers killed in battle or frozen upon the mountains. But through it all the missionaries stayed at their pos t. Proving themselves the friends of Chinese and Muhammadans alike, and winning love and confidence that brought wonderful opportunities for the Gospel. All the country was open to them. Wherever they went they found known and unknown friends…

If we desire to reach the people God has led us to so far from home, then we will, when their hearts have been softened by a humble Christian who would prefer to serve, than to be served.

Taylor, Hudson Taylor, 335
Taylor, Hudson Taylor, 337

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In a foreign land, in a small hut with a thatched roof, in a village out in the jungle, another little baby boy is born about the same time as baby Billy. This baby’s parents have not given him a name yet, because they are waiting for the village chief to tell them which of the village’s 365 gods pertains to this particular day. They will honor that day’s god by naming their first son after it. His parents are very pleased with their little boy who grows up to become a strong young man and makes them very proud.

One day, while alone and out on a walk, this young man finds a large rock on a high mountain from which he can see the scenery for miles. He sits down and takes in the breathtaking view of his beautiful surroundings. As he looks at this magnificent creation, he begins to think of how difficult it would be for someone to create such beauty. He stays until the evening, not able to leave this splendid view, and soon he witnesses a beautiful sunset in the west being replaced by the moon and the stars in the sky. He is overcome with awe, an emotion he has never experienced before. These heavens declare the glory of God to him, and the firmament he has seen from this high cliff shows forth His handiwork. Day after day, it is almost as if this young man begins to hear creation uttering words to him, and night after night he is given more knowledge about this God.

He realizes that none of his gods could ever create such beauty. And even if they could, his village’s gods were not gods of love but of vengeance. They would never create something for his people’s enjoyment. To the contrary, these gods demanded sacrifices to the crocodiles, to rocks, and even to the sun, moon and stars he had come to enjoy so much.

He begins to feel guilt for not having recognized these truths before. He feels convinced that he is at fault for his ways, though he is only following in the paths of his forefathers. Yet, he is sure that he has been wrong, and that there must be a better way than what he has been taught. He thinks, “Surely the God who created all this beauty has designed a better way for men to live. There must be a God who cares for me and my people, a God whose character would reflect the creation He has made for us.”

In his despair, he cries out to this God, the God who is different from all the gods that his people serve. He has never before poured out his heart by calling out to a god, for no one must express his or her true feelings to these gods. In fact, one must never address a god without first bringing a sacrifice. But this God must be different; surely He does not demand that we bring Him a blood sacrifice. So he takes a great risk, and does something that no one in his village has ever done: he prays to this unknown God, and dares to do so without bringing a sacrifice. In his prayer, he pleads for more knowledge about this new way. He prays for God to send someone to give him more light. He has been given the light of the knowledge that there is a God, the heavens have declared the glory of God, and he is praying that someone would come tell him more about the God of this creation.

Meanwhile, back in Midtown, USA, Billy is pursuing a great career and enjoying a wonderful life. But every night when he lays his head on his pillow, he is reminded of the call God gave him when he was still a teenager. He remembers sitting in church during a missions conference and the Holy Spirit speaking to him about the need for laborers. He knew he should have gone forward to surrender his life to missions, but he chose to stay in his pew instead. Every night since then, he has wrestled with the Lord about this, and tonight is no exception. “But I give to the missions program of my church, and pray for our missionaries, Lord,” Billy answers under muttered breath.

Billy can almost hear the Lord say, “Yes, that is what every Christian should do. But I placed a special calling on your life, and you refuse to yield to My will. There is a young man in a village waiting for you to come and tell his people about Me, and you will not go. What will happen with that man if you do not obey My call?”

The prophet Ezekiel tells us of the consequence that many will face if we fail to heed the Lord’s call to take the Gospel to the world. God told Ezekiel, “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”  [Ezekiel 3:18]

What has the Lord told you to do, dear reader, and yet you still have not yielded?  How many people will continue down the dark path of their forefathers, blinded to the light of the Gospel because we have not surrendered to go and share the Good News that has been so freely given to us?  Do not delay!  Answer God’s call on your life today.

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1. Can You Hear Me Now?

People who do not know the Bible very well might feel pretty religious in identifying with that bumper sticker, but the truth is that it doesn’t do justice to the relationship that God wants us to have with Him. He wants every person to love Him and serve Him. He has given us His Word, and He wants us to make the Bible the ultimate authority in our lives.

The direction a vehicle is headed is determined by the person who is sitting in the driver’s seat. The same is true for our lives. Though it isn’t really the best, many Christians could adopt the slogan, “God is my copilot,” as the theme of their lives. They could testify, “I am in the driver’s seat. I have everything under control. It is comforting to know that when I encounter difficulties, God will be beside me and help me overcome them. I know where I am going, but it is nice to know that if I get lost, I can go to God, and He will help me find my way.” On the surface, this may sound good, but it falls far short of God’s best. This kind of thinking and living is based in experience and centered on oneself.  “I am in control of my life. I know what is best for me.” We should ask ourselves the question, “Who is in the driver’s seat, who is in control of my life?”

Some Christians become angry with God because they feel He did not work a situation out to their advantage, or give them something they were asking for. This attitude springs from a heart that wants to be in the driver’s seat. The first thing that we have to do in order to have revival in our hearts is to humble ourselves. We can make the most of our lives and have the greatest impact when we realize that God is in control and He wants to give us the direction that we need. With His Book as our guide, we can say, “God is my pilot!”

Related posts:

1. Nothing Beats a Front Row Seat!

Today, every person who is saved is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a central doctrine throughout Scripture.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
(John 14:6)

How can someone who lives prior to the death of Christ be saved? Faith in God is the key ingredient for salvation. The New Testament believer has more of God’s revelation than the Old Testament believer. However, it’s not the extent of revelation that saves a person but rather the exercise of faith.

For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
(Romans 4:2,3)

Notice that the Bible makes it clear that Abraham’s salvation was based on his faith. The content of the Old Testament believer’s faith differed based on how much revelation was given to them.

An important element of Soteriology (the study of salvation) is to understand the different components of salvation.

• Basis
  The “basis” of salvation in every age is the death of Christ. Salvation at all times is made possible through the sacrifice of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4, Hebrews 9:26)
• Requirement
  The “requirement” of salvation in every age is faith. (Hebrews 11)
• Object
  The “object” of faith is God. (John 5:24)
• Content
  The “content” of faith changes in the various dispensations. The Bible makes it clear that during the church age the content of the Christian’s faith is Christ’s death on the cross. Scholars disagree when it comes to defining the content of faith during Old Testament times.
• Expression
  The “expression” of faith changes in the various dispensations. During the administration of the Mosaic Law, the sacrifices expressed one’s faith whereas the Law of Christ is our expression for today.

Salvation in the Old Testament was not totally different than salvation in the New Testament. The basis and requirement of salvation along with the object of faith has been the same for all ages.

Related posts:

1. Salvation Terms – Part 2
2. What Is Salvation?
3. Lordship Salvation

I want to focus on the work that it takes other local churches, pastors, and youth leaders to BRING a group of teenagers to this conference each year. Collectively, people spend thousands of hours and thousands of dollars across America in preparation to bring their young people to Santa Clara for this four-day conference. Is it worth it?!? I have had the opportunity to help organize trips like this in the past, and I know that it can be a LOT of work for the group leader. You have to advertise, promote, raise funds, talk to parents, convince teens that they want to go, answer questions, field phone calls, keep track of the medications that “Johnny” has to take, gather the funds from each teenager, help make up the difference for teens who can’t come up with all the money, line up transportation, recruit chaperones, submit registration forms, and the list goes on.

For the first year or two, it can be exciting to plan a trip like this. After you have done it for a while, if you are not careful, you may begin wondering if you should really invest all of that time to seek to bring the largest group you can from your church. You may decide to take the “easy” road, passing out a few brochures, making a couple of announcements, and taking whatever teens make the effort on their own to attend the conference. I believe this to be a mistake that will lead to eternal consequences in the lives of the young people God has entrusted to your care.

The pastor, youth pastor, or youth leader may ask himself,

Why should I work hard to bring a group to the National Youth Conference?

I would like to share a few thoughts to encourage you in your efforts to bring as many teens as possible to this conference or another conference, camp, or meeting like it.

1. Souls will be saved.

   Every year, we have scores of young people from good churches who trust Christ at this conference. Some are teens who are brand new to the church that signed up for the conference at the last second. Others are young people who have grown up in church. Through the preaching and convicting power of the Holy Spirit, they settle the most important decision of their lives. This conference many be the difference between an eternity in Heaven or Hell for a teen in your church!

2. Your message will be reinforced.

   Young people will hear other preachers that they respect and admire teaching and preaching the same things that they hear you teaching and preaching back home. A light bulb may go on inside your teens’ minds that maybe their youth leader really does know what he/she is talking about.

3. Teens will see that they are not alone.

   The Devil will use any and every tool he can to discourage the next generation from giving their lives to God. One tool he uses is peer pressure. Teenagers often think they are the only ones living right and they are missing out on the fun that all the “other” teenagers are having. A large conference like this will show your teens that there are still “three thousand that have not bowed the knee.” They are not alone. They have peers who are going in the same direction, making the same decisions that they are. This can have a powerful effect on a young person.

4. Life-changing decisions will be made.

   In addition to teens getting saved, we have seen thousands of young people make life-changing decisions relating to service, surrender, and separation. Teens have surrendered to preach, go to the mission field, or give God their lives; they have vowed to stay pure until marriage, give up something sinful in their lives, and add something righteous to their lives. Every year, hearts are softened, tears are shed, relationships are restored, and young people are changed. I know this is true. I was one of those young people. I attended this conference every year from seventh grade through graduation of high school, and some of the most important decisions of my life were made as a result of the preaching at this conference.

5. Your church will be strengthened.

   Every year, following our conference, I receive letters and phone calls from pastors and youth leaders telling me that their young people came home with a renewed fervor and desire for the things of God. They tell us that this zeal has permeated the church, influenced the adults, and helped to strengthen the entire ministry. It is amazing the power that a youth group can have on a church!

6. Memories will be made.

   As teenagers look back through their teen years in the youth group, often the memories and friendships made at conferences like these are the highlights that come to mind. They will remember the bus/plane rides to the conference, the prayer time with their youth leaders at the hotel, the activities, the skits, the competitions, and of course, the preaching. These memories will stay with them for a lifetime, and these shared experiences will help to forge a bond between you and your young people.

7. Your youth group will grow closer.

   It is amazing what a few days of uninterrupted time together can do for a youth group. This time will knit your heart to your young people and knit their hearts to you. It will open up avenues of communication, and give you opportunities for influence that you would not have otherwise had. When teenagers see their youth leaders put their lives on hold for a week to take them on a trip like this, it has a profound impact on them, whether they communicate that or not. It reinforces the fact that you really do love them.

8. Eternity will be impacted.

   The most important thing that happens through these conferences is what happens for eternity in the years to come through the lives that were touched at the conference. There are pastors, missionaries, teachers, staff members, and Christian servants scattered around the world who were called of God and whose lives were forever changed at our National Youth Conference. Just this past Sunday night, Cameron Giovanelli, preached the Sunday evening service at our church. He is the pastor of a dynamic, growing church in Baltimore, Maryland, that is reaching hundreds of people each week. As he preached, he told the testimony of how God called him to preach and pastor as a seventeen-year old boy at this youth conference. He told us that the teenager standing next to him at the invitation, also surrendering to preach that year, was a young man named Jeremy Kobernat. Bro. Kobernat now serves in our college, preaching in a different church across America nearly every week. I’ll guarantee you that the youth leaders in Rohnert Park, California, and Rockford, Illinois, who labored to bring their youth groups with young men named Cameron and Jeremy to this conference in 1996 have no regrets about the investment that they made. More importantly, the lives that have been touched and souls that have been saved through the ministries of these men and others like them tell us that, “Yes! It is worth it to bring a group to Youth Conference!”

   We have no idea which junior high or high school young person at this year’s conference will one day be a mightily used servant of God in the years to come. We do know, however, that this conference will not have any of the effects mentioned above in the life of a teenager that is not here. Youth leader, it is up to you. Is it a lot of work? Yes! Is it worth it? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! Eternity will reveal that your investment paid unimaginable dividends.

I look forward to seeing you in June! Join us as we “Turn the Tide” for God!

Related posts:

1. 28th National Annual Youth Conference
2. Some Things Your Youth Pastor Will Never Tell You
3. A Conference You Don’t Want to Miss