Once saved....... always saved??

Ok here we go.................

If you are born again and still living in sin (continuing to practice sin despite knowing its wrong) -----I would seriously question the relationship of that person to God. You MUST understand that Satan tricks (1 Cor 11:14) people into thinking they are "saved" when they indeed aren't.

You cannot successfully live in the light and in the darkness at the SAME time (2 Cor 6:14-18). People who think they are saved and born again and going to heaven yet continue to live in sin are deceiving themselves---PERIOD. You must repent (acts 3:19) which is a TURNING AWAY from sin and a TRANSFORMATION (Romans 12:2) starts the process of sanctification.

Not saying we will not all fall short of God's righteousness, because we will...But to continue in practicing sin is---in effect---(Hebrews 6:6). You cannot be transformed and stay the same---it is not possible. If it were possible for me to go to heaven and still continue in occasional drug use and fornication then I would still be practicing sin. But, because of the Spirit of God that has been in me, since my conversion---I have been being sanctified ever since and therefore do NOT do the things I once did (2 COR 5:17---If anyone is in Christ, He is a NEW creation--the old has GONE).

Are these people going to Hell?

Well according to the Bible, they may very well be!----No adulterer, liar, fornicators, etc (1 Corinthians 6:9) will enter the kingdom of heaven--PERIOD! All our answers can be found in the living Word of God and anybody who thinks otherwise or strays from the truth are being deceived somehow and we must pray consistently for them!!

Faith without works is DEAD faith, if we say we have faith but how we live our lives contradict that, it is not even faith at all!!

Its all written already..............................

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
²⁰You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

2 Timothy 3

Godlessness in the Last Days

¹But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ²People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵having a form of godliness but denying its power...(people that say they are Christian but by their lives deny the power of God) Have nothing to do with them.

⁶They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. ⁸Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

⁹But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.


Love you guys!! keep bringing on the questions and may God use us more and more in these last days and open the eyes of our understanding through His word!!!

Michael Panebianco

Do you have an attitude of gratitude?

This was sent to me from Simple truths and I thought it was worth sharing:

The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky. I was scheduled to speak that evening for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA).

I was a little "down in the dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my traveling schedule and recently I'd experienced some mild bouts of vertigo (that inner ear condition that can cause the room to start spinning.) You got it...speaking and "spinning" are not good partners!

My keynote presentation was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but I had been invited to show up at 6:00 to see a performance they said I'd enjoy. Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget.

They introduced the young musician. Welcome...Mr. Patrick Henry Hughes. He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.

He then began to sing as he played, and it was even more beautiful. For some reason, however, I knew that I was seeing something special. There was this aura about him that I really can't explain and the smile...his smile was magic!

About ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on the stage and said..."I'd like to share a 7-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story." And the lights went dim.

Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints which left him crippled for life. However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it." By his second birthday, he was playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). His father was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music together."

Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville. His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the exception of 3 B's He's also a part of the 214 member marching band. You read it right...the marching band! He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans. In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS. Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."

But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he would talk to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, "God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability...the musical gifts I have...the great opportunity to meet new people."

When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me giant goose bumps!

My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of gratitude."

I returned to Chicago and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said, "Mac, I don't know who said it, but I think you'll love this quote."

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

I thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnack said it best...

"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth."

Dylan and I are going camping

We have been getting pounded here in Florida with rain because the storm off the coast. We are going to load up the quads and go get muddy. We are planning to set up a wildmen photo site to share pictures what do you guys think about that.

Job Opening

Guys:

We at Cactus Sky Communications have a job / project opening

One Time Database Manipulation Project

We need someone with reasonable familiarity with Microsoft Excel 2007 to work through a DB with approximately 90000 records and break it down into four component databases.

The work requires sorting the database, then filtering one or more columns and cutting and pasting subsets of data from the master database to one of the four component databases. In many cases, an internet search will have to be performed to decide which of the component databases the subset of data actually belongs to.

The work requires attention to detail and the ability to work reasonably quickly.

If this is something that you think you can help with please call Roger at 941 907 4132

Prayer for our little brother

Last week I posted a prayer request for my nephew about his toe being cut off, please see below from his Grandma.

Please continue to pray for my grandson Hunter. They removed cast today to see how it is doing. Not well. All black. Now, surgery scheduled for Monday with plan to remove the toe but surgeon said if there is pink healthy tissue growing under the part that is 'not', they will save what they can. With God, all things are possible! Praying for healing, peace and God's BEST!!

Curt Hicks father passed on.

I was informed that our fellow Wildman Curt Hicks' father passed away yesterday morning. A not unexpected passing but a great loss for the family nun the less. Please remember the family in your prayers as they deal with this loss. I'll post more when I here it.

Love her well.

I ran across this and thought it was worth sharing. Keep fighting for her men.

"Husbands, Love your Wives..."
13 Biblical Commands for Husbands
by Tom Eads

1) Love your wife as Christ loved the church. Give yourself up for your wife. [Ephesians 5:25]
This is the premier command for husbands and the verse that I roll around my head on a daily basis. Christ's love for the church was without reserve. He gave up everything for the church, even His very life! His love was extravagant and given before anyone in the church loved Him. His love was not dependant upon our love for Him. Likewise we must ask God for more creative ways that we can give ourselves up for our wives. This may mean a radical change in your thinking of how you serve God and do ministry. Any ministry that takes you away from your wife and leaves her thinking that your ministry is more important than her must be quit immediately. God created marriage first. Man created what we call "ministry". God wants us to love our wives and to serve Him and give ourselves to Him. Often times we are too busy doing other things to obey this cardinal command for husbands: Love your wife as Christ loved the Church.

2) Love your wife in the same way you love your body and yourself. [Ephesians 5:28-33]
The Bible tells a husband to love his wife as his own body. Take a moment to analyze what you do for your body and how you feel about it. You provide physical care for your body throughout the day. Much of your happiness is dependant upon the health of your body. A sick body distracts your mind and energies. When your body has a need or an urge, you are quick to take care of it. Any sexual urge in your body is noted quickly and a desire springs forth to care for that urge.
Likewise, a husband should care for his wife physically throughout the day, attending to her needs and providing for her financially. A husband must feel the pain of his wife's illness and rejoice in her health. A husband must learn his wife's sexual desires and move to meet those needs.
Basically, whatever need or desire a wife may have, whether it be physical, spiritual, emotional, sexual, or relational must be met with the husband's full attention and effort. In this way he can serve her and love her as he does his own body.

3) Be considerate as you live with your wife. [I Peter 3:7]
This is so important that the Bible says that if we neglect this command, our prayers will be hindered! Since the husband has authority over the wife, he must exercise this authority with extreme caution, lest he be accused of being a despot from time to time. Learn how to be considerate of your wife. If there are annoying habits that you are guilty of, quit them! When she needs to be treated like a lady and helped out of the car, or needs help carrying heavy items, do it! If she needs some time to herself to take a walk or sleep, take care of the house and family! Learn to serve your wife with all of your energy, pouring your love into her with all the understanding and consideration you can. Pray for help in seeing the blind spots in your life where you may be inconsiderate of your lovely wife.

4) Do not be harsh with your wife. [Colossians 3:19]
Men, being the stronger of the marriage couple, tend to lean towards harshness from time to time. When a wife is living her God-given lady role, she will be sensitive. Realize that harsh answers, angry looks, irritated tones of voice and impatience will deeply affect your sensitive wife. Do not be further annoyed by her sensitivities, but rejoice that she is a lady and isn't like you! Don't be harsh with the precious gift God has given you.

5) Your body belongs to your wife. [I Corinthians 7:3-5]
This passage is explicit that we are to use our bodies to please our wives sexually. We are NOT to deprive her of what she needs. Many women will never tell their husbands that they would like to orgasm and have intense pleasurable feelings during times of intimacy. Assume that she would like to orgasm and work diligently to please her. Ironically many men are trapped in situations where their wives are not providing for their sexual needs [and it is a sin for a woman to not provide for her husband's desires and needs] when their wives might become more interested in sex if their needs and desires were being met! With much practice, sharing, and time you can learn to make your wife feel as good, if not better, than you feel during sex! Remember, sex is something that is given, not taken.

6) Rejoice in your wife. Let her breasts satisfy you. Be captivated with her. [Proverbs 5:18-19]
No man should look at other women or pictures of other women when he has a wife whom he can gaze upon daily.
[Women should of course provide for the visual needs of her husband by exposing herself to him often and in erotic ways. And women should strive to keep their bodies as attractive as possible, but not letting the world dictate what attractive means.]
A husband should become fully satisfied with his naked wife. He should let her breasts completely satisfy him in every way. No matter what the size or shape, if a man will let it happen, and ask God to help him, he can grow to truly find his wife's breasts to be the most attractive and sexy breasts in the entire world. This is the true spirit of being captivated with your wife. Just think how your wife will feel when she truly knows that you find her to be the most wildly attractive woman in the world and you are nuts for her physical body! Such a wife will feel sexy, attractive, and most of all, ladylike.

7) Ensure that other men do not "enjoy" your wife in public places. [Proverbs 5:16]
Encourage [or with a husband's authority, command] your wife to be very modest in public and erotic in private with you. A modest woman is a lady. There is much sin and temptation that results from women showing too much skin in public. Why show the world what should only be for your eyes? Just think of the pleasure of knowing that no one sees your wife's legs but you! When she wears a skimpy outfit for you, you see things that no one else ever does. You will be shocked at how this one maneuver will increase your feelings of masculinity and her feelings of femininity.

8) Do not be captivated by other women [Proverbs 5:20]
Finding other women attractive and looking at them will erode your own view of your wife. And nothing good will come from that. You will be less satisfied with her and she will feel less special to you. And if you think you only look at women when she isn't around, you are mistaken. No man can build a habit of glances without subconsciously doing it in his wife's company. And she will notice. Remember to be captivated with your wife and no one else. She will feel like the Queen of the world and you will fall further in love with her.

9) Praise your wife. [Proverbs 31:28-29]
Tell her that she is special. Tell her that she is greater than any other woman on earth. Be specific. Don't just mention her physical beauty, but her care for you, her hard work, and her ladylike attributes. Watch the flower of your wife blossom as you repeatedly fill her ears with your praises. She longs for those words and she wants to hear them from you! If you make the other 12 points in this lesson a reality in your life, then when you praise your wife she will believe that she really is the most special woman alive. Of course we are not trying to cultivate pride here, because we all recognize our utter sinfulness, but that does not obviate the woman's need and longing to be treasured.

10) Tell your wife how captivated you are with her body [Song of Solomon, esp 4:7; 7:1-8]
A true lover will make sure that his wife knows that he finds NO FLAW in her. Men, if you find a certain part of your wife unattractive and she knows it, she will be embarrassed of that part and it is your responsibility to gradually undo the damage you have done here. Fall in love with every single part of her body like Solomon did with his betrothed. God made your wife. God makes no mistakes. If you find a part of her body flawed, then it is your mind that needs to be changed. This does not let the wives off the hook to let their bodies go to pot! But it puts the responsibility upon the man to grow to love every part of his wife and then to sensually tell her how he feels. Think of how good she will feel when she truly believes that you are enamored with every part of her!

11) Honor your marriage; keep it pure by remaining true to your wife in every way [Heb 13:4]
Jesus says that lustful looks are adultery [Matt 5:28]. Keep your marriage pure by training your heart and eyes to be solidly true to your wife. Your marriage will reap huge benefits if you do!

12) Be thankful for your wife and realize the favor you have received from God. [Prov 18:22]
A wife is a blessing from God. Just think of how lonely you would be without a wife. Adam was alone and it wasn't good for him to be alone, so God gave him a wife. You have a lifetime companion, a friend, and a lover to enjoy every day. What a blessing!!!! Thank God for her daily. Pray for her. She is a tremendous gift from God.

13) Be "one flesh" with your wife in every way. [Matthew 19:5]
Enjoy life with her as if you were inseparable. Do not do what most couples do and live together but lead separate lives. Long to be with her like you did when you first met. Rush home from work. Think about her during the day. Call her. Learn as a couple to agree on more and more issues. Be like minded. Enjoy intimacy and sex very often. You should have sex as often as is necessary to meet the desires of the spouse with the strongest sex drive. Spend a lot of time alone, just talking and sharing the day's events. Show a genuine interest in each other by listening intently, giving your full attention and eye contact. Your wife is more important than anything or anyone but Jesus Christ. Be one with your wife.

Job Opening

Guys:

I know that some people are looking for a job and today I ran into a guy who works for Verizon and they are looing for sales people. His name is Roy Cox you can reach him at roy.cox@cellularsales.com

Peter

Movie tonight

If anyone is interested, I'm going to see the movie Inception with a few friends tonight...5pm @ LWR Main Street Cinema. Pure Buttery Flavored Stuff.

Seeing Us for What We Will Become

Seeing Us for What We Will Become
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, July 15 2010

..."The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Judges 6:12
God always looks at His children for what they will be, not what they are now. The Lord already had seen Gideon as a leader of others, not just a laborer who threshed wheat.

Gideon was an Israelite who lived during a time of oppression from the Midianites. God had allowed Israel to be oppressed because of its rebellion. However, the Israelites cried out to God, and He heard their cry for help. He decided to free them from the oppression of their enemies. God chose a man with little experience in such matters to lead an army against Midian.

When God came to Gideon through a visit by an angel, the angel's first words to him were, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God always looks at His children for what they will be, not what they are now. The Lord had already seen this man as a leader of others, not just a laborer who threshed wheat.

The apostle Paul said, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13). God has reserved an inheritance for you and me. He has foreordained that we should accomplish great things in His name-not so that we will be accepted or become more valued, but to experience the reality of a living relationship with a God who wants to demonstrate His power through each of us.

What does God want to accomplish through you today? He used Gideon, with only 300 men, to deliver Israel from an army of more than 100,000. He demonstrated His power through one man who was willing to let God use what little faith he had to free a nation from oppression and bring glory to the God of Israel. The Lord delights in showing Himself strong through those who will trust Him.

Taxpayer dollars being used to end the lives of innocent, unborn children.

We said it would happen, and now it has. Taxpayer dollars being used to end the lives of innocent, unborn children.
$160 million taxpayer dollars have just been appropriated from the federal government to the state of Pennsylvania in order to set up a high-risk insurance pool program--a new program created by the health care bill that would cover abortion on-demand.


When those so-called pro-life Democrats like Bart Stupak and Kathy Dahlkemper voted for health care reform, they said our tax dollars would not be used to end unborn lives. President Obama said that his executive order would protect the conscience of the American taxpayers.

But that $160 million dollars isn’t a bluff or a false promise—it’s a reality, and the death toll will be a reality too. Please donate whatever you can today to help the Susan B. Anthony List fight this expansion of abortion through “health care.”


If there was any doubt that the health care bill included taxpayer-funding of abortion, those doubts are now laid to rest. The Obama Administration has not tried to hide their radical abortion agenda and are now moving into action—starting with full coverage for all legal abortion in Pennsylvania. We’ve got to continue our fight against the expansion of abortion through health care reform.


There is hope in our wonderful pro-life heroes in Congress like Reps. Chris Smith and Michele Bachmann who have been fighting tirelessly to defend unborn boys and girls. Rep. Joe Pitts has even sponsored the pro-life Protect Life Act, which would repeal the abortion funding in the health care bill. But, in order to advance legislation like the Protect Life Act and fight this $160 million dollar abortion giveaway, we need your financial support. Please give whatever you can right now.


May God bless you as we work together to fight the Culture of Death and the expansion of abortion across our nation.

From Wildmen Brother Troy Vanden Heuvel

Dear Brothers,

Hello, my name is Troy Vanden Heuvel, I have been a youth Pastor for ten years and am involved in a traveling ministry around the Bradenton area. Through a lot of prayer and counsel I have decided to participate in a missions opportunity with a well respected organization known as Youth With A Mission (YWAM).

Youth With A Mission is an international organization of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Founded in 1960, it is now one of the largest interdenominational and international Christian ministries, with more than 1,000 bases in over 150 countries, with a staff of over 16,000. YWAM is a 6 month journey which is split into two phases (see www.YWAM.org)

The first phase is called, Discipleship Training School (DTS) and will last about 3 months. This is an intensive Christian training course that will challenge me to know God in depth by establishing deeper Biblical knowledge while strengthening mydaily walk with God. This phase includes daily classes, work duties, and regular church services. It also will prepare me emotionally and personally for the outreach (the second phase). Of the many YWAM bases I have been accepted to go into a program called Beach to Bush (or B2B), I will be centered in Brisbane, Australia, but I will be traveling every week all around Australia, going from the Beach to the Bush ministering and spreading Gods word. (see www.GoYWAM.com and click on Beach to Bush DTS)

The second phase of YWAM is a twelve week field assignment known as “outreach”. I will be putting into practice what I have learned in the first phase by doing hands-on mission work which may include working in orphanages, street evangelism, counseling, children ministries, first aid/medical assistance, teaching, and ministering in the local churches. Where I am attending my outreach is not known at the moment because it is decided once I arrive at my DTS base, usually the locations take place in third world countries. The last B2B DTS went to South Africa.

Since YWAM is a nonprofit organization, I have to raise my own financial support. Together the trip will cost around $8,000. This includes airfare to my base and later to the outreach, food, lodging, and other expenses for both the school and the outreach. So, if you feel inclined and can possibly help out, I am asking for your support both financially and/or through your prayers. I really want God to be able to use me to make a difference and hopefully you can be a part of that. It is important to me, even if you are unable to help financially, to please remember my mission trip in your prayers.

Thank you so much for your time and may God bless you.



Troy Vanden Heuvel

If you can help out, please send financial help to:
Troy Vanden Heuvel, 7151 46th ave cir e, Bradenton, fl 34203 or E-mail me at: Molas17@Gmail.com

Prayer for our little brother

Last night my nephew who is 3 cut off his toe and they are trying to re attach it.

The Dr first said that it did not look very good chance of saving the toe at all. But 2 1/2 hrs later.. after ALL OF US PRAYING!!!!, Dr. looked again in prep to send him to other hosp, and said it looks better, was bleeding some, which is actually at good sign.. and expected better chances to attach and connect the tendons etc. so PTL. Keep praying

There is power in prayer and the bible says that we are to pray without ceasing.

Prayer for our Brother

Guys:

Cory has been really challanged lately and I would ask that you keep him and his father in your prayers. If you read Proverbs 15 today you will have a better understanding of what is going on. His father is trying to get him into a treatment program but he needs the strength to do what is needed.

As you know a good friend of mine died last December from a drug overdose and left behind 3 young children. Cory has a daughter and the family is in need of prayer.

Peter

Last Night

Guys:

In Sarasota, we had a great night and the Lord Showed up for a number of men. I thank God for all my brothers and for God giving us his word to stand on. Next week we will finish the video from Bishop TD Jakes. His message about Friendship was off the charts so dont miss the follow up.

I took away a new understanding of what a TRUE friend is and I am going to try to be a true friend, and even when it is hard I will be honest and tell my brothers and friends the cold hard truth. God teaches us to speak the truth in love and that we are to speak the truth and let God deal with the person.

Too many times in life I have sugar coated the truth because I did not want to hurt someones feelings or cause an issue, that is not being a true friend, it is being a cheerleader.

Peter

From Joe White

Speaking to various NFL & Major League baseball teams over the years has always been filled with unusual stories of humble men who are hungry; really really hungry for a relationship with Christ and surprisingly interested in a close, personal intimate relationship with a father in heaven who'll always be there with unconditional love and a heart of grace. The locker room and hotel meeting rooms are often filled with tears, hugs and amazing tenderness between us.


A few years ago I was invited to speak to the Jaguars in Dallas and then a few weeks later to Green Bay to speak to the Packers who were coincidentally also playing the Cowboys.


As I prayed about what to share with these two teams the Lord met me in my sleep and gave me a picture of a chain link to take to each player who responded to the invitation to give their whole heart to Jesus. The chain link represents a bond servant .... A man who once was a slave but now had been set free.....but in this most usual relationship, the ex-slave loved his master so much he would unconditionally enslave himself back to his master saying to him "My Love for you is greater than my freedom, greater than my own priorities, greater than myself. My love for you is everything. I give you my life."


During those two pre-game chapels and dozens of professional and college chapels since, the players have streamed to the front of the room to take a chain link from my hand, and pledged their hearts to follow Jesus with their whole heart and identify themselves as bond servants of Jesus.

The players wear their links around their necks, on their shoe laces, on their watch bands and on their key chains. One man who died after receiving his link had even willed that he would be buried with the link in his hand as a symbol of his "sold out" life and death for Jesus his Savior and Lord.

When you're "SAVED" He's your Savior, but when you're CHAINED He's your Lord.
When you're "SAVED" He's resident in your heart, but when you're CHAINED He's resident of your heart.
When you're "SAVED" He's in the front seat, but when you're CHAINED He's in the driver's seat.
When you're "SAVED" the 10 Commandments are a duty, but when you're CHAINED the 10 Commandments are a delight.
When you're "SAVED" you avoid sin, but when you're CHAINED you hate sin.
When you're "SAVED" you have pardon, but when you're CHAINED you have passion.
When you're "SAVED" you sing the hymns, but when you're CHAINED you like the hymns.
When you're "SAVED" you can't give too much, but when you're CHAINED you can't give enough.
When you're "SAVED" you're a Christian, but when you're CHAINED you're a disciple.
When you're "SAVED" you have a father, but when you're CHAINED you have a dad.


At Green Bay, Reggie White was the first one up to get his chain link from me. I said, "Hey Reggie, how's your chains?" He humbly and accurately replied, "Good 'n tight Baby, Good 'n tight."


And so I ask you today, how are your chains today?
Doulos (Fellow Bondservant),

Joe White

Try to Come to Church

I read a great blog post from Chris Elrod today.

There are very few phrases that get my blood boiling more than someone saying they will try to come to church...

To read the rest of the post go to his webpage.

Surgery at 7AM

Prayer request

Guys

A few weeks ago Cory accepted Jesus as his lord and savior and had been struggling with his past. Now more has surfaced and he needs prayer. He is no longer interning with my company.

I am very concerned about him and ask for you to pray for him. I have previously posted his number if you want to reach out to him just look at the previous post or you can get it from Dick Buckle.

Please also lift us up as we travel today and we are also now communicating with a young mother who is considering putting her daughter up for adoption with us

God bless you all see you next week.

Love is on the move, buckle up and pray

Dear Partners, Friends, and Prayer Warriors,

We met last night for dinner with a young engineer (35) who is the project leader on the tallest building in Cambodia. He wants us to put on a seminar and panel discussion on moral ethics in business and how to effect the hearts of his employees on Saturaday at 2:00 pm. We don't know that he is a believer, but he is open to spiritual things and has given us the green light to talk about those things during this time.
He will have approximately 50 of his engineer trainees(24-26 years old) from his company and others locally there on the 15th floor where we will meet.

Please pray as we prepare for this:

The hearts of these young men to be open to spiritual solutions in their lives and to see the relevance in the marketplace.
That we will just be God's catalysts in this process as we field questions on business ethics and freedom, peace and purpose in life.
Billy will give a 30 minute presentation to introduce the principles and then we have question dialogue.

We have also just found out we have a group of 5 young businessmen who want to meet with us today for lunch to discuss similar issues (3 non-believers, 2 Christians).
I must leave now to get to the that meeting. Please pray the same things for this group.

Frank- for the team in Southeast Asia.

Time and Attention

Today I got the opportunity to help out a brother of mine. As I'm driving to the airport to pick him up, I was thankful that I was available to help and also thankful that he asked. I hadn't had the chance to talk to him in a few weeks and looked forward to the hour or two I knew we'd have to spend together and catch up on things. The fact that we both take great delight in asking the other those "double-edged questions" that cut straight thru the meat to the bone and the fact that we're more honest and open with each other than almost anyone else we know promised to make for a good lunch and lively ride home. Not disappointed on either.

As we're finishing lunch, my friend says he'd like to visit a friend that's in the hospital nearby and asked if we could make time for that. A few phone calls and we tracked down the hospital and his room number.

After spending a week with stomach pains this man had gone to the doctor to see what's up, next thing he knows he's in the Oncology Ward with Chemo therapy in his future... after they get a couple of stints in his heart. Talk about getting your world rocked. We talked about the fact that we are all immortal souls, that all of us will live forever, only where we spend eternity is a chose we get to make now. I had just met this man only a few minutes earlier, but felt very comfortable asking him pointedly if he was ready to die and did he know where he was headed to after this world. I wasn't being impolite or pushy, and didn't ask in any condemning way. But I was convinced that we were not to leave the room until he felt sure or we explained it to him. Praise God, he already knew. We held hands and prayed together and made plans to have him out for dinner next week or the one after. As I told him, I know that the stuff I've been thru ain't just for God to get my attention and I'll bet God would have someone ready to hear his story too. The Big Man is such a multitasker.

It's those times in my life that I put aside my wishes and all the things I've got planned and just allow God to interrupt me that I am most thankful for. We could have so easily justified not stopping and spending that extra hour. And many times I don't. But as my friend asked "how do we please God in these kind of things?" We do it in that moment of decision that is ours, and we get out-of-the-way and follow Christ.

We all hear that voice within us...those that have ears, let them hear. And then in that instant, make the decision to be obedient. Someday, one on one, I'll be asked "Did you Love well?" I want to answer "YES."

Romans 13:8 "Let no debt remain outsanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."

Frank and Billy, Cambodia Update

Hello Partners, Friends, and Prayer warriors,

The Hunsader part of our team left the country last night (6 of them). The 4 of us now remain; Billy and I and a couple from Orlando with Campus Crusade.

We are meeting in strategy sessions with the Cambodian and Philippine staff to talk about the future country plans for evangelism and discipleship. We are looking at how to best enter into the business community and meet influence leaders who can more quickly have an inroad to developing spiritual leadership[ for the future. The military has a plan and start, but business is waiting.
There is a tremendous amount of influence being seen from Korea, Germany and other countries now as their is much economic buildup going on here. Even with the world economies struggling there are numerous large 30 story condo buildings going up. We are meeting tonight for dinner with the Japanese engineer who is building the tallest building in Cambodia. He is not a believer, but his daughter is. He wants us to talk with his young engineers about business practices. What an opportunity to talk about strong foundations for buildings and our spiritual lives and the common qualities. We will go tomorrow to visit the skyscraper with him and meet more of his staff on the job.

We will be meeting with a group of young professionals Saturday morning for breakfast to talk about spiritual things. Then Sunday morning we meet with the Soldiers again to follow up with them.

I just got the word we have to meet the Japanese engineer across town now, so we must leave immediately.

Your reporter form Southeast Asia,

Frank

Get out of BED

Come join us tomorrow at 8:15 for a short bible study, we are going to look at July 8th in My Utmost for his Highest, (I have attached it below) and we will also be reading Proverbs 8.

What a great way to start the day, the word, some brothers and God.

Set your alarm and come join us.

Peter

6371 Business Blvd
Sarasota FL 34202
941 907 4132


THE WILL TO LOYALTY

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve." Joshua 24:15

Will is the whole man active. I cannot give up my will, I must exercise it. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God's Spirit. When God gives a vision of truth it is never a question of what He will do, but of what we will do. The Lord has been putting before us all some big propositions, and the best thing to do is to remember what you did when you were touched by God before - the time when you were saved, or first saw Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield allegiance to God; recall those moments now as the Spirit of God brings before you some new proposition.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve." It is a deliberate calculation, not something into which you drift easily; and everything else is in abeyance until you decide. The proposition is between you and God; do not confer with flesh and blood about it. With every new proposition other people get more and more "out of it," that is where the strain comes. God allows the opinion of His saints to matter to you, and yet you are brought more and more out of the certainty that others understand the step you are taking. You have no business to find out where God is leading, the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Profess to Him - 'I will be loyal.' Immediately you choose to be loyal to Jesus Christ, you are a witness against yourself. Don't consult other Christians, but profess before Him - I will serve Thee. Will to be loyal - and give other people credit for being loyal too.

Do you really believe in God

Brothers and Sisters:

Do you really believe in God and trust him with everything in your life?

Let me tell you a little God story in my life.

I can’t tell you how many times and how many people have told me, “Jay you really shouldn’t leave money laying around, and you should lock all your stuff up to keep someone from taking it and so on. Don’t get me wrong I do lock up from time to time, but more to keep some kid from getting themselves in trouble than to protect any possession I might consider mine. The trust is I have nothing, I am nothing, and cannot own anything. It all, including my life, is God’s. You cannot steal from me; and you cannot even take my life. This does not mean I am not to be a good steward. But when it comes to protecting what belongs to God, I am sure, he does not need my help. I cannot purchase love, or air, and these are the only things I cannot live without.

Now here is my latest story of how God uses the above belief to serve him. Last Friday night we came running in from church through the rain, and I did not think about locking the car. Like I said above the only reason I even consider locking it is there have been a few times when kids have taken the change and things from my car. Well Saturday morning I discovered they had been in my car again and this time they got maybe $13.00 it total in cash and change, a few pain pills I keep in the car, and my checkbook. The two things that actually concerned me the most were the pain pills and my postal stamps that were in my checkbook. The pills because the bible tells me I should not be a stumbling block to my brother: (I don’t want to be responsible for someone’s misuse of medication.) The postal stamps, because I am lazy and forgetful and hate going to buy more.
The bible tells us that ALL things come together for Good for those who believe and love the Lord. Today he proved it one more time for me. (This is not the first time things like this have happened when someone took something from our home, I could tell you many stories like this.) One of my neighbors, whom I had never met, brought me back my checkbook, and believe it or not the stamps. (see how well God knows me.)
My neighbor and I talked about God for the next hour. (Thinking I might offer her the book Epic by John Eldredge, that I keep a supply of to pass the word of God on to strangers.) I asked if she read. She replied, “the bible?” I said, “Well no, just read? But since you mentioned it do you read the bible?” She said she did, and I went and got her a copy of Epic. We talked about the Catholic church, and problems it is facing, and her love of her faith, and how the Holy spirit had led her to study God’s word more personally, (she said most of her life the church and teachers read to her, she wanted to know God more personally) and some of the Bible Studies she has be going to, and how her church is changing from within and many of the men are stepping out of their passive impotent roles into more Godly roles. We talked about God’s grace in my life changing me from the troubled kid I used to be, to the man who loves and trust God today. She responded with how blessed she is to have two brothers that God healed from alcoholism and how their lives have been transformed and both claim they have never felt such freedom and joy now that they live a Godly life.
Was that all God has done? Nope story isn’t over yet. I go strait to my computer to type this letter and share it with you but was interrupted when the Tax Assessor knocks on the door. (I have been remodeling my home they need to assess the new value.) Can you guess what we talked about for the next 30 minutes? Yep, we talked about God. What a magical thing will happen in our life, if we only believe. Only God and the person who went into my car will ever know what miracle God will perform, or maybe already has performed, in that life. Unless, and it wont surprise me, if someday that person comes to me to let me know how God touched them that night. I nearly forgot that when the Largo Police officer came I testified with him as well. I am sure someone reading this testimony is being blessed at this moment. God is limitless as far as it is from east to west. Only we limit what God can do, by our belief. What limits do I put on God? is a great question for me to ask myself. How about you? Most of us are going through something in life nearly every moment of every day. The thief is always trying to steal something from us. The only power he has is our belief that any of that stuff is ours. I don’t care if it is your health, your spouse, your children, our home, your job, your friends, even your desire to be treated well.

I didn’t write this letter to boast of myself but to boast of the Lord who loves me, and you, and has given us everything. We have earned nothing.
I will end this with a loving question: Have you really given everything to God? I know I haven’t but I am working on it.

You brother is Christ

From Billy in Cambodia

Hello dear friends and brothers!. I will be thinking of you and praying for you and the men as you are at Wildmen tonight. We finished a marriage seminar last weekend with 20 military couples and early reports are that everyone accepted Christ. Meetings will be held this week to assess their understanding of what they have done and the implications for their lives. May God be praised in every way. I have been thinking a lot about each of you and our ministry together. Have number of ideas to share with you to receive your feedback.

God bless you all and your service in His name,

Billy

Everyday is a Gift

An Excerpt from Every Day is a Gift
by Barry Gottlieb

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-The Dalai Lama

What does "True Abundance" mean to you?

According to Wikipedia, the definition of abundance is "the opposite of scarcity." I believe true abundance is not measured by what you have; rather, it is measured by what you give.

In our culture, it seems that most people are caught up in their "need for greed." Perhaps this is why so many people struggle to find their happiness, and why over 25% of the people in our country suffer from anxiety. We live in a culture where we are taught to judge a person based on what they have, rather than on who they are and what they contribute to society.

I was very fortunate to have met a professor that changed my whole way of thinking. I was one of those people with a, "What's in it for me" attitude when I started his class. By the end of the semester though, my philosophy and my attitude had changed. Forever! This is what I learned:

"You can have anything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
-Zig Ziglar

I challenge you to focus on this philosophy for an entire month! Here are some action steps that will help you stay focused on this incredible gift:

ACTION STEPS

Gratitude. Every night before you go to sleep, recite aloud at least ten things for which you are grateful.

Forgive. Let go of the past. Forgive those who have hurt or angered you. Stop carrying this poison around with you every day.

Love. Be sure to tell those people in your life who mean so much to you that you love them and appreciate them.

Donate. Go through your closets. Anything you haven't worn or used in the past year, box it or bag it and take it to a place where those who are less fortunate will benefit from your donation. Get your children involved!

Praise. Make time to praise. Look for and recognize the good in others.

Freedom

Independence Day, July 4th. As I read many posts and talk to people, I here a lot of talk and thanks for our men and women in military service. The great sacrifices they make and have made so that we're able to enjoy our freedoms. And I also want to trumpet that call of praise and honor that they so deserve. But what are we free from or what are we now free to do? What was it that our warriors sacrificed their lives for? What is it that makes a person willing to give up his life for another? Cheap health insurance, equal rights(whatever that means), the chance to get drunk and watch a ballgame? Or maybe the lofty ideals of owning property, being able to self govern, to throw the scoundrels out if they don't do what we want...Really? This is worth my life? All great and noble things but they hardly make me want to fall on my sword.

Let's try this one; LOVE. Now I'm feeling sacrificial. Now it starts to make more sense to lay down my life for a cause, a spouse, for family, for friends, for country. And what is this love? In 1st John 4 it says that God is love. And that He showed it by sending his only son to die in our place. And in John 15:13 it says that greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. We are reminded again in Ephesians 5:25; "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." Notice how these are all people, not just things? What soldier ever died for a piece of dirt, a city or a building? None.

So today as I celebrate our country's Independence Day, 4th of July, I'm reminded of the First Independence Day, the day Jesus gave his life for me on that cross. He proclaimed my freedom, gave me sight, healed my broken heart and released me from oppression. Jesus paved the road I now travel. This world may see it as a toll road, with rules and duties and sacrifices to be paid, but nothing is farther from the truth. Having traveled the worldly route for so long and nearly trashing my ride on all the empty promises that were made, I now enjoy the freedom of a straight and lighted path that was paved for me with such a costly price. A road available to anyone that will accept it.

I love our men and women that fight to defend our freedoms, but they are freedoms that where first given to us by God through His love for us. God-given unalienable rights if I remember correctly.

Job Opening

Axiom has a job opening to fill immediately. If you know of someone who fits the very non-politically correct description below please send them my way. Also please pray for me. I thought I had this person on our team and just learned today that God is calling him to another opportunity. At the moment I am more than a little discouraged, and I need your prayers. I look forward to spending time with all of you next week.

Job Description
I am looking for someone to become Joey's right hand. This person will spend time learning bookkeeping, tax and financial statement fundamentals if he does not already possess that knowledge. He needs to be ambitious and intelligent. I'm not looking for a warm body. I'm looking for the person who will enable Axiom and Joey to reach the next level. Once the fundamentals are covered this person will shadow me on client calls and assignments. He will be responsible for coordinating followup and follow-on assignments. He will have a great deal of client contact and will represent Axiom in the community. I am looking for the following traits.

Christian
Male
25-35 years old
Undergrad degree in business, finance, economics or accounting
Desire to be mentored
Professional polish
At home speaking directly with clients and customers
Technologically savvy
Able to sell both himself and services he can offer to clients
Intelligent

Comp details
Starting pay of $15/hr first 90 days, incentive comp based on production thereafter
No benefits at present but possible within next year
Profit sharing if business growth targets achieved (25% next twelve months)
--
________________________________
Joey Brannon
Axiom CPA, PA
5304 4th Avenue Circle East
Bradenton, FL 34208
T 941.745.8006
F 941.745.8445

Cheep Ride

There is a woman that preaches/teaches at the county jail that is need of good, cheap transportation. If anyone has one or knows of a decent auto, please let me know.

Where are you going?

This morning I was blessed to be with a friend and he shared this story with me and I had a profound impact on me so I am passing it along.

He was recently Canoeing on the Suwannee River with a group of Business Men, they all got in the canoes and the race began, one of the men said “take the oars of the water and let the water take you. The river as you know is winding and you do not know what is around the bend till you get there and can see what is coming up. God created the river and the current and he is looking down and he knows what is ahead and he has a plan to get you there.

All too often we are pushing hard and not trusting God to lead us and flow with his current.

Our brother is in the Hospital

Guys:

I just got word from Craig Smoot and he is in Lakewood Ranch Hospital Room 229. Please pray for him or if you are in the area stop by and say hi.

Peter

My Brother is enroute to Uganda

Please pray for Kurt Pendergrass and the Uganda mission team. They are on their way and will be there late tomorrow night. On Sat. am they start working at an orphanage then throughout the days, a prison for the first time, schools with HIV/Aids awareness, pastor's conferences, medical and dental clinics. Pretty amazing all the things God has worked out for them to do! We appreciate all your prayers!

Update from Cambodia

Hello Partners, Friends and Prayer Warriors

The smells and sights constantly remind us we are not in the US. There is a constant odor that is not like sweet flowers here.The dire life circumstances and life resources of the population are constantly before you. Cute little children at the army base last night with inadequate clothing, rashes and bug bites: You want to touch needs and yet the magnitude is overwhelming.
We continued with the officers today and they are making progress in their English. It is hard when even they argue over what a word in their own language means, it is not as precise as ours. I just have to remember when it comes time to eat, Bai (rice), that's safe. The challenge has been set to see which one of the team is going to eat a french -fried large spider or roach- whoa! They now have small snakes on a stick also french-fried and BBQ.

Three of us have had to discontinue taking the Malaria Medicine due to side effects of dizziness, reflux and great belching. I guess double dose "OFF" will have to work.

There was training for the facilitators of the Couples seminar this morning and back to the army camp. We leave in the morning (Friday 7:30 am here) for Sihinoukville a 5 hour bus ride southwest of here on the coast at the bay of Thailand, where the couples retreat will be. We will be there til Sunday and return that night to be here for Monday at the army base. The pace is very steady and it is hot.
After the classes last night the officers wanted to play badminton with us. It is a big sport here with the military. So it was a good bonding time with some accept the two my Cambodian partner and I beat. Just kidding, they were all good sports and mostly trounced us Americans.

We have had strategy meetings with the leadership here as to the future of priority targets here in the country. There is great building and growth taking place here with outside money from Korea, Germany, and others. New 30 story condo's are going up which only the elite could afford here. So there is going to be an influx of people into the country in the near term. How do we then target those who can have an impact spiritually on them?

There are things happening in the Philippines and other countries closeto here where God is doing some unique and significant things. I will share some of them when I get back with you. It is exciting to pray with these folks for God to raise up strategic believers to commit to be reproducers in the lives of others to change countries for Christ in the future.

The pack mule of the culture here is the five-horsepower motorbike, there are hundreds of thousands. At the few(maybe ten, in the city) street lights the only things that stop are a few of the cars. Red lights mean nothing to motorbikes.

From your man on the streets in Phnom Penh, I must go hit the rack. "Souk pela klow"- see you later

In His Service With You,

Frank

5TH TUEDAY IS TONIGHT

In case you have forgotten or have been living under a rock, tonight is our 5th Tuesday celebration. We are meeting at Woodland and will carpool up to Grace Family Church in Lutz. Be at Woodland by 5:15 if you want to share the journey with your brothers...getting there can be half the fun.

Make the effort to come and be an encouragement to someone else. Don't worry, you won't melt...we'll have you home before midnight, and you can feel better about yourself at work the next day.

On Mission

As I was reading this morning in Romans, I came across Paul’s statement in chapter 15, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done-” Two main points jump out at me in his statement.

First is his single-mindedness. Paul was determined to stay on point, on task if you will, and was unwilling to get caught up in the trivial pursuits of the day. What was permissible to eat and what wasn’t, to drink wine or not to drink wine, which day of the week was holy, etc… these where simply things to wade through to get to the real prize. His prize was leading the Gentiles(insert your group, your friends here) to obey God. Sharing the good news with everyone he came in contact with and to have it received by them. To have it change them. And he also realized that it was “what Christ has accomplished through me…”

The second point is to what he accredited this success that Christ has orchestrated through him; “by what I have said and done.” And I would like to think that what he had DONE is far more weighty than anything he ever SAID. As my friend loves to say, “I’d rather see a sermon than to hear a sermon any day.” Although I do love to hear a good message and good teachings(and do most every Sunday) seeing the body of Christ in action I believe to be much more powerful. Don’t just tell’em you love’em, show’em.

Both are important as we can see from the life Jesus lead while on this earth. He spent much of his time teaching. At times to only a few and at times to thousands. But we also see so many instances of Jesus simply loving on people; feeding them, healing them, weeping with them, celebrating with them, fellowshiping with them. I believe if Jesus had never spoken a single word, that his actions and interactions with others would have still changed the world.

We all have a task, a mission, a great commissioning if you will, may we always be about our Fathers business, and use words when necessary.

News from Cambodia

Frank Frye and Billy Tullus are in the midddle of the battle, fighting for the souls of these people. Please keep them in your prayers.

Dear Partners, Friends and Prayer Warriors,

I have had a computer restriction through Google where I have not been able to get to e-mail addresses til know. In an effort to get you some information I am sending this e-mail one of the other team members sent out Sunday. I hopefully can get you a journal out tomorrow. It is 8:30 and we are wiped out, but with great pleasure after our 1st class with the Officers.

For Now, Frank

Dear ones,

It is 4:15 in the afternoon here, 5:15 in the morning where you are, and where my sleep schedule is. We have been so wiped out these past two nights that everyone has been asleep by 9:00 (most by 8:00). Then it begins...waking up at 11:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m....I have a feeling that I will get acclimated just in time to go home and start it all over again. Thankfully the kids adapted instantly and are sleeping all night. Then there's the food. We ate at the hotel restaurant last night, and it took us forever to order. We weren't quite sure what most of the items on the menu were, and many still didn't know after they ordered and ate. It's a real adventure in eating. Alyssa said today that she's not even hungry for food...for those of you who know her, that statement will bring a greater understanding than anything else I could say.

Yesterday, I thought the traffic patterns were mildly interesting. That perspective came from riding in the back of a van behind a lot of tall people. Today, I rode in the front seat. I'm amazed that though I don't understand the seemly imperceptible traffic rules, the system works quite well here. If the same situation existed in America, there would be wholesale fights, lots of bad language, fist shaking, etc. Here, they occasionally honk horns, but it's more to say, "here I am" than "move out of my way". I have noticed that size matters. You want to either drive something really small (motorbike) or something really big (van). The motorbikes can squeeze between everything else, and the vans get more respect than small cars. Painted lines on the roads here are more like suggestions for where you may want to consider driving than actual rules. If you choose to drive on the wrong side or down the middle because it's more convenient, that seems to be okay. There are few traffic lights, and most people ignore them anyway. I know that no matter how much time I ever spend here, I will never get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Yesterday was nothing short of an amazing day for our family. We started with attending Gospel Commission Fellowship services. Most things were spoken in Khmer, but the sermon notes were in English and the song lyrics were in both languages. The music was wonderful, and the people here really sing. The message was about Jonah and 'sleeping Christians'. It was an admonition and encouragement to us that we should obey God when he calls us to do his work. I was most struck by the prayer time. Everyone prays their own prayers, out loud, all at once. In American, there is an unwritten rule that all praying must be silent, in unison, or said by a church leader. Listening to the 'noise' of so many prayers in multiple languages, and knowing that our God is so great that He hears each individual prayer perfectly, from people all over the earth who are praying at the same time, was a humbling and awe inspiring revelation. We fellowshipped with the church members, and several missionaries after church, then headed to lunch.

After lunch, our family, along with two other Bradenton team members drove to the orphanage in Prek Eng to see 'our kids'. They prepared a beautiful umbrella dance along with several songs in English, including "The B-I-B-L-E". We all sat in a row of chairs, and each of us had a child posted behind us who rubbed, massaged, and pounded our backs (it was a real treat). After that, it was a crazy, wonderful, beautiful free-for-all of play time, ball tossing, kid tossing and swinging, hugging, and loving. I can't begin to describe how it felt to watch Jared, Zach, Tyler, and Alyssa play with and love on the kids. It was hot and humid, and everyone was dripping wet with sweat, but I think we all felt that it was one of the most special and memorable times of our lives. Our thanks to all of you who gave gifts and monies for gifts for the kids. They have so little, expect nothing, and were thrilled with everything. Their home is small, but clean. The girls sleep on blankets and mats in three small rooms, and the boys all sleep on blankets in the large middle room. Their little stacks of possessions are incredibly small. I would say that the entire sum of each child's belongings, including clothes, would fit in a single tomato box. One of the girls said to Alyssa, "I am hot, but I am happy." I think we were all struck by how happy they are and how much they want physical affection. Most of them have no personal space and enjoy being touched and held. Some of the boys are a little more reserved, but still enjoyed playing ball and frisbee. After our return to the hotel, Mike and I had to avert a mutiny as the boys ganged up on us with demands for spending more time with the kids. Our schedule is tight, but we're hoping to work in three more times together.

We started this morning with a cultural training session that was very helpful. Cambodians are very uncomfortable with public displays of affection, and mismanagement of one's feet can give offense. After training, I departed with Alyssa, Nimith (Campus Crusade administrator), and Joanne (Campus Crusade from Orlando) to the English Home school for two math workshops. The teachers were very involved and interested, and it was a good experience. Lunch was a sandwich with bologna, onions, tomato, lettuce, and eggs. Alyssa was really proud of me that I ate part of the sandwich without making any faces or throwing up. That is the first time I have eaten eggs (not baked in a cake) in probably a couple of decades. The guys all went to the Army base to teach English. We are the third team taking a two week session (we'll miss part of the second week) with the colonels. We received profiles on them written by the last team, and many were classified as either 'silent' or 'uncooperative'. That is not something we expected, so most of the men were going into today's session with a bit of anxiety.

Tomorrow, I have another math workshop with high school teachers that starts early (my body has no clue what time it is anyway, so it doesn't really matter). Then we'll be on to assist with the Army English classes.

Please continue to pray for our health, the declining condition of our intestinal tracts, and our sleep. Pray that we will not be intimidated by those who are 'uncooperative' but will persevere, love them anyway, and keep a positive attitude. Pray that we will see opportunities to share the Good News, and that the Holy Spirit will give us words that will be accepted as Truth.

Our love to you all,
Trish

A Wildmen type event for the 4th

If you are looking for a WIld thing to do on the weekend of the 4th check this out

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Your Daily Bread, Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. 3 A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. 6 Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. 7 Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. 9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by. 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!" 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. 15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. 17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own. 18 Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows 19 is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" 20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts. 23 Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. 24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. 25 Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. 26 His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27 If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. 28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

When you let God Down

When You Let God Down
by Max Lucado

He had turned his back on the sea to follow the Messiah. He had left the boats thinking he'd never return. But now he's back. Full circle. Same sea. Same boat. Maybe even the same spot.

But this isn't the same Peter. Three years of living with the Messiah have changed him. He's seen too much. Too many walking crippled, vacated graves, too many hours hearing his words. He's not the same Peter. It's the same Galilee, but a different fisherman.

Why did he return? What brought him back to Galilee after the crucifixion? Despair? Some think so—I don't. Hope dies hard for a man who has known Jesus. I think that's what Peter has. That's what brought him back. Hope. A bizarre hope that on the sea where he knew him first, he would know him again.

So Peter is in the boat, on the lake. Once again he's fished all night. Once again the sea has surrendered nothing.

His thoughts are interrupted by a shout from the shore. "Catch any fish?" Peter and John look up. Probably a villager. "No!" they yell. "Try the other side!" the voice yells back. John looks at Peter. What harm? So out sails the net. Peter wraps the rope around his wrist to wait.

But there is no wait. The rope pulls taut and the net catches. Peter sets his weight against the side of the boat and begins to bring in the net; reaching down, pulling up, reaching down, pulling up. He's so intense with the task, he misses the message.

John doesn't. The moment is déjà vu. This has happened before. The long night. The empty net. The call to cast again. Fish flapping on the floor of the boat. Wait a minute. He lifts his eyes to the man on the shore. "It's him," he whispers.

Then louder, "It's Jesus."

Then shouting, "It's the Lord, Peter. It's the Lord!"

Peter turns and looks. Jesus has come. Not just Jesus the teacher, but Jesus the death-defeater, Jesus the king ... Jesus the victor over darkness. Jesus the God of heaven and earth is on the shore ... and he's building a fire.

Peter plunges into the water, swims to the shore, and stumbles out wet and shivering and stands in front of the friend he betrayed. Jesus has prepared a bed of coals. Both are aware of the last time Peter had stood near a fire. Peter had failed God, but God had come to him.

For one of the few times in his life, Peter is silent. What words would suffice? The moment is too holy for words. God is offering breakfast to the friend who betrayed him. And Peter is once again finding grace at Galilee.

What do you say at a moment like this?

What do you say at a moment such as this?

It's just you and God. You and God both know what you did. And neither one of you is proud of it. What do you do?

You might consider doing what Peter did. Stand in God's presence. Stand in his sight. Stand still and wait. Sometimes that's all a soul can do. Too repentant to speak, but too hopeful to leave—we just stand.

Stand amazed.

He has come back.

He invites you to try again. This time, with him.

Value of a Brother

Guys:

I have been traveling since last Friday and things have been rough, not sure how to explain it but this has been a tough trip. I have been praying but I felt that my prayers were not being heard, I just never had any peace and my back was really bothering me, the pain kept getting worse each day.

I called one of brothers and told him what was going on, actually we spoke about other stuff and then after we prayed I then opened up to him about what was going on and he gave me great counsel and then prayed for me again. Why is it that when we need help we are sometimes afraid to ask for it. I share this with you to encourage you that when you are hurting or lost do NOT be afraid to call a brother and ask for help or for him to pray for you.

What he told me after was that he was blessed because I asked him to pray for me and help me. The bible says that with many advisors plans will succceed and I think that also extends to this situation, with many brothers your life will be richly blessed.

I am in the Atlanta airport heading homme right now and look forward to seeing you all next week.

Peter

Breaking strongholds

I was reading this today and thought that it was worth sharing:

Removing Hindrances

"But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:18-19).

I was in another country and had just completed a teaching on how spiritual strongholds (2 Cor 10:4) can hinder us from fulfilling our destinies. A woman approached me at the end of the meeting and asked me if I could join her and her friend for lunch so that she could learn more. I just happened to be available, so I agree to join them. I noticed the woman was slightly overweight and exhibited extremely high energy and was aggressive.

Before she began asking me questions I asked her to tell me about her relationship she had with her father. "Why in the world would you ask me such a question? What does that have to do with spiritual strongholds?" I pressed her for the answer to my question.

"I have an awful relationship with my father. He says I'm fat and that I'll never amount to anything." I responded gently to her statement: "Jennifer, you have a generational stronghold of rejection. You try to mask it by trying to be successful in business. Your aggressive nature is rooted in a fear of failure because you've lived your whole life trying to win the approval of your father through performance. I want you to know you are totally loved and accepted by your Heavenly Father. You can stop trying to win his favor."

Immediately, she began to weep in the middle of the restaurant. Her friend was intrigued by what was I was saying. "No one has ever told me this but what you say is true." We prayed for God to destroy the stronghold of fear and rejection in her life through the blood of Jesus Christ.

She walked out of the restaurant that day with a new sense of love and acceptance.

FIFTH TUESDAY CELEBRATION

We are pleased to announce that our next 5th Tuesday Celebration will be held at Grace Family Church in Lutz! This will be on the 5th Tuesday of this month, June 29th at 6:45pm.


We expect at least six different local men’s groups to be represented. This is going to be an outstanding night! If you are part of a Wildmen group within an hour’s driving distance, you should be there. This is one of the foundational gatherings of Wildmen – attending 5th Tuesday celebrations in your area.

For directions to Grace Family church, click here

We will be carpooling from Woodland and will leave promptly at 5:15. If your feeling dangerous you can ride with me...kidding...maybe.

A MUST READ

Men, our fellow Wildman and brother Evan Dawson has a great blog site and is a must read for us all. I will try to get a permanent link up to our, but meanwhile here is the place to go. www.thirdoptionmen.org

Add this to your favorites as it is continually being updated with good writings.

Cambodian Mission Trip

Hello men, I leave on 6/24 for a mission trip to Cambodia as part of a team for the Executive Ministries of Campus Crusade. We will be working closely with 43 colonels in the Cambodian military to teach them English, share our faith with them, and conduct a marriage seminar. /we will be in country for 2 weeks returning to the US on 7/13. Please pray for us to do God's mighty work as we trust Him in areas for which we are not prepared by our knowledge and skills. We are way out of our comfort zone on this trip so this places us where God alone can make things happen - sounds like a very good thing! Pray for us to be open to His will and knowledge and for Him to work through us. We also request prayers for safety, health and a good spirit within the team.

I will deeply miss all of you and will be praying for the ministry here in Florida.

God bless, Billy

Prayer Request

Brothers,

Please pray for my friend, Craig Menke. Some of you may remember him as the former owner of the Serving Spoon restaurants. He is also my former partner and best friend Todd Menke's little brother, husband to Natasha and father of five children.

He had surgery to remove a brain tumor today and although the doctors got 99% of it, it was cancerous, and the part that is left is very aggressive. Craig will undergo radiation and chemotherapy.

He and his whole family could use our support.

I pray the Lord walk them through this, and heal Craig.

Thank you for your prayers.

From Frank

I am in North Carolina this week guys fly fishing with my boys. There has not been a day go by when I did not think of each one of you. I keep thinking, "man how cool it would be to have a Wildmens week up here". Then I snap back to reality by my 4 year old son asking me to untangle his line!. Happy Brothers Day to each of you....with love and respect..Frank Bybee

From David

Be the kind of man that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh Crap, he's up!" Brother, life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Love the ones who don't just because you can. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.

todays message

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." Matthew 7:1

Jesus says regarding judging - Don't. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticized; the Holy Ghost is the only One in the true position to criticize, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person's place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man's case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

This was a great discussion topic today and what I took away was that when I have a critical spirit then God has one towards me. Usually what I point out in others is something that I do myself. Focus on your plank in your own eye was my revelation today.

A brother needs a job

For those of you that were at Wildmen on the 15th you may remember Cory he was one of the 6 first time guests. He was with us for a reason and that night he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

He is 25 years old and is a hard worker and is looking for employmnet. If you have any openings please contact him at rainwaterdevelopment.wa.fl@gmail.com

He is a new brother and if you can help him that would be great.

Peter

Reminder about tomorrow

Just wanted to remind and re invite you to the UN bible study tomorrow morning. I call it the UN because it is not like any bible study you have been to in the past. We simply ready the daily devotional from Oswald Chambers and talk about it and how it relates to what we are facing today.

The first week was great because it spoke about having a check in our spirit and when we do we should NOT DO IT, and not try to rationalize why it would be OK. There is no grey area.

Tomorrow the reading is:


"Judge not, that ye be not judged." Matthew 7:1

Jesus says regarding judging - Don't. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticized; the Holy Ghost is the only One in the true position to criticize, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person's place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man's case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.



We start at 8:15 at 6371 Business Blvd suite 108 Sarasota FL, 34242



Hope to see you there,





Peter

This Week

If your reading this you've found your way to our blog site. We have made a few changes and hope you like them. If you have any questions or comments you can email them to Sarasota@WildmenMinistry.com. Also use this address to request permission to be an author on this blog. Opinions are like....let's just say we welcome input.

If you haven't already, take a minute and Get Plugged In on the left side of the blog. This way the next time we all go shooting at Knights Trail Park or have a Men at Movies night you'll know about it, ahead of time.

Tomorrow night is the sixth and final night of the Andy Stanley series "It Came from Within." Great video you won't want to miss. The following week we will have a Link ceremony and something completely different, followed by the Fifth Tuesday Celebration in Tampa on June 28th.

Lastly, the new Wildmen cards have arrived and will be available tomorrow night. An easy way to invite a man to the gathering. Never leave home without them. Remember to keep your brothers in prayer, see y'all tomorrow night.

Perception Is Not Reality

Perception Is Not Reality
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, June 14 2010

"The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken." - Job 4:10
In the advertising business we often say that "perception is reality" for the person who views our advertising message. It does not matter whether the audience believes the message to be true, only that they perceive it to be true. Their actions will be the same whether they believe it or only perceive it.

The enemy of our souls is very good at this game. He may bring on us what we perceive to be true when it is a lie. It may appear that there is no way around a situation. He may bring great fear on us. When we buy into his lie, we believe only what we have chosen to perceive to be true. It usually has no basis of truth. Such was the case when Peter looked on the waters during a night boat journey with the other disciples. At first glance, he and the disciples screamed with fear, thinking that what they saw was a ghost. It was actually Jesus.

Satan's name means "accuser." He travels to and fro to accuse the brethren. He brings an impressive front to all he does, yet behind that front is a weak, toothless lion with a destination that has already been prepared in the great abyss. He knows his destination, but he wants to bring as many with him as possible; so he often has a big roar, but little bite.

The next time some event comes into your life that creates fear and trembling, first determine the source. Look past the emotions and evaluate the situation in light of God's Word. Perception is not always reality.

Prayer for Today

Father God, thank You for Your Word which lights my path and guides my steps. I choose to put my trust and hope in You today. Thank You for bringing restoration into my life as I keep my heart and mind stayed on You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Are you going through a difficult time?

In the Old Testament when this scripture was written, God's people were going through a very dark time. They were being held captive against their will and mistreated by other nations. God sent this word to encourage them and give them hope for their future. When the time came, God was faithful to His Word!

Are you going through a difficult time today? Let this word bring you encouragement, too. God wants to give you double for your trouble. He is the God of restoration—that means He's not going to just repay you for every wrong done, He's going to go above and beyond and make things even better than they were before.

If you are facing challenges today or going through a time of adversity, remember, it's always darkest just before the dawn appears. Your days are destined to shine brighter because God is faithful. As you stay in faith and are obedient to His Word, you'll receive double for your trouble and see His promises come to pass!

Staggering Numbers

Check out these devastating results from the last census (www.parents4justice.us):

-Girls without a father in their life are two and a half times as likely to get pregnant and 53 percent more likely to commit suicide.


-Boys without a father in their life are 63 percent more likely to run away and 37 percent more likely to abuse drugs.


-Both girls and boys are twice as likely to drop out of high school, twice as likely to end up in jail and nearly four times as likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems.


In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus gives us one of the greatest commands of all time - "Go ye therefore and make disciples!"

Morning bible study

Thursday morning if you are in the lakewood ranch area and would like to join us for a bible study (more of a open discusssion) please join us:

6371 Business Blvd
Suite 108
Sarasota, FL 34240
941 907 4132

Peter

Another job opening

Guys this is an email that came to me from my C12 group, take a look:

We are trying to hire a new Project Coordinator in our Sarasota office. This is an administrative assistant to a project management team. They are working largely at a computer in what is becoming a paperless environment. We use Microsoft office products, timberline accounting and a document imaging system for invoices and other paper information.

We have a couple of really good ones working for us that are in the $30,000 to $35,000 range now.

Karen is taking resumes and conducting interviews.


Thank you,

John Wiseman
President

CORE Construction Services of Florida, LLC
6320 Tower Lane - Sarasota, FL 34240-8809
P: 941.552.0240/F: 941.552.0245
www.COREConstruct.com

Hearing His Voice

Hearing His Voice
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman


"He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." - John 8:47

Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God's voice is first to be one of His children. One of the great mysteries of the universe to my logical mind is how God can communicate with six billion people on the earth at the same time. It is one of those mysteries I must let go of because my "hard drive" would crash if I had to explain and understand this before I believed and trusted in Him. It is as though God places a computer chip in each human being, and when we place our faith and trust in Him, it becomes activated. We begin to communicate with Him. Jesus says that if we are children of God, then we can hear God's voice. He further explains this relationship in the following parable:

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice (John 10:1-5)."
The Shepherd is always representative of Christ. Sheep are representative of God's children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd's voice. There is another comforting aspect to this relationship. The Shepherd goes before the sheep to prepare the way. Jesus has already gone before us today to prepare our way.

Knowing the Shepherd and His voice allows us to have the assurance that we will not be fooled by another shepherd's voice. The sheep know His voice. It is only when we are dull of hearing that we mistakenly hear another's voice and follow it. Sin can create a poor frequency in our communication with the Shepherd. Make sure your frequency is free of static (sin) today so that the Shepherd can lead you and go before you.

Finally, distractions can also keep us from hearing our Shepherd's voice. When the sheep get entangled in the fence or wander off, they get too far away to hear the Shepherd's voice. We must stay in close proximity to the Shepherd to hear His voice. Stay close to the Shepherd today. Listen and follow. He wants to lead you.

Job Opening

Tri Count Air Conditioning

Customer service/phone sales representatives. Full time. Full benefits which include health insurance, holiday pay and 401k match.
Average reps earn 14$/hr to 15$/hr.

Please email resume to Billy@tricountyair.com or fill out application at 1080 Enterprise Ct Nokomis. 34275
941-485-2222

Also wanted experienced service technicians and change out installeds. Average pay ranges from 50,000$/yr to 75,000$/yr.

Athletes for Christ

Athletes for Christ
Jose is working hard to get this program going and he has opened registration for Fall Football for ages 5 to 12. If you are interested in having your son play in a Christ centered league please contact Jose at 224.0833 or email him at josefjc@yahoo.com.

www.afc/florida.org

Please spread the word.

This is a CNN video that you should watch and share

The Cave People

The Cave People
by Max Lucado

He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him.
John 1:11

LONG AGO, OR maybe not so long ago, there was a tribe in a dark, cold cavern.

The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful, but the people didn't know it, for they had never known joy. The spirit in the cave was death, but the people didn't know it, for they had never known life.

But then, one day, they heard a different voice. "I have heard your cries," it announced. "I have felt your chill and seen your darkness. I have come to help."

The cave people grew quiet. They had never heard this voice. Hope sounded strange to their ears. "How can we know you have come to help?"

"Trust me," he answered. "I have what you need."

The cave people peered through the darkness at the figure of the stranger. He was stacking something, then stooping and stacking more.

"What are you doing?" one cried, nervous.

The stranger didn't answer.

"What are you making?" one shouted even louder.

Still no response.

"Tell us!" demanded a third.

The visitor stood and spoke in the direction of the voices. "I have what you need." With that he turned to the pile at his feet and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern.

The cave people turned away in fear. "Put it out!" they cried. "It hurts to see it."

"Light always hurts before it helps," he answered. "Step closer. The pain will soon pass."

"Not I," declared a voice.

"Nor I," agreed a second.

"Only a fool would risk exposing his eyes to such light."

The stranger stood next to the fire. "Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold? Don't consult your fears. Take a step of faith."

For a long time no one spoke. The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder stood next to the fire. "It's warm here," he invited.

"He's right," one from behind him announced. "It's warmer." The stranger turned and saw a figure slowly stepping toward the fire. "I can open my eyes now," she proclaimed. "I can see."

"Come closer," invited the fire builder.

She did. She stepped into the ring of light. "It's so warm!" She extended her hands and sighed as her chill began to pass.

"Come, everyone! Feel the warmth," she invited.

"Silence, woman!" cried one of the cave dwellers. "Dare you lead us into your folly? Leave us. Leave us and take your light with you."

She turned to the stranger. "Why won't they come?"

"They choose the chill, for though it's cold, it's what they know. They'd rather be cold than change."

"And live in the dark?"

"And live in the dark."

The now-warm woman stood silent. Looking first at the dark, then at the man.

"Will you leave the fire?" he asked.

She paused, then answered, "I cannot. I cannot bear the cold." Then she spoke again. "But nor can I bear the thought of my people in darkness."

"You don't have to," he responded, reaching into the fire and removing a stick. "Carry this to your people. Tell them the light is here, and the light is warm. Tell them the light is for all who desire it."

And so she took the small flame and stepped into the shadows.

Prayer request...

I had to give some administrative disciplinary action to an employee today. I just found out in the midst of doing this, that this guy is going through a divorce. He has been married for ten years...
This was devastating news, and it was very hard for me to conduct procedure knowing how this man's personal life was being effected. I'm asking all of you to pray for Louis and his family. I pray the Lord can mend this torn relationship and restore this marriage. It will take a miracle but, we all know He's in the miracle business!

Thanks brother's,
Michael.........

You are invited

We will be starting a Bible Study tomorrow morning at 8:00AM to 9:00AM at our office in Lakewood Ranch at 6371 Business Blvd Suite 108. We are going to read the daily reading from "My Utmost for his Highest" and then discuss it.

Take University East, cross over Lakewood Ranch Blvd (major intersection) then get in right lane, Business blvd is the 1st right when you go over LWR Blvd. Be ready because when you make the right turn onto Business you will have to make a quick left (about 50 feet) into our drive. We are in the RTI Insurance building and it faces University.

See you there.....

Worth Watching Psalm 23

Check this out



http://www.fpcga.org/VIDEOS/VideoPlayerPageWeek2.htm

Live feed of American Eagles

Check out this live feed of Eagles in their nest:

http://www.hornbyeagles.com/webcam.htm