Berean Journeymen

FROM LIFE ACTION MINISTRIES (THIRST CONFERENCE)

It is likely as a result of God's work in your life during the Thirst Conference, you will find that much of what you read, watched, and did for entertainment before the conference is no longer suitable. God has likely convicted you of specific activities and viewing habits you cannot continue to participate in.

However, unless the improper is replaced with the proper, it is inevitable that you will eventually fall back into the same sin patterns, and most certainly your last state will be worse than the first. This particularly applies to movies, television, and the Internet.

God says that the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). Nothing will destroy the fresh work of God in your life as quickly as a return to a worldly lifestyle that feeds the flesh.

Philippians 4:8 is a standard to use in evaluating the suitability of prospective viewing and reading materials. Even so-called "Christian" novels and videos must be scrutinized against the light of God's Word.

If you genuinely desire to honor God with all of your life, the Spirit will set the parameters of your leisure time. Quality family time and godly reading materials will serve to fill the void created by the rejection of fleshly indulgences.

As an aid to begin practicing this principle, consider using the "Put Off . . . Put On" sheet given out during the conference (available on our website) as a daily guide and reminder of the types of qualities we need to put on as obedient believers.

While you can use the negative qualities as a help in your confession time before God, focus on the positive traits as you apply the concept of positive replacement in your life. By taking two or three traits each day, you can cycle completely through the character qualities each month.


Insight from the Word:

Romans 6:6-7 "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin."

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Ephesians 4:22-24 "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."


Making It Personal

- Do my viewing, reading, and listening choices meet the Philippians 4:8 standard?
- Are there any habits or practices in my life that are feeding my flesh rather than my spirit?
- What specific things can I identify as having been replaced in my life since the Thirst Conference?
- Are there other areas God is calling for me to change?

This is a Story that was on ESPN News. You've got to read this story. It's an amazing Message. Sorry for the layout, as I cut and pasted it.

Life of Reilly
There are some games where cheering for the other side feels better than winning.
by Rick Reilly


They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
"I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHER PARENT TO TELL SOMEBODY TO HIT THEIR KIDS. BUT THEY WANTED US TO!"
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.
"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"
And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.
But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.
This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.
So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."
Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"
And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."
Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!
"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"
It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"
Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.
After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.
As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.
The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."
And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.
Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.
Hope.

Over the last several months I've been learning (mostly through the help of my wife) the significance of the Jewish Traditions, Feast, and Holy Days which are significant to us as Christians. My wife hears things, and I am the fact checker. (Question Everything = Tim) So yesterday she shares this story with me that she heard in a Sermon, and the subject was how the Jewish Wedding Ceremony is a mirror image of our relationship with Christ. From how we as chosen, to how we are to prepare ourselves, to how we have to wait, to how the Father and the bridegroom play the same parts as what the Bible says our Holy Father, and Son play. The similarities were amazing, so amazing, I thought that can't be true, because we would have noticed that before now. Someone would have mentioned that. So yesterday I went on my search, and I could not believe what I found and what I read. As I read, God's word was illuminated to me in a new way so I thought I'd share one of the many sites I found discussing the matter.

Here is the site : http://ldolphin.org/risk/ult.shtml

One More : http://www.mayimhayim.org/JewishWedding.htm

What I did a search on was Ancient Jewish Wedding Traditions.. I encourage you to look for yourself. It's very interesting and enlightening.

God Bless You All and Rejoice, Rejoice a Savior is Born

The past several weeks I've really been reflecting on this past year and how I've seen God at work in my life. I've reflected on the fact that even though this is one of the toughest economic times that has occurred not only in my life, but in most of our lives, that I have a joy, peace and contentment I have never felt before. My hope in years past has always relied on me, my business, and my successes. I was self sufficient and self reliant, and though I was going to church and believed in God, and accepted Christ as my savior, I did not put my Hope in my faith or my Savior, nor was I living a life following the biblical principles and practices of God's word.

My hope in past years lead me to a place in my life, where even though I had times of success, and times of prosperity, I never reached that point of joy, peace and contentment that Christ promises. When My hope was in money and success, I realize that there was never enough to fill that emptiness in my soul, heart and mind.

Brothers, I must tell you that my greatest joys this past year have come out of relationships. Relationships with God and relationships with you men. Prior to this year, relationships were the last thing that I wanted or thought I needed. I believed that I could do it alone and didn't need nor have time for socializing and dealing with people. When I started relating to Christ, and to other men, then it turned out there wasn't the desire or the room for "Self", that had been my existence and purpose to my life before. I must say that I've experienced a Love and Compassion for people that I have never felt in my life before. I also feel the feel a burden for people that I've never felt before. This burden is not a heavy burden like I felt before when I was focused on self and success, but this burden is a burden that comes out of Love for other people. Through this I've learned that prayer is not about myself, and my ways, and my wants, but my prayers have grown out of true love and concern for others.

I am so very thankful through a Christ centered life, that not only have I been blessed in knowing Christ more intimately, but I have gotten to know more about each and every one of you. Some of you I have gotten to know very well, and others I may just have met or learned a little about, but compared to a year ago, it is awesome to have so many Christian Men in my life, who I can encourage, be in fellowship and friendship with, lift up in prayer and go to the Altar and who are doing the same for me. I think back at this past year, and how God has touched each and every one of our lives in new ways, and also the lives of others. I think of the marriages or relationships which may have been restored. I think of the sins that may have been deterred or stopped. I think of the new Hope that many of us have. I think of the new relationships that have begun. I think of the Band of Brothers who joined me in meeting God at the Altar. I think of the warriors that God has enlisted in his army. I think of the Men's service and how that affected each and every one of us. I think of the Berean Journeymen, and how God may continue to use us to accomplish his will. Each and every one of you is a blessing in my life. I thank God for bringing you all into my life, and look forward to this year being the begining of a Journey together with each and every one of you.

God Bless You All. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, and are able to reflect on how Blessed you truly are.

Tim