Joe White Drive Time Podcast

With all the noise constantly surrounding us, do you truly stop and listen when you're spoken to? We have two ears and one mouth—the ratio says everything! But listening well will improve every relationship you're a part of. Take a look at what Psalm 81 has to say about listening — it's an important reminder for us all!

A good shepherd is patient and kind, always reaching out to care for the weakest members of his flock. Jesus is our good shepherd, always reaching out for us in our distress, comforting us during our greatest emotional and physical struggles, and carrying us through the challenging seasons of life.

Reflecting back on His childhood, King David sees God as the Shepherd and himself as the sheep. When he says "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" what are the feelings that come over you to think that Psalm was written to you?

"The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." - Psalm 16:5-6 Often, the heart of a leader can be self-seeking, but the heart of a Shepherd is humble. The Bible Study on heartofamom.com that follows this study will help us better understand the Heart of a Shepherd as we are called to lead those that follow us in life. 

Why did Jesus have to come and die on a cross? Why did He have to suffer for 6 hours hanging on that log to die? Why did He have to come at a time when Romans would scourge Him? Why didn't He come when the cross was 'out of style?' How heavy that cross must have been as Christ literally became our sin! The answer is 'by His scourging we are healed.'   Questions to Consider:  - When Psalms 22 begins, King David prophesies what Jesus is going to say when He says, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The moment when Christ becomes sin and God in His holiness turns His back on His son, what loneliness do you suppose Christ felt on that cross? - Psalms 22:15 says, "my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death." Why was His suffering so necessary? Why for 6 hours did He have to hang on that cross and suffer so badly?  Read the rest of Psalms 22 and I hope you have a great discussion on it.

If you want to know what God thinks of you, I am positive that God has your pictures in the most important place in His heart. Psalms 18:9 talks about God delighting in His people - He has adopted us as His sons and daughters.  Question to Consider - Why does God asks us to call Him God, but also asks us to call Him Father, but also asks us to call Him 'Dad'?

God's love story is the best love story we'll ever be invited to. To leave the flock and follow a less well-intended shepherd is unthinkable, yet the sheep stray, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Until Jesus becomes your all in all, He's really your nothing-in-all. If you want to be blessed, you have to be 'all in' to follow Him with all your heart.

Years ago, someone found a baby deer in a ditch and brought her to us. She was covered in leaves, wet from rain, and about to die. For a couple of days we fed and cared for her, all the while she cried out for her mama. But on day 3, she began to follow me everywhere, eventually leading her back to the forest she came from. Much like that baby deer, we have a savior we can cry to in our despair. Are you calling out to Him? Does he know what you need? I pray this encourages you today!

As a follower of Christ, learning the tactics of the enemy is what it's all about because the adversary is always charging in on our soul. But fortunately, Jesus is the Defender of our soul and the Shepherd of us as sheep. Questions to Consider: Psalms 3:1 - "Oh Lord, how my adversaries have increased, many are rising up against me." How has the enemy come after you recently, but how has the Lord defended you?  Psalms 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield about me." Describe your dependence on your Shepherd for your personal protection and your revival during times of pain and persecution.

Through all the health challenges I've endured over the years, I've  always found a way to worship The Lord through each one because he's a Good Father! Charles Wesley endured multiple challenges in his life, and still found a way to write over 800 hymns that we still sing today. No matter what you're walking through today, remember our shepherd is always with you!

The words in Scripture are meant to guide, inspire, and empower you to do God's will... let's meditate on it so we can hear His voice. To meditate on His Word is to use the paintbrush of wisdom to paint your heart the color of His. 

For 3500 years, the Hebrew nation sacrificed only unblemished lambs on the day of Passover celebration. Is it any wonder that when Jesus, The Lamb, was being sacrificed for the sins of all mankind, He too would be found “not guilty” and worthy of the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation? How does this inspire you as you shepherd your flock?

Through every season of my life I've been able to trust God, and there have been many curveballs thrown my way over the years. If you're looking for encouragement today, remember you can trust God no matter what - because He is a good Father!

"Time Magazine recently had a cover story that was entitled, 'Rethinking the Resurrection' like the resurrection never took place. It was an ultra liberal opinion story. An interview in that magazine with an assortment of really liberal off-base theologians and other kind of experts that cast a shadow of doubt on the plausibility of this miraculous event - the resurrection of Jesus." Family Discussions: Why do unbelievers continue to scoff at the resurrection even though it's the most profitable event in all of human history? How does the disciples commitment unto death give credence to the account? What does Jesus' resurrection mean to you personally today? Transcription: 00:13          Hey, it was the biggest day of the year. It was the biggest day of ever. It was the day of the resurrection. It was Sunday morning. We're in chapter 16 of Mark and man, what a day of victory it was. We're in verse two today and it says this "Very early, on the first day of the week that came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another who will roll away the stone from the interests of the tomb. Verse four says, looking up. They saw that the stone had been rolled away already. Although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right wearing a white robe and they were amazed and he said to them, 'Do not be amazed. You're looking for Jesus the Nazarene who has been crucified. He's risen. He's not here. Behold, here is the place where they laid him, but go! Tell his disciples and Peter. He's going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see just as he told you.'"   01:17          You know, crazy one Easter Time Magazine recently had a cover story that was entitled, 'Rethinking the Resurrection' like the resurrection never took place. It was an ultra liberal opinion story. An interview in that magazine with an assortment of really liberal off-base theologians and other kind of experts that cast a shadow of doubt on the plausibility of this miraculous event - the resurrection of Jesus. You know, as I laid the magazine aside with tremendous disappointment, I just kind of shook my head and thought, any reasonable attorney trying a controversial issue in the court of law would first go to the eye witnesses. The eye witness of the event and let them testify to the circumstantial evidence. Time magazine quoted none of them. Did the resurrection of Christ really happen? What did the eye witnesses say and do after the event?   02:11          Hey, 11 hand picked men from various walks of life on the day of the crucifixion were cowards. They were running for their lives, Matthew 26 says. After they saw Jesus alive, those same men were committed to him with sheer bravery. That led 10 of the 11 to die martyrs' deaths. As Peter's personal reports said we were eye witnesses of his majesty. John records in his personal diary, 'And when Jesus said, peace be with you, he showed the disciples both his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. That's John 20:20. You know, the next time someone questions the resurrection of Jesus, get the book of John. Think of the ones who actually saw him with their eyes. Think of the ones who died for what they saw and give them a taste of John's 2020 vision.   03:10          Here's the questions for this great devotional today. Why do unbelievers continue to scoff at the resurrection even though it's the most profitable event in all of human history? And secondly, how does the disciples commitment unto death give credence to the account? You know what, it said that a man may die for a lie when he thinks it's the truth, but only a crazy man would die for a lie when he knows it's a lie. Men won't do that. And then number three, what does Jesus' resurrection mean to you personally today? And here's the lifeline for today. He's alive, but so are you. Go live that life today.

"Without the crucifixion, there would have been no resurrection. And without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith. Folks, there are so many factors. You know, nonbelievers, they talk, they doubt they jeer at the resurrection of Jesus. But I'm going to tell you, it happened." Family Discussions: Why did Jesus have to die?  Win the tombs is crazy, and then how can they explain a way of Jesus' resurrection? What thoughts and feelings come through to you? Transcription: 00:13          You may not be a gigantic fan of history, but I'll tell you today you will be, because today we're going to look at the most provable event in all of ancient history. According to the libraries of the world, the most provable event in all of human history. It's after the crucifixion of Jesus. We'll pick up the action in Mark chapter 15 in verse 44 and scripture says this, "Pilate wondered if he, Jesus, was dead by this time. And summoning the Centurion, he questioned the Centurion as to whether he was already dead. And ascertaining this from the century, he granted the body of Jesus to Joseph. So Joseph bought a linen cloth and took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him a tomb which had already been hewn out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, were looking on to see where he was laid."   01:12          You know, without the crucifixion, there would have been no resurrection. And without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith. Folks, there are so many factors. You know, nonbelievers, they talk, they doubt they jeer at the resurrection of Jesus. But I'm going to tell you, it happened. First of all, you have a dead Messiah. Two Roman coroners signed his death certificate after he died, and if they were incorrect in their assessment of his death, they would have been crucified for their mistake. Eye witnesses say that a spear was driven into his side and blood and water came out. Any coroner will tell you it's a sign of a man's death. Then he was laid in a borrowed tomb in a private burial yard. He was wrapped in cloth and spices, probably about a hundred pounds of spices according to the Jewish burial from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.   02:05          A very large stone estimates that it raid between a one and a half to two tons will rolled against the door of the tomb. There've been estimates that said a stone so big that would take 20 men to move. The seal of Rome was put over the tomb. Two leather strips with a pack with a seal of Rome on the pack, threatening anyone. If you break this seal, you'll be crucified yourself for defying the order of Rome. Then a Roman guard was placed in front of the tomb and the Roman Kaleo, probably a group of 12 to 16 men trained to defeat a piece of ground against attire invading army. The tomb was guarded. Jesus was dead. But something happened on the third day. Something happened that changed the course of history. Jesus was alive. He was the resurrected savior. And so your faith is not in vain.   03:01          My questions for you today are this, why did Jesus have to die? And then secondly, why in the world or how can critics try to explain a way, Jesus' death? And to say that he was just asleep in the tombs is crazy, and then how can they explain a way of Jesus' resurrection? And then here's the third question, and this is a greatest question. True love was spoken on the day of the cross. What thoughts and feelings come through to you? And the lifeline is this. He wore the crown of thorns so that you and I someday could wear the crown of life.

"Let me tell you, from what I understand from history, the veil that covered the Holy of Holies in the temple was a veil, it was so thick that it would take more than a team. Two teams of horses pulling in opposite directions to rip the veil. The veil was the place that separated the mercy seat of God in the Holy of Holies, in God's temple in Jerusalem from all the people of the world." Family Discussions: Describe your personal feelings about Jesus' work on the cross. How would you get to God had the veil not been torn in two? How in the world could you ever approach a Holy God? Describe your feelings about the privilege, the honor that you've been given by the act of love. Transcription: 00:13          Hey, I'll never forget the day my little college team at SMU beat Oklahoma in a bowl game. I mean, we went in the locker, we went crazy. The cries of victory were just incredible, but compared to the cry of victory that we're going to talk about today in this devotional it was but a tiny peep. In fact, you can't even hear it. But this cry of victory was the greatest cry victory of all time. We're in Mark chapter 15 and verse 37 it says this, "and Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last and the veil of the temple was torn into from top to bottom." Verse 39 says, "when the Centurion who was standing right in front of him saw the way he breathed this last, he said, this man truly was the son of God." Jesus' cry was to tell a style. It's paid in full. Your debt is paid in full. It is finished. I've done what I came to do. His final grueling act of crucifixion was over. The veil was torn in two.   01:21          Let me tell you, from what I understand from history, the veil that covered the Holy of Holies in the temple was a veil, it was so thick that it would take more than a team. Two teams of horses pulling in opposite directions to rip the veil. The veil was the place that separated the mercy seat of God in the Holy of Holies, in God's temple in Jerusalem from all the people of the world. The only way you could get into the Holy of Holies was the high priest. The ultimate Jewish religious figure could go in once a year and he, after all the washings and purifications, according to the ceremonial rites, he could go in and plead for the mercy and the sins of the nation.   02:08          But on this day, when Jesus cried, it is finished. It's done to tell us that over the veil of the temple was torn in two. And men and women, you know what that means? Do you know what that means? That means to you and me that we, based on the blood of Christ, that is in our hearts as believers. We can enter the Holy of Holies and we can come to the mercy of God. Every time I say that I tremble. In the book of Hebrews, it says that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence. And I don't know about you, but every time I read this passage, it humbles me to my knees. That we can literally in the name of Jesus, close our eyes, or leave our eyes open in our days of our greatest sorrow. When this world crushes us as it does or in our days of greatest joy and victory, we can slip in before the mercy seat of God because Christ was the ultimate sacrifice. And his blood gave us the rights to go in before a Holy God and to say, God, I need you. God. Please forgive me, God, I give you my life.   03:24          And here's the questions for today. You know, as Jesus did that, as Jesus literally made God's lap as a father accessible to you to come to, describe your personal feelings about Jesus' work on the cross. And the second question today is this, how would you get to God had the veil not been torn in two? How in the world could you ever approach a Holy God? And then the third question is this, now that you can approach God with confidence as it says in Hebrews based on the blood of Christ, describe your feelings about the privilege, the honor that you've been given by the act of love. And then here is the lifeline or the thought for the day. A family that prays together stays together.

"It was at our sports kamps and there was a scrimmage between two great teams. One team had a young man from Boston, he was an inner city kid and he lived in one of the poorest places in the country. But this 19 year old young man had an incredible love for a woman he was going to marry. But there was a drive by and that old car came by the front of that inner city house and a gun was stuck out of the window of that car." Family Discussions: What is Jesus' sacrifice for you mean to you? What is it about the name Jesus that makes it the name above every other name that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord? How can you, in some small way today in your home, in your business, in your university, or in your school? How can you be a little bit like that boy from Boston today who took the bullets for his girlfriend? Transcription: 00:13          If this was the only Bible study that you and I ever had the privilege of getting to do together, and trust me, the privilege is more mine, than it is yours. It would be this Bible study today. It was the darkest hour of all time, but it was the pinnacle peak hour of all human history. In John chapter 15, starting in verse 33 scripture says this, "when the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. 'ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI', which is translated: 'My God, my God. Why has thou forsaken me?'" At that moment in history, Christ became sin.   00:58          At that moment in history, every creepy crawly thing that we've done against a Holy God literally became a part of that dear man's sacrificial offering. You know, I get to see events like that. Not to that degree, but in small ways. I get to see people doing things like that. I'll never forget the football scrimmage. I'll never forget it. It was at our sports kamps and there was a scrimmage between two great teams. One team had a young man from Boston, he was an inner city kid and he lived in one of the poorest places in the country. But this 19 year old young man had an incredible love for a woman he was going to marry. But there was a drive by and that old car came by the front of that inner city house and a gun was stuck out of the window of that car. And five bullets were shot at this precious innocent girl that was sitting by this young man's side. But not one bullet hit her because this young man dove across her lap and he took all five bullets into his neck and into his back. Not one of the bullets fortunately hit his spinal cord and he actually lived to play football again. But what a story of sacrifice, man. What a story of love.   02:23          I heard a story one time and I didn't know the man but there was a platoon that had to go fight in a very difficult war in Vietnam years ago. And the father of this soldier went over to fight and he was there for a year and somehow he survived, although tens of thousands of soldiers died in that awful war. Then the platoon was asked for another amount of soldiers. The father had come back to America to safety. But his son was in the second round and the father went to the officer and he said, 'if I go, can my son stay home?' And the commanding officer granted his request. So the got to stay home and safety and the father took his place in the battle. Boy, it just, it just fires you up, doesn't it? To see people who live and die like that.   03:11          And so my question to you today is Christ died in your place. What is Jesus' sacrifice for you mean to you? And secondly, what is it about the name Jesus that makes it the name above every other name that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. What is it about that name? And the third question is this. How can you, in some small way today in your home, in your business, in your university, or in your school, How can you be a little bit like that boy from Boston today who took the bullets for his girlfriend? And then the lifeline is two words - I'm Third. I'm Third is the motto of the kamps that I get to be in. God first. Others second. And I'm Third.

"One of my favorite writers, Chuck Colson, and one of my favorite books, 'Loving God', talks about an Asian monk named Telemachus back in the days of the Roman empire. The cruel and perilous Roman empire. Telemachus one day heard the voice of God in his heart. And God said, Telemachus, go to Rome." Family Discussions: How does Telemachus and his act of incredible life sacrificial bravery remind you of what Jesus did on the cross? How does Barabas' good fortune remind you of what Christ did for you? And then the third question is this. What do you think Jesus meant when he said, no greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends? Transcription: 00:14          The scripture today is the pinnacle of human history. It's a moment in the life of Christ that would literally shake the foundations of the world. We're in Mark chapter 15, and we're in verse 11, and it says this, "But the chief priest stirred up the crowd to ask Pilate to release Barabas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, 'then what shall I do with him whom you call the King of the Jews?' They shouted back, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' But Pilate said to them, 'Why? What evil has he done?' But they shouted all the more. 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' So wishing to satisfy the crowd. Pilate released Barabas to them. And after having Jesus scorched, he handed him over to be crucified."   01:07          One of my favorite writers, Chuck Colson, and one of my favorite books, 'Loving God', talks about an Asian monk named Telemachus back in the days of the Roman empire. The cruel and perilous Roman empire. Telemachus one day heard the voice of God in his heart. And God said, Telemachus, go to Rome. I can only imagine the feeling that this dear old godly man had as he walked up the Appian way, that so many hundreds of Christians had marched into Rome knowing that they would soon be slaughtered for their faith in Christ. He walked straight into the Colosseum. And as the gladiators were out in the Colosseum killing people, In fact, Fox's book of martyrs says that some days in the Colosseum of Rome in the first and second centuries under Domitian and under Marcus Aurelius and under Nero, some days, 5,000 Christians would be slaughtered in the Colosseum of Rome for their faith in Christ.   02:02          So Telemachus walks into the Colosseum. The gladiators are slaughtering people and he screams with a voice that silences the crowd. He screams in the name of Christ. Forebear. The crowds begin to call him names and jir at him. So he jumped over the wall onto the dirt floor of the Colosseum where the gladiators were out in battle. And he looked up at the proconsul of Rome and he said the name of Christ forebear. Well, the second time he said it, one of the gladiators took his sword and he slashed him across the chest and as Telemachus fell to his face in the dirt of that Colosseum joining the other martyrs for the faith. With one last burst of energy, he raised his head from the dirt and he said in the name of Christ forebear. And he put his head down and he died. One by one, the people in the crowds began to walk out of the Colosseum until the Colosseum was empty. And history testifies to the truth that that was the last day of the gladiator killings in the Colosseum of Rome. That man, it ended that tradition.   03:13          So the questions today are these, how does Telemachus and his act of incredible life sacrificial bravery remind you of what Jesus did on the cross? And then secondly, what does or how does Barabas' good fortune remind you of what Christ did for you? And then the third question is this. What do you think Jesus meant when he said, no greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends? And here's the thought for the day. Love is love when it's strong enough to die for.

"There is no doubt in the world that Jesus knew exactly who he was. He said, I am the vine in John 15. John 10, He said, I'm the door. John 14, He said, I am the way. In fact, he said, I am the only way. He said, I am the Christ." Family Discussions: "A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." What does that mean to you? How can you be sure in your mind, in your heart that Jesus was actually God in the flesh? Why is that statement so significant to you as you face eternity? Transcription: 00:13          Hey, as we come to the end of this fantastic book together, the book of Mark and the life of Christ. And we get down to the last really breasts of Jesus's life. He's before Pontius Pilate in chapter 14, and we're in verse 60 and it says, "the high priest stood up and came forward in question Jesus saying, do you not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you? But he kept silent. It did not answer again. The high priest was questioning him and was saying to him, are you the Christ, the son of the blessed one? And Jesus said, I am. And then he fulfill the prophecy of Daniel when he said, you shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power coming with the clouds of heaven."   01:06          There is no doubt in the world that Jesus knew exactly who he was. He said, I am the vine in John 15. John 10, He said, I'm the door. John 14, He said, I am the way. In fact, he said, I am the only way. He said, I am the Christ. And then there were other witnesses. You know, Peter said, thou art the Christ the son of the living God. Pontius Pilate in the trial said, I find no fault in this man. Even one of the centurions, one of the guards that crucified Jesus at the end of Jesus' life, he testified. He said, this man must surely be the son of God. And then the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy spirit in Colassians and other places, he said, Hey, Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. The firstborn of all creation. Paul Roddy said, by him, by Christ, all things were created both in heavens and on the earth, whether visible or invisible, whether rulers or dominions or powers or authorities. All things were created by Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ.   02:09          Jesus knew who he was. Scripture testifies, and literally from BC to AD, the watershed of human history. History testifies that Jesus was God in the flesh. And you know what's important about that? Only God who created you and created every person on this earth had the shoulders broad enough and the span wide enough to die for the sins of all mankind. And that's why John 3:16 says, but who ever, whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. You know, it has been amply said, a man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.   03:02          By the way, for questions today, what does that last quote mean to you? A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. What does that mean to you? And then the second question is how can you be sure in your mind, in your heart that Jesus was actually God in the flesh? And then number three, why is that statement so significant to you as you face eternity? And here's the thought for the day. You know, an act of love that's unrivaled in greatness, rightly understood, can only produce consistent appreciation and obedience.

"I think the top 10 things in my life, most of them have to do with anything my kids ever wanted to do with me. Brady would say, Hey dad, let's go shoot baskets. And we shot thousands of baskets together. Him shooting, me catching and throwing back. Copp would let me, you know, run past patterns. And then, so he'd throw me the football. Jamie and Courtney, let me help them in gymnastics and volleyball. 'Hey dad, let's go to the Dairy Queen. Let's get a snack.' I didn't care what they asked me to do. I was ready to go." Family Discussions: Why did God have to turn his head when Jesus died? Why does God want the relationship between a parent and a child, especially in the home, to be so strong? Why is it of such high value? What can you do in your home to build a parent-child bond like that one, that Jesus and God had? Transcription: 00:13          In this scripture today, scripture speaks very soberly to us about a time in Christ's life that was probably the most difficult day he had on earth. It was the most difficult for sure but probably not for the reason you think it was. He's in the Garden of Gethsemane and it's the night before his crucifixion. And here's what Mark says in chapter 14, starting in verse 32 it said, "They came to a place called Gethsemane and he said to his disciples, 'sit here until I have prayed.' And he took with him, Peter and James and John and began to be very distressed and troubled. And he said to them, 'my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch.' And he went a little while beyond them and he fell to the ground and he began to pray and he was saying, 'Abba, father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. And yet, not what I want will, but what's your will be done.'" Not my will, but your will be done.   01:22          You know what? I think the top 10 things in my life, most of them have to do with anything my kids ever wanted to do with me. Brady would say, Hey dad, let's go shoot baskets. And we shot thousands of baskets together. Him shooting, me catching and throwing back. Copp would let me, you know, run past patterns. And then, so he'd throw me the football. Jamie and Courtney, let me help them in gymnastics and volleyball. 'Hey dad, let's go to the Dairy Queen. Let's get a snack.' I didn't care what they asked me to do. I was ready to go. I remember one time Courtney asked me to take her to the mall to get a dress for a college forum or prom or something that she did. And we looked at dresses and stuff all day long. I don't even think we bought one, but we had a blast looking together.   02:10          But I didn't know that I'd see a picture that day and one of the clothing stores that would rock my world. It was a sports illustrated. Courtney was trying on yet another dress. And I saw this picture in sports illustrate in fact it was the cover picture. It was Michael Jordan. And at that time, Jordan was Mr. Basketball. It was years ago, but he was definitely the King of the game. But it wasn't a picture of Michael shooting a three. It wasn't a picture of Michael, you know, with the world championship trophy on his hands. He had just won four world championships with the Chicago bulls. But it was a picture of Michael laying on the floor bawling his eyes out, clutching his basketball to his chest, weeping because it was Father's Day. The day he won the championship was Father's Day and his daddy wasn't there. Three years ago his daddy had been murdered.   03:02          I think the biggest pain on the cross for Christ was not the nails or the scorching, although those must have been horrible. But that was the day he had to become sin. That was the day that he had to clothe himself with everything bad. Everything negative, everything sinful that you and I've ever done before a Holy God. Christ became Galatians 3:13 says he became the curse of sin and there his daddy had to turn his back because his daddy, Father God was Holy and always was and always will be. Christ had become sin. The father and son were separated. I believe it was the worst moment of his life. But in that moment came victory for you and me.   03:42          So here's the questions for today in this incredible Bible passage. Why did God have to turn his head when Jesus died? And the second question is this, why does God want the relationship between a parent and a child, especially in the home, to be so strong? Why is it of such high value? And thirdly, you know, what can you do in your home to build a parent-child bond like that one, that Jesus and God had? And the thought for the day is this. You know, parents and their children have a bond that should never be broken. The only bond greater is the bond between us and Christ.

"We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game."   Family Discussions: What does it mean to give it all to Jesus? What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today? What do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian? Why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ? Transcription: 00:13          Well, you talk about a hero. This verse today is really a hero. Maybe you would say one of the most insignificant people in scripture, but not so to Jesus. Jesus is in Bethany and he's at the home of Simon the leper. And as he comes in there, a woman comes up to him and she takes this bottle of very costly perfume and she anoints Jesus with the bottle of perfume. And some of the followers were indignant. You know, they were like, 'Hey, you know, you could take that perfume and you could, you know, sell it and feed the poor.' But Jesus says this about that woman. I think it's a great example to you and me today in our life for Christ. He said, "Hey, leave her alone. Why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to me for you always have the poor with you and you do not always have me. She's done what she could and she is anointing my body beforehand for the burial. He says, truly, I say to you, where ever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."   01:20          We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game. I don't know the whole story behind this woman, but I imagine because she was probably very poor that she had been saving this perfume her whole life. Perhaps every birthday she had, you know, her parents would put just a little bit more perfume in the bottle. You know, in those days, that sort of thing was scarce and was very expensive. And I think Jesus basically was saying to her, you know what? Leave that girl alone. She has given me every thing that she had.   02:10          I'll never forget a Superbowl years ago that I paid close attention to because I'd been leading some Bible studies with one of the teams in the Superbowl. Well, they were beaten because the quarterback of the other team had said to his team, I will give it every cent I've ever made in the game for one Superbowl ring. That team went on the field and they creamed the team that I had been working with because they were willing to give it all. I remember my son Cooper when he was a sophomore, he was going to play high school football and in our little town that he played for sophomores don't play. And I said to him, I said, Cooper, don't expect anything this year on the varsity. They never give it sophomores. And he said, dad, I'll either get a brain concussion and I'll die or I'll start. Well, you know the end of that story after about four games, you know, they were starting him in the first playoff game. He got player of the game. Because you know what, when you want it bad enough, you know, it's probably, if it's a good goal, if it's a good incentive and God's behind it, then it's probably going to happen.   03:16          So here's the questions for today. It's one thing to give it all for Superbowls. One thing to give it all the start on your team, but what does it mean to give it all to Jesus? What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today? And then the second question is this, what do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian? And then the third question is this, why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ? And the thought for the day is this. If Jesus was visiting your house today, would you give him your most prized possession whatever it is?

"Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday." Family Discussion: Recall an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference? How do you personally view the imminent return of Christ? What can you do to make these days feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind? Transcription: 00:13          I've entitled this devotional today, "The Lesson of the Fig Tree." But a more personal title would be "Daddy's Home." Listen to this. This is great. We're going to be in Mark chapter 13 in verse 28 and we're talking about the second coming of Christ. In fact, Jesus is giving us the signs of his coming. He said, these things are going to be happening all over the world and when you see these things happening, you better get ready because Christ is going to come and he's going to consummate the age in which we live. Verse 28 says, "now learn the parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too when you see these things happening recognize that he is near right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all of these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." And then he, and then he hits the nail on the head. He said, "but if that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven nor the son, but the father alone, but take heed. Keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time comes."   01:29          Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday. I had three days to die knowing that on Sunday I was going to get creamed. But he probably didn't give me enough of 'em actually I probably deserve more but he was a great dad. Usually when my daddy would come and when I see my daddy, I was really happy to see him. My daddy would travel and he didn't travel because he wanted to. He traveled because he needed to. But when he'd come home, I was always so happy to see him. I'd go wait out in the driveway to see that old station wagon drive into my house. And then as a daddy myself, when my kids were small in the home, I had to travel a lot. And every time I'd leave home I'd look in the rear view mirror and I would grow so sad knowing that I had to go away for two or three weeks on the road to recruit. But I'll tell you what, coming home was an believable. I drive through the night oftentimes to get home, just to get one little glimpse of my kids. It might be three in the morning or four in the morning when I'd get home. And then man, the kids would run upstairs and you know, daddy's home, daddy's home. I'd hear the little pitter patter of their little feet. Those little footie pajamas that they'd wear. Sometimes they put signs and posters on the front of the house and in my closet, daddy's home.   03:02          Y'all, I think the best understanding of the return of Christ, if you really do love him, if you're a follower of his, if he lives in your heart, is that daddy is coming. Oh, it's not to be feared if you're a follower of Christ. Daddy's coming home. Hey, here's the questions for today. Recall, an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference? And how do you personally view the imminent return of Christ? And I believe it's imminent. And then next, what can you do to make these days, I mean, anticipation. Feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind? And then here's the thought for the day. Daddy's coming home. Daddy's coming home can be the three sweetest words in the English language.

"One thing I love about sports is the one who wants it the worst usually wins, especially in team sports. It's not so much about how fast and strong an athlete is, but in a team sport especially, it all depends upon the heart. " Family Discussions: Which of Jesus is signs of his coming you observed recently? What does he mean when he says keep on the alert because you don't know the day that I'm going to come back? How can your family better pull together as a team to defeat the enemies that are all around you? Transcription: 00:13          Hey, today I want to tell you about the greatest award ceremony that you'll ever be. The trophy of trophies. We're going to be reading from Mark chapter 13 and we're going to start with verse eight. Jesus is talking about the signs, the birth pains, if you will. The signs that will be proceeding the second coming of Christ to planet earth. In verse eight he says, "for nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There'll be earthquakes in various places." So the world's going to be at war, especially in the area of the middle East. And in verse 10, he says, "the gospel of the kingdom must be preached to the whole world." And then we go, uh, skipping to verse 13, he says, "you Christians will be hated by all nations because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved." And then in verse 22, he says, "for false Christ and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders if possible, even to lead astray the elect." They are the Christians. And then finally in verse 33 he says, "Take heed. Keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time comes."   01:24          I'm telling you folks, one thing I love about sports is the one who wants it the worst usually wins, especially in team sports. It's not so much about how fast and strong an athlete is, but in a team sport especially, it all depends upon the heart. And Jesus is saying, man, if you want it bad enough, if you want the love of Christ, if you want to live for Christ bad enough, then the trophy is going to be yours. Are we living in the last days? Well, there's a lot of us who believe that we sure can be. As these prophecies come true all around us. You see the gospel going out the whole world. You see the whole world literally fighting each other over everything, especially in the middle East. You see the terms where the supernatural, the sayans, Satan worship, demon possession, wiji boards, Dungeons and dragons. Movies in their cult everywhere.   02:12          You know, you see Christians persecuted and I'll say this, I am the proudest of the of the young generation, the high school kids and college kids that I get to work with. I've never seen a bunch of heroes like you before in my life. Guys and girls who are willing to go to school with their Bibles. They witness and willing to write papers on creation and intelligent design even when they get ridiculed in their classes, oftentimes are in the hallways for, for wearing crosses and living for Christ. But I will tell you this, the one who overcomes is going to win the prize. So don't lose heart. When he sees you, He'll say, 'well done now, good and faithful servant.'   02:54          Here's the questions for today. Which of Jesus is signs of his coming you observed recently? And then what does he mean when he says keep on the alert because you don't know the day that I'm going to come back. And then lastly, this is great. How can your family better pull together as a team to defeat the enemies that are all around you? And then here's the thought for the day. You know, groups of individuals often lose tough contests, but a team that's united, a team that's focused, a team that's full of heart are almost impossible to defeat, make your family a team like that today.

"Before the end of Jesus's ministry, He talks a lot about his second coming. In fact, some scholars have suggested that one out of every 27 verses in scripture talks about the second coming of Christ. You know what? The world wasn't ready when he came the first time and the world certainly is not going to be ready when he comes back the second time." Family Discussions: What has been the most misleading thing you've heard or seen lately in your life? What is a false Christ? What is a cult leader? If someone's speaking, how can you recognize that they're tell him the truth? Transcription: 00:13          Before the end of Jesus's ministry, He talks a lot about his second coming. In fact, some scholars have suggested that one out of every 27 verses in scripture talks about the second coming of Christ. You know what? The world wasn't ready when he came the first time and the world certainly is not going to be ready when he comes back the second time. But he leaves these signs and he tells us what it's going to look like at the end. And here we are in Mark chapter 13. "So they asked him. Jesus, tell us when will these things be? What will be the sign and when will all these things going to be fulfilled? And Jesus began to say to them, see to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name saying I am he, I am the Christ and will mislead many." And then we skipped down to verse 22 and we read him saying this at the conclusion of this thought. He says in verse 22 "for false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders in order to lead a stray if possible, even the elect, even the followers of Christ."   01:17          So, there's an old parable and if you'd like to solve parables or riddles, here's a good one. You're going down a road and there's a Y in the road and there's two men standing at the Y, one on the left and one of the right. All you know about is one of them is always going to lie and the other one is always going to tell the truth, but you don't know which one is a liar and which one tells the truth. One other thing, you can only ask one question to either man it and then you have to choose one road. And what I was going to lead to hell and what I was going to leave to heaven. What question would you ask in which man would you ask it? Now you can think about this later, but the answer is you ask either men, what will the other men say and go the opposite. Because you've asked the liar, he will lie about what the other man's going to say. So if the other man goes right, he's going to say, go left. And then you go, right. If you ask the guy who tells the truth, what's the other man? Gonna say? He knows the other man's gonna lie. So he'll tell you the wrong way to go. So go the opposite.   02:19          You know, there's a lot of ways to get misled. I know that, you know, the television sets are just filled with misleading commercials. These beer commercials, my goodness, they make beer look like the most wonderful, fun thing in the whole wide world. They never show ambulances. You know, they never show, you know, broken and abuse in the homes and all the things that alcohol causes people's lives. They never showed that. They just make it look like this great inconsequential party and millions are misled by those ads. That's one thing, but be misled eternally would have to be the worst thing of all. You know what time magazine says there's over 1800 religious and mystical cults in the United States of America alone. Recruiting millions of followers.   03:28          Let me tell you something. Any man or woman who gets on that TV set or stands in a, some kind of a pulpit in some kind of a religious building and he takes Jesus to less than Jesus said he was or he elevates any man higher than who a man ought to be is a cult. Any man or any religious woman or teacher that says this Bible is less than the complete Word of God. That you have to add anything to it. You have to add other books to it. It's a cult. The Bible is the complete word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus is son of God. He is the complete forgiveness for sins. We go to heaven by grace and grace alone. So don't be misled to do something you'll be ashamed of in this life, but for sure, don't be misled by anyone who will lie to you and cost you your eternity.   04:29          Here is the question for today. What has been the most misleading thing you've heard or seen lately in your life? And then what is a false Christ? What is a cult leader? And then the third one is how can you recognize the truth? If someone's speaking, how can you recognize that they're tell him the truth? And here's the great thing about families. This is the thought for the day. Families discern truth together.

"Few years ago, I was easing down the highway about 70 miles an hour on in their state and came into a little construction zone and the sign clearly said the speed limit is now 45. Well, I didn't see anybody constructing anything. I just saw some warning signs. So I continued my merry little way at 70 miles an hour. Well, it wasn't long until I was reminded that, you know, what render to Caesar what Caesar's." Family Discussions: Which things for your money do you enjoy giving the most? Which forms of giving and spending give God the most joy? Why is important to render under Caesar what is Caesar's with a positive attitude? Transcription: 00:14          It's no wonder they called him Christ. The astonishing teacher. And he blew them out of the water then when he taught. And he blows us out of the water today. Listen to the wisdom of this passage today in Mark chapter 12 and starting with verse 14. It says this, "and they came to him and said to him, teacher, we know that you're truthful and defer to no one for you are not partial in any way, but you teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay tax, a poll tax to Caesar or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay? But Jesus, knowing their hypocrisy said to them, why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and look at it. They brought one and he said to them, whose likeness is on that coin? And they said, Caesars. And Jesus said to them, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods. And they were amazed at him."   01:13          Few years ago, I was easing down the highway about 70 miles an hour on in their state and came into a little construction zone and the sign clearly said the speed limit is now 45. Well, I didn't see anybody constructing anything. I just saw some warning signs. So I continued my merry little way at 70 miles an hour. Well, it wasn't long until I was reminded that, you know, what render to Caesar what Caesar's. The red lights were flashing my rear view mirror. Probably the worst site in the whole wide world. I've seen him a couple of times more than I wish I could have, but, I was reminded and I ended up paying some kind of awful fine for speeding in a work zone even though nobody was there working render under Caesar what did the Caesar's.   01:57          You know, it's no wonder that R rated movies have an age limitation and really and truly, probably very few if any of them are good for any age. But for sure, not at a young age. You know, you're not supposed to drink alcohol til you're 21. Listen to the law. I love working in my Bible study with my high school seniors that are grappling with issues like this. And I love the guys that are really following God and are not just not drinking because it's age 21 and under, but because they don't want to ruin their witness to the school or to take the chance of ever becoming an alcoholic. But nevertheless, there's the law. Every April 15th, you know, we get an opportunity to support our government. And you know what? I can't tell you that I'm in favor of a lot of the things that our government does with our money, but you know what? It's the law. And so on April 15th, we pay our taxes, every penny of them. Don't we? Because it's the law of the land. So we rent under Caesar's what is Caesar's.   03:02          But I want to tell you something really important today. There's a higher law. You know, Adolf Eichmann was tried after the, you know, the Holocaust in World War II. He was one of the officers in Germany, one of the highest officers there responsible for killing millions of Jews. And in his trial, he said in his own defense, he said, I have obeyed the law and the flag. So he was obeying Hitler and the Nazi flag. But there was a higher law. It was a moral law. It was a law of God that you don't kill. And so he disobeyed the higher law. Unfortunately, he was convicted of his crime.   03:36          So it is America in the world today. You know, the law says that you can take a little baby, a precious little baby, you know, no matter what size or what age they are inside of your womb. And you can take that baby's life away. Well, it's the law of this land, but there's a higher law. The higher law says that every life is valuable. Every life is precious. Even the life of an unborn child. There's a lot of laws in this country, and you know what? We're gonna pay our taxes and we're gonna, you know, obey the laws of the land. Except when there's a higher law. And that law is the law of God. It's the highest law of all.   04:17          So here's the questions for today. You know, money goes to the government. Money goes to God's ministries on earth. Money goes to our families needs and money goes to our families wants. But which of these things for your money do you enjoy giving the most? And then which forms of giving and spending give God the most joy? And I hope you've got some things in your life and in your homes that really give you joy. That you give sacrificially to. The third question is, why is important to render under Caesar what is Caesar's with a positive attitude? Whew. Here's the lifeline. You know, in a family, you know, dad has his God given authority. In a family, mom has her God given authority. And you know what? If you're a teenager living in a home, you'll have yours in due time. But when you render under Caesar, it brings unity and it brings harmony to the family.

"An insightful first grade teacher read to her students many wise old sayings that we've all heard since we were young. Then she'd stop each phrase just before the conclusion and she'd ask those five and six year olds to fill in kind of the last part of the phrase. Their answers have made me chuckle over and over again." Family Discussions: Why does God put such a high price tag on forgiveness? How does forgiveness heal so effectively in here and out here with others? Who do you need to forgive today? Are you willing to do that before the sun goes down tonight? Transcription: 00:13          Let's talk about a Bible verse that would change your world, change your life forever. This one will get you right between the eyes. It's in Mark chapter 11 verse 25 through 26. Again, Jesus teaches an amazing principle. He says this, "whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your father in heaven will also forgive you of your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father who is in heaven forgive you of your transgressions."   00:47          You know, an insightful first grade teacher read to her students many wise old sayings that we've all heard since we were young. Then she'd stop each phrase just before the conclusion and she'd ask those five and six year olds to fill in kind of the last part of the phrase. Their answers have made me chuckle over and over again. Here are just a few of the things that she would say. She'd say 'better safe than...' When kids said 'punch a fifth grader.' And another one she said, 'never underestimate the power of...' One kid said 'termites.' She said, 'don't bite the hand that...' One first grader said 'looks dirty.' She said, 'you can't teach an old dog new...' 'Math,' a kid said. 'A penny saved is...' 'Not much' 'Two's company. Three's...' 'The Musketeers.' 'Children should not be...' 'Spanked or grounded.' 'If at first you don't succeed...' One kid says, 'get new batteries.'.   01:42          You know, there's no Proverbs or wise words, more reliable and more profound than the life shaping time that God said forgive and it will be forgiven unto you. He didn't wink. He didn't smile. He didn't shift his feet when he said it. Hey, have you ever wondered why he spoke so frankly, on this subject. You know, life in the home provides the greatest laboratory in the world for the answer. Forgiveness heals. It heals your relationship with your mom, with your dad, with your husband, with your son, with your daughter. It heals your lack of joy. It heals the lack of peace that's in your heart brought down by your personal vendetta and it heals your relationship with God. No pharmacy, no hospital, no medical doctor can provide a bottle of medicine as powerful as the healing power of forgiveness. You know what? Bitterness kills. It kills your relationships with the ones you love in your home. You know what, there'll be the most important relationships throughout your life. Bitterness kills your inner joy. It kills your inner peace. It kills your daily fellowship with God. So forgive and it will be forgiven unto you. Isn't that great?   03:01          Here's the question for today. Why does God put such a high price tag on forgiveness? And then secondly, how does forgiveness heal so effectively in here and out here with others? And here's the big one. You guys who do you need to forgive today? And are you willing to do that before the sun goes down tonight? The thought for the day is this, forgiving hearts are happy hearts. Isn't that great

"You think about the Mardi Gras parade and the Rose bowl parade and the Macy's Christmas parade and all these millions of dollars of floats and millions of dollars of cars and all this fanfare, but there wasn't a parade like this one. There's never been a parade like this one nor will there ever be." Family Discussions: Why do we call that day, Palm Sunday? What was really going on in Jerusalem that day? How can you lay your blanket before Jesus as he comes riding into your life, into your home? How does Jesus' life of exemplary humility speak to you today? Transcription: 00:13          This passage today in scripture is a phenomenal a passage. When you really understand what's going on this passage out of Mark chapter 11, man, it will rock your world. It'll change your life. Mark chapter. 11 verse seven, we call this Palm Sunday and, and I'll tell you why we do it says, "They brought the donkey to Jesus and they put their coats on it and he sat on it and many spread their coats out in the road and other spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father, David. Hosanna in the highest."   01:06          Folks that it was the, it was the greatest parade ever. You know, you think about the Mardi Gras parade and the Rose bowl parade and the Macy's Christmas parade and all these millions of dollars of floats and millions of dollars of cars and all this fanfare, but there wasn't a parade like this one. There's never been a parade like this one nor will there ever be. Jesus the Messiah. He's God. He's about to down the cross. A week later, we're going gonna raise from the dead, but how does he come in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? Comes in on a donkey. It comes in a little humble colt. Because Zachariah 9:9 prophesied hundreds of years before that he would ride in the Messiah, would be presented his King on a donkey and according to Psalms 118 the prophecy a thousand years before Jesus said they will cry. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.   01:59          And then the prophecy of Daniel 538 BC, 530 years before Jesus was born. Daniel said it will happen on that day. The prophecy of Daniel 9 says that on that day, April 6, 32 AD if you do the math, that's the day that Jesus would come in as King on a donkey being proclaimed as Messiah. No wonder he said, when the Pharasees said, Jesus, tell these people to become silent. If you claim to be God, we're going to kill you. And he said, if they become silent, the stones will cry out. This is the day of my visitation as he wept over Jerusalem He said. You know what? Humility, man, it makes you want to take a towel to dry the dishes, doesn't it? It makes you want to empty the trash cans throughout the house. It makes me want to want to wash literally the feet of the people in your family, by the way you serve them. You know, humility in a home, oh man, it's the smile on your faces in the home. Serving each other. You know, coming in on a donkey, so to speak, on the lowly, lowly colt. You know, they proclaimed him, Messiah and King. And the happiest kids I know, the happiest husbands I know, the happiest wives I know are people who get on their colt and ride every day.   03:19          So here's the questions today. Why do we call that day, Palm Sunday? And what was really going on in Jerusalem that day? The second question is, how can you lay your blanket before Jesus as he comes riding into your life, into your home? And then the third one says this, how does Jesus' life of exemplary humility speak to you today? And here is the lifeline. The thought for today, today in the home, let us mount our pride on the seat of a donkey.

"About 10 or 12 years ago, my wife and I in our sports camps were able to adopt 19 schools in Haiti. And so every day we have the privilege of loving and feeding and educating these 5,800 kids down there in Haiti. Men, of all the things that have ever happened around Kanakuk Kamps, you know, the Kamps that, I mean, the schools in Haiti bring smiles to our faces like none other." Family Discussions: What is your interpretation of Jesus' metaphor of the camel in the eye of the needle? Why does our excesses keep us from really enjoying a full enrich relationship with God? What action can you or your family take to comply with Jesus' command here? Transcription: 00:13          This devotional today that I get to share with you really puts a smile on my face because it's about some of the most beautiful kids in the world. About, Oh gosh, 10 or 12 years ago, my wife and I in our sports camps were able to adopt 19 schools in Haiti. And so every day we have the privilege of loving and feeding and educating these 5,800 kids down there in Haiti. Men, of all the things that have ever happened around Kanakuk Kamps, you know, the Kamps that, I mean, the schools in Haiti bring smiles to our faces like none other. Every Christmas we get to take Christmas gifts to every single child. We've been doing this for years and years and to see these kids, you know, like take a pack of Lifesavers and eat the first Lifesaver they've ever eaten and get their first Christmas gift from Papa Noel. You know, what they call Santa Claus down there in Haiti. And then to get to share. You know what Christmas is really about with those kids, not Santa Claus, but you know Jesus Christ born on earth. It's the joy of our lives.   01:21          You know what Jesus has something to say about you and about me and about our kids in Haiti and around the world. Listen to Mark chapter 10 verse 24 through 27. Here's what scripture says. "The disciples were amazed at his words, but Jesus answered it again and said to them, children, how hard is it to enter the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. They were even more astonished and said to him then, who can be saved? Looking at them, Jesus said with people, it's impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."   02:08          You know, being really transparent, honest with you, I don't need a bite of food. I mean, I hardly take a bite that I don't think about our kids in Haiti. They are so happy with a bowl of beans and a bowl of rice every day. It just breaks my heart to see the circumstances that they're in and not just our kids that are little schools in Haiti because really they're doing pretty good compared to most starving kids in the world. But God has a word to us and I believe his word is, and you know what? Everybody in America's rich, by the way, if you think you're very, very poor, I will tell you that the kids that we get to work with here at Kids Across American and Kanakuk, many of our kids, 7,000 of our kids come from inner cities and they will tell you because they have a chance to know Jesus. They have meals every day. That even though they are the poorest in our country, they're rich compared to the kids of Haiti whose parents live on about 11 bucks a week.   03:02          But he says, for all of us in America that are rich, he said, you've got to be willing, like a camel who would walk up to the city Gates over the wall villages of that day, and there would be a little opening just to the side of the city gate that a camel couldn't get through with anything on his bag. In fact, the camel would have to get down on his knees and they would have to unload the camel and then he could go through the eye, the needle, what they call this little hole in the gate, on his knees without anything on his back. And then they could reload him. Once he got through the gate.   03:35          The word picture is clear. You know, a rich man. Here we are in our country and in the Western world. Jesus said, we must be willing to give it all to give everything we've got. The heart has got to be willing to let go. And you know what? The more you let go, the more the kids of Haiti and the rest of this world are going to be blessed. And through our gifts, those kids are going to get to know Jesus because they're going to know it was the hand of Christ that unloaded our baggage off our camel and gave it away to them in the name of Jesus.   04:09          Here's the questions today in this perplexing, thoughtful gospel. What is your interpretation of Jesus' metaphor of the camel in the eye of the needle? And the second question is, why does our excesses keep us from really enjoying a full enrich relationship with God? And then the third one, what action can you or your family take to comply with Jesus' command here? And here is the lifeline. You know, families that give together, stay together. People that give generously are the happiest people in the world.

"How did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever." Family Discussions: What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1? Why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage? If you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be? What would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it? Transcription: 00:13          Do you know that just a few years ago, NASA sent up a satellite called the WMAP satellite and it begin to film the creation. They took this incredible hundred billion galaxy cosmos of ours and they put it in their computers and they ran it back and they saw that it all came from zero. Imagine 100 billion galaxies coming from absolute nothing. We believe that God spoke and a hundred billion galaxies came flying out of their mouth. And you know what? NASA has proved it in that same computer rendition of the creation. They saw that as 100 billion galaxy cosmos traveled, get this, over a billion light years. I mean defying every known law of physics and science by light years. It said that we traveled as a cosmos over a billion light years in the first trillionth of a second. Listen to what Jesus says in Mark chapter 10:6. I mean, scripture is so scientifically on target, "but Jesus said to them, because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this commandment that from the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one flesh." There are no longer two but one flesh.   01:46          A few years ago, RadioShack had this commercial that says, "You've got questions. We got answers." And you know what? RadioShack has a lot of answers, but I think scripture pretty much claims that truth. When you have questions, they're here. How did we get here? When did man originate? How long have we been around? Where did it all come from? What is marriage and what's marriage supposed to look like? You got questions, he's got answers. How long has man been here? Well, according to Jesus, man has been on the earth since the beginning of creation. That's Genesis chapter one. How did man get here? Well, if you look as Darwin did at the human eye, even Darwin himself in his book, 'The Origin of Species', he said to suppose that the eye, with all of its inevitable contrivances for adjusting focus at various distances for admitting various amounts of life and for the correction of sphere and chromatic aberrations is the product of evolution. Seems I freely confessed absurd in the highest degree. Even Darwin himself admitted that evolution in terms of human vision is absolutely absurd.   02:59          And how did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever. You know, people say, well, if you're in love, sex is okay or if you, you know, if you think you're going to get married sex is okay, or in any, you know, orientations, sex is okay. When scripture is clear that God wants that that very special relationship between a man and a woman to be designed for marriage and for marriage alone. To last, I watched my daddy and my mama love each other for 66 years and I saw him literally die. My daddy died in my mother's arms and at the end of my daddy's life he was still honoring the wedding ring and even wearing for all those years. So, if you've got questions, he's got answers.   03:56          Here's a couple of questions to think about today. What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1. In the creation account, when Jesus said for the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female. And question two is why is Genesis 1, the creation account of Genesis, why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage? And then the third question, if you're putting a price tag on your marriage, either one you already have or your future marriage, as I told my sons they had a girl's name written on their heart and someday that name of that incredible woman would show up. But if you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be? What was the, what would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it? And here's the thought for the day. Only a creative God could build something as valuable and worth protecting as a godly marriage relationship. Be careful!

"People say, you know what? There's no objective morals, just differing opinions. There's no absolute truth. It's whatever you think is true. One person will say to you, you know what? Come on. It's just a little drink. A little drink won't hurt you, a little alcohol. Or a guy may say to you, if you're a girl or girl may say to a guy, you know what? Hey, don't be so frigid. Sex is okay if it's safe. Voices. They're everywhere, aren't they? They, they give you so many mixed messages these days. It's so easy to get confused and to begin to question your own beliefs. The question is who are you gonna listen to?" Family Discussions: How can your family help each other listen to the right voices and not to some of the other voices who tell you what's right and wrong? Compare and contrast Jesus' words to the words of the world around you. A Whose voice makes more sense to you and whose voice you're going to listen to today? Transcription: 00:14          You know, I've entitled this devotion today, "Who are you going to listen to?" And it is a biggy as my friend Neil Jeffrey says. We're in Mark chapter nine. We're starting with verse two, and here is what scripture says. "Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them. And his garments became radiant and exceedingly white as no longer on earth can whiten them." And then we'll skip down to verse seven. It says, "then a cloud formed and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud and said, this is my beloved son. Listen to him."   00:59          You know what? What's right for you may not be right for me. You know what? Truth is relative. If it feels good, do it. If there are any number of ways to get to God. They're saying to you now. People are saying. You know what? It made me pornography to you, but it's art to me. People say that. People say, you may call it profanity, but I call it freedom of speech. People say, you know what? There's no objective morals, just differing opinions. There's no absolute truth. It's whatever you think is true. One person will say to you, you know what? Come on. It's just a little drink. A little drink won't hurt you, a little alcohol. Or a guy may say to you, if you're a girl or girl may say to a guy, you know what? Hey, don't be so frigid. Sex is okay if it's safe. Voices. They're everywhere, aren't they? They, they give you so many mixed messages these days. It's so easy to get confused and to begin to question your own beliefs. The question is who are you gonna listen to?   01:59          You know, fortunately God gave all authority to his son. Fortunately, Jesus speaks very clearly in his words. Fortunately, God wrote Jesus' words down in a book, and fortunately you're fortunate enough probably to have one or two or three or maybe five of your own. You know, Jesus' words are so welcoming and so reassuring in days like these. He said, "I am the way, I am the truth. I am the life. No one comes to the father, but by me." And you know what? John 6 says, Jesus, you have the words of eternal life. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments. He says in John 14:15. He says, he who overcomes shall inherit these things and I will be his God, and he will be my son, in Revelation 21:7. He said, don't you know that your body's a temple of the Holy spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you're not your own. He says, for you have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.   03:08          Man, God's word comes through today as strong as it did that glorious day up on that mountain when Jesus was transfigured, and he heard the audible voice from the sky. This is my son. This is my beloved son. Listen to him. Listen to him. Here's the questions for today. Isn't this great? He says, how can your family that's around you, How can your family help each other listen to the right voices and not to some of the other voices who tell you what's right and wrong? And then secondly, compare and contrast Jesus' words to the words of the world around you. And then here's the last question. To make it personal, whose voice makes more sense to you and whose voice you're going to listen to today? And here's the thought for the day. As a family, hold each other accountable to keep the ungodly voices out of your home.  

"We used to ski as a family in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. And sometimes we would take all of our young life kids and our young life clubs to Steamboat Springs to ski. And we had more fun and we took lots of Kanakuk kids over the years. But when you go from Missouri to Steamboat Springs, you crossover a pass called Rabbit Ears Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass is 9,400 feet high. And it is the watershed of the United States of America" Family Discussions: If Jesus asked you that faithful question, "who do you say that I am?" How would you respond? What does it mean when Peter said, you are the Christ? What does the Christ mean? Why did Jesus say, why did he say "I am the way I am the truth and I am the life. No one comes to the father except by me."? Transcription: 00:14          Today's devotional is absolutely amazing. This is a devotional. In fact, there's one statement of this devotional day that is absolutely gonna patch your hair. It's in Mark chapter eight, and we're going to begin with verse 27. It's a conversation between Jesus and his disciples. And listen to what one of them says in verse 27. Scripture says, "and Jesus went out along with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he questioned his disciples and he said, who did the people say that I am? They told him, saying John the Baptist. Others say Elijah, others say one of the prophets. But he continued to question them." And here's the question. "He said, who do you say that I am? And Peter said to him, you are the Christ, the son of the living God."   01:12          You know what? We used to ski as a family in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. And sometimes we would take all of our young life kids and our young life clubs to Steamboat Springs to ski. And we had more fun and we took lots of Kanakuk kids over the years. But when you go from Missouri to Steamboat Springs, you crossover a pass called Rabbit Ears Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass is 9,400 feet high. And it is the watershed of the United States of America. Every drop of rain that falls on the West of Rabbit Ears Pass goes to the Pacific and every drop that falls on the East goes eventually to the Atlantic. The watershed divides the nation as far as water and moisture's concern. This passage is the watershed of Christianity.   01:57          You know, the Muslims say that Mohammed and sufficient works is the way to God. The Mormons say, Joseph Smith's teaching and sufficient works are the way to get to God. The Jehovah's Witnesses say that sacrifice of Christ is only part of the equation. It gets one to God for eternity. You name them, Joseph Smith, Muhammad Charles Tate Russell. They all recognize Jesus as a great historical and religious figure, but their beliefs on Bible doctrine and the saving blood of Jesus are on the opposite side of the watershed from Jesus' own words about himself. On Jesus' side of the watershed are some staggering claims that true Christianity must accept completely. One, He is the fulfillment of all old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Two, he as he says in John 14:6 is the only way to God. Three, He is fully God, 100% God in the flesh. Four, He is the complete atonement for our sin. His death on the cross was sufficient. And five, the Bible is the Word of God. It is his complete word to mankind. And you know what? Revelation makes it clear. Nobody adds anything to this word.   03:21          So who do you say that He is? Well, Peter answered correctly and upon that belief that Jesus was the son of God. Jesus built his church on that belief and on that faith, and that's where his eternal family stands. So here's the questions today. One, if Jesus asked you that faithful question, "who do you say that I am?" How would you respond? And then secondly, this is big. What does it mean when Peter said, you are the Christ? What does the Christ mean? And then thirdly, why did Jesus say, why did he say "I am the way I am the truth and I am the life. No one comes to the father except by me."? It's a big claim. And he lived it and he died it. Here's the lifeline. To believe in him, is to love him. To love him, is to follow him. To follow him is to obey him. And to obey him, is to walk with him forever.

"Now I've got this little friendly Eagle by my side and he is really beautiful. And you know, sometimes this thing almost looks like he's alive. You can just look at his face and you can just see the handy work of God in this Eagle. Every feather created perfectly, beautifully." Family Discussions: Why do people continue to demand signs from God when they're all over creation? What signs have you seen lately that have awed you like it awed me? What is the sign of God's creative amazement that mean the most to you? Transcription: 00:13          Every time my eyes go into the Word of God, I just get fascinated all over again. And I'm fascinated today. Jesus' Words always just penetrate your heart. They penetrate your life, your intentions, your motives. Listen to this one today he is shooting it straight again. It's in Mark chapter eight and we're in verse 11 through 13. And here's what it says. "The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And Jesus says, why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation. Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side." You know what? He's given enough signs. The greatest sign of all is thatthey're all over the world. They're around people's necks. They're on Bibles. They're on church, steeple sides. You know, the cross is the greatest sign of all time, but there's also signs everywhere.   01:21          Now I've got this little friendly Eagle by my side and he is really beautiful. And you know, sometimes this thing almost looks like he's alive. You can just look at his face and you can just see the handy work of God in this Eagle. Every feather created perfectly, beautifully. A young man came to my office one time. He said, I don't believe in God when I had this Eagle by my side, which by the way is not a real Eagle. A taxidermist took feathers from chickens and dyed them to make them look like an Eagle. Although sometimes he does look a little bit alive if you just look at him just right and he almost looks you in the eye. And I just showed this young man the Eagle. And I said, Hey, either this Eagle happened by chance, by accident or somebody designed, somebody thought up that Eagle, and he said, well, it's obvious somebody designed that Eagle. It happened just like that. He became a creationist as I am rather than an evolutionist.   02:18          When you look up in the sky at night. Talk about a sign. You're looking at one galaxy, the Milky Way, 544 quadrillion miles wide with 4 billion stars, and then there's 99,999 other galaxies up there in the sky, all declaring the wonder if God. Do you know what? That this entire cosmos that you and I live under the whole cosmos is a sign from heaven. The anthropic principle, which is now traveling through the hallways of science, says that the whole cosmos was designed perfectly so that you and I could live on planet earth. As Dr. Francis Collins, the scientists who designed the genome declared just three or four years ago. If the gravitational constant was off one part in a hundred million millionth, it would be impossible for life to exist today. What he's saying is there's an orchestra leader, there's a conductor of the cosmos who turns everything perfectly intricately for you and now to be able to live on planet earth.   03:20          There are signs everywhere, right Eagle? But the greatest sign of all is the sign of the cross. So here's the questions today. Why do people continue to demand signs from God when they're all over creation? And the second one is a great question. What signs have you seen lately that have awed you like it awed me? And then the third question is this. What is the sign of God's creative amazement that mean the most to you? For me, the greatest sign is when this happens in the life of a lost friend, and that friend is born to eternal life. Well, here's the lifeline today. When you wonder where God is, Hey, look all around you and thank him for the miracles that fill your heart and fill your home.

"If this is any age that we live in, it's the age of the computer. I carry a little, you know, computer, so to speak, in my pocket. The first computers that were built, you know, not so many years ago were costing like $3 million to build. Today, you can get one of these things for a couple of hundred bucks if you've got a good shopper - an internet shopper. "   Family Discussions: What in the world are you doing to your heart? How can we as a family help each other have pure hearts? What can you do today to change what's coming in here, through here and here to give yourself a pure heart?   Transcription: 00:13          Hey, of all the great things that come out of looking at God's word every day, the greatest is reading the words of Jesus himself. And then seeing how his words, you know, here we are, 2000 something years later, and how his words still get you right in the middle of your heart and in your life. That's why we got to have this thing every single day. Mark chapter seven, verse 21 through 23, it literally hits you in the heart because this word today is written for the human heart. Listen to this. This is incredible. Jesus says, "for from within out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts fornications thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness. As well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within. And to follow the man."   01:10          You know what? If this is any age that we live in, it's the age of the computer. I carry a little, you know, computer, so to speak, in my pocket. The first computers that were built, you know, not so many years ago were costing like $3 million to build. Today, you can get one of these things for a couple of hundred bucks if you've got a good shopper - an internet shopper. But you know, what's interesting about these computers and they can hold trillions upon trillions upon trillions of bytes of information. These things aren't born with brains of their own. They're born with capabilities to intake from a radio wave or from an electrical current or from a laser current or from a keyboard. They just absorb what's put into them and they get assimilate that information quickly. That's what makes computers so amazing. But they aren't born with a brain. You have to give them their brain by how you program them.   02:10          And so it is with the human heart. You know, our heart is literally the Quarterback in the huddle that calls the plays of our life. Our heart is the driver of the bus that's full of schoolchildren. The heart controls everything in your life. I was watching a morning Today Show, I think. This morning as I was getting ready to come to work and I saw two like of the greatest stars that ever lived, one of them was a huge superstar in music, this huge and one of them was a huge Superstore of Broadway and in television. And both of them regretfully in the interview went back to the days in their twenties and thirties when somebody programmed their heart that drinking was okay. This one guy said, I was just having a shot of martini. And then I had two, and then I had three and then I had six and then my life was in trouble. The other guy talked about, even though he's one of the greatest rock stars who ever lived, how he lost his family because somebody convinced him that, you know what? You know, a little marijuana is not going to hurt. Hey, just a little joint here and a little joint there. Well pretty soon he became an addict. Pretty soon he lost literally everything that mattered to him.   03:24          The human heart is the wellspring of life Scripture says. You know what? Garbage in, garbage out. You put good thoughts into this little heart of yours and you will think good thoughts and you will act good thoughts and you will live good thoughts. You put garbage into this heart and garbage is what's going to come out of your life. I am so proud of the youth of this nation that I get to work with. I get to work with some of the greatest kids in American and the world because they're kids who've decided that they're going to take God's word and put it in their heart. And my heroes in sports and the teams that I speak to, in politics and in business are men and women who program their heart with the word of God and they don't compromise no matter what.   04:10          Question number one, why are we kidding ourselves when we say, you know what? When I listened to music, I just kind of listened to the notes. But you know, I don't really pay attention to the words or when we go to a movie and go, you know, it's PG 13. Yeah, it's R rated movie. It's got a great story. But you know what? When you check in on it, it's got sex, it's got nudity, it's got profanity. You know, what in the world are you doing to your heart? How can we as a family help each other have pure hearts? And forth, what can you do today to change what's coming in here, through here and here to give yourself a pure heart? It is so important. And here's the thought for the day, as a potter molds the clay into a work of art, so a home molds the heart of each other into a masterpiece of God.  

"I am a Patriot and I feel blessed to live in Branson, Missouri in the United States of America. But you know what? There's a whole lot of traditions in this country that have grown up, especially in the last 60 years that are traditions of men that I don't agree with. " Family Discussions: What is the difference between tradition and truth? What politically correct idioms bother you? How has this devotional from Mark chapter seven help you see your values more clearly and live by truth and not traditions? Transcription: 00:14          Today's devotion will hit home probably as good as any devotional I've ever read in scripture. It's chapter seven in the book of Mark, and we're starting at verse six. It was a great day for Jesus as all of his days were great. He always won in every conversation. Verse six says this, "and he said to them rightly, did Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites? As it is written, this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain, do they worship me? Teaching as doctrines, the precepts or the traditions of men neglecting the commandment of God. You hold to the traditions of men."   00:59          I am a Patriot and I feel blessed to live in Branson, Missouri in the United States of America. But you know what? There's a whole lot of traditions in this country that have grown up, especially in the last 60 years that are traditions of men that I don't agree with. I have a dear friend and he's one of the nicest young men and one of the successful guys I've ever met in my life in terms of doing what he believes God wants him to do, but he was supposed to be an abortion. And it was the desire of everybody in the family above him to abort him because he was an unwanted child. Fortunately, his mom had the courage to say no, and his mom had him. And now he's doing amazing things with his life. But the tradition says that abortions are good, fine, legal. 55-60 million babies in America have been killed by abortion in the last 30 or 40 years. But I'm glad that some people follow the teachings of God rather than the traditions of men.   02:01          I'll never forget, we've had like 50,000 summer staff at these camps in the last 86 years that I get to be a part of. And boy, the greatest folks. I remember one guy who was a sinner on the university of Southern California football team, Tom Debitscisus is one of the finest looking athletes you ever met. And he fell in love with one of the kampers who grew up and then was a counselor named Tori and she was like a daughter to me. And they fell in love. Well, the tradition is that when you fall in love on a college campus, then you go ahead and live together and have sex. But Tom wasn't a man who followed the tradition of man. He followed the Word of God. And then Tom got engaged at the fraternity house and the guys were like, okay, Tom, you're engaged now. Now it's okay to move in with Tori. But Tom goes, you know what, I'm not about their traditions of men. I'm about the word of God and I'm saving my sex for marriage. And he honored that girl till now they became married and now they're, you know, married happily ever after.   02:58          I have a little friend in our Kamp named Jordan Sparks and Jordin years ago was the American idol and it was so much fun watching Jordan carry that title. On one hand was her Kanakuk Kamp ring on the other hand was her purity ring. And wherever she went, she would be teased and challenged about their commitment to purity in sex and purity and you know, in her life and her body. And boy, did God honored Jordin Sparks for not following the traditions of men, but following the word of God.   03:30          You know, in a science class, anybody who takes biology, I was a premed major and studied biology for four and a half years in college. Well, the tradition is that you evolved from slime. The tradition is that you're nothing more than an evolutionary leak in the succession of apes. But the word of God says that you were made, you were designed, you were created in the image of God, which is the only scientific fact really that's plausible of how somebody got here. But the tradition says you were evolved, that you don't have a God. Well, I'll tell you one thing about the traditions of men. They won't get you to Heaven. And I'll tell you another thing about the tradition of men. They won't give you life. True life and true joy on this earth. Tradition or truth. It's a question that you and I have got to ask every single day. What am I going to do? What am I going to live by tradition or truth?   04:23          And here's some questions that I want to ask you. What is the difference between tradition and truth? And the second question today is what politically correct idioms bother you? And the third one is how has this devotional from Mark chapter seven help you see your values more clearly and live by truth and not traditions? Here's the lifeline for today of at home in a godly home. The truth never changes.

"One of the greatest joys of my life, gosh, 30 something years ago, we started building camps for inner city kids and man, it has been a great adventure. We get kids from inner cities all over America. Just the most precious children really, who've been overlooked a lot by our society. But every summer there's now four camps for these urban kids." Family Discussions: How do you personally find God's abundance in him, in his word, every day? Have you been going to him daily for your bread? Or have you been going to the world's ideas of abundance? What is the secret of living the abundance life? Transcription: 00:14          This is a good one today. We're in Mark chapters six and we're going to be reading verses 41 through 44 this is one of the greatest moments of Jesus's life. I love this devotional. In verse 41 a chapter six it says this, "and Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up toward heaven. He blessed the food and broke the loaves and he kept giving them to the disciples to set before them and he divided up the two fish among them and they all ate and were satisfied and they picked up 12 full baskets of the broken pieces and also the fish." There were 5,000 men who ate the loaves all from one little sack of groceries.   01:01          You know what? I get to see Jesus do that a lot. In fact, one of the greatest joys of my life, gosh, 30 something years ago, we started building camps for inner city kids and man, it has been a great adventure. We get kids from inner cities all over America. Just the most precious children really, who've been overlooked a lot by our society. But every summer there's now four camps for these urban kids. And you know what, man? There's 7,000 who come every summer and literally get a bubble bath of Jesus and they go back to their neighborhoods to live for Christ. The crazy thing about it is there's this waiting list every year. I mean, there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kids who can get in. It's just the word has got around in inner cities all over America. The Kids Across America is the place to go. And you just see this abundance of Jesus at this camp and the abundance is spreading all over the country. And you know what? That's what I love about God.   02:05          I see the same thing in my love for Debbie Jo. You know, after all these decades of being married to this amazing girl, my love just grows and grows and grows. Like every year of our life is like I rediscover love. There's an abundance of love. You just can't get enough. When God is in the middle of something, it just overflows. There's baskets full leftover. And so it is with God. And you know, when I consider God, man, I am overcome with gratitude. I mean his love just overalls me. Why? Why would he not only put up with, you know, someone like me, but also actually be my dad. Why would he just be my best friend? My God. It's, it's beyond my wildest dreams. You know, his love can't be contained in my mind. Why? It's the same reason.   2:55          You know, days when I, when I go to the world for fulfillment in my mind and try to, you know, to fill myself with whatever's of the world. You know what? I ended up with a glass that's half full. I went up with a plate that's half empty. You know, I'll get selfish or I'll get impatient with God. I'll get impatient with my family, with myself. But hey, I don't know where you are. But Jesus fed the 5,000 and don't ever forget he had 12 baskets leftover. In the same way he feeds his kids. That's you. With love, with peace, with fulfillment, and there's always an abundance left over. And so he gives us love for each other and we find an abundance of that for each other as well.   03:41          Here's the questions today. How do you personally find God's abundance in him, in his word, every day? And then this second question, take it right to your heart. Have you been going to him daily for your bread? Or have you been going to the world's ideas of abundance? And explain that if you can. Whoever's watching this with you. And then the last one is the big one. What is the secret of living the abundance life? Here's the lifeline for today. If Christ can feed 5,000 men plus the wives and children in their lives on just a few loaves of bread and a few piece of fish, think what he can do with the family that's totally yielded to him.  

"One of the many reasons I just admire my wife and every cell in her body is the witness that she has to her family. Her family were not believers but one by one because of the life of that girl that grew up in a home that just didn't know God." Family Discussions: Why was it the most difficult for Jesus to be effective right there in his own hometown? Why is it the most difficult for you to be a true witness for Christ in your home? How can your family support you and how can you support your family as you try to be an effective witness in your home? Transcription: 00:13          You know, the reason I love this book so much is because it's Word of God obviously. And because the new Testament of course is a whole lot about Jesus. In fact, it's all about Jesus. And the Old Testament points toward the coming of Jesus. And the New Testament, points back at the life of Jesus. But he was just so incredibly wise. And the things that he says, man, they hit you right in the heart. This is this a great statement to anybody who is in any member of a family. This is about being a Christian at home. We're in Mark chapter six and we're in verse one and it says this. "Jesus went out from there and came in to his hometown and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, it goes on. He began to teach in the synagogue there in his hometown. And many listeners were astonished saying, where did this man get his wisdom? It's been given to him. And the miracles performed by his hands. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters with him here with us? And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household."   01:32          Hey, it's easy to be a witness out there, he's saying. But what about in your home? Man, I opened my heart and let Jesus come in when I was 17. I was a high school kid. My world was football. There were a lot of inconsistencies in my life. And you know what my greatest desire was to witness to my brother. My big brother, Bill, has always been my hero. But I wanted to share Christ with him. He wasn't a believer. He might've believed here, but didn't believe here. I don't think any of us knew that you could open your heart, let Jesus literally come into your heart. But I just did the best I could to be a friend to Bill. And you know what? I will never forget the night, probably five years later that I got to pray with bill and I saw my brother except Christ into his heart. It was definitely one of the greatest years of my life. You know, home may be the most difficult place in the world to witness, but it is always, and it will always be the best place on earth to let your light shine for God.   02:49          One of the many reasons I just admire my wife and every cell in her body is the witness that she has to her family. Her family were not believers but one by one because of the life of that girl that grew up in a home that just didn't know God. With a home without a dad. It was just a mess in a lot of ways. But Debbie Jo was a witness and she still remains a witness and we see her family members, like several of those folks in her family come to Christ. And live completely different lives. So, it happens everywhere and I know it can happen in your home.   03:28          So let me ask you these questions. Why was it the most difficult for Jesus to be effective right there in his own hometown? That was Jesus. And then secondly, why is it the most difficult for you to be a true witness for Christ in your home? And then thirdly, how can your family support you and how can you support your family as you try to be an effective witness in your home? And here's the thought for the day. You know, a family that is quick to forgive, a family that is quick to forgive and slow to judge is the home where witnessing is easy.

" I remember we were doing a crusade at Oklahoma university and you know, a couple of thousand kids show up and one girl comes to the cross and gives her life to Christ and Jesus gives her the healing touch. And she said to me afterwards in the letter, she said, you know what? She said, my body has always been my god. My body is my god." Family Discussions: What is your need that enables you relate to some of these healing touches of Jesus that I've talked to you about today? How can your family be more bonded around the need for his healing touch? Jesus' last words when he said, don't be afraid. Only believe. How do those reassuring words speak to your heart today? How do you need to see it? Transcription: 00:14          This devotional today is fantastic because it comes from the words of a fantastic man. The most fantastic man who ever lived and obviously the most fantastic book that was ever written. Imagine when you look at this book, you're looking literally at the Word of God. The Word that God breathed out of his mouth. That's what scripture he is. We're in the life of Jesus. Of course, we're in Mark chapter five, and today we're going to start with verse 35 and go to verse 36. It was a amazing day in the life of Christ, but it's going to have something amazing to say to you as well. Verse 35 said this "while he was still speaking that came from the house of the synagogue official saying, your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher anymore? But Jesus overhearing what was being spoken said that the synagogue official do not be afraid any longer. Only believe."   01:09          And so Jesus goes to the little girl whose name was Taletha and he gives her his healing touch and the healing word, he says politely, little girl arise and she arose and live happily ever after, I presume. Pretty neat to read about that girl and what Jesus did with that girl. But you know what? I see Jesus' healing touch literally every day. Had some little friends in the world of gymnastics and you know, everything about gymnastics is being tiny and being little and being slender and being thin. And all the magazines that these little friends read were you know, the teenage girl magazines and you've gotta be tiny. You gotta be slender and you gotta be slim. And so they became, you know, got an eating disorder and became, you know, anorexic and literally. If something wouldn't have happened, would've probably died from starvation as many young girls and even guys do today from watching this stuff too much. But they begin to give each other the healing touch of God and watching those friends cling to each other and begin to give their eating disorder to God and beginning to give their bodies to God.   02:21          I remember we were doing a crusade at Oklahoma university and you know, a couple of thousand kids show up and one girl comes to the cross and gives her life to Christ and Jesus gives her the healing touch. And she said to me afterwards in the letter, she said, you know what? She said, my body has always been my god. My body is my god. But she said, tonight, I begin to see myself in the image of Christ. That's why I love to go to the campuses. I remember at Texas A&M, there were some 6,000 students who showed up for the crusade and afterwards probably three or 4,000 kids came up to the cross. But I'll never forget one girl who had a man she hated and she was living her life in vengeance and bitterness because he killed her had. But that night, that girl brought that hatred to the cross, believe it or not, and she forgave the guy.   03:12          I remember an NFL linebacker came to an event in Michigan. They were probably a couple of thousand guys that came down to that cross that day in this great Coliseum. And this one guy had hated his dad for 35 years. All the way through the national football league and all the way through college football. He's one of the best in the game, but he hated his dad because his daddy abused him when he was a little boy. But there in front of the cross, he forgave his dad. I remember hugging this guy, just the tears as he wept and wept in my arms as he was able to say, I love you daddy. I forgive you daddy.   03:46          You know, one of the, one of the greatest football players who ever played the game was in prison because of some, some crimes and stuff he'd gotten into. But they're in the prison, an NFL coach who loved Jesus came into the prison and gave that guy the healing touch of Jesus. The guy's back on the field. He got out of prison and he's a completely different person. So the healing touch didn't just happen 2000 years ago, but the healing touch is happening. In fact, it's happening. It's happening in your home.   04:21          So here's the questions today. What is your need that enables you relate to some of these healing touches of Jesus that I've talked to you about today? And how can your family, you know, your husband, your wife, your mom, your dad, your grandpa, your, your child? How can your family be more bonded around the need for his healing touch? Because the homes, the best place for it. And then Jesus' last words when he said, don't be afraid. Only believe. How do those reassuring words speak to your heart today? And how do you need to see it? And here's the lifeline for today. Christ uses afflictions to get us on our knees and unite it around the cross. When healing comes, stay there and give him the glory for the rest of your life.

" I have a dear friend who's now in heaven, but he came to our sports camps and he and I became very good friends. He was a solid believer. But when he went to college, he had a roommate who was an agnostic or perhaps an atheist. And because of the secular school that he was in and the professors that were in his life, he believed in college that faith was in science, math, and medicine. " Family Discussions: Why was the woman's touch unique to Jesus' heart? What was unique about her touch? When is faith sincere? Is there a hurt in your heart today that needs the sensitive touch of Jesus? Transcription: 00:14          Hey, I can't wait to tell you the story today. It's a true story and it gives birth to another true story. That's one of the most fascinating stories I've ever heard in my life. The first true story comes from Mark chapter five in scripture. And the context of this story is this, Jesus is in a crowd and the crowd is pressing in all around him and there's a woman who comes up to him who's been hemorrhaging. Her blood just will not heal. Her blood is just flowing. I've got leukemia, CML, leukemia, and if it weren't for an amazing, miraculous, wonder drug that God provided for me, you know, I would be hemorrhaging and probably dying sitting in this chair. But this woman had the blood hemorrhaging disease and she had spent everything she had on her physicians and they couldn't do anything for her.   01:05          But we go to verse 30 in this awesome account, and it says this "Immediately Jesus perceiving in himself that the power was proceeding from him had gone forth. He turned around in the crowd and said, who touched my garments? And his disciples said to him, you see the crowd pressing in on you and you say, who touched me? And he looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your affliction."   01:52          You know, I think of the fairy tale, the princess and the pea and those crazy wild fairytales that we used to hear when we were little kids, but you know, the one where the King, I suppose, want to make sure that the princess was a princess. So he stocked up like 20 mattresses over a little bitty pea and he surmised his mind that if she could lay on the mattress and feel the sensitive touch of a little bitty quarter inch pea underneath the lowest mattress, that she indeed would be the princess. I don't know where that came from, but this I believe is the most sensitive touch in the world. When Jesus was in a crowd and some woman who'd spent everything, she had had enough faith to touch his garment and all she needed was one touch. And Jesus healed that woman.   02:35          I have a dear friend who's now in heaven, but he came to our sports camps and he and I became very good friends. He was a solid believer. But when he went to college, he had a roommate who was an agnostic or perhaps an atheist. And because of the secular school that he was in and the professors that were in his life, he believed in college that faith was in science, math, and medicine. And he put all of his faith in science and math and medicine and he abandoned his faith in God. He walked away from his faith in Christ and denied that there even was a God. Well, he contracted a disease - a certain kind of cancer that was incurable. And he went through two years of science, faith in medicine. In fact, he had the best doctors in the world, the best of science, faith and medicine, who gave him everything that science, faith and medicine could, but it didn't work. His science, faith and medicine wore out. He had a fiancé who loved Jesus and she began to pray for him. And daily she prayed for him that he would come to know Jesus and she said, God, whatever it takes, whatever it takes for him to come to know Jesus, God, whatever it takes, I'm willing to give him up.   03:49          He goes into a coma the last few days of his life. And they're in the coma, literally, he'd been given a drug to completely put him in a medical coma, but there in the coma, he met Jesus. He took a board, a little whiteboard that he used to write on and a pen that was laying by his side and he drew three crosses on that board. In a coma, he drew three crosses and his daddy said, Caleb, are you seeing Jesus? And he and he took the pen and he punched the board three or four times with a pen. He actually came out of the coma and he told his fiancé and he told his family that there in the coma he had met Christ. And his life completely changed for the next two weeks. He said, I love you to people. Everybody who came to him, he was just like the brightest star in the room. When science and faith and math failed, you have the gentle touch of Jesus.   04:46          Here's the questions for today. Why was the woman's touch unique to Jesus' heart? From all the other impulses that he felt that day, what was unique about her touch? The second question is this. When is faith sincere? And the third question is this. Is there a hurt in your heart today that needs the sensitive touch of Jesus? And the lifeline is this. Pray as a family every day for the needs and hurts of the people in your family that need a savior's gentle touch because oftentimes He uses you to be the gentle touch of Jesus himself.

"I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy." Family Discussions: Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves? Call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it. Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn? Transcription: 00:13          Hey, this is an awesome devotional today from an awesome passage in scripture. This is just fantastic. This is a day when Jesus took his 12 followers, his disciples, on a little boat ride that they'll never ever forget. And as my friend and my mentor, Dr. Howard Hendrick says, "it's one thing to have the boat in the water, but it's something else to have water in the boat.' This was the day the boat was filled with water. We're looking at Mark chapter four verse 35. On the memorable date. He said, "when evening came, Jesus said to them, his disciples let us go over to the other side of the lake. So leaving the crowd, they took him along with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him. And there arose a fierce Gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus himself was in the stern asleep on the cushion, and they woke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we're perishing? And he got up and he did something amazing. He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, hush, be still. And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And Jesus said to them, why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"   01:37          You know, I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy. She's filled with peace. She's filled with happiness. I mean, what a blessing that girl is. And she's gone through more pain and more suffering than I think almost anybody that I know.   02:34          And so I called Jenna, said, Jenna, you know, how can you stay? How does your faith stay so strong? Why aren't you complaining? And she said this to me. She said, I have reckon my life is a fight. I can either fight God or I can fight to make good out of it. She said, I have chosen the latter. I consider the pain I face very small in comparison to the great things God is doing with my life. She says, my emotions make me mad or sad or depressed, but I've got to override my emotions and stop and think what is true. The truth is that my life is his and he is a faithful father no matter what. And I can always say every day, I love God. You know what? Jenna had one step up on the disciples the day they stepped into the boat with Jesus. You know, storms don't destroy a Christian's faith. They test it. They strengthen it. Thank you Jenna, for passing the test and showing us that no matter how big the storm is, that we find ourselves in, Jesus is always in the boat.   03:49          And here's the questions for today. Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves? And the second question is this. Everyone, if you're in a family right now or your business location, wherever you are, call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend. If you're studying this together, a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it. And then here's the third one. Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn? And the thought for today is this. The family, the home is the place that if it's done, like Jenna, can calm the mini storms on this earth.

"I've got a really good friend that I admire a lot. His name is Neal Jeffrey, and when Neal was born, he had a speech impediment that made him stutter profusely. He also was a great athlete. In fact, he was the quarterback of a great team in Kansas city, but Neal couldn't call the plays." Family Discussions: Why are you such a tiny seed of faith, such a powerful thing? Describe the most received faith that you possess in your heart. What's it like in you? How can you take that mustard seed that is in you and fertilize it with the Word of God? How can you fertilize it until it becomes a giant tree for God? Transcription: 00:14          This is a great parable today. Jesus was so incredibly brilliant without a doubt the most brilliant man that ever lived. But he would tell these stories that would confound the wise. In fact, they do confound the wise even today. But they were so simple that even the youngest even the least can understand them. Today's parable, you've probably heard it's a great one. It's in Mark chapter four and it starts in verse 30 and here it goes. "And he said, how should we picture the kingdom of God or by what parable should we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which when sown upon the soil, the way it is smaller than all the other seeds in the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade."   01:11          I've got a really good friend that I admire a lot. His name is Neal Jeffrey, and when Neal was born, he had a speech impediment that made him stutter profusely. He also was a great athlete. In fact, he was the quarterback of a great team in Kansas city, but Neal couldn't call the plays. He would step up to the line and the running back would actually have to call the plays 'cause Neil could not say, "down, set, hut hut." He couldn't even call the plays in the huddle. The receiver would run on the field with a new play from the coach. He would step in the huddle and he would call the plays. And so Neil would just look around the huddle and smile at everybody. Walk up the line. He would take the snap, he would look at the nose guard in front of him, the nose tackle him and he would just grin at him and then all of a sudden that center would hiked the ball.   01:58          Well, you would think that that man would have never become successful. I mean, if you can't even get the words out of your mouth, guess what? Stirring a tiny seed of faith, stirring a little bitty mustard seed of faith in Neal Jeffrey's life. And I will tell you, he's one of the most magnificent teachers I've ever heard in my life. He ain't only played college football. He won the conference championship in college football. He went on to play professional football as a quarterback. Don't ever underestimate what faith can do.   02:28          I'm married to my hero. You know, Debbie Jo grew up without a dad. Her dad was killed when she was four years old. He was a test pilot for the Navy. A fabulous man. In their home, honestly, her brothers will tell you today was chaotic. There were drugs. Literally marijuana growing in their yard. Her Brothers had trouble with the law and they're magnificent guys today. But back then, drugs and alcohol were everywhere. And so picture this young, beautiful girl growing up in that house and you would probably say, you know what? That girl didn't have a chance. I mean, imagine what that girl would probably do with her life. Well, don't go too far because at age 15 that precious little girl in that home went to a Christian camp and she saw the crucifixion of Jesus and he came into her heart and he turned her life upside down. And that little girl has become one of the greatest spiritual heroes to me in the world. Teaches Bible studies to our staff. Teaches Bible studies to women in the neighborhood. They just come out by the dozens to hear her teach the word of God. Don't ever underestimate. Don't ever underestimate what a tiny speck of faith can do in your life or in the life of your home.   03:43          So here's the questions for today. Why are you such a tiny seed of faith, such a powerful thing? And the second question is this. Describe the most received faith that you possess in your heart. What's it like in you? And the third question will take it home. Listen to this. How can you take that mustard seed that is in you and fertilize it with the Word of God? How can you fertilize it until it becomes a giant tree for God? And here's the lifeline of this encouraging devotional. Home, family is the place were mustard seeds are planted and grown the best.

" Have you seen them? They are everywhere. There's enough of them in the air to eclipse the light of the sun. If they were all packed together. There are more of them than there are people that count them. There as many as snowflakes in a blizzard. What are those things? Seeds." Family Discussions: Why does God compare his word to a little tiny seeds? How can a heart be a garden? How can your heart be a garden that produces the fruit of God? How can you make your home a garden just like that? Transcription: 00:14          I call today's Bible study, "Little Bitty Seeds." And this is probably the most famous of all of Jesus' parables. Man, what a storyteller he was. And every time he told a story, it had some incredible heavenly meeting. This is the parable of the seeds and it's in Mark chapter four. And we're going to start with verse three. Jesus was speaking, he said this, listen to this. "Behold the sower went out into the field to sow. And as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road and the birds came in and ate it up. Others seeds fell on rocky soil and the ground around it did not have much soil. And immediately it spring up because it had no depth of soil. And after the sun had risen, it was scarce. And because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among the thorns and the thorns came up and choked it and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell into the good soil. And as it grew up and as it increased, it yielded a crop and it produced 30, 60, and a hundred fold."   01:21          Have you seen them? They are everywhere. There's enough of them in the air to eclipse the light of the sun. If they were all packed together. There are more of them than there are people that count them. There as many as snowflakes in a blizzard. What are those things? Seeds. Little tiny seeds and man, our nation is blessed with more seeds than any nation that ever lived. Almost every motel and hotel room in America has a book full of seeds. There's a Bible in a drawer. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thousands upon thousands of TV stations and radio stations across this country and literally around the world. They spread the seeds on invisible radio and television currents.   02:07          Man, the internet is proliferated with seeds. There's churches on almost every street corner in the country, like 453 denominations to be exact. If you can imagine that. But where are the gardens for the seeds to grow in? They don't seem to grow too well in Hollywood these days. Although I've got some friends out there in Hollywood who are very godly people and they give their career away not to appear in certain movies, but generally speaking, what comes out of Hollywood is not very good seeds. You know, there's many, many, many more R rated movies out today than there are G rated movies. There's more PG 13 movies that PG movies by far.   03:00          And then in the schools, man, the courts have kicked out the seeds in the schools. They kicked out prayer. The courts kicked out the 10 commandments. They kicked out and God, they've kicked the Bible out of schools. And then prime time television. Man, Oh man. Seeds don't grow well on prime time television anymore. The only mention of God you'll probably hear on most prime time television is when someone gets mad or someone gets scared and they scream out and God's name in vain. So, where did the seeds grow anymore? Where do you find God's seeds growing? And the answer is phenomenal. They grow in hearts like yours and they grow in homes like the home you're living in today. They grow when you push the world away and you say God, you are my God. You're the God of my home. You are welcome in this house and you're welcome in the house in which we live. You're in charge here, God. Grow here so that others can come and eat out of our garden.   04:01          Here's the questions for today. Why does God compare his word to a little tiny seeds? And second question is this. How can a heart be a garden? How can your heart be a garden that produces the fruit of God? And the third question is this. How can you make your home a garden just like that? And here's the thought for the day. Let's make this home that we live in the most fruitful garden in all creation.

"Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it."" Family Discussions: How do you describe the fatherhood of God? How does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family? Transcription: 00:13          Everyday when I get to do these devotionals with you, I'll read a new verse and I'm like, "that is the greatest thing I've ever read in my life!". And you know what? It is the greatest thing I've read in my life because it comes from God's word. We're in Mark chapter three and Jesus says something astounding. In verse 33 of chapter three it says this, "And Jesus answered them and said, who are my mother and my brothers looking about at those who were sitting around him? He said, behold, my mother and my brothers, for whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and my sister and my mother."   00:54          You know what? I have some of the greatest conversations, you know, in events that I get to do and especially at our sports kamps. Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it." And I said, "Connor, did you see somebody make that watch?" And he said no. And I said, "how do you know somebody made that watch?" He said, "Because obviously dude, somebody made that watch." And I said, "Connor, you're right. Because that watch has like five volumes of information. Somebody brilliant had to take all those volumes of information. They packed them into that watch." And then I pulled a little cell off the inside of my mouth.   01:41          In my old days, Microbiology has taught me that when you take a cell and you put it under microscope, there are 10 million volumes of information in that cell. And I said, "Connor, that's as much information is in the space shuttle with five computers and 2.5 million parts all packed into a cell of which you have a hundred trillion space shuttles in your body." I said, "so Connor, if you know that somebody made that somebody brilliant with five volumes of information, who made that cell?" And he said, "uh, it came from another cell.'" I said, "where'd that one come from?" He said, "it came from another cell." I said, "where'd that come from?" And he said, "from another cell." I said, "where did the original cell come from?" And he said, "God must've done that."   02:33          That night we were out into the stars. I was speaking to the kids about the majesty of God, and we were looking up at 100 billion galaxies with each over a hundred billion stars in each galaxy. I mean, God built it all. And science is literally on their knees today at God's magnificent creation. And Connor walks up to me after the presentation that night because in his heart he knew that that design had to have a designer, that that creation had to have a creator. And Connor came up to me in just cold honesty. He said, "so what's the point?" And I said, "Connor, the point is that God wants a family and God wants you to be in his family."   03:16          I have a picture here of my family in the early days, my precious wife, Debbie Jo, who I adore, and my four children years and years ago, and man, they were the happiest days of my life. Being a dad and a family is the greatest thing for me of all. But you know what? God wants a family and you know Jesus, no doubt he came to earth to let us observe the heart of God because Jesus' family consist of those who loved him enough, to accept him in his heart by faith, to love him and to live for him. And of all the people who ever lived, he chose you and gave you the grace to accept his invitation to come into your heart. So as a believer, welcome to the family. And don't ever forget that grateful kids honor and obey parents who love so generously. Only a fool can take that kind of love for granted.   04:17          Here's the question for today. How do you describe the fatherhood of God? And question two, how does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family? And a great thought for the day to take around with your day is this gratitude is shown by love and by obedience.

" I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. " Family Discussions: Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member? As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way? Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? A How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today? Transcription: 00:14          I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. This is great day for Jesus when he calls out the rulers who accused him of something awful. We're in a chapter three and we're beginning with verse 22 and it says, "The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, he is possessed by Beelzebul. And he casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons. And so Jesus called them to himself and he began speaking to them in parables. And Jesus said this, how can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished."   01:33          You know what? It was extremely difficult to upset Jesus. He invented self-control. He invented peace and calmness under stress. This was a day, however, when the scribes kicked over the beehive to accuse the Holy Spirit that filled the savior to accuse him of being filled by the spirit of Satan was the final battle cry. Jesus' response was that their declaration was unforgivable. You know his line of defense was as a true and it was true then, and it's true today. A house divided against itself can never stand. That's why Satan will pull out all the stops to divide your house. The most powerful institution that God possesses on earth is a family. A home that is united in the love of Christ and sold out to follow him.   02:27          I see families like this all over America, in the world, families that are united in Christ, and they're like lighthouses to the community. So Satan whispers in your ear, you know, he says things like this, you know, your parents aren't being fair. Your little brother stole your flashlight. Your big sister called you a liar behind your back. You know, guys, your wife is not all she's meant to be. She's not all she supposed to be. Your husband makes the same mistakes over and over again. Have you heard his voice in your ear lately? And so list of accusations goes on and on for a lifetime. And you know what? If you listen to Satan and you begin to believe him. Then there's strife in your relationship. Then there's a wedge that forms between you and the person that you're mad at. And you know what? If left unchecked, that wedge becomes bitterness. It becomes anger. It becomes fighting. And eventually you have just the thing that Jesus said would never stand a divided house. So God's voice on the other channel in your ears says, Hey, forgive. God's voice says don't judge the other person in your home and your family. God's voice says, be patient. God needs a house united. It's your greatest lighthouse to your community.   03:44          So here's the questions today. Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member? And here's the second question to ponder. As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way? Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? And then the last question is a big one. How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today? And here's the lifeline for today. Unite your family at all costs.

"My mind races back to some of my experiences in the prisons meeting inmates and guys and women who have literally been completely transformed by giving their life to Christ. I remember one that I didn't meet but it was an interview actually on Larry King Live and it was an interview of an inmate in Texas named Karla Faye Tucker. " Family Discussions: What is Jesus saying to you when he says that new wine needs to be put in new wineskins? Why is it all too easy to put new wine into an old wine skin and to continue to live like a non-Christian when you call yourself a Christian? How does living in the flesh living coronally living in the world like everyone else? How does it damage the cause of Christ when you and I do call ourselves a Christian? Transcription: 00:23          Hey, I can't wait to share this devotional passage with you today. This one is phenomenal and I know you're going to be able to relate to it like I do. We're in Mark chapter two at this great book in the greatest book of all time. The most historically accurate. The most scientifically accurate. Archeology has proved the Bible over and over again. Prophecy proves the Bible is undoubtedly, undoubtedly the Word of God. And in Mark chapter two, verse 21 and 22, Jesus makes this amazing statement. He says, "No one sows a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise the patch pulls away from it. The new from the old and a worse tear results. In the same way, no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost and the skins as well. But one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."   01:22          You know what? 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a similar verse. It says, "If anyone is in Christ, he or she is a brand new creation. Old things are passed away. Behold, new things have come." I was just talking to a high school friend of mine the other day and you know what, three months ago this friend was trying to commit suicide. But I had the privilege and the joy of leading this friend to Christ and man, you talk about a change. One of the most joyful, happiest young men I've ever met in my life. Making straight A's in school, reconciling relationships with his mom and dad, and example to all of his friends. I mean, when he accepted Christ into his heart, it didn't make him a better person. It made him a brand new person.   02:09          My mind races back to some of my experiences in the prisons meeting inmates and guys and women who have literally been completely transformed by giving their life to Christ. I remember one that I didn't meet but it was an interview actually on Larry King Live and it was an interview of an inmate in Texas named Karla Faye Tucker. And this beautiful young woman was about to go to, I suppose, the electric chair because of a previous murder. When this woman years before had been in on a drug deal and she was heavily under the influence of drugs and in her craziness under drugs, she had been accomplished to a terrible, terrible crime and she was going to receive the death penalty for that. But on that day, on that interview with Larry King, it was the greatest witness for Christ on television. Honestly, I've ever seen in my life.   03:08          That woman was so transformed by the spirit of Christ and you could see that he literally was living inside of her heart. And I don't know what Larry King did after that interview, but I will tell you, I could see in that man that he was moved like he never been before, as was the rest of America who saw that woman who had been completely transformed by her relationship with Christ. You know, becoming a Christian is not simply raising your hand in church, walking down an aisle, getting baptized or going to church. Although those are good things and they're all signs of a changed heart. But becoming a Christian is new wine in a new wine skin. Everything changes. When the people see you, they see Jesus in you. You love him. You live for him. You would die for him. And you would be able to say confidently, as Paul said, toward the end of his life, he said, for me to live is Christ. And to die is gain. Becoming a Christian is metamorphosis. It's a Caterpillar becoming a butterfly.   04:17          And here's the questions for today. What is Jesus saying to you when he says that new wine needs to be put in new wineskins? What does that metaphor about? The second question today is this. Why is it all too easy to put new wine into an old wine skin and to continue to live like a non-Christian when you call yourself a Christian? And the third question is this. How does living in the flesh living coronally living in the world like everyone else? How does it damage the cause of Christ when you and I do call ourselves a Christian? So, here's a thought for the day. The acid test of true Christianity is how you treat the members of your family.

"I have a great friend who was an F-16 top gun pilot. In fact, he was top gun twice and everything he does, he does according to the book. I mean the guy is precision to perfection. He's an American Airlines pilot trainer and is very successful in what he does. Everything by the letter. Everything by the book. Everything done exceedingly well. He has a great wife and a great family of three fantastic daughters. But one day, one of his daughters brought home something that my friend would never have imagined happening in his home. She brought home the news that she was pregnant and indeed she would seem soon give birth to a beautiful baby. " Family Discussions: How did Bob's relationship to Jesus, the dad, how did his relationship to Jesus make his decision so immediately obvious? How does Jesus' death on the cross make you want to reciprocate to your family, to your closest friends with the problems that they have or the way they've offended you today? Why do we hold grudges in our home, in your marriage, in your parenting, in your kids, to your parents? W Is there anyone you need to forgive today? Transcription: 00:13          It is great to be back with you again today. And I am so excited to share these two Bible verses with you because they are gigantic in the life of a father, mother, son, daughter. Whatever you are in school or in business, this speaks straight to your heart today. We're in Mark chapter two, and we're in the scene that we were talking about yesterday where these guys lower their friend down through a pallet, through a hole in the roof they dug to get him in front of Jesus because the guy was paralyzed. But Jesus does something unusual. The first thing, is very unusual, that only God could do by the way, but the first thing he does is he forgives the guy's sins. Later on, he heals the guy. But he starts getting some criticism from the Jewish leaders because to forgive sins, he was claiming to be who he was - God in the flesh. And of course, the penalty for that was blasphemy and the penalty of death.   01:09          And scripture says in verse eight of chapter two, "Immediately Jesus aware in his spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves. He said to them, why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts, which is easier to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven or to say to the paralytic, get up, take up your pallet and walk." You know, forgiving sins, only God can do that. We know that. And thank God, but what a price Jesus had to pay to forgive us of our sins. That was absolutely the most difficult thing I'm sure that ever happened in all of eternity. But I see it all the time in homes. I see it in friendships.   01:56          I have a great friend who was an F-16 top gun pilot. In fact, he was top gun twice and everything he does, he does according to the book. I mean the guy is precision to perfection. He's an American Airlines pilot trainer and is very successful in what he does. Everything by the letter. Everything by the book. Everything done exceedingly well. He has a great wife and a great family of three fantastic daughters. But one day, one of his daughters brought home something that my friend would never have imagined happening in his home. She brought home the news that she was pregnant and indeed she would seem soon give birth to a beautiful baby. She wasn't married, she had a boyfriend, but she and the boyfriend just to call a spade a spade just fell into sin and she became pregnant and brought the news home.   02:55          Bob had a choice and I know you've got choices like this today, as well. You know, he could put her out on the streets. He could say, Hey, too bad, you know, you made a mistake. So, you know, take your mistake and go deal with the consequences or as some people do, which is a grave mistake. He could demanded that she get an abortion. So his reputation is a dad, wouldn't be stained. But for this friend of mine, the choice was easy. He also could say to his daughter, Hey, my love for you is unconditional. I don't care what you do or what mistakes you make, you are still my daughter and we will care for you. And we will care for that baby is if that baby we're our own. Well that daughter went on to make great decisions and to raise that child in a wonderful Christian family and that child is going to serve God I'm sure for the rest of that child's life.   03:51          So here's the questions to you and I today. How did Bob's relationship to Jesus, the dad, how did his relationship to Jesus make his decision so immediately obvious? And then the second question is this. How does Jesus' death on the cross make you want to reciprocate to your family, to your closest friends with the problems that they have or the way they've offended you today? And then talking about the family. Number three question. Why do we hold grudges in our home, in your marriage, in your parenting, in your kids, to your parents? Why do we hold grudges? And Hey, is there anyone you need to forgive today? So here's the thought for the day. You know, the gift of forgiveness is a two way mirror. We reflect to our family what we see in the eyes of our savior.

"I met an interesting guy one time named Larry and Larry is a helicopter mechanic for the Ohio state highway patrol. You know, Larry's been a Christian for many years and he has walked with God with a peace in his heart that only a true Christian understands. The helicopter pilot that Larry serves is a pretty high breasts highway patrolman that spiritually is paralyzed." Family Discussions: Why does so relatively few friends bring their friends to Jesus? Who's the Larry in your life that needs to know Jesus today? How can you lower your friends through the roof to see Jesus? Transcription: 00:13          This morning we're in one of my favorite passages of scripture. I love watching friends who bring friends to Christ. This is one of the great accounts of what real friends do for their friends. Chapter two verses two through five. Look at Mark and here it says, "and many were gathered together so that there was no longer any room, not even near the door. And he was speaking the word to them and they came bringing to him a paralytic." If you can picture this scene carried by four men "being unable to get in because of the crowd. They removed the roof above him and when they had dug an opening in the roof, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven. I say to you, pick up your pallet and go home."   01:07          You know, I met an interesting guy one time named Larry and Larry is a helicopter mechanic for the Ohio state highway patrol. You know, Larry's been a Christian for many years and he has walked with God with a peace in his heart that only a true Christian understands. The helicopter pilot that Larry serves is a pretty high breasts highway patrolman that spiritually is paralyzed. That is until Larry came along and the highway patrolman did not know Jesus Christ in the least, but Larry prayed for him and he invited him to church for over a year. But a last to Larry's dismay, the highway patrolman was elusive and rebuffed the mechanic over and over again. Finally, one day, Larry invited the officer to an event that I was speaking at in Three Rivers Stadium. There were 55,000 men in Three Rivers Stadium in the old Pittsburgh Steelers day when they played at Three Rivers.   02:02          But during the event that day, the highway patrolman actually gave his heart to Christ along with thousands of other men. It was a crazy, amazing day in Pittsburgh. But you know what? That day, that highway patrol name has never been the same. His spiritual paralysis is gone. His sins are forgiven and he is a happy man today. So watch out! If you're driving down the road and you hear a helicopter overhead, it might be Larry and he probably will still give you a ticket. But you know what? Across America and around the world, friends are still bringing their paralyzed friends to Jesus. The same way those guys in Capernaum brought their friend, dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend so that Jesus could heal that man and forgive his sins. You know what? Jesus is visiting your town today. Who do you know that needs a ride to see him?   02:59          And here's some questions for you today after this great passage. Friends, take friends to the movies. We know that. Friends take friends to sporting events. Why does so relatively few friends bring their friends to Jesus? And the second question is this. Who do you know? Who's the Larry in your life that needs to know Jesus today? Third question is this, over the next year, how can you lower your friends through the roof to see Jesus? And here's a thought for the day. When a family member is hurting, let him see or let her see Jesus in you.

"My next door neighbor Gary Smalley, who I just absolutely love, told me a story one time. I think he said it was true, but it sounds a little fishy to me, but it's a story about an ice fishermen and one of the great lakes up near Wisconsin. Lake was frozen solid. And so the guys would go out and they put huts all over the ice and then they drill a hole down in the middle of the ice and actually catch fish and pull them up through the hole." Family Discussions: Why did Jesus choose 11 of the 12 men He chose to be his fishermen to be his disciples? What does fishing for men mean? Go around and ask each other, one quality that you see in each other that Jesus would identify as the reason he would choose each person to be his fishermen.  Transcription: 00:14          Today back in the book of Mark. We're still in the first chapter. Two great verses to share with you today. I can't wait to get into the study. We're looking at chapter one, verse 16 through 18 and it talks about Jesus choosing his disciples. And it says this, "as he was going along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men." Verse 18 says, "immediately they left their nets and followed him." My next door neighbor Gary Smalley, who I just absolutely love, told me a story one time. I think he said it was true, but it sounds a little fishy to me, but it's a story about an ice fishermen and one of the great lakes up near Wisconsin. Lake was frozen solid. And so the guys would go out and they put huts all over the ice and then they drill a hole down in the middle of the ice and actually catch fish and pull them up through the hole.   01:11          On this one particular day, this one fishermen had a golden retriever. His favorite pet golden retriever in the hut with me. If you can picture the scene on a very cold day. And he gets a nibble on his line and pretty soon the fisherman pulls up this gigantic massive fish. He tries to grab me with his hands. The fish slips away back down under the ice. In the excitement, the retriever dives for the fish. He misses the fish and disappears under the ice. For 60 perilous seconds, the fishermen mourn the loss of his dog who had disappeared under the ice and then just down the ice just a few yards away. He heard the scream of another fisherman in a hut nearby as the golden retriever popped his head up in the ice, the hole in the ice in the other fishermen's hut. Can you imagine what the fisherman thought as he was looking for a fish and he saw a dog popping up in his hut?   02:07          Anyway, I don't know about that story Gary, but I loved the eager fishermen. I love to fish. I've got a friend and he is an eager fisherman. He every day he takes his lunch hour to go fishing. But you know, what's really fun for me is to travel to football teams and baseball teams and the NFL and professional baseball and to go to college teams and almost every single locker room that I go into almost every chapel, whether it's college or the pros, there's a fisherman. There's one guy who is just absolutely committed to Christ. There's some of the best players in baseball, some of the best players in football, but they are fisherman. And then we're going to do a chapel and sometimes they'll bring 20 or 30 or 40 guys with them to the chapel because the fishermen are so eager. I do high school Bible study. I just did one last night. And I meet with these guys for years as they go through high school and they're always built around one solid committed Christian Guy and his friends who want to come and see what makes his life so happy.   03:14          So the questions today are this, why did Jesus choose 11 of the 12 men He chose to be his fishermen to be his disciples? And second question is a good one. What does fishing for men mean? Think about your environment you're in. And number three says, go around if you're sitting at a table with your family or you're sitting in an office watching this, ask each family member or each guy or woman who's in your study, one quality that you see in each other that Jesus would identify as the reason he would choose each person to be his fishermen. Why would he call that person? So compliment the people around you and tell them what you see in them that makes them somebody that Jesus would choose efficiently. And the thought for the day is this. Be an eager fisherman wherever God takes you today.

"I'm blessed to be married to an amazing woman who was the messenger for our football team back in Dallas when we played for SMU. She would be the messenger of our team. We'd run into stadiums around the country and we played some great teams in those days - in Michigan and Auburn and Tennessee and Arkansas and Texas. But every time we'd go into a stadium and play, Debbie Jo would lead us doing hands springs and backflips going into the stadium." Family Discussions: As a Christian, how are you like John the Baptist chosen as a messenger to represent Christ? What character qualities does God want for Jesus as a modern day messenger? As Paul Revere warned of the British attack on America, how can you warn your friends and your family of Satan's modern day attacks as you present Christ? Transcription: 00:14          I am really excited to begin this morning, a several day study of the book of Mark. Mark is the second Bible in the four gospel accounts of Jesus's life. And we read from gospel history that Mark whose mother was also named Mary, literally grew up in the middle of the action of the early church and the life of the disciples after Jesus' resurrection. I mean this guy was in the middle of it all. He also traveled with Paul and Barnabas. You can read through the book of Mark, a whole lot of Peter's personality. So we know that Mark was a friend of Peter, and in about 55AD, just 20, 23, maybe years after Jesus' resurrection, this great gospel account, incredibly accurate, dedicated to the purpose of showing the deity of Christ was written. So, if you're excited as I am, let's get into the study.   01:06          Today we're in chapter one and we're going to be looking at verse one through four. And it says this, "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God as it is written in Isaiah the prophet," and he quotes Isaiah and he says, "behold, I send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight." John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. You know what? I grew up memorizing a poem and I think all the old guys can relate to this poem. Lots of us memorize it around the country, but it's a poem about a messenger. Somewhat like Paul Revere. I mean someone like John the Baptist and his name was Paul Revere and this is part of the old poem that we memorized.   01:59          If I can remember some of this, he said, "listen, my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere on the 18th of April in 75 hardly a man is now alive. Who remembers that famous day and year? He said to his friend, if the British March by land or sea from the town tonight hang a lantern, a loft in the Belfry arch of the North, the church tower as a signal light, one if by land, and two, if by sea." You know, he's gotta be one of the great American heroes. I don't think he'll ever be forgotten. Paul Revere was the chosen messenger that told the American soldiers, the British were coming and America was ready to fight for the death for independence as a nation. What an honor. You can almost hear the general saying, you know what, we can depend on Paul Revere. I can almost hear, you know, they're talking about their words of faith and assurance. Imagine the honor of being chosen to be the messenger. And by the way, some historians say it was actually William Daws and only the poet made Paul Revere famous. But whether it was William Daws or Paul Revere, one and was chosen as a messenger.   03:05          You know, I'm blessed to be married to an amazing woman who was the messenger for our football team back in Dallas when we played for SMU. She would be the messenger of our team. We'd run into stadiums around the country and we played some great teams in those days - in Michigan and Auburn and Tennessee and Arkansas and Texas. But every time we'd go into a stadium and play, Debbie Jo would lead us doing hands springs and backflips going into the stadium. And it was pretty fun going behind her and the cheerleaders. And now, after 38 years, I'm her cheerleader and I'll be her cheerleader til the day she dies. The chosen messenger.   03:45          I have another friend who was a chosen messenger. His name was Dan Roberts. Dan was a great country music writer, songwriter wrote for Garth Brooks and Garth loved Dan. And because of his integrity, Garth would use Dan to open up for him and lead the way as Garth toured the world and some of the great concerts in the middle of his great career, Dan was the, was the messenger. But can you imagine being the, really the honor chosen by God to open up for not a football team, not for a music star, but for Jesus? Can you imagine the honor I chose you, John. You can almost hear God say, I chose you John the Baptist to lead the way for my son. I chose you to pave the highway to prepare the coming. My son will only come to this earth once in all of history to live as a man and die for people's sins. And you know what? His second coming will be so majestic, I won't need an Envoy.   04:48          Here's the questions for today. As a Christian, how are you like John the Baptist chosen as a messenger to represent Christ? The second question to think about today is what character qualities does God want for Jesus as a modern day messenger? And thirdly, as Paul Revere warned of the British attack on America, how can you warn your friends and your family of Satan's modern day attacks as you present Christ? Interesting questions, huh? Can anything, here's a thought for today. There is even a way to be John the Baptist in your home, in your school, in your business. Consider your role in that and embark on that fantastic chosen ride today.  

"Men, you hear it all over school and you know out there in the malls. Man, she's hot. Every magazine, it seems like, specially for women. If I could only lose 10 pounds. You know, where I hear the statement by girls. You know, my daddy always reminds me of how fat I am. You know, your husband and wife, honey, you know, you ought to shape up a little. You know, or somebody would say in a family, if only we had a car that was just a little bit shiny or just a little bit, you know, newer. " Family Discussions: If you allow or if we allow in our office family the focus of Hollywood to make us focus our eyes on the external? Describe the insecurities and stress that focusing on the flesh brings out in our life. How can we limit the impact of that Hollywood way of thinking? What can we do to change that? Transcription: 00:14          I hope our Bible study together brings you a whole lot of comfort and a whole lot of peace. If you feel like that you're trying to, somebody is trying to squeeze you into a mold of perfection or you feel like just society in general and the expectations that around you are trying to squeeze you and trying to make you perfect and you're weary of that. I hope this devotion will help you a lot. It's in 2 Corinthians chapter four verse 16 through 18 and it says this, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away. Yet inwardly we're being renewed day by day for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on that which is unseen for what is seen as temporary. But what is unseen is eternal."   01:09          The title is devotional is 'Beauty is Only Skin Deep." Men, you hear it all over school and you know out there in the malls. Man, she's hot. Every magazine, it seems like, specially for women. If I could only lose 10 pounds. You know, where I hear the statement by girls. You know, my daddy always reminds me of how fat I am. You know, your husband and wife, honey, you know, you ought to shape up a little. You know, or somebody would say in a family, if only we had a car that was just a little bit shiny or just a little bit, you know, newer. Man, lusty TV show size two dresses, Playboy centerfolds, low cut blouse, a 17 inch biceps, flat stomach, fat-free thighs. Men, do you feel like we're driving ourselves nuts with our obsession to be perfect? Whatever that is.   01:58          You know, on the surface perfection while the, you know, the morals of our country and the morals of people who have slipped to a state unthinkable to true believers only a generation ago. Folks, the Psalmist takes us back to the starch reality. Psalms 103 says this for man, his days are like, grass. "As the flowery fields. So he flourishes, but when the wind passes over it, it is no more. And its place acknowledges it no longer." You know, can you imagine the freedom we would find in our lives? Instead of a size two dress, we concentrated on a Jesus size heart. Instead of 17 inch biceps, we focused on Jesus size biceps. You know, if we encourage spiritual growth in each other, as much as we stretch the growth of our muscles. Just think how enormous our love for God would be. You know, if our comments to each other, especially in our families, were focused on encouraging and purifying our hearts is instead of purifying our bodies. Imagine how congenial our homes would be and are pleasant, you know, our thoughts would be. You know, there's no doubt man. Beauty's only skin deep. And the sooner we abandoned our speciation with the kind of the outer shell and concentrate on the beauty of our hearts. The more harmonious our lives would be and the lives of those around us in our family.   03:24          So my question is this today. You know, if you allow or if we allow in our office family the focus of Hollywood to make us focus our eyes on the external? and then describe the insecurities and stress that focusing on the flesh brings out in our life. And then wrapping it up today. How can we, in this home, how can we limit the impact of that Hollywood way of thinking and what can we do to change that?

"Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world." Family Discussions: What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? What kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? Describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to. Transcription: 00:13          Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world. Well, guess what? You're a brochure too. In fact, you're a billboard. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians chapter three verses two through four. As people watch you as they drive by down the highway of life, it says this, "You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ. The result of our ministry written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence is this is ours through Christ before God."   01:18          Isn't that great? You're a letter of Christ. You know, these huge lighted billboards that line both sides of the highways that lead into our highly traveled tourist town here in Branson, Missouri, number in the thousands. The billboards, literally thousands, the country music stars and they're elegant two to 4,000 seat theaters. Woo country music fans who travel here by the millions into their theaters with billboards, large enough to see from the moon. You know, marketing experts call it intercept marketing. As you drive down the road to try to make a last minute change in some travelers' schedule. They don't know which theater they're going to, but the billboards are going to get them to go to their theater on their country music, Branson vacation.   02:02          You know, the billboards are flashy. The billboards are glitzy. The billboards are attractive. The billboards are gaudy. They're catchy. They're nauseas. Believe it or not, you and I wear huge neon billboards around our necks on the front of our cars, on the backs of our cars, on the front doors of our houses and on the doorway to our own rooms in our house. Because as true believers, our billboards all displayed the same very simple but profound. Three word statement. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. You surprised? You know what? It's true. In the high school that you go to, in the university campus that your on, in the associates, in your place of business or ministry, in your family that surround you. Each and every day. Man, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you act, and the way you treat other people makes you a billboard. Either a repulsive sign that will cause your associates to reject the message with disgust, or you'll be the most attractive piece of artwork your friends will ever see. So you're a billboard of Christ.   03:17          And let me ask you these questions. You know what? The song says "They'll know we're Christians by our love." What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? And second, what kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? And then the last question is, describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to. Be sure and hug somebody today.  

"walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome." Family Discussions: Why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer? Why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer? Compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome? How can you make your aroma stronger? Transcription: 00:13          You know, I don't know that there's a candle in our whole office building or in our Kamp, but I feel like the most fortunate guy alive because there's a fragrant aroma everywhere I go. I get to work with the neatest people in the world. My little office. These people that I get to work with have this fragrant aroma and it's a fragrant aroma of Christ around them. And all over the sports Kamps. These guys and these women of faith that I get to work with, there's just this fragrant aroma of Christ that follows them every where they go. 2 Corinthians chapter 2:14-16 says this about that. It says, "But thanks be to God who always leads us in the triumphal precession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere. The fragrance of the knowledge of him, for we are of God, the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved. And among those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death, but to the other, the fragrance of life."   01:22          You know, walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome. The hedonistic Roman government rendered their relentless testimony of their risen savior. It became a national political problem and brought capital punishment upon them and their untimely final judgment. The Appian way also, if you've ever got a chance or we'll get a chance to walk it, was the main artery and it was the most powerful city in the world which the Roman armies would return in their infamous, they call it the parade of triumph.   02:15          Here, the proud Roman generals would display their troops and their captured throngs of slaves and condemned prisoners to the wildly cheering crowd that land the great walled thoroughfare into the heart of the city. You know, tradition held that burning aeromedical incense would accompany the chariots and officers that govern the parade. To the Roman conquerors, it was an aroma of life. To the prisoners, it was an aroma of death because like Peter and Paul, this would be the last walk upon which their feet would ever take them. In a matter of weeks, a cruel Roman death awaited them by Roman's favorite form of punishment, the same fate that was given to Jesus in the neighboring Jerusalem, crucifixion upon the Roman cross. So to some, the fragrant of life. To some, the fragrance of death.   03:06          And I think that tell-tale questions that hopefully will make sense in your life today is this, when you carry your Bible to school, or when you carry your Bible to work or you've live out and you speak out for the true trueness of the gospel of Christ, you know, while a scoffer will jeer you, why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer? And why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer? And then secondly, compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome? And how can you make your aroma stronger? To some your the aroma of life and you know what? To some you are the aroma of death. But hopefully to those that will see the spirit of Christ in you and some of those that are dying would come to life because of the aroma of Christ was too much for them to ignore.