Why God's justice, mercy better than man's

I don't watch TV news anymore; too much violence, too many mean people, etc.. Radio & Internet are enough. Still, news of a recent Million Man March caught my attention when i read about it the day of it, especially one of the slogans on Twitter and probably elsewhere, "Justice or Else." It inspired this blog post, which - as I disclosed with another - in the event someone should read both - is on a personal blog with similar wording in places.

It's easy to see, given the injustices in this world, why some would use such a slogan. However, we must seek to make sure the justice system runs fairly, but there are reasons why we must pray and let God deal with the details instead of we ourselves.

The phrase "Justice or Else" reminds me of numerous Psalms, Psalm 2 - "Why dot he heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" -  being just one of many. Indeed, it is very satisfying to know God will have them - those who oppress and do wickedly, - in derision. He'll hve the last laugh as He triumphs over them. A number of others promise the same thing, so much so that reading/studying through Psalms is something I automatically do around election time and at other specified times lately s our nation and the world turns away from God. There is so much evil in the world, and racism is one of the biggest human rights issues. It's so sad, because we're all one race - the human race. Racism is just an excuse invited by people to selfishly try to get their way, ignoring the fact we are all equal in the eyes of God - man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.(1 Sam. 16:7)

This problem, however, shows why justice from man, woman, or any person, is not as good as God's justice. We all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.(Rom .3:23)

I have one example I use in a context showing why we must repent ourselves - perhaps to regular readers I use it too often, but here it will at least seem a little different. It is that of being cut off in traffic. We often criticize the person who did so without bothering to think that they may have a loved one in the hospital who has just been hurt seriously and who they are worried may be dying. Of course, it would be wrong to try to seek justice or revenge on a person who is rushing frantically to see a possibly dying loved one. Yet, in our selfishness as people, we end up doing so if only our justice is used.

We are all guilty, myself included, of jumping to conclusions and being too upset at someone, not knowing the pain they were feeling. (It's harder for me because with my handicaps I can't see their gestures as well to know if something might be a problem, so I try a lot harder to be nice, but I'm still human.) This is why we should not be thinking we must have justice on others in a rash manner, but must look at our own selves first and, then, seek the Lord. He states several times that vengeance is His, and that He will repay. He'll do a much better job than we ever could.

Why? God knows our hearts. He knows what each of us is thinking at any time. "You know my thoughts afar off," as part of Psalm 139 says. He knows exactly when we should have compassion on someone and when we should seek justice. He knows who is hurting terribly and who may realize they have done something wrong but just needs us to kindly speak to them and show forgiveness. And, he knows what needs a tough response.

America has had a lot of horrible things go on in its history. I've always said, we need to repent not just for the last 40 years, but the last four hundred years of our history. It could be argued that God's justice is deserved, but we also need to remember God's mercy.

The Bible shows God is love many times. Even when His people turned from Him so much, even as they crucified Him, He cried out, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."(Luke 23:34) So, one of the big names of God is love. He is a very personal God who desires a personal relationship with each of us. He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.(2 Peter 3:9) Sometimes His divine justice contains so much wrath against sin many innocents would die unless He waited and gave people time to repent. Thankfully, he provided a way to mete out that judgment and still save us, if a person will simply call on Him by faith to forgive them.

Jesus made full atonement for us on the cross when He died, then rose from the dead. This way, punishment was handed out for our sins, and yet He also showed His mercy. Since Jesus was God in flesh, He went to the cross willingly for each of us. It is our job to share that mercy and grace and love with others.

We all need His mercy because of our sins. Not only that, but when we do repent and trust Him by faith, he will reward us and hear those prayers. for our nation, for justice to finally prevail. And, as we grow closer to Him, He will help us to be more loving and forgiving, and to trust Him more, knowing He will one day reign, in the Millennial Kingdom, with everything running perfectly and justice truly being done for everyone.(By the way, on our "Quest for Truth" page here you can listen to a whole series we did on the Millennium and what comes before.)

 I don't know what exactly God's plan is for our country, but He wants you as a great prayer warrior. We do need them a lot in the United States. Just remember, God will prevail. yet, when considering that justice, it's important to remember God's divine mercy, too, so we ourselves can share that mercy with others in our actions as well as with our words, so they can believe us when we speak of His love for others.

Sharing the Gospel should be this easy

"What are those" is a meme where, from what yours truly learned of it recently on ESPN radio, someone points at your shoes and says (or maybe shouts?) to indicate they're not "cool." (If you're reading a blog you likely know what a meme is :-), but in case you didn't it's a saying or pictures that becomes part of Internet culture like a catch phrase, and can spread to the outside world. People say it many times for the same reason a catch phrase is repeated at random, including in one famous recent one when it was said to Michael Jordan.)

Things like this spread like wildfires and disappear just as fast sometimes, a sign of the rapid chagnes of society which I mentioned in the last post. However, this will only touch on the speediness of 'Net culture. (There is actually a culture of sneaker collecting, "sneakerheads" as some call them in some areas, which this is supposedly tied to, in fact.)

 It also isn't to dwell on the need for compassion for those who may be too poor to afford good shoes. However, it should be said that the original is *very* rude and inappropriate, given who was being interrupted at work. (Granted, it could have been set up, but still sends a poor message) On the lighter side, though, the idea that anyone would say it to Jordan, who can presumably afford the very best shoes and made them a major industry with his, is quite funny.)

Instead, this is meant to discuss how rapidly we should be spreading positive things, and can be - not to draw attention to oneself but to God.

Not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

People love to be noticed. This 'Net culture has allowed those who had no voice to suddenly be heard by anyone. They are sometimes very funny, but other times they are simply bizarre or downright disgusting. Too many lists of most popular videos on Youtube exist to mention just one, but the mere title implies that it is a channel for everyone.

Of course, there are those who can't figure out how to upload - yours truly included.  The Gospel can surely be proclaimed in many ways - even a vine could have 6 seconds of writing/symbols, such as the Gospel bridge, though 140 characters seems impossible - or is it?

Of course, even if an explanation is hard, John 3:16 itself would be doable putting "4" for "for," etc..

The point is that it's very simple and easy to explain the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God in flesh, as having taken the entire punishment each of us owes for our sins. Of course, the hearer should see evidence of that in the life of the one presenting it, so they can see a reason to believe. But, you don't need to worry that you don't have an amazing testimony. Actually, since it's the Holy Spirit that really works in a person to get them to come to Christ, it really only requires that you hand out a tract or give someone a Bible - or post something online.

Of course, there you still have to avoid being a negative example, but these are ways you can easily reach people without knowing them. For instance, if you leave a tract at a restaurant you should also leave a good tip.

The point is that we should never be ashamed of God's love for us. It's so sad that, with all God has done for us, that we don't share the Gospel more.

Greater Canton Youthquake, which is the ultimate sponsor of "Quest for Truth" since we are a ministry of Youthquake's, is dedicated to not only sharing the Gospel but also to helping disciple young people so they can better share the Gospel through their actions as well as their words. We often tell our young people that they may be the only Bible someone will ever read. That is a huge responsibility, of course, but we are not fighting that fight along - believers have the Fruit of the Spirit, indeed the Holy Spirit is there to be a constant Comforter, guide, helper, friend, and so much more for the believer, just as Jesus was for Hid disciples when he walked on the earth. And, many of our young people need that because the ones we minister to are not being reached by churches, sadly many are not hearing the Good News of the Gospel around this country.

But, if we have people who are willing to just randomly shout out memes such as "What are those," then we should also be just as willing to go up to someone and being a conversation. Even if it has to start with something silly like, "Did you know there's this guy who began a blog about God by talking about that "What are those" meme? (And if you get sidetracked, just work your way back to the Gospel as fast as you can.) hey, we're human just like the rest of humanity we do goofy stuff.

in fact, we should have the most fun of all - good clean family fun - because we are redeemed from our sin.

That Gospel is so simple. One must simply Admit they're a sinner - they come short of God's perfect glory - Believe that Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for that person's sins, the just dying for the unjust, and Call on Jesus Christ by faith to forgive them, repenting of their sins and choosing to invite Jesus into their hearts to make them new inside. "For if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, all things are become new."(2 Cor. 5:17)

So, one's testimony doesn't have to be amazing - just that God has saved them from their sins and that they have a relationship with Him now, and He helps them each day through the problems of this world, giving them much more peace, love, hope, etc., than they could have imagined. Because He promises, "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer - I have overcome the world.(John 16:33)

Constant contact with no need for constant texting/tweeting/Facebooking

The last post was topical. While it won't air till September, you can hear our show on the Iran nuclear deal and Ezekiel 38-39 here as well as all our shows on the radio page at gcyouthquake.org.

I was pondering the incredible size of Facebook and Twitter recently, along with how people seem glued to their phones while texting. And, I got to thinking. It may not be a mere fact caused by our global society, but a symptom of something else.

While I'm sure we're not the first to suggest this, please let us take a moment to explain, and to share how to have a wonderful bond that will never break. With it, whether this desire for constant contact - yet at a distance - is a symptom or not, our young people today can feel peace and assurance that will never end.

Society at breakneck speed

The first person to say, "Stop the world, I want off" wasn't born in the 21st century or probably even the 20th. It might have been when railroads began to connect faraway places, or when news that took days to arrive could suddenly reach one instantly by telegraph. It may have been before then, in fact.

Whenever it was,the pace of life has only sped up since. This leads to a couple of things which may be causing the intense increase in focus on computer screens(personal computer and cell phone ones) as opposed to normal bonding.

One is the vast amount of information available. It can be overwhelming at times, to the point Daniel prophesied 2,500 years ago something which is no doubt true today - "Many shall go to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."(Dan.12:4) That "going to and fro" implies a constant flitting about like a hummingbird with a caffeine rush, going from place to place at a ridiculous pace. The increase in knowledge implies a continual increase, exponential growth in fact. This is certainly true today, with what we know doubling every 22 months a few years ago and less now.(Not that we're saying we're real close to the end - Dr. H.A. Ironside was saying the same thing about the last days decades ago.)

(It should be noted a secondary meaning concerns understanding the Book of Daniel itself and Jesus as Messiah. It's important to always interpret Scripture with Scripture to understand it, and also when in doubt to go to the original languages of the  Greek and Hebrew; the quote is from the King James Version, from the  Antiochan Texts. Here is a good example of how not doing so hides the richness of God's Word in the different lessons which may be drawn from it.)

This vast amount of information available means people are constantly trying to use it - Googling anything from directions when lost to the lyrics of that song that's on the tip of your tongue to what that thing on the New Orleans Saints helmets is.(Fleur de lis, a French royal symbol, so you don't get interrupted looking for it.)

It also allows others to provide "information" themselves by posting it, so anyone can share their favorite recipe with the world, announce a special event, or just let people see that cute picture of their puppy carrying a baseball-shaped salt shaker and trying to get you to throw it for him.

Society losing richness, depth of relationships

The second problem is that this constant movement and increase in information can lead to overload, but also to the problem of relationships not being as deep as possible. This is just as significant, in a different sense, as the point about how much trouble one can get in posting the wrong things online.

It's a problem because centuries, even decades, ago we humans valued close, personal relationships. We were meant for such things, in fact.

I(Doug) have trouble reading nonverbal expressions due to a few handicaps - a nod to me is just "yes" for instance, and I can't discern between what I've heard are numerous types. While that and a few other little things may be due to my brain processing things a bit differently, for quite a few young people it seems they enjoy internet communication more than talking.

There may be other reasons, but mostly, they don't feel a closeness to others because they are, in some sense, too wary because things seem to come and go so often, but also, trying to interpret the depth of things is so difficult at times because they are hit with so many other things. They feel an intense amount of pressure to do so much that they are, in a sense, backing away by having only computer contact. This problem of depth perception, one might call it, also leads to problems with understanding things such as privacy and what should be posted online, in fact.

Jesus provides a calming, loving answer

The wonderful thing is that God provides an answer for every situation - and, His Word will give you security even in the most troublesome times.

Jesus bears our burden for more than just sin, though with only a 30 minute show it's understandable that was the majority of our focus in that one. He wants to help everyone, and in fact, he'll provide constant contact just like an online situation, except His love is so much deeper. That's the reason He promised that the Holy Spirit would come and live in each believer, in fact.

If you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you can pray anywhere, anytime, about anything. It doesn't have to be really fancy wording. It's just sharing your heart with God. That might feel hard for some people - which could be another reason some prefer online communication so they don't have to share what may be very painful memories and intense feelings. But, the key is, God knows what we need - he just wants us to be humble and willing to admit we need His help. That's why we pray when He knows our needs. If we don't pray for something we are saying, "I can do this myself."

The problem is, we are powerless against the spiritual warfare that is out there combating us, and we need His help. tThose intense feelings that you might have, those can be shared with God and He will give you strength to cope, He'll give you a strategy for making things better, and so on. Maybe you can't save the world but you can save one person, for instance. Maybe you can be the spiritual leader for someone else and it will take your mind off your own circumstances, and let you focus on the positive - that relationship with God who will see you through everything.

There is so much turmoil out there because of modern life, we need Jesus more than ever.

He will be the answer when you ask how to get through something; He may not heal all your physical ailments (I've had numerous handicaps since birth) but He will heal you spiritually. He is also the answer when you want a friend who will be there forever.

Jesus  called His disciples friends

Yes, He called them friends, and will call you friend, too.

This does *not* mean you can just ignore who He is - He is the sinless, holy, all-powerful, etc. Creator of the Universe. he must be approached with respect and reverence, but at the same time, He is willing to hear that prayer for a puppy or kitten that is hurt, all the way up to a scary battle with cancer you or a loved one face, or anything in between.

And, He will be beside you all the time. He will live in you through the Holy Spirit. Each of us is only a single, sincere prayer of repentance to Jesus Christ away from eternal life, but that eternal life begins at the moment you trust Him to save you by calling on Him by simple faith to do so, believing He took all the punishment for your sins when he died and rose from the dead.

That constant contact with the Creator of the Universe is possible only because of His amazing grace, not anything we have done or could do. Once it's received, then of course like any relationship communication is key, but that will be so easy. You can share your deepest thoughts with Him and know He will never leave you or forsake you. You can read His Word and He'll speak to you, you can hear His still, small voice through the Spirit, and many other things I don't have time to get into. Just remember, anything you take in must agree with His Word, or it can't be from Him.

So, I pray you will use this chance while we are in the Age of Grace to develop that relationship with Jesus Christ. He wants to have a relationship with you. Indeed, His love for you is far beyond anything mankind could imagine, even the people of a century ago who constantly had those much deeper relationships.

How to respond to marriage decision? Don't forget to focus on the Gospel, prayer

In the wake of the Supreme Court decision on marriage, many will take sides on what is right and wrong. God's Word states very explicitly how He created the world and created them "male and female" (Gen.1:26-28), with the male and female perfectly complementing each other in the God-ordained covenant of marriage.

However, I wish to instead emphasize what is most important to God. That is salvation of souls, because this world is not our final stop. He is longsuffering to usward, willing that none perish but that all come to repentance.(2 Peter 3:9) He continues to patiently love us despite our turning away from Him, and we must be active in sharing the Gospel with others of God's love and forgiveness.

There will doubtlessly the people who claim America is headed for judgment. Well, that is up to God, but in the meantime, let us remember that when we pray for repentance revival for this nation, we must recall that we, too, are sinners. We had problems with people who refused to accept that we were all one race - the human race - in Ferguson, Baltimore, Charleston, etc., as well as for decades and decades before that. So many painful things have gripped us because of the sins of the last four hundred years that it would be an insult to God if we pretend we were righteous until the last 40 hours, or even until the last 40 years. The Bible says in Romans 3:10 there is none righteous, no not one.

So, let us unite at the cross of Jesus Christ. Because, it is the cross of Jesus which will draw believers to the cross of Christ through God's perfect love.

See, each of us needs the cross. Yes, it extends to those who are too young to understand the need to be saved. However, for all of us, that cross is what we deserve for our sins. We should never pretend one group of sinners is worse than another. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. And, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.

It was while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.Romans 5:8. He expects us to come with a penitent heart, and to accept that we are sinners in need of His salvation, and cannot get saved and cannot go to Heaven without him.

So, I ask a simple question. It is a question you can ask people who want to spark arguments about marriage, so we don't diverge so much and keep focused on the Gospel. That question is this: Suppose you were the only person alive? Now, sin can be against other people too, but I want to use that as a starting point. Have you ever unjustly accused someone? Where once you knew the facts you understood they had a reason, like cutting you off in traffic because they were rushing to the hospital to see a sick relative? I have, maybe not the driving one but something similar? Have you ever told a lie? We all have. Ever been angry with someone without a cause?

Sin is everything we say, think, or do that displeases God. We are all guilty, and a price had to be paid. Thankfully, Jesus Christ bared our sins in his body.1st Peter 2:24.

This is what we must be telling those on all sides of the marriage debate. Let us pray that people will come to Jesus. Because, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new. 2nd Corinthians 5:17.  Once that person that's Jesus change them on the inside, doesn't it make sense that if they are being truly humble, and the Bible says that it is wrong to have sex with the same gender, the Lord will convict them of sin and lead then to forsake it? Of course.

Should we stand on the truth of God's word?  Most certainly. But we must also remember that our job is to be ambassadors who have the message of reconciliation.(2 Cor.5:17-21)

In other words, we must urge people to be reconciled to God as we have been reconciled, even though we were enemies of God because of our sin. We must guide them to become reconciled by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, and how He died on the cross to take the punishment for their sin and then rising from the dead so they could be reconciled to Him. But, it is God who does the work on the inside of the person. It is God who convicts of sin. The Holy Spirit is even on the earth to, among other things, convict the world(unbelievers) of sin,(John 16:7-12) so we don't even need to do that. Our job is to preach the whole counsel of God(so the Spirit can move in His Word and have that impact), but they are far more likely to trust Jesus Christ as Savior because they see the love we have for them, and in turn the unconditional love God has for them.

Because, for this nation to be a Godly nation, we must be dedicated to living for the Lord, and to being examples of Jesus Christ. Repentance revival doesn't begin with laws, any more than salvation can come because of the law. Repentance revival begins with the Church falling on its knees before God and repenting and turning back to Him.

Fill your hearts with God's love - thoughts on Charleston

I don't know about you, but I thought of the great spiritual battle we are in when I heard of the tragic shooting in Charleston, and the great hymn "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" came to mind. In the interest of full disclosure, if some of this looks familiar, I, Doug, have a personal blog a fair amount of this is taken from two posts from that one; it was begun soon before the National Day of Prayer as the Spirit led in the wake of Baltimore, etc.. I don't know if any will see this who saw the other but it's possible so I'm mentioning it.

So often, we try to imagine a world where in our own strength we can just be positive and good will come. But, there is a war going on, and the second stanza says more clearly than I can just how futile our own efforts are at ending such evil. "Did we in our own strength confide, the battle would be losing./were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing./Dost ask who that may be?/Christ Jesus, it is He..." That stanza goes on to state He is the Lord of Hosts (yes, that's what "Lord Sabaoth" means, literally calling Him head of the whole army of angels in Heaven) and He is the one who must be relied on if we are to win the battle. (Hence the imagery of the army of hosts of angels.)

It's been said that there is a God-sized hole in each of our hearts that only Jesus Christ can fill. Sadly, Charleston shows what happens when one fills one's heart with the bad.

 The evil attack in Charleston demonstrates how the devil hates God's love and goodness, and will rile people up any way he can. Even the fact that race is emphasized when in fact we are all one race demonstrates that he has ways to seep into our hearts and minds with us not paying attention to the real problem. Sure, there have been many evil deeds done over the years to different people groups, but we are all of the human race, so race should be used as a term to bring us together, not tear people apart.

The problem is a culture which claims to abhor violence yet which does so little to turn their own hearts around so God can cleanse this nation. Hence, a call for repentance revival must go out and begin with us.

The attack was what Charleston's mayor calls "pure evil." And, that is what it boils down to, no matter whether we are talking about that or other acts of wanton violence. However, there is a reason people are into such evil in these days while the Restrainer, the Holy Spirit, is still on the earth. It is because the concepts of evil and violence that exist are allowed to fester in some minds and combine at times with actual following of the occult. These things cause people to do such horrible things as this and the beheadings which have occurred even in the U.S., showing it's not just guns, but a desire to do evil that cause this insanity.

So, how do we respond?

As noted, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."(Eph.6:12) This is, as noted, a spiritual attack. We must use the full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:13-18, and focus on how we can co-operate, as one race, to win the true battle for the Lord instead of fighting each other. We are, after all, on the same side if we choose to be on God's side.

This is not just thinking nice thoughts, though. We are powerless against the devil's wiles, just as we would be powerless against a lion; the devil "walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."(1 Peter 5:8) Just as the attacker let his mind be controlled by evil. Supposedly, one of his quotes seems to show he focused on the evil, satanic concept that races are separate. This is a lie an must be pointed out with the certainty of God's Word. We are all one blood and all from the same place. We are made in God's image, and He makes it quite clear in His Word that we are made in His image and are commanded to love everyone because of that.While we must take stands against sin, we must still love the sinner, and realize that every single person is made in God's image and therefore must be loved - Jesus commands it, and His Word says "He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love."(1 John 4:8)

Love comes from God, though; at least, the unconditional type that is spoken of here. So, one of the big things for us to do as we repent and seek God's face and turn from our wickedness is to call on the Lord to help us love one another better. This is crucial, because for us to seek God's help in doing that, guess what we have to do: Be willing.

That's why there is so much falsehood in some churches, because they don't have that love of others in them. How are they going to bring repentance revival to their communities when they are not loving on each other, let along loving those outside the church?

So, in short, the way we should respond is simple. Love one another. Love with that unconditional love God provides for us. 1 John 4, 1 Corinthians 13(where the King James translators wisely translate it as charity because it is the type of love that is always giving; the original Antiochan texts are only used by the KJV and this is but one example of how the word is much more descriptive) John 3, and others all show the importance of that kind of love.

How do we stand against sin while showing that love?

That is the big question, because I've said that we must also take a stand against sin.

The key is to look at things like John 4, John 8(woman caught in adultery), etc.; instead of stoning the person, have compassion on them, be willing to understand where they are coming from.

For instance, that guy who cuts you off in traffic may be rushing to the hospital to see a dying relative. That kid who plays raunchy music that degrades women, glorifies violence, or both, and drives you up the wall with it may have grown up in a home with such terrible violence it would make your skin crawl. In the first instance, you forgive and pray for them. In the second, you can forgive and share with them how God has a better way and he can fill those holes in his heart with much more pleasant things. It might take him a while to come out of that dark place where his mind is, but that's where that heart-mind change comes from the Bible tells us about in 2 Cor.5:17(new creatures) and Romans 12:2(transforming/renewing the mind continually).

It is something only God can do,but the reason Greater Canton Youthquake exists is for our young people - and everyone - to grow in Christ so they will see His goodness and want Him to do that work in their hearts. People will only want to let Him it when they see there is a difference and that we have something wonderful that they will want to have for themselves. They will want to become conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ in their kindness, love, compassion for others, and so on.

That means being kind, friendly, considerate, etc., and listening to others so they can see, "Hey, you know what? That's a mighty nice life they live following Jesus Christ, I want to be part of that. I want what they have."

Some people are just plain rebels, of course, and won't listen to that love because they want their own way all the time. But, we need to be willing to communicate and understand why people are doing what they are so we can help them see how, deep inside, they have holes in their hearts that only Jesus can fill. The problem is they fill those holes with other things - even the rebels. But, when we do show that love toward them, some will realize they've been living wrong and start letting God transform them. And others, well, Romans 12:19-21 reminds us that vengeance is the Lord's to do, not ours, and that by loving our enemies and blessing those who persecute us, we heap burning coals on their foreheads. It's like if they don't repent, when they die they will forever regret not following the way of unconditional love they were shown here on earth.

Let's stop filling our hearts with hatred like we saw in Charleston, but filling them with God's unconditional love.

Stability in uncertain times - a Rock you can count on

This message is, like our ministry and radio program, for the greater Canton area and yet for everyone no matter where they are, because Matthew 28:18-20 commands us to go into all the world, and in this day and age, this message could go anywhere.


Timken High School students may be especially interested, though. Whatever feelings may be on the subject, after this spring, Canton will have only two high schools, McKinley and Timken Early College, which will at least keep the Timken name prominent in the Canton City Schools, after the great history it has in the area.

Our show on Jesus as the rock discussed more than salvation, though. The storms of life pound at us so hard sometimes, it is important to know there is certainty in this world. Some young people deal with many diverse problems, some right in their families. It is vital for them to realize there is a rock they can count on.

There is an interesting quote which may feel appropriate for those rebuilding their lives, such as with the horrible earthquake in Nepal or the recent train accident in Philadelphia. “Yesterday, I was president of a college. Today, I am president of a hole in the ground.” These were the words of Louis Holden, president of the College of Wooster in nearby Wooster, Ohio, in 1901. A terrible fire had destroyed their one academic building, known as Old Main. Oh, some books and other small items were saved. But, as far anything important, nothing was left after the loss of Old Main. Present and former students suddenly found nothing but ruins. Nothing, that is, except...a rock.

This heavy rock was dragged and placed near its present site by the Class of 1874, with their year carved into its side. (It still stands, you can see it here.) Students and alumni were displaced, their school in ruins, and yet that rock stood fast, reminding them there was a college there, promising the chance for something better. And there that rock stands today, unchanged for well over a century, despite the incredible changes in the college and its students.Timken students are surely wishing that they had such certainty. But, they - and everyone - can be certain of the love of Jesus Christ.

Such a foundation is important, even necessary, in our lives as well. We often find the Old Mains of our lives in tatters. So many things change, and we ask ourselves, isn’t there some rock that we can build on that will remain no matter what? Jesus promises there is, in Luke 6:47-49.

        Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Jesus is not speaking of actual men in this parable. He often used stories to demonstrate an important truth, but only some concerned actual people. These begin with phrases such as “a certain man,” like in the well known parable of the Good Samaritan. Here, however, Jesus is making a comparison. He’s speaking of the importance of hearing and doing his Word. This, then, is that rock on which we can build our lives.

I. The house upon the rock.

            A. The building of the dwelling.

            Let’s look at how this first building was built. We see right away that Jesus says the first man built a house. If this were just about buildings, He could have had the man in this parable build a barn or an office. But, Jesus used a house for a reason. Our homes are more than just shelters. Our homes are places to return to, to welcome in friends and family, to celebrate. It’s like John Denver sang, in his song “Back Home Again,” it’s the little things that make a house a home. That fire in the fireplace, a well cooked meal on the stove, and the light in the eyes of your loved ones. And, I'm sure Timken students fondly remember those things, and will for years to come. The wonderful thing about reunions is that we can return, year after year, and celebrate such things. Family, love, great memories, all of these things are connected to the home.

            But, note that this house is built on a rock. A rock is something that will not be moved, it is steadfast. Many times in the Bible, a rock is used as a description of the Lord and His Word. No matter what happens, Jesus can provide that certainty. His Word can give us that certainty that no matter what happens, there will always be one constant. He says in Malachi, “I am the Lord, I change not.”

            However, our world is always chainging, and sadly we say goodbye to things like schools. However, the Lord promises that He will always be there for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. If we follow the principles in His Word, first of all by coming to Him, and trusting Him for forgiveness, then by following the principles of absolute right and wrong that He established, we can be certain of surviving the storms of life.

            B.. The power of the storms.

            That last promise is vital because of the power of those storms. Things change from year to year,. That’s where our Lord is coming from when He mentions this flood. It arose suddenly, with no warning, and the waves came crashing against that house. Perhaps, to some of you, like the Timken closing, perhaps to others family tragedy. Please know that God made this world sinless, but by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. He gives us free will to choose and gets us through it when things go badly. "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) This is how He can give us life everlasting but also life more abundantly(John 10:10) here on earth.

             If we didn’t have storms in life, it would be so wonderful. When our astronauts planted Old Glory on the moon in 1969, they knew it would remain in place till the Lord returned. There was no wind up there, nothing to shake it. It looks now the same as it did many years ago.

            Down here, however, our lives are shaken. Loved ones die, people disappoint us, we get sick, so many things happen that shake us to the core. The problems of life come like a gentle spring shower at times, but at others, they batter us like a powerful thunderstorm, with booming thunder and cracks of lightning.

            It is these storms to which Jesus refers, that His Word can shelter us from, his Word can be that rock. Oh, we will surely face them, but the way we face them is different. Those storms of life beat vehemently at us, as the Scripture says, and sometimes we just want to crawl into God’s outstretched arms and let Him cuddle us. And yet, we can move forward successfully, because of God’s promise, leading to the saving of the home in this parable.

            C. The saving of the house.

            This house could not be shaken, according to verse 8, because it was founded upon a rock. When the storms of life pound at us, and leave the inevitable scars, we can be certain that there is something better ahead. You who have suffered this past year, with the loss of Timken High School, are you certain you will go to God's perfect heaven when you die? Where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, where we can't even imagine the wonders that await us?

            Through the ages, those who have seen friends, money, jobs, homes, vanish have been able to turn to Jesus for comfort. Others look at us and say, “How can you possibly have happy moments when all around you is crashing down.” And we can proudly say, “Because of Jesus.” People can’t understand unless they have Him as the rock at the center of their lives, this is why the Bible call it the “peace that passeth understanding.”(Phil.4:6-7)

            We can’t be mere hearers of the Word, though. We must be doers, that is the whole point of this parable, as you see back in verse 7. It is he that does what Jesus commands. Otherwise, we just sit around knowing a bunch of facts. We must do something with Jesus, that is, receive him and trust Him to give us that peace. That might mean dedication; that might mean getting saved for some of you. Whichever it is, though, it’s vital, because otherwise, you are only building your homes on shifting sand.

II. The house upon the earth.

            A. The building of the dwelling.

            Have you ever stood in the water, and let the tide take the sand out from under your feet? Do that for long enough, and you eventually fall over.

            That’s what the man did who failed to lay a foundation, in verse 9, he built his house upon the earth. He fell prey to every little shift in the earth, as those things he relied on were pulled out from under him.

            Of course, some things are important. We can’t live without money for instance. But, anytime we rely on something that can change, and place that above Jesus in our lives, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Jobs come and go, people are born, live, and die, and the things that were certain one year are so uncertain the next.

            What Jesus is saying is that the house upon the earth was built without the proper foundation. Without the certainty and peace of that relationship with Jesus. A person who builds without that foundation will be okay for a while, like a child who can successfully imitate a home or a work situation (like cooking dinner). However, just as that child couldn’t deal with many of the most complex problems of life (the dinner catches fire, for instance), so the one without a foundation built on Jesus finds himself or herself much more troubled than they need to be about the storms of life.

            B.. The power of the storms.

            They find only worry and anxiety instead of that calming, tender voice inside saying, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will take care of this, in My own time.” It’s like a fellow I know who was then a junior in high school. His dad got hurt early one evening. At about eight o’clock, an uncle came to stay with him while his parents rushed to the hospital. This fellow was worried; his dad had never been sick a day in his life. What could be the problem, why had there been no phone call? Four, five hours, and he finally went to bed, exhausted with worry. (His Asperger's Syndrome likely made it worse.)

            Finally, at about four in the morning, he heard a sound in the dark, and it was so sudden, he was sure there was a robber in the house. Awakened from his deep sleep, he couldn’t stop thinking that first the one man he relied on to protect him was nowhere to be found, and now this strange noise was in his house.

            Well, thankfully, that noise was just his parents returning, but his father did need a hernia operation. It wasn’t a heart attack or anything, but to this young man it still caused great worry.

            Now, worry and concern over our loved ones is certainly warranted at times. And, there are times, because of our fleshly nature, when we get more anxious than we should. However, the point is, this young man lacked the ability to rely on God to give him peace, he lacked the ability to pray and ask God for help for his parents and himself. He lacked that firm foundation that Jesus promises, and so worked himself into a frenzy, not thinking that the Lord would work all things together for good to them that love God, no matter how tough it is at the time.

            He knows Jesus as his personal Saviouir now, thankfully, and can go to Him for that peace anytime.

            C. The ruin of the house.

            Life storms like that are why the ruin of the house was so great. Look back in verse 9; the house fell. It didn’t just lose a piece or two at a time, it went splat! It all came tumbling down at once. This is what happens when people do not have God at the center of their lives. They survive for a while, but when some storm comes, they suddenly feel devastated. Their world has been changed with no hope of going back. Things on which they relied suddenly are no more, and they don’t know where to turn. While we adults may think that Timken's closing will be something easy to get over, i know for teenagers it may seem a lot harder.

            What’s worse is, it’s not only life that’s like that without that foundation. In presenting the wonderful truth of God’s grace, the Bible clearly states that we are once to die, and then the judgment. We don’t get a second chance. Old Main went up in an instant back in 1901, and each of our lives could, too. There was no warning, before fire destroyed it. In the same way, each of us could go without warning, too, to meet Jesus.

            Thankfully, we have the opportunity to know Him and call on Him if we trust Him. However,
we have a problem 

            We have seen two very different houses, representing two very different lives. They finish with two very different ends. If I may transpose the stories for a moment, their ends are shown well in Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

            The house upon the earth is certain to end in failure. All that was built upon was destroyed. Like Old Main, at the end, the only thing left was a hole in the ground. The wages of sin, all we say, think, and do to displease God, no matter how small, is death, separation from God forever in a place meant only for the devil and his fallen angels. Because, God cannot allow sin into His perfect Heaven. Heaven is a perfect place, with no pain, no suffering, no tears, none of the things that haunt us here.

            The house built upon the rock is certain to end in success. That one who built his house on the rock came to Jesus. He received that gift of God, which is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. His house withstood incredible trauma, and yet it could not be shaken. No matter what happened, the storms of life could not destroy it.

            Thankfully, if you have built on the earth, without a foundation, you have lived to this day. Now, you can easily start building on the rock today. It simply requires a conscious decision. It means recognizing that you’re building on something that is going to change over time, and deciding to build your life on God instead.

            If you're reading this and have never built on that foundation, if you have never called on Jesus Christ, God in flesh, to save you from your sins, you must be more than a hearer of the Word, you must be a doer of it. He commands that to see Heaven, we must be born again. That means you must repent and receive Him. Repent means to change your heart attitude toward sin. Decide that you don’t want to displease God anymore. Then, receive Him as your Savior. Believe that Jesus Christ is God, and that His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection were for you, personally.

Admit, Believe, and Call/Choose. You're a single sincere prayer of repentance away from eternal life, and from starting to build upon that rock, so you can know for sure whatever life brings, you can go to teh Rock, Jesus Christ, and He'll get you through it.

Call to prayer

     You've likely heard quite a bit on prayer lately - or I hope you have - with the National Day of Prayer coming Thursday. Whether it's about missions like at our church (with the missions conference the weekend before last) or for our nation, we need to recall how wonderful it is to pray and use that opportunity.

     Prayer is so easy, unlike the Internet - I (Doug) am still presently the only one of our staff savvy enough with this to blog effectively, but e-mail us and check out our website with your questions and we're all good enough at e-mail to reply. :-)






     The simple explanation we give in our Sunday School and AWANA - you can pray anytime, anywhere, about anything - is  easy enough for children to learn, yet so amazing. God isn't like the false gods whose systems require such precision - He is a personal God who inhabits each believer. Sure, there are times we pray amiss, but that doesn't mean we can't do it, it's just that He's going to say "no" or flat out not hear us if we're harboring sin as we pray.

     Prayer is about letting God change us on the inside, but it's also about fighting a spiritual battle. It's about interceding for others, for his will of course but also for needs that are so personal and can be so small in some eyes. But, that bus kids who 10-12 years ago asked to pray for a lost puppy or kitten, I forget which, needed their faith to be built somewhere, and it may be that they were able to pray for something a lot bigger because God used that one smaller incident to work them up to something great. Just like He used a lion and a bear threatening the flock to prepare David to slay Goliath.

     That personal relationship with God is so awesome, it's something our contacts so often need, becasue some have let religion chase them away when in fact it's *never* been about religion, but always been about a relationship with Jesus Christ.
     It can be great to ask someone if they would like you to pray with them as a means of witnessing, too! Of course, some will know you are just joining them in prayer - I had one in my online missions program, in fact, who just had what seemed like the start of a possible major positive answer, though it will still be a difficult road. But, for others, we need to help them realize that they can speak with their Creator and Saviour themselves, and He will hear them.

     I hope you will recall the National Day of Prayer and get out and seek God's face for all the many needs in our communities and especially in our nation. We are in great need of repentance revival, but where there is life, there is still hope, till God calls us home. And, till we see Him face to face, we can always go to Him in prayer.

Chris Borland has retired.

You may wonder why our youth ministry, Greater Canton Youthquake, is starting its blog this way. True, our radio show tries to mention current topics - in fact, this is one thing our blog is helpful for, since we tape shows weeks in advance. But, what has the retirement of a player just after his rookie season got to do with the Bible or ministry? There are several things to consider.

Being an inner-city ministry, one thing we try to do - when we have enough volunteers - is sports ministry through things like flag football and basketball, since young people enjoy sports and through sports we can bring them the Gospel. Tackle football is becoming more of an issue, now that we know so much about concussions. The risk of CTE is greater the more concussions one has. Patrick Willis and quarterback Jake Locker have also retired, and Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Steve Young retired early because of concussions. Willis is possibly, even probably, a Hall of Famer too.

This is not just about football, however. This is a story about what some people will go through to do what they love.

For some of course, it is more than that. There are some people  in inner cities, and even some rural areas areas, who play sports to escape the mean streets and must excel in their minds, to avoid getting in trouble. Curtis Martin's Hall of Fame speech is an extreme example, but the point is that many young people need someone to be able to mentor them and show them how a relationship with Jesus Christ can give them peace, hope, love, comfort, and so much more despite their circumstances. It's youth like that we yearn to reach. Especially because it is worth noting that only a small percentage of players can make a major college team and get noticed, & a much smaller percentage can reach the pros. This is true no matter what sport.

A personal relationship with Jesus offers so much more than sports, though. Of course, one can play a sport and still be active in ministry. Tim Tebow is a good example, and some say Willis will spend his time working with youth in his native Tennessee now.

However, life is short, eternity is long, siri is great, but grace is greater. The love that Jesus provides needs to be shared throughout the world. And often that sharing needs to begin here in America, in our inner cities. People are still willing to jeopardize their health to play pro football - various ESPn radio personalities have said that when one retires, there are often 10 ready to take his place. But, are we willing to risk anything to spread the Gospel?

We at Quest for Truth are using many different vehicles to spread the Gospel, and becasue of the Internet they can reach quite far. This blog could be read anywhere in the world. Our heart is with the greater Canton area, where so many unchurched youth - as well as those in churches which do not preach the Gospel - need a chance to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and grow in Him. But, you, the reader, might be in a totally different area where there might be youth that you can reach.

We need your help. I know this sounds strange, because you could be on the other side of the world from us. Your prayers are greatly needed, though, as we can't do what we would like without a ministry vehicle.

However we would also like to ask: What are you doing in your community? Is there an area you could serve? If your church does not have one, you could start a ministry for them, such as a "Sidewalk Sunday School" usinga portable sound system. Or, you could go out and distribute Gospel tracts - you can find good ones online at several different places, some of them free. (Note: When you hand out tracts door to door, put them in the door, NEVER in a mailbox, the post office only allows mail to be put in mailboxes) Some people even hand out Bibles - get good KJV New Testaments and pass them out on a corner or something.You could work in a soup kitchen, or just go door to door to door and share God's love and forgiveness. Simply ask the Lord to open doors, open your eyes, and open your heart to those who need God's love.

They may not be able to overcome the streets on their own, but Jesus promises in John 16:33, "I this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." And, if you need specifics on how to do such things, or other ideas, feel free to e-mail us. Because, the harvest is plentious, but the laborers are few. Therefore, wherever you are, there are certainly souls which need to be won to the Lord.

What Is Your Field? (and prayers needed)

This blog, like our radio show, will be a place to focus on digging deep into God's Word and also discussing, at times, things going on with Youthquake. It may deal less with Youthquake than our show because this blog reaches a national - even international - audience much more easily. That's because the forum - Blogger - is international and thus more easily accessed by those outside Northeast Ohio.

This blog, unlike our radio show, is free. Please pray for us to get a staff car quickly, or even a ministry van, so we can continue the work,; or, that the one we have can be repaired very economically. We must pay for air time on the radio, something even I (Doug) didn't realize till I started volunteering as part of it. (Edited to add, got minivan in Feb. 2016,still can use funds to pay for radio show, increase it.)

You may have wondered where we minister - though most readers will have figured Canton means "Canton, Ohio" I presume that some of you pictured another Canton. (Not necessarily China's, either - I chuckled as I glanced at a few and discovered that Canton, Michigan, passed Canton, Ohio in population several years ago. Of course, Ohio fans will perhaps joke that a football scoreboard is where it counts. :-))

True Christians should love to have fun, like with the above - we should have the most fun of all because we're forgiven and have a personal relationship with the Creator Himself, who made this world perfect and loves us even though we chose through out own free will to bring sin and death and suffering into the world. We don't need to fall for the world's definition of fun. Dedicated followers of Jesus Christ simply have Him on the throne of their heart. We make jokes referencing things like the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry above with the understanding that such things aren't as important as Jesus in our mission fields.

Yes, whichever field you are on, you have a responsibility to others to share His love and forgiveness.

"But, wait," you may say, "I'm not on a foreign field, I'm here at home."

I once led someone to Christ - he went from head knowledge of Jesus to heart knowledge, receiving Jesus' forgiveness for his sins by faith - in an airport during a flight delay. Our field is literally wherever we are at the moment, in that respect. It may be praying with a waitress in a restaurant who has just gotten some bad news, it may be helping an elderly neighbor with groceries, it may be one of many things where we minister to others through our love and kindness, rather than focusing on ourselves.

However, in another respect, our mission field is where we work, live, go to school, worship, etc.. It's those places where others see us day after day, and where we must show that consistent example of Jesus Christ and His love, mercy, and forgiveness, but also His being clearly distinct from the world's system and standing for the absolute truth of the Bible. He lived in the world but He was not of the world, and we must be that way, too, so people see a difference.

Occasionally, we branch out, of course. Our radio show has been heard by and had response from people in different states, and this blog could even reach different countries. Who knows how someone may be led to serve the Lord becasue the Spirit worked in them after reading this. When we get those chances, we must act on them, letting God lead us to the right way to handle each situation; looking prayerfully for that person to share Jesus with instead of complaining about a flight delay, in the example above.

Modern Nicodemuses Come By Technology

here's one of those stories that might not make it onto the radio, but which is very related to our "Persecuted Church show of August 19. And, it's a good one to start, because it's all about searching for the Truth of the Gospel.

The Gospel is integral to our Statement of Faith - found on the Youthquake site. It is so simple a child can understand it, yet can be examined so deeply that one can spend a lifetime learning of how wonderful God's love is for us that caused him to lay down His life for our sins. As First Corinthians 15:-3-4 says, "Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.

What amazing love, that God himself manifested Himself as fully God and fully man, Jesus Christ. In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.(Galatians 2:9) And, this Jesus died to take the punishment for each of our sins, He took our place onthe cross, and he was buried and he rose again the third day.(1 Cor. 15:3-4)

And yet, in some areas where there is extreme persecution of Christians, where there is extremely works based attitudes combined with rulers who want nothing to do with the amazing Grace of Jesus Christ, in those places people suffer and die for their faith.

We are each only a single, sincere prayer of repentance away from eternal life. And people seeking to know the freedom that Christ gives - freedom from fear, freedom from terror, freedom from guilt and shame - must sometimes come the way Nicodemus did to Jesus in John 3.

Now, while Nicodemus came by night so he wouldn't be seen, these people come to places like Global Media Outreach, where I (Doug) am one of numerous online missionaries. One recent one put in his comment "telecharger." Given the country he was from, I realized that might be so that if someone peeked at his cell phone they would only suspect that he was looking for technical support. Please pray forr this man's salvation and spiritual growth.

Thankfully, we are still free in this country to share the Gospel, but we must be active in doing so while we can. the Lord has each of us here in this day and age so we can sahre that plaina nd simple truth - that we are saved by grace "through faith, and that not of ourselves - it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast."(Eph. 2:8-9)

So, take advantage of times you are stuck in an airport by a delayed flight, or just out somewhere and the Spirit leads you to share the Gospel. Be a loving, Godly person so they can see evidence of Jesus in you, of course, but share it. And, let the Holy Spirit in you as a believer lead you to those who are seeking. Then, listen, and if they share problems, lovingly explain as Jesus did to the woman at the well, that that emptiness or pain or whatever else they feel, Jesus can fill those holes in they will only trust Him to do so, by simple faith.

Because, in this world we will have tribulation, but we can be of good cheer, Jesus Christ has overcome the world.(John 16:33) And, He will help them overcome, too. he won't always make out circumstances better, but He will guide us through them so we can show His love to others and let Him be glorified in this dark world.

hello from Doug at WNPQ's Quest for Truth

Hi. I'm Doug Fowler. Host Mark Sowick and I love doing our Quest for Truth radio program. With Greater Canton Youthquake founder and director Sal Varsalone, we have produced many interesting shows. They can be heard here. We hope you'll enjoy Youthquake's entire site.

We hope to be able to continue our show, but even if financial concerns prevent that for a while, we want to actively engage with our listeners and hopefully meet new followers along the way. We will continue to search for truth; the truth of God's Word.

This blog will have a number of topics, some of which will hopefully one day be part of our radio program. If we can figure out how to do podcasts or other things, we will. :-) We are not technologically savvy, though. We are just two guys and a Bible as Mark likes to say. - or three guys and a Bible when Sal joins us. Still, whether or not we figure out how to post anything more than words, in the meantime, we hope you will enjoy reading.