1 John 3:16

¹⁶This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

I am always amazed at how much Christ loves us ALL!  I couple of years ago, I worked at a home for at-risk youth.  I honestly had no idea how much love (the correct kind of love) and discipline (the correct kind) these kids needed.  These youth came from all different backgrounds:  drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, neglection, and the list just goes on and on.  Through working with these youth, sometimes they would take their frustrations and anger out on me.  Let me just inform you…1 year before working with these youth, I worked as a repo man.  So I’ve been cussed and screamed at:  no big deal!  Well, when some of these youth would take their frustrations and anger out on me (for nothing I’ve done except try to love them) I heard words I didn’t hear as a repo guy felt my ear drums build so much pressure that I really thought they might just bust!  One day I was dealing with this one youth that I spent a lot of time trying to break through to him.  At one point I thought:  I think I’m making a difference in this guy’s life.  Well this particular day, this guy blew up on me like a bomb in an elevator!  I felt every muscle in my body begin to strain, my fist begin to clinch tight, and my head feel like it was going to explode when all of the sudden something made me think of Christ!  Immediately, my ears did not hear this kid anymore and my thoughts began to think of speaking to my Savior (Jesus).  I can remember saying:  “Jesus, you have to remove me from this situation before I hurt this kid.”    Well, He did just that!  He removed me from the situation by this kid getting so frustrated with me ignoring him that he ran out of the house…thankfully!!!  As the rest of the day went on, I thought about my Savior and His love.

Jesus laid down His life for me, but He also laid down His life for this youth and other people just like him.  He laid down His life for the people that were screaming in His ear, cussing Him, and telling Him they wanted no part with Him!  He still loved them enough to die for them, even though they hated Him!  I began to think about if I truly had pity on these youth as they were in need of the correct kind of love and discipline in their lives.  I asked myself, “Am I showing these kids the love that Christ shows to me and to everyone else?”  My answer was no.  At this point, I began seeking to show these kids the love Christ showed me through my actions both when they would blow up on me and when they wanted to be my friend.  I’m proud to say that even to this day:  almost 3 years later, I still talk to these kids.  Yes, they still disappoint in a lot of ways.  However, I know I still disappoint my Jesus too, but He still loves me!  Make a difference in someone’s life by  showing them the love that Christ shows us all!

When I was in junior college I did a research paper on social networking. It was kinda interesting that what people were posting on their facebook or MySpace.  We can be the light and Salt of the world on Facebook and MySpace.  I found out in my research that colleges and places of employment check social networking to see who you really are, so be careful of what you post on the Web.  Remember we are the light of the world.

God Bless Bro Will.

—
Will Parsons Ministry Intern

A while back I was studying Jesus’ parable of the dragnet found in Matthew 13: 47 – 50.

⁴⁷“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; ⁴⁸and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. ⁴⁹“So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

My thoughts immediately began to go back to my “growing up” days on a farm where we raised catfish.  As I thought about what Jesus’ was saying, God began to formulate the following story in my mind.  I hope it will motivate all of us to be more aware that time is drawing near when those who are Christ-followers will be separated from those who are not followers of Christ.  We need to try to bring them into the kingdom of God before it is too late!

The Parable of the Fish Pond

Life was really great in the pond.  The water was deep and wide.  The fish had freedom to swim and explore the limits of the pond to their heart’s content.  They had learned all about the pond.  They knew every inch of it, but no one really knew what lay beyond the surface or past the water’s edge.  Sometimes they even speculated about the unknown beyond the surface. Continue reading The Parable of the Fish Pond

About a year ago I noticed a place on my  back where my skin color was different from the color of the rest of my skin.  The spot was small so I didn’t think much about it.  As time went on the spot began to get larger.  Eventually the spot came to be about the size of my hand.  It wasn’t noticable except when I would get hot or get out of the shower.  Therefore, I began to think this spot was a heat rash or something to that effect.  A few months after noticing this spot, I noticed that after I would shower my neck and chest were splotchy.   Once again, I shrugged this off as a heat rash and didn’t think much about it.  It did not take long for these spots to begin to overtake my upper torso.  Finally, I decided to see a dermatologist about these spots that were overtaking my body.  Upon meeting with the doctor, he determined it was a fungus I caught in the summer air.  He prescribed me 4 pills and some cream and the fungus was completely gone within one week.

Sin affects our life in the same manner the fungus affected my skin.  It enters in very subtle and begins to grow.  If sin goes undiagnosed, it can overtake your life in a short matter of time!  It begins to wrap itself all throughout your life until you are completely covered with sin to the point that you see nothing else.  Once sin enters in it only wants to stick around.  Remember, sin will ALWAYS take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you’re willing to stay, and cost you more than you’re willing to pay.  There is only one way to get rid of the sin that covers our life.  The cure is through the blood of Jesus.  By Him dying on the cross for our sin, His blood covers us if we accept His grace! 

Romans 6:22-23 (New International Version)

²²But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As many people know, I am deeply intrigued with movies.  I recall when the movie “300” first came out on DVD.  I rushed over to Best Buy around 11:00 p.m. to purchase the movie because I was afraid they would run out of the $10 copies of the movie.  Interesting enough they did!  I ended up purchasing the $20 uncut version.  As I watched the movie, which depicted the Battle of Thermopylae, I began to see many similarities between Jesus and Satan.  At one point in the movie, the Spartan King Leonidas was standing before the Persian god-King Xerxes.  At this point in the movie, Xerxes has sacrificed many of his soldiers trying to conquer Sparta.  Xerxes tells King Leonidas that he will spare Sparta and make him a King if he will only kneel and worship at his feet.  Of course King Leonidas refuses what Xerxes has offered.  Xerxes is greatly offended and tells King Leonidas that he has no problem sacrificing any of his soldiers to overtake the 300 soldiers of Sparta.  King Leonidas simply responds:  “You would gladly sacrifice any of your soldiers while I would gladly die for any of mine“.  It is at this point in the movie that one realizes exactly what kind of King is ruling the Spartan empire!

I think over and over about the kind of King that rules my life.  I have a King that refused to bow at Satan’s feet, when he offered Him the world.  I have a King that gave up a heavenly throne to come to a lowly place just so I can one day spend an eternity with Him in paradise!  I have a King that words cannot describe and thoughts cannot consume!  I have a King that gladly took my place on a cross that was mine, died so that I could have life, and did it all while carrying the burdens of my sin!  I serve an amazing King!  In fact, He is not just a King, He is THE KING!  I wish everyone knew the love of my King.  Not only did He die for me, but He died for you also.  My King Jesus died to bring life!  Let me ask:  How many Presidents, Kings, Bosses, Emperors, or ect. have given their life for you?  How many have given up everything and taken your place?  I know of one:  Jesus!

The Gospel of John in the Bible says in chapter 20 verse 31 that “everything written in this book is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name“.