“You’re a funny boy!” Sebastian’s friends chanted.

Sebastian grinned and took another slurp from the straw in the bottle of ketchup. “What can I say? I just love ketchup.”

“Has anybody seen Charlie?” Ollie asked. “I sure miss him coming to the café with us.”

Billy took a swig of his chocolate milk. “The last I heard, Charlie was spending most of his time in his room because his legs still won’t work since the accident.”

Sebastian eyes widened. “And his mum refuses to have ketchup in the house. Can you imagine life without ketchup?”

“I only like ketchup on my hamburger.” Leo rolled his eyes and then took a big gulp of lemonade. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we take Charlie to see the Man who performs miracles?”

“Do you mean Jesus?” Billy asked.

“Yeah, that’s His name! He’s been saying and doing all kinds of cool stuff!” Sebastian continued, “Let’s take Charlie to Him and see if Jesus can make his legs work again.”

The three friends bolted out the door to find Charlie. Ollie jumped up so quickly he knocked Sebastian’s ketchup bottle over and splattered red spots all over Sebastian’s face.

“I’m sorry, Sebastian.” Ollie dabbed Sebastian’s face with a napkin.

“No problem. Accidents happen.” Sebastian licked his lips. “Mmmmmmm. Ketchup is yummy for the tummy.”

 The friends galloped up Charlie’s stairs and scurried to their friend’s room. They each grabbed a corner of his bed and ran back down the staircase.

Charlie rubbed his heavy eyelids as they raced out of the house and down the road. The bouncing bed made his teeth chatter.

“Where are you taking me so early this morning?” Charlie gripped his blanket tightly. “I still have my jimjams on.”

“It won’t matter to Jesus if you have your jimjams on.” Sebastian huffed and puffed. “He looks at the heart of a person and not at what they wear.”

The friends ran until they saw a house with a large crowd gathered around it. When they moved closer, they saw the rooms were crammed with people. In one of the rooms was an old lady who reeked of cabbage sitting beside a young mother cradling a baby in her arms. The baby’s nappy needed to be changed. An old man clipped a peg on his nose so he wouldn’t get sick from the stench. Men and women, boys and girls spilled out of the house into the garden and then out of the garden on to the street. There were chubby people and skinny people, short people and tall people, old men with walking sticks and teenage boys with donkeys, pregnant mummies, and little girls on roller skates.

Leo, Ollie, Billy, and Sebastian wondered how they were going to get their friend to Jesus. That’s when Ollie spotted a narrow path around the back of the house.

“I have an idea that just might work,” Ollie hollered loudly. “Maybe we can find a back door.”

So they carted Charlie in his bed down the path. As they were making the final turn, Billy’s curly hair got caught on the laundry hanging on the clothesline. “Yeow! I’m doomed to have a bad hair day.” Billy howled as he yanked his hair free.

“Meeeeooooow!” wailed a fluffy kitten when Leo accidentally stepped on its tail.

“Now is not the time to be collecting ‘cattails’!” Ollie teased.

The four friends came to an abrupt halt. “There’s no back door.” Sebastian shrugged his shoulders. “Now what are we going to do?”

Billy snapped his fingers. “Look! There are some dustbins.”

The four friends stared at each other. Charlie looked at the  dustbins and groaned. He didn’t like the idea of being carted about and climbing those wobbly dustbins, but his friends were determined to get him to Jesus.

They yanked and tugged on the four corners of the bed until they finally arrived safely on the top of the roof.

“Will somebody please help me get banana skins out of Charlie’s hair?” Sebastian ordered. “We want him to look presentable when he meets Jesus.”

The friends quickly removed the slippery banana peels from Charlie’s hair and started tearing the tiles off the roof. Ollie passed the torn shingles to Billy, who passed them to Leo, who passed them to Sebastian.

“All this hard work is making me thirsty.” Sebastian pitched the tiles on the ground. “Sure wish I had a big bottle of tomato ketchup to drink.”

“Sebastian, can you just forget about your beloved ketchup for a few minutes?” Leo scolded. “We’ve got to get Charlie to Jesus.”

After they removed a few more tiles off the roof, Billy said, “Now we’ve made a hole big enough to put Charlie through.”

Leo pulled a long rope from his tattered bag and tied it around Charlie’s bed. The four friends carefully lowered Charlie and his bed through the hole in the roof and placed him right in front of Jesus.

Sebastian cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, “Jesus, our friend can’t walk.”

Jesus looked up at Leo, Ollie, Billy, and Sebastian staring through the hole in the roof. “You must really love your friend and believe I can help him to go to all this trouble.”

The four friends’ heads bobbed.

“Because you went to all this trouble to get Charlie to Me, I will heal him.” Jesus turned and glanced at Charlie. “Son, your sins are forgiven. Take up your mattress and go home.”

Charlie’s toes began to tingle. He jumped up, grabbed his bed, danced a jig, and ran out the door.

“I don’t think he even cared if people saw him dancing in his jimjams,” Ollie giggled.

The four friends waved their hands above their heads and began dancing on the roof.

Crack! Creak! Crunch!

“Whoa!”

“Look out below!”

“Watch out!”

“The sky is falling!”

Splat!

The four friends tumbled through the roof and fell into the house. Sebastian sat on the floor looking dazed.

“Are you alright, Sebastian?” Leo inquired.

“I think so.” Sebastian rubbed his head. “Where’s Charlie?”

The lady who reeked of cabbage peeked out the window. “Charlie is marching down the street right now, and he has something in his hand.”

“What is it?” Sebastian asked.

The old woman crinkled her nose and squinted. “Why it’s a bottle of ketchup with a straw in it.”

“Now I know I’ll be okay.” Sebastian winked at his three buddies. “Ketchup is yummy for the tummy.”

About Katie Bodsworth

In my efforts to entertain and captivate a five year old with the adventures of Jesus and his friends, I have created a series of Bible adaptations designed to be funny and entertaining without losing the message within. Bright pictures, catchphrases and a look at some of the characters not always touched upon in Sunday School give my children, and hopefully yours, an active interest in their Bibles and a growing interest in their Church.

In the future I am aiming to have all stories available to buy with their illustrations, either as an ebook format or to order as full colour storybooks. The text of the stories, however will always be free, in the spirit of spreading the Word!

http://yummyforthetummy.webs.com

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deprived as we wake far too early in order to organize our daily schedules. Waking children and readying them for school, then off to a full time job juggling time for domestic chores and errands. Finally home after a full day of work we prepare dinner, see to children’s activies, and finally bedtime routines. Then perhaps we have an hour or two to prepare for tomorrows schedule. The day is over. All this in order to bring home a paycheck to pay the bills and hopefully have enough left over for some recreational activies or to acquire the symbols of success; The beautiful home, the BMW in the driveway, private dance lessons for the kids, or the pool in the backyard.

Perhaps we define success as recognition. Recognition can be selfish, prideful, and boastful. Without God we can do

nothing and are nothing. I am not suggesting that it is wrong to be confident, but our confidence needs to come from Christ, not self. We are told in Proverbs 18:12″Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” We cannot be prideful and successful. Likewise Jeremiah 9:23-24 tells us about boasting, “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.”

I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong with aspiring to a specific lifestyle or enjoy being recognized for our work or achievements in our jobs. But if we use them as a measure or our success then perhaps we are confused by societies idea of success and that of the bible.

The bible says in Joshua 1:8, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from you mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Therefore the path to success is to meditate on the word. The better we know God’s word, the easier it is to do his will. Doing his will will always bring success. God wants to give us the desires of our heart. We know this by reading Psalms 37:4 tells us, “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” David tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God is our biggest cheerleader. He knows what we need and just as we want to shower our own children with gifts of love and praise, He wants to do the same for us. This life is like a puff of smoke and then it is gone. True success is eternal life. and we can only live eternally through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. John 3:16 states it best, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

This life is simply preparation for eternity. James 4:14 tells us, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Shouldn’t we be focusing on our success for our eternal life? To find peace in this life we need to look no further than Philippians 4:9-10 which tells us, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me – everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the peace of God will be with you.”

In Jesus’ name,

Lynn

Lynn Kennedy
Associate Publisher
Director of Women’s Ministry
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesOnline.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

Why do we as women feel so insecure? Is it our upbringing, the age old nature vs. nurture argument? Or Is it that as women we are wired differently from men? Maybe it is because we just simply don’t understand our value in God’s eyes. It is true that many of us grew up in homes where we felt devalued. Perhaps we were intimidated by a sibling who seemed to have more appealing or valued talents and abilities. Maybe our parents were not as nurturing as they could have been and we felt abandoned and unprotected. Perhaps there was strife in the household; a job loss, or divorce of our parents can confuse us making us wonder if we were somehow responsible. Maybe we are one of the estimated 3 out of 4 women to be sexually abused in their lifetime. These things along, with a myriad of life circumstances and situations, allow guilt and shame to creep into our lives completely decimating any sense of self worth.

As women we have made great progress with our civil rights in the last 100 years, yet it remains a fact that society continues to discriminate against us. We are looked upon as the “weaker sex” and in one way we truly are. Generally women are, in fact, physically weaker then men. That is simply a fact of life. Women were created to be nurtures while men were created to be hunters and providers. These traits were vital to survival at one time. Though gender roles have become somewhat more equal in modern times it still remains that despite legislation we still make only 75% compared to men’s salaries. But does that make us less valuable?

God did not make us to be a “weaker” sex. He created us to be man’s partner. When he created Adam he looked upon his work and saw that it was incomplete. He recognized immediately that it was not good for Adam to be alone. He tells us so in Genesis 2:18 where He says,”It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” God intentionally created us to be different. Woman was created and designed to ”compliment” man, to ”complete” him; not to compete or be compared to him. We are different, but no less valuable nor loved. Galatians 3:26 tells us,”You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

If Christ sees us as man’s equal, why do we allow society and other people to determine and define who we are. We learn that we are so important and special to God that “the very hairs on your head are numbered.” We must ask ourselves if we are trying to find our worth in Christ or man. Galatians 1:10 reminds to ask urselves,”Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” We will never find our value from others. We all fall short of the Glory of God. Only in Christ do we find our true and complete worth.

No one should rely on ”self-confidence”; our confidence comes directly from God himself. For without Christ, we are nothing; through Christ, as stated in Philipians 4:13,”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

With God’s blessings,

Lynn

Lynn Kennedy
Associate Publisher
Director of Women’s Ministry
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesOnline.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

If I discover truth from the Bible, how do I know the Bible is true? There’s a world of objective evidence, both external and internal, that says the Bible is true.

External evidence proves the Bible is a historical book that you can rely on. There are 5,366 copies of the Bible dating from the time it was written to just 70 years afterwards. That fact dispels the urban legend that the Bible was changed as it passed through generations and languages.

External evidence also includes many archeological discoveries. For example, historians used to say that Solomon couldn’t have had the horses the Bible says he had because no one had horses at that time. But then thousands of horse stables were found in an archeological dig.

There’s also the internal evidence of the Bible itself. In a court of law, a prosecutor with two or three eyewitness accounts has a good chance of making his case. The Bible is filled with eyewitness accounts. Moses was there when the Red Sea split; Joshua was there to watch Jericho fall; the disciples saw the resurrected Jesus.

The internal evidence of the Bible also includes the fact that it tells one story with consistency – though it was written over 1,500 years on three different continents by 40 different authors from every walk of life. No human being could account for that. It’s an amazing example of God’s abilities.

The Bible says, “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17, MSG)

By: Rick Warren
http://www.purposedriven.com

Dr. Rick Warren is passionate about attacking what he calls the five “Global Goliaths” – spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and illiteracy/poor education. His goal is a second Reformation by restoring responsibility in people, credibility in churches, and civility in culture. He is a pastor, global strategist, theologian, and philanthropist. He’s been often named “America’s most influential spiritual leader” and “America’s Pastor.”

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

So, why is it that evil and death are allowed in the world? You see, ages ago, after losing a war between the angels of God, a group of fallen angels-commanded by Satan-departed heaven (Jude 6) and made earth their kingdom. They still exist to date and have only one purpose-to kill and destroy. But their evil provides an illuminating contrast to the love, mercy, and grace of God, who allows people the freedom to choose between good and evil.

“And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment” (Jude 1:6 NLT).

As a by-product of buying into the lie of Satan, Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and were separated from Him. (I am certain you know the story by heart.) This incident also set in full motion the life cycle, which ends in death and causes everyone to be born, “spiritually dead.”

Jesus’ angry words to the Pharisees (John 8:44) show the dismal result of spiritual death: “You are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

But there is “good news”: Our Savior Jesus’ death on the cross provides the perfect antidote for spiritual death. Although all of us eventually will die, a second life-eternal life-will begin.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT).

So although evil and death continue, God can and does use any situation for good (Romans 8:28). God loves you and wants to work out His purposes for your life. Why not let Him? Why not begin right now?

May almighty God bless you most lovingly,

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

In the Old Testament, God promised to send a Messiah or Savior to His people. The Messiah would save God’s people from their sin, from the wrong things everyone has done. The people in the Old Testament times knew about the promise of a Savior and looked for Him.

In the New Testament, God’s promise came true! The Savior was born in Bethlehem, just where God promised! Jesus Christ was born, grew up and died for our sins.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

God’s Word always comes true. You can always and should always put your trust in God’s faithfulness, for He made it possible for you to become a member of His family.

Here’s how:

Step One: God Loves You

The Bible says in 1 John 4:8 that “God is love.” He loves you very much. He loves you because He made you and He is concerned about you and your life today.

Step Two: You Have Sinned

The Bible also says that you and all other people have sinned. In Romans 3:23 we read, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

We have all done wrong and our sins keep us from being friends with God. As you read in the books of the Old Testament, sin always leads to trouble. Because you are a sinner, your sin will cause you much trouble in your life. Romans 6:23 tells us how bad this trouble will ultimately be. “For the wages of sin is death.”

God does not want people to ruin their lives with sin. It makes Him sad when you sin and spoil your happiness and the happiness of other people. Because of sin, people cannot enjoy God’s loving presence in their lives, nor can they live with God in heaven. Not one of us is able to remove sin from our lives or earn God’s forgiveness by even our very best efforts.

In the beginning of the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve, the first two people. Adam and Eve lived happily with God until they disobeyed Him. That was the first sin. One of the results of the sin was that Adam and Eve were separated from God, thereby robbing life of its greatest joy and ultimately bringing the penalty of death upon themselves. All of us sin, so someday each of us will die, too.

However, the Bible is clear that there is another life after we die. The Bible is also clear that sin will continue to separate people from God’s love forever. Because everybody has sinned, how does anybody get to go to heaven?

Step Three: God Paid the Price

The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We have seen that the result of sin is death. However, because God loves us so much, He offers eternal life as a free gift. You cannot work hard enough to earn eternal life. All you can do is accept it as a gift.

God gave His only Son to die for you on the cross. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:3, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” Because Jesus was the perfect -man without sin- He accepted the results of sin-death-in your place. The Bible says in 1 John 4:14, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

Step Four: Ask God for Forgiveness

If you admit that you have sinned and believe that God gave His only Son to die in your place, God will forgive you and make you clean from all sin.

• Tell God that you know you are a sinner.
• Tell God you believe Jesus Christ is your only way to have your sins forgiven.
• Tell God you want to learn to love and follow Christ in every area of your life.
• Tell Him that He is great and wonderful.

It is easy to talk to God. Jesus taught us to talk to Him as we would to a loving Father. He is always ready to listen. What you are going to tell Him is something He has been waiting for hear.

If you believe and have told God you believe, you are now a child of God! God has forgiven all your sin. You are a Christian. And that makes you a member of His family.

God has made everything right between you and Him. He has forgiven you and He looks upon you as if you had never sinned!

Step Five: Live as God’s Child

The Bible says in John 1:12, “But as many receive him, to them gave he the power to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name.” As a child of God, you receive God’s gift of everlasting life. God is with you now and forever.

Now that you are a member of God’s family, God wants you to live as His child.

Because God is your heavenly Father, He wants you to talk to Him in prayer. You can tell God how you feel, thank Him for His gifts to you, and ask Him to help you obey and follow Him.

You can also talk to God when you sin. Ask God to forgive you and He will. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God will forgive you and help you to do what He says.

You Can Read God’s Word

God gave His Word so that everyone can read about Him and His great love. Find out more about God by reading about Him in your Bible. The Bible says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). As you read God’s Word, you will stay close to Him. It’s just like reading a letter again and again. You can do the same thing with your Bible.

You Can Obey God

Your heavenly Father wants you to obey Him. He tells you in His Word how you should live. Jesus summed up God’s law with two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40).

1. Love God with all that you are.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

God wants you to be an expression of His love in the world.

You Can Tell Others About Jesus

Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall be witnesses.” Jesus was talking to His disciples before He went back to His Father. Even though Jesus was talking to His disciples, He was saying these words to you, too. You can be a witness when you tell others about Jesus and how His love has helped you. Ask God to give you opportunities each day to tell about-and to show-God’s love.

If you would like to share your personal testimonial, or if you have a special prayer request, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to add your testimony or prayer request below.

May almighty God bless you abundantly,

Tony

Tony Marino
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

John Mark, with the help of some time and encouragement, became a wise learner. Although he was eager to do the right thing, he had trouble staying on task. In his Gospel, Mark mentions a young man (probably himself) who fled in such fear during Jesus’ arrest that he left his clothes behind (Mark 14:50-52). This tendency to run showed up again later in Mark’s life when Paul and Barnabas took him as their assistant on their first missionary journey. Early in the trip, Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 12:23-13:13).

Paul didn’t appreciate Mark’s desertion. Two years later, Paul wouldn’t even consider letting Mark try again. As a result, the team split up (Acts 15:36-39). Barnabas took his cousin Mark as his traveling companion, while Paul chose Silas.

Barnabas was patient with Mark, and the young man turned out to be a good investment. In fact, Paul and Mark were later reunited. The older apostle became a close friend of the young disciple (2 Timothy 4:11).

Mark was able to watch closely the lives of three Christian leaders-Barnabas, Paul, and Peter. Peter probably provided much of the information in Mark’s Gospel. As his helper, Mark had a chance to hear Peter’s stories of he years with Jesus over and over. Mark became one of the first to put Jesus’ life into writing.

Mark’s experience can remind us to learn from our mistakes and to appreciate the patience of the others. Who is the Barnabas or Peter in your life? How has he or she encouraged you?

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, turn and face the south and speak out against it; prophesy against the brushlands of the Negev. Tell the southern wilderness, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Hear the word of the Lord! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north. And everyone in the world will see that I, the Lord, have set this fire. It will not be put out.’” (Ezekiel 20:45-48)

According to Jewish law, unclean objects were to be passed through fire in order to purify them.

Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The Lord has given Moses this legal requirement: Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone (Numbers 31:21-23).

But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold (Job 23:10).

You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver (Psalm 66:10).

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart (Proverbs 17:3).

God’s judgment is designed to purify; destruction often is a necessary part of that process. Hard times and discipline are the “fire” God uses to purify.

Feeling the heat? Can you, like Job, say with confidence, “God knows where I am going.  And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:10)?

May almighty God bless you always,

In love,

Tony

Tony Marino
Christian Times Online
http://www.ChristianTimesNewsletter.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

Timothy probably became a Christian when Paul visited his hometown of Lystra during his first missionary journey (Acts 14:8-20). Timothy’s Jewish mother and grandmother had prepared him by teaching him the Old Testament. By the time Paul visited Lystra again, Timothy was a growing Christian who jumped at the chance to travel with Paul and Silas.

Away from home, Timothy struggles with shyness. But Paul chose to give Timothy important responsibilities in the ministry. Paul even made Timothy his personal representative on several occasions. Although Timothy sometimes failed, Paul never gave up on him.

Timothy was like a son to Paul, which is evident throughout 1 and 2 Timothy. The letters were intended to encourage and direct Timothy in Ephesus, where Paul had left him in charge of a young church (1 Timothy 1:3-4). These letters also have encouraged countless other “Timothys” through the centuries. Are you  a “Timothy”? Be encouraged!

When you face a challenge that seems beyond your abilities, you can find encouragement in 1 and 2 Timothy.

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

As new Christians, we have a new longing in our hearts; a new hunger. We are not self-sustained; we are God-sustained. We are newborn babes the whole way through. In the Book of Peter, Peter describes the attitude as desiring the spiritual milk, “the sincere milk of the word.” Food makes a difference. Spiritual milk makes us grow unto salvation. So that’s the thing we live on. The Word as “milk” suggests that it is a perfect food for children, containing all the elements for building up the body. So the Word is perfect for building up the soul.

“Word” in 1 Peter 2:2 could very well mean Christ as well as His Word, for in the third verse we read that if you have once tasted of the Lord you will find He is gracious. He is the nourishment of our souls.

Peter says that when we become “sons of God” (John 1:12), we are like newborn babies (1 Peter 2:2-3). We need food to make us grow. This is just what God has provided in His Word. Desire the Word as newborn babes, and eating it, grow thereby. You will find that it tastes good (Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 3:1-3). Christ will become real and gracious to you (1 Peter 1:23; 2:2-3).

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty (Jeremiah 15:16).

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth (Ezekiel 3:1-3).

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- (John 1:12)

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23).

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:2-3).

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

How far will you go to defend your faith in God? Do you find yourself walking in the flesh before spirit? In a world so full of he has, she has, and what will others think of me, is it truly possible to put God first in all you do? We carefully examine these all-important Christian topics.

Our special guest tonight is Apostle Richard Wright of Eagles Wings Christian Ministries in Oregon.

Our featured Christian music artist is Janet Vines.

This week’s Bible study reading is from the Hebrews.

Our Book of the Week is…

What in the World Is Going On? 10 Prophetic Clues You Cannot Afford to Ignore By Dr. David Jeremiah / Thomas Nelson Israel, oil, the European Union, Islam; every day the media report on these flashpoint issues, but they almost never put them into the context of the biblical end times. How they relate to each other and how they relate to the last days are more important than isolated stories containing them as elements, but what does the finished puzzle look like? Combining all these with biblical themes of the Rapture, the Antichrist and Armageddon, David Jeremiah singles out ten issues relevant to the end of history as we know it, and he expertly weaves them together to illustrate a framework for the future. Stark in its depiction of upcoming world events and bold in its declaration of salvation of the repentant faithful, What in the World is Going On? helps to lift the mystery away from these often difficult to understand parts of prophecy.

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The two best known characters in the book are Gideon (6:1-8:35) and Samson. Samson and his affair with Delilah is the best known story (16:1-16:31).

I. Israel following the death of Joshua, 1:1-3:6
II. Israel under the judges, 3:7-16:31
III. The failings during the period of the judges, 17:1-21:25

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Probably the most recognized scriptures in the book are those describing the story of Joshua and the Israelites’ conquest of the city of Jericho (6:1-6:27).

I. Entering the land of Canaan and conquering it, 1:1-12:24
II. Dividing the land, 13:1-21:45
III. Joshua’s farewell, 22:1-24:33

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I. Review of Israelites’ journey from Egypt, 1:1-4:43
II. The laws of God reviewed, 4:44-26:19
III. The covenant of God ratified, 27:1-30:20
IV. Moses and his final days, 31:1-34:12

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I. The Israelites in the Sinai, 1:1-4:49
II. More laws of God for the people, 5:1-10:10
III. Toward the plains of Israel, 10:11-33:49
IV. Entering the land of Canaan, 33:50-36:13

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I. The sacrificial system defined, 1:1-10:20
II. The laws of God for the people, 11:1-15:33
III. The Day of Atonement, 16:1-17:16
IV. Other laws of God for the people, 18:1-27:34

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I. Israel’s slavery in Egypt, 1:1-12:36
II. Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt, 12:37-14:31
III. The Israelites in the Sanai, 15:1-40:38

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I. Creation and the fall, 1:1-5:32
II. Noah and his descendants, 6:1-11:26
III. Abram (Abraham) and his descendants, 11:27-25:18
IV. Isaac, Jacob, and Esau, 25:19-36:43
V. The story of Joseph, 37:1-50:26

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The Problem:

Why Jesus Could Help: Jesus was not only a man; he was God’s unique son. Because Jesus never disobeyed God and never sinned, only He can bridge the gap between the sinless God and sinful mankind.

The Solution: Jesus freely offered His life for us, dying on the cross in our place, taking all our wrongdoing upon Himself, and saving us from the consequences of sin-including God’s judgment and death. God in His love and in His justice sent Jesus to take our place.

The Results: Jesus took our past, present, and future sins upon Himself so that we could have new life. Because all our wrongdoing is forgiven, we are reconciled to God. Furthermore, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the proof that His sacrifice on the cross in our place was acceptable to God, and His resurrection has become the source of the new life for those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. All who believe in Him may have new life and live it in union with perfect Him.

May almighty God bless you always,

Tony

Tony Marino
Christian Times Online
http://www.christiantimesnewsletter.com

©2010 Christian Times Online - Free Christian Business and Christian Marketing Newsletter. All Rights Reserved.

How waiting on God can render a blessing far beyond your human comprehension. (Genesis 1) How can you protect your children from the enemy’s Internet attack? How should you respond if your church pastor leaves your church? How much do you think you love Jesus? (Mark 6:7) How to know if you are making the most of your Bible reading. We carefully examine these all-important Christian topics.

Our featured Christian music artist is Jessica Smith-Wright. This week’s Bible study reading is from the Mark. Our Book of the Week is Tony Dungy’s, Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance.

Uncommon: Finding Your Path to SignificanceBy Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker / Tyndale House What does it mean to be a man of significance in a culture that doesn’t offer many positive role models? Reflecting on lessons he’s learned from his parents, career, mentors, and journey with God, Dungy moves beyond material success to illuminate those ambitions, attitudes, and allegiances that make our lives truly meaningful. 256 pages, hardcover from Tyndale.

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