<h1>Be Prepared</h1>
If you have spent any time at all in prison, then you have definitely heard someone say, “ you don’t have to get ready, if you stay ready!”

They were Probably using this statement to impress upon those around them that they stay alert and therefore couldn’t be caught unprepared to meet violence with violence. Or maybe they meant that they were too crafty to get caught with contraband by the correctional officers. But that is our old nature- the nature and thinking that brought us to prison in the first place.

However, if applied correctly, this cliché still contains much truth. We could understand this saying in a deeper way when we see that being “ready” is the state of preparedness that we have accomplished in our lives. It is absolutely true that if we have taken the time to prepare then we will not have to rush around to get prepared for what we see coming at the last moment.

Some things you can’t prepare for in a hurried manner, they take time to prepare. For instance, if you were going to compete in a bodybuilding competition or a marathon you couldn’t begin the day or even the week of the event to condition your body. We also know that you can’t build a house without first digging and pouring a footing and then laying its foundation. Yet, often in our spiritual life we try to throw up the walls and roof of our house before we even lay our foundation. When the storms of life come, we find we didn’t adequately prepare our foundation. Jesus talks about this in Matthew 7; 24 – 27.

Jesus said, “anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rain and flood come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash”.

See the only difference in these two houses is how the builders prepared the foundation. If we are diligent to open God’s word daily and find out what Jesus taught, we can continually build our foundation in him and be ready for any storm so, if we stay ready, we won’t have to get ready!

<h1>As we head into the Spring season, I am reminded that new life is in bloom.</h1>
Although winter has been dull and dreary, color is returning to the Earth, everywhere you look. The grass is green again and the trees and shrubs are soon to bud. Likewise, we should also remember to be aware of the seasons in our own lives. We may have just come through a dark winter of the soul, but take heart; a new season is at hand.

Frustration sometimes comes because we are impatient for the fruit of Summer in the dead of winter. It is not always harvesting time, but there is always work to be done. Sometimes, it is the Season of preparation.

Sometimes, we must simply be diligent to plant and water. Finally, if we are consistent, we will enjoy a fruitful harvest. The same is true of the Spiritual life as well. If the last season of your life has been hard, know this, that season can’t last forever. If you haven’t given up, you will see the fruits of your labor in the coming season.

Don’t give up my brothers and sisters! God is faithful! “And let us not grow weary wile doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart – Galatians 6:9 ; “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1. “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the Earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”- James5:7-8

The following is a short (5 minute) Park Prison Ministry activity report video

https://youtu.be/GWKqjlkZ8kI

EMPOWER YOUR FAITH

This site is excellent, I hope you check it out.

Home – EyeWitness (eyewitnessbible.org)

Thank you for coming to the dinner, either in person or in spirit… we appreciate all you have done for the Prison Ministry, and in fact for all the ministries of the Park Church of Christ…

Please Watch the included video… it’s only about 2 minutes long

You can watch the video here

According to a Pew Research Center study 50% of our children raised in the Church come home from college as Atheists.

Most of us realize something seriously has gone wrong in America, and the world. 

Every time I think we have hit bottom, I see us sinking, once again, deeper (as a nation, and world) to a new level of depravity. 

For instance, how many of us would have ever dreamed we could send our children to a university, and they would come home atheist and believing in such nonsense as men can have babies? 

Now that I am among the elderly at age 75, I often find myself asking what happened to the America I knew as a child? 

The strange thing is I also remember the elderly 65 years ago asking the same questions I am asking today. 

I don’t really know how the change began, but I do know two things…. It started with the young, and it started a long time ago.  

The most important question is how we can change this downward trend.  

The children are the foundation of all civilizations… they are our future, and this is where the return to sanity and faith must begin. 

When I consider prison reform, which is actually prisoner reform begins when they are children… by changing their direction early.

But…. How do we do that?

The following 5 things represent a good start.

5 Reasons To Teach Apologetics To Your Children
Posted by
By Tatiana
October 25, 2019

5 Reasons To Teach Apologetics To Your Children
Apologetics has become a very important part of my life. I’m the type of person that needs to fully understand the why, behind every because. For ten years I’ve read countless books on Christian theology, attended conferences, and taken classes at church. I can say whole-heartedly say that I know why I believe what I believe, however, it wasn’t until recently that I felt a calling to share not only what I’ve learned, but to urge my family to always be ready.

Studies show we are losing our kids to the world in elementary, middle school, and high school and not in just in college as previously thought.

I want to challenge you into digging into God’s word deeper. I want to encourage you to teach your children more than Bible stories, and I want to help you promote a true desire for knowing God personally through His word and His creation.

• Teach apologetics to encourage a well-rooted foundation.

If you’re a believer, you’ve either read or narrated the Genesis account of creation to your children. We see it as history, as fact, as truth and we present it as such. When our children are young, they believe every word, until one day they don’t.

When they start to question what we’ve taught them we refer them to scripture and tell them of the love of Jesus. There’s nothing wrong with this of course, but we must teach our kids why we believe what we believe.

If we teach them why they will be less likely to fall prey to false teachings.

• Teach apologetics to assure them of the authority of ALL scripture.
  My Pastor always says that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Every word is inspired, not just the parts we like, the parts we agree with, or the parts that are politically correct. We can trust it completely, and we are to take it literally.

• Teach apologetics to bring them to a deeper relationship with God.
  If what the Bible says about God’s character is true, then our commitment to Him must be absolute.

If His love is as deep as the Bible says it is, our sole purpose of living ought to be to please Him.

Coming to a full understanding of who He is, will bring our children and ourselves to true worship.

•  Teach apologetics to equip them with answers to the hard questions.
  Where did God come from?

Why do you believe the Bible is the word of God?

How can a God of love allow suffering in the world?

What if, you had to narrate the creation account to an atheist?

The argument most well-meaning-Christians use against the unbelief of an atheist is: it’s in the Bible. What those same well-meaning-Christians ought to remember is that the Bible holds no authority in an unbeliever’s life. How then will you make a case for Christ, the cross and the resurrection?

• Teach apologetics because you are commanded to do so.
  Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
  Proverbs 22:6

Teach them diligently.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 Here are a few Resouces for teaching your children.

https://creationtoday.org/apologetics-for-children-be-ready-always/

Foundation world view: Christian apologetics for kids

Apologetics questions every Christian Parent Needs to Learn

Child Size Apologetics 

I believe we all look for a “Better Life”

Generally we think of worldly things… maybe what would be happiness for some would to be a successful business man, or lawyer, Doctor, or maybe a great athlete.

When Jody and I were Chaplains with Hospice I never met anyone who was facing death who really cared about those things… at this time of life… the end… the things of true value come into focus… God, faith, and love of family and friends.

I didn’t meet one person who seemed to fear death, their minds were on their loved ones

The foundation of all things is LOVE….

1 John 4:10-12 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The Royal Law…. The greatest law of all… is love… James 2:8

What if… just this one day… everyone who greets you, and asks how you are doing, you answered with … I’ve never been better!

Do you know how that would affect you, and those you greet?

What if… just this one day… If you see someone you could help in some way, and you did… do you know what that would do to two hearts?

What if… just this one day… You let one person know how much they are appreciated… where would that take their attitude… and yours?

What if… just this one day… if someone is rude to you, but rather than be defensive you just decided … to forget defense and show love in return… would that change your day, your outlook,  and the other persons as well?

What if… just this one day… You decided to forgive everyone for any perceived sin or assault against you… without being asked?   Where would that take you this day?

What if… just this one day…

YOU CHOSE LOVE

James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

This is Agape Love… it means doing for others, to put others needs equal to your own, it is an action love…  And this is the love used throughout the bible…

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

Mark 12:28-34 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.

33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

Love ends arguments

Matthew 22: 36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

 Love God, Love Each Other, Love your Neighbor, Love your enemy…… the message to Christians is to love… everything hangs on this one thing… Love!

Yes, we have other commands to follow… but they are useless without love as the foundation…

And, they are impossible to fulfill without Love coming first.

Let’s close with these verses

Numbers 6: 22 – 26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.” ’

And where does that peace come from if not from love… and where must the love start… with you… start a wildfire of love today…

51% of Scientist believe in God

C.S. Lewis correctly states that Pride is the granddaddy of all sin. Most sins start here… pride.

And as look around our world and see signs of the time of rapture… the persecution of Christians a level we have never experience before, even here in America. The potential for the end-times great revival now developing in Kentucky, and the Jewish Rabies in Jerusalem on the verge of declaring a man the “Messiah”… the big three signs of the approaching rapture… maybe looking at the source of sins is a positive way to prepare ourselves for the event Christians have been looking forward to for 2,000 years.

A scientific Approach to Christianity The Mind

Let’s begin at the beginning…. And what is the beginning of the Mind except at birth itself.

It is said by many that we are innocent until we reach the age of accountability which is a different age for everyone.

But what does that mean?

We are accountable for sins we have been committing since birth…

What is the granddaddy of all sin? Pride

Pride is anything self-centered.

Many say we are born into sin… but how is a baby sinful?

When a baby is born it knows nothing but self… it’s own needs, hunger, clean diaper, and etc.

When a baby reaches about age 2 we start hearing things like “I can do it myself”

This is a desire for self-reliance, again, a sense of self.

Its world is still wrapped around self.

It is a parent duty, obligation to teach the child to look beyond self, to look at others and desire their benefit as we do our own… in other words our first duty to a child is the 2^nd greatest commandment. To love your neighbor as yourself….

In ages past we saw this, the child was not glorified, was not taught to glorify itself, but more like,

“a child is to be seen, and not heard”.

Modern child psychology would probably be totally offended by this… because they are deceived into thinking they have the right answers, they are the intellectuals the rest of us need to obey.

Which is what? An even greater elevation of pride.

Many of todays children are incorrectly taught to have great self-esteem and respect… center on self… if it’s not good for me it’s not good.

When a child is raised like this, the later need for self-rejection, the opposite of pride, becomes very difficult, and the idea of self-sacrifice is completely insane to them.

However, pride runs much deeper than this…. Much deeper!

The following is a Catholic Video speaking to Pride… it is very good, and sometimes hard to take because it doesn’t leave any of us out. We can find ourselves somewhere in the video, so if we refuse to watch, or if we reject the part we dislike isn’t that pride?

One of the great deceptions of Satan is to hide from our view the sin of pride through the prideful thoughts of entitlement.

And, on the other hand, if we recognize ourselves and use the information to grow by rejecting self, and self-entitlement, shouldn’t that be our goal, and our purpose?

Matthew 7:21-23  Amplified Bible

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’

And, what about those who wait until the last moment… just before death???

Proverbs 1: Matthew 7:21-23

Amplified Bible

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’

Rejecting the Creator results in moral depravity (Romans 1:20-32). The Bible warns that when mankind rejects the overwhelming evidence for a Creator, lawlessness will result. Since the theory of evolution has swept the globe, abortion, pornography, genocide, etc., have all risen sharply.

And the moral depravity is undeniable as we see leaders of our nation promoting the murdering of innocent babies, mutilating sexually children who survived abortion, people thinking men can have babies….

Romans 1:18-32 King James Version

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.