Toothless

I must be getting old. Our 5 year old daughter Emma lost her first baby tooth today. It had been loose for a few weeks and we were waiting for it to fall out. When she told me, I was of course excited and asked where she put it. Her reply, "I threw it in the garbage." I immediately began searching the waste basket full of horrors I would rather forget. It wasn't until Emma found it that I was delivered from the smells that no one should have to endure. Now the tooth proudly sits on our piano, reminding us that time waits for no man and marches on to the return of the LORD.
Of course this incident can be used as an illustration of what mankind does with Jesus and His offer of salvation. To some it is wonderfully valuable, more precious than gold or silver. It means deliverance from evil and death. He grants eternal life, blessing, forgiveness, adoption into His divine family, reconciliation, regeneration and resurrection to name a few. However, there are many who discard Jesus as easily as Emma threw away her tooth. They see Him only as a controversial teacher or a man who may have never existed at all. What are you doing with Jesus? Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior? Do you commune with Him daily as the bread of life, allowing Him to feed you spiritually and sustaining you both here in this life and in the eternal life to come? Do you spend time in His Word, learning from Him and applying His teachings daily by the power of the Holy Spirit? Or have you discarded Him?
Emma's tooth possessed no value to her, but to Laura and I it had tremendous value as being her first baby tooth that fell out. I wonder how valuable it will be to her now, knowing that we'll be giving her a few dollars as a reward for it??????

Hope in Christ

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a typically busy summer, more so with Awana in our lives full time.  We just got back from our trip to Kirkland Lake yesterday where we served for 9 days, ministering to a town in desperate need for hope, and a brief visit to the Awana scholarship camp. We had a great time, but again were reminded that life without Christ is hopeless and desperate. Kirkland Lake is a mining town which has survived the recession quite well because the value of gold has skyrocketed. But the use and dependence on alcohol and drugs has also skyrocketed. Families are broken to the point that children don't even know who their parents are. Children actually wander into Sunday school from the streets without parents, not knowing what to do. The youth seem aimless and spiritually starved. The spiritual disposition of the area is grim. I don't mean to generalize or sound like a "Debbie downer" because we did see the hand of the LORD moving in a number of lives and churches in the area. But it's a town that desperately needs the revitalizing news of Jesus!
Please pray for this area, it's a mission field in our own country, one we plan (LORD willing) to visit again and again.
On a personal note, I had a great time leading the games time at the VBS we minintered at. I also was invited to preach at two of the churches in the area, though I was only available to speak at one. I shared from John 6:22-35, in which Jesus explains that He is the Bread of life and the importance of nourishing ourselves spiritually on Him. A truth this area needs badly. If it's the LORD's will, we hope to get up there again to minister.
We have dear friends in the town pastoring a church who were willing to give up there house so we could have a place to stay. Thanks Carl and Sherri, you have displayed the sacrificial servant's heart of Christ so beautifully and we will not soon forget it. God's blessings to you as you continue to "harvest the fields".
Thanks to everyone praying for us......and as I said, keep Kirkland Lake in your prayers.
On a lighter side, I did get to see a three legged bear at the local hot spot, the town dump.........yes I said the town dump :)