Joe Educator

Explain That!...unless He is who He said He was.

2011-12-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

President Ronald Reagan once commented on the earthly ministry of Christ:
"Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't
help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of
all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man,
that He lived and that He was put to death by crucifixion. Where...is the
miracle I spoke of? Well consider this and let your imagination translate the
story into our own time-possibly to your own home town.

"A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in His father's
shop. One day He puts down His tools and walks out of His father's shop. He
starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside, walking
from place to place, preaching all the while, even though He is not an
ordained minister. He does this for three years. Then He is arrested, tried,
and convicted. There is no court of appeal, so He is executed at the age 33
along with two common thieves. Those in charge of His execution roll dice to
see who gets His clothing-the only possessions He has. His family cannot
afford a burial place for Him so He is interred in a borrowed tomb. End of
story? No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who...left no written word
has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers,
kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars,
scientists and philosophers who have ever lived-all of them put together. How
do we explain that?...unless He really was who He said He was."

As President Reagan noted, Jesus has had more impact on the world than any
ruler or philosopher who has ever lived. He changed history by His birth and
is still changing the world today. But imagine what would have happened had
no one known about Jesus' birth. What if the shepherds didn't tell others
about the babe in the manger? How would they have known their Messiah had
come?

Even today, how will others know about the Saviour if no one tells them? Like
the shepherds, we are sent to tell everyone we know about the birth of our
Saviour 2,000 years ago and the free gift of salvation He offers them today.

The Christmas season is here, and the hope of salvation is still alive in
each of us if we know Him. Take time each day to share God's Good News with
someone. Keep the Christmas spirit alive by sharing the spirit of Christ
today.

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And
they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds."

Luke 2:15-18

Christ's birth changed the world when the shepherds spread the word.

3 Prayer Stories

2011-10-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Just this past Friday, I drove the bus for our sports teams to a set of games with a school in our School Association. The pastor at this Church and School ministry related to me a wonderful story of answered prayer during our conversation. I have added 2 more to it that I hope will be a blessing to all readers.

Story #1...

Evangelist Don Green is known the world over as a prayer warrior. While he was one of the preachers in a meeting this past year for Dr. Keith Gomez, in between services Dr. Gomez introduced Dr. Green to his son and daughter in law. During the conversation, Dr. Gomez brought out the fact that his own boys would be the end of the Gomez line as far as his family was involved. His male children have no boys to continue the family name. Dr. Green stopped the dialog and asked, "Wait a minute, would you two like to have a boy?"

You can imagine that their response was hesitant and reluctant. "Um, yes."

"Now..." he said, "I am not being trite, but I want to know... will you raise him for God, and do your best to see that he serves God with his life? I am going to pray and ask God to give you a boy, but I am just asking you to make sure you are going to do your part to rear him for God."

Dr. Green prayed for that young couple, and immediately after the prayer, Mrs. Green said, "honey, if I were you I would start picking up items for a baby boy."

Just here recently, at Dr. Keith Gomez's church, he had Dr. Green speaking at another meeting. While introducing him to the crowd, Dr. Gomez told that story and then announced....
"...today at noon, a baby boy was born to my son and daughter in law. And I can't think of a better was to introduce a speaker to you than that!"

Story # 2...

"William Horst gave this testimony to E.M. Bounds of answered prayer: "One
evening I left my office in New York with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I
had with me (as I thought) my thick warm muffler, but when I proceeded to
button up against the storm, I found that it was gone. I turned back, looked
along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized that I must
have dropped it, and I prayed to God that I would find it; for such was the
state of the weather that it would be running a great risk to proceed
without it. I looked again up and down the surrounding streets, but without
success. Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out
something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler.
He handed it to me saying, "It was blown to me by the wind." He who rides
upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer."

--William Horst

Story #3...

A. C. Dixon tells the following story of a friend of his: "A dear friend of
mine who was quite a lover of hunting, told me the following story. 'Rising
early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the barking of a number of dogs
chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young
fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was
almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched
within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came
over, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs.
I lifted the little thing to my breast, and swinging round and round, fought
off the dogs. Just then I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and
would not capture that fawn after it weakness had appealed to my strength.'
So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. I remember well,
when the hounds of sin were after my soul, that at last I ran into the arms
of Almighty God."

--A.C. Dixon

James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed."

John 14:12-14
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
my name, I will do it."

Air Force Working to Remove Bible from Courses.

2011-09-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

Back in early August, "The Blaze" brought us the controversy surrounding a missile training course that the Air Force suspended following complaints about the inclusion of Bible verses in the curriculum.

Now, Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) is asking for a detailed report from the Air Force that explains why the course, entitled “Just War Theory,” was canned (the course was taught at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base).

Clearly bothered by the Air Force’s willingness to amend the course to remove the Christian passages, Cornyn sent a letter of concern to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley. In the note, which was given exclusively to Fox News Radio, he wrote:

“…suspending a course like this because of references to religious texts misinterprets the First Amendment. Although our Founding Fathers rightly included language in the Constitution that precludes the Federal government from establishing an official religion, this language does not, as some have argued, protect them from exposure to religious references. The First Amendment is intended to guarantee an individual’s right to the free exercise of religion according to his or her conscience.”
---Texas Sen. John Cornyn

Others, of course, disagree with Cornyn’s take on the matter. Despite the fact that the course had been implemented for 20 years without incident, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says that it violates the constitution’s intent to keep church and state separated.

Pause for a moment to bring to mind the truth... that the Constitution never did intend to separate Church and State as liberals try to use it to do now. Neither did it attempt to separate God and State, as it is presently being used. That TRUTH aside, now the government is violating the clause in the 1st Amendment by (in thousands of ways) spending money and resources in the effort of removing all Bible references, God references, scriptural ideas and general wholesome thoughts from all public life.

The reason that the AF course included the references to Scripture is that they have some military significance and value. Reality Check!!... Let the liberals cry about the course because of Bible passages. If they did not have that, they would cry because it is a War Course. So now we throw out all reference to Bible verses even if they have some use other than teaching a particular doctrine?! They were being used to teach war theory, not Baptism.

Watch out for your neighborhood liberal. They are dishonest in their motive for removing the Bible. Even when it is not used in a Doctrinal teaching or for the proselyting of souls, the liberal must see it removed. ALL mention of it is offensive to them. ALL uses of it are intrusive to them. ALL prayers in public must be hidden from them. ALL .... you imagine the rest.

What is next? All Bibles must be removed from public, in case a liberal sees one? Or maybe all Christians have to be limited in our speech, in case a liberal hears one?

Praise God For Christian schools, Christian voters, Christians in the workplace, ETC.

College Bans The National Anthem

2011-06-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

Back in January of 2010, Goshen College, a small liberal arts school in
Indiana, decided to allow its college's Athletic Department to play an
instrumental version of the Star-Spangled Banner before sporting events.

But yesterday, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, in "response to
complaints from students, faculty members and alumni," the school's board
of directors barred the practice.

In a press release, the board said it was a tough decision that took a lot
of discussion. Even so, the board acknowledged it was bound to be a
controversial one. Goshen is a ministry of the Mennonite Church USA, but
the church, the press release noted, does not have a policy on the
national anthem.

"Goshen College has been and remains a ministry of Mennonite Church USA
with an enduring peace tradition," Carlos Romero, executive director of
the Mennonite Education Agency said in a statement. "The Board's decision
reflects a belief that faith and honoring country can co-exist without
disturbing higher allegiances to God and that Goshen College will become
increasingly diverse and will welcome diverse viewpoints."

The board has asked the school's president to find an alternative to
playing the national anthem.

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports the school first changed its
policy to be more welcoming to visiting teams, "but the decision sparked
resistance from some who believe the hymn glorifies war and distracts from
the college's Christian values."

Speaking to Fox Radio News, Goshen college art professor John Blosser
explained why the song is a problem for people at the school. “It’s
obviously about a battle… It’s about using violence to conquer and that
would be something that many people here would have problems with.”

Now A few observations regarding this story.

1. Why was it not played before 2010? Was it to violent of a song back
then too? This college did not play the anthem before 2010.

2. Without the war that the song portrays, we would not have the freedom
necessary to have a Goshen College. Freedom often requires War, or at least the willingness to go to war.

3. We did not go out to "conquer" anything in the War of 1812. It was
necessary to defend ourselves from the British government so bent on
destroying freedom that it would take us on again, and go to war with us again. They brought on the war, we defended ourselves. IS THAT TOO VIOLENT FOR YOU? The song (it was a poem at first), is about the flag still flying after we were attacked by another country. It is not about the flag, or the U.S. attacking someone to "conquer" them. Goshen College should fire the art professor, or make him take some history classes.

4. Move the college to a country without a heritage of war. If you can
find one, you will most likely also find one that does not have a heritage
of freedom either.

5. Schools are too focused on educating politically correct wimps, and
should be concerned about producing patriotic, productive, strong
graduates who want to do something real with their lives.

6. Are we concerned about playing a song deemed too violent - right before
a football game???? REALLY. 22 guys are about to bash each others brains
out, for sport. But it is too violent to have a song about the flag played
by some kids with a trumpet and a flute?

7. I can't think about it anymore. It makes my head hurt....as well as my
heart. Almost makes me ashamed to be from Indiana, where this "college" is
located.

8. Copy the following link to see more about the great flag sung about
in our National Anthem. I have seen this one of a kind flag several times in the Smithsonian Museum with my own eyes.

http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/starflag.htm

Joe
--

Blame, already, For the Tucson Shooting?? Really?

2011-01-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Since the Pima County Sheriff came to his first ever National press conference and blamed conservative speech for all violence in America, I have felt it necessary to offer a more common sense response.

Leave aside for a minute, as the liberals and the left are, that the shooter is actually responsible for his own actions. "I thought this was to be a common sense reply," you say? I know, but stay with me for a minute.

As a political and religious conservative, having been called in most recent years an extremist, I am like the rest of the country disgusted with the accusations that the ideology of small government rule is responsible for violence against liberal government officials. The list of those blamed this week includes the following…
1. Sarah Palin
2. Glen Beck
3. George Bush
4. Rush Limbaugh
5. The Bible, Jesus
6. Talk Radio
7. All conservative speech

Of course, lost in the conversation to follow has been the fact that the mass murderer has been influenced more by worship in the occult, and ant-religion speech . There are no facts to support that anti-government or anti-democrat speech influenced him at all.

So let’s face it, those actually responsible have turned out to be…

1. Occult worshipers( that is what he believed in and practiced, not Glen Beck)

2. Educational institutions ( for teaching the mass murderer that human life has no more value than animal life, and for teaching him evolution, which convinced him to remove bad seeds from the human race so it could evolve into something better without her (Cong. Giffords )political influence)

3. Democrat policy (for proposing to further restrict his speech, as he felt Cong Giffords did)

4. Liberal anti-death penalty proponents ( for not hanging the last mass murderer yet, so this mass murderer would not fear consequences)

5. Separation of Church and state proponents ( for keeping religion out of the schools the mass murderer attended. Taught religion, he would have listened to God and not the occult)

6. And why not….Bill Maher ( mostly just because he is a fool, Biblically. But following the liberal’s logic, he rails against good, character filled, moral people like Cong. Giffords. Bill is more to blame than Beck.)

He is a product of Liberal and Anti-God teaching and not a product of Conservative and Anti-Government teaching. Where are the news organizations on this one?

We have since had to digest a constant force feeding of tasteless and nauseating new proposed legislation that we are being assured will Cure the Disease. I have a list of my own on who is responsible for infecting the most free country in the universe with the seeds of disintegration that we now witness. You just read it. They have infected the USA with the disease.

In Conclusion, We must teach our children values that promote peace and freedom, and service to others. We must teach the values that we ultimately have a responsibility to God for all of our actions. Thusly, we will do them and our society a great service.

Godly Leadership in the Home

2010-10-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

/God gives parents the responsibility of teaching their children to love
God./

Becoming a parent brings with it many joys, happiness, and good memories. But
that time in a couple's life also brings new trials and challenges. Someone
once recommended the following tests for couples to determine if they are
ready for children.

-The Mess Test-Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place fish
sticks behind the couch and leave them there all summer.
-The Toy Test-Obtain a 55 gallon barrel of Legos (If Legos are not
available, you may substitute roofing tacks). Spread them all over the
house, put on a blindfold, and try to walk to the bathroom. Do not cry; this
could wake the children.
-The Grocery Store Test-Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best).
Take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in
sight, and pay for anything they eat or damage.
-The Feeding Test-Obtain a large plastic milk jug, fill halfway with water,
and suspend from the ceiling with a stout chord. Start the jug swinging and
try to insert soggy cereal such as fruit loops into the mouth of the jug while pretending to be an airplane. Now drop the contents of the jug on the
floor.
-The Final Test-Find a young couple that already has a child. Lecture them
on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet
training, and table training manners. Emphasize to them that they should
never allow their children to run wild.

While parenting certainly brings many challenges, one new responsibility
parents face is spiritually leading their children. God sets fathers as the
spiritual leaders in the home, and commands mothers to support the father's
leadership as he follows God. But what happens when parents neglect to
spiritually lead their children?

Eli was a spiritual man. He was God's priest in the temple and spent most his
life helping others worship God. Yet when it came to his family, he neglected
to provide spiritual leadership to his sons. He placed his work and ministry
over his family, and the result was rebellious sons who brought him shame.
Rebellious children aren't always a sign of a neglectful parent, but when
parents fail to spiritually lead their children, rebellion is a result.

Providing spiritual leadership for your children is a vital part of
parenting. You can teach them how to hit a ball, solve a math problem, or
socially interact with others; but if you haven't taught your children how to
follow God, you have failed them. God gives you, as parents, the
responsibility of teaching your children to love God.

How are you spiritually leading your children? Begin by giving them an
example of a godly life. Live your life how you would want your children to
live. Show them the blessings of a godly life by living one. Also, teach them
of God's principles. Share Scripture with them in family devotions, pray with
them, involve them in church, and lovingly guide them to follow God.

Perhaps your greatest role as a parent will be as spiritual leader. Fathers,
lead your home to obey God's Word. Mothers, support your husband's leadership
and teach your children God's Word from a young age. Work together to guide
your children into a loving relationship with God.

1 Samuel 2:22-25

/"Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and
how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of
your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report
that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to transgress. If one man sin against
another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who
shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of
their father, because the LORD would slay them."/

Reactions

2010-09-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

Often, we harm a relationship with someone we care about - simply because we reacted poorly. Our responses can put us into a situation we do not desire, even when they are justified according to our own thinking.

A little poem can help us with our spirit concerning what we hear, and how we react to it.

Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it.

Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet.

Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor.

Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving.

Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven is above you.
And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.

While we know that true joy only comes from Jesus, the above advice is
beneficial if we follow it.

Friends

2010-04-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

/"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."/
Galatians 5:7-9

/Even a little wrong influence can lead to devastating consequences./

A British newspaper was struggling financially. Readership was down, people were disinterested in the paper, and many newspapers in the business had already shut down. The editor-in-chief of the paper was a young, energetic man who had a passion for the newspaper. He often worked ninety hours a week, devoting his whole self to the advancement of the paper. When notified that his paper would soon be closed if revenues weren't increased, he brainstormed for a plan to stimulate interest in the paper. Not long later, he came up with a brilliant idea. The paper would hold a contest. The rules were this: the paper wanted readers to submit a story in which they came up with the definition of a "friend." The winner of the story would have their entry printed, their picture in the paper, and their definition submitted to a local publishing company to be included in a special edition of a dictionary. Although his idea was a long stretch, he counted on the fact that people would want to see their own picture in the paper, and would want their definition printed in the special edition dictionary.

His idea was a hit. The contest ran for three weeks, but in the first week alone hundreds of definitions were submitted. During the three weeks, readership increased by twenty percent, and newspapers were flying off the newsstands. Everyone wanted to see if his definition had been selected.

At the end of three weeks, the newspaper narrowed the search down to these definitions:
"One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable.""One who understands our silence.""A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.""A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down."
And the winning definition was "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."

While the newspaper's goal was to increase revenue, everyone who read the paper learned a great truth-friendship greatly impacts people. Simply from reading the entries, one can deduce that the writers had some personal experiences that affected their entries.
Friends play vital roles in our lives. Have you ever had a friend who knew just what to say in tough times, or perhaps they were a kind listener on whom you could always count? Never take for granted the influence of a friend.

Just as a friend can be a great influence for good, so a friend can influence for bad. Notice Paul's question to the Galatians,
/"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?"/ The Galatians had begun listening to false prophets and soon they were being affected by their doctrine. As Paul went on to say, /"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."/

Your friends affect you either positively or negatively. In your Christian battle, your friends are either strengthening you to fight the devil or they are weakening your defense. Which one are your friends? Don't allow wayward friends to pull you down. God desires you to be friendly and kind to everyone, yet only allow godly Christians focused on doing right to be your close friends.
Do you have godly influences as friends? Re-evaluate whom you allow to be your close friends. If someone is not spiritually helping you, you need to break that friendship with him. Giving up that friendship may be painful, but allowing them to adversely influence you will lead to greater consequences.

If you have a godly friend who encourages you to do right, thank them! Let them know of your gratitude for how they help you, and determine to be a godly encourager to them as well. Make sure your friends are headed in the same spiritual direction as you.

-- Paul Chappel

Flu Prevention

2009-09-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents,

As you know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu here at Jacksonville Christian Academy. We want to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, we need everyone’s help to do this.

We are working closely with the state health and education agencies and obtaining information from even the CDC, to monitor flu conditions, and find the best precautions. We are using that info to make decisions about the best actions to take at school. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

**If the flu becomes more severe, the CDC recommends additional steps to prevent its spread such as:
- Conducting active fever and flu symptom screening of students and staff here at school. **
- Making changes to increase the space between people such as moving desks farther apart and
postponing class trips. **
- Dismissing students from school for at least 7 days if they become sick. **
- Closing a class or school for a time if someone is diagnosed with a condition more severe than
regular influenza.
**Again, these are CDC recommendations that we will only consider if the flu becomes more severe. We have had a few regular flu cases so far, but our present situation is normal for this season.

We are doing many things to keep our school functioning as usual, including daily cleaning and disinfecting. Here are a few things you can do to help:

1. Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water and use an alcohol-based hand rub in-between washings. You can train this habit by doing it yourself.

2. Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm, or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.

3. Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

4 Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.

5. Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

For more information, visit www.flu.gov, or call1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu. We will notify you of any additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu.

Sincerely,

Joe Tarr
Principal

Why a Christian Education.

2009-08-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to see how many parents are abandoning their once "dearly held" conviction of a Christ centered education for their children. Whether it is the economy, the new charter or magnet school down the road, or the idea that "my child will have to face the world and the devil sometime anyway", we have a rash of changing ideals that govern the decision most impacting our children today.

While I cannot say that it is shocking, I must say that the present day movement away from Real Christian Schools is disturbing. While my school has enrolled as many this fall as we had at the end of last year, we are across our state and others seeing a huge wave of change. So what is the cause, who is the one to blame, why is it happening now?

The Bible says that "without Me ye can do nothing". (John 15:5) Yet so many parents are opting for the educational facility that seemingly prides itself on being Godless, without any teaching on Christ at all. How can they, it is forbidden. It is most certain that no matter what you believe the level of spirituality in your local public school district's school, IT IS NO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. No matte what your perceived virtue of the charter school in your area....it is a public / non -Christian School. It is a place where God is left out. On purpose. No appology.

Why the toughness. "Without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5)... that's why. Americans are proud enough to say, "we are doing great w/o God now, our kids will be great w/o later Him too". I say, sure, If you are of the belief that "doing nothing" is ok. You had them in a Christian school before because you really want to "do something" for them, and now you are, without realizing the destructive nature of your actions, dooming them to a "do nothing" education. Sorry, that is not my prognostication, it is Bible, and it is Truth. The real way to a productive life is also in the same verse " He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit..." Keep your children in a spiritual place. That is the priority.

I am certain I will be accused of saying that good Christian families have no possible way of rearing good kids since they have now put them in a non-Christian school. On the contrary, now you have the added possibility of rearing a child who thinks it is not as important to keep God first in every area of life, no matter the cost....for that is what you have shown them is acceptible thought.

I am not mad at you, I am instead very sad and disturbed. In my few decades of Christian Education, I have seen it too many times not to speak out. Too many families - that realize sometimes too late - that they have made a poor academic and spiritual choice for their family. Too many times I have set in the office with parents bringing children back to the Christian school, having now experienced personally what they were warned of before leaving (by me, and mostly by the Holy Spirit inside of them). Only now, we have the task of making up the gap caused by the missed time in good curriculum and around good Christian kids.

I am just saying, a non-Christian school is just that ... Non-Christian. Without Him we can do nothing. That has always been truth, and always will be the Truth. I want more for your child than any place else can offer. Nothing less will do.

What Convinced the Atheist that God Exists

2009-03-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

DNA Evidence Convinces Atheist that God Does Exist

By Melvin Richardson

Have you ever been in an argument or a discussion and you tried to convince someone that your point of view was correct? As you struggled with the argument it was apparent that you needed some concrete evidence in order for you to make a valid point and get this person to think along the lines of what you felt was right. So you lined up all your ducks in a row and presented you case in as convincing a way as possible. Finally, when you had all of your facts straight, up to the point where the person who you were trying to convince began to at least listen. Only to have something come along that completely cast doubt on what you were talking about. And as strong as you felt your point of view was it now paled in comparison to the other point of view, based on the new evidence.

Well this exactly what happened to Dr. Anthony Flew.
There was this guy, by the name of Dr. Antony Flew, who was an atheist and he was known for arguing and debating with various individuals trying to get them to believe in his atheist point of view. Only one problem, he ended up changing his mind because of DNA evidence. After everything was said and done he gave in to the fact that there must be some supreme intelligence behind the origin of life. He likened DNA to a computer program. When you have a computer program it consists of codes or ones and zeros which is called a binary program. It's the arrangement of these ones and zeros that establish the computer program and ultimately tell the computer what to do or how to perform.

a.) According to www.everystudent.com, in the same way, DNA is made up of four chemicals, abbreviated as letters A, T, G, and C. The sequencing of these letters tells the cell how to behave. Much like the ones and zeros, these letters are arranged in the human cell like this: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT and so on. The order in which they are arranged instructs the cell's actions. Within the tiny space in every cell in your body is a code three billion letters long!!

Dr. Flew understood that a computer program cannot just exist on it's own. It has to have a creator and therefore intelligent design is the only answer. He stated that this DNA program was the most complex he had ever seen.

This is very powerful information when you consider here is an individual that has a conviction about a certain concept or idea only to have his belief completely shattered or totally eradicated.

Share that with your unbelieving family and fellow students!!

Endurance

2009-03-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

CONDITIONED TO ENDURE
2 Tim. 2:3
Verse 3 says, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of JesusChrist.

"Tozer said, "In our eagerness to make converts I am afraid we have lately been guilty of using the technique of modern salesmanship, which is of course to present only the desirable qualities in a product and ignore the rest. We go to men and offer them a cozy home on the sunny side of the brae(hill). If they will be accept Christ He will give them peace of mind, solve their problems, prosper their business, protect their families and keep them happy all day long. They believe us and come, and the first cold wind sends them shivering to some counselor to find out what has gone wrong; and thatis the last we hear of many of them."

I continue to quote Tozer: "The teachings of Christ reveal Him to be arealist in the finest meaning of that word. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find anything visionary or over optimistic. He told His hearers the whole truth and let them make up their minds. He might grieve over the retreating form of an inquirer who could not face up to the truth, but He never ranafter him to try to win him with rosy promises. He would have men follow Him, knowing the cost, or He would let them go their ways.""All this is but to say that Christ is honest. We can trust Him. He knows that He will never be popular among the sons of Adam and He knows that His followers need not expect to be. The wind that blows in His face will befelt by all who travel with Him, and we are not intellectually honest when we try to hide that face from them."Jesus conditioned His followers to endure. We should do not less. There is that temptation to soften by our presentation the harsh reality of "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." We who believe the gospel love the lost and desire their conversion and know if they truly experience it, they will be able to see things from our viewpoint. Salvation does bring a new power of perception of spiritual things. But in stark reality the change that brings about this change cannot take place unless the candidate hasbeen told the naked truth without any softening of the message. Jesus was not a modern psychologist who had figured out a way to slip in the Sword without pain. The message of the cross offends the natural man (Gal. 5:11).The Bible is a Two Edged Sword: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful,and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunderof soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thethoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).

A friend of mine told about a lady who had wandered out of an alley screaming for help. She had her insides in her hands and said, "I've been gutted. Someone call for help."Well, when the Word of God penetrates deeper than anything has ever been.You are brought by it to the brink of the abyss and you are given the opportunity to accept or reject God's remedy. Jesus always gave those with whom He dealt the opportunity to say no without begging for a change ofmind. Now to the over zealous, this will be offensive.

Just remember this."He that is persuaded against his will is of the same persuasion still."

I believe the churches are being filled with people who have never repented and have been told that they can have all of this down here and heaven to."God wants you to be prosperous. God does not want you to be sick. Send meyour money and I'll pray for you, etc., etc." This is not what the Bible teaches. Jesus had a tough message for the present life. He informed His disciples that they would be persecuted.Jesus said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hatedyou. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because yeare not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore theworld hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is notgreater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecuteyou; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all thesethings will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not himthat sent me." Jesus is clear in His message. He is conditioning them to endure. He does this by telling them, "IF the world hate you (and it will), ye know that it hated me before it hated you." Jesus is telling them in advance that becoming my disciples has put you at odds with the world around you. The world hates me and since I am going to relive my life through you after I am gone they are going to hate you as they hate me. They are going to express that hatred toward you in the same way they have expressed it toward me. If you are a Christian, you have been conditioned to endure. Are youenduring?

What A Great Guy

2008-09-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS GUY --Reagan

'Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.' - Ronald Reagan

'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' -Ronald Reagan

'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.' Ronald Reagan

'Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong.' - Ronald Reagan

'I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.' - Ronald Reagan

-'Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.' - Ronald Reagan

'It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.' - Ronald Reagan

'Government's view of th e economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.' - Ronald Reagan

'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.' Ronald Reagan

'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.' - Ronal d Reagan

What some schools are hiding

2008-09-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

" All schools, all colleges, have two great functions: to confer, and to conceal, valuable knowledge. The theological knowledge which they conceal cannot justly be regarded as less valuable than that which they reveal. That is, when a man is buying a basket of strawberries it can profit him to know that the bottom half of it is rotten."
The above paragraph is a quote from Mark Twain, about public schools holding back some knowledge while saying they are presenting and teaching everything. While I am not on the attack with this article, I am trying to get us to realize that the power of concealing is just as great as the power of revealing. Twain is saying that the reason some schools hold back Theological knowledge and teaching, is that they consider it less valuable than secular knowledge. Therefore teaching young people to value what the school says is valuable and not what the parents and the Bible put forth as valuable. For example, knowing who is making the environment a priority is more valuable to some Public Educators than knowing Who made the environment. They will major on teaching sex ed, while refusing to teach the most effective measure of sexual health that we find in Biblical teaching…. Abstinence until marriage. And while science proves and supports facts regarding the Biblical accounts of the flood and even creation (intelligent design to some), the folks who run academia will conceal this knowledge fearing that its revelation will keep the students from believing their evolutionary teaching. Many in public education will insist on teaching "alternative lifestyles" to young people and refuse to teach principles that promote real character filled lifestyles. You know, of course, that I could go on and on….
The other dangerous side of this argument is that the public system of education, while concealing good truth, is then revealing much to our youngest generation that is poisoning their value systems. That is the stuff they should be concealing! Most of what they "know", I cannot allow to be taught to my child.
The analogy used here by Mark Twain makes a great point about teaching. What is wrong with teaching all truth, and just the truth? Why are there some in our education community who would seek to conceal truth, and instead teach falsehood?
We know that the scripture teaches us in John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Then, Teaching the opposite of truth - produces the opposite of freedom.
Our children need truth taught to them so that we get right decisions from them that produce freedom in their lives.
God Bless you and your family,
Joe

"How do I improve my child's reading grade?"

2007-11-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

I often hear from parents the question, " How do we improve my child’s reading grade?" While the response is primarily how to improve the child’s reading itself, it still works for both. Below are some tips to do just that. Let’s see if some of them will help us. Even if your child is getting a great reading grade, these suggestions are some excellent ideas an will help improve your reading time together. The best point of all is at the bottom of these 2 pages. Don’t forget to read it. ****
You have a big influence on your child when you spend time reading together. Experts in child literacy are unanimous in their belief that parents should
read with their children. The power of the parent-child bond has a positive effect on a child's attitude toward reading and his ability to read. The suggestions below will help you learn how to make reading with your child both a pleasure and a learning experience.

1. Choose the right book using the "Five-Finger Rule." Have your child open the book to any page in the middle of the book and read that page. Each time she comes to a word she does not know she should hold up one finger. If she gets to five fingers before she finishes reading the page, the book could be too hard. If she doesn’t hold up any fingers, the book is probably easy for your child and can be used to build reading fluency. If she holds up two or three fingers, the book is likely to be a good level for her reading to grow.

2. Use "sound" strategies to tackle a new word. Ask your child to sound out an unknown word. Look at the letters in a difficult word and have your child pronounce each sound, or "phoneme." Then see if he can blend the sounds together to pronounce the word. Help him memorize irregular words. Explain that words like "where," "hour" or "sign" are hard to sound out since they don't follow normal sound patterns. Point these words out when you're reading to help your child learn to recognize them on his own. Use suffixes, prefixes, and root words. If your child knows the word "day," guide him to define new words like "yesterday" or "daily." Similarly, if he knows what "pre" means, it's easy to learn new words like "prepare" or "preschool."

3. Use the story to help your child learn.
Ask your child what word or idea would make sense in the plot of the story when he gets stuck on an unfamiliar word. Encourage your child to look at illustrations, pictures, titles or graphs to figure out the meaning of new words.

4. Give support and encouragement.
Challenge your child to figure out new words, but always supply the word before he becomes frustrated. After your child has read a story, reread it aloud yourself, so that he can enjoy it without interruption.

5. Be a good role model. Let your child see you reading, and share your excitement when you enjoy a great book of your own.

6. Make reading a priority. Whether it's 10 minutes every night before bed or an hour every Sunday morning, it helps to set aside a specific time for reading. This kind of special "together time" can go a long way in getting your child interested in books.

7. Create the right atmosphere. Find a quiet comfortable place to listen to your children read. While you don't need to build a special reading nook, it helps to ensure that even in a busy home, there's a quiet place for reading.

8. Make reading fun. Kids may not get excited at the idea of quiet time spent curled up on the couch. Why not make it fun by turning reading sessions into impromptu theater performances? Play around with funny voices to impersonate animals or unusual characters in stories. You'll get to release some tension and your child will learn to think of reading as fun rather than work.

9. Keep reading aloud to your child. Don't stop reading aloud to your child once she learns to read by him/herself. When you take a turn at reading, you let your child enjoy books that are beyond her independent reading level and build her vocabulary by exposing her to new words. Reading aloud is also a chance for you to model reading smoothly and with expression.

10. Introduce new books. Each year there is one book that seems to steal the hearts and minds of all children. While it may seem it's the only book your child wants to read, it's important to remember that there are millions of books that will suit your child's interests and capture his imagination and still meet your standards of what is appropriate reading. Use these resources to help your child find great books.

**** Remember, the best way for us to improve your child’s reading grade and his/her reading overall, is simply to read more!! I know it sounds like over-simplification and dismissiveness, but it’s not. It is the basic truth to all learning and improvement in education…Repetition is the Key to Learning. The more I do it, the better I get at it. Reading More = Reading Better.
May God continue to bless you and your family.

Joe Tarr
Principal

The Faint

2007-10-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 40:29,
"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no mighthe increaseth strength."

The word power is "kowach" and according to Strong, "from an unused rootmeaning to be firm; to faint; and to them that have no might he increasethstrength." This is physical strength. Are you tired to the point ofexhaustion? This happened to Christ and His disciples. This verse is aboutan exhausted Christian and the way to regain his strength.Have you ever said, "I am so weary I wonder if I can get through the day? Ifyou haven't just wait, you will. When we start getting old we gradually lose our strength and wonder what is happening. One day Julia Ward Howe slumped into a chair, saying, "I am tired---tiredway down into the future." I'm sure some who read this can understand fromexperience what she is saying. God, who by His power created the universe and all that is in it, "Says,'Look up into the heavens! Who created the universe. God with that kind ofpower will use it to give rest when we need it.This same all-powerful God is the source of our strength. Psalms 62:11, "Godhath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God."He has an inexhaustible supply. God knows how easily we faint and become discouraged when the storms beat upon our lives. It is not His purpose that we faint or grow weary. His promise of power and strength is for the weak. This may seem strange, butthe Lord of life spent most of His time with the weak.This power is a gift from God. "He giveth" power to the faint. The secret to obtaining this power is to wait on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31, "But they thatwait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up withwings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, andnot faint."
Someone has said, "
The power behind a Christian is greater than the troublesbefore Him.
May the Lord bless you with these words.

How to be an Overcomer !!

2007-05-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

HOW TO BE AN OVERCOMER

1 John 5:1-5
Morning Meditation 5/21/2007
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every onethat loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By thiswe know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep hiscommandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of Godovercometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world,even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeththat Jesus is the Son of God?"

In America we are oriented to winning. I recall in October of 1987 a little girl 18 months of age got international attention after she fell 22 feet into a well. The rescue teams worked around the clock and 58 and ½ hours later they brought her out to a cheering people all over the country. Our text speaks of a situation much greater than this. The greatest losers are those who neglect their eternal souls. Matthew 16:26 says, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” A Christian can lose his rewards by ignoring God’s will for his life but he cannot lose his soul. So this subject has something in it to challenge the unsaved man, whose interests are to make it big in this world, and also the Christian who quits too soon after his conversion.
TO BE AN OVERCOMER ONE HAS TO BE SAVED
The above text says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is bornof God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that isbegotten of him."John says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”This is simplicity itself. God made it easy for a sinner to be saved. Hecreated in every man a measure of faith and when that faith responds to the gospel the person exercising it is saved. Some of the things hindering a person from being saved (be an overcomer):
1. Personal pride. It is common among the sons of Adam that one feels secure because he has made it in life and if he has made it here, he will make it at the Judgment. Wrong thinking.
2. The humility of repentance. Real repentance will bring one to his knees.Someone has said that before the cross the ground is level. In other wordsthe rich and the poor meet as equals before the cross. The poor mandiscovers that he does not get credit for being poor and suffering from itat the judgment. The rich man discovers that his riches do not enhance hischance of being saved. All have sinned and all are commanded to repent. Itis repent or perish.
3. Procrastination. This is a way that Satan traps multitudes. It is notthat they can’t be saved, it is that they are too busy. There are those inhell who knew what they needed to do to be saved but they were just too busymaking a living and having their fun to take time. Proverbs 27:1, "Boast notthyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
4. Stubbornness. Proverbs 29:1, "He, that being often reproved hardenethhis neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
5. There are those who think they have gotten away with sin because God has not intervened. Ecclesiastes 11:9, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways ofthine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."
6. There are those who have seared their consciences by believing what the evolutionist teaches. He thinks that because he does not believe in God that He does not exist. Wrong thinking.

THE PROMISE TO THE OVERCOMER
The Holy Spirit tells us in Revelation 21:7, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."Who is the overcomer? Verse 1 says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is theChrist is born of God…”There are great promises that the Lord has made to the saved. He willfulfill every promise. Peter takes up this truth in 1 Peter 1:4-5, "To aninheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
THE WAY OF THE OVERCOMER
It is a way of obedience:
1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." The word“grievous” means “burdensome.” Are you burdened down in the work of the Lord? If so, something is wrong. Doing God’s work God’s way is not a burden to the overcomer.
SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OVERCOMER
The overcomer has the joy of the assurance of salvation. We can know we aresaved.
2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"The overcomer has a unique relationship with the Lord.
Revelation 2:17, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." This is speaking of a special relationship that the saved have to the Saviour. The overcomer is promised a position of authority during the millennium: Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in histhrone."May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ,
Bro. White (Evangelist and good friend of Joe Tarr)

Selling Out Cheap

2007-05-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

SELLING OUT CHEAP
Gen 25:27-34
Morning Meditation 5/11/2007
"And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me,I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went hisway: thus Esau despised his birthright."Jacob and Esau represent opposing principles; only now those principles are brought out into the open. The conflict and its issue is now enacted whereeveryone can see it. Sooner or later the inner struggle we experience willmanifest itself openly in our lives.
First let's look at-
THE UNAPPRECIATED PRIVILEGE
"And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, Iam at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? AndJacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold hisbirthright unto Jacob."The attitude of the two boys is demonstrated in the sale of the birthright. Esau was a man of the field. He was probably admired by all those aroundhim. He had the smell of the field on him and he often brought back venisonand his father delighted in him. He was Isaac's favorite. Esau representswhat we are by nature. His mind was on the present. He did not look into thefuture.Jacob was a plain man living in tents. Jacob saw into the future. He wasinterested in what God was doing and his desires were Spiritual. In the case of Esau and Jacob the conflict went on and came to a head whenJacob brought Christ into the world and Esau brought Herod. Esau did notappreciate the privilege of the first born. There is no discharge in theconflict between the two natures. The flesh and the Spirit will never bereconciled.
Next we see-
A TIME OF DECISION
This was a testing time. This test was not where Esau began his decline. It only manifests a confirmed attitude. The flesh is popular and is totally egocentered. When he was confronted with a decision that had to do with eternal things he failed the test.Note three things about Esau. Hebrews 12:16, "Lest there be any fornicator,or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."1. He was a fornicator.2. He was a profane person.3. He sold his birthright for comparatively nothing.There is a time in our lives where we must make a decision. How you respondto God's call on your life will reveal if you follow Esau or Jacob. This time may be a time of weakness. Satan tempted Jesus during a forty dayfast in the wilderness. Satan is a master in catching us when things aregoing bad. It may be trouble with finances, sickness that has affected yourthinking; it may be a child that is rebelling and it's breaking your heart. This is a bad time to make important decisions. We need to learn to dealscripturally with how circumstances are not in our favor. There comes a time in every Christian's life that he must make a decisionabout the depth of his commitment to the Lord. What are we willing to giveup to answer His call. What if God calls your child to preach and go out asa missionary? Would you encourage him to follow the Lord no matter what?What about your personal commitment? Is Christ first in your life?
THE TIME OF REGRET
here was a time when Esau regretted this bad decision. Hebrews 12:17, "Forye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, hewas rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought itcarefully with tears."Esau found no place of repentance. It had nothing to do with his salvation;it had to do with the Spiritual privilege that would be afforded him becauseof his birthright. The door was slammed in his face forever. Will there be a time of regret for the Christian who has no depth to hiscommitment to the Lord. The saved will stand before the Lord and his works will be tested by fire. 1Corinthians 3:15, "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."What about the man whose works are put to the test of fire and he stands being reminded of what might have been. Tears will not be wiped away untilafter the Judgment Seat of Christ. I want to remind you, you will not bejudged at this judgment. Our judgment as Christians has already taken place on the Cross. However, there will be grief by those who were just nominal Christians.
Revelation 21:4 says, "And God shall wipe away all tears fromtheir eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passedaway."Esau sold out cheap. He did not appreciate the eternal value of thebirthright. When decision time came, because he did not place a proper valueon his birthright, he sold it for a bowl of stew. He regretted that he soldthe birthright, but it did not change what had happened.May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. Tarr's Friend --Dr. White

2007-05-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

HE CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH
2 Cor 2:14 Morning Meditation
5/3/2007
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." Paul credits the Lord as the cause of every triumph in the Christian life. The words "Now thanks be unto God" translates "thriambeuo" and means, "totriumph, to celebrate a triumph." It is from the root word meaning a hymn sung in festal processions. It is a "Sudden outburst of gratitude incontrast to the previous dejection in Troas." -Robertson's Word Pictures.When the Church meets, singing is always one of the main parts of theservice. These songs of praise are songs that celebrate our victory in Christ. Let's look at some things that He is the cause of in the Christian's life.
HE IS THE CAUSE OF SALVATION1. He is our Creator and wants to be our Re-Creator. Ephesians 4:24, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Salvation is God's plan not ours. Ephesians 1:4-6, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before himin love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by JesusChrist to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To thepraise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in thebeloved." Note the words, "Wherein he hath made us accepted." He is thedynamic of this transaction. There is no sweat on the face of the believerbecause he didn't do a thing but cast himself on the mercy of God, i.e.,"God be merciful to me a sinner."2. He is directly involved in the salvation of each soul. The Word ispreached and His Holy Spirit is His unseen presence to enforce theregeneration of the believer when faith is exercised. He is the CAUSE of oursalvation.
HE IS THE ONE WHO CAUSES US TO STAND
1 Corinthians 2:5, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,but in the power of God."The word "faith" in this verse is not talking about saving faith; it istalking about what we as believers believe. Many of those to whom Paul waswriting would have to seal their testimony of salvation by standing firmlyon what is believed. God is able to make us to stand. Romans 14:4, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his ownmaster he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is ableto make him stand."In the work of soul winning, I have run into many who have used for anexcuse for not immediately receiving Christ as Saviour, that they could nothold out. First of all, a person is not saved by holding out; he is saved byletting God do the holding. John 10:27-30, "My sheep hear my voice, and Iknow them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and theyshall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. MyFather, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluckthem out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
HE IS THE CAUSE OF HOLINESS
1 Corinthians 1:30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is madeunto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:"It is God who makes Christ Jesus unto us wisdom, and righteousness, andsanctification, and redemption. The word "sanctification" in this verse isthe translation of a word that means "holy."This means that Christ is our holiness before the Lord.
HE IS THE CAUSE OF OUR SECURITY
Hebrews 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost thatcome unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."This verse says that "He is able" to save to the uttermost, "seeing he everliveth to make intercession for them." Our security is in His intercessoryministry.Romans 8:35-39, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril,or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; weare accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we aremore than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, thatneither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, northings present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any othercreature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is inChrist Jesus our Lord."The world, the flesh, or the Devil cannot separate us from our position thatwe hold in Christ Jesus.
IT IS HE THAT CAUSES US TO BE VICTORIOUS
1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this isthe victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." We are saved byfaith in Him, and once in Him, He becomes our victory in this present evilworld. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, andmaketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." We arealways triumphant in Him. He gives us His triumph. May the Lord bless these words to our hearts. In Christ- Bro. White (Dr. Earl White is a friend of mine and a great man of God with much wisdom, thus a sometimes contributor to this blog.)

Where's my Results?!

2007-04-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

"How long till this education money that I'm paying pays off for us?"
It's a question that some parents ask out load, and some inside their mind only. Here is one
answer.

Dear Parents,

There are five segments in the education process, through which each of us must pass.
We have our sowing time, growing time, weeding time, irrigation time, and finally the harvest. As parents, and educators, we wish that sowing time and harvest time would occur the same day in every learning situation. But most often there is much time between these stages. "When can I reap he benefits of what I have sown today?" Well, sometimes not for many years. That is why it is so important that in teaching we are consistent in our "sowing," always teaching the right things.
J.A. St. John said it this way, "The principals and ideas he (the student) puts into his mind in youth lie there, it may be, for many years apparently unprolific. But nothing dies. There is a process going on unseen, and by the touch of circumstances, the man springs forth into strength, he knows not how, as if by miracle. But after all, he only reaps as he had sown."
We are teaching for immediate results, and in 90% of our academic and spiritual areas—receiving them. Yet, some of what we teach is spiritual sowing, or weeding, or watering that must wait for a special harvest day. It is teaching that will spring forth when needed the most.
This is one of the most powerful things about Christian education—that it effects the life forever.

Joe Tarr,
Principal

An "Elementary" Education...2nd Edition

2007-04-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents,
Did you ever wonder why we call it "elementary" school? I guess we could come up with some other kind of classification for the youngest classes in school other than the word "elementary." Though the true origin of the word is unsure, the meaning is very fitting.
The dictionary says that "elementary" means "of the first principles or fundamentals."
That sure is what we are focusing on here at JCA...the first principles and the fundamentals. There are two main areas in which we do this in order to give an education that is solid and strong in the most important elements of life.
First, academically, we are able to achieve goals and standards one to two years ahead of regular schools, and the main reason is that we are focusing on the basic principles upon which all education is built. So it is elementary in the sense that the elements of greatness are built into our children from the start and then continually reviewed each year. We want to be great at the most important parts of education. I am so glad to have my three children getting an expert knowledge of the basics, so we can build on that the following year and so on and so on.
Second, spiritually, the elements of a Christian life are taught here at JCA. Basic values are given in the Bible on how to live a life that is pleasing to God. It is elementary in the sense that without these basic elements being taught, a student is destined to fail, in some degree, in the spiritual side of life. Proverbs 29:15, "…but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."
In a spiritual context, junior high and high school should be genuine "elementary" schools, also—teaching the "elements’ that make up a Christian life.
Imagine a school without the right academic and spiritual basics!! Well, you could say, "It’s not even an ‘elementary’ school."
I think of this when it’s time to consider the financial expenditure of a Christian school. Is it worth it? You better believe it! And time will tell it.

The True Christian

2007-04-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

THE MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN
1 John 5:1 Morning Meditation 12/16/2006 by Earl White..
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every onethat loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."I want us to look at some of the marks of a true child of God that are namedin this short epistle.
First of all-HE BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST
This is a universal truth. By universal, I mean that it is something that istrue of all believers. John says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is theChrist is born of God." The "is" is a continuous action verb. It means that he continually believes.He cannot be persuaded differently. He is set in concrete on this subject;the "whosoever" refers to any and all believers. John says that this is adoctrine that is inherent in the gospel. Faith in Christ embraces the wholetruth about Christ. It does not mean he understands it all. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. said to me on one occasion, "when I was saved I did notknow anything about the virgin birth; but the moment I heard that Jesus wasborn of a virgin, I believed it." When we are saved we believe all of Jesus'claims, even though for us to understand the doctrine, we must be taught.
HE LOVES HIS BRETHREN
Verse 1 says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten ofhim."This is one of the marks of a true Christian. "Every one that loveth himthat begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."1 John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because welove the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." John isvery uncompromising in his declaration "He that loveth not his brotherabideth in death."
HE LIVES A RIGHTEOUS LIFE
1 John 2:29, "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one thatdoeth righteousness is born of him."Living out the life of the indwelling Christ is a definite mark of the truebeliever. Living out the life of Christ is not done in the power of the willor the power of the flesh, it is being filled with the Spirit. Only Christis righteous. Philippians 3:9 says, "And be found in him, not having mineown righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faithof Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"
HE KEEPS THE LORD'S COMMANDMENTS
The word "commandments" means "the saying of the Lord." For instance, thegreat commission: Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came and spake unto them,saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore,and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of theSon, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoeverI have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of theworld. Amen."Obedience to the Lord is only reasonable for the one who has just beenforgiven of all sin and given eternal life. Paul brings this out in Romans12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that yepresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which isyour reasonable service."Keeping the Lord's commands is not burdensome for the Christian. 1 John 5:3says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and hiscommandments are not grievous." The word "grievous" means "burdensome."The most unreasonable thing is that a person who has received salvation as agift from God because of the death of Christ on the cross, would refuse tobe obedient.
HE IS HATED BY THE WORLD
The believer is the light of the world; Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are the lightof the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do menlight a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and itgiveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine beforemen, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is inheaven."Light will always expose those who walk in darkness and the darkness willalways hate the light. A believer does not have to expose darkness byrailing accusations; the life that he lives will automatically expose thedarkness and will therefore bring the hatred of darkness upon him.
HE OVERCOMES SATAN
1 John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: becausegreater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."What a joyous thought. We are overcomers because we have the Overcomerliving within us. Christ has never lost a battle against Satan. Satan is adefeated foe. He is operating on limited time. The cross took his dominionfrom him. The believer can come against Satan in the Name of Jesus and hemust surrender. Colossians 2:14-15, "Blotting out the handwriting ofordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out ofthe way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities andpowers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." The word"spoiled" translates "apekduomai" and means "wholly put off from one's self,denoting separation from what is put off." Jesus threw Satan down from histhrone. He also did this for every one of His followers. James 4:7, "Submityourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."HE OVERCOMES THE WORLD1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this isthe victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."Our faith in Christ overcomes the world because He overcomes the world.Jesus becomes our Overcomer.1 Corinthians 1:30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is madeunto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
"May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ Bro. White

The Pickle Jar

2007-04-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom.When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar.They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty.Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window.When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank.Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. "Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You're going to do better than me.This old mill town's not going to hold you back." Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly."These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his life like me."We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When theclerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again." He always let me drop the first coins into theempty jar.As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. "You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes andquarters," he said. "But you'll get there. I'll see to that."The years passed, and I finished college and took a job inanother town. Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood.My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on thevalues of determination, perseverance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have done.When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant partthe lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me.No matter how rough things got at home,Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even thesummer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make a way out for me."When you finish college, Son," he told me, his eyes glistening,"You'll never have to eat beans again - unless you want to."The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad'sarms. "She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the babyinto my parents' bedroom to diaper her.When Susan came back into the living room,there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room."Look", she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins.I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins.With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar.I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slippedquietly into the room.Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak. This truly touched my heart. I know it has yours as well.Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings.Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life, for better or for worse.God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way....----- a friend.

An "Elementary" Education

2007-04-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

*** Watch for full text of this article tomorrow. ***

An education without the basic elements of sucessful teaching cannot even be called an "elementary" education. How many schools of so-called higher learning, then , are not even so much as an elementary school?

Basic element #1 ... Academics. Teaching the basics to the base student is why we call it an elementary school. We are supposed to train the basics of academics so well that the student has a great foundation upon which to build.

Basic element #2 ... Spirituality. Teaching the sound doctrine that is necessary to please God with our lives is basic, elementary education. Can we call it an education without the foundation laid out in the Bible. "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

...more to come...