If My People Part 1- Paying Attention

by Keith Gardner

In Numbers 16 we read of the story of rebellion. Korah and Dathan convinced 250 leaders of the Israelites that Moses had no intentions in keeping his promise to take them to a promised land. Instead he intended to lord over the Israelites and to lead them to their deaths in the desert. God answered their rebellion by opening up the earth and swallowing up Korah, Dathan and their families. Then the 250 were consumed by fire. What lessons would we have learned if we saw such an event? Would we have questioned Moses and his intentions? Would we have second guessed his leadership or his motivations?

The Water

by Scottie Joines

The voices whispered to me,

softly rustling, breaking glass.

Did they know?  Could they hear

the demons screaming about the past?

Tink, tink, tink goes the sound of the glass.

As loud as a hurricane,

but only to me.

I was alone but you were there,

barely there…

Wanting more than you could spare

as I slowly melted into death.

It’s arms embracing, trapping, smothering.

Revelation

by Scottie Joines

The Book of Revelation is my favorite Book of the Bible. Many people say that the book is hard to understand or scary. To me it is a message of great hope. Many people find Revelation hard to understand because they don't realize that it is a vision and visions need to be interpreted. It is almost impossible to interpret the vision in Revelation without the key which is in the Book of Daniel, chapters 2, 7, 8, 9, and 12.

Two Fig Trees

by Jason Joines

Now in the morning as he returned to the city (Jerusalem), he hungered. And seeing a fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and he said unto it, Let there be no fruit from you henceforward forever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.  (Mat 21:18-19)

Called to Honor Governing Authorities

by M.T. Michalak

Ever since word came out that President Obama was coming to West Wilkes High, Facebook has exploded about it, and I've been shocked (and disgusted) to read what many of my fellow believers are posting. The sarcasm, insults, crude jokes, eye-rolls, and rude remarks have been everywhere, and I think that as believers, we all ought to feel ashamed. We have eleven, thirteen, fifteen year old kids posting comments about how Obama's crazy to come here, how he's liable to get shot here in Wilkes, how it's stupid that he's coming, how they couldn't care less, etc. I can't believe the stuff that is coming out of our youth's mouths, but after reading some parents' posts, it's easy to see where they are getting it. And I'm appalled!

Securing the Blessings

by Keith Gardner

Deuteronomy 1:21  See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Have you ever noticed that relationships are two sided? Your off handed reply might be; “this is a statement of the obvious”. And it is. It does not take much thought to realize you cannot have a relationship with someone by yourself. The other person has to participate. It reminds me of the “Anne girl” of Anne of Green Gables; the friendless Anne and her window friend; the reflection of herself that would show up around mirrors and darkened windows. The window friend could never reply, never show emotion, never reject, never love back.

Hello, are you there?

by Keith Gardner

Psalms 13:1-4 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.