Young people love to laugh.
               When they laugh, they also listen.
                    As they listen , they learn.
                        Prayer happens when you have their hearts
     The YWAP Teen Action Night at The Bread of Life in Buffalo, NY is always in the process of finishing and beginning. Two of the hallmarks of a successful youth program are consistence and continuance. Kids want to know you'll be there when you say you'll be there. Too many programs shut down for various reasons. It doesn't matter what the reasons are, kids thing a  program shuts down because of them. If you start a youth program, keep it going!
          The pictures here are from our last few programs to finish 2019 and begin 2019. The YWAP Directors are grateful to Buffalo YWAP Director Becky Rogowski and her team of Relationship Mentors from The Bread of Life Church. The youth love you. We love you. Most importantly - Jesus loves you!​

     YWAP Teen Action Night is for girls and guys 12-18 yrs. old.
          When they bring younger brothers and sisters, we welcome them.
               All children are part of the YWAP Family and we treat them special.
                    Parents appreciate a family style organization. Family is important and we all have to live together. Some of our best mentors started when they were very young by watching their brothers and sisters. If you have any questions, please call us. 716-830-8240
     Thanks for your time. Jesus loves you and so do we.

The YWAP Teen action night Timeline 2020
“Show respect for everyone. Love Christians everywhere.
Fear God and honor the government.”
“1 Peter 2:17 Living Bible
 
Here’s our schedule for Teen Action Night at The Bread of Life. If you know someone who has a passion to share Christ with teens, please let us know. Thank you.

Session One “Called To Be Different”
1.   Thurs Jan 9       6-8 PM   Reputation
2.   Thurs Jan 16     6-8 PM   Anger
3.   Thurs Jan 23     6-8 PM   Discernment
4.   Thurs Jan 30     6-8 PM   Words
5.   Thurs Feb 6       6-8 PM   Commitment
6.   Thurs Feb 13     6-8 PM   Guilt
7.   Thurs Feb 20     6-8 PM   Family
8.   Thurs Feb 27     6-8 PM   Purity
9.   Thurs Mar 5       6-8 PM   Laziness
10. Thurs Mar 12     6-8 PM   Popularity
11. Thurs Mar 19     6-8 PM   Self Image
12. Thurs Mar 26     6-8 PM   Parents
13. Thurs April 2      6-8 PM   Time management
April 12 Easter
Session two “Avoiding Temptation”
1.   Thurs April 23    6-8 PM   You Will Be Tempted
2.   Thurs April 30    6-8 PM   Peer Pressure
3.   Thurs May 7      6-8 PM   Bad Company
4.   Thurs May 14    6-8 PM   Ear Guards
5.   Thurs May 21    6-8 PM   Mistakes To Avoid
6.   Thurs May 28    6-8 PM   The Hubris People
7.   Thurs June 4     6-8 PM   The Birth of Sin
8.   Thurs June 11   6-8 PM   The Way of Escape
9.   Thurs June 18   6-8 PM    Regret & Relief
Session Three “Discovering Commitment”
1.   Thurs Sept 10    6-8 PM   The Bystander Effect
2.   Thurs Sept 17    6-8 PM   Abandonment

3.   Thurs Sept 24    6-8 PM   Apathy
4.   Thurs Oct 1        6-8 PM   Perseverance
5.   Thurs Oct 8        6-8 PM   What Is A Sacrifice?
6.   Thurs Oct 15      6-8 PM   The Value of A Person
7.   Thurs Oct 22      6-8 PM   Responsibility
8.   Thurs Oct 29      6-8 PM   Accountability
9.   Thurs Nov 5       6-8 PM   Vulnerability
10  Thurs Nov 12    6-8 PM   What’s A Promise?
11  Thurs Nov 19    6-8 PM   A Friend Pledge
12  Thurs Dec 3      6-8 PM   Giving Grace
13  Thurs Dec 10    6-8 PM   Patience
14  Thurs Dec 17    6-8 PM   Never Give Up
 
“Christ is our message! We preach to awaken hearts and bring every person into the full understanding of truth. It has become my inspiration and passion in ministry to labor with a tireless intensity, with his power flowing through me, to present to every believer the revelation of being his perfect one in Jesus Christ.”
Colossians 1:29 The Passion Translation
 
Youthwithapurpose.org 716-830-8240
Jesus Loves You And So Do We. #ywap4God #JLYASDW

Wildfires cause an enormous amount of damage all over the world every year. Some are caused by natural occurrence while others are caused by carelessness and ignorance. The introduction of an invasive species could be considered careless and ignorant. When a non-native species is allowed to invade an area, it helps to create a condition for flames to erupt and spread.
Ecosystems differ in many ways and are specifically designed by nature for their particular habitat. When a non-native plant is introduced into an area, it can cause catastrophic damage. Nature is designed to have space between plants and trees. When the space is filled with the wrong vegetation. the ecosystem changes. Ornamental grasses planted in a neighborhood garden will spread its seeds through the wind into a nearby forest or desert. They may fill spaces or overtake and kill the natural growth.
Non-native grasses may burn with a higher intensity than native plants. When vegetation is left in its natural state, fires will burn out or be easier to extinguish because they burn less slowly in natural conditions. Highly combustible non-native plants allowed to take up space become the kindling of widespread destruction through wildfires. They need to be removed. Plans need to be made to prevent the further introduction of vegetation with the potential to disrupt the natural habitat.
The mind of man is made in the image and likeness of God and placed in a habitat of flesh. Many things are unnatural for man, but he allows them to enter his mind anyway. The fire of illicit passion does not erupt without the kindling of lustful thoughts. Like a wildfire that consumes a forest, what consumes a man's thoughts generally ignites the actions of his life.
Instead of burning with wrong passion that leads you into the inferno of sin, it would be wise to stop the fire from starting. The Bible is a great playbook for changing our thoughts. Our minds will have many good and bad thoughts pass through it all day long. It's possible to regulate the flow of potentially damaging thoughts by focusing on the Way, the Truth and the Life of Christ.
As a personal habit to protect the habitat of my mind, I repeat these words when a bad thought comes, "I plead the Blood of Jesus over my mind and nothing is allowed here that will not bring glory to God." Our minds need to be renewed in Christ as often as possible. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Keep the mind renewed and the temple clean.
DAY FIVE WORD
“Do not be shaped by this world. Instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.
Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you.
And you will be able to know what is good and pleasing to God and what is perfect.”
Romans 12:2 (ICB)
“It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire.
A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that.
By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation,
send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it,
smoke right from the pit of hell.”
James 3:6 (MSG)
HEART THOUGHTS
How do you deflect the fiery darts of the enemy when they come into your mind?
Can you repeat defensive Bible verses as a defense strategy?
HEART REFLECTIONS
A good teacher will learn well what he or she needs to teach.
Who can you help teach how to deal with the temptations of bad thoughts as you strengthen your own mind?

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
​#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW
​

          A few years ago, there was a ministry called Saving Wild Horses. Based in Western New York outside of Buffalo, they would rescue wild mustangs from out west that faced an uncertain future. The ministry was run by folks who themselves once faced an uncertain future. The Directors of Youth With A Purpose were invited to bring their young people out to the country from the inner city. They enjoyed a campfire, horseback rides, a night in a tent and then attended Cowboy Church on Sunday. Nobody had to compel these kids to come, they were overjoyed to attend.
           On Sunday morning, a groggy bunch of sleepy eyed youngsters climbed out of their sleeping bags. After breakfast they headed for the barn and climbed on top of hay bales to experience Cowboy Church. The Pastor of the day stood inside a fenced ring with a horse trailer. He led a wild mustang into the ring who had never been broken or tamed. The Pastor explained that he would gain the horses's trust and lead him onto a horse trailer for the first time. He could not force or compel the horse to go on to the trailer, he first had to earn his trust.
          It took awhile for him to form a relationship with the horse, but eventually the horse stopped resisting him. The Pastor explained that we are like that with God, we want our own way and we're slow to surrender our wills to Him. Most folks think they're doing okay on their own and don't need any help. It takes us awhile to understand that God's way is the best way to live our lives. God will not force us to follow Him.
          The word "compel" has a few different meanings. It's usually understood as a forceful word as in forcing somebody to do something. There's another way to look at compel. People can be compelled to follow God if they see an enormous blessing by doing so. A horse can be compelled to move by a rope and be steered by a bit in its mouth. A horse can be compelled to stand still and let a child nuzzle its nose. The horse loves to be loved and people love to be loved. 
          People can be compelled to join you by your behavior - good or bad. People can be compelled to join you because the example you set is beneficial for them to follow. I read an article recently about the expanding Christian Church in Iran. Christians face immense persecution there with people being imprisoned for openly practicing their faith. The church has no central leadership and is mostly led by women. They pray and they make disciples. There's no forced conversion or compelling people by force to change their beliefs.  You can't disciple somebody unless you have a relationship with them. They use love to compel people, first to discipleship and then to willingly convert to a more excellent way of living. “So our model inside Iran is that we don’t convert to disciple, we disciple so we can convert.” Fastest Growing Church  Mother Teresa once said, "My job isn't to convert people. My job is to love people, and Love will do the converting." Be compelled by Love. 

DAY SIXTEEN WORD

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 HCSB
“For Christ’s love compels us,
 since we have reached this conclusion:
 If One died for all, then all died. 
And He died for all so that those who live
should no longer live for themselves,
 but for the One who died for them and was raised.”
 
Matthew 5:41 NKJV
“And whoever compels you to go one mile,
go with him two.”
 
Mark 15:21 NKJV
“The King on a Cross
Then they compelled a certain man,
Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus,
 as he was coming out of the country and passing by,
to bear His cross.”
 
Luke 14:23 NKJV
“Then the master said to the servant,
 ‘Go out into the highways and hedges,
and compel them to come in,
that my house may be filled.”

DAY SIXTEEN PRAYER

Thank you God for your compelling Love. You draw me in the way you show Love for me. Like Moses was drawn out of the Nile River, you draw me out of my self and show me a river of the water of Life. You compel me by your extravagant Love. You compel me to compel others by loving them the way you love me. Help me to love them more. Amen.

DAY SIXTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS

• Make grace compelling - Say grace and give grace.
• Write letters about what God has done in your life. Be the tongue of a ready writer. Give a written witness testimony that bears the marks of discipleship. You may not compel folks to sit at your feet and listen to your testimony, but they most likely will open your letter.
• The transformation of your heart compels you to love the way Jesus loves. The renewal of your mind compels you to seek wisdom. The total acceptance of Jesus did on the cross compels you to share the greatest Love that we could ever know. Be compelled by God's Love.

          Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs on the planet. Like it or not, everyone will be a teacher at some point in our lives. Folks learn by watching what we do, what we say and how we react under pressure. Sometimes our mistakes give license to other folks; they use our behavior as an excuse to act the same way. We may never see the results of our bad behavior or our bad attitudes, but they've left an imprint on somebody.
          God has plans for our lives and it's our responsibility to search out and implement those plans. If we fail to do our part in His plan, it's no biggie, He just uses one of the other billions of folks hanging around, but we lose out on being involved in God's already ordained results. Being a teacher in a classroom, a youth leader or a mentor gives us the opportunity to make a positive (or negative) impact on many lives. The impact we make is often unknown. Time passes quickly and with it passes the many young lives under our influence. When forming a relationship with a young person, it's important to be transparent. You cannot be perfect in your behavior as a role model, but you can be real. Being known as someone who admits mistakes is better than being a hypocrite who hides mistakes.
          Standing by street corner memorials where someone died makes one wonder what would've happened if they'd lived. Those are results we'll never know. Unborn children who die through abortion leave a void of unknown results. What impact on the world would they have imprinted if they'd been allowed to live? Marriages are dissolved too quickly for selfish reasons, what would've been the results if a little resiliency had been added to the separation? People and situations are like tides in the ocean - the ebb and flow of opportunities is constant.
          The Bible says "God's Word is a lamp unto our feet" (Psalm 119:105) We can influence the results by taking good care of the people placed in our care, whether it's for a minute, hour or years. Or to say it a little shorter, "Take care of the people at our feet." The Bible speaks of people sitting at the feet of Jesus as He teaches them. There's also a great story about a lady who, at the feet of Jesus, broke open an alabaster box of expensive ointment and poured it on the feet of Jesus. “Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 12:3 (HCSB) Imagine each person in front of you as worthy of receiving the same treatment as Mary gave Jesus. Focus on the results of the moment, let God take care of future results.

DAY FIFTEEN WORD

Ephesians 5:8-10 (HCSB)
“For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light--
 for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth--
 discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.”
 
John 4:38 (AMP)
“I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked.
 Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work.”
 
Hebrews 13:6-8 (CJB)
“Therefore, we say with confidence,
“Adonai is my helper; I will not be afraid --
what can a human being do to me?”
Remember your leaders,
 those who spoke God’s message to you.
Reflect on the results of their way of life,
 and imitate their trust — 
Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
 
1 Corinthians 12:6 (TPT)
“The same God distributes different kinds of miracles
 that accomplish different results
 through each believer’s gift and ministry
as he energizes and activates them.”

DAY FIFTEEN PRAYER

Thank you God for allowing me to enjoy the results and the fruit that I didn't do anything to deserve. You've allowed me to be blessed by the works of the hands of others. Help me to focus on the results that you want me to take care of right in front of me. May the works of my hands accomplished for your glory be used freely by others long after I'm gone from this world. Amen.

DAY FIFTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS

          Once upon a season, a man planted seeds on a hillside. He planted seeds of fruit and vegetables in one year and they kept growing for many years. The man built a house and raised a family who lived in the house for many years eating from the food that grew on the hillside. The whole family would pitch in by helping remove the weeds and take care of the new young plants that sprouted in place of old and dying plants.
          The house was sold to many different families over the years. One day a little boy asked his Father, "Daddy, who planted the very first vegetables and fruits? The man smiled at his little boy, scooped him up and tossed him high in the air. The boy howled in joy as he landed in his Daddy's arms and nestled into a great big hug. The big man looked into his son's eyes and said, "They called the man who was the first planter, Mr. Freely. He liked to plant beyond what he needed so he could give the abundance to other people. He was a visionary who started planting gardens and made sure he finished the work. The most important thing Mr. Freely did was to make sure that his gardens were fertilized by consistency and continuance so the results would keep repeating themselves." 
     The boy listened very intently to his Dad's explanation. After a few moments of silence he asked his dad another question, "How did he get the name Mr. Freely?"  The Dad smiled again and said, "Nobody really knows for sure how he got that name, but everyone agrees that's what he should be called. The man was always freely giving things to other people. All his gardens were planted with the idea that he would have more than enough for his own family and the rest he could freely give away. Because of what Mr. Freely started, we continue to freely give what we have freely received. That's the results of a life freely lived."

 

          Trophies, ribbons, awards, reference letters, recognition dinners, "likes" on social media, the list of ways we receive approval and validation is endless. Everyone wants to feel valued and in the long run, we want to know that somebody loves us. We have a desire to know that our efforts show our value have paid off. We live in a world where love is oftentimes reduced to a seasonal fruit of fleeting emotions. What if someone proved they were willing to die for you because they loved you so much? Jesus did that and did you know that Jesus asked the question, "Do you love me?"
          The verse you are about to read describes the third time that Jesus had appeared alive after He had been dead for three days. It also recounts the three times that Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Imagine yourself as Peter for the next few moments.
 "Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples, after He had risen from the dead.
The Love Motivation
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,
do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 
Again He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?”
Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep." John 21:13-17 Amplified Bible
          The above passages beg to be chewed apart and swallowed as a multi-course spiritual dinner. Why would Jesus have to ask Peter (or me and you) if he loved Him three times? My thoughts takes me to one place and let me state it boldly and maybe at last my trophies I'll lay down. If I focus on my love for Christ, it becomes pride that blocks me from fully knowing His Love for me. We cannot do anything for Him in comparison to what He did for us. Greater is His Love within me than anything I can accomplish on my own. 
          The three questions Jesus asked Peter had a backdrop of Peter's three denials that he knew Jesus. It happened during a few moments of Peter being under pressure as his Friend was being arrested and was about to be tortured and executed. Nobody knows what they will do under pressure until they are under pressure. A deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car freezes as it becomes paralyzed with fear. I've never spoken to Peter, but I can feel his fear and his remorse in the aftermath of denial. I may not have said the words, "I know Him not!", but some of my actions would clearly speak denial. 
          The action of opening our hearts to allow the love of Christ flow within us is greater than any human love that can flow out of us. The fruit of the Spirit comes from the Spirit. Peter experienced first hand the immeasurable power of forgiveness of God. The forgiveness given to us by God is shared forgiveness - extend it to all. "Feed my sheep."

DAY FOURTEEN WORD    

Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified Bible
“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us]
 is love [unselfish concern for others],
joy, [inner] peace,
patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting],
 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
 Against such things there is no law.”
 
Titus 1:16 Amplified Bible
“They profess to know God [to recognize and be acquainted with Him], but by their actions they deny and disown Him. They are detestable and disobedient and worthless for good work of any kind.”
 
John 21:19 Amplified Bible
And after saying this, He said to him, 
“Follow Me [walk the same path of life that I have walked]!”
 
John 15:9-15 Amplified Bible
“I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me;
remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. 
If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching,
you will remain in My love,
just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 
I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you,
and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.
 
Disciples’ Relation to Each Other
 
“This is My commandment,
 that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another,
just as I have loved you. 
No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment]
 than to lay down his own life for his friends.
 You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you.
 I do not call you servants any longer,
for the servant does not know what his master is doing;
but I have called you [My] friends,
because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.

 DAY FOURTEEN PRAYER

Thank you God for not ignoring my denials of you. Your Holy Spirit brings to my attention my own self-righteousness. I prided myself in doing things for you instead of giving you the credit for doing things through me. My actions in your name became trophies in my name. I denied you by making my worldly pursuits more important than you. Thank you for your forgiveness and wisdom. You have fed me, please help me feed your sheep. Amen.

DAY FOURTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS 

• There is danger in pursuing the ways of well admired Christians. Pursue the fruit of the Spirit, not the ways of man. you were uniquely created by God to be unique in His fruit.
• Our fears will sink us beneath the waves in a storm. The trust we put in God will allow us to walk on water and have peace in our storms.
• God wants His peace to be in our hearts on earth, as peace is in His heart in heaven.

          Being on a 21 day fast is both a struggle and a joy. The struggle part is obvious so I don't need to do any moaning and groaning here to tell you why. The joy comes in being hungry for God and being fed by Him. Plain and simple - that's like eating cool beans! There's a peace that transcends all understanding that comes from being in the presence of God. Everyday He gives me something to write about. It's become a habit to wait and write. Sometimes though, I find myself wondering what to write about instead of focusing my wandering thoughts on Him.
          God's Word tells us not to worry. "So I tell you, don’t worry about the food you need to live. And don’t worry about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes." Matthew 6:25 ICB. I have to admit that sometimes I'm a bit anxious about knowing what I'm supposed to write about, and being anxious is a form of worrying. It's natural, we all do it, but that doesn't make it right just because everybody's doing it.
          Habits can be good things that improve our lives. Habits that become rituals often lead us away from the reason we formed the habit in the first place. If I form a habit of reading my Bible every morning, that's a good thing if I'm focusing on what God would say to me during my reading. If I speed-read the Word just to finish my daily ritual, well that's not the kind of Bible reading God would want.
          Many religions have rituals. I received my Christian foundation as a child in a Christian denomination that was deeply entrenched in many rituals. That's not a bad thing as it gave me a good start toward building a godly moral character (which is still in progress.) There are some rituals that make me dwell on the mercies of God. When my ritual causes worry about how I'll bring it to completion, I'm focused on myself and not God - that's a mistake.
          After a mistake, it's a good time to regroup, go back to your first Love, apologize, and start over again. It happens folks, wandering minds go off on a worry expedition and get lost in their anxiety. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is a great guide who will leave 99 focused people and bring back one worrier whose gone off on worry way. I made a mistake and I'm grateful God doesn't hold it over my old-head. He welcomes me back into His everlasting arms.

DAY THIRTEEN WORD

Philippians 4:6-7 The Message
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
 
1 Peter 5:7-8 Amplified Bible
“casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times.” 
 
Revelation 2:4 Amplified Bible
“But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].”
 
Acts 3:19 Amplified Bible
“So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];”

DAY THIRTEEN PRAYER

Thank you God for your forgiveness and patience. You have a never give up kind of love for a wandering people and I could be chief among them. My heart might be in the right place but my mind is easily distracted by my self. Help my focus which could be called unbelief. If I had more focus with my faith, I'd stay at home with you 24/7 without wandering. Thanks for being You. Amen.

DAY THIRTEEN DEEP THOUGHTS

• When the seas of anxiety drift toward the pools of worry in your mind, imagine Jesus walking on those waters.
• When a mountain of doubt towers over your peace of mind, picture Jesus on a mountain praying for you.
• When a storm of panic threatens to steal your memories of God's grace, imagine Jesus beckoning you to walk with Him on stormy seas that will soon be calm.
• Ask God for focus. Be careful with rituals. Launch out in to the deep of His Presence. 

          Once upon a season in time, there was a Tall Tree who stood towering over all the other trees in the forest. On the forest floor stood Little Tree who was suffering from lack of sunlight. It's withering leaves were turning brown and it's bark was curling as its life was slowly ebbing away. Little Tree was exhausted from using all its energy to bend toward what little sunlight reached the forest floor. Little Tree didn't complain to anybody. it was too tired to bother. Nobody listened anyway the tree thought sadly. Soon I'll be just another dead tree in the forest. One moment in that season changed the life of the little tree forever.
          Tall Tree looked down from its height that almost reached the heavens and noticed Little Tree struggling. "How can I help you?" Asked Tall Tree. Little Tree was shocked that someone actually offered help. Weakly, Little Tree replied, "I need some sunlight." Tall Tree smiled and said, "I think I can help you with that!" Tall Tree called to the wind and asked if the wind would use all its might to blow the tall trees branches to one side. It worked for a short while as a few rays of the sun reached Little Tree far below. As Tall Tree spent considerable time bending to one side, it caused a crack to open in its trunk.
          In spite of the few rays of light that Little Tree was receiving, it still wasn't enough to bring about the shedding of its sluggish depression and help it to grow. "There must be more I can do," thought Tall Tree. The season's changed and the cold of winter arrived. Tall Tree called to the snow and ice, "Can you load up some of my branches so they break under the weight of the snow? I must prune some of my branches off so more sunlight can reach Little Tree." After a few heavy snowfalls and freezing temperatures, snow and ice piled on top of tall tree. Soon the weight broke many of Tall Tree's limbs and they fell crashing to the forest floor. The second effort of Tall Tree began to make a difference in Little Tree's life. 
          Spring arrived and with it came fresh sunshine pouring down like a river over Little Tree's shriveled trunk. Little Tree began to grow alongside Tall Tree. Sadly, Tall Tree was beginning to show signs of old age. All the leaning and pruning had taken its toll on Tall Tree. Several seasons passed and Little Tree grew to the same height as Tall Tree. Until one day, Tall Tree fell over and collapsed on the forest floor where it died and became mulch for Little Tree's roots

          The picture above shows a street corner memorial where a young man was murdered. Teddy bears are tied to a street light and notes are written in the young man's memory. Can you walk a mile in the dead man's shoes? Maybe not, but how about walking in his mother's shoes? What will it cost you to engage yourself completely in the suffering of another human being? Can you redeem the life of a dead young man by promising his Mom to keep the young man's memory alive? Can you use his story of life and young death to give a message that will change the lives of other young people?

• Redemptive suffering is like walking a mile in someones shoes while carrying them on your back with their heart in your hands. It will cause you some pain.
• Redemptive suffering is taking your own pain and using it as launching point to help others in their pain.
• Redemptive suffering is like a regurgitation.
  • When you take your suffering to God,
    • He blends your suffering with the peace and comfort of His Holy Spirit.
      • This helps you regurgitate a blessing on someone who is suffering.
• Redemptive suffering is God sending Jesus to die for our sins.

DAY TWELVE WORD

John 3:16 Complete Jewish Bible
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.”
 
Mark 8:34 Amplified Bible
“Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].”
 
Colossians 1:24-25 The Message
“I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God’s way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.”
 
Matthew 5:1-11 New Living Translation
The Sermon on the Mount
5 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
    for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

DAY TWELVE PRAYER

Thank you God for making a way for suffering to become a blessing. Your Word says that joy comes in the morning. No matter how dark the night becomes, your Light always rises in the midst of our mourning. Help me to be more of your Light no matter how much suffering I have to endure to show your Love. Amen.

DAY TWELVE DEEP THOUGHTS

• How can you join somebody in suffering?
• The Bible talks about "redeeming the time." I take this to mean that we should treat each moment as a valuable moment and each life as a valuable life.  
• Redeeming something is buying it back or restoring something that was lost. There is a cost. Partaking in the suffering of another is part of the cost in redemption.
• What is your cost? How will you pray? How will you fast? What will you give?
• Is it time for a second effort to help someone who rejected you the first time?

          No matter how many times you've fasted, fasting is a struggle. The longer the days wear on, king self argues vehemently about being ignored. Whenever you're trying to put God in first place, the devil is pulling at your ankles. No! Wait a minute. It's too easy to blame the devil for my struggles. This is about my self and my relationship with God. Yes, the devil is real and he comes to steal, kill and destroy, but too often we over estimate his influence in our lives. That's a struggle. Jesus met the devil when he was fasting and he told him to get lost. Okay devil, get lost! Now, back to struggling with my self.
          Struggle is a means of strengthening our character. When life presents us with a struggle, our minds tell us to remove or avoid the struggle in any way possible. It's okay to pray, “Abba, Father! You can do all things. Let me not have this cup of suffering." It's also important to add, "But do what you want, not what I want.” Those were the words of Jesus from John 14:36 (ICB). He was about to go through the struggle of the cross. The cross is the Greatest Struggle of All Time. None of us will ever come close to going through a struggle of that magnitude. Jesus set himself beside and did what God wanted. I need to focus on having gratitude that he would endure such suffering for me and you.
          In the picture above, a youth pastor stands with his group on the morning after struggling up a mountain. They had come to the Adirondack Mountains in New York for their first mountain hike and were met with unexpected heavy snow. It was slippery on the way up, but they made it to the top by helping each other. With the help of many other people, the Directors of Youth With A Purpose have lead many mountain hiking expeditions. One statement repeated by almost all of the young people who were first time hikers sticks in our minds, "This was the hardest thing I ever had to do!"  Life is hard sometimes. You'll find strength for the struggle at the cross.         
          Life wants to pull us toward the comfort of carnal directions - all of those things that appease our physical and emotional senses. I think God uses struggle as a means of helping us attain greater brokenness. The more broken we are, the greater is his presence within us. Struggle creates greater compassion for those with greater struggles than our own. Someone's cross is heavier today, can you help them carry it?

DAY ELEVEN WORD

Hebrews 10:32 International Children’s Bible
“Remember those days in the past when you first learned the truth.
You had a hard struggle with many sufferings,
but you continued strong.”
 
1 Timothy 4:10 International Children’s Bible
“For this is why we work and struggle: 
We hope in the living God.
 He is the Savior of all people.
 And in a very special way,
he is the Savior of all who believe in him.”
 
Genesis 3:17 New Living Translation
“And to the man he said,
“Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree
    whose fruit I commanded you not to eat,
the ground is cursed because of you.
    All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.”
 
Philippians 1:30 New Living Translation
“We are in this struggle together.
You have seen my struggle in the past,
and you know that I am still in the midst of it.”

DAY ELEVEN PRAYER

Thank you God for my struggles. I know I can't get stronger without the struggles. Help me focus on gratitude for the struggle of Christ and have better eyes to see the struggles of others. Feed my compassion through my fasting. Amen.

DAY ELEVEN DEEP THOUGHTS

• What do you have to be grateful for during the last 11 days?
• Can you see a relationship between struggle and developing strong character?
• What helps you to keep going during a struggle?
• Can you encourage others with what God has given you?
• Gratitude - use it for 10 more days of fasting.
• Look to the end of your fast as another beginning - one where God will feed you new opportunities to feed greater numbers of people the Bread of Life.

           Every once in awhile, I wake up several times during the night with a Bible verse tattooed on my mind. Our cat walked on my head a few times trying to wake me up, but it was the Bible verse that caught my attention more than the cat. The verse was Colossians 1:1-3 which I had no clue what it said. When the cat finally clawed my pillow  enough to wake me up for good, I looked up the verse. Here's what it said, complete with footnotes: 
Colossians 1:1-3 Amplified Bible
Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments
1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the [a]saints and faithful [b]believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we pray always for you,
Footnotes:
Colossians 1:2 Every born-again believer (saint) has been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.
Colossians 1:2 Lit brethren.
Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
          After reading the verse, my first thought was, "Well that's nice, but what does it mean to me?" Too often we dismiss something we don't understand at first glance. The Bible is different than any other book, it's a Living Word with deep meanings that can differ in many situations. When you want to understand what God might be trying to say, it's best to dig deep. In your digging, find the answers to these questions:

1. Who was the speaker or writer?
2. Who was the audience?
3. What was the time period or culture in history?
4. What was the purpose of the writing? 

          Paul was an apostle in prison writing a letter to a church in Colossae. He had never met these people, but they belonged to one of the churches he helped to start through his followers. He was writing to establish proper theology and teach them the truth of Christ. Some folks were trying to blend religions together and make up their own version. Paul sent his message in loving concern for people he didn't know personally. Here's an interesting piece of information I found in the Blue Letter Bible and a commentary by David Guzik. [iv. Adam Clarke adds an interesting comment: "That this city perished by an earthquake, a short time after the date of this epistle, we have the testimony of Eusebius." Tacitus also mentioned this earthquake, which happened around A.D. 60.] *
          I stopped studying at that point and asked God what might be His message to me from this passage. A guy writes a letter from prison to a group of people in a city where soon after there's an earthquake. He doesn't know these people personally, but expresses love for them anyway, and that's followed by an earthquake. So here's my takeaway so far: "Even if my life is limited in some way, there are folks with serious problems that may be in immediate danger. Time is of the essence in an eternal manner." I'm still praying about what God is saying and what He might want me to do.

DAY TEN WORD

Psalm 82:3-4 International Children’s Bible
“Defend the orphans and the weak.
    Defend the rights of the poor and suffering.
 Save the weak and helpless
    from the power of the wicked”
 
Proverbs 24:11-12 The Message
“ Rescue the perishing;
    don’t hesitate to step in and help.
If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,”
    will that get you off the hook?
Someone is watching you closely, you know--
    Someone not impressed with weak excuses.”
 
Proverbs 24:11-12 International Children’s Bible
"Save those who are being led to their death.
    Rescue those who are about to be killed.
You may say, “We don’t know anything about this.”
    But God knows what is in your mind, and he will notice.
He is watching you, and he will know.
    He will pay each person back for what he has done."

DAY TEN PRAYER

Thank you God for taking the time to talk to me about time being of the essence. Your Word is time sensitive. Your Word is a plan to rescue us from an eternal hell. Our limitations mean nothing in your immeasurable grace, help us to go the extra mile for those in need, regardless of how we might feel imprisoned by our own problems. Amen.

DAY TEN DEEP THOUGHTS

• Ask God to show you people or situations that He considers a priority for you show some extra love.
• Do you know of anyone who might experience a second death (hell) if they were to die in an earthquake (or death in any other way?)
• If you feel you need more knowledge regarding God's ways of speaking to us, it's time for you to go the extra mile. Talk to a Bible believing Pastor. If you aren't going now, start attending a church where they teach the Bible. Time is of the essence.

      * ​https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/archives/guzik_david/StudyGuide_Col/Col_1.cfm