Many of you know that God required animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, why was this the case? This sacrifice provided a temporary covering of sins until the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. It is made clear that without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness in Hebrews 9:22. The animal had to be spotless in order to be worthy to take the place of the sinner.

Jesus was of course called the Lamb of God (John 1:29) by John the Baptist. His mission on this earth was to die for us, that was the whole reason that God sent his son was to be the perfect, spotless, and innocent sacrifice that would cleanse us eternally. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Paul speaks about the sacrifice of Jesus in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It all seems so very academic. Christ died for you, that was the plan. That was what had to happen. Right?

I am 32 years old, roughly the age of Jesus when he would have been going to the cross. I am by no means perfect, of course. I have touched hundreds of lives in good and bad ways to be sure, not nearly the impact of Jesus. I have family and friends that love me, people that depend on me for advice and leadership. Others rely on me to handle their business and maybe some would just say I am a good guy. The thing that I cannot imagine is, Christ knew from a very young age that his mission was to do the will of his Father in heaven. He knew that he would become this perfect sacrifice.

Can you picture going through life, giving to these people who you knew one day would nail you to a cross and heap insults on you? Jesus did this without even a sinful thought! Even in his anger when he declared that the Lord’s temple would not be made into a marketplace, he did that all with a righteous indignation. How many times have I sinned in my anger? I could not even count the times I have raised my voice or cursed, punched something. How did he do it?

His relationship with God is something to behold. He walked with God, knew his words and commands and he loved Him more than anything. Make no mistake, we see Jesus pleading with God not to drink the cup of crucifixion in Matthew 26:36-46. He was not impervious to the fears and trials of life, especially the incredible things that he had to endure. Jesus said to his best friends, “ My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” That sounds like someone going through a difficult time to me, don’t you think? But he was surrendered to God’s will and after fervently praying and pleading with God, he did what he always had done, the will of his Father. The resolve with which Jesus faced his mission once he had talked with his Father about it is compelling. He avoids the temptations that gave him a way out and does not attempt to defend himself. He was on a mission.

How is your resolve? When you sin is it your mission to make things right? Do you confess right away or hang on to things that are not such a big deal? Do you have “pet sins” that you feed every once in awhile, just keeping them around because you really like them and a little sin here and there is just fun? Think about Jesus’ example the next time you speak nonchalantly about sin in your life and realize your freedom was bought for the price of a perfect man’s life who never failed you.

Ryan Kailbourne
Kailbourne’s Korner

Who is Ryan?

It’s incredible now, two months have passed since my New Year’s Revelation posting.      I reflect back on it today amidst grueling, recent life events calling me to get out of the boat and to walk on the water with my Jesus.   It is remarkable and true, amazing and certain He always hears, knows and searches my heart to ensure nothing resides therein that won’t withstand the firey refinement.

How about you, do you want to go with me & Daniel into the Lion’s Den or head in with Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego into the fiery furnace?   Will you be willing to go there no matter what the cost?  What if it cost everything…..everything except your faith in God, that is?

These past few weeks I have been bombarded with multiple invites to go there, go all the way for God, even if going it all alone.   And yet, I’m not alone.  Jesus promises He is always with us and that all authority in heaven and on earth are His (Matthew 28:18-20).  No one & nothing is outside of His authority, nor His trustworthiness.  That’s pretty awesome and reassuring since Jesus laid down His life already for me.  Even cooler that He calls me Friend, Beloved & Sister.

This is the air I breathe now, God residing in me and Jesus walking with me as a returning veteran & registrant of Character Building Boot Camp  (the CBBC) .  I’m fired up with this molding & shaping into the very things I asked Him for in 2013:  HIS contentment, endurance, faithfulness & holiness.  Yes, and Jesus is my very present help & personal partner in this new work.   He is teaching me more about walking the life of His follower and disciple, as a child of the Creator & Savior of the Universe.

Celestial wow, like UBER WOW!  For me, I have to do everything Jesus paved the way for me to do…stay out of the boat, keep my eyes fixed on Him, Walk on Water with Him,  entrust myself to Him completely and unreservedly.  I will carry my Cross and go to the Cross, because He did first for me.   Definitely, all to Him I owe.

Melodie Turish
Barnaby Girls Beat

Who is Melodie?

God: The Great Orchestrator

Jeremiah 29:11-13

New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

So yesterday after church we had a discipleship group with our teens at one of our teen’s houses. It was great! We sat around and ate, then we talked about what we wanted the new year to be like for us. We had a lot of participation from our around 20 or so teens that were there. It was very productive and I am looking forward to an incredible new year for our ministry. We had them write a letter to themselves about what they are planning on doing and changing, growing in for 2013.

As I pulled into this teen’s neighborhood I realized that I had been there not too long ago. I recognized the street names and the houses, just as I did when I was there on that very street about a month ago at 3:30 AM. What was I doing there at 3:30 AM you ask? That is really a great question.

So I deliver pizza part time and sometimes I have to close the store. This was I believe a Saturday night and the store got closed down around 2:30 or so. Often times at the end of the shift, a few of us will take a deposit to the bank, for safety we follow each other in our cars. As I was leaving the parking lot a tall young man (6’4”) approached my car and was asking for a ride. I do not work in a great area, and of course I had a lot of money with me so I said, “I will be right back.” I went to the bank, made my deposit, and then I started to drive away, but I was torn. I felt like I should at least see what was going on. I prayed and asked God to help me to make the right decision about what to do. So I made a U-Turn and went back and asked this boy “So what is going on?”

“I am going to be honest with you, I just got out of Jail. I got in a fight at school, and they sent me here. My phone died and my parents do not know I am here. The bus here does not run after 1:00 AM, can you please take me to the main bus terminal so I can get home?”

“Where do you live?” I asked

“Matthews.” He answered.

At this time it was nearing 2:45 AM and if I got him to the bus terminal at 3:00 he probably would not get home until 7:00 is my guess. So I figured I had a captive audience and there had to be a reason I was there to help. (In the back of my mind I am thinking “This is definitely not recommended behavior, picking up someone I do not know at 2:45 AM” Also the plans for my hope and a future and this kid’s hope and future are driving me to do what I would likely not logically do (Jeremiah 29:11-13))

“Come on, I will take you home.”

He was very grateful, and I shared my life with him (it is a long drive to Matthews, 40 minutes). I talked about the teens that I work with, the decisions that I made, good and bad. He listened as I shared a lot of the basic principles that I live my life by and I tried to empathize but also be realistic with him about his life. I just figured that was what God would have wanted me to do. I dropped him off, he shook my hand and said “thanks” and I hoped that I had made a difference. I think the only person I told about it was my wife about it when I got home (she was half asleep of course at 4:00 AM). I thought to myself, “Hey you never know, maybe I will see this kid in heaven one day?”

When we had arrived at the kid’s neighborhood I told him I was pretty sure one of the teens from church lived there but it had been a long time since I had been there so I may be wrong. But when I went to this D Group on Sunday I told my wife, “This was where I brought that kid!”

I told the boy whose house we were at the same thing and he asked me about a couple of names of guys it could be and I was like “I think so.”

As the teens began to write their letters to themselves the doorbell rang, there was a boy at the door. I honestly was not paying attention much as I was writing a letter as well. When I got done I looked up and who was sitting in the same living room with me? It indeed was that same boy who I picked up at the bus stop! He kept looking at me like it was some kind of joke or something. I then walked up to him and reached out my hand and said, “It’s good to see you again.”

“Oh my God, I knew I knew you, wow, what is up?”

I said, “Just a chance meeting I guess, right. Or maybe it was God’s will that you be here.”

Pretty cool right?

So the next time God gives you an opportunity to go out of your way to love someone, even if you start to drive away, remember, you can make a U-turn, it might make a difference. God may have put you there at just the right time.

Acts 17:26-28

The Message (MSG)

Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him!

Ryan Kailbourne
Kailbourne’s Korner

Who is Ryan?

You’ve heard it said and you’ve probably said it more times than you can count, “Let go and let God!”    This letting go and letting God  (‘aka’ surrenderedness) direct our lives is a crazy and uncomfortable proposition for most of us, and yet a deeply abiding, uncanny conviction that propels the Christ follower.  We want to be like Him, know Him, learn of Him, model His ways and yet, that Cross carrying thing is oftentimes our greatest challenge…the challenge of dying to &overcoming one’s self to become the servant follower of Jesus Christ.  (Romans 12:2)

Not conforming to how the world rolls, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds to the mind of Christ is the pathway of surrenderedness.  God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives is both the reward and substance of letting go, of surrendering and overcoming one’s selfish tendencies, of not being anxious or uptight about what is or isn’t going right in life.    So let’s ask, “Who’s calling the shots for me?”  Is it me behind the steering wheel, or have I given up the pilot seat so God can fly the plane?  Am I honestly surrendered in all things, most things or in nothing?

When I read about Abram before he was Abraham (Genesis 12) and his wife Sarai (Sarah) he was found to be fearful before the Pharoah of Egypt regarding her, so he lied about who she was.  He claimed she was his sister, not his wife in hopes of no harm coming to himself.   This did not turn out so well at all for either of him or Sarai, nor for the Pharoah’s household.   However, God prevailed as did the truth through the Pharoah’s righteous response.   Later in their lives when Sarah found herself old and not having bore the child according to God’s covenant with Abram (Genesis 15-18:15) she took matters into her own hands instead of trusting God’s promise and timing.  Boy, that didn’t turn out so well either in terms of the interpersonal relations on the homefront…another hot mess that God mercifully overlooked to establish His covenant as He has promised Abraham.  (Genesis  21:1-7)

We can learn a lot of what not to do versus what to do from the examples of others (like Abraham & Sarah).  The decision to let go and let God will be of our own making or perhaps brought to bear by someone’s decisions that affect us.  Either way,  surrenderedness follows the way of God, the way of love, the way of light and the way of truth.  It’s the way of Jesus Christ and it must become more our way to claim the name, Christian,  Christ follower and Disciple.

Melodie Turish
Barnaby Girls Beat

Who is Melodie?

I am very good at appeasing people, as I am a people pleaser by nature. I am very perceptive as to what people want to hear and what they expect of me. In my sinful nature it becomes evident to me that when doing and saying what other people want me to do or say becomes overly important, I am likely not tuned into what God wants me to do. But how does this happen?

It is clearly not all at once, typically it is one little decision at a time. Why do I weigh 300 pounds? It is not as if I ate one hamburger or candy bar and went from 197 my senior year in high school to 100 pounds more 15 years later. A soda here, bad decision there, I deserve this shake, a treat here and wham, I am a big dude! Disciplined or undisciplined are both things that you are consistently. Every decision that you make decides what you will be for the next one. Sin leads to sin is something that I heard a long time ago, and I agree with it. Take for instance an undisciplined day unfolding, really the night before.

I am tired when I get off work, so I go grab fast food (which I know is not good for me, I spent no calories preparing it for myself and it is likely to be over 1500 calories worth of filth for my body). So I wolf that down in a matter of minutes. I get home and feel like sleeping or laying around doing nothing. Maybe I wake up and feel like doing something so that my night has not been wasted. I play video games for 3 or 4 hours and then I get to bed at 12:30 AM. I should be waking up at 7:00 to read my Bible, pray, and prepare breakfast, and shower up and get ready for my day. Instead, I sleep until 8:00 to make up for the sleep I lost in the debauchery the night before of my gaming and I end up getting to work just in time.

I am under rested, uninspired and not prepared to face my day spiritually. I have not prayed about reaching out to anyone or read anything that made me decide to change anything about myself. I will just go through the motions and do what my boss tells me looking forward only to the awful food I am likely to buy for lunch (If I had woken up I could have packed a healthy lunch and saved money). Work with a bad attitude until 6 then come home tired again, same routine. I should have worked out in the morning to give myself energy as well and burn some of those calories but that sounds like no fun. Do you see how making one bad decision can easily lead to a terrible lifestyle?

I find that when I choose one area to focus on being disciplined in, being eating or exercise, or time, it vastly improves the rest of my decisions. When I am eating right I want to exercise so I can see results, I think more about what I am putting into my body and the effects it will have on me. I want to get to sleep so that I have the energy to do what I set out to do that next day. I feel a sense of accomplishment after working out and eating well prepared food that I made for myself. I also have more energy to accomplish the things that I set out to do. As I start to make good decisions, they start to build momentum and can transform into a healthy lifestyle physically, emotionally and spiritually.

One of the worst times in my life was in 2008 when over a period of time I had lost my drive for God. I realized that slowly over time through bad decisions my heart had gradually hardened to the point where I still knew what was right, but I was not willing to repent or change. I remember the realization when it came over me “I am not a disciple.” I said to myself in disbelief. How could this happen? Slowly, over time, I had left the God who truly loved me. Rationalizing things I had not rationalized. Doing comedy in clubs I should not have been in, being yoked with people who did not believe what I knew to be true and believed. How did it happen? A glance here, a flirt there turned into full scale immorality. A curse word to salty up a joke and really drive home the funny. “A little white lie”. Let me tell you something, no lie, no matter how little you think it is can be called little. Trust is a big deal and very difficult to earn. You omitted the truth, that is a lie. Satan is the father of lies and I bought into his schemes. “Well at least I am not hurting anyone.” REALLY? God loves you and sent his Son to hang on a tree and you are destroying at least your life that he valued enough to do that and “I am not hurting anyone?” Nothing could be further from the truth. During this time, friends who I had hurt reached out to me and cared about me when I did not even care about myself. I told them not to waste their time, and I asked them “Why do you even care?” It was because they loved God and they truly loved me. I must say, not everyone has friends like I have. Thank God for those who challenged me when I did not care, loved me when I did not deserve it and prayed for me against my own will.

So for today, decide to make good decisions. They all influence your heart and the person you will become. You get closer or further away from God every hour of every day. Who will you serve today? What is the first thing you will do when you wake up? Will you pray to meet others, to have a positive impact or just lull on through life waiting for it all to end? God has a plan for you, I hope and pray you find it. Jeremiah 29:11-13: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Ryan Kailbourne
Kailbourne’s Korner

Who is Ryan?

My oldest son, William, is now 7 years old and finally of football age. This past fall, our family’s Saturday mornings were filled with the sounds of my wife, Meredith, cheering William’s name and yelling threats at opposing first-graders she was convinced had just hit her baby “harder than should be allowed.”

I got a kick out of watching William try his hand at football. Observing him and his teammates scurry about the field in oversized helmets and pads, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just stumbled upon a bunch of bobble-head dolls involved in a disorganized flash mob.

They chased one another, pulled on one another, tripped over one another, bounced off of one another, and occasionally cried to their mommies. All the while, we dads just stood there, wincing with every dropped pass or missed tackle and yelling things like, “Quit staring at the grasshopper and watch the ball!” and “Put your cup back in your pants and listen to coach!”

It was fun to see my son play football. It took me back to when I played as a kid. But I also saw firsthand how careful we parents must be. If we don’t watch it, we’ll get too wrapped up in how well our child is performing, whether or not he or she becomes an “all-star,” and what the final score or outcome turns out to be.

In short, we can get way too focused on what our child is achieving or setting our child up for “success,” rather than remembering that what matters most is molding our children’s characters. Right now, I’m not so concerned with William’s performance. I’m concerned with his attitude and effort. I’m not interested in molding William to be a football player, an artist, a straight-A student, etc. I am interested in demanding his best effort in order to use the challenges of schoolwork, sports, and any other activity he participates in as instruments for molding him into a quality kid who will one day be a quality adult.

Will my son grow up to be a star athlete? Who knows? If this year was an indication, it will most likely have to be in a sport other than football. Regardless, all that matters now is that he tries his best, respects his coach, and supports and sincerely cares about his teammates. Oh, and it will help if, next year, he and his fellow bobble-heads remember to keep their cups in their pants too.

Kindred Howard
The Family Playbook

Who is Kindred?

Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

God gives time, gifts, and other resources according to our abilities, and He expects us to invest them wisely until he returns. We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use it. No one received more or less than he/she could handle. Jesus taught accountability and faithfulness to God.

Contrary to popular belief on the Christian’s viewpoint of money–money is NOT the root of all evil. Jesus never condemns money in itself; He condemns the idea of making money more important than serving Him.

Money and possessions are a gift from God, Ecclesiastes 5:19, “When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God.”

I am grateful for the opportunities & relationships that I have crossed paths with during my entire life.

The foundation of my & Jesus Surfed Apparel Co.’s business philosophy is to trust God,  put others first and to remain firm in the belief that everything belongs to Him. Our commitment has to be to serve others with integrity, treat everyone with respect, and put others interest before my bottom line. I believe these values, rooted in Biblical principles, set myself and our organization apart from others.

MJ Anton
Peace in the Neighborhood

Who Am I?

The same principle is true when it comes to families. Many moms and dads spend all their time trying to play defense. They want to protect their kids from bad influences, dangerous situations, painful experiences, and bad choices; all in the hope of raising a quality human being. That’s good. A great defense is important.

But your kids won’t grow up to be people of strong character who care about their community just playing defense. You have to go on offense too! You have to show your kids how to be contributing members of society and a positive impact in the lives of others.

Whether it’s having your son help you while you serve food at a homeless shelter, taking your daughter with you to collect clothes for less-privileged children, bringing your kids along as you drop a meal by a hurting neighbor’s house, letting your little ones witness how you open your home to others, or (in the case of Christians) allowing your kids to see you openly sharing your faith and the Bible with others, you have to do something in order to maximize the likelihood that your child will grow up to be a good citizen.

Molding a quality person isn’t a “sport” won on defense. You gotta go on offense too. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time until you’re “outscored” by society’s negative influences.

Kindred Howard
The Family Playbook

Who is Kindred?

Apparently, that was not what God had in mind for us though J. I had been praying about my job at my old company, as it seemed I was working more hours and not having enough time to spend with my new wife and was continually stressed with work even when I was not working. I also felt like I was not getting the time with God that I needed to due to the fact that I was so mentally exhausted at the end of the day. My prayer was that God would show me where I needed to be. When you pray, prepare for an answer. It may not always be exactly what you were expecting.

1. It becomes clear to me I have nowhere to go in my position at my job and things are not going to get better. I send in a letter of resignation and begin to look for other work.

2. 1 week following my resignation the company my wife is working for decides that they have to cut costs and they tell her she needs to look for other work.

3. My dog dies suddenly of cancer.

4. My wife gets in a car accident.

5. The A/C Unit at my house needs a major repair.

6. Jeni and I both get letters from the IRS stating we have some unpaid taxes that we have missed.

“Amen! Thanks God, that was just what I was looking for!” Ok, that may not have been exactly my response, but since I had been praying for change and a new direction I was trusting God and felt good about the situation where in the past I would likely have become very depressed. The results: I am much closer to God, I am not stressed out like I used to be all the time with work. I am much more kind to my wife and those around me and I am living God’s will that I prayed for him to give me. It is not your aptitude, but your attitude that determines your altitude. How do you respond when difficult things happen? Are you praying about your life? Or does that only occur as a last resort after the trials have already come because only then do you feel like you are not in charge of your life. When we became disciples we said “Jesus is Lord.” That is supposed to be all the time, not only when we feel like we cannot do it ourselves. We do not get to choose our circumstances, where we live, who are parents are. What our talents are or abilities. You can either choose to be angry at God for what you do not have or grateful for what you do have.

Nick Vujicic (voychidge) is an amazing human being. He has spoken in front of thousands upon thousands of people. He has inspired people to embrace their situations and circumstances. He enjoys soccer, golf, and boating. What is so special about Nick? He was born without arms and legs. Why was this man born this way? So that God’s glory may be shown through this man. Nick Vujicic Interview on the 700 Club
We do not get to choose our circumstances, God can change your heart and heal you without changing your circumstances. Nick prayed to God and told him he would not follow Him unless he answered the question : “Why did you make me this way?” The Answer was “Do you trust me?” When the answer to that question is yes, nothing else matters. Have faith.

Isaiah 40:27-31

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

When my wife is down, when she does not value herself there are two things that help. I pray, we pray together and I also share with her God’s truth, the only pure truth which is found in the Bible. This helps her remember the Love that God has for her. If you do not know the truth, then you cannot be free. Nick has the truth, I have the truth, do you have the truth? Seek it out, and rely on God, it will lift the burden of the idea that you have to go through life alone, and make it so that you will soar on wings like eagles.

Ryan Kailbourne
Kailbourne’s Korner

Who is Ryan?

Of course, we all do not have the time or place to make something like this happen. So here is my suggestion: Make time to reflect at the end of every year. It does not have to be a camp, maybe it is a hotel, a long car ride, or a hike in the woods one day. Just some time to reflect on what the last year has meant can mean wonders to your soul.

The theme for our bash this year was “Reality Check”. We set the kids up the first night with a prank, that was actually a little too real. We had some of them in tears and very angry because they had been deceived into thinking some of their peers were actually going to jail for setting a fire (Our Teen minister did apologize the next morning at breakfast in a true show of humility). The reality was however that these teens had slipped away from their peers and they did not know where they were. We should have let on earlier that it was a prank but the reality that something like this could really happened proved to really shake up the hearts of the campers. The point was that they have friends around them every day that are one bad decision away from severely impacting the rest of their lives. People were crying real tears for people that they did not even know very well. How many of us have those around us that truly need us to invest in them, take an interest in their lives and listen? Just to be a friend, or someone that they can count on at the very least?

The Theme Scripture for the weekend was
1 Corinthians 9:21-23

New International Version (NIV)
21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Answer these two questions for yourself.
1. What has my reality been for 2012? Where have I succeeded and where have I fallen short?
2. What do I want my 2013 reality to look like next year at this time, and what do I need to do to get there?

Ryan Kailbourne
Kailbourne’s Korner