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Jan 02

My Grandson is Walking

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Baby Grant is walking.

October.. a month synonymous with spooky, scary, and things that go bump in the night.

The lure of unhealthy things for youth to do during this month is staggering. But what if there was an alternative?

An alternative that wasn’t only something that the youth would be interested in, but also something that would be a blessing to them?

Look no further!

Dangerous_Calling_Movie_PosterCloud Ten Pictures is excited to offer Christian youth groups a brand new, fantastic feature film, DANGEROUS CALLING, that will be sure to draw the youth and create a great Halloween / Harvest “Fright Night” party for them.

DANGEROUS CALLING

For a full review, behind the scenes interview, trailers and photo gallery of DANGEROUS CALLING, go to this LINK.

We are inviting Christian youth pastors around the world to participate. Cloud Ten is already shipping the DVD package to participating churches and youth organizations anxious to give their young people something constructive and fun to do this Halloween / Harvest season.

A tense moment during the film DANGEROUS CALLING

Ground breaking, trail-blazing, and innovative Christian film studio Cloud Ten Pictures is taking the task of film-based evangelism to another level.

A drowning victim during another intense moment in DANGEROUS CALLING

Cloud Ten’s owner, Paul Lalonde spent many years as a youth outreach worker and is very excited about this opportunity. Here are some thoughts from Paul Lalonde, owner of Cloud Ten Pictures:

Any youth pastor can tell you, this is not always an easy group to reach in terms of entertainment. In fact, you don’t have to be a youth pastor or a teacher to appreciate that challenge – just ask any parent! … While fright night is not really an evangelical outreach per se, it is carefully designed as a very simple two-step process.

First and foremost we have to grab their attention, and that means putting something on the screen that they actually want to watch. Secondly, we want to make sure we present them with something worth talking about. Some powerful fodder for meaningful dialog afterwards. That’s really the key – talking.

Ever get that “sinking feeling?”

This is not a canned sermon – it’s food for thought packaged in an exciting edge of your pew thriller.”

With a nod to films like PSYCHO and MISERY, DANGEROUS CALLING is not your typical “church movie.” A new pastor in a small-town church stands up to a few controlling church members who oppose his new ideas for reaching the youth of the community, and he and his wife face dire consequences.

Pretty scary when the Pastor’s wife needs to hide in the church

So it’s a movie with a message about Church politics gone wrong, about the way Christian young people can often feel misunderstood within the Church, and for me this is a big one, about the importance of not taking ourselves too seriously.

For more information on how you can obtain the “Fright Night” showing of DANGEROUS CALLING in your church or youth group, contact: Cloud Ten Pictures Office Manager Jason Pearson at 1-888-684-5561 or email him directly at jason.p@cloudtenpictures.com

“If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

I think that she would like to hear the following:

  • Thank you for the wonderful meal you prepared.
  • Thank you for taking care of yourself.
  • Thank you for the way you raise the children.   
  • Thank you for all you do in our home.
  • Thank you for taking care of us when we are sick.

Is there any wife that would not like to hear this?

Let’s go further.  I think that she would like to hear this also:

  • You are a great hostess.
  • You are the best mother in the world.
  • You are really smart.
  • You are the light of my life.  
  • You are a great lover.
  • You are my best friend.
  • You are really a strong person.
  • You are beautiful.
  • You are the kindess person I know.

Is there any wife that would not like to hear this?

Let’s go one step further. I think she would like to hear this also:

  • I am ravished when I look at you.
  • I am overwhelmed by the fact that you chose me to be your husband.
  • I love you with all my being.
  • My love for you will never grow stale.
  • I get plum giddy when I think about you.

Is there any wife that would not like to hear this?  Which one would a wife rather hear? There is no doubt that every wife and every husband would like to hear some gratitude, which is what the first group of statements are.  But if you had to choose between the first group and the second group, every wife and every husband would rather hear the second group…that is praise.  We love to be praised…it does something for our self esteem.  But if you had to choose between all three groups, there is no doubt that we would want to hear group three.  This is the expression of love and adoration.

Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”  One author puts it this way, “Thanksgiving gets you through the gate so that you are near God.  It gets you on the property or premises so that God can give you His promises.”  Praise gets you into His courts.  The courts around the tabernacle and the temple was the place where major decisions were made.  When we need to make major decisions, spend some time praising God. Remember, God inhabits the praises of His people.  This way you are inviting His influence in your decision making.

But, let us never forget that as much as God loves gratitude and praise, He loves for us to worship Him.  John 4:23 says, “The Father is seeking such to worship Him.”  God wants your love and adoration.

Is your personal devotion to God, a ‘group 1’ level with just gratitude for what He does?  Or is it a ‘group 2’ level with gratitude and praise for who He is?  Maybe you have been thinking that that is enough.  But God wants you to have a ‘group 3’ level with gratitude, praise and most especially worship, adoration, and love. How about your church?  Which level is your church on?  Ask God to teach you how to love Him.

I will be preaching a series of sermons at Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Flowery Branch beginning Sunday, March 25 through Wednesday, March 28.  Also, I will be preaching in Bradenton, Florida later in the spring.

Thank you for your responses…it helps to know if we are sending relevant newsletters. Please keep us updated on your prayer requests.  1 Samuel 12:23 (NKJV)  Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
We love you.
Billy and Sheilah Daws

Jun 21

What Does God Value?

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God’s Word is a deep reservoir of spiritual nourishment. Spend time with the Lord today. Talk to Him of all that you are concerned about. Don’t waste any day! Learn of Him and lean on Him!

God continues to tell me that His focus is the process which is defined as the ‘as we go’, or the ‘journey’, or the ‘day in and day out’ or the ‘daily living’. At the same time, my focus seems to always be the end which is the ‘final destiny’ or ‘the job’ or ‘the position’ or ‘the date’ or ‘the opening’. Guess who needs to shift their focus? God is enjoying the process because in this uncertainty we draw near to Him. I believe God’s favorite tool is a cloud. Recently I was reading from Oswald Chamber’s book, Still Higher For His Highest, these words, “…spiritual insanity must result if we push down barriers before our spiritual progress is ready for the revelation. Men will not wait for the slow, steady, majestic way of the Son of God; they try to enter in by this door and that door. The barriers are placed by a Holy God, and He has told us clearly, ‘Not that way.’ God grant we may accept His clouds and mysteries, and be led into His secrets by obedient trust.” Remember, the walk is a walk of faith not of sight. Our biggest opportunity to please God is when we are in the thick cloud and we choose to trust Him even when we can’t see anything ahead.

Part of the problem is that we don’t seem to value the same thing that God values. Let’s face it…most of us feel that most of our problems would be solved if we were financially secure. I recently did a word search looking for all the things that God values more than gold. I found seven things. So…what does God value more than gold?

  1. God values wisdom which is defined as “seeing and responding to life’s situations from God’s frame of reference” Proverbs 3:13-15 reads, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; [14] For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. [15] She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.”
  2. God values understanding. Proverbs 3:13 says, “ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding”.
  3. God values knowledge. Proverbs 8:9-10 reads, “They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. [10] Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

Those with knowledge are able to collect, remember, and access information. They “know” the Scriptures. God’s word is literally “in them”. But, it is possible to have knowledge and lack understanding and wisdom; to have the facts, but have no clue as to the meaning or what to do next.

Those with understanding are able to abstract the meaning out of information. They “see through” the facts to the dynamics of what, how, and why. They are teachers. Understanding is a lens which brings the facts into crisp focus. Understanding produces “rules of thumb” or principles.

Those with wisdom know which principle to apply now. Understanding without wisdom can appear contradictory (Proverbs 26:4-5). For example, “He who hesitates is lost”, is a valid principle as well as: “Haste makes waste”. We see the truth of both. But which should we apply next? Those with wisdom know what to do next; they know which way to go. They do the right thing. In contrast, there are many who have great knowledge and understanding, but consistently do the wrong thing. Wisdom, in this sense, is the goal, and knowledge and understanding only have eternal value as they result in wisdom, or what we end up doing.

James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. !

  1. God values His Word. Psalm 19:10 reads, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
  2. God values a good name. Proverbs 22:1 reads, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”
  3. God values you and me more than gold. Isaiah 13:12 reads, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” This is where my self-worth comes from…God values me…wow!
  4. God values the perfecting of my faith more than gold. 1 Peter 1:7 reads, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

When we cry out for God to hurry up and let’s get to the end of this test or trial, God just sits there and takes His sweet time. Why? It is because His values are different…they are perfect just as He is. God values the process more than we do. For it is in the process, that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are developed. It is in the process that our faith is perfected. “If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish–His purpose is the process itself.” Oswald Chambers

So…put down the crowbar and quit trying to force the door open. Let the process happen…wait on God…and at a point in time, the same thing will happen for you that happened to Peter who had an iron gate that stood between him and freedom: Acts 12:10 reads, “…they came unto the iron gate that leads unto the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street…” At the right time, God made the iron gate to open by itself! Mark 5:36 says, “Be not afraid, only believe.”

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