Nina and I have a friend – sounds like the start of a bad joke doesn't it? Shocking as it is, we have more than one, but this particular friend is going through an unusually difficult time right now. Almost constantly, for the last several years, her family has been served tragedy and hardship with a side of grief. They have continued to put one foot in front of the other each day, at times stopping simply to ask – why? Casualties have abounded and shame has been an unwelcome yet frequent house guest.

For the record, let it be said that last year irritated so many like a bad boil. It festered and oozed and only seemed to worsen with its ever-maddening pain. Thank the Lord that just before midnight last Wednesday it finally popped. Her struggles began before 2008 and sadly may last through 2009.

When she called last week, her first words were, “I need help.” No, "Hello, how are you?" Just, “I need help.” She began to pour out her heart to us and with a shaky voice while quickly wiping away tears she continued, saying, “I just don't have any faith.”

At work lately, I've noticed a lot of complaining.  Soldiers are complaining about the work load, the hours, the conditions or the way that we are treated but they are always complaining about something.  Some of the guys are extremely vocal about it and, as a result, it becomes contagious.  Just the other day, I found myself complaining about some things at work.  I was pouring an earful of whine to a few other soldiers and to my sergeant.  Most of the guys were right on the same page as me...except for one.  My sergeant turned to me and said, "Whenever I think about how bad it is here in the Old Guard (the unit I'm stationed in) I always think about how glad I am that I'm not in Iraq any more.  The guys over there have it a whole lot worse than we do.  Just ask your brother."

He knew what he was talking about and he was exactly right.  Before coming to the Old Guard, he had served two combat tours in Iraq.  He had seen his share of hard times during his time at war.  And he was right also about my brother.  My brother brought a purple heart back from Iraq.  His tank had been hit by an armor piercing rocket-propelled grenade.  Unlike the interpretor sitting in there with him, he was fortunate enough to live through the attack, but with a lot of pain. My sergeant was right that they certainly had it a lot worse than we do.  His mention of my brother was the perfect testament to how pathetic my complaints were.

It seems that as Joseph began his journey of following God's Will that he had failed to see what great things God had in store for him.  In the beginning of Matthew 1, we saw how God had been working out the tiniest of details for thousands of years in his preparation for the life of Christ. 

Too often, I'm afraid, we base our response to the Holy Spirit's leading on our circumstances.  At those moments when it is convenient or that it will look good to do right, we do right.  The rest of the time, we simply float downstream.  We fail to open our eyes and see that as we serve Christ we are a part of something so much larger than ourselves.

Can you imagine for just a moment what must have been going through the mind of Joseph?  He had just found out that his fiance was expecting.  In his mind, and in the mind of everyone who knew them, she had been with another man.   His mind was probably racing trying to figure out what he was supposed to do.

Mistrial: A trial that becomes invalid, is essentially canceled, because of a mistake in procedure.

During the time leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, He was led before the Jewish Sanhedrin to face formal charges as they were brought against him. It was at this trial that they ultimately determined his guilty verdict and decided to implement capital punishment. Yet a careful examination of that trial will reveal that it was in violation of many Jewish laws by which the Sanhedrin were directed to follow. It is my intention in this article to prove to you that even if Christ were guilty of the charges he faced his trial was still completely bogus. The laws of justice by which the Sanhedrin were so famous for following were completely thrown out the window as Yeshua or Jesus Christ was led to his crucifixion.

The Great Sanhedrin was an assembly of Jewish judges who comprised the Jewish court of law. This panel included a leader called a Nasi, a High Priest, a vice-chief justice and sixty-nine general members. These Jewish leaders were considered experts in many fields. They were well versed in Science, medicine, chemistry and foreign languages. The priests were experts in the moral law, the elders in the civil law, and the scribes in the ceremonial law.

I want to introduce you to Sally. On the outside Sally seems sweet and appears that she wants to be your friend. She appears to be someone you should be able to trust and won’t repeat what you say to anyone else. Sounds like a great friend?

Let us take a second look. Just this morning you were talking to Sally about a problem or situation in your life. She appeared to be concerned for your well being and seemed to offer you some sound advice on what to do. You felt relieved after talking with her and went about your day.

Later in the afternoon you got a phone call from another person who knew all about your situation. The only person you had told was Sally. Hmmm. Then you hear from someone else how Sally has been going around talking about you. They know all about your problems and Sally’s opinion on how to handle them.

Ladies no one likes to have a gossiping, backstabbing friend. Are you this person?  We can either hurt others with our tongues or we can uplift and encourage them.

Ira Sankey is known today as a famous song leader of the past.  Also known as an author and evangelist, Sankey composed much music for our modern day hymn book, including “Faith Is the Victory.”  Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, he has changed the lives of many.

Ira Sankey was born at Edinburgh, Pennsylvania on August 28, 1840.  His father, David Sankey was a state senator and soon became a collector of internal revenue appointed by Abraham Lincoln.  Even as a businessman, Ira’s father was called upon to deliver speeches on religious topics.

As Sankey grew to a little boy, he was noted for his love for music.  As a child, he even had a great ability to sing.  Ira Sankey testified that he received Christ as his personal Savior while he was yet a youth.  He stated that his voice had been consecrated to the Lord early.  Of course, he joined the church choir, at the age of fifteen.  Not long after, he became the leader of the choir, superintendent of the Sunday-school, and president of the YMCA. 

A certain man that I know at work claims to be a Christian.  He talks about Christ and about what a blessing everything is.  He talks about prayer and the things of God.  And even though he claims to stand for the name of Christ, he talks as vulgar as any man I know.  Every day that I am near him, I hear him swear with the vilest of vocabulary. 

Another Christian soldier pulled him aside privately and approached him about the subject.  “How is it that you are a Christian and you use language like that?” the other soldier asked.  “Hey,” he replied, “I’m only human.  Christ will forgive me.”

Although both of those statements are true, he is human and Christ will forgive him, neither reason excuses this type of behavior.  Let’s dive in and see what the Bible says about this subject.

Sit for a moment and I will tell you the story of the greatest day of my life. Oh how well I remember that sweet memory. It floods my mind as if it just took place yesterday.

You see, when I woke up that morning, I felt like I had no reason in the world to keep on going. I was so consumed with what had taken place just a few days before. I was still in shock from what I had seen...and what I had done. I was so heartbroken.

Three years before, I met a man who changed everything for me. I remember the day that I met this man. He called out to me, "Follow me." I remember how he told me to follow him. He didn't ask. Who was this guy to tell me to just drop my nets and leave my father and follow him? Yet something in his voice seemed to intrigue me. He seemed to have such a deep and subtle authority. I felt compelled to follow him. My curiosity drove me. I had to know what this man was about. I was not disappointed.