Christian Chat Room for Teens

Need a safe environment for your teenager to chat in? This is a Christian chatroom that is monitored. It was in a recent Agape Press newsletter.

Ditty Talk, Chatroom for Christian Teens

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God Works In The Ordinary

by Ted Brabham

Hebrews 13:5
"He (God) Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.' "

A devout Christian heard an urgent news report on his radio that a flash flood was within minutes of entering the peaceful valley where he lived. Immediately he went to his knees and prayed for safety. The words were still on his lips when he became aware that water was gushing under his door. He retreated to the second floor and finally onto the roof of his house.

While he sat on the roof, a helicopter flew by and the pilot asked over the loudspeaker if they could lift him off. "It's not necessary since I have the Lord's protection," he replied.

Moments later the house began to break up and he found himself clinging to a tree. A police boat, braving the waters, approached him for rescue, but he assured them that the Lord would save him. Finally, the tree gave way and the man went to his death.

Standing before the Lord, he asked, "Lord, I'm glad to be here, but why didn't You answer my prayer for safety?"

The Lord responded, "Son, I told you over the radio to get out of there. . .then I sent you a helicopter and a motor boat!"

Nowhere in the Bible are we given the idea that God only works only in the extraordinary. Much of the time He supernaturally works through His created order. Many people think God is present only when there is a miracle and that He leads only through signs and wonders.

There are people who ALWAYS look for a sign. They walk by sight, not by faith. To them, God is only present in the miraculous. God was "really" at the church service if something unusual happened. Many desire and look for "visitations" from God.

But how does that square with God's omnipresence and the fact that He will never leave us or forsake us? Isn't God at EVERY church service? Since God created the fixed order of the universe, would you expect Him to work primarily within that fixed order or outside of it? If God gave us a watch, would we be honoring Him more by asking Him what time it is or by simply consulting the watch?

PRAYER:

Lord, forgive me for looking for signs when I only need to trust Your Word and live by Your promises.

God bless you all!
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I just love Ted's weekly devotionals! I often receive a new perspective on the scripture.
Visit Ted's website at the provided link~~you can hear his beautiful music here.

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In today's world, is marriage still relevant?

by Rabbi Aron Moss from Chabad.org
Rabbi Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in Sydney, Australia.

Unlike a hundred years ago, a couple today can live together without getting married. What are they missing?

Marriage is more relevant today than ever before in history. Marriage used to be a given. Now it is a choice. All the old arguments for marriage have fallen away, and we are left with only one true reason to get married. We can finally get married for the right reason.

What were once good reasons to get married are largely irrelevant today. Here are four classic reasons to get married:

1. So we can live together. As you pointed out in your question, this reason no longer applies to the many couples who live happily together without getting married.

2. So we can have children. Again, it is possible to have children and be wonderful parents without getting married.

3. To make a solid commitment. That's a charming one. We are getting married to make it harder to walk away from each other. How romantic.

4. To make our relationship official. You could achieve that by placing an announcement in the newspaper saying, "We are now official." You don't need a caterer to serve gazpacho soup in a ballroom just to make it official.

So what are we left with? If not to live together, to start a family, to make a commitment or to make it official, why get married?

There's only one reason.

Marriage makes a relationship divine. Getting married means that something bigger than both of you is bringing you together. A wedding achieves something that simply can't happen otherwise -- G-d is introduced into the relationship.

Until they are married, a couple's commitment to each other is a human commitment, with all the limitations of being human. We can't see the future, we can't know what may change and what may eventuate, and we make mistakes. The chuppah elevates the commitment beyond human limitations. The blessings made under the chuppah invoke G-d's name upon the couple, and bring G-d into the union as a partner. You are married not just because you chose to be, but because G-d has said so.

Without a chuppah you can have love, commitment and family -- but it isn't holy. Only by standing under a chuppah and marrying according to tradition does your union become sacred. Only after the wedding is your love blessed with the divine imprint of eternity.

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Social Scientist: Biblical Marriage Matters,

Freedom Depends on the Family
By Mary Rettig

from Agape Press

A sociologist and writer says America cannot afford to say no to traditional marriage. Brad Wilcox, co-author of The Meaning of Marriage: Family, State, Market, and Morals (Spence Publishing, 2006), believes how U.S. society defines marriage can affect everything from the nation's economy to its citizens' individual rights.

Wilcox, a sociologist from the University of Virginia, is encouraged to note that 19 U.S. states have adopted pro-traditional marriage amendments to their state constitutions, and nine more states will vote on similar issues this November. He says marriage relates to every aspect of a nation's life, whether social, economic, or political.

"We know that the success of marriage has a lot to do with how children turn out and has to do with things like criminal activity, teenage pregnancy and child poverty," Wilcox observes, "so if we're concerned about things like crime rates, teenage girls getting pregnant, and kids living in poverty, then we should be concerned about the health and the strength of marriage."

The sociology expert says strong families directly correspond to a strong economy, low crime, and low government interference. On the other hand, he asserts, weak families result in a weak economy, high crime, and other social problems that result in a welfare state and undermine a Republic form of government. Hence, failing to keep American families strong will be detrimental in several ways, he insists.

"Our liberties and our freedoms depend in a large part on our capacity to govern ourselves," Wilcox notes. "If people cannot govern themselves -- if families cannot govern themselves -- the government has to step in to take up the slack," he says.

"Our tradition in the United States has been to stress the limited character of government, the limited nature of government, and to really emphasize the importance of individual liberty and freedom," the author asserts. But as families break down, he continues, government grows and endangers America's representative form of government as well as the freedoms and opportunities that her citizens have come to associate with the American way of life.

That is why traditional marriage must be upheld, Wilcox insists. When marriages fail, the sociologist explains, people are more likely to fall into poverty, whether through divorce or illegitimacy. And when that happens, he says, the state often ends up having to pick up the tab through welfare programs, and American independence and liberty are undermined.

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Cheerful Christianity & Troubling God With The Small Stuff

by Ted Brabham
{If you are not subscribe to Ted's newsletter but would like to: Ted Brabham's Music Ministry and Newsletter ~~your life will be blessed!

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"The cheerful heart has a continual feast"
Proverbs 15:15

Few things in life are more sad, or, for that matter, more absurd, than a grumpy Christian. Christ promises us lives of abundance and joy, but He does not force His joy upon us. We must claim His joy for ourselves, and when we do, Jesus, in turn, fills our spirits with His power and His love.

How can we receive from Christ the joy that is rightfully ours? By giving Him what is rightfully His: our hearts and our souls. When we earnestly commit ourselves to the Savior of mankind, when we place Jesus at the center of our lives and trust Him as our personal Savior, He transforms us, not just for today, but for all eternity. Then, we, as God's children, can share Christ's joy and His message with a world that desperately needs both.

The people I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful people who went about their business with a smile on their faces.

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Troubling God With The Small Stuff

In the late 1990's, Richard Carlson, Ph.D., sought to sooth the nerves of an overworked, over stimulated, even overwhelmed society with his book, "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. . ." and it's all small stuff. An expert in happiness and stress-reduction, Carlson's sage advice was well timed. His book became the number one best-seller in America for two consecutive years, a feat never before achieved in publishing.

Carlson went on to create a series of "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. . . " resources -- something for pretty much everybody: men, women, couples, families, teens, people at work. (As of January 2006, I see there's even a day to day calendar for the new year.)

NO PROJECT TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL

With chapter titles such as "Develop Your Compassion," "Practice Humility," and "Remember that Everything Has God's Fingerprints on It," it's easy to find similarities between Carlson's "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" advice and biblical principles.

That got me thinking: How often do I pray to God about "the small stuff"?

I know the Bible tells us to cast all our cares, all our anxieties on God, (1 Peter 5:7) but do I really need to trouble Him with a minor disagreement I had with a friend, or when I'm a little stressed during a hectic day? I can handle that just fine. God's got more important matters to attend to -- doesn't He?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Solomon in Proverbs 3:5-6)

As humans go, it's easy to forget that God isn't limited intellectually or constrained by time and space as we are. Put another way, our earthly minds are not able to fully comprehend God's power, grace and wisdom.

The truth is God wants us to "trouble" Him -- trust Him -- with every aspect of our daily lives. Nothing is too big or too small. Just as a loving parent wants to get involved when his children ask for help, so does God. It's no trouble at all.

Solomon explains that we must acknowledge God in all our ways so we can receive His guidance. That means turning every area of life over to God. Make Him a vital part of everything you do!

WHAT'S THE CATCH?

I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (Jesus in John 16:23)

No doubt, there are times when God helps you without your needing to ask, but He wants to be invited in. He wants your fellowship. And no area of your life is trivial to God. He wants to bless your work and all the routine tasks and issues you deal with day to day.

Through Jesus we are able to seek God's grace. However, it's important to understand that asking for help in Jesus' name means that the request agrees with God's character and will. We're not granted endless wishes to fulfill selfish desires. In fact, if we truly follow God and seek to do His will, then our requests for help will be in line with what He wants for us.

YOUR MOST IMPORTANT HABIT

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. (David in Psalm 28:7)

Prayer keeps us in communion with God. It's also the most powerful resource we have, whether we're facing adversity, or just taking care of the small stuff.

Does pride keep you from asking God for help? Or do your daily tasks seem too insignificant to warrant the request? Maybe it simply didn't occur to you that you could and should ask God for help! Whatever the case, I encourage you to make a habit of taking prayer breaks throughout the day and inviting God to help.

Think about it!

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