On Tuesday March 13, I took my 12-year-old son on a two-hour drive to West Edmonton Mall for the day. That evening we were meeting some family to meet us at the food court for supper.

While we were waiting, six high school girls started fighting. It looked like 3 of the girls ran up, grabbed the other girls’ neck and started punching. At first I thought they were playing around but then realized that they weren’t. This was in the middle of the food court, not something I expected to see.

I quickly ran over, jumped in between those girls, pulling them apart, shouting, “That’s enough!”

The fight ended and the girls went in by their groups in separate directions.

Now what really surprised me, wasn’t the fighting but rather that there were over 100 people, many of them really close, no one even moved. Many were watching. As I was looking around for the people that we were meeting, it hit me. Nobody had any intention of doing anything about it.

A few minutes later, a young man came to me, rather cautiously, and asks me if any of those girls were my kids. I responded that they weren’t. He said something to the effect, that I shouldn’t get involve because I could get shanked and t isn’t worth it especially with my son being right there.

I really wish that I could ask that young man and the people who were there some questions.

• If you had a daughter that age, would you want someone to step in and help her?
• Someone is punching you, would you want someone to come help break this person or persons from beating the snot out of you or would you rather they don’t get involve because you wouldn’t want to see anyone else maybe get hurt.
• What if you, your wife or girlfriend was getting beat-up, would you not hope that someone would come and help?
• At what point would or should you get involve?

Those girls that were getting punched are someone’s daughter, grandchild and cousin. Maybe, just maybe, it was your cousin daughter that you didn’t recognize.

At what point should we get involve? If that were my kid, I would hope and pray that you would take a chance, and step in.

And we wonder why this city has all these problems.

Shawn

This is a phrase that I often hear and it really, really bugs me. It is interesting that people don’t give God any thought or acknowledgment except when something bad happens.

People have gotten things all twisted. They think that God is a punishing God. The biggest problem is that people don’t even know God nor do they take the time to know Him. Yet they are quick to blame Him if something goes wrong.

We need to look and learn about God. In the King James Bible, John 10:10 says

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

In this verse “the thief” is referred to as Satan and “I” is referred to as God.

I find it really interested that when something bad happen they blame God. Something is a little backwards here. God gives life abundantly. Satan, the thief, comes to steal, kill and destroy.

In, 1 John 4:8 it says, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

Something is really not making sense here. In the scripture above it says, “God is love.” The statement people often say, “Why did God let this happen?” really doesn’t go with to with who God is.

If God created us, why would he want to hurt us? If you built a house would you turn around and destroy it or wreak it after you finish building it? This really doesn’t make any sense does it?

Isn’t it time to put the blame where it is due and the give the credit to where it is due?

Should we not start thanking God rather than blaming Him?

This weekend I found a really need book that I have been reading to my family over the weekend.

We Love it! My 10 year old son wants me to keep reading more. Just one more chapter.

The real neat thing is that was written in 1896! I am not one who is really interested in reading old books but this is certainly an exception. The book is called In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon. Some of you might have already had a chance to read this. If you have, please leave some comments.While conditions have changed in the years since the story was written, the principle of human conduct remains the same.

It is said that the book has had more circulation than any other book except the Bible. I don’t know if this is true or not, but it is something that I would highly recommend to anyone to read.

This book has 31 chapters. You can get 2 chapters a week by email at no charge. <Click here>

Something on another note:

I found an awesome bible software that is free. I will share this with you shortly.

I believe that the single most important thing for every Christian is to understand the true meaning of prayer.

What is prayer? What is prayer in the simplistic form? Prayer is Talking to God.

We need to change our way of thinking of prayer. We need to really understand and realize that prayer is talking to God.

We are created as relational beings; meaning we need relationships with one another. We were created to have relationships.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

A relationship is a two way communication. Right?

If I did all the talking and didn’t take anytime listening, do you think anyone would want to be around me?

What about my wife? If I was talking, and talking and asking questions, and kept talking, how on earth could she ever answer my question? If I ask her a question, I need to be quite and listen, otherwise how can she answer me?

A relationship requires communication. Communication is two ways, not one way.

One of my biggest desire is that each one of you begin to develop a two way conversation with our Creator, our King, the giver of life, our Father in Heaven.

This is the season that we have to learn to listen and hear from the Holy Spirit! In the next season, for some even this season, it may cost some of us our life if we don’t hear!

Did you hear me? This is a life and death thing. Please, Please, Please…….. Hear me!

If this year, there is only one thing that you learn, just one, learn to hear and recognize Gods’ voice.

We as the sheep need to hear and recognize the Shepard’s voice. * Wait on the Lord * Be patience

It isn’t that God isn’t speaking to us — He is — we just aren’t listening.

It usually takes more effort (work), to listen than it does to talk. One have to listen and focus. Listening requires not to be thinking about us but rather what is being said.

We have not because we ask not…. Do you really want to hear from God?

Are you willing to put time aside to listen? Are you going to quit if you don’t hear from Him in the first five minutes? What about the first hour? What about the first month?

Hello and welcome to this new blog. The purpose of this blog is to share with others some of the things that the Lord is showing me. The Lord is showing some very important things that will be very helpful. Some of the things are general, some for the church, and some are specifically for me.

My goal is to help Christians to grow and be doing the things that God specifically wants you to do.  To encourage people to do the things that God has put in their heart.

Please, pray about the things that I write about and listen to what the Lord tells you.

As many of us, we have intentions of doing things on a regular basis, but often doesn’t seem to work out that way. I will try to keep this updated on a regular basis of at least a couple of times per month. Please do not hold me to it.

I also welcome your comments and feedback.

Enjoy,

Shawn