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How valuable is someone's life? Are different people more valuable than others? Some would think that someone is really valuable based on his/her involvement in society or their impact on the culture, (doctors, government leaders, police officers, etc.) whereas a person who has very little impact on society has very little value (the pre-born, mentally retarded, terminally ill, etc.) If the Bible speaks on the issue of life and it's value, than I believe we can draw firm conclusions to our questions. The Bible is clear that God is the creator of all life: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." that started in the womb. Becuase God created the life, He; and only He, can determine it's value. There is no distinction between the life of the pre-born, and the life of a fully grown man: Check out Exodus 21:22-25. Did you know that more than half of the people that commit abortions are under the age of 25. Those are our peers! It's important to know what we think about these issues so that we can make a decision based not on our opinions, but on the basis of God's Word, for it is "...God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God formed us to be exactly what he designed and we have inherant value - no less or more than the next person; for our value is based on the maker, not on the usefullness of the creation. PETE

Hearing is so important. Have you ever wondered how your life would be different if you lost your sense of hearing? So much is added to our experiences each day just by the things that we hear: an encouraging word from a friend, the birds chirping as they pass by, the wind blowing through the trees. Christ beckons those in his presence to hear with understanding the words that he speaks. We must remember that Christ is alive and His Word is living. Therefore, as we read scripture, his message comes with power to speak right to our hearts...are you listening? God's message is sent through the Bible, through the the Holy Spirit, through the warnings of our parents, or even through the voice of a friend that is encouraging us to walk closely with the Lord. When Christ spoke to large crowds he would say: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear". God searches the globe for young men and women that will hear his voice and obey his calling. I hope that our ears are open each day to hear his message and to walk in his light. -PETE

There does not seem to be a great appeal to be obedient these days. We have names for our peers that do all the right things: "goody-goodies", "teacher's pet", "brown-nosers", etc. It's a shame that even today's Christians are 'expected' to break the rules sometimes. Have we forgotten why God has handed down commands, decrees, and standards for us to live by? Have we forgotten the joy of obedience? In Psalm 119, David goes to great length in the longest book of the Bible, to express his love and great gratitude for the commands that God has given to his people. Either David was pretending or he truly understood the joy of obedience. I believe that David truly understood that a life of obedience towards God meant a life of deep and unbroken relationship with God. God provides commands, standards, etc. so that we can grow into a meaningful and significant relationship with Him. He does not give us commands to make our lives less fun, on the contrary, it is by following His commands that we remain in a loving and joyful relationship with the creator of the universe. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:10-11 "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." It is by remaining in Christ that we experience the unending blessings of God. Knowing what David knew, we too should yell out "Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest Gold!" Psalm 119:127 - PETE

We are always changing, sometimes we can't control it. Just look at old pictures of yourself in Jr. High or even earlier during your single digit years (7, 8, or 9 years old). Even next year at this time, we will be slightly different than we are today. God wants to create a lasting change in us that will stay with us forever. When I look in the Bible, I'm reminded of Paul that perhaps had one of the most dramatic transformations during his life. He went from persecuting Christians, to shepherding them to faith in Christ. He focused on many things that helped keep his attention on Christ and shares them in his letter to the Philippians. Look at chapter 3:8-15. He encourages them, and us today, to Gain more of Christ, to know Christ, and to imitate Christ. Our Pastor Mark said Sunday that "The key to the Christian life is to die to our old way of life and put on a new way of living.” I would encourage all of you to consider if your habits, thoughts, motives, desires, and attitudes are evidence of Christ being #1 in your life. If Christ is going to be #1 in our life, then we must step aside and let him take control. I hope puting these spiritual disciplines into practice will help you have a lasting change in your relationship with Christ this year. PETE