This week's show includes a review of our Thankgiving, Thomas and Kyle talking about rooming at Pepperdine, and much, much, more!!!!

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Xu Yonghai · Mainland China · 1995
Xu Yonghai looked around his 8-by-8 foot cell. A trained medical doctor, Yonghai was used to sanitized conditions—so what he saw was especially disgusting. There was no bathroom. Instead, there was a pipe in one corner from which water flowed continuously onto the concrete. Yonghai learned to use this pipe to wash human waste from his cell. He ate right there as well—guards slid his food under the door. He drank and washed himself with water from the pipe.

For two entire years, he never once left this tiny, filthy room!

Yonghai, a Christian in Communist China, had worked with Gao Feng to get a house church legalized. For this “crime,” he was locked up in a Beijing prison for 24 months. Yonghai spent much of this time in prayer and meditation—and writing. On the walls of his cell, Yonghai scrawled the major points for a book, God the Creator. He wrote with soap, his deep-thinking, intellectual mind tying the points of his thesis together. When the writing was finished, he spent time memorizing the words. After his release in May 1997, he put his cell-wall composition on paper. The result was a 50,000-word book!

“My cell was the last stop for prisoners sentenced to die,” Yonghai said. “At times there were as many as three other prisoners in the tiny, damp room, awaiting their date with the executioner.”

What a chance to witness! What an opportunity to introduce these men into God’s kingdom! Yonghai took advantage of it, sharing the Gospel with his temporary cell mates in their final days on earth. He reports, “These men were very open to the message of Christ.”

“My living conditions were disgusting, but after four months, the Lord helped me get used to it. God was with me, even in my darkest times, helping me endure my years in prison. Only God gave me the strength to do it.”

TODAY'S SHOW included a Grudge Match between Philly Dan and Bethany!!! Their favorite football teams the Eagles and the Cowboys played last night on Monday Night Football, so hear the smakc fly and the excuses come out as to why the team who lost did.  Philly Dan started the whole things by e-mailing Bethany the following Picture uests as you can see from the photos.  The problem with throwing smak down is that you have to be able to eat crow when you can't back it up.  We will see if Dan had to eat crow or not.  We also called a few random people to see what htey were up to today.  You will get to meet one of Adam's friends from England.  Its a great show that I know you are going to love. 
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Below are some slightly re-written notes from my travel journal while I was in India. God taught me a hard lesson about myself while I was there, so I wanted to share that with everyone. I hope you enjoy reading it:

 

I learned a lesson about myself yesterday. I learned how possessive I am with my material belongings, even though I don’t usually see myself as materialistic. It wasn’t a lesson I enjoyed learning, but if God needs to teach me hard lessons to make me more like His Son, so be it.

 

The life lesson came in the car when Lawrence, our Indian driver, asked me about my One bracelet. My One bracelet has been a source of pride and a reminder of purpose. It is worth more to me than the plastic it is made of. And while I could always get another, in my mind it is irreplaceable because I don’t like the new style as much as the old. As if the style was the point! So Lawrence starts asking about my bracelet and asks me to take it off. That made me panic. I didn’t realize until later that it was making me panic because I have an unhealthy possessive attitude about my things. In other words, I have a “don’t touch my stuff” mentality. Lawrence said he was going to put the bracelet on his rearview mirror. Because of a slight language barrier, I didn’t know if he meant permanently. I should have restrained myself, but I blurted out “Can I have it back later?” He said of course, but I think my tone conveyed now, not later. He handed it back.

 

That was when I realized what a moron I was. Isn’t the point of the One organization to be generous to those less fortunate? How dare I ask for my bracelet back from a man who I pay a few dollars a day to drive me around? I felt terrible. I asked Lawrence about it later and then I figured out he only wanted to see the bracelet to know my wrist size because he planned to buy me a gift. Yep, I’m a jerk.

 

My boss (and an old family friend) was in the car when it happened. He said later that he saw Bethany the teenager again in the car that day. That convicted me to the point that it hurt, because I know what a selfish brat I was as a teenager. To realize that my possessiveness of material things has not diminished over the last 10 years as I have matured in other ways was a big wake-up call.

 

I realize now that my attitude wasn’t about my bracelet, but I panicked simply because it’s MINE. Satan has so deceived me to think that things are mine, that I have a right to them, and that things matter.

 

I think the solution will have to be a lot of prayer and forcefully stripping myself of those THINGS that I am convinced that I need. I decided then that I had to give away my One bracelet, so I gave it to Lawrence’s daughter, Rachel. When Lawrence tried to give it back I told him that it was important to me and so I wanted her to have it. I have to admit it hurt a little bit to give something of mine away, but it also felt great.

 

I need to learn that all things are God’s. I own nothing. Everything I have is on loan from God, from whom all blessing come. If I can’t learn that after two trips to third-world countries in one year, I’ll never learn it.

What a joy it is to have our house full of teenagers.  We had a blast having you over to our home for a Dinner & Devo time.  I hope you were blessed by the time of fellowship hanging out with frineds from Student Ministry and being in worship together.  Thanks for comeing and being a part of the night. 

CLICK HERE to see pics from the night. 

I voted on Tuesday for the different state propositions.  Granted it wasn't like I was voting for the next President or even a Senator or Congressman, but I still voted on things that could affect my life.  I had a voice.  I had a say in my state and local government.  I had freedom.  I didn't have to worry about being beaten, imprisoned, or persecuted for my vote.  It is a tremendous privilege to have such a voice, a say in your government. 

 

Millions don’t. 

 

They have to settle and follow those who have the most guns or thugs at their side and force their own political views on the masses under their control.  It doesn’t matter if they are the majority or not.  It doesn’t matter if most of the people disagree with them.  It only matters that they have guns and enforcers that control others and tell them what to do.  

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So take action.  Volunteer.  Have YOUR voice heard.  Go to Voice of the Martyrs’ Volunteers Site and use YOUR voice to speak for those who don’t have the freedom to speak out against corrupt government.  Help those who can’t help themselves.  Make a difference in the lives of those that Jesus told us to help out, the poor, oppressed and downtrodden.

YOU HAVE ONE LIFE . . . DO SOMETHING

 

Nijole Sadunaite  · Soviet Lithuania  · 1970s

When Nijole Sadunaite was sentenced in Soviet Lithua¬nia, she told the court:

"This is the happiest day of my life. I was judged today for the cause of truth and love toward men. What cause could be more important? I have an enviable fate, a glorious destiny. My condemnation will be my triumph. I regret only having done so little for men.

"Standing today on the side of the eternal truth of Jesus Christ, I remember His fourth beatitude: `Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.' There exists no greater joy than to suffer for truth and for one's fellow men. How could I not rejoice when God Almighty has promised that light will overcome darkness and truth will overcome error and lies!

"We must condemn evil, but we must love the man, even the one in error. This you can learn only at the school of Jesus Christ, who is the only truth for all, the only way, and the only life. Good Jesus, Your kingdom comes into our souls."
 
She was sentenced to three years in prison.

After being freed, she met the Pope in Rome, and he asked her, "How was it in jail?"

She replied, "Romantic."

Who hasn't wanted to be a Rock and Roll Star at one time or another?  Some of us want to be Bono, out in front garnishing all the attention, others desire to be the lead guitar palyer (The Edge) with the skill and talent to keep the melody moving, others want to play bass(Adam Clayton)  guitar or drums (Larry Mullen Jr.) to keep the timing and provide the real energy to the music. Most of us at one time or another have at least entertained the idea of, "What if that were me?"

As you can tell I went to U2 again last night and I was reminded why I like live concerts and why so many others like live music.  There is something completely communal in attending a concert.  There is a unity and shared experience that exists in the concert hall.  People singing in unison, dancing, and letting themselves go.  Simply put, they are enjoying life in the midst of what they deem as art.  Now you may not prefer U2, I will grant you that, but go to a concert of  one of your favorite bands and you will see what I mean.  There is the fact that you are in the presence of ART.  God by his very nature is creative (see Genesis 1 if you don't agree), so being in the midst of that which is creative,(in other words art), rings something true in our souls.  Its the smae feeling when you stand in from of a great painting, hear a powerful poem, or see a moving theatrical play.  Art is a powerful part of the human experience and the Christian life.  That is why for so long in Christian tradition, painting, stained glass, and scuplture were such an integral part of theplace of worship.  I think it is because art stirs something deep within us.

There are so many similarities between a live concert and a powerful worship experience.  There is a shared experience with everyone in the room.  There is a sense that something bigger is happening.  There is an automatic feeling of community with the other people in the room. There is a tremendous amount of joy present.

I do not mean to sugggest that you can get your fill of worship at a concert, but I am suggesting that it is possible, and probably probable that you will worship at a concert.  The question is what is it that you are worshipping?  There exists a fine line between worshipping the band and being in the presence of God as you enjoy a concert. 

By the way, it way way cool to be three feet away from Bono and The Edge last night. 

    

TODAY WE CELEBRATED ONE YEAR OF AUDIO UPDATES!!! we are celebrating ONE YEAR of doing the Audio Update!  Happy Anniversary.  We had a stuido full of guests as you can see from the photos.  We also called in to Philly Dan and left a prank message since he wasn't in his office.  We called Bethany so she could lay some smak down on Philly Dan for Terrell Owens, we also took a trip down memory lane and pulled some of our favorite clips from past shows.  Enjoy!!!

             

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