As a young boy of just eight years of age, I remember praying the
sinner’s prayer with my mother and siblings.  I placed my faith in Jesus Christ and never looked back.  Yet, there were many other times in my life that I heard the “call of God.”  Peter received the call, “follow me.”  It was actually the first and last words Jesus spoke to him (Mark 1:17; John 21:22). What occurred between those two calls in Peter’s life?  He obeyed and followed Jesus and understood what it was to be a disciple of Christ. In my own life, I accepted the call to receive Jesus as my Savior yet I didn’t answer the call to follow him and make him my Lord until almost thirty years later. 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer  (1906-1945) in the “Cost of Discipleship”says: "Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for the Fatherhood of God, but omits Christ as the living Son.  There is trust in God, but no following of Christ." "He wants to follow, but feels obliged to insist on his own terms to the level of human understanding. The disciple places himself at the Master’s disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. But then discipleship is no longer discipleship, but a program of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves, and to be judged in accordance with the standards of rational ethic."If we would follow Jesus we must take certain definite steps. The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. … The first step places the disciple in the situation where faith is possible. If he refuses to follow and stays behind, he does not learn how to believe…”  In my own life, it wasn’t until I began to heed the call with not just my heart and lips, but also with my feet... in following Jesus through obedience,  that He led me out of my darkness, out of the shackles of shame and as a result of his power in me, I began to experience victory over the sins that previously entangled me.  Friends, tonight during these Quiet Moments let’s answer the call and follow our Lord and Savior and follow Him.  Thanks for letting me share.  Randy Young

A speck, a dash, a mere molecule…that is how long we are alive on earth…compared to eternity.  Yet, for some of us,  we are living on the earth as if it is the end all, final destination.  I heard a pastor one time ask us all to take a stroll in a graveyard sometime and “look at the nicest headstone you can find.” Then he said,  “notice the numbers under the name,  there is a birth date, and the date the person was deceased, a.k.a. death date” …now look at the dash between those two numbers.  That is a real good representation of how long we are alive compared to eternity…a mere dash from start to finish.”  Yet, no matter how many times we are reminded of how short life is, we can become easily overwhelmed by today’s trials and tribulations.  There are some of us tonight who know Christ, were taught as children the Bible, and slowly have drifted away, now maybe we find ourselves ensnared by bad habits and addictions. .  There are others who have found themselves out of work, and are scraping together meals for their family with anything they can find,  they're scared,  don’t know what the future holds, and need a miracle.  There are others  who have lost loved ones and are all alone during this Christmas season, they need comfort from above.  Tonight during these Quiet Moments, we are reminded of James Chapter 1 verse 12, " Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  We must never forget that we are sojourners, and that no matter what we are faced with tonight we do have an audience with the ONE who created us, and will comfort and provide all of our needs according to His riches and glory.  Thanks for letting me share.  Randy Young

Sometimes life requires us to take a “leap of faith…”  It reminds me of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones had to take that first step of uncertainty…it is always the hardest for any of us.  You know when we have to step out of the “comfortable", safe and secure place, into the unknown.  Yet,  just like in that blockbuster movie, the hardest step is often the first one.  The fear of the unknown, the worry about what might happen, can keep us from taking the leap and as a result thwart God’s best for our life.  “Too much analysis leads to paralysis…”  No matter what the research says, or market analysis shows, etc. if an investor wants the reward…he has to assume the risk.  Yet, in my own life I can over-think things and then delay and delay doing what I know I need to do.  The Bible is clear that delayed obedience is the same as disobedience.  I am learning that  It’s okay if I only have enough faith to take the first step and can’t possibly deal with what the second step will require.  Once I take the first step of faith, that faith... builds more faith, thereby giving me the strength for the next step. Faith builds faith!  Tonight, perhaps  you know you need to do something, or stop something that is in your life… and you have heard that still small voice of God asking you to…don’t wait any longer.  Just like in the fictional movie, there is great treasure for you and me on the other side of our “leap of faith!”  Hebrews 12:22 "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. “  Thanks for letting me share.  Randy Young

“Tricks are for kids”… it’s a catchy little slogan that has been used for years by an animated rabbit on a cereal commercial.  Of course the rabbit is referring to the brand of cereal.  Tonight, I want to focus on the real word “trick,” It means to deceive or outwit someone by being cunning or skillful.  As an adjective…a ”trick” is “intended or used to deceive or mystify, or to create an illusion.  I spent years “tricking” those around me that I was happy, that I was healthy, that it was all good.  I created the “illusion” that I was living the Good Life…I had the big house, wife, kids, own my own business, fancy cars, belonged to a church, etc.  People would come up to me all the time and say how “blessed I was,” etc.  Yes I was blessed, but the truth is that I I was living the Good LIE.  You hear say the Good Lie quite often if you listen or read frequently to Quiet Moments.  It is the enticing lie that the world offers us if we want to be happy and fulfilled.  Yet it leads really to emptiness and death…so it isn’t the Good Life, it is the Good Lie.  For me,  I was living out of harmony with who God created me to be and what he called me to do.  As a result of that disharmony on the inside, I began to drink way too much, I spent way too much time out of the house and away from my family on “business.”  I drifted and drifted farther and farther away until I was living a completely hedonistic life, and didn’t even recognize the man in the mirror. I was hurting those that I loved the most and risking everything…I didn’t want to live anymore.  Yet I kept creating the “illusion” that everything was fine, we put fake smiles on our faces and went to church…but was dying on the inside. The Bible says in Hebrews 10:22 says: “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”  A sincere heart is the opposite of a heart of tricks, right?  Friends, tonight the first step to exchanging the Good Lie the world offers for the Good Life in Jesus Christ is to accept the sacrifice God made for you and me on that cross…when we accept that gift in faith with a sincere heart he will be faithful to cleanse us, and take that guilt stained conscience and wash it clean!  Thanks for letting me share.  Randy Young