The Wilkes Team

When Christ spoke to the people of Israel, what style of speech did He so often use? Parables! This highly visual and easily relatable use of words gave much wisdom and understanding to the farmers, fisherman, publicans, and shepherds. From every day circumstances, Christ was able to systematically convey both the Way to eternal life and over powerful 49 Commands to the nation of Israel.

Do we have a methodical way for discipling others? How are we preparing ourselves for the work of an evangelist and discipler for Christ?

Author, Dean, and Speaker Jim Berg lays out a practical plan for disciple makers in His book, "Changed Into His Image." Each fundamental truth expounded upon comes with rich analogies one can easily remember for the purpose of counseling fellow Christians. For example:

The Tea Bag Analogy: Almost every tea bag appears the same from the outside. The difference is quickly manifested when hot water is applied. When the hot water of trials and tribulation enter our life, it is then that our true colors, attitudes, and passions are revealed.

Motorcycle Analogy: A motorcyclist, rapidly approaching a stopped car, needs but to apply the break and cease the flow of gas to the engine. The engine will proceed to idle and the momentum comes to a halt. Such is the way of our flesh. While it will always be present (the idling cycle), we are to mortify the flesh. However, should one apply the break without ceasing the flow of gas, the breaks will soon wear out. So it is with the Christian. We cannot simply use will-power to resist the flesh but must renew our mind (Rom. 12:1) by remembering that we are dead to sin (Rom. 6), hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), and seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). In so doing, the ‘gas’ is cut to the flesh and the clutch disengages the engine (the flesh).

These are but two of the analogies Mr. Berg relates. At the end of each of the 13 chapters, there is a ‘Word to Disciple Makers.’ Here, practical advice is laid out on how to convey the truths to those you are discipling.

If you are looking for some practical discipling tips, desire to deepen your understanding of the Lord, or are simply seeking to be changed into His image, I highly recommend

‘Changed Into His Image’ by Jim Berg.

4 Comments » | posted in Book Reports

          "Take time to be holy let him be they guide.

           And run not before him, whatever betide.

           In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord.

           And looking to Jesus, still trusting his word.

           Take time to be holy, the world rushes on

           Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone

           By looking to Jesus, Like him thou shalt be;

           Thy Friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see."

                    By: William Longstaff (1846-1945)

These are just two verses of a very thought provoking and inspiring hymn. 

Matthew 5:8 says "Blessed (spiritually satisfied) are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." May all our inner longings, and desires be met in Jesus Christ alone.

Being close to the Lord and learning of him takes time and effort on our part. We must not let anything get in the way of our time with the Lord each day!

We say we want to be like Jesus in all we say, think and do. Yet we don’t take the time to be with Him and learn of Him. We let sleep, stress, people, school, worldly pleasures and the list could go on and on of things we allow to get between our time with the Lord.

This world we live in will always be calling us and our flesh will bid us go. But we must stand faithful if God’s blessing we would know.

I remember something that Martin Luther said he would do when he had an extra busy day. He said he would spend double to triple the amount of time in prayer. Why? He wanted to make sure his heart was right before the Lord so he could walk through his day and not forget that God works all things together for good. Whether his experiences told him so or not!

What is our natural tendency when we have a real busy day ahead of us? To shorten our time with the Lord or even worse, decide not to do it at all? Do we really realize what we are giving up?

We forget so easily that God is the one that is in control. He controls our stops and our starts. He promises to never give us more than we can handle. Why do we doubt Him and decide to set him aside?

Does our relationship with Christ really matter to us?

Let us take the time to read the word, to pray and watch, to memorize God’s word, then to meditate on it. In so doing we will be blessed with joy unspeakable and a testimony that will leave us in awe of our incredible Lord!

5 Comments » | posted in Tid Bits

George Muller, when he was young was not a very wise man. But as he grew older, he started to realize he needed something, and he found Christ.

Later he got married and he and his wife gave all their earthly treasures to the Lord. He noticed that 5 and 6 year olds were working just to get basic needs so he started giving them bread. Then every morning a lot of children would come asking for bread. So George Muller took them in as orphans.

Early one morning when the orphans were getting ready for school there was no food left in the house. George Muller sat down to pray for the food that God was going to provide. A knock came and it was a baker who gave them bread. After he left and the orphans were about to eat, a milkman had a broken cart so he asked if Gorge Muller would be kind and take the milk so he could fix the cart and be on his way.

George Muller cared a lot for these children He had a lot of love for them. God always met his needs. I want to learn to live by faith like George Muller.

9 Comments » | posted in HIS-story

In a rather momentous event which drew crowds of over 1.5 million and attracted the attention of tribes, nations, and ethnic groups round the globe, the 44th president of the United States of America was sworn into office. This now marks the 43rd time in American history wherein a historic peaceful transfer of power transpired: a tribute indeed to the Foundation upon which our nation was established, a foundation of unalienable rights granted by our Creator God.

Conservatives all across the land are sounding the alarm regarding the policies the new administration is purposing to and may put into effect. Sadly, he brings with him a record of liberal decisions. Nevertheless, through the Sovereignty of God, he has been elected as our nation’s president. We now have a responsibility to submit ourselves to every righteous command (Rom. 13) and to support him, as our president, in rewarding good and punishing evil.

Barack Obama comes on a platform of Change. A change of, as he said on Tuesday, "the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

How will this look over these next 4 years? Let’s take a close look at several portions of President Obama’s inauguration speech (indented par.) in light of the words of our Nation’s founding fathers. Let’s see how can we work with our new president towards preserving the unalienable rights given to us by our Creator God. Its not a time to waffle on God’s principles nor is it a time to fear.

(Obama) …at these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled morality, and religion….Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams (10/11/1798 – address to the military)

(Obama) The time has come…to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

"Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society."  John Adams (8/28/1811)

(Obama) Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.

"No Country upon Earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings….Much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means and depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universes has led us too long and too far….to forsake us in the midst of it…We may, now and then, get bewildered; but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path." George Washington (6/30/1788)

(Obama) They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." James Madison (4th President of the United States & the "Chief Architect of the Constitution")

(Obama) This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

"It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape." Joseph Story (Supreme Court Justice appointed by James Madison)

(Obama )Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; & with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom & delivered it safely to future generations.

The only foundation for…a republic is laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Benjamin Rush(1798 after the Constitution’s adoption)

Purity requires single mindedness. We may not compromise. Conservatives have far too long sought to stand in the ‘middle of the road.’ As we follow our new president, we cannot support evil but must do all within our power to support President Obama in doing what is righteous.

Let us take the words of President Obama, in light of the Biblical perspective of our founding fathers, and work to pass on the torch of liberty to future generations. Liberty: freedom to do what is right!

It is incumbent, as American citizens, that we stand not idly by, but go, as did our founding fathers, and pray with passion for our nation, stand up for the cause of Christ, and proclaim the truths upon which this nation, the United States of America was founded. May Christ Jesus be glorified!

Photos from: www.gwu.edu, bbc news, www.visitingdc.com, www.historyplace.com & wikepedia.com.

4 Comments » | posted in HIS-story, On the Issues

Be sure to read all the way to the end for a special project!

Leaders don’t just come out of nowhere. Careful, concentrated effort steadily builds leaders. But is not simply the effort. Pondering and preparation are what preludes the performance.

Case in point:

Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) & Patrick Henry College, is a living testimony of one who pondered and prepared prior to performing. Few were probably present when Mr. Farris’ plans were drawn. But as with a rock dropped in the midst of a lake, the ripples of his impact continue to reach farther and farther. Today, this ministry is preparing the leaders of tomorrow as business owners, teachers, government leaders, students, and families are joining Mr. Farris in a world changing cause.

It began with a plan.

From the inspirations of such men as Michael Farris and with a desire for greater effectiveness, our family took two days over the New Year for family planning. Dad patiently lead us through the following 4 steps for wise family goal making.

Read the rest of this entry »

5 Comments » | posted in Family News, Tid Bits

The weather has been very cold here in Virginia. Daniel decided to start tapping the maple trees outback. We began last week. I went with Daniel and Kenan and watched them drill holes into the maple trees. We have begun with eight or nine trees and are hoping to tap more. A couple days ago, the temperatures were so cold (like 10 degrees all the way down to below zero) that our small pipes were frozen full of sap. The best conditions for tapping are when temperatures are below 20  degrees at night and around 36-40 degrees in the day.

We boiled down about 1 – 1 1/2 gallons of sap on our wood stove. When done boiling, there was about 1/3 cup of tasty maple syrup. We had to watch the sap very carefully towards the end.

I am so glad the Lord has given us maple trees for making syrup. I am looking forward to having fresh Virginia maple syrup on my pancakes.

Maple Syrup Resourcs:

 How to make maple syrup and tap your own maple trees

 Here is a slightly different set up

 Maple Syrup facts

 To beware of when storing maple sap

 Backyard Sugarin: A Complete How-To Guide

8 Comments » | posted in Farming 101, Outdoor Adventures

The other day I was flipping through a calendar and came across a fascinating Virginian holiday. The name given to it sparked complete curiosity and right then and there I decided to discover it’s origins and delve into the originators reason for creating it. Some individuals on this day fly a certain flag representing a lost cause. Some others think of it as politically incorrect and must undergo changes in name and purpose. Some are absolutely excited about the holiday and appreciate it’s existence.

Celebration date: Jan. 16

Year of Origin: 1889

Name: Lee-Jackson Day

Purpose: To remember the lives of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson.

Why remember these men? Did they do anything worthy of remembering?

The other day we as a family listened to a documentary on the life of Jackson: Still Standing. Also, in the near past, we came across another documentary of both Lee and Jackson. To put it simply, we were encouraged by these two Virginians and I can definitely see why� people want to honor them through picking a day of the year to remember what they did and how God used them.

They lived during a fascinating but also dark time in American History. The culmination of political and social dilemmas had slowly made its way and finally appeared by way of a devastating war. Several southern states seceded from the union because they couldn’t come to agreement with their northern friends about the issue of slavery. They saw slavery as a state issue not federal and with fear of losing even one state right to the federal government they ran for supposed safety – secession.

Virginia, the State of Lee and Jackson, did not secede so readily as her sister states. She called for a convention between both the north and south to effect reconciliation or at least a compromise. But it was not to be. Finally President Lincoln declared war on the those states which left the union and commanded the states still in the union to provide troops.

At this point, Virginia seeing her failure and deeming Lincoln’s orders unconstitutional decided to secede and with her came both Lee and Jackson. Lee had been offered the command of the US forces but rejected it, not because of the slavery issue – he hated slavery; but rather, for the love he had for his beloved homestate Virginia. Jackson also hated Slavery but nevertheless thought it his duty to fight for Virginia.

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6 Comments » | posted in Family News, HIS-story