The transition from conscience based behavior to unconscience behavior is like a man who whittled and whittled and whittled, until the wood which he whittled was whittled away. (Now that's a sentence -- I used the word "whittled" 5 times.)

Unconscience behavior is acting without the filter of conscience. It is making behavioral choices without regard to ethics, moral law, or consequences. Unconscience behavior ignores the inner sense of right and wrong that comes as standard equipment with almost all human beings. The motto for unconscience behavior is: "If it feels good, do it."

However, unconscience behavior is not all peaches and cream. It produces guilt and shame in the person who chooses to whittle down his conscience. This leads to self-justification, denial, defensiveness and to various forms of distraction and/or self-medication -- constant activity, continual noise, persistent anger, drugs and alcohol, ever searching for entertainment, and numerous types of compulsive habits.

Unconscience behavior also negatively impacts our society. There is not enough law enforcement to make people adhere to society's rules. People who behave unconsciencely won't obey rules unless they fear they may get caught and punished. This eventually will lead to widespread chaos. The persistent, random violence in our society is a result of our growing tendency to promote unconscience behavior.

Report -- From a sermonfree church, 225 Berry Street, near downtown Nashville.

Ashish arrived at the chapel early. While he was waiting God told him to go to the streets and bring someone back. Ashish left with some bottled water to hand out. He offered a bottle to a guy named Larry. Larry was amazed. He said: "I just went into the store to ask for a cup of water." Larry has been traveling from AL to eastern Ky and has been sleeping on the streets. He came back to the chapel with Ashish and we were able to pray for him. He stayed for the service and we sent him off with some food and money and Ashish took him out for lunch.

We had 23 people present, including 7 women who live in the local community and several children. Leah from Brentwood led worship with 3 of her children. It set a beautiful tone for the service. Calvin, a graduate from the Men of Valor prison ministry, shared his story and the importance of staying spiritually connected with others.

While Calvin was speaking the lady who was scheduled to give her testimony was attacked with doubt and left. Ernie went after her, prayed with her, and got her back in the building. As she, in an attitude of brokenness, shared her story of two years of freedom from drugs, the Holy Spirit fell. People began to cry. Afterwards other women from the community began to tell her how much she means to them and how she has been a good example and given them hope that they can live better lives.

One of the women came forward to surrender her life to God. Just about everybody in the building gathered around to pray for her. Afterwards she looked to Heaven, raised her hand, and said: "Grandma, I finally did it!" Everybody was hugging and rejoicing and having great fellowship with a great sense of awe among us.

Happy Birthday, Rick!

As you hop around down under may you have a very special "g'day" today!

I remember when you couldn't

tie your shoe!

Now look at all you do,

Using media to

Bring God into people's view!

Something earth shaking is being MADE IN CHINA -- a revival of powerful, passionate, life-changing, holy-living, self-sacrificing, aggressive Christianity. Experts say that China is on the verge of emerging as one of the dominant Christian nations in the world.

In 1949, just before the Communists took over China, the population was about 550 million people. There were very few Christians in China then -- about 3 million Roman Catholics and less than 750,000 Protestants.

In the book, Jesus In Beijing, former Time magazine bureau chief in Beijing, David Aikman, reports that today there are 12 million Roman Catholics in China, 15 million in the 3 Self Patriot Church (the official state church), and more than 55 million people in the underground house church movement. That is a total of 82 million Christians now in China, a 2,000% increase since 1949. During that time the population of China only grew a little more than 100%.

This tremendous growth of passionate Christianity in China has occurred under some of the worst persecution of Christians in history and has created a body of Christians willing to greatly sacrifice to share their faith.

The informal house church movement (55 million strong) has issued a "Back To Jerusalem" (BTJ) call to its members. BTJ is a call for the Chinese Church to preach the Gospel and begin groups of believers in all the towns, cities, ethnic groups, and countries between China and Jerusalem.

Currently the BTJ movement in China has 100,000 missionaries ready to go. They believe that at least 1 in 10 of them will be martyred (murdered for their faith in Jesus). These Chinese missionaries are sacrificing everything to seek to evangelize some world's most unreached areas for Christianity. (From the book Be A Hero by Wesley Campbell & Stephen Court).

MADE IN CHINA. The next time you read those words, remember what God is making in China -- a supernatural explosion of bold, compassionate Christianity!

One of my favorite sayings is: "Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." Here is an example.

A little boy was playing on the sidewalk with only one roller skate. He was having a great time using his one solitary skate like a scooter or like a skate board.

A pessimist walked by and growled at the little guy: "You're supposed to have two skates, not one!"

The boy smiled and said: "I know I should have two skates, but one's all I got, and I can still have a whole lot of fun with just one. Watch me!" The boy scooted off, enjoying his solo skate, and leaving the pessimist alone in his misery.

Regardless of economic news, you can have a lot of fun daily if you will avoid negative thinking and self-destructive behavior and make the best of the way things turn out for you.