Why does God allow bad things happen to good people? This question is one I have heard more times than I care to remember, and yet it is also one that I, myself, have sought the Lord to answer on every occasion. This past week, I have spent much time pondering this question. Not for any particular reason, but rather that, when asked, I can help others to come to a greater understanding of the truth—this truth that I have lived a life attempting to understand and have now become able to comprehend. The most memorable time of asking this question of God was with the sickness and passing of my first wife of thirty-one years. She was a good person, and we served the Lord together. She was a good mother who gave herself for many, and truly the Lord was blessed by her time on earth. Yet He allowed her to succumb to cancer. The widespread disappointment that followed was accompanied by this same question in various forms: “Why God?” In the depth of my despair, in the darkness of night, I sought the Lord for answers. I challenged Him, became angry with Him, and, yes, I even yelled at Him! May I just say that it is OK to be real with God; He can handle your yelling and frustration. As I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, it truly was easy to not fear evil, for, you see, the first thing we must all conclude is that our God is sovereign. To be sovereign means to possess supreme or ultimate power, and that is our God; there is none greater than He. If He is sovereign, then He allows all things that happen to happen for His purposes and to our benefit. Therefore, fearing the trial I am going through, or fearing evil, means I need to work on my belief of God’s sovereignty in my life. He is also a loving God who desires that we love and obey Him unconditionally. He created the perfect life for all mankind in the beginning. The Garden of Eden was not a place filled with disease, dangers, or even death. It was man, by his own choosing, who stepped out of God’s will and brought the curse upon mankind. You see, God’s heart was never to destroy man, but rather to bless him. And since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He did not stop loving mankind because of the fall. No, but what He did do was provide a way through sacrifice, through Jesus, for man to be reconciled to Him. Somehow this does not sound like a mean God who is looking to kill babies and cause suffering on His people. We must remember that satan, by his deception of man, is the ruler of this world. He is a liar, a murderer, and a deceiver who seeks to destroy all of mankind, if possible. There is no good in him. He creates drug addicts, diseases, sickness, pain, suffering, greed, poverty, and more; he is pure unadulterated evil! Yet knowing this, so many have not just fallen for his traps but have jumped in with desire and passion. It is far too often that they are the ones who spend their life participating in satisfying the desires of the flesh and also the first to blame God when things go wrong. No surprise here–isn’t that what the devil would have us do? So, what do we do when we are faced with trials, disappointments, fears, doubts, disease, death, and more? As simple as it may sound, my friend, trust me when I say, “We lean on Jesus; we kneel at the feet of the Lord; we wait upon the Holy Spirit.” There are no problems in this world bigger than God, and there is no one who will ever love you more than He. He will never leave nor forsake you, and nothing can ever separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38-39) Before, during, and after Dawn’s death, I have become even more convinced that the Lord cares about every detail of His children’s lives. Those who leave this world with Christ are in heaven–no more suffering–they are better off than we. So, let us learn to be happy for those who have gone before us and live a life that is worthwhile and honoring to their memory by trusting God in all things! Gene Burroughs, Servant of God Navarre, FL

My Resolve for Life Over the past year there have been two very predominant words that the Lord has placed upon my heart, life altering words of power and change: holiness and repentance. Upon hearing them, one cannot help but to ponder, for simply by their nature they challenge us to either accept or deny their power and call to action. The two truly do go hand in hand, for without one we cannot have the other: the first being "repent." As I look at the word repentance, or to repent, as it is intended to be understood, it comes from the Greek word "Metanoeo" (met-an-o-eh'-o); Strong’s Number 3340; from meta "after" and noeo "to think." Repentance is a decision that results in a change of mind, which, in turn, leads to a change of purpose and action. After Jesus had been baptized in the Jordan, He was "led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1). Upon His return to mankind, Matthew records the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Matthew 4:17 as such: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Therefore, we now know (by this and many other scriptures) that Jesus came to call all men to “repentance.” Jesus came to, first of all, call all men to a life of change and transformation: a life that is not lived the same as it was prior to this day, but rather a new life, a life with new purpose! Again, as I look over the past year and begin to make plans for 2013, I am not looking for the next great move of God. I am not seeking the greatest teacher nor am I hoping for the one message or song that will transform my life. I am not seeking to find the perfect church, the latest revelation from God, nor am I arguing theology or eschatology. No, I am asking these questions of myself and of many others: “Has my encounter with God changed and transformed who I am? Am I more in love with Jesus than ever, and does my lifestyle and the decisions I have made and continue to make reflect the life of one who has truly repented?” My challenge to all of you, my friends, is this: “Do not make a New Year's resolution, but rather resolve yourself to live a life as one who has been transformed.” Live a life that shows, by your actions, that you have had an encounter with the Holy God: the God who created the universe and all that is within it and far beyond what we might see! Yes, you will be forced to face your failings; yes, you will be forced to swallow your pride; yes, you will find yourself making amends; and, yes, you will find yourself admitting you were wrong. However, here is the reward: you will find yourself walking in the freedom of true repentance and deliverance, you will find yourself in fellowship with God, and you won’t need to seek out leaders to give you advice on repeating sins and trials because they will simply no longer be such for you! Some of you now may say, “It is not that simple” or “you just don’t understand.” My answer to you is simply this, “Yes I do, and yes it is because of Jesus!" Allow Jesus to invade and captivate every area of your life, and you, too, will see it truly is that easy! Gene Burroughs, Servant of God

The Gift A little over a decade ago I was on the streets of San Francisco ministering to the homeless and runaways when we came upon two young ladies; let’s call them Sara and Jane. As we found out through conversation, the two girls were 17 and 15, born in Oregon, and had been on the streets for about two years. Their mother was an addict who had, it seemed, no desire to be a mother. One day when the girls arrived home, they found some of their possessions on the front steps and a note that said the following: “I have left, and I don’t want you anymore.” Fearing the foster care system and the possibility of separation, the girls from that time forward had been on the street. For some reason (at the time unknown to me), I felt compelled to make the youngest girl a balloon animal, yes, I said a balloon animal, a puppy to be exact. As it began to take shape, the younger of the two watched with the most intensely blue eyes I had ever seen, eyes that now were beginning to sparkle with increasing intensity. Her face saddened and hardened by the world around her was now showing signs of joy, her frown slowly disappearing as the corner of her lips gradually strained upward, something obviously very unfamiliar to her. As I finished the gift and presented it to her, there was a reluctance to take hold; it was as if she feared the conditions which may be attached to her acceptance. Then, with the most innocent and childlike of voices, she broke out, “Sissy, can I have it?”. As the older of the two sisters looked me up and down, obviously looking for signs of wrongful intent, I interjected these words, “no strings attached.” With that, she nodded her head in approval. Her eyes now sparkled as bright as any star ever had, and her smile would melt the most hardened of hearts as she quickly grasped this simplest of gifts from a stranger. Oh yes, I made more and soon the older sister was taking hold of her own balloon flower as if it were a dozen red roses from a cherished friend. Before we parted, there were hugs all around, and the words of that young girl that will forever ring in my aging ears: “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, thank you!” As we enter the winter holidays and as Easter soon approaches, my heart anguishes over the commercialization of these celebrations, how they have lost their true meaning. The endless struggles of the giving a gift that is good enough; one that will be accepted. I feel the pain of celebrations past when the gifts I had given didn’t seem to measure up to the expectations of those receiving them. I remember the pain of how all of my anguish and sacrifice to give the perfect gift had all too often somehow fallen short, and soon the gift was tossed aside. I know what it feels like to make the financial, physical, and mental sacrifices trying to make it all perfect for everyone: a task no parent or human can ever do-it is an unreal expectation. A few days later, I ran into Sara and Jane once again. We were greeted with enthusiastic smiles and twinkling eyes. The balloons had begun to fade, were now wrinkled, discolored, and losing their shape, so I offered to make new ones. “No, these will do fine sir, they are special to us.” You see, they appreciated the most humble of gifts; they treasured the heart and the love that came with the gift far more than they valued the material possession. I pray that this season we truly remember the heart behind the greatest of all gifts: the heart of God who sent His Son. We can write books, preach eloquent sermons, write moving songs, and make the most moving of performances, but if we lose sight of the greatest gift ever given, we will never satisfy the longing in the human heart and mind. No gift we could ever give will compare in any way! No greater price has ever been paid nor a gift of greater value ever given; yet, all to often, this great treasure has been neglected like the toys no longer played with. Now is as good a time as any to remember and remind others by bringing out this gift, dusting it off, and showing others its value; after all, now is truly the only time we have. The giving of the elaborate is a task that we should, I believe, depart from and not expect as a requirement any longer. No gift humans can ever give will say we love you enough to undo hurts or satisfy the human needs. May we focus our attention this season on the ultimate and enduring gift of Jesus; the only one who can truly bring Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love to a dying world. Gene Burroughs, Servant of God

The Watchman Ever since I can remember, I have been a dreamer, a visionary: a person who sees things more as they can be as opposed to what they are. For many, this is simply impossible, and I tend to scare those who are not of my mindset. However, as I have aged and the trials of life have pounded and shaped me, I can honestly say that I am now a realistic visionary. In other words, I tend to look more at the reality of today as I envision and fashion future ideas, plans, hopes, and dreams. The reality of what is going on in our world today, the increasing decline in morality, the rising conflicts in the Middle East, the worldwide move toward one-world government, and, most of all, the increasing fulfillment of biblical end time prophecies tend to drive one more toward being a realist. Beginning in Ezekiel 3:16, we see the description God gives Ezekiel of a watchman: one who watches out for people, one who warns of danger, one who reveals what he sees that others may not see. As the story goes, a watchman has a responsibility to speak what he sees. The response is up to those who hear; once the watchman has spoken the truth as he sees it, his work is complete. Some will listen, some will ignore, yet, in the end, all will reap from their reaction to the truth. The Lord has raised up many watchmen in the past, and He has in this day risen up and equipped many more. Why? Because the time is growing closer for the return of Jesus, and the Lord would have all hear and know that He is coming soon for His bride. The Word of God makes it ever so clear the description of a bride who is ready to meet the Lord; those who will inherit eternal life. Matthew, Romans, Genesis, John, Revelation, and on and on are the books of the Bible that speak truth and wisdom for all mankind. So here is the reality, "the choice is yours." The truth is out there, and now you must decide what to do with it. Jesus is coming soon. Those who practice sorcery (drug use), sexual immorality, lying, gossip, adultery, fornication, envy, murder, drunkenness, wrath, jealousies, and more, will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5). That is step one to getting our lives in line with what the Word of God instructs us to. Secondly, we share this truth with others. Yes, it is our responsibility to share with everyone the reality of the need to be transformed; made new, "born again"; made new by the Spirit (Romans 8). Then thirdly, we truly need to be sharing the signs of the return of our Savior. The Bible is equally clear on what must and will take place prior to the return of Christ, and it is happening now. Is He coming tomorrow? No one knows; however, the prophecies are being fulfilled at an ever-increasing rate on a daily basis. Shouldn't you respond accordingly? Soon the Euro will fail, our dollar is teetering on failure, Israel is under attack, and everyone is beginning to line up against her. The UN is being given ever so secretly more and more control of our nation, and the price of oil will soon be out of reach for all of us. Our president has an agenda that is contrary to that of a Godly man and speaks of one belief while doing and supporting a contrary one. Yes, you may disagree, but that is your privilege, so feel free to do so. However, I implore each of you, throw your political views aside, as neither republican nor democrat nor Tea Party nor independent would be acting any different-this is the plan of the Lord. Be encouraged, embrace the return of the Lord, prepare your family, gather provision, share the truth with others, and read and learn for yourself. Whatever you do "get your head out of the sand." If you live in a place or area that snubs the Lord, you may need to move-ask the Lord. He didn't allow Lot and his family to stay and evangelize Gomorrah, He called them out. Be a watchman: pray without ceasing, be prepared and share the truth, then react as the Lord leads.

Choose Wisely on 12/06/12 As we enter into the final days before what may be the most important and pivotal presidential election in our history, I felt compelled to share my own struggles with making my decision. To begin with, I truly do and always have voted along moral lines as opposed to party lines. You see, as a believer, I hold no loyalty, conviction, or dedication to any political affiliation or party. My only loyalty, conviction, and dedication is to the Word of God and to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hence, politics is not a studied or favorite subject of mine, as politics by nature seem corrupt and largely go against the Word of God. As a result, my vote will always be based upon issues of morality: candidates, their actions, beliefs, and proposed actions will be measured against my interpretation of what the Word of God says about those core beliefs. Two major issues for me this year are the following: I believe, without a doubt, the Word of God is clear that homosexuality is a sin: Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-31; and more. Should you choose to say that God is not against homosexuality, then you say the Word of God is not infallible, which destroys the very foundation of what you say you believe (short explanation). I do not hate homosexuals any more than I hate anyone else practicing sin; however, those who twist the Word of God and attempt to support any unholy act with a Holy Word will be faced with much opposition from this servant of God. Next, I choose to look at the taking of unborn human life, another very controversial subject, yet I wonder why. Why is abortion so controversial among Christians? Yes, a woman has a right to choose as does every person God created. I have the right to choose every day whether or not I will drink, overeat, use drugs, view pornography, and more, and, yes, I must choose to turn away from sin because I was born in sin as are all men. However, when I am forced by law to support a choice that goes against my beliefs and against my core values, the line has been crossed. If an unborn child is not alive, then why must we take its life in order to prevent birth, and if we do take a human life, is it not murder? End of argument for me. Again, sin is sin, and you can choose to do whatever you desire to do before God-it truly will be you who stands before Him, not me. However, I will not be forced or mandated to support such activity without making known at every opportunity my vehement disagreement with such action. These two points alone have been enough for me to make the choice to vote against our current president for his re-election. Now, you say what about Romney? He is a Mormon, a member of a cult! My first response is this: God alone will judge every man for his actions. God alone holds the keys to heaven, and Jesus is the gate through which all must pass. Yes, Mormonism is based upon false teachings, but I daresay there are many who profess Jesus in the church today who will face the same judgment, and all will stand before the same judge. However, Mr. Obama states that he is a Christian and then openly supports gay marriage and abortion and forces us, as believers, to support his openly rebellious actions against the very Word which he says he believes. This, my friends, is a far greater sin; it is an act of open defiance toward the God we worship! This to me is no different than supporting Saul as opposed to David. In my humble opinion, by supporting such an openly defiant man, I am standing in the crowd with others at the time of Jesus' death saying, "crucify Him!" Our president says he is a Christian, and the Word of God tells us a tree shall be known by its fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). No matter how many times a tree may say I am an apple or a fig, if it bears lemons, it is, in fact, a lemon tree. The fruit President Obama bears is not that of a Godly man, at least not the man of God I choose to be or support. Yes, I know I have stirred it up, but I pray that the Holy Spirit has stirred some hearts, and I openly challenge anyone to use the Word of God in context to contradict the facts I have shared with you today. That is, of course, if you believe the Word of God is infallible and true and unchangeable, just as the Lord Himself said He was and is (2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 1:1, Hebrews 13:8), just to name a few. If you do not believe the Word of God to be infallible, then, well, let me ask you, "What are you standing on?" Gene Burroughs, Servant

The Question Mark 16:16-18: “He who believes is baptized and will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” This passage has been somewhat haunting me for the past few months. I must admit, what this passage implies troubles me deeply. Why, you ask? Because I don’t hear this preached, and I rarely see this in action in the modern church or Christian community. For many, passages like this become a bone of contention, a point for theological argument, and, for whatever reason, many have chosen what verses in the Bible fit their belief. Far too many of us are guilty of such action. We must all confess our sin in this practice, and I for one do so now! I admit that I, too, have on occasion overlooked, omitted, and bypassed scriptures that make me or would maybe make others uncomfortable. I, too, have taken far too much liberty with the Word in order to make my point. Please forgive me! Were my actions deceitful or wicked? I should say not, for I would never intentionally use the Word with ill intentions, but I, too, am human, and my flesh does and has gotten in the way. That said, I say to you that far too many (more than not) leaders in the Christian faith have done so; hence, your responsibility to understand and read the Word comes to light. Over the next few days or weeks (whatever it takes), I do intend to dissect the Word and do all I can to understand and share that understanding with all who choose to read my ramblings. Feel free to join me. Again, the question is, “Why do we not see the fruit in believers that Jesus describes in Mark 16:16-18?” The Truth Before we dive into Mark, we must first establish a basis for the argument of all scripture being relevant for today, tomorrow, and yesterday, for this truly is our foundation. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy that there is a purpose for all scripture and that it is all inspired by God. All! Oh, let us take a moment to address the doubting Thomas's in the room. Yes, man wrote the scriptures and rewrote them time and again, and, yes, men make mistakes. But let me ask you this one question: “Do you think God is big enough, powerful enough, and concerned enough about His Word to prevent such mistakes?” If you don’t believe this, then I would say to you that I doubt you believe He is sovereign; therefore, how can you serve Him, for He does not exist to serve you. Either He is God or He is not, and if He is, then He is all powerful, all knowing, and more than capable of defending Himself. Therefore, “all scripture is inspired by God” and must be our truth. Let us look at another passage of relevance to building our foundation: John 1:1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” We are told in this passage that the “Word” is Jesus and that He has always been, and Hebrews 13:8 tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Now, if I take these scriptures in the literal sense with which they were written and in context, I can arrive at only one conclusion: “The Word of God cannot and does not change.” What was true at the very inception of the Word was truth. The Word is more than writings, more than a book: it is literal, past, present, and future reality. It is the very basis and existence of all things. What was foretold to happen, if it has not already done so, will happen in the future. The Word remains true to this very day and will forever be as such, truth! Please hear and receive this unreputable fact, not so by my opinion but rather true because it is truth, and no one or no thing can change that! Knowing truth to be as such when I read scriptures in context like Mark 16:16-18, I cannot, therefore, help but ask why these things are not being seen? Why are there not consistent miracles, signs, and wonders in the Christian movement today? Why is it that Jesus says these things will follow those who believe and are baptized and yet we see them so rarely today?" I believe that we must, as true believers, come to the complete and absolute understanding that everything in the Word is true and relevant to us and our lives and begin living as such. Our complacency and arrogance does not impress God; our opinion does not matter to Him or change His will. The Lord desires us to seek Him, to do His will, to love His people, to obey His Word, to move as His Spirit leads, and to love Him and allow Him to be Lord of our lives. Truly, the relevancy of everything else is questionable. I know this may sound harsh to some, but look around. Look at our nation-we are no longer being led as a Christian nation founded on God. Why? Because we as believers have failed. We have failed to pray, we have failed to love, we have failed to understand His Lordship, and we have failed at denying our flesh and laying our lives down for His glory. We have failed to defend and stand upon the very truth of the Word of God! More to follow. Gene Burroughs

Dear friends and family, With the approaching storm, we felt it appropriate and necessary to pass along as much information as we can regarding possible prayer needs and more. First of all, if Isaac reaches Cat 2 status or higher, the impact can be quite devastating, as winds will be in excess of 100 miles per hour. This being said, there are other factors to be taken into consideration that greatly affect the impact in any given area. For example, the eastern side of the center is by far the most dangerous and heavily impacted area. In addition, the storm surge quite often (as was the case with Katrina) can be by far the most devastating event in a hurricane. Our home is located approximately 2 miles from the outer beach, which is about one-quarter-mile wide; there is the inland bay about one-half-mile wide, then the peninsula upon which we live. Our elevation is approximately 30 feet above sea level, and our home is three stories in the back and two in the front. If you go to Google and look up 9536 Bone Bluff Drive, Navarre, FL, you can get a much better view and understanding of our terrain. I am by no means concerned for the safety of our family, as I will do all I can to keep my family from harm, even if evacuation is necessary. As for our home, well, God gave us this home, and it is His, so we will lay it at His feet and trust that our Creator knows best. I truly have a great peace that this storm will have minimal effect on our dwelling place; however, I am very concerned for those who could potentially face catastrophe and devastation. Our role in this event and in all catastrophes (of which I believe there will be many) is to be a blessing and bring Christ to all who have lost hope, dreams, and more. Our world, and particularly our nation, has become far too dependent upon the things of the world--material possesions and fleshly pleasures that truly are unstable and shifting like the wind-blown sands. America has followed far too closely in the steps of the Israelites when Samuel the prophet heard them crying out for a king (1 Samuel 8:9). We, as a nation, have determined that God is not what we want, and we would rather have our own way. We desire the things of our flesh more than the holiness of God. I fear that just as God warned the Israelites of what a king would give them, He has allowed for us as well. What does this have to do with Isaac, you ask? Isaac is simply another storm brewing, another crop from the seeds we have sown, and there will be more. How do we prepare for a storm, you ask? Deborah and I are committed first of all to leading our family to follow Christ not only with our mouths but to seek the righteousness that can only be found in Him. We desire to live lives sanctified by His blood; lives filled with repentance and humility. Oh yes, we stumble, but we will not fall, for He is our strength. We then do all we can to be lighthouses and places of refuge for those who are in need. We lead people to the one place of true hope, Jesus! Prayer Considerations: 1. We have been asked to be the local contacts for Operation Blessing (and have accepted). I would consider them the Christian version of the Red Cross. Please Google them and take some time to see what it is they offer. Our goal will be to again provide relief, prayer, comfort, hope, and more for people affected by this and other disasters. Please pray for opportunities to minister, serve, and be a blessing. 2. We would ask the Lord for His will in this storm, where it lands (if it lands), how strong it is, and more. We, of course, desire that He break up the storm and that it never reaches hurricane strength; however, that may not be His will. Therefore, we seek His will. After all, He is God, Amen. 3. Please pray for our finances and possibly consider financial support to assist with the relief efforts as well as our housing for widows and orphans. We have recently assisted with the renting of a two-bedroom, two-bath home to keep a family off the street, and we would love to do more. This home will soon be holding bible studies and more in one of the poorest communities I have ever seen. Deborah and I have done so out of our own funds, and we are simply asking the Lord to provide more so we can do more to help others find Christ and stay off the streets. 4. Pray for wisdom, as the father, leader, and priest of my home. I desire more than ever to follow the Lord and to lead my family in every step as He desires. 5. Please pray for favor with authorities, community, and church leaders. There are many empty buildings which can be used for God’s glory and to help with many of the programs aimed at widows and orphans in Pensacola. Yes, this is more than an Isaac update. It is a battle update, a letter from another front, and we thank you for taking the time to read and pray for us. If you desire to support the ministry to either orphans and widows, disaster relief, or our family, please make checks payable to “Liberty Church” and enclose a note explaining your desire for use of funds. For further updates, if you have a computer, you can follow the storm updates on Facebook; simply seek Deborah Burroughs or Gene Burroughs. Additionally, I will be sending updates to Shasta Lake Church and Little Country Church. We can be reached in the following manners: Address: 9536 Bone Bluff Drive, Navarre, FL 32566, E-mail: “Gene” outreachman@gmail.com “Deborah” deborahofficer@yahoo.com. God bless you, and please remember us in your prayers. Gene and Deborah Burroughs and family!