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A series on Easter and faith Does faith seem complicated? Or is it that we make it complicated by overthinking it. Faith is simply trusting God enough to do what He says. That may be simple but it’s not easy! In this series we’ll walk through several actions God says we need as we live out our faith in Him.

Here’s an excerpt from How Women Help Men Find God: Michelangelo captured the relationship between man and his Maker on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. A holy God, surrounded by angels, stretches down from heaven to touch the finger of Adam. Meanwhile the man reclines, nonchalantly extending a single digit toward his Creator. Why is it so hard to get men to lift a finger for God? The problem isn’t atheism. Nine out of ten men in the US believe in God. 1 Five out of six men claim to be Christians. 2 Even irreligious men have a high regard for Jesus Christ and His teachings. But these days it’s hard to find a man who puts Jesus first—while it seems like Christian women are as common as boots at a rodeo. You love Jesus. And you love your men. Naturally, you’d like them to meet. You want your men to know the peace, joy, and contentment that come from an abiding relationship with the Lord. But these precious men don’t seem too interested. Why is it that only preachers, worship leaders, and a few laymen really get it when it comes to following Christ? What can you do to help the men you love find the Man you love? Plenty. Women can help men find God . It happens all the time. In fact, research shows that women often play a pivotal role in leading wayward men back to their heavenly Father. 3 But too often, women’s efforts come up short. Women pray daily for the men they love, but nothing happens. They spend years developing their sons’ spiritual lives, only to see them forget Jesus during their teens. Their witness to male colleagues falls flat. Single women search in vain for godly men. Then, a glimmer of hope: Bubba finally gets off the couch and slips into a pew. You pray like mad, but from the opening hymn it’s a total disaster. He feels as out of place as a penguin in the Sahara Desert. His visit reinforces the common male notion: church just isn’t for me. This book is not How to Make Any Man Become a Christian in Three Easy Steps . Think of it as a Rosetta stone, a key to understanding the mysterious, frustrating, and surprising spiritual lives of the other half of the human race. In pages 194-195 of Why Men Hate Going to Church , I wrote these words: “ Women, use your influence to say yes to the masculine spirit. One church suggested the men get together to play paint ball. Two prominent women complained, “How is paintball remotely Christian?” asked one woman. “It shows support for violence,” said another. Soon the men’s ministry is reduced to six white-haired guys having breakfast in the church basement. Another men’s ministry is neutered.” Let change happen, even that which cause people to grieve . Allow the men to do things you may not understand or approve of. Most of all, let your pastor know your support him. If your pastor knew the women of the church wanted a more challenging, man-friendly environment, he would probably be glad to oblige you. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be equipped to fulfill Jesus’ call: Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. To get your autographed copy of How Women Help Men Find God, click here . Notes: 1. The Gallup Poll, May 2–4, 2004, as cited on www.galluppoll.com . Ninety percent of respondents claimed belief in God. Only four percent claimed not to. This number has remained virtually unchanged over the past seventy years. Women are slightly more likely to answer in the affirmative than men. 2. Barna Research Online, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America,” 6 March 2000, www.barna.org . 83 percent of men polled claimed to be Christians. 3. Thom S. Rainer, Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 83. Rainer found that “wives were the most influential in reaching the unchurched.” To book David Murrow for a conference, or to order his books, go to www.churchformen.com .

The fullest expression of Christian living has to be a combination of God’s truth entering the head, igniting the heart, and outworking through the hands. If we’re going to enjoy the fullness of his grace more perfectly, there has to be an entrance of the truth into the head that affects the heart and comes out through the hands. There is an increasing anti-intellectualism and a stereotype against Muslims. There is a misconception of the unreachability of Muslims. I think a lot of us are afraid of Islam and Muslims. Where fear takes control, thinking doesn’t. This fear can manifest itself in apathy or hatred. Thinking is not the same as reactionism. We need to engage Islam. Thinking is not the same as stereotyping. Stereotyping simplifies complexity. Thinking is not the same as feeling. Thinking and feeling should be rightly joined. But we may feel deeply and quickly before we’ve ever thought through a thing. When we feel without thinking, we endanger our heads and our hearts. 1) What Is Pluralism?   People with different cultural and religious identities can live together simultaneously. People with different backgrounds are able to joyfully, mutually exist in the same setting. There are good forms and bad forms of pluralism. One of the good aspects is that it recognizes a basic reality that our world is diverse and that these differences are right outside our door. Another is that it honors basic human rights such as freedom of religion. It helps us to see people as they are and to respect them. It values dignity and uniqueness of human life. It also attempts to recognize value in the diversity. Some people act as though the existence of diversity or difference is wrong. Some have a phobia of people who are different from them. Pluralism in it’s good form pushes back against bigotry and xenophobia. There is also a naïve form of pluralism. This is the kind of diversity-seeking that fails to recognize the difference between valuing people and valuing every idea as though each idea is equal in it’s worth. It is an unthinking approach to pluralism. Not all ideas are created equal and ideas have consequences. “All paths and religions lead to God” is an example of naïve pluralism. This type of pluralism is ethically irresponsible. It is unhealthy because it fails to account for the far-reaching affects of religious pluralism. It makes us like ostriches with our head in the sand. Why does naïve pluralism find support in our culture? We have become uncomfortable with argument. There is a willingness to blur the significant differences in religions and cultures. There’s a tendency to avoid the big questions in life. “We’re amusing ourselves to death.” Religion is regarded in pragmatic and consumerist terms: “What works for me.” We live in a culture that does not prize absolutes or certainties. The question of which religion is true or best is off limits. 2) What Is Islam? Is Islam Consistently Compatible with Pluralism?   Islam is not compatible with this type of pluralism. Islam is a religion, not primarily a theology. It is mainly the shahadah, the confession that God is one and Muhammad is his messenger. The basic view of God in Islam is that he is radically transcendent. Islam is not an institution but primarily an identity. What is primary is to be Muslim. It creates great solidarity among Muslims because of first importance is to be Muslim. Over a billion people identify themselves as Muslims. Islam has five religious pillars, but it is a system for governing all of life. It can’t be reduced to the five pillars. The goal is to conform society to the teaching, precepts, and commands of the faith. There are four things that go into the forming of Sharia law, and it is under these things that Muslims seek to live. The Quran The Sunna and the Haddith, which build on the Quran with sayings of the prophet The principle of analogy for religious beliefs and practices which the Quran and Haddith don’t speak directly to Traditions, which are the consensus of the communities The west, secularism, and internal weaknesses in Islam have lead to the development of groups of fundamentalists who seek to enforce a more extreme form of Sharia. Most Muslims on the streets are going to be either modernists or traditionalists. Why is Sharia not compatible with pluralism? Four reasons: Sharia at it’s best is theocratic and theonomic. Sharia is the constitution of Islam and incompatible with democratic jurisprudence. Sharia leaves no room for the kind of pluralism that is healthy. Because Sharia incorporates cultural consensus into it’s law, certain cultural practices enter into the legal framework of countries. In Islam culture is religion and religion is culture. Advocacy for Sharia sometimes reaches a point where it can not tolerate differences. 3) What Is the Christian’s Responsibility for Encountering Muslims and Islam in This Context?   The Christian lives in two cities. We are citizens of a nation and citizens of heaven. Our response must be dictated by how we belong to both of these, our country and the kingdom of God. As a citizen of the United States in particular, work for the faithful continuance of the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. We want to defend our Muslim neighbors’ right to worship according to the dictates of their own consciences. Maintaining freedom of religion allows us to come to them with the gospel. We fight for the freedom of religion. How do I talk to my neighbor, coworker, or friend who is a Muslim? Mathew 10 shows us how. 1. Remember the gospel ( Matthew 10:7 ). Our main responsibility is the heralding of the news of our Savior and the message that the kingdom of heaven has come. Speak of his glory, his cross, his love, his resurrection, his grace. We often lack confidence in the gospel, but we should be confident in it! It is the power of God unto salvation for your Muslim neighbor or friend. Remember the gospel and speak of Christ. 2. Return to the world ( Matthew 10:16 ). Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent and pure as doves. This world is a dangerous place, but God sends us into it and he won’t waste the lives of those he has purchased with the blood of his Son. Go into the world with the gospel. To live is Christ, to die is gain. There’s a people out there who needs us to be wise, engaged, and faithful. 3. Repent of fear ( Matthew 10:28 ) We have been fearful, and in our fear we have been unbelieving and unfaithful. This fear is destroying our love for our neighbors. It is destroying our missionary zeal. Think of God’s providence and provision. 4. Retrieve the reward ( Matthew 10:39-42 ). Throw away convenience, safety and comfort. It makes us fat and lazy. Go give your life for something greater: the joy of God. Christ is our reward and inheritance! Remember the gospel and preach it as sheep among wolves. Great will be your reward! We shall see him and be filled with satisfaction and joy unspeakable and full of glory. © Desiring God

Here’s a brief summary to whet your appetite: 1. A Manly Pastor. Men don’t like macho or power-hungry pastors, but a pastor who projects a healthy masculinity will draw men. This is because men see their churches through their pastor. If a man respects his pastor, then he likes his church. If a man doesn’t respect his pastor, he won’t like his church. Go ahead, ask a man about his church. He won’t talk about the ministries, or the facilities, or the programs; he’ll talk about the pastor. 2. Excellence is vital. Men are less forgiving of anything bad, hokey or half baked. The churches that are growing and attracting men consistently offer excellence – in the preaching, the music, the facility and the programs. You don’t have to be the best in town; just do what you do very well and men will be drawn. And if you can’t do something well, then don’t do it at all. 3. Give men space. Churches that attract men honor their need for space. Don’t force your men to hold hands or hug each other. If you must hug, there are safe ways to do it. And you should also be judicious when laying hands on men. These days we like to put people in “prayer mushrooms.” You know what I’m talking about – Vince asks for prayer and soon he’s mobbed, with hands all over him. The other men look at what happened to Vince, so they keep requests to themselves, for fear that they will be mobbed too. 4. Make Prayer Real. Christians speak normally to one another, but when they talk to God they lapse into a strange language I call “prayer speak.” I’m not talking about speaking in tongues; prayer-speak is a nonstop petition to God, repeating his name over and over, punctuated by the word “just” (Father God, we just thank you for this day, Father God, and Father God, we just ask that you’d bless us Father God). The problem with prayer-speak is that it discourages plainspoken men from praying aloud, because the feel that their petitions need to be delivered in this “holy language.” If you want more men praying, cut the prayer-speak. 5. Honor Men’s Time. Nothing discourages men like a worship service that drags on and on. It’s no coincidence that African-American churches, known for their 3 hour worship services, are also very likely to have a man shortage. Jesus was not long winded; in fact the average parable of Jesus can be taught comfortably in under a minute. It’s not the length of your message but its impact that changes men’s lives. The other five ways are captured on David Murrow’s DVD, Why Men Hate Going to church. This DVD is only available from this web site , and is not sold in stores. To book a conference, please contact David at www.churchformen.com .

Why Men Hate Going to Church is a best-selling book by David Murrow, founder of www.churchformen.com . He offers invaluable information pastors and church leaders should digest. If we take Murrow’s work seriously (and we should), we will change the way we do church forever. Here are just a few statistics we should know: The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories. [1] On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches. [2] This Sunday almost 25 percent of married, churchgoing women will worship without their husbands. [3] Midweek activities often draw 70 to 80 percent female participants. [4] The majority of church employees are women (except for ordained clergy, who are overwhelmingly male). [5] Over 70 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it during their teens and twenties. Many of these boys will never return. [6] More than 90 percent of American men believe in God, and five out of six call themselves Christians. But only one out of six attend church on a given Sunday. The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church. [7] Churches overseas report gender gaps of up to 9 women for every adult man in attendance. [8] Christian universities are becoming convents. The typical Christian college in the U.S. enrolls almost 2 women for every 1 man. [9] Fewer than 10% of U.S. churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant men’s ministry. [10] Church is good for men: Churchgoers are more likely to be married and express a higher level of satisfaction with life. Church involvement is the most important predictor of marital stability and happiness. [11] Church involvement moves people out of poverty. Its also correlated with less depression, more self-esteem and greater family and marital happiness. [12] Religious participation leads men to become more engaged husbands and fathers. [13] Teens with religious fathers are more likely to say they enjoy spending time with dad and that they admire him. [14] And men are good for the church: A study from Hartford Seminary found that the presence of involved men was statistically correlated with church growth, health, and harmony. Meanwhile, a lack of male participation is strongly associated with congregational decline. [15] FOOTNOTES: [1] “U.S. Congregational Life Survey – Key Findings,” 29 October 2003, < www.uscongregations.org/key.htm >. [2] This statistic comes from Barna’s figures on male/female worship attendance, overlayed upon the Census 2000 numbers for adult men and women in the U.S. population. [3] I came up with this figure by taking the U.S. Census 2000 numbers for total married adults and overlaying Barna Research’s year 2000 percentages of male vs. female attendance at weekly worship services. The figures suggest at least 24.5 million married women attend church on a given weekend, but only 19 million married men attend. That’s 5.5 million more women, or 22.5%. The actual number may be even higher, because married people attend church in much greater numbers than singles. [4] Barna Research Online, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America,” 6 March 2000, < www.barna.org >. [5] Ibid. [6] “LifeWay Research Uncovers Reasons 18 to 22 Year Olds Drop Out of Church,” PowerPoint presentation accompanying study, available at the LifeWay Web site, http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A=165949&M=200906,00.html , accessed 12 September 2007. [7] Barna, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America.” [8] I get an e-mail message about once a month from a pastor overseas whose congregation is almost totally female. [9] Camerin Courtney, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Christianity Today, Single Minded. View at http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind40630.html . [10] Based on a show of hands at the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries meeting in 2005. The consensus in the room among hundreds of men’s ministry experts was that less than 10% of congregations had any ongoing ministry to men. Compare this to the 110% of churches that offer women’s and children’s ministries. [11, 12] “Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability ,” The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, 1064, 25 January 1996,  < www.heritage.org >. [13] Penny Edgell (Becker) and Heather Hofmeister, “Work, Family and Religious Involvement for Men and Women,” Hartford Institute for Religion Research, < http://hirr.hartsem.edu >. [14] Christian Smith and Phillip Kim, “Religious Youth Are More Likely to Have Positive Relationships with Their Fathers,” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 12 July 2002, findings based on the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997). [15] C. Kirk Hadaway, FACTs on Growth: A new look at the dynamics of growth and decline in American congregations based on the Faith Communities Today 2005 national survey of Congregations. Hartford Institute for Religion Research, http://hirr.hartsem.edu . Read Why Men Hate Going to Church , David Murrow, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005, or to book David for a conference, visit www.churchformen.com

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. “The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.” One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if I had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. The president called all of the executives into the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful—in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!” All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!” When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!” Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. “How could he be the new CEO?” the others said. Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!” ·      If you plant honesty, you will reap trust ·      If you plant goodness, you will reap friends ·      If you plant humility, you will reap greatness ·      If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment ·      If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective ·      If you plant hard work, you will reap success   Think about this for a minute….   If I happened to show up on your door step crying, would you care? If I called you and asked you to pick me up because something happened, would you come? If I had one day left to live my life, would you be part of that last day? If I needed a shoulder to cry on, would you give me yours?  This is a test to see who your real friends are or if you are just someone to talk to. Do you know what the relationship is between your two eyes? They blink together, they move together, they cry together, they see things together, and they sleep together, but they never see each other; ….that’s what friendship is.. Your aspiration is your motivation, your motivation is your belief, your belief is your peace, your peace is your target, your target is heaven, and life is like hard core torture without it!

God has promised so many gifts for His children. Here are just a few. Gifts from Romans 5 : 1. Justified by faith (v. 1) We have a right standing with God because we have been declared righteous before Him. This is a legal verdict, and it includes: pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin; imputation of our sin to Christ’s account; our sins no longer counted against us; Christ’s righteousness credited to our account; and God declaring us “righteous,” solely on the merits of Christ’s righteousness. 2. Peace with God (v. 1) We are no longer God’s enemy. “God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man’s sinful rebellion against Him and His laws. But the first great result of justification is that the sinner’s war with God is ended forever.” (John McArthur) 3. Access to the Father (v. 2) The access that was unthinkable in the Old Testament is now made possible through Jesus Christ. 4. Stand before God in grace (v. 2) In God’s saving grace, we enjoy a permanent, secure position. We also have sanctifying grace, sustaining grace, enabling grace, and suffering grace. Our position is not based in our own performance, but in God’s. 5. Hope of the glory of God (v. 2) “Hope” does not speak of uncertainty, but of something that is certain, but not yet realized. Our ultimate destiny is to share in the glory of God. 6. Suffering and tribulation (v. 3) Trials are the “pressure” that, like a “juicer,” produces the sweet “juice” of perseverance, endurance, character, and hope. This gift comes especially as a result of our relationship with Christ or because we choose to do right. 7. Love of God (v. 5) is lavished on us, overflowing in us. Understanding His great love for us will result in overflowing love for Him. 8. The precious Holy Spirit (v. 5) He lives in us: “God has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” ( 2 Cor. 5:5 ). The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, comforts us, makes Christ known to us, teaches us the truth, and guides us. 9. Saved from God’s wrath (v. 9) Christ bore the full fury of God’s wrath against us and our sin. 10. Reconciled to God (vv. 10-11) Formerly separated and alienated from God, we are now brought to a state of right relationship with Him. Gifts from Ephesians 1:1-8 11. Adopted into God’s family (v. 4) God is our Father. We are children of God with a new nature, in a new family relationship. We bear God’s likeness. 12. Redemption through His blood (v. 7) This is a word picture from the ancient slave markets. A redeemer paid the necessary ransom to purchase the prisoner or slave’s release from bondage. We can sing, “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.” 13. Forgiveness of sins (v. 7) In the words of another song: “My sin–oh, the bliss of this glorious thought–my sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Forgiveness leads to joy: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” ( Ps. 32:1 ) Because of the blood of Jesus, God is faithful to forgive our sins–past, present, and future ( 1 John 1:9 ). 14. Purpose for living (vv. 12, 14) We exist “for the praise of His glory.” Gifts revealed in other scriptures: 15. The righteousness of Christ ( 2 Cor. 5:21 ) Christ’s righteousness comes in exchange for our sinfulness. 16. Christ in you ( Col. 1:27 ; Gal. 2:20 ) He is our “hope of glory,” and the perspective of our lives is “no longer I, but Christ.” 17. Life ( 1 John 5:11-13 ) We have eternal life, which speaks of its quantity (length), and we have abundant life, which speaks of its quality. We are spiritually alive because we are in relationship with Jesus, partaking of His life. 18. Mercy ( Ps. 103:10-11 ) God does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities. We will experience His unmerited mercy throughout our entire life. 19. The peace of God ( Phil. 4:6-7 ) God’s peace, which comes as a result of prayer, stands guard in our hearts and minds. 20. Joy ( Ps. 16:11 ; 1 Peter 1:3-9 ; 4:13 , 14 ) In God’s presence, there is “fullness of joy.” Far more than earthly happiness, we receive “exceeding joy,” a joy not based on circumstances. There is even joy as we endure trials of our faith, partaking in Christ’s sufferings and reproach. 21. Victory over sin ( Romans 6:6-23 ) We are “freed” from the power of sin. When we reckon ourselves to be “dead” unto sin (crucified with Christ), and yield our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness, we are no longer under the dominion of our flesh. 22. The Body of Christ ( 1 Cor. 12:12-27 ; Romans 12:5 ) We instantly have countless “brothers and sisters” in the family of God and are “members one of another.” 23. Spiritual gifts ( 1 Cor. 12:4-7 ; 1 Peter 4:10 ; Rom. 12:6-8 ; Eph. 4:7 , 11-16 ) Every believer has one or more spiritual gifts-which are to be used to glorify God and edify the Body of Christ. 24. Future glory ( Rom 8:17-18 ) As heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, we will be glorified in heaven. 25. Two great intercessors ( Heb. 7:25 ; Rom. 8:34 ; Rom. 8:26 ) Jesus intercedes for us in heaven, and the Holy Spirit intercedes within us. 26. The power of God ( Eph. 1:18-20 ) We begin to understand how God uses His exceedingly great and mighty power on our behalf. 27. Prayer ( Heb. 4:16 ; Phil. 4:6 ) We are encouraged to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” and to let our “requests be made known unto God.” Remember: “Oh, what peace we often forfeit… when we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” 28. Wisdom ( Prov. 2:6 ; James 1:5 ) Man may have knowledge, but true wisdom comes from God. He enables us to see from His perspective. Want more wisdom? “Ask of God.” 29. A home in heaven ( John 14:2-3 ) Christ is preparing a place for us in our Father’s house. 30. Freedom from fear ( Ps. 23:4 ) God’s presence makes all the difference in the world. Because God was with Him, the Psalmist said, “I will fear no evil.” 31. No condemnation ( Rom. 8:1 ) While the Law condemns, there is no condemnation in Christ, our Deliverer. 32. An advocate ( 1 John 2:1 ; Rev. 12:10 ) We have a defense attorney in heaven: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” Jesus defends us against the prosecution, Satan, who accuses believers day and night. 33. Future rewards ( 1 Cor. 3:11-15 ; 2 Cor. 5:10 ) Rewards will be given for faithfulness and for service. 34. The presence of God ( Matt. 28:20 ; Heb.13:5b )-His loving presence is continuous: “I am with you always.” The changeless Christ will never leave or forsake His own. 35. The Word of God ( Ps. 119:105 ; John 17:17 ; John 15:3 ) Not only is the precious Word a light to illumine our path, it also sanctifies and cleanses us. 36. Provision ( Ps. 37:25 ) The Psalmist said, “I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” God’s provision is expressed in a powerful church hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”–“All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.” 37. Guidance ( Psalm 23:3 ) David said, “He leads me in paths of righteousness . . .” All we have to do is follow and obey. 38. Protection against the enemy ( Ps. 121:1-8 ; Eph. 6:10-17 ) God, who never sleeps and is always watching over us, gives us His armor for protection, and His presence preserves us from evil “evermore.” God gives us victory over Satan. 39. All spiritual blessings ( Eph. 1:3 ) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” 40. He restores my soul ( Ps. 23:2-3 ) “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” 41. A future inheritance ( 1 Peter 1:3-4 ; Eph. 1:13 ; Rom. 8:17 ; 1 Cor. 3:21-23 ) Christians will receive “an inheritance that is imperishable” and “kept in heaven.” 42. Kept by God ( Ps. 121:5-8 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; Jude 24 ) God’s power will keep us from all evil. 43. Life and godliness ( 2 Peter 1:3 ) God’s power gives us “all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him.” 44. Great promises ( 2 Peter 1:4 ) God has “granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of this divine nature.” 45. Call to ministry ( Gal. 1:15 ; Eph. 3:7-8 ; 1 Tim. 1:12 ) “He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace.”

Angels are spiritual beings, usually invisible, although they can take on human forms. We learn in Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 10 there are different types of angels.  Angels serve as messengers.  Angels serve as protectors.  And you don’t know when you might encounter one.  But they are not to be prayed to.   Hebrews 13:2 reads: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”   Twenty-two years ago the Southeast Church bus was out in the middle of nowhere on the WK Parkway, bringing about 25 kids back from church camp.  That night the steering column malfunctioned and the bus was going about 60 mph when it wrecked in a ditch.  About five or six kids had to be taken to the hospital but fortunately there were no life-threatening injuries.   But right after the wreck, there was a man who helped the kids get out of the bus and tried to comfort them and encourage them during those frightening moments while some were still in shock.  Later, as they compared notes, they realized that many of them had the same story: they had come in contact with this same calming and helpful man (he was wearing a cap), but what was strange to those who had been comforted by him, was that no one saw him come on the scene, nor did anyone see him leave.  At that stage, when it initially happened out in the middle of nowhere, there was no other vehicle on the scene as he helped the kids off of the bus.  Now was that an angel?  Could be…or it could have been a very unusual coincidence when that exact moment a man was out walking along the edge of acres of farmland with no house in sight.    Matthew 18:10 is where the concept of guardian angels for kids originated. Jesus says: “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”   These angels aren’t to be prayed to—only God is worthy of our prayers.  And while I would guess that most of those are unseen beings, obviously some are visible or else the Hebrew writer wouldn’t say that, at times, we’ve been unaware that we have been socializing and greeting angels.   Evidently, angel appearances are quite rare.  Throughout the entire time period of the Bible, spanning some thousands of years, an angel appears only a dozen times or so.  So on Monday don’t expect a divine apparition to show up at your cubicle!   Angels typically were delivering some type of a message.  They are trying to convey God’s plan for a situation in which they find themselves.  At Christmas, we see angels everywhere—on front lawns, in nativity sets, in children’s plays, and in malls (though you probably won’t see a lot of angels in the parking lots of malls!), but you will see figurines.  Here’s what I’m hoping…I’m hoping that whenever you see an angel you will immediately think: God is at work—unfolding His plan .   We look at life as though we’re looking at the backside of a tapestry.  Every thread looks jumbled up and it has no meaning.  But God sees our lives from the correct side – the eternal side – and from his vantage point every thread has a purpose.  The tapestry was woven together so that when it was completed, from one side it would make sense and it would be beautiful.   Throughout Biblical times and even today there are plenty of moments when we aren’t sure why things happen the way they do.  In some of those rare occurrences God allowed angels to clarify His plan to help with the process.  You see, angels are images of providence.

I have learned that my faith in Christ is an intelligent faith. It is based on the weight of the evidence. This brings my mind and my heart into harmony, for I trust Christ with my whole mind, will, and emotions. Intelligent faith provides meaning and purpose for my everyday circumstances, for I see how they fit into God’s plan for my life. That intelligent faith enables me to apply truth to my life, knowing that everyday circumstances can be God’s tools for making me become like Him. Faith reveals God’s purpose for me.   The man without God says: “You and I control our own destiny. God expects us to make things happen. Faith may give you peace and the freedom to find meaning for yourself, but remember, faith is a private matter. The important thing is for each person to determine his own purpose in life, hoping in some way to leave a lasting impression on the world…”   But God invites us to ask, seek, and knock. This requires the use of our minds, for He wants to share with us His intimate secrets so that we may relate truth to our everyday living.   1. Understanding requires application   Understanding takes place when we know how to apply truth correctly. Simply knowing a truth or principle without applying it with the hearts is not satisfactory.   “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good life, his deeds performed in the gentleness of wisdom” ( James 3:13 ).   “And the one on whom sees was sown on the good ground, this is the man who hears the Word and understands it; who indeed produces a crop, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” ( Matthew 13:23 ).   Intelligent faith unites the intellectual evaluation of truth and inward perception of the heart with its application to our lives. We glorify God when our faith results in the mind and heart joining together to produce godly behavior.   2. Understanding requires association.   In some of the richest language of Scripture, Paul emphasizes that the key to understanding is knowing Christ.   “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” ( Philippians 3:8 ).   “…That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” ( Philippians 3:10 ).   Understanding with our hearts and minds how truth applies depends upon our knowing Christ well. As believers, our hope is founded upon the intimacy of our relationship with Christ.   3. Understanding requires examination.   The early church leaders frequently urged believers to evaluate intelligently any doctrine they received. They gave their converts solid criteria for judging doctrine ( 2 Corinthians 11:4-15 ; Galatians 1:6-9 ).   A stimulating challenge to us, as believers, is the example of the Bereans. Pail and Silas preached the gospel to the Bereans, who didn’t just accept this new doctrine blindly. ( Acts 17:10-15 ).   The Bereans were not about to accept something just because missionaries in sandals came along and taught it! The Apostle Paul did not discourage their open-minded search by saying, “Just believe.” Examining the Scriptures to understand how to apply God’s truth to our own lives is the only sure way of establishing a solid foundation for our faith.   II. Intelligent faith provides purpose ( Romans 8:28-39 ).   Faith is the assurance of the heart, resting in the adequacy of the evidence.   Certainty about God’s control comes when I intelligently submit, surrender, rest in, acknowledge and accept His work in my life. This creates a deep conviction that God does have a plan for me to follow. I am a person of destiny!   God, who is in control of the events of every believer’s life, focuses even apparently meaningless events into one meaningful purpose. His plan is to make us like His Son Jesus. He is at work in each experience and circumstance to give us the opportunity to trust intelligently in His control. And while God does not will adverse conditions or circumstances upon us, He is able to use them to achieve the goals of making us more like Christ.   Intelligently understanding the basis of my faith leads to a deeper understanding of God’s purpose for every circumstance I face. He does not want me to accept blindly what comes; rather; He delights in my humble search to know Him and His plan for me. When I acknowledge and submit to His sovereign control, I discover how He uses my present circumstances to create in me the family likeness of His Son. He wishes to use even mundane events as opportunities for me to trust in His control.

Listening to James MacDonald’s radio program “Walk in the Word” tonight, I was encouraged by something he said. In his message he spoke of how the Bible is attacked and maligned with such vengeance on college campuses and elsewhere.  We seldom see such attacks against the Book of Mormon, or the Quran, or any other spiritual literature – just the Bible.  He said the reason we don’t see such attacks against the others is that they just don’t reflect true realities like the Bible does.   It encouraged me in a strange, but substantive way.  The reason the Bible is so attacked and maligned by so many is that it really does matter.  It IS the Word of God.  It does have the Words of Life.  It is a living, breathing, life-giving light in a very dark world.  It changes people.  It brings peace during chaos.  It offers hope amidst utter devastation.  And it has withstood such fierce attacks for centuries – and it’s not going away.  The darker the world gets, the brighter it shines.   What is really remarkable is how it has won over some of its most dedicated critics.  Simon Greenleaf attempted to show by his widely accepted rules of testimony, that the four gospels were either collusion, or the telling of different stories – he wrote “Testimony of the Evangelists”.  Josh McDowell set out to prove that the evidence refuted the resurrection of Jesus – he wrote two volumes of “Evidence That Demands a Verdict”.  Viggo Olsen set out to prove the Bible to be scientifically inaccurate – he wrote “Daktar, Diplomat in Bangladesh”.  Antony Flew spent most of his life lecturing and writing against the Bible and promoting Atheism – he wrote “There is a God.”   The list goes on and on.  Time-and-time-again, the Bible wins over those who honestly oppose it and try to refute it by studying it to expose its weaknesses.  Instead of weaknesses, they find it to be the powerful word of God.  Instead of holes, they find it to be the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Instead of inaccuracies, they find insights missed by centuries of scientific enquiry.  Instead of oppressive legalism, they find life-giving grace.  Instead of irrelevance, they find it to more accurately describe the state of mankind and this world than any other work in existence.  Instead of a hateful mean-spirited God, they find a God who loves them so much that He sacrificed what was most precious to save them. They find that the Bible really does matter!   And that is the reason it comes under such relentless assault.  Something in us chafes when faced with ultimate authority.  Part of our fallen nature wants to lash out at anything that claims authority.  Every time I see one of those bumper-stickers that read “Question Authority”, I want to reply, “Who says I have to?”   I do not think God feels the least bit threatened when His word comes under attack, and I don’t think I need to lose heart about it either.  His word will stand, when all others are proven false.  Communism could not blot out God’s Word – there were hundreds of times more Christians in China when it opened up to the west in the 1980s than when it kicked out the missionaries in 1949.  Nazism could not overcome the Bible – it only proved the depravity of man and drove many, including Jews to the Bible.  Rome could not keep the New Testament from being written – its road system became the Bible’s distribution network to the world.  Materialism could not make God’s truth unnecessary – its emptiness highlighted the Bible’s substance.  Darwinism could not explain away the creator – it only reveals more of God’s glorious creation.  Neither will the “New Atheism” prove the Bible irrelevant or harmful.   So I need not lose sleep when someone with fancy credentials or notoriety lashes out at the Bible.  I don’t think God is wringing His hands over it, neither should I.  Instead I can sit back and watch the glory of God as He triumphs over the most “formidable” of His detractors.  Yet like God, I need not see them as enemies to be eliminated.  He has drawn some of His best workers from such stock.  I think of the Apostle Paul, at one point committed to the elimination of this troublesome sect from the face of the earth.  Even before his conversion, all he accomplished was to spread its followers over the known world by his acts of oppression.   What encourages me about all of this is that I don’t need to “defend” the Bible.  It will stand on its own merit.  It will defend itself better than I ever will be able.  All I need do is present it.  God’s Word will sink down into the hearts of people, even the most hardened, and kindle that flame so long smothered.  It will inspire even the most lifeless.  It will give hope to the most discouraged.  It will bring light to the deepest dungeon.  It will bring a song to the spiritually deaf and dumb.   For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (New International Version, ©2011)

Acts 16:19 : “And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. “ When this woman that was possessed with the spirit of divination and was following Paul and Silas, nobody knew that she was an agent of other people. She was working for her masters who were the “brains” behind the operation of the spirit of divination. The Bible says that the masters were making great financial gains through her. This woman was under the bondage of the demon of divination.    But when the evil spirit operating through this lady was cast out, the woman was delivered, but her masters were angry. They had been operating behind the scenes before, but now they were forced to come out. However, they did not come out for peace. Their coming out was not to submit or to surrender. They came out to fight Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas ended up in jail but their imprisonment led to the fulfillment of God’s purpose and Paul’s mission in Macedonia.   What our enemies intend for evil God uses for good ( Genesis 50:20 ).   The revelation here is that when you pray for deliverance from evil, there may be a time that the real forces behind your affliction will begin to manifest. But this manifestation comes with even greater affliction, e.g., Paul and Silas were thrown in jail.  That is why some afflictions become greater when your prayer becomes severe and intense. This is what is happening  when some people complain that the more they pray, the more severe their problems become. But if we do not give up, our problems will give up because the masters and sponsors of our problems must surely receive shame and disgrace.   Here are two good prayers to pray: 1.) I pray that every power profiting from my affliction be consumed by the fire of the Holy Spirit (2) Lord, expose and disgrace every “master” who is masterminding my affliction.   Most of the enemies that come against us in this life are mere agents. Heartfelt prayers will give us victory over them, and their real sponsors will come out to be put to shame. Then the purpose of God for your life will continue to be fulfilled.   So why do things get worse after they get bad?  God wants us to fight the good fight, God wants to expose evil, and God has a bigger plan.  In the midst of trials and tribulations, we must trust in God’s timing for deliverance and in His goodness more than ever!   Keep in mind Isaiah 49:4 that states, “I will contend with those who contend with you.”  When we are falsely accused, “the truth will out” (“The Merchant of Venice,” by Shakespeare).    One final word of encouragement: “God works all things together for good to them that love Him, who are called according to His purpose” ( Romans 8:28 ).   Adapted from the writings of Evangelist, Mangeni Mathias, 3/27/11.

We are carry an internal tension that’s associated with our appetites. We struggle desperately because we all want MORE. When we talk about our appetites, we immediately think about food or hunger, but there are a lot of different human appetites. There’s food and sex and….I’m sure there are a lot more! For me, I’m just looking through the lens of a guy because that’s all I’ve really been, but for you ladies who a trying to figure men out, they only have three appetites: food, sex and sleep. Just kidding. God has designed us in such a way that we are really just a big bundle of appetites and desires. And appetites also include security, an appetite for love, an appetite to be respected, to be cherished, to feel successful…All these things God designed us with, but each one of our appetites creates tension. The reason you feel tension in your life, is because one or more of your appetites are clamoring for MORE.   When it comes to leadership-whether it’s in a non-profit business, a for-profit business, a church or whatever it is, I believe that there are some appetites that are heightened beyond the average person. I want to discuss the tensions that you will always have to manage as a leader. All of us in leadership have an appetite for progress. We want to see our churches or companies move forward. We have an appetite for greater responsibility. You probably wish you had more responsibility, but here’s the interesting thing. Every time you get more responsibility in your organization, what do you want? MORE! We want respect-recognition for what we’ve accomplished. We want to win. Now, we don’t like the sound of that word in ministry because it sounds so non-godly and non-spiritual, but you know what? No matter who you are, there’s something in you that wants to win! Every year Outreach Magazine publishes a list of the fastest growing churches in America. Here’s what happens in our office. The magazine sits on the desk of my assistant’s office, and I pretend like I don’t want to pick it up. How silly! Who cares about who has the biggest church? I mean, God doesn’t care about who has the biggest church…We know that big churches depend on where you are located, how long you’ve been there, whether your father is a famous televangelist like mine. Many people ask me how I do what I do. I always say, step one is to be born into the family of a famous televangelist. Every time I get invited somewhere, they think it’s him. I show up somewhere and they say, “Wow, it’s you?” Now we all think this stuff is kind of silly, so I walk back and forth in front of the church growth magazine and I’m not going to let someone know how much I want to pick it up. But do you think I want to know if we are on the list? Of course I do!  If you are a leader, don’t be fooled. You want to win! No matter how many times you win, guess what you want? MORE. We want to grow. We want to be famous. (We don’t talk about that out loud.) If someone says they read your article or heard you speak-you may appear humble on the outside, but you go home and gloat. Pastor Rick Warren talked about the appetite to be envied. Guys, isn’t that why we buy the cars we choose to buy? We drive around cars we can’t even see because we are inside of them. Have you ever thought about that? You can’t even see your car driving down the road. You’re inside of it. But here’s the amazing truth. I think all of this is part of the imago dei -the way in which God made us. God created our desires and sin distorted them. Winning, progress, responsibility are all created by God. Think about it. Man is in the Garden of Eden and God said “This is your job-run the WHOLE WORLD.” Appetites are never fully and finally satisfied. EVER. This is an internal tension that never goes away. No matter how big your student ministry is, whether you got recognized by your denomination, or your pastor gave you a trophy. Three days later, that award is in the rear view mirror and you want MORE. How many times have you finished a meal and you say “I can’t eat another thing.” Three hours later-the refrigerator is calling your name and guys say, “Duh, Food!” We somehow think there is someone out there, some reward, some recognition that will finally fulfill our appetites. Often we will spend our lives making really poor leadership decisions trying to find the “golden ring” and give a relaxing sigh, “Ah!” “ My church is big enough! My ministry is big enough! I’ve written enough books.” “ I have a cool enough car. My children are perfect enough.” None of your appetites are fully and finally satisfied.” Leaders, there is always, always, always tension in this area. Your appetites always whisper, “Now!” Never “Later.”   Your response to these appetites, your ability or inability to manage your unquenchable urges and to say “I can’t let them rule my life” determines your success and your spirituality. Your response to that truth will determine your direction of your ministry, your family and your life. Do you know how that’s true? You simply look at your parents. Some of your parents wrecked their lives over an appetite that they thought could be fully and finally satisfied. Some of your parents have ended well because they were able to tame and manage this tension and they knew there was not someone or something out there that would bring the big “Ahhhh…I’m done!”   I can’t name many people serving God who lost their ministry over bad theology. But we could compile an endless list of men and women who have lost their ministry, lost their churches or families because of their inability to manage the tension of a longing that says, “I want more.”   If you don’t get this right, it doesn’t really matter if you get the rest right. If you are ruled and controlled and deceived by the little voice that says, “More.” If you could just get a little more, have a little more, grow a little more…somehow you are going to get to this place where you can say, “Done!” If we lead that way, ultimately embarrassment follows and the loss of what you currently consider most valuable.   I Timothy 6:6 : “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”   Be content. Be thankful. It’s time to sigh, “Ahhhh.” Thanks, God. I choose to do Your will, not mine.   Transcribed from Session One Catalyst West 2010. Used by permission. Register for a Catalyst Conference: events.catalystspace.com .