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Dead. That’s exactly how John felt that morning as he faced the platform. He was singing along with the music, eyes closed, trying to focus on the lyrics, trying to lift his heart to God as best he knew how. But like many Sundays before, his soul felt shriveled and uncomfortably numb. If those who stood around him only knew the depths of his sin, how would they treat him? If they knew about the websites he visited the night before, what would they say? What would his wife say? Men like John are all too common in the church today. According to Pure Desire Ministries, after collecting thousands of surveys from churches all over America, men like John comprise 60-70% of the men in our pews (plus 25-30% of women, and sadly, 50-58% of church leaders). Can churches become communities where people like John find repentance, hope, and healing? The good news is many leading churches are striving for this, and they are reshaping the culture of the church to change lives. Dry Drunks in the Pews How could so many Christians be so sexually broken and go unnoticed? Is this problem really as large as it is made out to be? According to Leadership Journal, more than half (57%) of pastors surveyed say porn addiction is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation. Some in the pews are undeniably addicts of the first degree: their sexual compulsions have brought them to unfathomable depths of perversion. And they are paying dearly for it. But others have only convinced themselves they don’t have a problem. Ted Roberts of Pure Desire likens these men and women to “dry drunks”: they watch a little porn now and then, they masturbate, they sexually fantasize, but they would never call themselves “addicts.” Outwardly their sexual habits might pass for unharmful, but inwardly they are filled with loneliness, bitterness, and lust. Their marriages are far from intimate. Their fellowship with others is shallow at best. And week after week they lose a little more hope that things will ever be different. “Our church, every church, all this culture are awash in lust, pornography, and every manner of sexual perversion,” says Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church. “We are, in fact, so awash that we’ve become fish who don’t even dream about air anymore.” Opening the Can of Worms: Taking on Taboos Some church leaders have said enough is enough, and they have become intentional and strategic about tackling this issue head-on. James Reeves, senior pastor of Celebration Fellowship in Fort Worth, likens the damage of pornography to a coming tsunami. “The issue of sexual addiction caught us unaware at first,” Reeves writes. “All around us marriages began to fall apart, husbands started getting caught with pornography, in affairs, and visiting prostitutes, and we knew we had to do something. Although we were heavily involved in recovery ministry already, we knew very little about how to deal with the specific issue of sexual addiction. So we got informed, educated, and went to work.” On Sept. 21, 2003, they devoted a special Sunday to the issue, entitled, “The Day Celebration Told the Truth about Pornography.” They had a panel discussion where six couples and one man, all of whom were in recovery, told their stories. They spoke about the shame, frustration, and despair that comes with this addiction, and they talked about their path to recovery so far. Reeves didn’t announce the topic beforehand to his congregation so people would not come up with convenient excuses to miss church that morning. “From that day forward,” says Reeves, “we were off and running in ministering to men, women, and families caught in this area.” Even smaller churches are taking action. Rev. Hank Van der Woerd ministers to a growing congregation of 250 families in the immigrant community in Southern Alberta, Canada. Even among this farming community, the members of Trinity United Reformed Church are no strangers to the problem of pornography. Rev. Van der Woerd, along with ministers from surrounding churches, decided to organize a seminar for all their men, age 14 and up, where they communicated biblical, psychological, and practical advice for men facing this temptation. The event was well-attended, and while there were some naysayers, critics were soon silenced when they were confronted with the enormity of the problem. For the elders of Trinity, this is only the beginning of their approach to this problem. Determined to help their 900 members, the elders have decided to set aside funds every year to purchase Covenant Eyes Internet Accountability for any family who wants it in their church. They are sending a message to the church-at-large: we want to be a community of hope and healing, where secrets sins can be brought into the light. The Inevitable Fight with Shame For many men and women who deeply struggle with sexual sin, a feeling of shame clings to them like a wet blanket and often become the biggest barrier against seeking help. Biblical counselor David Powlison says shame and guilt are related but distinct experiences. “Guilt is an awareness of failure against a standard,” such as a rule or a personal expectation. But shame, says Powlison, is “a sense of failure before the eyes of someone else.” Shame is overtly relational. For many porn and sex addicts, the shame is so acute, being open and honest in a spiritual community sounds like the last thing they want to do. So for churches that are proactive about this issue, disinfecting the shame-dynamic is a constant battle. Disinfecting Shame at Hospital Church And religious environments, unfortunately, encourage masks and pretension. A few decades ago, Pastor James Reeves came to believe that the church (as he experienced it) was not a safe place to talk about real problems. Reeves was saved at age 18 right off the street. He grew up, as he says, “poor white trash in a tin-roof house.” He was no stranger to drugs and alcohol. His own father died a penniless alcoholic in a flop house. Coming to Christ brought about a radical change in his life and eventually, after college, he entered a life of vocational ministry. However, six years into his pastoral career he sunk into an inexplicable and deep depression. His fellow church leaders gave him a short sabbatical, during which Reeves discovered how insufficiently he had recovered from the hurts and sins of his past. He returned to his church, not only refreshed, but with a new vision for what he wanted his church to become. He desires his church to become a place where people felt free to bring their deepest hurts and their biggest secrets. He calls it “Hospital Church.” The church, says Reeves, is meant to be like a hospital gown. “The hospital gown is designed not for concealment but easy access.” Reeves dreams of a church where people can be completely transparent—warts and all—and for the past 20 years, Reeves and the leaders of Celebration Fellowship have worked hard to intentionally create an atmosphere of grace to make transparency possible. Similarly, Dr. Bill Berry of Central Church in Collierville, Tennessee, says battling the shame-orientation is crucial to helping men and women come out of hiding. Dr. Berry has been the director of Battle Plan Ministries for 12 years in his church, and through this program he has watched scores of men walk out of the darkness of porn addiction and into the light. He knew men and women were seeking private counseling for these problems—a tactic he calls “covert warfare”—but he wanted his church to be a place where men could be honest publically about their struggles. Berry says he started Battle Plan for this very reason: to change the culture of his church and give men a safe forum for being honest without fear of condemnation. He now oversees four Battle Plan groups around the Memphis area. Modeling Brokenness from the Front Where does transparency start? Jon Acuff calls Christian leaders to give “the gift of going second.” When one brave soul speaks first, when he or she shares the raw and dirty details off their life, others in the room are given “the gift of going second.” It’s so much harder to be first. No one knows what’s off limits yet and you’re setting the boundaries with your words. You’re throwing yourself on the honesty grenade and taking whatever fall out that comes with it. Going second is so much easier. And the ease only grows exponentially as people continue to share. But it has to be started somewhere. Someone has to go first, and I think it has to be us. In the New York metropolitan area, Grace Community Church reaches thousands with its weekend services.Nearly every week Pastor Jarrod Jones will stand on the platform and remind his congregation, “This is a church where it’s okay to not be okay.” Jones, himself, is no stranger to the struggle of sexual sin. He writes candidly about what he has learned from his own struggles in his book, 13 Ways to Ruin Your Life. This environment of grace is one of the reasons why their Men’s L.I.F.E. Accountability Group is as strong as it is. Mike Pagna, who leads this Saturday morning fellowship, believes strongly that leaders need to set the pace when it comes to transparency. “I don’t care if I’m labeled a sex addict,” he says. Wanting more guys to come clean about their struggles, he would create venues to tell his story: men’s breakfasts, youth group events, anywhere he was given a platform. This not only drew guys to his group, but it also empowered men to be honest when they got there. “The leader needs to really, really lay it out. I need to lead with my junk so other guys can talk about theirs.” This is the same approach used by Pastor Darrell Brazell of New Hope Fellowship in Lawrence, Kansas. Brazell struggled with pornography since he was 10. He pursued a career in ministry believing if he devoted his life to God in full-time service, God would make his sexual struggles go away. When this did not happen, his heart was eaten alive with shame, and the addiction only became worse. Brazell started to find freedom when he opened up about his struggle to other fellow pastors. Because of his willingness to share his story with others, more and more men came to Brazell for help for their sexual sins. In October 2003, Brazell founded New Hope Fellowship, and to this day its sexual addiction recovery ministry is the church’s largest outreach to the surrounding community. Brazell knows his situation is unique: not every pastor’s story is like his own. But he believes strongly that pastors need to be honest about their own weaknesses. “If the teaching pastors do not understand their own brokenness and constantly proclaim grace, no recovery ministry is going to thrive.” www.covenanteyes.com . Used by permission.

In my books I offer a lot of advice for attracting men to church. Among these are the obvious “spiritual” suggestions: preach better sermons, do a better job loving people, offer ministry opportunities for men, etc. But then I get into some practical ones: choose manly songs. Ditch the quilts, flowers and lace. Don’t make people hold hands. Go easy on the Love Songs to Jesus. I tend to focus more on these practical steps because we rarely give them much thought. My critics often take issue with these suggestions. They have a hard time believing that song lyrics, paint color, décor and metaphors make a difference. God is all-powerful, and the idea that He could be limited by something as trivial as pink walls or romantic lyrics is insulting to many Christians. Let me be clear: God is God, and he can do whatever he wants. If God is present in worship, it won’t matter if the pastor wears a pink ballerina tutu – men will be drawn. The Spirit always trumps the practical. Yet practical things do matter. Let’s say this Sunday your church’s furnace goes out. The temperature outside is near freezing. The sanctuary temperature drops into the mid-40s (8° C). You decide to hold your worship service despite the temperature. The Spirit comes and people get a blessing. Things go so well you decide not to repair the furnace. Week after week you leave the furnace unrepaired. The temperature in your church varies widely based on the weather. Tell me, what will happen? Would there be complaints? Opposition? Defections? Yes, yes and yes. People would leave your church over the temperature of the sanctuary. Now, should air temperature matter? Not at all. Paul and Silas praised God in a smelly jail cell in Philippi. Peter was crucified upside down. Shouldn’t we have the fortitude to praise God in a room that’s a bit frosty? Are we really that weak? Are today’s Christians shallow people concerned only with their own comfort? Perhaps. But we’re focusing on the wrong issue. Look at it this way: when people come to church they want to focus on God. Not on distractions. A cold sanctuary is a distraction. If takes our focus off the Lord and places it on ourselves. Our discomfort. Our frigid fingers. Our fussy children. At Church for Men, we help you identify the distractions that are keeping men from focusing on God when they enter a church building. Many of these things are trifles. They really shouldn’t matter. But they do. If there were only one church in a particular city, the little things would not matter as much. But modern worshippers have choices. They come to church seeking God. And they’ll choose the church where sense his presence. God’s voice is still and small. The fewer distractions, the easier it is to hear his voice. Some of my critics feel that I’m reducing the power of God into a commodity. That I’m suggesting we somehow manipulate the pure gospel message to appeal more to a certain constituency – in this case, men. This is not what I’m saying at all. In fact, I’m suggesting the opposite: the pure Gospel has already been manipulated in subtle ways to appeal to a female audience. Church for Men helps congregations restore a healthy masculine spirit – a spirit that’s widely present in the Bible but woefully absent in many congregations today. David Brooks wrote an insightful article in the New York Times cataloging some of the ways people are affected by seemingly trivial environmental factors. Among these: Organic foods may make you less generous Men are dumber around women Women inhibit their own performance Judges are tougher at election time New fathers are stingier with their money Children from affluent neighborhoods are more often delinquent Women wear red to impress men Now, should any of these things affect our jobs and our relationships? No. But they do. We’re only human. And when we walk into a church we’re affected not only by the Spirit, but also by our environment. Getting that environment right (and removing distractions) will help men connect with God. www.churchesformen.com . Used by permission.

There is a place of immunity for the believer, a spiritual fortress in Christ that shelters us from the attacks of the devil. For those who abide in this stronghold of God, the onslaught of the wicked one does not touch them. Here, in this secret dwelling with the Almighty, we are hidden from the effects of the accuser’s tongue; we are sheltered from the assignment of the destroyer. The dictionary defines immunity as “freedom or exemption, as from a penalty, burden, duty or evil.” This is how the living God wants His children to walk: in freedom from the penalties and burdens of sin, delivered from the duties of legalistic religion, protected and triumphant over the assault of the evil one. Survey the landscape of the Bible. You will find hundreds of examples of God’s loving protection. Every time the Lord pleaded with sinful Israel to return to Him, it was to urge them back to His protection; each time they responded, they were secured again within the shelter of God. The Scripture says, “ He shielded them and cared for them, guarding them as the apple of his eye” (Deut. 32:10 nab). A Father’s Care God is not only our Creator; He is also our Father. As such, it is inconceivable that He would leave His children unprotected. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus says that our Father knows our needs before we ask Him. If we, even in our fallen condition, seek to provide for our children, how much more does God in His perfection seek to shelter and care for His offspring! Scripture testifies that He has “granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). The more we possess a true knowledge of the Almighty, the more accessible His provisions for us become. What has He given us? He has prepared an abiding place for us where all that we need concerning life and godliness is ours. It is a place where every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places belongs to us in Christ (Eph. 1:3). David knew of this awesome place of protection. He wrote, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress . . . in whom I take refuge; my shield and . . . my stronghold” (Ps. 18:2). Again, speaking of those who fear God, David prayed, “Thou dost hide them in the secret place of Thy presence from the conspiracies of man; Thou dost keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues” (Ps. 31:20). And again, “Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance” (Ps. 32:7). In David’s personal life, he knew the living God as a spiritual stronghold and a place of safety from conflict. The king was intimately familiar with this special place in God’s Presence. It was here, in the fortress of God, that David’s soul was sheltered. For Those Who Follow Christ This place of immunity was not just a special provision for prophets and godly kings. From the day of Christ’s resurrection, the entrance into the citadel of heaven was opened to all who would follow the Messiah. Discovering this abode, where Christ literally floods us with His life, is not merely the subject of this message, it is the object of our existence! How shall we find this spiritual place? We simply begin by loving Jesus. He said, “He who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him” (John 14:21). If we persevere in love and obedience, Jesus has promised to progressively reveal Himself to us. Consider the magnitude of Jesus’ promise! He continued, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). This unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ to our hearts is the path to the abode of God. It is this stronghold of the Most High which is the shelter of God. Lord, with the psalmist I cry, “When shall I enter the courts of the living God?” You are our Father; do not hide Yourself from us, Your children! Bring us to Your lap, oh God! Hold us to Your heart; assure us with the fulness of Your Spirit that You, indeed, are near. Thank You, Lord! www.frangipane.org

Our lives should completely focused on the person of Jesus Christ. He is the central character in everything that’s happened and all that will be. He is the reason we do all that we do. As leaders, we want to hold the door for the next generation to rush in and experience who Jesus is. The time is now for us to process, to live out, to move out, to do something, to take action. What is your destination? Thomas Merton said, ““Your life is a shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.” Whatever you are living for is shaping your heart. Whatever we pursue makes us in its own image. We must determine to know and reflect the face of Jesus. Two Essential Things We Find on the Face of Jesus Christ 1 – Matchless beauty and magnificence – it’s what we were all made for. His face is what we were made for. The beauty and magnificence that is on His face is what our souls were made for. Our souls weren’t made for temporal things. We were made to adore, appreciate and drink in the wonder of the beauty of the face of Jesus. “God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile.” – A.W. Tozer May our churches be one again filled with the magnificence of God. If you want a beautiful, generous, good, true, pure, whole, healed, happy, awake heart? It’s in the face of Jesus and in making the face of Jesus the end of you. The psalmist in Psalm 115 says, “Not to us, but to your name be the glory.” What’s your highest prize and highest goal in life? 2 – The Confidence and the Courage to Be the Leaders We Need to Be When you see Jesus’ face you quickly learn it’s not about you. You see He is the head of the Church and it’s all for Him and all about Him. You get confident when you see that He is the Head. Colossians 1:15-21 reflects this message. God inspires little leaders to be courageous and bold as we seek to win the world for His fame. Where’s the courage? What do we have to be afraid of if we’ve seen the face of God? Our Church has an unstoppable head. We can die under a load of stress or look up to the face of Jesus. Leadership is not about getting ahead, it’s about the fact that the church already has one! That should give us confidence to do crazy things for Christ We should never embarrass Him by saying, “I don’t think we can do that…” because He can do it. It’s not something you learn by reading a book, it’s something you learn by seeing His face. Extreme Makeover Home Edition is predicated on the words: MOVE THAT BUS! When the bus moves you don’t see the house first…When the bus moves you see their faces. You see the face of people who have been living in horrible conditions. Now they have a home. They are in shock and in awe. You see the tears and wonder on their faces. Then, you see the house. What you see first is the house on their face. We live in a world that can’t quite see Jesus, the beauty of the Gospel and the Church… they are looking at us, and we have to have been with Jesus, because our faces reflect Him. Our faces must reflect His glory. Then the world can say, “we found God on your face.” That’s leadership. It’s knowing Jesus and reflecting face on ours to the world. How Do You Get There? Go into the closet. Close the door. Humble yourself. Open your heart and wait. God is waiting for us there. Jesus had 1,059 days of ministry on earth… and when He got on His mark, set, and go… He went into the wilderness for 40 days. I want to do what I see Him doing and say what I hear Him saying. Notes taken by timschraeder.com.

The very quality of your life, whether you love it or hate it, is based upon how thankful you are toward God. It is one’s attitude that determines whether life unfolds into a place of blessedness or wretchedness. Indeed, looking at the same rose bush, some people complain that the roses have thorns while others rejoice that some thorns come with roses. It all depends on your perspective. This is the only life you will have before you enter eternity. If you want to find joy, you must first find thankfulness. Indeed, the one who is thankful for even a little enjoys much. But the unappreciative soul is always miserable, always complaining. He lives outside the shelter of the Most High God. Perhaps the worst enemy we have is not the devil but our own tongue. James tells us, “The tongue is set among our members as that which . . . sets on fire the course of our life” (James 3:6). He goes on to say this fire is ignited by hell. Consider: with our own words we can enter the spirit of Heaven or the agonies of hell! It is hell with its punishments, torments and misery that controls the life of the grumbler and complainer! Paul expands this thought in 1 Corinthians 10:10, where he reminds us of the Jews who “grumble[d] . . . and were destroyed by the destroyer.” The fact is, every time we open up to grumbling and complaining, the quality of our life is reduced proportionally — a destroyer is bringing our life to ruin! People often ask me, “What is the ruling demon over our church or city?” They expect me to answer with the ancient Aramaic or Phoenician name of a fallen angel. What I usually tell them is a lot more practical: one of the most pervasive evil influences over our nation is ingratitude! Do not minimize the strength and cunning of this enemy! Paul said that the Jews who grumbled and complained during their difficult circumstances were “destroyed by the destroyer.” Who was this destroyer? If you insist on discerning an ancient world ruler, one of the most powerful spirits mentioned in the Bible is Abaddon, whose Greek name is Apollyon. It means “destroyer” (Rev. 9:11). Paul said the Jews were destroyed by this spirit. In other words, when we are complaining or unthankful, we open the door to the destroyer, Abaddon, the demon king over the abyss of hell! In the Presence of God Multitudes in our nation have become specialists in the “science of misery.” They are experts — moral accountants who can, in a moment, tally all the wrongs society has ever done to them or their group. I have never talked with one of these people who was happy, blessed or content about anything. They expect an imperfect world to treat them perfectly. Truly, there are people in this wounded country of ours who need special attention. However, most of us simply need to repent of ingratitude, for it is ingratitude itself that is keeping wounds alive! We simply need to forgive the wrongs of the past and become thankful for what we have in the present. The moment we become grateful, we actually begin to ascend spiritually into the presence of God. The psalmist wrote, “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. . . . Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:2, 4-5).

What does the Lord require of you? – To do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Your God’ – Micah 6 v 8 Truthful worship requires us to be willing to get raw, honest, and vulnerable before God. It is here that God is able to slowly mold and shape our hearts into one that mirrors the heart of Jesus. This change is fueled by God’s great love for us and is designed to propel our focus and attention onto what concerns the Father – His people. This is why the condition of our heart is so critical. Without a heart that mirrors Jesus, we do not see the need around us and our lives become introverted, self-serving and very two dimensional. Every one of us is capable of affecting and influencing much change on the earth, but we must never underestimate the value of kindness and compassion to the ONE person who is often right in our view if we choose to see them. This is the key to mirroring the heart of Jesus. Even though He was coming to free the whole world and to be the ransom for the whole of humanity – it is often displayed in the gospels how compassionate and gentle he was with individuals. We are able to love others, only because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Worship is the fuel our hearts need to allow our lives to be poured out in service. We must allow our worship and devotion to God to motivate us into action. We were not made to be simply singers of songs, but lovers of God who worship Him not just with our voices, but with our whole lives. How God Showed me to worship with my service: HOPE I guess this is where my dream began which was to become Hope: Rwanda back in 2004. I felt so burdened to express my devotion to Christ and His purposes in a very tangible way. During the 100-day genocide in 1994 over 1 million people were killed and hundreds of thousands were brutalized and displaced. Rwandans themselves call it “the time the world forgot us.” When we saw this it was impossible not to act, we felt compelled to do something to help bring hope and healing to the people of Rwanda. There is something so special about Rwanda that makes me love this country and her people. We at Hope: Rwanda are doing more now than ever and will continue to remain committed to this beautiful country. Our mission statement is: ‘to assist nations reduce poverty, achieve sustainable development, and to bring spiritual strength and social justice to every segment of society.’ This is my dream. Rwanda is the start of the journey towards doing what our team can to and I am excited about the possibilities of ‘HOPE’ in other countries around the globe. SO, the journey continues… to worship Jesus with all we have, the songs of our hearts, and the fabric of our lives….Perhaps God will give you a vision to serve Him in some way. He will place the needs of the hurting before your very eyes as you look into His face and feel with His compassionate heart. Let your worship lead you into action!

Share 0 One of the most profound moments of my life came this past March when I visited Ellis Island in New York City. Between 1892 – 1924, more than 22 million immigrants came to America through Ellis Island. What was it about America that caused so many people to leave everything they had and strike out to build a new life in a foreign country? Freedom. On September 6, 1774, the First Continental Congress met. Their first act was to vote on a motion to begin their deliberations in prayer. Opposed, because they were such a diverse group, they couldn’t possibly agree on one prayer common to all religious sentiments. Samuel Adams was known as the Father of the American Revolution. He instigated the Boston Tea party, and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Later became Governor of Massachusetts. “Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said that he was no bigot and could hear a Prayer from any gentleman of Piety and virtue who was, at the same time, a friend to his Country.”-John Adams On September 7th 1774, the Continental Congress met for the first time. British troops were bearing down on Boston. These men were risking everything for the sake of freedom. So they agreed they would open their first session in prayer. Our nation began on its knees. “They prayed fervently for America, for Congress, and especially the town of Boston. Who can realize the emotion with which they turned imploringly to Heaven? It was enough to melt a heart of stone. I saw tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave Pacific Quakers of Philadelphia.” (John Adams) Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian. After his travels to America in the early 1800’s, he wrote a two-volume work called Democracy in America. It was his observations about the cause of effect of freedom in America. “I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors… in her fertile fields and boundless forests, in her rich mines and vast world commerce, in her public school systems and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution.” “Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom.” One hundred thirty years later, that light of freedom, founded in faith, shone all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to the village of Trondheim, Norway and beckoned a young man named Ole Fallan. Two years later, in the village of Songdahl, Norway, a young woman named Kristina Aarestad decided she, too, wanted to build a new life in America. At the age of 16, she left home and family, and set sail for America on the U.S. Luciana. Kristian Aarestad was my grandmother. And Ole Fallan was my grandfather. The bright light of freedom created from that flame in the pulpits in America brought them to America. In September, 1914, both my grandparents became United States citizens. They later met while working on a sheep ranch in Montana and were eventually married. My Grandfather eventually became a State Senator and the Justice of the Peace in Park County, Montana. About 30 years after he became a citizen, he presided over a ceremony granting citizenship to a new batch of immigrants. “It is my prayer today that there will be a spiritual awakening that will sweep the country from coast to coast. It can begin now by taking God in as your partner and advocate the teaching of Jesus Christ, who loved you so much that He was willing to die for you.” So my Norwegian immigrant heritage was much on my mind and in my heart when I walked into the Immigrant Museum at Ellis Island. They have computer terminals where you can look for the immigration records of your ancestors. I sat down at a terminal and started keying in names and dates for my grandfather. I thought,” this probably isn’t going to work.” But suddenly, up on the screen pops the ship’s manifest that included my grandfather’s name: Ole Ericksen Fallan, November 9th, 1905. And then I found the ship’s manifest for my grandmother. Last summer, my daughters and I were in Washington, D.C. for a family gathering. I had never been to the National Archives, but the movie National Treasure had given me a real desire to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As I entered the rotunda room, and approached the display housing the Declaration of Independence, I felt like I was on holy ground. I stood over the Declaration, and became overwhelmed with emotion. I put my hand on the glass cover and pondered what that document meant and how it changed the course of the world. I moved to the right to the display housing the Constitution. My youngest daughter came up alongside of me, looked up at me and asked “Dad, why are you crying?” I had to pause for a moment and think about it. Finally, I told her, “The ideas, the ideals, the virtues and beliefs in these two documents, are what brought my grandfather and grandmother to this country. These documents are why you and I are alive today.” I was moved to tears because I realized that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, are my citizenship papers. I’m so very grateful for my gifts of freedom and liberty. And I’m grateful and blessed to hold citizenship in a nation that began on its knees.

If we will move in true discernment, our view of life must be purged of human thoughts and reactions. We must perceive life through the eyes of Christ. To Discern, You Cannot Judge We will never possess true discernment until we crucify our instincts to judge. Realistically, this can take months or even years of uprooting old thought-systems that have not been planted in the divine soil of faith and love for people. To appropriate the discernment that is in the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), we must first find the heart of Christ. The heart and love of Jesus is summed up in His own words: “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). Spiritual discernment is the grace to see into the unseen. It is a gift of the Spirit to perceive the realm of the spirit. Its purpose is to understand the nature of that which is veiled. However, the first veil that must be removed is the veil over our own hearts. For the capacity to see into that which is in another’s heart comes from Christ revealing that which is in our own hearts. Before He reveals the sin of another, Jesus demands we grasp our own deep need of His mercy. Thus, out of the grace that we have received, we can compassionately minister grace to others. We will know thoroughly that the true gift of discernment is not a faculty of our minds. Christ’s goal is to save, not judge. We are called to navigate the narrow and well-hidden path into the true nature of men’s needs. If we would truly help men, we must remember, we are following a Lamb. This foundation must be laid correctly, for in order to discern, you cannot react. To perceive, you must make yourself blind to what seems apparent. People may react to you, but you cannot react to them. You must always remain forgiving in nature, for the demons you cast out will challenge you, masquerading as the very voice of the person you seek to deliver. You must discern the difference between the oppressing spirit and the person oppressed. Thus, Jesus prepared His disciples to be proactive in their forgiveness. Using Himself as their example, He taught, “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him” (Luke 12:10). Jesus prepared His heart to forgive men before they ever sinned against Him. He knew His mission was to die for men, not condemn them. Likewise, we are called to His mission as well. In His prayer to the Father, Jesus said, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them” (John 17:18). We are called to die that others may live. Therefore, we must realize that before our perception develops, our love must mature until our normal attitude is one of forgiveness. Should God reveal to us the hearts of men and then call us to release them from captivity, we cannot react to what they say. As our perception becomes more like Christ Himself and the secrets of men’s hearts are revealed to us, we cannot even react to what they think. If we do not move in divine forgiveness, we will walk in much deception. We will presume we have discernment when, in truth, we are seeing through the veil of a critical spirit. We must know our weaknesses, for if we are blind to our sins, what we assume we discern in men will merely be the reflection of ourselves. Indeed, if we do not move in love, we will actually become a menace to the body of Christ. This is exactly what Jesus taught when He said: Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. —Matthew 7:1-5 Repentance is the removal of the “logs” within our vision; it is the true beginning of seeing clearly. There are many who suppose they are receiving the Lord’s discernment concerning one thing or another. Perhaps in some things they are; only God knows. But many are simply judging others and calling it discernment. Jesus commanded us to judge not. The same eternal hand that wrote the Law on stones in the old covenant is writing the law of the kingdom on tablets of flesh today. This word to “not judge” (by “outer appearance”) is just as immutable as His Ten Commandments. It is still God speaking. The Goal is To See Clearly The judgmental carnal mind always sees the image of itself in others. Without realizing it is seeing itself, it assumes it is perceiving others. Jesus refers to the person who judges as a “hypocrite.” The Lord is not saying we should totally stop thinking about people. He wants us to be able to help one another. The emphasis in Jesus’ command to “not judge” is summarized in His concluding remark: “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” The way we help is not by judging but by seeing clearly. And we do not see clearly until we have been through deep and thorough repentance, until the instinct to judge after the flesh is uprooted. We have seen that Jesus paralleled speaking to people about their sins with taking specks out of their eyes. The eye is the most tender, most sensitive part of the human body. How do you take a speck out of someone’s eye? Very carefully! First, you must win their trust. This means consistently demonstrating an attitude that does not judge, one that will not instinctively condemn. To help others, we must see clearly. If you seek to have a heart that does not condemn, you must truly crucify your instinct to judge. Then you will have laid a true foundation for the gift of discernment, for you will have prepared your heart to receive the dreams, visions and insights from God. You will be unstained by human bias and corruption. The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis’ best selling book, The Three Battlegrounds.

In the kingdom, there are no great men of God, just humble men whom God has chosen to use greatly . How do we know when we are humble? When God speaks, we tremble. God is looking for a man who trembles at His words. Such a man will find the Spirit of God resting upon him; he will become a dwelling place for the Almighty. Entering the Sabbath Rest of God Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?     — Isaiah 66:1 God asks for nothing but ourselves. Our beautiful church buildings, our slick professionalism, all are nearly useless to God. He does not want what we have; He wants who we are. He seeks to create in our hearts a sanctuary for Himself, a place where He may rest. In the Scriptures this rest is called “a Sabbath rest” (Heb. 4:9). It does not, however, come from keeping the Sabbath, for the Jews kept the Sabbath but never entered God’s rest. The Book of Hebrews is plain: Joshua did not give the Israelites rest (v.v. 7-8). And after so long a period of Sabbath-keeping, Scripture continues, “So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (v. 9). The question must be asked then, “What is this Sabbath rest?” Let us explore Genesis in pursuit of our answer. “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work” (Gen. 2:3). Before God rested on the Sabbath, there was nothing special or holy about the seventh day. Had the Lord rested on the third day, then it would have been holy. Rest is not in the Sabbath; it is in God. Rest is a prevailing quality of His completeness. The Sabbath was not a source of rest for God; He was the source of rest for the Sabbath. As it is written, “The Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired” (Isa. 40:28). And even as the Sabbath became holy when God rested upon it, so we become holy as we put away sin, as the fullness of God settles and rests upon us. The rest we seek is not a rejuvenation of our energy; it is the exchange of energy: our life for God’s, through which the vessel of our humanity is filled with the Divine Presence and the all-sufficiency of Christ Himself. We must be enveloped and permeated With God. The Hebrew word for rest is nuach; among other things, it means “to rest, remain, be quiet.” It also indicates a “complete envelopment and thus permeation,” as in the spirit of Elijah “resting” on Elisha, or when wisdom “rests in the heart of him who has understanding.” God is not looking for a place where He can merely cease from His labors with men. He seeks a relationship where He can “completely envelop and thus permeate” every dimension of our lives, where He can tabernacle, remain, and be quiet within us. When God’s rest abides upon us, we live in union with Jesus the same way He lived in union with the Father (John 10:14-15). Christ’s thought-life was “completely enveloped and thus permeated” with the presence of God. He did only those things He saw and heard His Father do. He declared, “The Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:10). There is rest because it is Christ working through us . Jesus promises us, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (v. 14). How vain we are to think we can do miracles, love our enemies, or do any of the works of God without Christ doing His works through us! This is why Jesus said, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). In a storm-tossed boat on the sea of Galilee, Christ’s terrified disciples came to Him. Their cries were the cries of men about to die. Jesus rebuked the tempest, and immediately the wind and sea became “perfectly calm,” even as calm as He was (Matt. 8:26). What program, what degree of ministerial professionalism can compare with the life and power we receive through Him? Our efforts, no matter how much we spend of ourselves, cannot produce the rest or life of God. We must come to Him and enter into the rest of faith . Resting in God and surrender to His will is the key to humility and spiritual power. http://www.frangipane.org . Used by permission.

Most early signs of anorexia center on preoccupation with food or dieting. Behavior may appear obsessive or compulsive, and begin to consume more time. Eventually, disordered eating patterns will become more noticeable to others and potentially disrupt schooling, career, and relationships with family and friends. If you’re concerned that you or someone you love may have an eating disorder, watch for these early warning signs of anorexia: refusal to eat denial of hunger, even when starving difficulty concentrating obsession with body size and shape skipping meals making excuses for not eating eating only a few certain foods considered safe, usually those low in fat and calories adopting meal or eating rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces or spitting food out after chewing weighing food cooking elaborate meals for others but refusing to eat In men or women with an abnormal preoccupation with food, several other behaviors should also be recognized as clear warning signs of anorexia nervosa, or possibly other eating or body image disorders: excessive exercise flat mood, or lack of emotion repeated weighing of themselves frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws wearing baggy or layered clothing complaining about being fat Much work remains to be done to understand the causes of anorexia nervosa. As with bulimia, other eating disorders, and addiction, anorexia involves complicated interaction among biological, psychological and social factors. Doctors, therapists and staff at anorexia treatment centers have more recently acknowledged that genetics play a part in the development of anorexia. A young woman with a biological sibling or parent with an eating disorder is at higher risk, suggesting a possible genetic link. However, it’s not clear specifically how genetics may interact with other contributing factors. It may be that some people have a genetic tendency toward perfectionism, sensitivity and rigidity, all traits associated with anorexia nervosa. Psychological and emotional characteristics may also leave some people more susceptible to seeking emotional relief through self-starvation. Common examples observed in anorexics are: Low self-esteem, which may stem from unresolved experiences of neglect or abuse during childhood Obsessive or compulsive personality traits, which make it easier to adhere to strict diets and resist hunger Perfectionism, when centered on the body leads to thought distortions such as “I’m never thin enough.” Low levels of serotonin, one of the brain chemicals involved in depression Cultural influences can also contribute to the development of anorexia nervosa. Our society sends a constant stream of media reinforcing thinness as an ideal, especially for young women. Television, magazines, and billboards are filled with images of unrealistically thin models, athletes and actresses / actors. Success and worth are often equated with being thin. Peer pressure may fuel the desire to be thin, particularly among teen girls, who over time view anorexic symptoms as normal, even positive traits. Anorexia nervosa is a complicated disease that affects each man or woman differently. There are several patterns of anorexia signs and symptoms that eating disorders treatment specialists know to look for: Co-occurring Alcoholism Adolescent women with anorexia show a dramatically greater incidence of alcoholism than the rest of their peer group. This can occur when efforts to numb feelings of inadequacy by restricting food intake fail to bring the control and emotional relief a woman with anorexia seeks. College-aged women in particular are much more likely to show symptoms of co-occurring alcohol addiction along with anorexia nervosa. Abuse of Stimulants Many over the counter energy boosters, dietary supplements and prescription stimulants, such as medication for ADHD, have appetite suppressing side effects. Because of the ready availability of these drugs in schools and on college campuses, adolescents with anorexia are particularly susceptible to the temptation to misuse them to suppress appetite. Co-occurring Disorders Anorexia nervosa often co-exists with major depression, anxiety disorders, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).These are called co-occurring disorders, and they are difficult for many treatment providers to diagnose accurately and treat effectively in conjunction with an eating disorder. Patients whose anorexia nervosa treatment fails to address co-occurring disorders will face a vastly more difficult treatment path and more complex challenges in recovery. Purging Behaviors with Starvation Many with symptoms of anorexia show signs of a separate variation, the binge-purge type. Persons with this type of anorexia disorder will not only self-starve, but also take other actions to reduce their weight. This may include exercising obsessively, or abusing laxatives, diuretics / water pills, or other diet drugs. Anorexia’s effects vary depending on the severity of the disease. They tend to worsen as thoughts about food crowd out more and more of an anorexic’s thoughts. Forced withdrawal from school or college Loss of connection to faith or religion Career disruption Isolation from friends and family Suicide The physical effects of starvation are often irreversible, and reflect the extremely high rate of deaths associated with anorexia nervosa: Infertility Shutdown of major body systems Brain damage Heart attacks Death Can I Possibly Talk To My Parents About This? Whether your parents have suspected you have a problem with eating or cutting, or they are completely surprised, it will be difficult for them to hear how much you are hurting. But having this conversation will not only help you overcome your own emotional struggles. Most women in your situation have reported that sharing their secret and getting help for an eating disorder, self-injury or a mood disorder also brings them much closer to their family than they’ve been in years. This article contains input from multiple members of our treatment team, and attempts to answer some of the most common questions that keep young women from starting that process. While this blog post is oriented primarily toward young women who are living at home with their parents, the principles apply to men and women of any age who need to seek support from loved ones to confront a major challenge. Q: What’s the first step? A: Consider the best way to approach your parents. If you live with both parents, decide whether you want to talk with them together or separately. Some young women find it helpful to write a letter or an email to one or both parents before talking in person. Writing a letter or email allows you time to include everything you want to say, so you won’t have to worry that you’ll forget something important. It also lets parents digest your message in private, and start to deal with their own feelings before talking with you. That might make it easier for them to ask questions that will allow them to help you. Q: Should I talk to my parent or parents alone? If not, whom else should I include? A: Whomever you need to make yourself feel safe and find the courage to be honest. There is no right or wrong answer. Asking a friend, a brother or sister, or another trusted family member or even a teacher to join you may reduce the chance that you change your mind at the last minute. It also makes sure that there will be someone in the room to support you no matter how your parents respond. They can help you remember important details or questions you want to ask, too. Q: When should I talk to them? A: If your family is busy, it may be best to ask them to plan a time a day or two in advance. Otherwise, pick a time when neither of you will be rushed or interrupted. After dinner, a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, or a day off might give you the most time. Mornings before school or right after they get home from work are probably not the best times. There is no perfect time: the important thing is that you start your conversation as soon as possible. Q: Where is the best place to tell them? A: Somewhere private that makes you feel safe. Picking a place where you don’t have to worry about being interrupted while you’re talking is a good idea. Some young women feel safest in their bedroom, the back yard, or even going for a walk or to a park. It’s probably best to avoid telling them in the car while driving, or in front of your brothers or sisters. It can also be difficult to talk in public places like a restaurant where there’s lots of noise or strangers may overhear. Q: What else should I do before the conversation? A: The most important thing is to take some time by yourself to think about what you want to say. Make some notes about how you’ve been feeling and what you’ve done in response. If you keep a diary or journal, look back at past entries for help describing your feelings. Consider telling a close friend or sibling that you’re going to be having this conversation, and that you’re anxious or afraid. It may make you feel better knowing that you will have someone waiting to support you after you finish telling your parents. Q: I’ve tried telling them before, but haven’t been able when the time comes. What do I say? A: Be honest about how you’re feeling at the time – it’s okay to admit you’re feeling nervous, scared, sad, or lonely. If it helps, take your notes or a letter with you when you talk. Tell them: What you have been doing and how it’s hurting you You want to stop, but haven’t been able to alone Eating disorders, mood disorders and cutting are medical illnesses, not choices You need their help now so you don’t hurt yourself even worse Young women with these problems can get better with counseling and treatment You need to see a doctor, and to find a counselor who is experienced at treating eating disorders and/or cutting If you need to take a break during the conversation, tell them. Go outside for a few minutes, or go in your bedroom or another quiet place and say a short prayer. Remember: this is the start of a process to help you help yourself. There will be many more conversations along the way. What’s important is you get your process started today . Q: Can I help my parents with figuring out what to do after we talk? A: Yes, they will appreciate this. Several organizations offer free, high-quality online resources for getting help with self-injury or an eating disorder. Many of them are targeted specifically for parents, such as the Parents Toolkit offered by the National Eating Disorders Association (http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help-today/) Self-injury.net can help parents and other loved ones to better understand urges to self-harm. Q: I’m worried my mom or dad will blame himself or herself, how do I avoid that? A: By educating themselves, parents will quickly realize that eating disorders, self-harming and mood disorders are real medical diseases that originate in genetics, biology and a number of other complicated factors. Parents do not cause them, but they do have a critical role to play if their daughter is to be successful in recovery. If your parents are feeling guilty or ashamed, the best thing you can do is point them to resources to learn more. Printing off some of the articles you’ve read might be a good start. It’s also helpful to remind yourself that you’re not responsible for your parents’ feelings or reactions. This will be a process for them, just like your recovery will be a process for you. Q: I told them, now what? A: Pat yourself on the back. You are incredibly strong and courageous. You may not feel like it right now, but you’ve taken a HUGE step. Sharing your feelings with others is incredibly liberating. At TK, we often say that our secrets keep us sick. Now that you’ve told one or both parents, consider whether there are other family members or close friends you would like to tell. The more people you can draw support from, the better. It’s up to you to decide how much detail you share with each person, and whether you ask them to keep what you’ve told them private. If you feel up to it, we encourage you to come back and tell your story in a comment on this blog post. You can leave your name, or post anonymously. Posts will be moderated and screened to make sure they aren’t triggering for other readers. Q: Where else can I go for support from other young women who’ve been in my situation? A: Other websites like Self-Injury.net and DailyStrength.org have forums or discussion boards where young women can seek support from each other. Online support should never be a substitute for connecting with others in person. 12-step support groups can be found in most places across the country and also provide support online. Some examples are: Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous (www.anorexicsandbulimicsanonymousaba.com) Eating Disorders Anonymous (www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org) Self-mutilators Anonymous (www.selfmutilatorsanonymous.org) NEDA also offers a listing of support groups for both young women and parents here: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help-today/treatment-referrals.php Remember, you are strong, and you deserve to live a happy, healthy life. You don’t have to do it alone. Take the next step. Then, come back and share your story with others.

When is the last time you felt alive? I mean, really alive. Free to be the person you have always envisioned and hoped you could be? Free to be the person that you know deep down in your heart you are. If you are feeling less than alive (or if you are wondering, “Do I even have a pulse?!”) then it’s time for a spiritual check-up. Let me explain why. The essence of who you are, who you were created to be, and the seeds of your divine purpose and destiny reside in your spirit. Yes, you have a spirit! Merriam-Webster defines the word SPIRIT as that “vital principle” that “animates” and “brings life” to a being. Your spirit is eternal and what enlivens you – it is that which gives you life with a capitol “L”. Regardless of your beliefs, you have a spiritual pulse. God created you with a body, soul and spirit and His divine order sets up our human spirit as the head of our being with our soul, (which I define as the compilation of your mind, your will, and your emotions) and our bodies, as secondary to the spirit. Your spirit brings life to your body and soul. This is because our spirits are eternal. When the body and soul cease to exist, your spirit lives on. Eating disorders, addictions and mood problems all take a toll on our ability to be truly free and to feel fully alive. Therefore, they take a toll on the human spirit. When an individual is in the throes of an eating disorder or addiction, this causes the divine order to be “out of whack.” The drives of these disorders seek to usurp the power of the spirit, the functions of the body and an individual’s thoughts, emotions and ability to make choices. Additionally, if you have grown up in an environment that has not nurtured your spirit, or in an environment that overvalued or over-nurtured some other aspect of your being (for example your mind) to the neglect of the other aspects of your being; or, if you have been exposed to an environment that was toxic to any aspect of your being – your sense of freedom and capacity to feel and live fully alive can become seriously compromised. Taking your Spiritual Pulse There are three primary ways our spirits respond when spiritual health is compromised: 1. ADDICTION: A “captive spirit” When a disorder like an addiction or an eating disorder thrives and threatens to upset the divine order, it can actually begin to “rule” over your soul and spirit. That’s why I call this a captive spirit. As this occurs, you live less and less out of the essence of who you are and begin to look more and more like the disease that holds you captive. An individual struggling with substance abuse, for example, may long to feel alive and the abuse or addictions have become superficial substitutes. Often times, this individual has unknowingly functioned with a “slumbering spirit” or an “orphan spirit” for years. In their attempts to “enliven” themselves, they look to drugs, alcohol, or compulsive behaviors, etc. 2. NEGLECT: A “slumbering spirit” If you have grown up in an environment that has not nurtured your spirit, or in an environment that overvalued or over-nurtured some aspect of your being to the neglect of your spirit; you may experience what is called a slumbering spirit. It’s like your spirit went into hibernation due to lack of nurture, strengthening, or under-development. Alternatively, trauma such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect or abandonment, can also contribute to a slumbering spirit. This is especially the case when the individual has repressed emotions or disassociates from the negative effects of the trauma or toxic environment. 3. ABANDONMENT: An “orphan spirit” Finally, someone with these issues has wounds that come from deep feelings of emotional abandonment. Individuals with an abandonment struggle to trust or receive from relationships. They have essentially closed their hearts off to others, even those they are seemingly close to. They do this out of fear of being hurt. They struggle to believe that their emotional and relational needs could ever be truly met in relationships. As a result they tend to be overly self-reliant and hide from God. This type of wounded spirit also struggles the most to feel connected with God. They may be angry with God or feel God is angry with them or just not believe they are worthy of His full attention or love. While someone with an orphan spirit may appear fiercely independent, in actuality this independence covers hurt and pain. But there is Hope! FREEDOM: You were created to be a free spirit. The first step to having a healthy spirit is paying attention to your spirit and identifying and nurturing the needs of your spirit. Many of the groups at Timberline Knolls like the “Awakenings” group, are designed to do just that. Once you have taken your spiritual pulse, here are some practical ways to begin the journey towards hope. LIBERATE AND EMPOWER: Individuals with ADDICTION (a captive spirit) s truggle to connect with life. The only connection they have is with their addiction or disorder. If you are struggling with a captive spirit, it is important to understand how the addiction or eating disorder has taken your spirit captive. Admitting this is a powerful step and making decisions that will strengthen your recovery, instead of choices that only strengthen the power of the addiction, is key. The journey involves giving your spirit a voice to restore proper alignment of your spirit being in control of your mind and body instead of the addiction being in control. Just like in the movie “Shawshank Redemption”, individuals coming out from under the captivity of their disorder struggle at first with re-engaging in life (the good and the bad) and what it means to be truly free and feel empowered without the addiction or disorder. “True freedom is always spiritual. It has something to do with your innermost being, which cannot be chained, handcuffed, or put into a jail.” OSHO, Freedom: The Courage to Be Yourself “Caged birds accept each other but flight is what they long for.” TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, Camino Real Awaken and Nurture: Individuals with NEGLECT (a slumbering spirit) struggle the most to connect with themselves. They have lost sight of what they really think, feel and want out of their lives. If you are struggling with a this, then you have an under-developed, “malnourished” spirit. Do all that you can to engage your spirit and have a healthy relationship with yourself by learning to identify and respond to your thoughts, feelings, and needs in a healthy way. Once again, connecting with your spirit and with God through prayer, scripture reading, music, art, and the outdoors is important. Do things that you used to do as a child – play, dream, explore! “The free man is he who does not fear to go to the end of his thought.” LEON BLUM Restore and Strengthen: Individuals with ABANDONMENT (an orphan spirit) struggle to connect with others. This person needs to identify and heal their emotional wounds and exchange the lies they have come to believe about themselves and relationships that have contributed to the lack of trust in relationships and pessimistic outlook towards life and disconnect with God. Prayer, scripture reading, music, arts and nature are important here as well and orphans are encouraged to learn how to connect with their spirits while learning to connect with and build a healthy and nurturing community around them. “Freedom is the basic condition for you to touch life, to touch the blue sky, the trees, the birds, the tea, and the other person.” NHAT HANH, Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames “The truth shall make you free.” JESUS, John 8:31 Born to be FREE! Your spirit is most activated and at its strongest during those times in which you feel most alive and free. This will give you insight into what is unique to you in helping to liberate and empower, awaken and nurture, and restore and strengthen your spirit. Learn about and respond to the truth about your true identity and destiny as a child of God because …You were born to be free in Christ!

The visible glory of God descended, then manifested on the top of Mt. Sinai. As many as six million Israelites heard the audible voice of God speaking to them from the majestic fire. The entire nation quaked and trembled in holy fear. In response, Israel’s leaders begged Moses that no further words be spoken to them by God. Moses agreed, then turned and ascended the mountaintop and entered this frightening holy blaze where He remained for forty days. (See Exodus 19:17-20:19; 24:18.) Incredibly, when Moses delayed his return, the Israelites began to rebel, making for themselves an idol, a golden calf, similar to the idols of Egypt. They did this in full view of the glory of God, defying His glory with their outrageous idolatry. (See Exodus 31:1-8.) Nothing angers the living God more than man’s idolatry, and this brazen act was enough to have destroyed all Israel, both the sinners and also those who saw their sin and did nothing to stop it. In response, the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation” (Exod. 32:9-10). This is an amazing verse. It reveals something of the inner workings of the divine mind. I am thinking in particular of the Lord’s statement: “Let Me alone.” The implication is that if the Lord is “alone”—that is, without an intercessor to appeal to His mercy—divine wrath can be fully expressed. Conversely, the opposite is also true: wrath can be restrained if we, as intercessors, do not withdraw our entreaty. As long as Moses does not withdraw from prayer, there is a mercy opportunity that is being made possible. The goal of an intercessor is to remain in prayer; i.e., to “not let God alone.” This is not to imply that we are more merciful or forgiving than God. That would be quite untrue. What is true, though, is that some measure of divine grace and forgiveness – an unreasonable measure – is reserved in God’s heart and only escorted to earth by human intercession. God’s holiness demands that sin be punished; His mercy, however, triumphs over judgment and can be enlisted by prayer. Our quest is to unite in oneness with the mercy of God. Conversely, the devil’s goal is to create the opposite relationship between us and God where we accuse people for their sins and failures. Satan seeks to embitter us against our loved ones and associates, neighbors and nation so that our desires are not redemptive but accusatory and judgmental. Peter tells husbands to not be embittered against their wives so that their “prayers will not be hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7). Underline this truth: bitterness hinders intercession. The Lord desires we climb into His very thought-processes in extending mercy to earth. In this, the mercy-oriented intercessor attracts the full attention of God. “Let Me alone,” the Lord said. Yet Moses refused. Instead, he reminds the Lord of His promises for Israel as well as His relationship with Israel’s forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Ex. 32:11-13). Too many intercessors misinterpret the Lord’s initial pushback and report, erroneously, that God has exhausted His mercy. He has not. In fact, His mercies are new every morning. Moses’ response to the pushback was to prevail upon God’s love. He reminds the Lord of His purpose, repeats the Lord’s promise, and he does not stop praying for Israel. Moses became a mature intercessor. He stayed close to God, prevailing in prayer. Even though the Lord said He would make of Moses a great nation, Moses ignored the prospect. He knew all people would have times of sin and failure. Moses had come too far to start over. This journey was about a covenant that was made with Israel’s forefathers. Remember, the assignment is to bring an imperfect people with a promise from God into fulfillment. The intercessor’s role is to pray from the beginning of that journey, through the valleys of sin and setbacks, and continue praying until the promise from God is obtained. You may be a pastor of a church or an intercessor or a parent. Regardless, whoever you are praying for, you must have this attitude: “Lord, I am not letting You alone concerning my loved one.” When I pray, I never pray for divine wrath to fall; I always pray for mercy and grace. I agree with God that wrath is justified because of man’s sin, yet I plead with God for mercy and correction. The Result The result of Moses’ intercession is utterly amazing: “So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Exod. 32:14). May this be a revelation to us all! Moses’ prayer changed God’s mind! Much of how God relates to the future of a nation is based upon how the people in that society pray. The Spirit has made one truth plain to me: The future of a society does not belong to sinners; it belongs to those who pray. Thus, Jesus tells His disciples that whatever two of them agree on “about anything that they may ask” (Matt. 18:19), it will be granted by the heavenly Father. Two or three servants of God who refuse to abandon their faithfulness in prayer can release the mercy of God into their world. For Moses and the Israelites, the outcome was profound: “the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Exod. 32:14). Think of it: prayer changed the mind of God. Lord, thank You for always remaining open to our cries. Help me to persevere, to give You no rest, until You fulfill Your highest purposes with my family, church and nation. Thank You that one voice is not too feeble that You cannot hear it. Master, I stand in the gap for those I love. Reveal Your mercy to them. —adapted from a chapter in Francis’ book, The Power of One Christlike Life