Dear Roger,  The holidays are here! Joy and excitement are everywhere! Well, not everywhere. You and I both know that there are a lot of hurting people at  Christmas  time. A lot of people hurt during the holiday season. We all act like it’s a time of great joy; and, it is for many of us, until some pull back the curtain.Behind the curtain we find children being tossed back and forth between parents. Some can’t afford to buy presents. There is just no money to spare. Some are jobless. Some are sick. Some families are tragically dysfunctional. Some parents can’t stand their children. Some children can’t stand their parents–or siblings. Some feel lonely. Others are rejected. Fortunately, holidays can bring out times of great joy. Unfortunately, for others, holidays can bring out the pain. Could you give us some advice on how to heal some of the hurts we may encounter? Sincerely, Jennifer Dear Jennifer, Alexander Maclaren, an old Scottish preacher, once said: “Please be kind to everyone you meet because everyone is fighting a battle.” When I recite his quote, I ask the folks in the congregation to look up down their row. “Everyone sitting around you is fighting a battle,” I say. Everyone gets quiet. We are imperfect and we live with imperfect people in an imperfect world. Therefore, we will all experience some hurt. Unfortunately, it’s my experience that most of us have no model for how to heal hurts. An Encounter with a Hurting Woman on My Flight I was sitting on the flight from Dallas to Orlando next to a woman in her late 20s. I introduced myself as I took my seat, and she did the same. Shortly after takeoff, I noticed that she was reading the “Celestine Prophecy” which is a book targeted to next-gen readers who are on spiritual journeys. “Reading that book, I would suppose that you are on a spiritual journey.” She smiled paused for me to continue.  “I would guess that you grew up in some sort of church environment and you got hurt badly. In fact, you were hurt so badly that you left that church and headed out on your own spiritual journey.” We sat quietly for several moments until she broke the silence, “You’re right. I did get hurt badly in church.” After a while, I said quietly, “Would you like to tell me what happened?” “Several weeks ago, my baby was born. The umbilical cord was twisted around her neck, and she died before they could get her breathing. I wanted my baby to go to heaven, so I begged my priest to baptize my baby. But he refused. He said that the Church didn’t baptize dead babies. I was devastated. I pleaded, but still he refused. I decided that I’d never go back to that church again, and so, I guess you’re right, I’m on a spiritual journey.” With a broken heart, I looked over at her and spoke gently, “I’m so sorry. Did you have any idea that the baby was in trouble?” “No.” “You must have felt so rejected. I suppose you’ve gone to that church since you were a child. I can’t imagine how much it hurt that in your greatest hour of need, they turned their backs on you. You must’ve felt so betrayed.” “I did.” “You must have been so angry at the priest. I can’t imagine what it was like when he looked at you and shook his head, ‘no.’ “You had dreams, didn’t you? You thought of playing with her on the playground, watching her grow up, college, and wedding; and in an instant, all of it was gone. I can’t imagine how much that hurt. I’m so sorry. You thought that you needed the  prayer  of the priest to get your child into Heaven. You are afraid that she might not make it. I can’t imagine how much that hurts. I tried to comfort her through some of the denial, shock, loss, grief, and depression. I tried not to be in a hurry. She certainly was not. One thing is true about comfort: it can’t feel really good. Later, she turned to me and said quietly, “I guess one of the reasons this hurts so much is because I’ve had four miscarriages.” “Oh, I’m so sorry. That just breaks my heart. Did you name them?” Yes, she had. She had named each of them. I decided that I’d comfort her four miscarriages worth of babies. About 15 minutes before landing, I said to her, “I know you’re wondering about whether or not your baby will go to heaven. I can tell you that she will. Jesus promised that the kingdom of heaven was open to children. King David lost a baby. God told him that his baby was in heaven and that he would see his baby again someday.” So I said, “Your baby will be in heaven; we need to be certain that you’ll be there, too.” The gospel is easy to share when the heart is broken and open. So, I talked with her about forgiveness of sin, and confession, and eternal life. I led her to  John 1:12  where John tells us that those who receive Christ will live forever with Christ in heaven. She would soon see her baby again, plus four others. “Would you like to pray with me right now and receive Jesus into your life?” You bet she would! And so, she did. Then, I surprised her. I told her about our first-born child Jessie who died in our arms thirty-eight years ago. Not a week goes by that I don’t pray to Jesus and ask him to tell Jessie that I miss her and that I’m looking forward to having fellowship with her one day in heaven. Christmas Hurts: People are reminded of happier times at Christmas. Dysfunctional families cause pain. Losing a loved one can unearth unimaginable grief. More people commit suicide during the holidays than any other time of the year. 3 Passages Lay the Foundation for God’s Plan of Healing Hurts Matthew 5:4 :  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Romans 12:15 :  “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 :  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Only mourning and comforting can heal hurts. We cannot do this alone. In healing hurt, it’s important to realize that at least two people must be involved. The one who is mourning needs someone to do the comforting. Otherwise, they mourn alone— and then they really hurt. In my story about the Orlando girl, I was showing you some of the tools that I use in comforting one who is hurting. Notice that both my heart and my attitude are filled with compassion. Notice that I ask rhetorical questions which are designed open them up to receive comfort. I was certain to use healing words as well as deeply emotional words to help them mourn and facilitate their healing. Look around the dinner table at Christmas. See who needs comfort. Open up your heart and give them the best gift of all at Christmas: the love of Jesus. Now we know what to do when we see hurt. Hurting people find healing and comfort. Well, Jennifer, I hope you find this response helpful.

Dear Roger, Economists tell us that we are on the verge of a recession. Some say that it’s 50-50 that we will or won’t have one. I’ve noticed that many families who were cutting their expenses last year are in a quandary about how much to spend on Christmas gifts.For some Americans this downturn really hurts. Families that cut a little last year are cutting a lot more this year.One of my friends said to me, “We had a pretty good Christmas last year, but we’re not having Christmas this year. We are not even having gifts for our kids.” Can you give us some ways we can make Christmas different this year? Sincerely, Jonathan Dear Jonathan, Simply by implementing the following two Proverbs, many of us can make Christmas more meaningful than ever before. We tend to spend most all of our Christmas giving on ourselves, our friends, and our family. How much different it would be if we looked down the economic ladder and were intentionally generous to help folks that we tend to overlook? "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."  Proverbs 11:24 NIV  "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 NIV We must learn to climb now down the ladder of socio-economic status. What is socio-economic status? Socio-economic status is a way of measuring the position of a group or of a person’s standing in society based upon such factors as: income; wealth; amount and kind of education; type and prestige of occupation; place of residence; and in some societies’, ethnic origin. These class labels are representative of the general approach used in popular language and by researchers. Rich Upper Middle-Class Middle-Class Lower Middle-Class Poverty Line Of course, there are multiple sub-strata within each major socio-economic status level. Who is on the ladder, and where are they? People in differing status levels tend to congregate in different ways. For example, consider how they congregate at the football stadium on Sunday afternoon. First of all, some are not there. They can’t afford a ticket. Second, most of the stadium is filled with middle-class and upper-middle-class people. They like to congregate in groups and enjoy being part of the crowd. Third, the rich people are nowhere to be seen. They are going up in private elevators to the sky boxes at the very top of the stadium. They like to congregate in small groups of five to ten people. They don’t like to associate with people below their socio-economic status. The lower-middle class and poverty level people are drinking cheap wine at home. The middle-class people are drinking beer, while the rich are sipping martinis. Those in the middle are much more trusting than those in the other two major status groupings. Those under the poverty line have been stepped on so many times in so many ways that they just wait for the next “shoe to fall.” The rich and very rich are of the opinion that they and they alone can make the decisions which will bring success and victory to their lives. All the while, those in the middle class sit at their desks working in a large company and believe that somebody, somewhere out there, is in control. They are not. The ladder differs from culture to culture. If you own an old clunker car in Africa, you may be considered rich. However, you can be a single mom on minimum wage with two children and no child support in America and drive an old car in constant need of repair, and no one would call you rich. We tend to look up the ladder and compare ourselves with those above us. In America, we seldom consider ourselves to be rich.  Someone is always higher up the ladder than we are. We compare ourselves with those above and think, “I’m not rich! Those above me are the ones who are rich!” We don’t look down the ladder very often. If only we would look down the ladder and see how many are below us, we would begin to see how rich we really are. However, it’s hard to look down the ladder. When I began pastoring my first church, Julie and I lived just below the poverty line. The church promised to pay me $1000 a month. Right after we arrived the head deacon pulled me aside to tell me that they had made a mistake and could only afford to pay me $900 per month. Fortunately, over the years, God has allowed Julie and me to climb up the ladder. Once we have climbed up the ladder, it is really difficult to climb back down. We tend to say, “I can climb down the ladder. I know what it’s like. I once was down there.” The key word is “once was.” It is easy to go up. It is hard to climb back down. One Sunday after preaching four sermons on giving, my youngest daughter Bronwyn challenged me to take $25 and go with her to the park where the homeless often congregated. She said, “Take the $25 and go feed them.” I’d never done this. So, I got some baloney and bread, mayonnaise, Gatorade, candy bars and sandwich bags and set out to feed the poor. I completed my distribution in about 15 minutes. “Why so fast?” Bronwyn asked. “Did you take time to talk to them? I’m sure they appreciated the food but what they really want is someone to talk to. They’re very lonely.” So, I talked with a few and departed as soon as I could extricate myself. I was ready to go home. I was condescending and selfish. It’s one thing to climb up the ladder, it’s quite another to try to come down. Bronwyn did it again the next Sunday. I had done the feeding gig. It was time to try something new. I was stymied. Finally, we entered a thrift store and I saw a mom buying used toys for her children! “Aha,” I thought, “this should do it.” “May I buy those toys for you?” I asked. The woman was indignant. She literally scolded me. “I’m a schoolteacher, and I don’t need or want your hand outs.” Bronwyn said, “You aren’t very good at this, are you?” It’s hard to go back to a diet of Ramen noodles two or three meals a day when you’ve gone up the ladder and are enjoying steak and potatoes, fish, chicken, salad, and dessert! It’s easy to go up the ladder. It’s hard to go back down. People at the bottom of the ladder tend to give much more generously than people at the top. Billionaire Jeff Bezos gave $100 million to Dolly Parton to use at her discretion for charity. Parton has given millions over decades to educate the poor, for disaster relief, and to help children learn to read. Why is Dolly Parton so generous? Because she grew up in poverty. The poor help the poor because they know what poverty is like. The most generous givers are in the $10,000 to $23,000 bracket. They give 18% to charity. Those in the over $100,000 bracket give less than 1.5 % to charity. Oil billionaire J. Paul Getty was so stingy he installed pay phones in his homes so he wouldn't be charged for long distance calls. His grandson was kidnapped. Getty refused to pay the ransom. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE GIVE SO LITTLE? Take a look at this simple list: They have not fully surrendered themselves to Jesus Christ. They are still spiritual babies. Instead of trusting God, they are afraid that they won’t have enough. They are greedy. They are trapped in materialism. They have gone up the ladder and forgotten what it was like at the bottom of the ladder. It is hard to give "down the ladder" because we don’t know anyone who is poorer than we are. The Apostle Paul challenged the Corinthian church to give generously by comparing them to the Macedonian church. Imagine what that sermon must have been like! He declared, We want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) Notice that the Macedonians had been through suffering. They knew extreme poverty … and they gave with extreme generosity. Paul challenged the Corinthian church to do more. WHY DO SOME GIVE SO MUCH? They look down and see Jesus far down the ladder. They follow him down. They experienced the grace of giving as they watched Jesus climb down the ladder. How can we be like Jesus? Don’t just look down the ladder; climb down . "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."  (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV) Think of where Jesus was. Then think about where he went. He was living a glorious life in heaven. Think of the richness of Christ: The whole universe was His. He had only to speak one word and a new world would be created. He could put His finger on every star and say, "Mine!" Jesus Christ was rich in honor and love. Think of the multitude of heavenly hosts that bowed before him in praise and adoration. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon the throne high and lifted up, and the cherubim and seraphim in worship and adoration around Him. Can you see how the angels followed Him as far as they could into outer space, and even into the sky around us, crying, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men"? Yet, in spite of all this he became poor. He climbed down the ladder from heaven to earth. The King of glory had to say, "Foxes have holes, bird have nests; but, I have nowhere to lay My head" (Matthew 8:20 NIV). Jesus had been honored by the "Hallelujahs!" of heaven, and all the courts of glory had shouted His praise. Then, He was spat upon, struck, and cursed. He was put upon a cross to bleed and die … in the ultimate act of generosity. LOOK DOWN THE LADDER AND GIVE ACCORDINGLY What if you don’t have very much at all? What if you are at the bottom of the ladder? You are a single mom; or husband is not a Christian and does not want you to give to the Lord? "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV) God sees the "heart gift" and not the "hand gift." If the heart wanted to give more, but was unable to do so, God sees it and records it accordingly. A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS To practice looking down the ladder, I’m going to encourage you to consider living differently by doing Christmas differently this year. Typically, Christmas is the time where we amp up our consumerism even more, buying a bunch of things for each other to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Often we even say, “Oh, I hate buying for him or her. They are so hard to buy for.” Why? Because they already have everything they need, and if they need something they just get it. So why are we buying something else? Sit down with your family, and decide how much to spend on each family member. Don’t spend it all on yourselves: give to someone in need. We decided to adopt a child from WorldVision for each of our children when they were young. They wrote them letters and sent them gifts. You could participate in Operation Christmas Child with your family. Pack Christmas boxes. Shop for the impoverished children overseas. Gather with friends and family to mail these “treasures” together. We have someone who helps us with housework. We looked down the ladder and gave her money to buy all of her Christmas gifts for her children. You can even include your children and grandchildren in the conversation. Let them decide how much to enjoy themselves and how much to give. For your friends, your spouse, get creative and spend less so that you can give more. Every Christmas we take an out-of-control consumer culture and get all hyped up in our spending, then we crash financially in January. Let’s do this Christmas differently. At the Jewish Feast of Purim, there is a regulation which says that, however poor a man is, he must find someone poorer than himself and give him a gift. Jonathan, Let me encourage you to make this Christmas like the Feast of Purim. Find someone who is less fortunate and help them. Be like Jesus and climb down the ladder. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, My kids are asking all kinds of questions about Santa, including whether or not Santa was a Christian! They’re old enough to understand Santa isn’t real, but I think they hope all the stories are true. Will you help me answer this tough one? Thanks! Sara Hello Sara, what a wonderful question! I love getting a glimpse into the minds of children—they see the world with such openness and curiosity. My wife, Julie, and I prepared a little bit about the history of Santa Claus for you, as well as some biblical truths you can share with your kids. First, is Santa a Christian? Yes! The story of Santa Claus has been around a long time, and it’s based on the life of Saint Nicholas of Myra. He was born near Anatolia, Turkey, and served as a fourth-century church bishop (minister, for you Protestants). Nicholas was born to Christian parents who left him an inheritance when they died. He became well-known for giving all of his money to the poor. Historical documents reveal that he loved Jesus from an early age and devoted his entire life to compassionate, generous giving. Saint Nicholas had a reputation for giving gifts anonymously, and he would throw bags of money into people’s homes (and sometimes down their chimneys) under the cover of night to avoid being spotted. According to tradition, he gave his first gift to a family who had three daughters. They were to be sold into slavery (actually prostitution, but don’t tell your kids!). Nicholas, brokenhearted to see the plight of these innocent girls, paid the family’s debts and provided money for them to have a better life. The Catholic Church named Nicholas a saint and the protector of seamen, merchants, archers, children, pharmacists, lawyers, pawnbrokers and prisoners. St. Nick loved them all! We know that Nicholas passed away on December sixth, sometime around the 340s or 350s A.D. The day of his death became an annual feast in which children would put out food for Nicholas and straw for his donkey. Catholics often taught that Saint Nicholas would come down from heaven during the night and replace the offerings with toys and treats—but only for the good boys and girls. Santa has been given many other names all over the world. Martin Luther, a famous German pastor, introduced Christkindl .  Christkindl  means “Christ child,” and it originally referred to Baby Jesus. In time, stories developed about Christkind  or  Kris Kringle  delivering presents to well-behaved Swiss and German children. Then, the “Christ child,”  Christkind,  became known as an angel-like figure accompanying Saint Nicholas on his holiday missions. In Scandinavia, a jolly elf named  Jultomten  delivers gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. English legend explains that  Father Christmas  visits each home on Christmas Eve to fill children’s stockings with holiday treats.  Pere Noel  is responsible for filling the shoes of French children. Most boys and girls around the world have names for Santa. So, what can we learn from his story? Santa loved children . Every “Santa” story describes a man who gave generously to little ones. His attitude towards kids always reminds me of Jesus’s love for children. My favorite Bible passage about Jesus and children is Luke 18:15-17: People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the  children  to him and said, “Let the little  children  come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” NIV Next, Christmas is about giving, not getting!  Jesus taught in Luke 6:38, “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity” (MSG). It’s easy for children—and adults!—to become focused only on what we receive. But our tradition of giving at Christmastime can be a way of honoring Jesus. When we give, we show our love for others. You might choose to involve your kids in an activity centered around giving, such as providing toys for underprivileged children, making a special Christmas offering to your church, or volunteering together. Finally, the greatest gift we can ever receive is Jesus.  John 3:16 is the most beloved verse in the Bible, teaching that “God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Our children need to know that Christmas is about  Christ … not just His birth, but His purpose for coming into the world. He came to give His very life for you and me. And we can have eternity with Him, if we accept His gift and believe. You can tell your children about Santa, but get your story straight. Saint Nicholas loved Jesus. Teach your child to love Jesus, too. Love, Roger and Julie

Dear Roger, I have often wondered what you believe about the Bible and how it influenced your life and ministry. Could you give me a short summary of just a few of the essentials of your faith? Many churches these days have stopped believing important parts of Bible doctrine. Please help me. I don't want to go to a church who has allowed culture to compromise biblical truth. A concerned church member Dear Concerned Church Member, I am sorry you are struggling in this area. These biblical truths have guided my life since I first began my ministry. Did you know God called me to preach when I was seven? I preached my first sermon at 13. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and a great church. However, it is not enough just to associate with good Christians. Every person must seek God and study the Bible to know what God has to say. I hope that every person God placed in my life heard these truths from my pulpit. The doctrines I list below are only a few of the basic doctrines I hold. I stake my life on them. I pray these truths are deeply communicated each and every day. In fact, that is why God led me to develop Preach It, Teach It. I will also list a few links where you can find more basic doctrines on our site. WHAT I BELIEVE The Bible We place our confidence in the divinely inspired Word of God without error. It is completely reliable as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 ;  2 Timothy 3:15–17 ; and  2 Peter 1:20–21 God the Father We acknowledge the Creator-God as our heavenly Father, all-knowing, all-powerful and always present, yet intimately acquainted with each one of us. Psalm 103:19 ;  Matthew 28:19 ; and  1 Peter 1:2 . The Lord Jesus Christ We claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He who is fully God came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, died to pay in full the penalty we owed for our sins, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will come again someday. John 1:1–3 ,  14 ;  Philippians 2:5-8 ;  Hebrews 1:1–3 ; and  1 John 5:11–12 The Holy Spirit We recognize the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Trinity who is constantly at work, convicting those who’ve sinned, comforting those who hurt and guiding those who believe in Christ. John 14:26 ;  Acts 1:5 ,  8 ;  1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ; and  Ephesians 1:13–14 The Depravity of Humanity We confess that we are all sinners, by birth and by choice. Our relationship with a holy, sinless God can only be restored through Christ’s work of salvation. Genesis 3;  Jeremiah 17:9 ; and  Romans 3:10–18 ,  23 ;  5:12 Salvation We believe that God’s free gift of salvation is available to everyone. Those who accept it by faith, apart from works, receive the forgiveness of their sins and experience a restored relationship with God which results in permanent life-change. John 3:16 ;  Romans 10:9–10 ;  1 Corinthians 15:1–5 ; and  Ephesians 1:4–12 ;  2:8–9 The Return of Christ We anticipate our Lord’s promised return which could occur at any moment. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 ;  2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 ;  Hebrews 9:28 ; and  Revelation 19:11–16 Eternity We are convinced that at the end of time, believers will enter into everlasting communion with God and unbelievers will be condemned to everlasting separation from God. John 11:23–27 ;  1 Corinthians 15:51–57 ;  1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ; and  Revelation 20:4–21:5 The Body of Christ We are grateful to be a part of the church universal, which exists to proclaim God’s truth, to stimulate spiritual growth, to facilitate healthy relationships and to bring glory to God. Acts 2:41–47 ;  Philippians 2:1–4 https://piti.wpengine.com/ask-roger/detail/how-can-i-be-sure-that-the-bible-is-reliable/ https://piti.wpengine.com/ask-roger/detail/you-cant-be-a-christian-without-these-5-things/

Dear Roger , We were ending our Bible study when one of the women spoke up. She said, “I hate to bring this up, but I get so tired of my husband, William, always bragging about the things he’s done for Jesus.” One of the men replied, “I don’t want to gossip, but have you noticed that he always tries to take credit for every good thing that the church does. Frankly, I’m getting tired of it. He wants his name out in front where everyone can see it.” Can you please help us understand how to interact with William wisely? Sincerely, Susan Dear Susan, William reminds me of an analogy I heard from a man who was discussing the damaging effects of pride: “The moment that John comes in the front door, everyone else is backdoor.” Does that sound familiar? I’m sure we all know people like this—and most of us have a grain of this attitude in ourselves. So today, I’d like to construct a picture of a man who we’ll call the “Nameless Hero.” He’s the one who gave Jesus a drink when He hung in agony on the cross. No one knows his name. He’s a man who didn’t care who got the credit. Period. Read Matthew 27:46-49 with me: About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”  [which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”] When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” Several soldiers gathered around three crosses on that horribly Friday afternoon. They had finished their work for the day. Two thieves and one Messiah hung there, in absolute agony as they slowly suffocated. Four soldiers amused themselves by gambling for Jesus’ seamless robe. This done, they had nothing more to do but wait. While waiting, they were startled by a wild cry that came from the man on the middle cross: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?) 1. A Division in Reactions This tragic cry divided everyone who heard  Jesus  into two distinct camps. Just one sought to help the suffering Savior, and the others did nothing. They all knew that His was a cry of deep suffering. Jesus was reaching out into the gloom for help … for much-needed relief. But here, the likeness ends. While each soldier heard, they responded differently. One became a part of the remedy, while the others remained part of the disease. 2. Jesus’ Wail Jesus’ anguished wail is as old as human suffering and as fresh as the tragedies of today. People today are still being nailed to all kinds of crosses. Some are literally giving their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Still, others are laying down their hopes, dreams, and desires to choose God’s will. And others are facing illness, loss, or great pain. Look at all the hands outstretched for help. The cry is always present. It has sobbed its way through centuries. In other words, we all feel anguish—and we have a Savior who knows exactly what it feels like! 3. We All Hear the Call of Need Some are more deeply stirred by the pain of others. Nevertheless, try as we might, we cannot become completely deaf to it. We hear call of need whether we listen for it or not. That is not optional—we’re wired to notice the pain of those around us. But we can choose how we will respond. 4. Why Do We Hear the Painful Cry, But Don’t Help? First, like some of the soldiers, we may say, “Let’s wait and see what happens.” We wait on others to intervene. We may simply utter some familiar words. "Stop, don’t do anything. We don’t need to get involved, yet. Let’s wait and see if  Elijah  will come to save him.” 5. I Didn't Do Anything Because My Name Is Not Elijah One of the soldiers says, “Didn't you hear what he said? He didn’t call on me. He is calling for someone named  Elijah !” Since that was the case, he contended that the desperate cry of Jesus was none of his business. Wrong! Every cry from hurting people is a call to you and me. When we come face-to-face with something that we can do to help, we need to clearly understand that it is a call for us to get involved. But too often, we make some lame excuse. For example, I saw the house on fire, but I'm not a fireman. I saw the car wreck, but I'm not highway patrol. I saw the hungry man, but I'm not a food bank. I saw the man slowly bleeding to death, but I'm no physician. I knew that he was hungry for the gospel, but I’m not a minister. When we see a need and can help in any way, God is calling us by name. And every time we meet a need, we are revealing God’s love—don’t miss your chance to let someone experience Him! 6. I Didn’t Help Because I Believed There Was Someone Else Nearby to Help Talk about a cop-out. Relying on others to do the work God has called YOU to do always backfires—if not on the person who needs help, because no one else responds … or on you, because you miss the opportunity to be involved in God’s work here on earth. I see this all the time when it comes to evangelism. Christians assume that everyone else is sharing the gospel, so they don’t need to. Or, they believe that only a pastor or missionary is qualified. That’s an absolute lie of the Evil One. The moment we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are equipped by the  Holy Spirit  to share the truth. And the moment we decide to leave that to someone else … just might mean that a person never hears the name of Jesus. Can you live with that? I certainly can’t! 7. I Wanted to Help, but the Situation Seemed So Utterly Hopeless There was so little that the disciples could do (reread  Matthew 27 ). Jesus had already been arrested. The agonies of the cross were almost done. They couldn’t save Him from Rome. They couldn’t restore him to health. But, because they couldn't do everything, the disciples did nothing. And Jesus continued to suffer… on their watch. Once upon a time, a man walking down the beach observed a young boy throwing starfish back into the sea. The beach was covered with starfish. “Why bother,” he asked the boy. “There are so many starfish. What difference does it make?” “It will make a difference to this one,” the boy said, as he tossed another back into the sea. Now, Let’s Examine the “Nameless Hero” One of the Roman soldiers responded differently. While others said, "Stay. Why bother?" and then tried to put out his fires and enthusiasm, the “Nameless Hero” ran and got a sponge, dipped it in his daily portion of wine, put it on a reed and gave it to Jesus to drink. He may not have heard clearly the awkward call for  Elijah , but he did know what a dying man wanted. Such bloodletting occasioned an intense thirst. The soldier understood the tortures of thirst felt by the one being crucified. And he ministered to  Jesus on the cross . What an incredible opportunity! Without fully understanding the magnitude of his actions, he comforted our Savior in Jesus’ final moment of desperate pain. In the next moment, Jesus “cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit” ( Matthew 27:50 ). When the nameless soldier set out to help, did he really expect to restore Jesus to health? Certainly not! However, he refused to allow the fact that he could not do everything prevent him from doing something. While he didn't save Jesus from the cross, he did what he could. He soothed the tortures of thirst by sharing his portion of wine. We may not know his name, but we know what he did. That is all that matters. Does it Really Matter if We Respond to a Cry of Need? Yes! What did the soldiers miss? They missed the privilege of ministering to the heart of Jesus. They could have helped Christ in His hour of need. But while they did nothing, Jesus died. In  Matthew 25 , we find Jesus thanking a group of people who fed him when he was hungry, gave him water when he was the thirsty, provided him with clothes when he was naked, and companionship when he was lonely. They said to Jesus, “When did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you water, or naked and we clothed you, or lonely and we comforted you?” Jesus replied, “As you have done it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you’ve done it to me.” If we do not respond, we miss the blessing of ministering comfort to Christ himself as we help others in need. What Happens When You Can’t Help? By the way, there are times when we hear the cry; but are in no position to help. But when God judges, He doesn't look so much at what is in our hands as He does what is in our hearts. David wanted to be remembered for building the Temple of God. However, God said, “No.” David was doomed to disappointment. Then God said to him, “Because it was in your heart to build the temple, I will give you credit for it, even though you couldn’t build it.” (Read  1 Kings 8:17-18 .) Because it was in the heart of the Nameless Hero to do something special for  Jesus , he was credited with the deed. Why Does it Honor and Please God When We Act as a “Nameless Hero”? The Roman soldier never bragged about what he had done. To this day, we don’t know his name. The disciples and historians never wrote it down … but Jesus noticed.  Jesus knew his heart. The task of saving our world is big. None of us can do it alone. But we can do all that this nameless hero did. He sought to help whether he was recognized or not. One day all the Nameless Heroes will hear Jesus say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. No one else may have noticed, but I did. And I am giving you credit for what you have done.” At the close of World War I, each nation found a nameless, battered body, and amid much pomp and circumstance, erected a monument to his honor:  "To the Unknown Soldier.”  To this day, the tomb is guarded around the clock by a dedicated regiment of soldiers. Here in the United States, we owe our freedom to thousands of nameless heroes—and we will never, must never, forget their sacrifice. Well,  I hope this short lesson gives you an insight into what William and how to help him understand what it means to serve the Lord with humility and gratitude. I think we all need that reminder, don’t we? Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I have had a very successful career. I have multiple graduate degrees, traveled the world and had a host of admirers. I was famous for my contributions. But now I am retired and I look like a shadow of my former self. People no longer respect me, but treat me like a child. I feel so sad. Quite honestly, I never dreamed my life would end like this! I find myself getting mad at God and irritated by the people who love me the most. What shall I do? Sincerely, Angry and Elderly Dear Angry and Elderly, You are not alone. Approximately 65 million adults living in the U.S. are 65 and older. Many have physical limitations. Many have lost a spouse. I’ve heard many older people say, “My body tells me I’m old, but my brain tells me I’m still eighteen.” Do you feel older and wiser, or older and angrier? We mustn’t lie to ourselves by saying “I can’t!” rather than “I can!” and “I will!” Aging is a fact of life. Our bodies begin to break down. We all experience loss and limitations. However, God gives us the faith, strength and bravery to follow Him even if we don’t know the future. I am constantly amazed at the barrage of media misinformation promising we don’t have to get older. We can juice, exercise, lift our sagging flab with plastic surgery, but we can’t outrun the years! God’s plan is to renew us. Every day is a new adventure. He renews our minds with his Word. He restores our souls with His comforting presence. We can focus more time and energy on spiritual things. We have nothing to prove. We have nothing to lose. “For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed, refreshed day after day. And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts foreve r.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV God’s plan is to sustain us. I've suffered terrible health setbacks. I had open-heart surgery at thirteen, and suffered from a litany of serious illnesses ever since. My doctors often warned, “Roger, you may not be able to ….” I was not easily discouraged, but challenged to believe in God’s power. God’s grace has no limitations. None of His plans for my life were thwarted! No one believed I would be able to preach 3,000 sermons over forty years, to travel the world teaching and training pastors, or raise millions of dollars for missions and ministries. Now I am retired. Or so I thought. I don't have the physical strength I had even five years ago. At first, every Sunday was depressing because I didn’t have the stamina to preach any longer. But nothing is over in your life until God’s says it’s over! God has allowed me to write for readers around the world, to counsel thousands of people online, and to spend extra time with my family. Even Paul, half-blind and beaten, living chained in a dark hole penned Philippians, the epistle of joy. He rejoiced because every few hours Paul was chained to a different Roman guard, providing a captive audience for him to share the gospel. “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be .” Psalm 139:16 NIV God’s plan is for us to live full lives. We never have to live in regret over past mistakes. We never have to live in fear over future challenges. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full .” John 10:1 NIV Satan wants to steal our abundant life. But He can only do so if we let him rob our present peace by entrapping us in the guilt of the past or the fear of the future. We enjoy abundant life in our present. So how do you stay youthful in the Lord? Look forward. God is not finished with you. “Be confident of this: He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 ASV Worship often. Praise lifts your spirits and strengthens your heart. “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ” Psalm 34:1 Remember God’s blessings in your life. Be grateful. It keeps you humble and joyful. “I will remember the deeds of the Lord;   yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” Psalm 77:11 ESV I have uploaded 20,000 photos that rotate in a digital frame. My family walks by them every day and are reminded of the people and experiences that have brought us joy. Recognize that you will suffer physical limitations, but they don’t have to define you. Instead, use your own losses to empathize and comfort others. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  4  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV I never knew how to comfort grieving parents until I lost my first baby. Loss deepens our compassion. Increase your prayer life. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you .” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. NIV Social media connects us in new and deeper ways. Pray for those who express their needs to you. Pray globally. Be available to pray with others. Volunteer your time for ministry. “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” Psalm 100:2 KJV Be creative. Ask God to make Divine appointments for you. Get involved in your church as often as you can. My friend Andy lived a profligate life. He walked into our Navigator group at church and became on fire for Jesus! He went to seminary at 80, worked tirelessly for the Gideons passing out Bibles, and assists his wife Martha with Operation Christmas Child. Deepen relationships with your family and friends. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken .” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 KJV Don’t waste those moments. You don’t get them back. You still can be young on the inside. You still can enjoy life. You can choose to grow in your faith. Look forward. Jesus sustains you. Look toward heaven. Jesus awaits you. Well Angry and Elderly, I hope this encourages you to keep going ... God is not done with you yet! Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I’m very concerned about what I just read in Joshua chapter seven. A man named Achan knowingly disobeyed God. Then, God stoned him and his family to death as a consequence for his sin. I have sinned a lot in my life, even after I became a Christian. My personal concern is whether or not something like this can happen to my family and me? Sincerely,  Larry Dear Larry, When you read Achan's story in Joshua 7, notice that it is all about  hidden sin. I believe that much of what happened to him is a direct result of the fact that he knowingly sinned and then deliberately covered it up, trying to hide his actions from our all-knowing, all-seeing God. Let’s dig into Joshua’s account together: Joshua 6 describes Israel's successful entry into the Promised Land. "So, the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout the land"  (Joshua 6:27). They accomplished this long-awaited, hard-fought goal. But unfortunately, all was  not  well among the Israelites: "The Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things. Achan took some of them. So, the Lord's anger burned against Israel"  (Joshua 7:1). God made it clear to Joshua and the Israelites that all of the sacred things, those “devoted” to the worship of other gods, were to be destroyed (see Joshua 7:13). However, Achan was covetous. He took the “devoted things,” as well as some gold and beautiful Babylonian garments. He hid them in the bottom of his tent, covering them up with his family’s help. In one of their next battles, God instructed Joshua to destroy the tiny town of Ai. What should have been an easy battle was turned into a rout. The men of Ai chased away thousands of Israeli soldiers; some were slaughtered and left to rot on the battlefield. Ai was victorious (Joshua 7:3-8). Why? What went wrong? On the surface, it seems that we have a military problem. Israel marched out to conquer Ai, and they were slaughtered. But the Bible reveals that the problem was a spiritual issue, not a military one. When Joshua came to God, praying for an explanation, God declared that the root cause of the defeat was one man who disobeyed Him. Why? Let me be very clear about the lesson God was teaching here. The consequences of sin are unpredictable, haphazard, and sometimes seemingly totally unrelated to the initial sin itself.  There is no way to “contain” or control the consequences of sin. God considered the entire nation of Israel to have sinned. Then, after Joshua confronted Achan, destroying the “devoted things” he had stolen, the people of Israel stoned and burned Achan and his family ( Joshua 19-25 ). Israel repented, and “The Lord turned from His fierce anger” ( Joshua 7:26 ). Then God said, "Now attack Ai… for I have delivered into your hands” ( Joshua 8:1 ). So, they did. 1. There is a relationship among various sins. In other words, one sin usually leads to other sins. Achan saw the garment. He coveted the garment. He stole the garment, and soon he buried it in the back of his tent. Notice that the  fruit of the spirit  comes in clusters! That's why it's not called the "fruits of the spirit.” Consider love, joy, peace, patience, etc. We can't have one without the others, because they all come from a common source (see  Galatians 5:22-24 ). "Sins of the flesh" come in clusters, too. When we commit one sin, often others follow: sexual immorality,  idolatry , hatred, discord, jealousy, etc. (see  Galatians 5:19-21 ). They all have a common root. Therefore, when we sin in one area, then there's an outbreak in another area, and it seems that they are totally unrelated… but they aren’t! 2. The principles of “sowing” and “harvesting” are always in play when we sin. Let’s look at three principles about sowing and harvesting, as they reveal the reality that our actions have consequences. 1. We always reap what we sow. If we plant something, one day we will harvest it. 2. We always reap more than we sow. A teenager once said to me, "Pastor, I decided to checkout a porn site because I wanted to satisfy my curiosity." Unfortunately, he's now addicted to pornography, and he finds aroused within him all sorts of insatiable fierce desires that are tearing him apart. He didn't plan on that, but we always reap more than we sow. 3. We always reap in a different season than we sow. One of the reasons why sin is so desperately deceptive is that we think for a while that we're getting away with it, because the crop doesn't come up immediately! A man shared with me that during his fraternity days in college, his every Saturday morning  prayer  was, "Dear Jesus, please don't let her get pregnant." We steal from our employer, and six months later, we are finally caught. We practice sin in our  marriage , and we are confused and don't immediately understand what's happening as the divorce papers are served. We never reap in the same season that we sow . We plant the seeds, and we harvest in a later season. 4. We can't have victory in one area of our life if we tolerate sin in another area. For example, a man owns a failing business. He commits fraud to keep it going. He may think that the problems are economic or managerial. Then, he has a small automobile accident. He may see them as totally unrelated. But it may be that God is behind-the-scenes, dealing with him in discipline so that he might repent and return back to Jesus.  Hebrews 12:11  teaches, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Again, God sometimes brings judgment in areas that seem totally unrelated to a specific sin. God told Solomon not to marry foreign women. Solomon flaunted God by taking 700 wives and 300 concubines from many different nations and people groups. The Bible says that because Solomon ignored the command, God raised up adversaries against him. Suddenly Solomon was involved in all types of political battles! Why? The problem was moral sin. But wait; they seem to be unrelated. No! There's a relationship between sin and consequences. 5. Sometimes, when one person sins, everyone is charged with sin. "The Israelites were unfaithful regarding the devoted things. … Achan took some. And so, the Lord 's anger burned against all Israel.  ( Joshua 7:2 ) One man sins, and God says, "All Israel sins.” I’m certain that many of the Israelites were thinking, "I had nothing to do with stealing that garment! Why's God blaming me for what Achan did?" As far as God is concerned, there is shared sin. "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”  ( Exodus 20:4-5 ) Astounding! Children can be complicit in their parent's sin. Achan sinned, and as far as God was concerned, so did all of Israel. Remember that all of Israel had received His instructions about the devoted things. We’ve all received the totality of His Word. Once, a lady came to me for counseling about her daughter's sinful behavior. "I've got to speak to you about my daughter. She is into immorality and drugs and she's ruining her life! What shall we do about it?" "I have a more important question. Before we talk about her, tell me, how are you and your husband getting along?" She blurted out, "It's terrible. But what does that have to do with it?" Do you see what God's telling us! There is an inter-relationship among family members. The daughter was suffering consequences that probably began with her parents’ sin. However, it is also true that In the  Bible  book of Ezekiel, God talks about the fact that children must bear responsibility for their own sins. We can't blame others for our own sins, but there is a biblical concept of shared guilt. 6. Judgment can be shared among multiple groups—such as all the people who live in a particular country. Do you realize that as a nation, we are all now sharing in the judgment of God? I've always thought, "Someday, God's going to judge America, and it'll be with war or pestilence or famine or wasting disease or earthquakes or plagues.” Do you recognize some of these today? However, the most intense judgment of God is not famines and earthquakes and war. It is His allowance of the scattering of families and the breakup of homes. I don't know of one family where there is not a divorce or a family breakup somewhere in the immediate family relations. God says, "I'm judging you by allowing your sin to scatter families and break up homes and destroy relationships. Your precious children will be reared in an atmosphere of insecurity as they are pushed around like pawns on a chess board, while Mom and Dad find someone else for them to live with.” Many of these same children will grow up and commit those very same sins apart from the grace of God, and the divorce rate will continue to escalate. Families will continue to fall apart. Our society and culture will be—and is already being—decimated. 7. Shall I keep my sin hidden? I believe that as a general rule,  all sin needs to be confessed before God and others .  Leviticus 5:5  lays it out; “When anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned.” Many are the biblical passages that warn of the dangers of harboring unconfessed sin. James chapter 5 is a good example. We are instructed to confess our sins in order to be right with God. But that does not mean we simply confess our sin to someone we’ve hurt, and we’re done! I have met too many husbands and/or wives who have had affairs and have come to me for advice on what to do. "Shall I tell my spouse or not?" I usually say, “Don't do it yet." You may feel immediately better after getting it off your chest, but your confession will decimate your  marriage  and your children. In other words, you are not the only one involved in your family and your sin. There are others involved. The Bible also has many instructions about not hurting other people. You have a responsibility not to bring pain and heartache and destruction among your spouse and children. Begin by handling your sin between you and God. There are consequences to your sin. One of them may be that it takes a while for you and God to settle the issues of your affair together. Work through the rift that has happened between you and God first. Study His Word. Pray. Take time to get right with Him. Next, confession is meant to be the first step towards forgiveness and restoration. I love  1 John 1:9 , where we read, “ If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” God is faithful to forgive because of the sacrifice Jesus made, taking on all the punishment for our sins. But when we sin against others, they do not automatically forgive! It’s a process … it takes time, recognition of the hurt, repentance, and changed behavior. And only when true, honest forgiveness has been gained do we proceed to restoration. Frankly, things may never be like they once were between you two. But you can grow closer to your spouse, and still give your children a solid foundation for life. Well, I hope this helps. Love, Roger

This question was sent to me by the editor of crosswalk.com. Although it is an unconventional topic, I agree that it should be addressed. Dear Roger, I am in my late 60's and single. I met a woman who is 70. We are both believers. What does the Bible say about physical affection for people of our age? I know intercourse is intended to be within marriage, but what does God say about kissing, hugging, cuddling, touching, foot massage, back massage, and such outside of marriage? I know the use of the word “lust,” but I am not talking about that. I am hoping for an intimacy with someone that is on a more spiritual level. I remember what it was like to feel so deeply in love that you want to express it in a way that only God can do from the way He designed it in our bodies. The older I get, the more it feels like affection is a physical, emotional, and spiritual gift that God gives us—and one that I hope it’s ok to express with this woman that I love. We have only kissed once, and it felt like something deeper. It drew us both closer to each other and closer to God. Thank you, Thomas Dear Thomas, We all need intimacy and affection at any age. I recently read a Harvard study that says more than 80% of senior adults struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness. I am so glad you have companionship in your life. However, I’d like to give you a few thoughts to ponder as you consider your expression of physical affection. From the very beginning, God created you for companionship. I always come back to Genesis 2:18, where God tells Adam that “It is not good for you to be alone. I will make a helper fit for you.” Every person has needs like acceptance, approval, affection, respect, and support … as well as many others. God designed us to meet those needs through our relationships. If you have lost a mate or choose to remain single, God can and will provide other people in your life to meet your needs. Even late in life, He sometimes provides another mate or deep friendship for us—and one of the best ways to have your needs met is to meet those needs in others first. However, let me address the specific issues you’re facing. Here are some guidelines you and your friend should both consider about the state of your physical relationship. Do you have a clear conscience? “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 4:5) If you violate your conscience by pursuing a sexually impure relationship, you will hurt your spiritual life and you will hinder God’s blessings on your friendship. Remember, the word “conscience” is “ sunooid ” or “to see together with God.” You need to seek His perspective. As you pray about moving forward with your significant other, don’t listen to the world; listen to the Holy Spirit. Do you have companionship and accountability with Christian friends and/or family? Remember Hebrews 10:25, which says, “Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” Jesus provided the church—your brothers and sisters in Christ—to encourage you and to keep you accountable in your Christian walk. I would recommend that you both connect with godly men and women to help you seek God about this relationship. What kind of physical relationship is appropriate outside of marriage? The Bible is very clear on this issue. Check out Hebrews 13; “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. … Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:1, 4). I deduce from this passage, and from human physiology, that the conduct you described in your relationship is foreplay. You do not need to remove clothing, or to engage in sexual advances to be out of control or wanting more. My seminary professor was teaching on lust. One of the students in the class asked him “At what age you must you be to stop lusting after women?” The eighty-year-old professor replied, “I’ll let you know!” “Jesus said, “The laws of Moses said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart’” (Matthew 5 : 27-28). If your physical affection is escalating, it will inevitably lead to something more. That’s how God designed our bodies to work—to give and receive physical and emotional satisfaction to and from one another. And it’s a great gift within the bounds of marriage!   Is marriage an option? Why don’t you marry her? I know that widows and widowers can have complex inheritance agreements with their heirs. Sometimes the family will not agree to remarriage. In this case, you might want to look at what the Bible says about a pre-nuptial agreement. This article will help . Also, if you have had a successful marriage, you are used to the sweet intimacy that union provides. That makes it even more difficult to stay pure. If the door is open for both of you, let me encourage you to enjoy the God-given joy and intimacy of marriage. My wife and I fell in love at first sight. Her father told us we had to wait four years, or I would have to pay her very expensive college tuition. We waited. We stayed pure, even when it wasn’t easy. And I’m so glad we did. You are not getting any younger. I understand that. But now is the time to have a clean conscience before God. Love her in the right way, and God can deepen that relationship more than you can imagine! I hope this helps. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I’ve been watching the Asbury Revival closely, as well as the other revivals that are breaking out around the world. Part of me is absolutely thrilled to see God moving so powerfully in the next generation. But I also have some reservations—are people just joining in an emotional moment? Or are they inflating what’s really happening for the sake of media attention? How can we tell if a specific revival is from God? Thank you! Eva George Whitefield stood only 4’5” tall. But he was a spiritual giant in the hands of Almighty God. Whitefield helped to ignite the First Great Awakening in the mid-1700s, a religious revival that became the first mass spiritual movement in American history. He traveled extensively across the colonies, and nearly 80% of the colonists heard him preach! At its core, the Awakening changed the way that people experienced God: It pleased God to display his free and sovereign mercy in the conversation of a great multitude of souls in a short space of time, turning them from a formal, cold, and careless profession of Christianity to the lively exercise of every Christian grace and the powerful practice of our . (A Narrative of Surprising Conversions) A Quick History of Early American Revivals Revivals often happen when people feel that things have gone wrong and are trying to recapture something that has been lost. Let’s take a little walk through past revivals to better understand what’s happening today. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was an extremely influential pastor who also helped nurture the First Great Awakening. Like Whitefield, he was deeply concerned that the spiritual fervor of the Colonies was dissipating. Traveling throughout New England, he called for repentance, renewal, and a return to the simple gospel. His most powerful sermon was titled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” in which he pictured people without Christ dangling over the fire pit of hell. When he read from  Psalm 73 , “and their feet will slip in due time,” the spirit of judgment and conviction was so strong that entire congregations wept and cried out for mercy. Charles Finney is probably best known for his contribution to the religious movement known as the Second Great Awakening in the 1830s. At the heart of this movement was a series of revivals. Finney used emotional sermons to urge his audiences to devote their lives to Christ, ultimately leading to authentic spiritual conversion for more than 500,000 people! Soon after, in what’s now called “The Great  Prayer  Meeting Revival of 1857,” prayer meetings started by businessmen in New York City caught fire, with revivals breaking out all across the United States and around the world. More than two million people began relationships with Jesus Christ. Over the following 20 years, Dwight L. Moody held revival meetings in America’s biggest cities, with millions more turning to Jesus. At the turn of the century, revivals were still sweeping the country on a regular basis, with Billy Sunday preaching to millions of people and millions coming to believe in Jesus Christ or renewing their commitment to the faith. In the meantime, the Azusa Street Revival held revival prayer meetings for more than three years, birthing both the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. The 1940s and ’50s saw the development of a great generation of Christian leaders like Billy Graham and Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ). Revivals became extremely large events, with filled stadiums and television coverage and hundreds of millions of people responding. The list of American revivals goes on and on. My Personal Experience with Revival In 1970, the first Asbury Revival erupted on the campus of Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, during a routine chapel service. For 185 hours, students and faculty members alike shared their testimonies, prayed for one another, asked for forgiveness, and worshipped God. No one was leading it. No one had planned it. The president of Asbury at the time, David Kinlaw, acknowledged that he was skeptical at first, wondering if the revival was simply contagious emotions. But after spending a few hours with the students, he said, “the only way I know to account for this is that the Lord walked into Hughes Auditorium, and you’ve got a whole community paying tribute to His presence.” Asbury students began to travel to colleges all over the country, sharing their experiences with the revival … and new revivals began to spark everywhere they went. When the Asbury team came to Baylor University, I couldn’t wait to attend. My wife, Julie, and I surrendered to full-time Christian ministry … we experienced God’s power, heard Him speak, and felt His love. And we would never be the same. So, when reports of the current Asbury Revival began to come in, I was immediately transported back to that experience. Thousands of people from all over the world flocked to Hughes Auditorium again. I began to question if this one had the same authenticity as the one over fifty years ago. Was the Holy Spirit really moving? How much of the reports were social media hype? The Characteristics of an Authentic Revival Looking across history, genuine revival always shows the following characteristics. Those who participate: - Enter into concerted prayer and fervent praise. - Sense the  presence of God  powerfully. - Respond to the Holy Spirit’s conviction with sincere repentance. - Thirst for God’s Word. - Begin or renew an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. - Share personal testimonies with deep gratitude. - Leave with a new passion for sharing the Gospel and living the Christian life. After much research and reading, I believe that the current revival is absolutely an authentic outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Then, a friend of mine drove over to see the Asbury revival in person. She shared, We arrived on campus at about 12:30 am this morning. The atmosphere was electric. Within a few minutes, it was standing room only. Singing. Cheering. Hands raised. Some people sat quietly with heads bowed. The worship was spontaneous and Spirit-led. Honestly, it felt to me like we are seeing a repeat of the  Acts 2 birth of the early church. Only it’s happening again in our Gen Z generation (and beyond). There is a hunger and a fire and a passion for what is true, and pure, and holy. I found myself in that room not praying for revival, but for more of Jesus. In a world that can feel pretty hopeless, I left there last night filled to the brim with hope. Hope isn’t just an emotion. Hope has a name… Jesus. So grateful to experience this outpouring of God in this place. “God, I’ve heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds. Renew them in our day. In our time, make them known. In wrath, remember mercy.” ( Habakkuk 3:2 ) As of Sunday, February 26 th , 21 college campuses, including Texas A&M and the University of Oklahoma, are experiencing revival. Reports are coming in from the Philippines and India of thousands of people being baptized daily. It seems to me that they are looking to get back to Jesus in a profound experiential way. Today, many people sense that America in general and American Christians have lost their way. Many prayers center around the need for our country to return to Christ and to the Christian heritage that has given America great privilege and opportunity on one hand, and a desperate need for grace and forgiveness on the other. I pray that revival will result in a fulfillment of God’s promise:   “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and l will heal their land”  ( 2 Chronicles 7:14 ). Authentic revivals return the church to what it is supposed to be, the people of God faithfully following Jesus. I was deeply moved by the 2018 documentary called Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey (available on Prime video, Tubi or Pluto TV.) The videos of millions of people turning their hearts to Christ was absolutely amazing. I hope you can be inspired and blessed by it.   I hope this helps you understand the revival we’re seeing today as well as God’s future movement in our world. Love, Roger Sources: Jonathan Edwards, “A Narrative of Surprising Conversions,” Jonathan Edwards on Revival, Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, first published in 1736, p. 2.

Dear Roger, I am 62 years old and facing retirement. I’ve tried to carefully manage my funds with Social Security, IRAs, mutual funds, savings, and some investments in the stock market so that I will be financially secure in my later years. I know that nothing is guaranteed in the future, but I’ve done the best I can to be all set.Is there a biblical model for retirement? Sincerely, Richard Dear Richard, First, may I congratulate you on the obvious discipline that you have shown to put yourself in a good position for financial retirement. You are one of the few people I’ve met who has done adequate financial planning. Second, I recognize that some folks never had a good enough salary to accomplish the things that you have. You are very fortunate. Third, thank God for Social Security and Medicare, which will help some squeak through retirement with just enough. Yes, Richard, the Bible does have a clear-cut plan for retirement. But for many of us, it is not at all what we’ve imagined. 1. Retirement, As Practiced in Our Culture, Is Not Necessarily Supported By Scripture Our culture today follows the dictionary’s definition for retirement: “to withdraw from office, business, or active life; to enjoy what many think of as the ‘golden years.’” Many see retirement as sleeping late every morning … or rocking on the porch … or on the creek bank fishing … or crocheting at the local senior center … or perhaps enjoying the golf course every day. There’s nothing wrong with any of these delightful things as long as we don’t allow them to be the focus of our lives. But the idea of a believer who chooses to stop functioning as a productive disciple of Christ just because he or she has reached some arbitrary age (like 65) is completely foreign to Scripture. 2. The Biblical Definition of Retirement Is Death God has a mandatory retirement date for each one of us. On that day, He will remove us from the earth. This is good because earthly life is not an end in itself! According to Scripture, our earthly life is just a testing ground to determine two things: Where will we spend eternity? And if we have received Christ as Savior, what our rewards and responsibilities will be when we get to Heaven? God intends for us to exit this life either by death or by  rapture . Mentally and physically, we will become less and less active as we grow older. This may mean that we have the wisdom and grace to step down from a particular job when we are no longer able to function properly. On the one hand, God will allow some of us to become completely disabled and unable to work before we die. Be assured that He has another way for us to function as a disciple of Christ. On the other hand, He intends for some of us to work eight-hour shifts until the day we die, and God retires us. 3. If We Are Living in God’s Will, We Will Not Die Until He Is Ready to Take Us Home Scripture tells us that God has a purpose in mind for each and every day we live (see  Psalm 139:15-16 ). That means quitting or arbitrarily retiring, as it is encouraged by our culture, is simply not in the plan of God. The  Bible  is full of examples of men and women who were viable and functioning long after the “retirement age” of 65. By the way, do you know why we have 65 as our basic retirement age? Germany was setting up a Social Security-type program in the late 1800s. Kaiser Wilhelm said, “Let’s set the qualification age at 65. No one lives that long.” My, how things have changed. Now, may I give you some examples? Caleb was assigned by Joshua to lead the Israelites into battle in the Promised Land. As they marched into war, Caleb encouraged the army by shouting, “I am just as fit at 85 to go to battle as I was at 40!” Caleb didn’t say, “Joshua, I would love to go to fight with you, but I just retired.” Abraham and Sarah were “stricken in years” (120 years) when they had their first child. There would be no Jews if they stopped trying when they reached 65 or even 119! If we are obedient disciples of  Jesus  Christ, operating in the will of God, nothing on this earth … nothing … can take our lives until our work is finished. The Lord God will empower us to do anything on the earth that is His will, regardless of the difficulty, apparent odds, obstacles, or our age. What an inspiration this is for some folks who are mounting the crest of the final hill! With these three truths in mind, we can formulate a biblical principle regarding retirement: Normal biblical retirement occurs when a believer carries out God’s first and best plan for his life. God will take him or her to glory on the appointed day. 4. It Is Possible to Retire Too Early or to Retire Late Early retirement occurs when a believer is disobedient and fails to engage in a profitable ministry before he or she dies. God may decide that a person is wasting His time, and so He brings him or her home early. Let me give you a few examples. Saul was the first king of Israel. He was a petty man who failed to carry out God’s intentions for his life. He was killed in battle, decapitated, and his head was put on a pole to be mocked by his enemies. God retired Saul early. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the  Holy Spirit  about the amount of money that they received from a land deal. They told Peter that out of their generosity, they were giving it all to the church when, in fact, they lied. They were only giving a portion. God killed them on the spot. He retired them early. Late retirement can also happen when God actually extends our retirement date due to unusual faithfulness or obedience. King Hezekiah (read  2 Kings 20 ) is perhaps the most outstanding example of late retirement. God told good King Hezekiah that it was time for him to die. Hezekiah pleaded with God for a few more years. After all, he reasoned, King Uzziah and King Rehoboam were bad kings, and God let them live for a much longer time. He declared, “I have been a man of  faith  and wholehearted devotion.” Scholars tell us that Hezekiah was 39 when he made this statement. Hezekiah knew that wicked King Uzziah had ruled until he was 68. He knew that rebellious and disobedient King Rehoboam had reigned until he was 58. Hezekiah was making his case before God: “Listen. God, this is not fair. Those two reprobate kings are getting a lot more time than I am. I have served you with my whole heart. I have obeyed you! It is not right!” God extended Hezekiah’s retirement for 15 years more than His original plan. But God didn’t extend Hezekiah’s life—or Caleb’s, for that matter—just so they could enjoy a period of retirement … sit and rock on the back porch … or fish and play golf. He intended for them to use those retirement years to build the Kingdom of God on earth. For the remainder of his fifteen years, Hezekiah delivered Israel from the Assyrians and designed and built a reservoir and conduit to supply water to the city of Jerusalem. And at the end of that fifteen years, when his work was finished, he died. God retired him. The lesson is this: God intends for us to serve Him as long as there is breath in our bodies. If we serve Him with our whole hearts, He might arrange for late retirement! Either way, He will provide all the resources necessary to do His will, and nothing will take our lives until our work is finished. 5. Vacations, Holidays, and Recreation Are All Proper Within Scriptural Limits The whole biblical concept of the  Sabbath  emphasizes rest! Anyone who doesn’t have enough sense to rest one day out of every seven is going to pay a price. In fact, I think that the most valuable form of rest for the Christian is the rest from his normal work habits every seven days. Jesus  took periodic vacations. We see one of them in  Mark 6 . There are times when we grow weary from the pressure of our normal routine or even of our day-to-day work for the Lord. But we don’t need 10, 15, or 20 years of rest. That is absurd. What we need may be a few days … weeks … even months, as the Lord directs. Then we get back to work—whatever that work may look like in God’s plan for us. 6. Rest May Take Many Forms Playing golf; tennis; crocheting, fishing; playing with grandchildren; gardening; various types of hobbies. The variety is endless. Even mowing the lawn could be restful for some. As we get older, our bodies and minds need more rest in order to stay healthy. And each one of us needs a different amount of rest according to the work God has for us to do. For example, one of my daughters struggles with a serious chronic illness. She’s able to work about four hours per day, and then her body says, “Enough.” She has to rest much more than most … but she is productively, joyfully completing the work God has planned for her right now. However, if you have in mind a date when you will arbitrarily quit working and live off what you have accumulated—even though you are still able to work and produce—then you are on the wrong track. 7. There Are Multiple Ways We Can Serve in the Years Before God Retires Us to Heaven God may call you to leave your career and do something new for His Kingdom. What a privilege! Teach; go on a mission trip; lead a small group: work with teenagers; deliver meals to shut-ins; visit nursing homes to cheer up the residents; pass out Bibles; and on and on goes the list. He will open up opportunities and give you the physical strength, mental capacity, and financial resources you need to follow … be watching! Let me close with this story. An old man in his nineties had a regular habit of working every day in his garden. One day he was out chopping weeds, and a little boy came by and began watching him. He stood for a long time watching the old man—you can imagine how an old man in his nineties looked to a little boy. Finally, the boy got up the courage to speak. He said to the old man, “Mister, what would you do if you only had one hour to live?” The old man stopped, leaned on his hoe, and said, “I’d just keep right on chopping weeds.” That is the biblical concept of retirement—just keep right on chopping—until God calls you home. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I often wonder if Jesus felt the same way I do about things. I know He did in many ways—like temptation and grief—but I don’t really get how He could have felt emotions like shame. Can you help me understand? Sincerely, Richard This is a great question! It IS hard to understand how Jesus could have experienced shame. After all, shame is an emotion we feel when we’ve done something wrong, and Jesus never sinned. He was fully divine. However, we also know that Jesus became fully human, so that He could be the one mediator between God and us (see 1 Timothy 2:5). He knows everything we face as humans—He experienced it all, so that He could advocate on our behalf before God. In Hebrews 12:1-2, we read that Jesus did experience shame … the shame of the cross. Imagine the shame He endured as He hung naked, suspended between heaven and earth. Then read this powerful Scripture with me: Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross,  despising its shame , and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus Christ Suffered Shame on Our Behalf Many of us would rather die than be shamed like  Jesus  was in front of others. Have you ever been so ashamed or embarrassed that you just wanted to “crawl into a hole and die”? Think about your most embarrassing moment. Shame is often tied to embarrassment. My earliest shaming occurred when I was in first grade. Mrs. Summers, our teacher, held up a dime and asked, “Does this belong to anyone?” Immediately, I raised my hand and responded, “It’s mine.” I lied. Several days later, mom was checking my pockets before she put my pants in the washing machine. By now, I’d forgotten all about the dime. “Where did you get this,” she asked. “I found it,” I lied. Unfortunately, moms can usually read their children like open books. It wasn’t long until the true story was out. “Tomorrow,” she said, “I’m going to school with you, and you are going to tell everyone in the room that you lied and then apologize for what you’ve done. Then you have to give the dime to Mrs. Summers!” Oh, the shame of it all. I wept in front of the class! As she left the classroom, she said for all to hear, “I have no intention of raising a liar.” I was double-shamed. The Philistine King, Abimelech, was not ashamed to murder several of his brothers. However, he was mortally wounded when a woman standing on top of the city wall dropped a millstone on his head. Knowing that he was about to die, he committed suicide by disemboweling himself. As he thrust his knife into his lower abdomen, he cried, “Never let it be said that the great king of the Philistines was put to death at the hand of a woman!” He died in order to avoid what he considered to be a great shame. Nothing can so break the human spirit as to be continually put to shame. Look at Jesus Christ. He despised the shame… but He endured the greatest shame on our behalf. The Shameful Rejection He came to His own and His own in his own received Him not.  ( John 1:10-12 ) During His ministry, Jesus went to the village where he grew up. His family and childhood friends were there. But they didn’t want him around. They even picked up rocks to stone him. Imagine the look on Jesus’ face. Was his face held high? Or was his face cast down in shame? Again, being fully divine as well as fully human, He experienced at least some measure of shameful humiliation. He was rejected. The Shameful Accusation He was brought before Annas and Caiphas. The charge was  blasphemy . Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses. You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict? “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”  ( Mark 14:56-64 ) Imagine the charge of blasphemy given to the One who had never sinned! To charge some of us with blasphemy would startle no one. Some of us have done it to others. But to be charged with blasphemy must have brought a deep sense of shame to Jesus’s heart. After all, no one loved like Jesus loved or obeyed as Jesus obeyed. In that moment, the charge of blasphemy must have caused Him deep shame and suffering. The Shameful Mocking of His Deity Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.”  ( Mark 14:65 ) The Pharisees and crowds spit on Jesus, blindfolded Him, and demanded, “If you are God then tell us who hit you.” They ridiculed him with sticks and bricks. “Prophesy!” They cried in mocking voices. “Tell us who you really are.” King Herod mocked, “Do some showy tricks. Prove you’re the Son of God, and I’ll let you go free.” Jesus must have felt so ashamed and hurt. The Shameful Mocking of His Kingship They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again, they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.  ( Mark 15:16-20 ) The King of Kings, who willingly took off His heavenly glory for our sake, was dressed up as a “king” for the amusement of his tormentors. They laughed and mocked him, taunting Him when He didn’t respond. Jesus’ heart must have been broken; He felt such shame. The Shameful Mocking of His Prayers Seldom in the annals of execution does anyone mock the prayers of a villain about to hang. “Give me a moment or two to pray.” It is a rare case when that request is denied. Look at  Jesus  Christ; even His prayers were objects of derision. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling for  Elijah . Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.”  ( Mark 15:33-37 ) Oh, my. Can you imagine how that must have felt? Jesus cried out before His Father in desperation. He was enduring the worst pain a person could survive … until it was time to die. And in those last moments, the people mocked Him. They shamed His very conversation with God Almighty! The Shameful Suffering of the Cross Those who were crucified with him also reviled him  ( Mark 15:32 ) There’s no more shameful way to suffer and die than on a cross. Humans have invented all sorts of torturous ways to kill one another: guillotine, gas chamber, firing squad, electric chair, hanging, skinning and drowning, just to name a few. But thousands of years ago up to today, dying on a cross has been reserved for the lowest criminals. The Old Testament says, “Cursed is everyone who dies on a cross.” Jesus faced the curse, took it on Himself, and endured the shame. Take a moment to consider those moments with me. Jesus patiently endured the nails hammered through His hands. He silently endured the insults, the mockery, and the laughter. He hung there, His body broken, His life about to end. Don’t you know that His tender heart bled as He was put to death by the very ones He had created! The men for whom He’d given his life were now taking His. Why Endure the Shame? Because enduring the shame was insignificant compared to the joy of saving you and me. But the story doesn’t end with the shameful bleak death of the cross.  Jesus  endured the shame for your sake and for mine. He took on the consequences of our wrongdoings—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—and He paid for them all. The eternal  salvation  He offers us was bought for a dear price. Jesus knows shame. He chose to experience it for us. [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  ( Philippians 2:6-11 ) Paul Harvey tells the story of a New England preacher who encountered a young boy who was carrying a cage with cowbirds inside. What are you going to do with them?” asked the preacher. The boy replied, “I’ll play with them.” “But what happens when you get tired of playing with them?” “Oh, the old cat loves cowbirds. I’ll give them to her.” The preacher asked, “How much for the birds in the cage?” Picture Jesus meeting Satan. “What do you have in the cage?” Satan responds, “Some human beings.” “What will you do with them?” “I’m going to play with them.” “But what will you do when you get tired of them?” “I have lots of ways to get rid of them. Murder, divorce, war, slavery …” “How much for the people in the cage?” “Oh, you don’t want them. They’ll spit on you, mock you, and reject you.” “How much?” “Nothing less than your blood on the cross.” Jesus reached out His hand; “Let me have the cage.” Jesus Christ suffered the ultimate shame on our behalf … out of His great love. I hope this is helpful for you. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, What is the “Book of Life” and how do I know if I’m in it? Sincerely, Paul Dear Paul, The Bible teaches that the Book of Life is the register of everyone who is going to heaven. Very simply, if your name is not in the Book of Life then you’re not going to heaven. What is the Book of Life? Obviously, the Book of life isn’t a real, big, physical book. Instead, the names most likely reside in a giant database on Christ’s heavenly server. Just kidding! The term comes from Revelation chapter three, where Jesus spoke to the church at Sardis, saying: He who overcomes will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my father and his angels”. (3:5) The image Jesus used refers to a king’s registry. Kings often had an official list, or registry, of all of their citizens. This list was used primarily for taxes and conscripting men into the army. A particular name could only be removed from the king’s registry if a person died, moved outside of the king’s realm, was convicted of a crime, committed treason, or rebelled against the king. It’s as if Christ said to the church at Sardis, “Some petty king might blot you out of his register, but I’ll never blot those who follow Me out of My Book.” NOTE: “He who overcomes” is referring to those who have accepted the free gift of eternal life Jesus has provided for us through His birth, death, and resurrection. We become overcomers when we believe in Him as Savior and King (read  John 3:16 ; 11:25-26). When are our names written in the Book of Life... and can they be removed? When we are conceived! Everyone who has ever “received the breath of life” ( Genesis 2:7 )—including those who are living now—has their name written in the Book of Life. However, it is possible to have your name removed from the Book of Life if you are not “one who overcomes” (see above). Those who die without receiving Christ as Lord and Savior are spiritually dead. In essence, they are no longer alive and in the Kingdom. These are those who will have their names then blotted out from the Book when they die without trusting Jesus Christ. Why does the Bible talk about the Book of Life? The term “Book of Life” is a biblical construct that helps to put in simple terms various truths throughout the Scriptures. Let me share a few examples. In  EXODUS 32 , while Moses is on Mount Sinai talking with God, the people below are dancing, drinking, and worshiping the foreign gods of Egypt. The people incited Aaron to build a golden calf so that they could see and worship like the idols that they saw in Egypt. God was more than a little upset with their behavior: I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. ( Exodus 32:9-10 ) Moses gave God several reasons why he should not destroy the people and then, with great passion, he pleaded , “But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book that you’ve written”  ( Exodus 32:32 ). Moses was offering up his place in God’s heavenly registry for the sake of the Israelites. That’s how important Moses’s people were in his eyes. PSALM 69  is an imprecatory Psalm. An imprecatory Psalm is one where David pleads with God to wreak vengeance upon his enemies: Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your  salvation . May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the  righteous .  ( Psalm 69:28 ) In  DANIEL 12:1 , the angel Michael is outlining for Daniel some of the events of the end times. He says that those whose names are in the Book of Life will be delivered: At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. In  LUKE 10:20 , Jesus is describing his power over Satan and then gives a word of encouragement to his disciples: However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. PHILIPPIANS 4:3  records Paul settling a dispute between two women in the Philippian church. When things are healed, he reminds them of his own fellow laborers whose names are written in the Book of Life: Yes, and I ask you, loyal yoke fellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. In  REVELATION 20:11-15 , when we come to the Great White Throne Judgment, things get really tense. Those whose names are not found in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire: Then I saw a great white throne and him (Jesus) who was seated on it. … And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books…. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Why is keeping your name in the Book of Life  really  important? There will be no Christians at the Great White Throne Judgment. Christians will be evaluated and rewarded earlier at the Judgment Seat of Christ on the basis of how profitable or unprofitable their lives were while they were on earth ( 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ). Notice that there are other books utilized at the Great White Throne Judgment. We may call these the Books of Works because they contain the records of the sins and activities of all those who don’t make it into heaven because they never received Jesus as their Lord and Savior ( John 1:12 ). Those whose names are not in the Book of Life will plead with Christ that they were good enough to get them into heaven. However, Jesus will use these books to show them that no life was ever good enough to earn Heaven. That’s because entering Heaven is based on grace, not on works. As I close, Paul, it’s a good time to ask,  “Is your name permanently written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?” Your name can be on a church register without being on the Divine Register. You can have your name placed on the membership roll of a church and not be among those who are enrolled in heaven. Your name can be included in the baptism, confirmation, and wedding registers of a church, and yet be missing from the Book of Life. Christ’s gracious promise to the Christian overcomers in Sardis is that He will not blot the name of any Christ-follower out of the Book of Life. The Greek sentence has a double negative, as if Jesus meant, “I will never, never, by any means, blot out his/her name.” So the question really is, have you trusted Christ as your Savior? Are you following Him? Have you chosen to be an “overcomer”? Well, Paul, I hope I’ve answered your question. Love, Roger