I thought about this today…I hate doubt, don’t you? It hits us at different times, but especially in the midst of taking the next big step in our life. We have all been there. Every true Christian has had their moments of doubt that try to creep in and capture their thoughts. But, you must shut the door and stop those thoughts. Let’s look at a definition that I found in the Wikipedia, free encyclopedia: Doubt is uncertainty in the context of trust (where it takes the form of distrust), action, decision or faith. It implies challenging some notion of truth in effect, or hesitating to take action on it due to concern that one might be mistaken. That definition does not paint a pretty picture of us when we doubt God in our circumstance, and this is what this is really about isn’t it? You’re dealing with something in your life and you find, even as a true Christian, you have doubt in your mind as to whether or not it will work out. So, in effect then, you doubt the fact that your God can help you right where you are. James 1:6 tells us something about doubt: But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind… He is saying in verse 6 that you must believe! You cannot doubt or distrust Christ because He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. So let’s turn this around now. A true Christian has complete trust in God, a trust that dispels all doubt. The true Christian will praise Him for who He is and will know that they have the victory through trusting in Him. They will give their situation fully to the Lord and will step out of doubt and jump into total trust in knowing that He is in control. Determine in your mind that doubts out and trusting Him is in. “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.”—Psalms 9:10

Dear Roger, What’s your view on birth control? Do you consider it an abortion? Agustin Dear Agustin, Thank God for birth control. Depending on the circumstances, I believe that birth control may or not be abortion. How is that for a short answer! OK, let’s get into a little more detail. Let’s start with birth control. The most relevant Biblical teaching is found in Genesis 1:28 when God gave specific instructions to Adam and Eve regarding their role of dominion over all the earth: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28). Adam and Eve and their descendants have done well. The earth is close to being “full.” The parabolic population curve predicts an out of control, over abundance of people that will be unsustainable in the short-term future. The earth has an over-population problem. I am completely in favor of birth control. Once upon a time the earth had plenty of room for people. In that context, Psalm 127:3-5 made sense. The more sons and daughters, the more help on the family farm and more security against enemies: Sons are a heritage from the LORD, Children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior Are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man Whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame When they contend with their enemies in the gate. Children worked hard in earlier cultures because they helped the family survive. Today, adolescents in many cultures stand around with little or nothing to do. They have decreasing job opportunities. We have an over population problem. The organizations that mercifully flood third-world countries with condoms for AIDS protection are doing a significant work to help minimize this problem. You will have to make your own decision about the rightness or wrongness of handing out condoms in your local high school. Most Christians believe that passing out condoms lowers morals and encourages pre-marital sex. However, when children and adolescents do have babies outside of marriage, most all would agree that these circumstances aren’t good either for society or for the baby. Condoms may help prevent many unwanted babies from being born by parents who are often still children themselves. As far as I can determine, the only recorded case of birth control in the Bible was when Onan refused to follow the Israeli custom of fathering children by his sister-in-law, Tamar, after his brother Er passed away: And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, “Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.” And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother (Genesis 38:6-9). This, rather primitive type of birth control, is still used today with varying degrees of success. When a pregnancy is terminated because the child is unwanted, then abortion is obviously being used as a birth control tool. I have no statistics to back up this next statement, but I imagine that, next to the pill and condoms—with close 1.2 million abortions occurring annually—abortion is the third most common method of birth control in the country. In Biblical times, life was considered to begin when a newborn took his/her first breath. At this moment the spirit (wind) entered the body and life began. This idea proliferated in most all cultures. It just made sense. A still-born child was never alive at all. Death, then, was considered to occur when the final breath was taken. With this sort of understanding, abortion was not considered murder. But wait a minute, the original Hippocratic Oath, devised in Greece around 400 B.C., forbids a physician from performing or assisting in an abortion: “I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.” A pessary is a mechanical device that, when inserted into the womb, causes enough irritation to unseat the fertilized ovum which is attached to the placenta—thus aborting the child. Of course, some women have the same sort of success with a coat hanger; but unfortunately, they sometimes bleed to death. Would it surprise you to know that many variations of the Hippocratic Oath have been composed over the years! Many cultures have taken it upon them selves to modernize it—as needed. The most recent versions make no mention of forbidding a physician from performing an abortion! (If you are interested in reading the original Hippocratic Oath, I have included it as an addendum at the conclusion of this Ask Roger answer.) Of course, no one today can honestly deny that life begins a conception. No one can deny that brain waves occur, and pain is felt, and hormones produce emotions, and thumbs are being sucked in the womb. An unborn child is coursing with life! I don’t understand how anyone can take part in an abortion and refuse to recognize that they are murdering a child. Finally, my answer would be woefully inadequate without mentioning the “morning after” pill. The morning after pill works to stop an unwanted pregnancy. The drug is commonly sold as Plan B One-Step®, Next Choice®, or ella® and can be effective up to five days after sex has occurred. When the drug stops ovulation or prohibits a sperm from joining with an egg, then no abortion has occurred’ On the other hand, the pill also works by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the placenta. As a result, the newly conceived human being is sloughed off into an environment outside the mother’s body incompatible with continued life. The key word here is “fertilized.” Since conception occurs at fertilization, the morning after pill has the same effect as the coat hanger. Murder transpires. Agustin, I really appreciate your question. I hope it helps you and many others as well. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I moved  to a new place a year ago this past June 11th. Since I moved here, I have met many people and have friends that don’t believe in God and many of them find it ridiculous. They know that I am a Christian, and I want to help them since I noticed that most of them are missing the joy of having Jesus Christ in their life. As a teenager, in a school where religion does not matter, it is somewhat of a difficulty for me to talk to my fellow peers about the wonders of God. I know most of them are going through situations that are difficult to surpass without God’s help and presence. I want to help them and show them God’s glory, but I don’t know how to since they don’t like to talk openly about God or anything. I want to know how I can show them God’s will for their lives without trying to be impulsive to them about what their religious views should be. Sincerely, Jason Dear Jason, I am thrilled with your passion for your friends to know Christ. Jesus’ parting words recorded in Matthew 28:19 as He ascended to heaven were to “…go and make disciples of all nations”…. You are fulfilling His wish. So how do you share the Good News of Jesus with your friends? Do you need to be pushy? What do you tell them? How do you even start a conversation about spiritual things? Let me give you a few thoughts. First of all, evangelism is a partnership. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is the only One who can convince (and/or convict) a person of his or her need for salvation through Christ. Jesus explained this truth to His disciples in John 16:7-11 : “But it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) won’t come…. And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is unbelief in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.” (NLT) You cannot convince your friends of their need for a personal relationship with Jesus without working closely with the Holy Spirit. What you can do is explain the benefits you have in Christ, and perhaps answer their questions, and perhaps share your own faith in Christ—and why you believe. Then, pray for the Holy Spirit to break down the unbelief in their hearts by convincing them of the beauty and reality of Christ. Now, let’s get personal. You mention that they “don’t want to talk about these things.” We know that relationships open the door to talking. The more time you invest with them—especially getting to know them—the more likely they are to open up to you and listen to your ideas. The more you get to know them, the more you will see deep into their hurts and struggles. Remember, everyone is fighting a battle. Ministering to their hurts often opens the door to their inner souls so we finally get a chance to talk with them about Jesus. In John 4:1-30 Jesus led a woman He met just moments earlier into the Kingdom of God. He opened the door by talking about her hurts. He knew that she had been married five times and was currently living with a man not her husband. He moved straight to the rejection issues that were crippling her life. Facing her needs and sensing the emotional healing power of a caring Person, she moved quickly into a deep, genuine relationship with Him. Everyone hurts. We are born into an imperfect world, live among imperfect people, and we ourselves have flaw. So we all have hurts. Sensitivity to others pain will open the door with anyone. I use a technique which works as well with brand-new acquaintances as well with folks I have known for years. One of my evangelism models is based on Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." First, I ask, “What was the best day of your life?” People never hesitate to tell me. As they relate their joyous day, I rejoice with them. I reflect back how wonderful that day must have been. I get excited (genuinely excited) about their experience. This is rejoicing with those who rejoice. Not long afterward I ask, “What was the worst day you ever had? I have never had anyone fail to answer that question either. I listen as they share; I ask questions; I mourn with them. I say things like, “I am so sorry. How did you feel as you were going through that difficult experience? What an awful time for you. I am so sad you had to experience that.” Immediately, I see an openness and vulnerability I would never see if I went directly to dealing with their sin issues. Ministering to people’s hurts is often the key that opens the door to helping heal their “fallenness” and need for Jesus. Let me give you another Biblical model from Luke 19:1-8 . Zacchaeus was a hated, crooked tax collector for the Roman government. He used his position to line his own pockets with wealth. He was a traitor to his own neighbors and they hated him for it. His nasty behaviors were evident to all. He was a wicked, lying, stealing, cheating and selfishness man. Think with me now. Could you imagine that a man like Zacchaeus might have some feelings? Certainly he would. He had to! You know that he was feeling lonely, rejected, despised, hated and guilty. Now, could you imagine that a tax collector behaving like he was and feeling like he did, might have some needs? Certainly! Among other things he needed love, acceptance, companionship, forgiveness and affirmation? When Jesus arrived in town He walked immediately to Zacchaeus’ tree and called out, “You sneaky, thieving, selfish little man! Stop it!” No, of course, that is not at all what He said. Only a beginner starts like that. Christ gently said, “Zacchaeus, come down. I’m going to lunch with you today.” To go to his house and eat from the same bowls with your fingers was one of the greatest signs of acceptance Jesus could have done in this culture.Good things happened during lunch. During the next three hours Jesus ministered to his needs and healed his feelings Three hours later the front door flew open and Zacchaeus shouted for all to hear: “Half of all I have I give to the poor; and whatever I have stolen from any of you I will restore four times over!” Jesus declared, “Today, salvation has come to your house!” Zacchaeus found faith in Christ—not because Jesus yelled, “Stop it,” but because Jesus took the time to build a relationship and then ministered first to his deepest needs and hurts. The deeper the levels of trust we build into relationships the more we can share with our friends and the more they will listen and give credence to what we say. Many of us miss opportunities because we are not willing to invest time in the lives of others. To build relationships takes time, energy, and a passion for people. We cannot sit in the comfortable pews of our church and shoot “gospel bullets” over the walls. Jesus ate with tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes and social outcasts. He knew how much they needed Him. While relationship building takes time, it is not always essential. Sometimes the Lord Jesus puts some one in our paths who is ready to hear the gospel immediately and will respond by praying a prayer to receive Christ. This is often the case on the mission field where men and women have never heard about Jesus. We should always be prepared to share our faith. Paul advised his friend, Timothy, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season. Always be ready to give testimony to the hope that lives within you” ( 2 Timothy 4:2 ) . Finally, remember that we are not living in a “churched” society. We live in a “Post-Christian”. Millions of Americans have never darkened the door of a church. That does not mean that they are not spiritually hungry. New age teaching, occult practices, kabbalah, scientology, Mormonism, Islam and other spiritual avenues are being widely explored by our friends and neighbors. When you are discussing Christianity, be aware that some of the people you speak to don’t believe in God, or the Bible or even that Jesus existed. Instead of beginning with Christ and salvation, we most often will have to deal with their questions concerning atheism, agnosticism, suffering, God’s existence, evolution or comparative religions—among a myriad of others. Learn about these ideas so that you can answer their questions with at least some degree of information. But, remember, you don’t have to have all the answers to any of these questions. Your personal story of what Christ has done in your life is the most compelling truth you can share. I hope this helps. God bless you, R, as you love your friends and find open doors deep into their hearts. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, A friend asked me a question I could not answer as I have never seen the play called “Jesus Christ Superstar.” How does it relate to the Bible? My friend is a believer and her husband is not. He was moved by the production and she is upset not knowing about its contents. Thank you Roger and have a blessed day in the Lord. Sincerely, D “Jesus Christ Superstar” was a rock opera composed by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber many years ago (in 1970) focusing on the humanity of Jesus. It centers on the political and interpersonal struggles of Judas Iscariot and Jesus . Judas is depicted as a confused, tragic figure who is dissatisfied with what he views as Jesus’ lack of planning, and alarmed by the relatively recent claims of his divinity. He sells out his soul and ends his life in agony. Jesus is pictured as human being who is struggling with anxiety and doubt regarding His purpose in life. He is described as capable of falling at any time into sin because of all the temptations and human struggles He faces. He dies in agony on the cross wondering if perhaps He has made the biggest mistake in His life. There is no resurrection—only a haunting melody of defeat and despair. I can see while your husband was intrigued by the musical. Jesus is portrayed so much like us. He is overwhelmed and struggling with His purpose in life as well as with temptations, trials and difficulties—just like us. While it seems obvious to me that the composers are not Christians, God has used them in a compelling way to help us understand a side of Jesus that we so often ignore—or fail to consider at all—the humanness of Jesus. In many ways I identified with Jesus’ humanity much more after seeing the opera. However, as I watched the musical I was greatly offended. Jesus’ confusion, the mocking of His divinity, His anger and frustration with the people who clamored for help and healing left at first left a bitter taste in my mouth. In one particular scene the crowds were pressing in upon Him, demanding to be healed. They shrieked incessantly, “Heal me, heal me, heal me!” Finally, Jesus screamed out in frustrated desperation, “Leave me alone; heal yourselves!” Immediately, I was repulsed. “Jesus never said that!” I thought angrily. However, as I reflected later I thought, “No, He never said that; but, I wonder if He ever felt that way?” I have. In moments of exhaustion I wished all the people would just go away and leave me alone! For the first time I entered into the sufferings of Jesus. I grieved for Him. Never in my life had a really considered just how much He gave up to be human like us. The Bible clearly teaches that while Jesus is 100 % God, He is also 100% human. This truth is known in theological circles as the “hypostatic union” which is inscrutable (incapable of human understanding). Jesus is pictured as hot, thirsty and tired in John 4 when He asks a woman to draw Him water and give Him a drink. It was noon and while He made the water; but, He was human and couldn’t get to it without a bucket—her bucket. He made the sun which was beating down unmercifully on His head; so; He sat hot and thirsty. Jesus is seen grieving over the upcoming fate of Jerusalem i n Matthew 23 . He is ignorant of the time frame of His own second coming. He is seen mourning in the Garden the night before the crucifixion. He is pictured as struggling with doubt as He and His Father discuss the crucifixion plan moments before its implementation. The theme of the entire Book of Hebrews is that Jesus is able to be a “Great High Priest” on our behalf because He has endured all the struggles and temptations of life—just like us. Jesus is much more real and intimate with me simply because I experienced the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” I hope my answer helps you understand the content of the opera as well as gives you a deeper understanding and appreciation for Jesus. Regarding your friend’s husband, I think the fact that he was attracted to Jesus is a great starter point for talking to him about the gospel. Help him see that Jesus’ mission was to die for the sins of the world—just like ours. Show him how Jesus understands her husband and that the resurrected Jesus offers him a new life of strength, power, security and forgiveness ( Romans 3:23 ; 6:23 ; Ephesians 2:8-10 ; Romans 1:12 and John 7:37 ). Well, D, thanks for the question. Ask me another soon. Love, Roger

We often cruise through life without asking for directions. Often we rush to make decisions without the GPS of God’s Word and will. Instead, we strike out on our own. We haven’t paid attention to road signs and warning lights. Perhaps we plow ahead and make a hasty decision from our own earthly wisdom. Confusion results. We ask questions like “How did I get here?” “How am I going to get myself out of this?” I have been there. I have made decisions before that seemed like a good idea at the time and it seemed like a God idea as well. BUT I got ahead of God, I moved too quickly in my decision and it put me into a situation that ended up in a quagmire of trouble. Eventually, I turned the situation over to God and let Him work. My quandary of confusion turned into peace and God-ordained purpose. I guess the Bible is correct when it says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”-Proverbs 3:5-6 What does it mean to whole-heartedly trust God? God is the origin or source of all good. He has made us as His creatures to be dependent upon Himself. He requires us to be conscious of that dependence. He has promised to communicate what we need and He commands us to believe His promises and look for our fulfillment in Him. But, we are to rely upon Him without doubt and fear. And we must trust God whole-heartedly-without reservation. “And do not lean on your own understanding” You are to lean on GOD, not on yourself, because as I have heard it said, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.” Verse 6 tells us, “In all your ways acknowledge Him” This is what I have so deeply learned in my own life as a believer. I have learned to begin, continue and end every plan and purpose with God as my Guide. I have learned to earnestly pray for His direction at the beginning, and to look for his continual support along the way. Leaning on our own self-sufficiency and self-dependence has been the ruin of mankind ever since the fall of Adam. Trying to live independently of God will do nothing but bring frustration and futility. Setting your heart upon God will bring peace and well-being! “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.”-Isaiah 26:3 To be kept in this perfect peace is a matter of our mind. You, my friend, are to love the LORD your God with all of your mind (Matthew 22:37) and you are to set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). Your Christian life is not an mindless meandering, it is proactively choosing God’s way and purposefully meditating upon Him. If your past decisions have brought you to a place of perplexity, then ask for forgiveness for trying to do it your way. Let God take the reins of your life and give you His peace.

I am sure we have all been asked, or pondered the question on our own, “What would you do differently, if you knew you only had 6 months to live?” A truly contented person might respond, “Nothing, I’m already doing what I would do under those circumstances.” But then there are the rest of us. How I respond to that question probably reveals the internal conflict that rages inside me between selfishness and selflessness. Even my most “spiritual” responses would probably be tinged with a little selfishness – doing good things to bulk-up my heavenly savings account, or wanting to be remembered positively. “What would you do differently if you knew you were going to live forever?” It’s like the senior who quips, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself!” Living life for the long run might, at first glance, appears to be inconsistent with burning brightly to win the sprint. But, in a thoroughly integrated world-view, the answer to both questions might be the same. The writer of Hebrews says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebr. 12:1-2) Nowhere in this passage does it state whether the race is a sprint or a marathon. In fact, I know not if the race before me is a sprint or a marathon. Nevertheless, I need to run it in the same way, with the same world view. The passage tells me what kind of world-view I need to finish strong. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith… Jesus must be at the center of my world-view. Only then am I going to run the race successfully. He is the finish line, and by keeping my focus upon Him, I will stay on course and not be distracted from the task at hand. Only then will I be able to …throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… I often forget that there is an adversary that would love to see me fail, and so rob God of the glory He intends to reveal in me. The enemy will throw enticements into my path to distract my attention, or obstacles to trip me up, or obstructions to discourage me. If he can get me to dwell on my meager strength, he will convince me that I am not able to finish, nor even worthy to compete. But if my focus is on Christ, I will continue to move towards Him, no matter the enticements offered. I will hurdle over obstacles in my path. If I stumble, I will be able to pick myself up and continue in the right direction. And if I find my way blocked, I will wait upon Him to reveal the way around, over, under, or through the obstruction, because I will know that I am running in the right direction. If I am focused on Christ, I will also know that it is by His strength that I run, not my own. I will not limit myself to what I have accomplished in the past, but I will look forward with confident expectation (hope) for the miracles He will perform in my behalf as I run in obedience to His call. Have you ever seen an Olympic runner race with his previous medals around his neck. Often, my past achievements can be my biggest “hindrance.” I can also learn something from the way Jesus ran His race. …who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. What stops most from completing a footrace is the discomfort involved in running. When my sides ache from the build-up of metabolic waste products in my muscles, my legs feel like rubber, and it seems I cannot suck in enough air to keep going, it is easy to give up and drop out of the race. What many runners have learned, is that they can push beyond that “wall” and get their “second wind.” The difference comes in having a good reason to push past the pain and discomfort, to …run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Jesus knew to what He had to look forward, so He was able to push past the pain of Galilee, Gethsemane and Golgotha to take hold of the glory that was His. In the same way, if my eyes are fixed upon Him, I will know enough about my reward that I will be motivated to push past the pain and finish strong. And, as if that isn’t enough by itself, I also have a cloud of witnesses cheering me on in this race. Some of those witnesses are identified in the preceding chapter of Hebrews (what the “therefore” is there for!). They have run the race, and know that I can too. The Apostle Paul tells us that our goal is worth the hard work of sanctification. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1Cor. 9:24-27) He stresses the importance of focus, discipline and single-mindedness. Every four years we are reminded of the hard work that precedes the stellar performances in the Olympic games. We hear and read stories of years spent in physical and psychological training – all for a medal. How much greater is the reward towards which we strive, and how much more permanent. Even the best Olympic performances are eventually outdone, and that medal may buy me temporary notoriety, but it will not sustain me for the rest of my life, much less for eternity. If my world-view is centered on Christ, is intentional and educates my entire being, I will have the will to do the hard work of sanctification. I will have confidence in the reward. And I will be encouraged by the great cloud of witnesses as I run this race.

The speakers in the mall are playing sleigh-bell songs, Santa is in his grotto with a long line of children waiting to stroke his whiskers and the media is full of adverts for the latest ’must-have’ toys. Grocery trolleys are piled high with calories, and the glossy magazines are enticing you to throw away last year’s decorations and go with a whole new theme. And maybe, if you hunt for it, you will find a tiny manger filled with hay huddled in a dark corner, covered with dust. It may even be empty. 2000 years later there is still no room for Jesus amongst the crowds of people who have forgotten why they celebrate. As Christians we think we understand something of the true meaning of Christmas. But what would you say was the real meaning of Christmas? Peace, love, good news for all people, God with us, God saving us, equality, humility, giving generously, hospitality, acceptance, courage, caring for the homeless…? The Advent story has many facets. If we want to make Christmas spiritually significant for our children, we need to understand the spiritual significance it has for us. Discover the aspects of Christmas you are most passionate about, and then find ways to share your passion with your children. The story of Jesus’ birth has been carefully constructed with us and our children in mind. The Bible could simply say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but the story takes on added dimensions when there are political upheavals; a young, homeless, pregnant mother gives birth in a stable; angels sing to shepherds and stars guide wise men across distant deserts. This has been choreographed by God himself. The action unfolds with Bethlehem center stage in the Universe, and a story is created to be retold and re-enacted. It is carefully balanced. Poor shepherds visit the baby as well as rich men. There are plots and subplots and an evil villain of a king. Danger lurks around dark corners, but the Light of the World cannot be extinguished, tiny and vulnerable though He is. The story has been told to inspire a sense of wonder and mystery. It captures our imagination and it is especially appealing to children. Take some time out to immerse yourselves in the story. Read it from different books. Ask each other, ‘which part of the story do you like the best? Which part is the most important to you? Where do you see yourself in the story?’ And then ask yourself which aspect you most want to celebrate with your children and family this year? And why this aspect now? Maybe your family needs to experience peace after a time of confusion and pain, or a sense of God being with you (Immanuel) during a time of uncertainty. The best antidote to all the commercialism is to keep the real story alive in your own mind. Keep telling it to your children in different ways. Bring it to life. Talk about what you are going to give other people, rather than what you want to get. Keep plans and decorations simple, and focus on the needs of your children and the people around you who are struggling. Find ways to share what you have and involve your children in the projects. Help them to see, feel, smell, hear and taste what the real story is all about. Maybe you can camp in a stable for one night, play choral music that sounds like angels, and share a sense of wonder about God’s amazing love that would give his only son to be born as a fragile human being, just for you. In the margins there are some ideas to help you bring Christmas alive and make it more meaningful for you and your children. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire your season; to help you put Jesus at the very center of everything you do; and to give you God’s perspective on all your plans. Then your children will have a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of this amazing event, and you will help them to live in a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Children have an incredible knack at comforting. One mother tells of her little Tina coming home late from school. “Where have you been, Tina?” her mom asked. “Lisa dropped her best doll and it broke,” explained Tina. “I stayed to help her.” “Oh, were you able to fix it? It was very kind of you to try.” “No, Mom,” Tina lamented. “I couldn’t fix the doll. So I stayed to help her cry.” Pastor Dan was one of those persons people called about everything. He was just the one you wanted to talk to when you had a problem or something to share. Once he was visiting neighbors in the high-rise apartment building next to his church. He knocked on the door of a resident just to get acquainted. He met with a cold response, but was undaunted in his efforts to make a new friend. Upon finally gaining entrance, he found himself seated across from a very grumpy woman who had nothing good to say about anyone, from the mayor to the maintenance man. Pastor Dan just listened as he always did, throwing in a few “Really!” and “Imagine that!” kind of comments along with lots of smiles. When the old woman’s tirade slowed, Pastor Dan said he was delighted to have met her but he’d better be running alone now. If it were okay with her, he’d be back later in the week with a loaf of his wife’s fresh bread. Pastor Dan would have thought little more about the episode had the woman’s daughter not dropped by his office the following day. “Are you the pastor who visited my mother yesterday?” she inquired. Upon confirming that he was, the daughter introduced herself and promptly asked another question: “Whatever have you done to Mother?” Pastor Dan looked puzzled, so she continued. “My mother has been a totally different person since your visit!” the daughter went on incredulously. “She’s actually been cheerful—not one of her usual qualities you might have guessed! And she says you’re the best conversationalist in the whole wide world!” There are times when we all need some comfort, when we need to be soothed. It’s not always easy to live in this troubled world. But a touch of comfort can go a long way in soothing a hurting heart. From Jumpstart Connections, pp. 91-93 by Karen Holford and Karen and Ron Flowers.

Believing the best is a challenge. It is so easy to focus on what’s wrong with someone rather than on what’s right about them. It’s the natural human response. But when we do this, we risk discouraging others and damaging relationships. Even when it is necessary to point out a mistake, appreciation for the effort is needed in generous proportions to the necessary correction. Ten parts affirmation to one part correction is about right, the experts say. if you can’t think of then good things to say, then just affirm what you can and forget the correction this time. We all become skilled through practice, and with each repetition, there’s opportunity for improvement. In the meantime, even a small dose of gratitude and affirmation keeps people motivated to good works. Even more importantly, it helps them feel good about who they are and the contribution they are making to the family enterprise. The secret is simple. Celebrate the kinds of behaviors you want to see more often. Appreciation is never wasted. You may even share in the rewards! From Jumpstart Connections, Karen Holford and Ron Flowers, p. 15.

Sine cera was a term in ancient Israel that guaranteed a clay pot was “without wax.” Wax was used by salesmen to cover imperfections that occurred during the firing. The retailer was passing off a defective product by deceiving the buyer. When we pretend to live a life “without wax,” we are demonstrating “insincerity.” Integrity means completeness, no duality in what you say and what you do. The opposite of integrity then is hypocrisy. It’s been said that integrity is not only the way one thinks but the way one acts. Integrity is not wearing a cross around your neck, then coming to church, acting like a Christian, and then going home and being a mean (verbally cutting, hateful) or abusive husband, a disrespectful wife, or an uninterested parent. That’s duality, that’s hypocrisy, but not integrity. Integrity means that you don’t hold or profess you’re a Christian, but in your job you do a bad product, you’re rebellious against your boss, you gossip, you act unethically, and you lie…that’s hypocrisy. Integrity is what you are, reputation is what people think you are. You cannot be truly successful in life when you are disrespected by the living here because you lack integrity. Integrity was so important to Jesus that He made sure He paid the temple tax and Peter’s portion as well even though He didn’t have to (Matt. 17:24-27). Integrity was so important to Paul that he made sure he had two other people with him when he was collecting money from the churches for the poor Christians back in Jerusalem. He wanted to make sure that no one could discredit him so it says he ‘took precaution’ (2 Cor. 8:16-20). Paul protected his integrity because it is that important. Samuel stood before the people he led for decades, and now at the end of his life, he asked that if he had taken anything from anybody, or cheated anybody, oppressed anybody, or taken a bribe from anybody, for them to let him know and he would make it right. It says that no one stood to say anything. In other words, no one had an ought against him because honesty, and integrity had permeated every area of his life. He held himself accountable to the people he led, and opened himself up to the scrutiny of everyone with whom he had ever had dealings, and no one had anything against him. Wow, that’s a life of integrity! We need leaders in the church like that today. If you don’t have integrity it will affect you and your ability to lead and minister. If you don’t have integrity it will affect those closest to you. It is awfully difficult for a woman to respect a man who will profess to be a Christian on Sunday, but live abusively the other 6 days. It is hard for a child to live in a home where there is duality. If you don’t have integrity you’re also going to affect what you can do for God. God cannot truly use a man or woman who lacks integrity (see also Samson). What do you do ? You get your life straight. You reconcile if you need to with those you hurt do to your duality. You look at yourself in the mirror, and don’t leave unchanged. You start crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s. You start ‘taking precaution’ so no one can discredit you. You’ll never be perfect but you work on never letting your life have holes poked in it due to a lack of integrity. Always remember that having lived a life of integrity is one of the greatest statements that can be made about you at the end of your life. It’s also one of greatest evangelistic tools you have in your arsenal because people will be open to receiving the Gospel from a man or woman who lives a true life of integrity. “A good name is to be desired more than great wealth.” Proverbs 22:1 I hope this has challenged and helped you in your walk with Christ.

In my own admittedly limited experience, I’ve found that one of the most important aspects in my walk with God is keeping my mind grounded in the truth of Christ. When I neglect to spend time with Him or begin to place my energy and focus elsewhere, I slowly begin to believe things about God, myself, and others that are not true. For whatever reason, I very easily forget the reality of God’s grace, where I stand in light of that grace, and the calling on my life to love those around me. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that God’s grace and its implications are completely counterintuitive truths – seemingly too good to be true, especially as I continue to struggle with sin. Nevertheless, the truth of His love endures, shining through our imperfections and shortcomings. In order to grow, we must be relentless in our fight against the father of all lies (Jn 8:44), while continually desiring a deeper knowledge of our Savior. In the media-saturated, self-centered culture that many of us find ourselves in, we are literally bombarded by lies throughout the course our daily lives. A few years ago, I had the privilege of going to a one-year Bible school in scenic Estes Park, Colorado. One of the Bible professors was an advocate of an activity he called “Spot the Lie.” He would play a song or show us an advertisement and ask us to identify what false presupposition (i.e. assumed truth) lay beneath the given piece of media. It’s amazing what happens when you step back and examine what we are being spoon-fed as a culture. Listen to a radio commercial break next time you are in your car and see how many lies you can glean from the string of ads that play between the music. You need to buy our pre-packaged meal system in order to lose enough weight to be acceptably thin. You need to buy these car stereo speakers to get noticed. If you care about her, you’ll buy your engagement ring from us… In addition to being aware the lies of culture and media, we as Christians must consistently be on guard against the schemes of the devil. Jesus asserts in John 10 that “the thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” Having been saved by grace and secured in Christ, Satan and the forces of darkness aim to steal away the rest and joy that is found in Christ’s salvation. I find that I must constantly step back and ask myself if the thoughts that I harbor are true to the reality of God’s Word, while resting in the truth of Jesus words which immediately followed those quoted above: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Let’s continue to seek after the fullness of life in Christ while taking captive the lies that will most certainly be thrown at us. Let’s rest in the liberating truth of what He has already done! For further reading on Satan, demons, and the battle of the mind, check out The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Spiritual leaders & teachers come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, rank, stations of life, intelligence, experiences, education, gender, race, nationality, geography, looks, age, up bringing, church affiliation, heritage, and address. The key is that spiritual leaders & teachers are called of God to lead and/or teach in His appointed time and place. The vision shaper, the godly leader follows this biblical model: “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained.” (Proverbs 28:18) As a Christ-following leader, the spiritual leader obeys God’s Word: “If you will fear the Lord and listen to His voice, . . . then both you and your king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God.” (I Samuel 12:14) The spiritual leader is also a learner-motivator: “He gave some as . . . teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12) Effective leaders are those whose inspiring influence prompts others to follow. While their style, level of intelligence, method of motivation, and personal involvement may differ widely, those people who are most successful possess the same trait–they have the ability to care about and for people. For example, a great leader follows Paul’s advice to be a role model: “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the Gospel of God amid much opposition.” (I Thess.2:1-2) An effective godly leader intercedes for those whom he leads: “Then falling on his knees, he cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them. Having said this, he fell asleep”. (Acts 8:60) A great leader is also a behavior-changer: “And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as everyone had need.” (Acts 2:45) A Scripture-wise leader sees those who follow him through the eyes of Christ. Helping them develop their Kingdom value must have priority over their value to their leader or his organization. The leader is a planner: The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5) A spiritual leader is a Scripture-searcher: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) And finally, the spiritual leader is a value-shaper, as Jesus said: “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, . . . for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21)