This week’s study from the book of Proverbs will examine one of the most well-known verses in the Bible regarding God’s guidance. In four simple phrases, King Solomon records three essential principles for discerning God’s paths in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” NIV Solomon encourages us to trust God, to refuse to lean on our own intellect in self-reliant pride, and to walk with God in worship and submission. In the final phrase, God gives a promise: He will surely guide us. Let’s examine the first phrase-trusting God completely. God appeared to Solomon twice in his lifetime. The first encounter is recorded in I Kings chapter three. When God appeared to the young monarch, Solomon referred to the impact his father’s faith had made upon him in 1 Kings 3:6: “Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.” NIV • What are your greatest challenges in being able to trust God with your life? • Can you remember a time when God spoke clearly to you as a result of your prayers? How did that make you feel? • How often do you search for God’s counsel? Do you enjoy remaining in His presence in prayer, patiently awaiting His answers, or is it really difficult to be patient? THE POET-KING Solomon received a remarkable legacy from his father David. King David, with all his foibles, powerfully taught his son about a life of trusting God. You see, David kept a diary. Every psalm ascribed to the Shepherd-King was a window into David’s soul. David’s poems were beautifully artistic, brutally honest, and deeply spiritual. Few children have inherited such a cherished gift from their parents! Psalms is divided into five books. Most of Book One (Psalms 1-41) is attributed to David. Here are just a few observations from David concerning God’s guidance: Psalm 5 is a tender song accompanied by flutes. David, surrounded by his enemies (Vs. 4-6,8) sighed heavily and earnestly cried out to God for wisdom: “Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.” Psalm 5:8 NIV Psalm 16, a mitkam of David depicts a devoted man who delighted to remain in the center of God’s will (vs. 5-6). Verse seven paints a picture of David seeking God’s counsel at night: “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.” Ps. 16:7 NIV David’s most beloved poem, Psalm 23, teaches that God guides us in paths of righteousness for the sake of His kingdomplan: “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Ps. 23:3 NIV Solomon learned that God leads us to play a part in His grand design.Psalm 25 is one of David’s most complete theological treatises discussing the dynamics of Divine revelation and human comprehension. In twenty-two short stanzas, David gives us tremendous insight into the heart of God. Verses 1-3 reveal that the person who lifts up his soul to God in trust will never be put to shame. Verses 4-7 is a model prayer for seeking God’s will. David writes that understanding God’s ways (His heart) intimately is the key to discovering how to respond to His leading. The rest of the Psalm discusses the significance of confession, humility and constant communion. The final picture King David paints describes a love relationship between creature and Creator: ”The LORD confides in those who fear him; He makes his covenant known to them.” Psalm 25:14 NIV • Take a brief moment and write a prayer to God. Ask Him for wisdom regarding the current struggles in your life. • Can you reflect on a time in your life when you got on your knees, asked God to guide you, and surrendered to God without relying upon your own wisdom? What did that feel like? Where did it lead you? Can you see the blessings that you reaped from this action of devotion? • Can you think of anyone you know that appears to trust God’s guidance in all they do? How do they do that? What do you observe in them? ONE MAN’S TESTIMONY “If we make life decisions apart from God’s leadership, we will flounder. Self-effort and self-reliance only produce frustration. When we seek God’s wisdom and direction, we become wise. We are freed from sin’s bondage and experience true fulfillment. Why, then, is it so hard for Christians to actually seek God’s counsel in all we do? Why do we make major life decisions, and then ask God to put His stamp of approval on our plans? A great example of this came years ago when it was obvious that God was calling me to a new place. The firm for which I had been working had just merged with another larger company. I had been the General Manager of our little eleven-person business. In the owner’s grace, he secured a job for me within the merger. The job was paltry-with little responsibility, a pay decrease, and a relocation from Denver, Colorado to Eugene, Oregon. Being young and totally sure of myself, I said ‘no thanks.’ I sent a proliferation of resumes to Denver employers. Quite frankly, at that point in my career, my resume and experience were impressive, yet there was no response. Frustrated, I finally began to pray about it. I clearly was nudged. The Holy Spirit said, ‘I need you in the Pacific Northwest.’ I stubbornly responded: ‘Are you sure? You have to be kidding! It rains there all the time!’ After a few weeks of struggling with God’s call and a couple of fruitless interviews, I decided I should seek employment in the Pacific Northwest. I subsequently sent fifteen letters of application to places in Washington state. To my surprise, twelve successful companies contacted me within a week’s time requesting interviews with me. Still unsure that God wanted me there (pretty dense wasn’t I?), I selected the five best, flew to Seattle/Tacoma, and interviewed. Each of the five companies offered me positions that were jobs I would really enjoy. Upon returning home, I received even more calls from other companies interested in hiring me. I ask you, why would God have to close every wrong door, nudge me, and then push me out the door to do what He wanted? If I had just sought His guidance, I would have more rapidly enjoyed His wisdom. I could have avoided three months of feeling inadequate while unemployed. I know the answer-I was too proud and selfish to seek His counsel. I failed to trust His leadership even when He made His will so obvious it was right in front of my face!”-Norm Bishop APPLYING THE TRUTH Read Proverbs 20:5; 18:13; 13:16; 19:2; and 13:5; Psalms 5, 16, 23 and 25. In the area below, write out the Scripture(s), thought(s), and question(s) from today’s devotional that you want to spend more time thinking about. What will you apply to your life?

Dear Roger, This may come as a shock but I was wondering, is it said in the bible that God knows everything? Or is it assumed? Because if God were to know everything, he must also know the future. If this knowledge exists then the future must be predetermined. In result, the free will we see would only be an illusion to a plan that has already been predetermined in his head. Sincerely, Unknown Dear Unknown, We know about the past and the present. What about the future? Let’s begin with the idea of Time. Jesus declared His timeless existence both backward and forward when He said to John: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). Psalm 90:3 reveals God’s perspective on time. In comparing the shortness of human life with the eternal span of God’s life, Moses wrote: “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by…” In other words, a long time to us is a short time to God. Of course, Moses was speaking metaphorically and not literally. Nevertheless, it is fun to play with this idea. One day I and figured out that according to Moses, one year on earth equals about 90 seconds in Heaven. One of the most frequently asked questions I get from wives whose husbands have died is, “Will he miss me?” I respond, “Let’s say you outlive your husband by ten years. Will he miss you? Well, if one year on earth equals 15 seconds in Heaven, what that means is that your husband died and went to heaven, and fifteen minutes later, here you come! He’s probably still waiting in line to see Jesus. According to Albert Einstein time is relative depending on the speed of the observer (the faster we go the more time slows down) and the proximity of the observer to the gravitational field of a massive body (the more massive the body, the slower time goes). In fact, at the event horizon of a black hole all time stops. Does this mean that eternity has already started there? Probably not; but the thought is intriguing. The only constant in the universe is the speed of light (although this precept is now considered questionable). So, now we know a little bit about time, let’s get a little more intrigued as we consider whether or not God knows the future. The implications of quantum mechanics in this area are astounding. Two stand out in considering your question. First, in our universe time can move forward and/or backward. Imagine that a gun is fired at you and moments later the bullet enters your body. There is nothing unusual about this scenario—except that the chance of you ever being shot are minimal. But, in our universe, time can also flow backward. In backward time, the bullet his you before the gun is fired. Impossible to imagine but backward time is quite real. By the way, God could just as easily have created our universe with backward time instead of forward time. The point is that God is not limited by time. He transcends time. We have a God Who moves just as easily in the future as in the past and present. Second, downward causation is a foundational truth of quantum mechanics. In the micro world we can cause subatomic particles to behave as we desire. We can set up experiments which predetermine just how a particular particle will behave. Our observation and choices predetermine their behaviors. Causation only moves down, never up. This means that while we can affect behavior and even existence in the micro world, we can not affect the behavior of things in dimensions larger than ours. God works downward to cause and bring into existence our world. The implication is that all of our activities are determined by God’s observations and choices. But, wait, don’t stop here. Now, Unknown, you can imagine that there is much more involved in God knowing the future and predetermining our behaviors than can be found in the scientific world. While science can give us insight into the material world, there is still a spiritual world that affects everything. We can begin to answer your individual questions in turn. First you asked, “This may come as a shock but I was wondering, is it said in the bible that God knows everything? Or is it assumed?” The answer is that many verses confirm the fact that God knows everything. I’ll share several examples. “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows!” (Joshua 22:22). “For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20). “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come” (Isaiah 46:10). “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). Second you asked, “Because if God were to know everything, he must also know the future.” Again, many Bible verses affirm His knowledge of the future. Here is one example: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). One of the most astounding proofs that God knows the future regards the many predictions God made about the coming of Jesus which were all fulfilled. Gerry Peters.com has compiled a list of Biblical prophecies which all came true in Jesus. They came true because God looked into the future and revealed them to us. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there are 300 predictions about Jesus Christ the Messiah. 48 specific details about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What are the probabilities of OT prophecies about Christ becoming reality? Birth in Bethlehem from tribe of Judah, Preceded by messenger Enter Jerusalem on a Colt Betrayed by a friend Hands and feet would be pierced Wounded by enemies Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Spit on and beaten Betrayal money would be thrown in the Temple and then given to Buy a potter’s field He would be silent before His accusers He would be crucified with thieves People would gamble for his garments His side would be pierced No bones would be broken Body would not decay Buried in a rich man’s tomb Darkness would cover the earth. Remember, he was crucified on Passover…full moon…eclipse impossible. The probability of these 17 Bible prophecies occurring is equal to 1 chance in 480 Billion X 1 Billion X 1 Trillion or 1 in 480,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 This is a calculated number through scientific study by Auticians. It’s NOT a guess. Here’s my point: We have scientific proof that God knows the future. He knows our future. His predictions are right 100% of the time. Third, you asked: “If this knowledge exists then the future must be predetermined. In result, the free will we see would only be an illusion to a plan that has already been predetermined in his head. Just because God knows the future in no way means that He has determined in advance exactly what that future will be. Free will does not stop being free because God knows what will happen. When my children were small I knew for certain that when offered a bowl of chocolate ice cream and a bowl of raw spinach, they would go for the ice cream every time. My knowing this in no way took away there free choice to choose one dish over the other. Free choice is not predetermined. However the issue of predetermination is inherent in answering your question. As referred to earlier, the idea of downward causation seems to infer that everything that happens is determined by God. However, I tend to see in downward causation an indication that God has His “fingers” in everything that happens on earth. However we sort these concepts out, there is no doubt that we are certainly free to make all kinds of choices entirely on our own. Jesus solidified our free will ability when He invited “whosoever will” to come to Him for salvation (John 3:16). By the way, you may have heard of a relatively recent theological development among evangelical Christians known as “open theism.” The proponents of this nonclassical view postulate a God of limited omniscience who is unable to know all because He, like us, has yet to experience the future. God Himself is open to new experiences and to discovering new events as world history unfolds. I chuckled when the proponents of open theology made such a splash and caused such turmoil among evangelical ranks back in the early 1990s. Proponents continue to this day. Unfortunately, their understanding of time is limited. A little exposure to the nature of time in our universe would have precluded their foolishness. Now, let’s get personal. What I want to know is: “Does God have my life in His hands? Does He have good things in store for me and for my future? Fortunately, when I turn to the Bible, I find plenty to give me hope that I’m not on my own. I have a God Who is intricately and lovingly involved in everything I do—past, present and future. Let me share a few verses that focus on God’s care and security for our futures. “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely” (Psalm 139:1-4). “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11-12). Well, Unknown, even though I don’t know who you are, there is a God in Heaven Who knows you very well. Fortunately, He has wonderful plans for you. I hope you enjoy them. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I’ve read that the hospice movement began with Kevorkian and continues to be assisted suicide by morphine, etc.. It seems to me that the drugs used to put hospice patients into a coma and dehydrates them are the main tools of assisted suicide under the guise of “comfort”. I wonder what your take is on this issue, Roger? Dear S, My dad died under hospice care—it was one of the best decisions our family ever made. I remember flying to Dallas on Monday. After dinner dad was being his usual old-positive self as he talked about his exercises and how he was soon going to be back up on his treadmill. Then he turned to me and asked, “Isn’t it a little unusual for you to come to Dallas on a Monday.” “I just came for a visit.” “That’s not why you’re here, is it?” I realize now, years later, that he knew exactly why I had come. “No. Not really. Mom can’t care for you much longer here at home. I came over to help us find a nursing home.” “Oh”, he said reflectively—and mostly under his breath. Several months earlier his doctor had told him that there were no more treatments to try for his lymphoma. “Well, I guess this is it,” he said quietly. Then, he quoted once more his favorite Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” I rolled him out to his wheel chair and we drove home. Three months had passed since those gut-wrenching moments. Now it was time to die. We never made it to the nursing home. Tuesday morning he took a turn for the worse. No nursing home now. It was like he gave up all desire to live. We realized later that he would rather go on to glory than to be in a nursing home. It is lonely there. The hospice nurse arrived on Tuesday afternoon. We discussed the details and implications of allowing him to die at peace at home with his family instead of in the hospital most probably with tubes and hoses entering and exiting his body The nurse showed us how to use glycerin to keep his mouth and lips from drying out. Fortunately, he was suffering no pain so there was no need for morphine and/or anti-pain killers. We talked and shared some special moments on Wednesday. Early that evening he stopped talking and quietly closed his eyes. His breathing dissipated through the evening. About 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning Jesus came and took him to his new home in Heaven. It is not lonely there. My brother Ronnie and I carried him out of the house and into the mortuary hearse which took his body away. I can’t tell you how nice it was to spend those final days with him at home. I am forever grateful that he could die at home instead of in a strange room filled with strange people with a breathing mask of some kind in an attempt to gain him just a few more short-days alive. I am a believer in hospice care. Hospice is a philosophy of care that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of those patients who are nearing death. These symptoms can be physical, emotional, spiritual or social in nature. Palliative care, unlike regular hospice care, is a specialized type of healthcare which includes all who are terminally ill. Palliative care may be seen as an expanded sphere of hospice which includes patients in all stages of disease, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses, those living with chronic diseases, as well as patients who are nearing the end of their lives. The first hospices are believed to have originated around 1065 during the Crusades. Those wounded and unable to travel were taken to dedicated locals to treat those wounded in battle. The movement has continued in a variety of forms to this very day. Now, S, let’s get to your questions and straighten out some unfortunate misconceptions . You wrote: I’ve read that the hospice movement began with Kevorkian and continues to be assisted suicide by morphine, etc.. It seems to me that the drugs used to put hospice patients into a coma and dehydrates them are the main tools of assisted suicide under the guise of “comfort”. The hospice movement was solidly in place and operating long before Kevorkian came on the scene. Hospice care often includes the administration of morphine and other pain relieving drugs in order to mitigate suffering and to make dying patients as comfortable as possible. Drugs are never used to induce death. If they are, a crime has been committed. Drugs are not utilized to put hospice patients into comas nor to dehydrate patients in order to expedite death. What hospice care does is to allow patients to die as comfortably as possible. In my mind there comes a time when a patient can no longer drink. Pouring in IVs to keep them hydrated is an artificial elongation of the natural life span. There comes a time to die. To extend life artificially may make a person late for his/her appointed time to come into God’s presence in Heaven. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 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 139:13-16). I don’t want to miss my appointed day to meet Jesus in Heaven. I have a living will that declares my intention to not have extra heroic efforts to keep me alive after my time has come to die. I hope that I get to die at home on the very day God has planned for me to go off to Heaven. I have an appointment with Jesus and I don’t want to be late. By the way, euthanasia and suicide end life before it’s time. I also don’t’ want to go early into God’s presence and hear Him say, “What are you doing here? Why are you early? I am not ready for you yet!” By the way euthanasia will become more of an issue I our country as our economy is unable to keep up with the needs of all the people. Cries for rationed healthcare are increasing. I am not surprised! We have more people than we have money. Where do we draw the line? Denmark is working on a plan to give no more health care to seniors over a certain age. After all, they reason (not unreasonably so) that the older ones have had their turn at life. Now the money needs to go to help the younger ones who haven’t lived so long. A physician friend recently told me that one-half of all Medicare expenses occur during the last month of peoples’ lives. If we could just get all the seniors to die one month earlier we could save million of Medicare dollars! Dealing compassionately with the dying is and has been a problem in every culture. For most cultures throughout the centuries the practice was to set people aside when they can no longer produce and thus become a threat to the viability of the others. It was time to withdraw care. Many Native Americans tribes simply put their old and dying under a trees, packed up the tepees and moved on. Some Eskimo cultures once put their unproductive ones on ice floes and sailed them off to eternity. Most hunter-gatherer societies abandoned their elderly to the elements. The margin of survival for the others was infinitesimal. So, we do the best we can. Sometimes we forget that most people in the world have no access to health care whatsoever. They die at home without health care and medicine because there is no where else for them to go. I like our hospice care system much better than those others. Well, S, thank you for asking. The whole hospice question stares many Boomers in the eyes. Adult children are returning home just as mom and dad need more health care than ever before. Hospice care is a helpful tool that can potentially offer succor and aid to many in today’s sandwich generation. Thanks again, S. God bless you. Love, Roger

Anger is a legitimate God-created emotion. God expressed His righteous anger toward sin and injustice. Our Heavenly Father’s love and forgiveness is only understood in the context of His holiness and justice. We can be angry, but we must process our ire in a healthy way.

King Solomon was the consummate diplomat. His valuable advice on assuaging anger is both practical and profound. Eight proverbs give us insight on how to subdue antagonistic people, how to diffuse volatile situations, how to heal dissension, and how to develop patience.

King David, Solomon’s father, gave us a powerful model for handling anger. Because the shepherd-king was called the “man after God’s own heart,” he had profound insight into God’s character. As a result, he responded to life-situations in a healthy, mature way. We can do the same.

Anger is healed by a repentant heart. The dedicatory prayer King Solomon prayed on the Temple mount reveals the king’s clear understanding of the nature of man and the ways of the Divine. Genuine repentance is discussed as we begin to appreciate the greatness of our sin and the infinite grace of God.

Jesus, the Master-Teacher, taught us how to handle anger and proffer forgiveness from His beatitudes, His parables and His example. Forgiveness must come from a grateful heart. Paul teaches us that we should replace our anger with kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness, and patience.

As pastors and church leaders, we often encounter difficult questions from people who are suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually. How would you answer these questions posed to me early in my counseling ministry? If God really loves me, why did my healthy four year old son suddenly die of a brain aneurysm? Where was Jesus when I was being raped? Why didn’t God stop my husband before he had an affair and lost his pastorate? Is it possible that my depression might be the result of a demonic attack? I was ritually abused as a child. Can you help me? I do not trust anyone, including God. Can you help me build trust? When I attend church I get very agitated. I can’t concentrate on what the pastor is saying and the music drives me crazy! What is going on? It was questions like these that motivated me to gain a deeper understanding of the issues many Christians struggle with. Over the course of twenty-eight years of counseling and ministering in a church, a methodology based on our understanding of the scripture emerged. It is this methodology that I discuss and share in this book. It represents the work of many people who served with me and contributed to this process by their experience and spiritual gifts. The healing model discussed in chapter 3 is the result of years of experience and is offered not as “the only way” but as “a way” to understand and organize a ministry to wounded people. It is a model that has been tested and found effective as God has blessed it and used it to help His people. I encourage you to study it with an open mind and ask God to show you how you can be more effective in your ministry to hurting people in your church. I have written this book with the busy pastor in mind. It is organized so that each chapter stands alone and may be read based on its content without having to reference other chapters. You will also note there are chapter summaries available for a quick survey of the content of each. This book presents an apologetic for a strong pastoral care ministry in the local church. The discerning reader will also be aware of the emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit in healing, deliverance and restoration. This author sees the church as a spiritual hospital, fully equipped and staffed to facilitate the healing ministry of Jesus. I encourage you to allow your “theology of suffering” to be challenged as you reflect on how it is operationally defined in your own ministry. This author believes that a healthy church is one that cares for its people and that this caring is easily observable among its members. I believe that churches that have strong ministries to help hurting people are ones that are growing in numbers and in influence in their communities. Just as people were drawn to Jesus by His healing ministry so they are still drawn to His church, when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us, as we minister in Jesus name. I have experienced even the most skeptical and hostile person’s attitude change when they or a member of their family has been helped by the church. Does your church pray for the sick, comfort the grieving, seek freedom for the oppressed, support those in recovery and offer counseling to the confused and discouraged? I believe we can answer the difficult questions that people bring to us. We have the authority of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us to continue the ministry of our Lord to hurting and wounded people. I pray you have experienced being a facilitator of His love to His people!

The essential step in dealing with conflict is to strengthen the relationship (maintain the connection). Here are the steps you should consider in preparing to address the conflict: prepare your heart, prepare what to say, and prepare for the context. In preparing your heart you have to ask several questions. Have I honestly considered why I am doing this? Have I acknowledged my negative feelings and begun working on resolving them? Have I surrendered any wrong attitudes and motivations to God? Have I asked God to prepare the other person’s heart and help him/her to be willing to find a solution we can live with? Is there anything else I need to talk over with God first? Preparing what to say is also key in conflict resolution. Ask yourself the following questions. Do I have the essential issue clearly in mind, and am I able to clearly state it? Am I prepared to honestly and lovingly share my feelings in this matter? Do I have a clear understanding of what I would like to see happen? You must also prepare the context, or place where the conflict will be discussed. These issues must be considered. Have I decided on the best time to bring up the issue? Have I decided on the best location? You must also evaluate the effectiveness of the discussion. Much can be learned through experience by asking questions. Did I clearly and specificially present the issue? Did I promote or allow for two-way dialogue? Did I appropriately control and express my feelings? Did I avoid attacks, mind reading, prophesying and counter attacks? Did I effectively present ideas for possible solutions? Did I listen well without interrupting, giving feedback and adequate opportunity to express feelings, perceptions and solutions? Did I listen well without interrupting, giving feedback and adequate opportunity to express feelings, perceptions and solutions? Did we find a mutually acceptable solution, resulting in a minimum of unresolved feelings and misunderstandings? If we couldn’t agree, did I do everything possible to preserve our relationship? Have we set up a time for ongoing dialogue, if needed? Other strategies for managing conflict can be utilized. Follow these principles. Deal with conflicts as soon as possible (Ephesians 4:26). Keep to the present (no “gunny sacking” with “You always” and “You never”). Keep to one issue at a time. Use “I” statements, rather than “You” statements. If you need to “vent,” do this with the Lord before engaging with the other person. Don’t attack the person’s character. Propose a tentative solution or ask the other person to think of one. If there’s anger, be prepared to ask for and extend forgiveness. Take an intermission, if needed.

In neighborhood after neighborhood across America, the rows of rooftops conceal people whose lives in one way or another have experienced the impact of family disunity or divorce. Perhaps they grew up in a fractured home themselves. Perhaps they’ve watched a grown brother or sister’s marriage fail, ending in awkward custody battles. We all live in close proximity to the divisive effects of marital problems, whether happening under others’ rooftops or under our own. But under many of those same rooftops today, husbands and wives who have lived for years at emotional distance are reaching back to find the love that first knit them together. Words of accusation and disapproval are being silenced by a true desire to serve and uplift each other. Some of the same hands that once were so quick to point out mistakes are now being clasped together in prayer as they rush into the presence of God. We can know that a Christ Awakening is being ushered in upon us when we see a decrease in divorces and renewed commitment to marriage between a man and a woman in covenant relationship as God intends. In centuries past, young men and women found strength to stand up for what they believed, even in the face of pressure and persecution. Joseph stood strong against an Egyptian temptress, because giving in “would be a great sin against God.” (Gen. 39:9) Daniel refused to compromise his convictions in the face of an antagonistic Babylonian culture. Peter and John chose to obey God rather than men: those doing so invited persecution. Others throughout history have done the same, becoming modern-day parallels of those who “shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire…became strong in battle…were mocked…chained…killed.” (Hebrews 11:33-34, 36-37) Marriage in the twenty-first century could well be our battleground, our “lion’s den,” as we are challenged to live out a conviction of marriage as a God-given covenant as the world watches to observe our faithfulness. Our task will be to present the Christian faith to our families, to our young people, and to the world in ways that demonstrate that believing is an intelligent exercise of knowing what is both objectively true and relationally meaningful. Having convictions, then, can be defined as being so thoroughly convinced that Christ and His Word are both objectively and relationally meaningful that you act of your beliefs regardless of the consequences—but how will holding to such convictions be possible in a “wicked and adulterous generation?” (Matthew 16:4) How can our marriages remain secure in their covenant commitment? First, we must remain secure in our identity as His Beloved. Because Jesus Christ entered our world to redeem us and make us God’s children, we are connected and bonded to God’s family. The means God used to reconnect with you is the means by which He defines your identity. Because of the Incarnation, you, your children, students, youth group members, or church members are now in God’s family. You can realize your true identity as son or daughter of your Father God, who relationally accepts you unconditionally, loves you sacrificially, understands you intimately and relates to you continuously. Excerpt from Beyond Belief to Conviction by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler; Wheaton, Il., Tindale House Publishers, 2002. Used by permission. Praying for a Christ-Awakening, Marriage CoMission, pp. 33.