Dear Roger, Does the phrase, “Amen”, said at the end of a prayer, relate at all to the Israelite’s captivity in Egypt and the Egyptian god Amen as in the Amenhoteps? Sincerely, Amanda Dear Amanda, My initial response is that, no, the words sound alike by chance and are certainly not related. After all, the Egyptian, Hebrew and Greek languages are from three different language trees-so, no connection. However, upon further review, I believe that there is a connection in the meaning of the words. The Egyptian god you mentioned was named “Amun.” In the pantheon of Egyptian gods, Amun was tops! All of the other gods were viewed as extensions of Amun. He eventually evolved, during the short reign of a dynasty of kings known as the Amenhoteps (which you mentioned) into being the one and only god. This is monotheism–one god–as opposed to polytheism-many gods. According to the Egyptian theology of the time, amun was self-created and was worshipped as a transcendent deity. When the line of the Amenhoteps died out, the Egyptionas returned quickly to their polytheistic pantheon. While it is impossible to pinpoint the exact time of the 400-year Israelite slavery sojourn in Egypt, some think that the Amenhoteps were ruling for at least a portion of that time. (Remember, “There arose a pharaoh who knew not Joseph.”) Hence, there may well be a monotheistic connection in both Israeli and Egyptian theology. The above is significant because during their years of slavery, the Israelites lived side-by-side with the Egyptians. The Egyptians, Hebrews and Greeks all had a word for “contentment”. The word for “contentment” is “amum” in Egyptian, “sea’pook” in Hebrew and “autarkeia” in Greek. What gets interesting is when we compare the Egyptian word “amun” with the Greek word, “amen” (which is the word we often use to conclude our prayers). While the Egyptian word, “amun” means “contentment,” the Greek word, “amen,” means “truly”, “surely”, or “let it be.” When you ponder this thought, when we conclude our prayers with the word “amen,” we are affirming our faith in the God to Whom we are praying. In essence, we are content that our prayers will surely be heard and answered by God. Few things speak more to contentment than the words, “let it be.” Without sounding trite, one of the most influential Beatles songs was entitled “Let it Be.” This song had a powerful impact that calmed down an entire generation of rebellious young people in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Beatles sand “Let it Be” and all was quiet–for awhile! Thank you Amanda, for such a penetrating question. I hope my answer is helpful to you. Ask me another soon. Love, Roger

Now is the time for a movement of reformation and revival in the hearts and homes of Christian women all around this world. Now is the time to go against the flow. I believe God has brought you into His kingdom for such a time as this. Teens: That means the willingness to follow Christ and His Word when it seems that all the other girls your age are consumed with beauty, guys, self, sex, and having a good time. It means setting your affections on Christ, guarding your heart, choosing the pathway of purity, and becoming a Truth-speaker in your generation when all your peers seem to be going the opposite direction. Single women: That means choosing the pathway of contentment. It means being willing to be married or single—whichever God has for you—for His glory and the sake of His kingdom. It means using your singleness to serve the Lord without distraction. It means being willing to be sexually pure and to be a servant of the family of God. Married women: It’s a call to be faithful in a world of broken promises—to love your husband, to pray for him, to build a marriage that glorifies God. It means being faithful in the good times and the hard times. It means saying yes to your high and holy calling of being a helper to your husband, reverencing him as the Scripture exhorts, submitting to him as a picture of your submission to Christ Himself. It means giving yourself wholeheartedly to your husband and saying no to emotional or physical intimacy with any other man. Mothers: That means embracing the calling and gift of being a giver and a nurturer of life. Don’t let the world tell you how many or how few children to have. Let God give you His vision for the impact that your children and grandchildren could make for His kingdom for generations to come. Do battle in prayer for the souls of your children and your grandchildren. Older women: It means choosing not to retire spiritually. Don’t settle for a life consumed by golf, bridge, meaningless activity, and preoccupation with self. Younger women need you. They need your counsel, encouragement, and prayers. They need you to take them under your wings and help them learn how to live lives that please the Lord. I often say to women, “We’ve got to be willing to be salmon swimming upstream.” What do salmon do? They get bloodied and beat up on the rocks in order to give birth and produce life. Then what do they do? They die. You say, “That doesn’t sound like something I want to be called to.” But what a picture that is of the heart of Christ, who swam upstream—bloodied and beaten—to give spiritual life; laying down His life on Calvary to give us eternal life. We may die in the process, but if we die fulfilling the kingdom purposes and will of God for our lives, so be it. If we perish, we perish. Let’s go for broke! That’s what Amy Carmichael did for over 55 years. She risked her life to rescue little girls who had been sold into prostitution in the Hindu temples—one young woman at a time. She worked tirelessly to salvage those lives and to expose the works of darkness that had claimed so many children’s lives in India. Each step of the way she was fighting and pushing against the powers of darkness—not in her own strength, but in the strength and power of God who had sent her there. She endured and persevered through all those years with a handful of victories, but also with numerous heartbreaking losses and apparent defeats. The issues around us are no less serious than those of those little girls sold into temple prostitution. Women and girls all around us are in bondage to guilt, fear, bitterness, anxiety, eating disorders, sinful behaviors, addictions, and depression. They need to be rescued from the enemy who has taken them captive. We are called to fight the powers of darkness in the name, power, and Spirit of the Lord Jesus and to join God in His great rescue operation. We’re called to shine the light in the darkness, to see captives set free, and to see God glorified. If you’re like me, you feel inspired and grateful to help with such a mission, but on the other hand, there is a real sense of weakness and overwhelming inadequacy. In these times of fear, the Lord reminds me of that passage in Luke 1 when the angel came to Mary and said, “You’re going to have a baby—God’s Son. I know you’re not married and you’ve never been intimate with a man, but this is what God is going to do.” Mary asked the obvious question, “How can this be? It’s not physically possible.” The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Who’s going to win the battle? God is. Who’s going to fill you with power? God is. “Nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel said. What was Mary’s response? Mary said simply, in faith, humility, and surrender, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Mary said, “Yes, Lord.” If you were to ask her today, “Was it worth it, Mary? Would you do it again?” Do you have any doubt about what she would say? “Yes, it was worth it. The Savior was born!” His calling on our lives will involve hardship, suffering, and obstacles. It’s not a calling to comfort, convenience, and self-fulfillment. It’s a calling to glorify God with the laying down of our lives, just as our Savior was willing to lay down His life so that we could live. When you and I see the face of Christ—if we’ve been faithful in fulfilling His calling in our lives—we will say, “Jesus, it was worth it all for You.” In fact, I think most—if not all of us—will say, “I wish I’d given You more.” I’m asking God to raise up a great host of women—women of courage, faith, compassion, humility, and wisdom. Women filled with Jesus for such a time as this. Will you join me in that mission? Will you be a part of that counter-cultural revolution? Will you say, “Yes, Lord. I am Your servant. Take me, use me, spend me. Fulfill all Your holy, eternal purposes in and through my life, whatever the cost”? © Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. Excerpted from Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ closing challenge at True Woman 2008. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHeart

A woman, in order to abort her unborn child, must overcome her instinctual impulse to attend to the baby’s helplessness. Even a woman who has undergone several abortions, upon seeing her limp fetus, experiences a profound psychological shock that can produce emotional trauma or illness. Our society has multitudes of would-be mothers who are suffering the grief and emotional ordeal of having an abortion. The abortion industry makes $500 million a year in the United States, and an estimated $10 billion a year worldwide. As pastors and concerned Christians, we must not only be proactive about preventing abortions, we must compassionately help the women who have had an abortion to recover from the trauma and find forgiveness and healing. Recent evidence indicates many women harbor strong guilt feelings long after their abortions. Some women felt that they were carrying out the unconscious wishes of their rejection mothers who had not wanted their own birth and had in many cases, actually tried to prevent it. After five or ten years, fifty-four percent of mothers choosing abortion had nightmares and ninety-six percent felt they had taken a human life. Eighty percent of post-abortive women express self-hatred, and forty-nine percent begin or increase drug use. Fourteen percent describe themselves as becoming an addict or alcoholic. Sixty percent admit contemplating suicide, and twenty-eight percent actually attempted suicide. Pastors, counselors and lay people can lead women who have had an abortion to experience the totality of God’s love for them and to accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and of themselves. The Church can be a place of healing and a refuge for all-the women and their families-touched by the devastation of abortion. Fear of rejection, shame and denial will keep women in isolation and pain if they do not feel that they can share their pain. There is the danger of preaching against abortion in a way that further isolated those affected by the trauma. Women (girls) who are newly converted or were pressured into making a decision that they later regretted are in need of pastoral care. Jesus has promised to heal and restore those who have found themselves in guilt, sin and despair. Often, years after a woman has had an abortion, she will begin to feel remorse and pain from this event. There was a remedy for guilt in the Old Testament with the giving of a guilt offering, and there was the ultimate remedy in the New Testament by the giving of the Son of God as a sacrifice for our sin. Paul penned these words: “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23) God does not intend that we remain under the curse of guilt. It is easier for one to focus on their sin rather than the one who can take away their sin. Guilt feelings and personal behavior must be evaluated in terms of the teachings of Scripture. People must examine themselves according to the teachings of Scripture and not by their own unattainable standards. King David was free from guilt and was able to implore of the Lord to examine his life. (Psalm 26:2). Releasing guilt is not instantaneous. It is a process. Simplistic responses like “just trust in the Lord” or “leave it in His hands” don’t give the individual permission to grieve or find emotional healing. There is much work that one must do to help move an abortion victim toward acceptance and wholeness. Feelings must be processed and unhealthy behaviors must be “unlearned.” The goal is to help the hurting woman to forgive herself, to forgive others, to seek forgiveness from others and to receive forgiveness from God. Grief is a process that must not be short-circuited. Regardless of the loss of a child, whether the baby is miscarried, still born or aborted, the mother will still pass through the stages of grief. Denial, anger, sadness and acceptance are stages that every grieving person faces. Often the first reaction to an unplanned pregnancy is “This can’t be happening to me.” Some women feel numb or dazed on the day of the abortion. Women are often surprised to find themselves crying later. Feelings of shock, denial or delayed sadness are a natural way of protecting oneself from being overwhelmed by too many emotions all at once. It’s natural to feel angry or irritable. Some women find themselves snapping at family members. Some women feel angry at themselves, at pregnant women or women with small children. Circumstances seem to have cheated them, and anger is a natural response. Remember that a relationship cannot be healed if one is dishonest about feelings. Too often women are taught that forgiveness means overlooking hurtful behavior. Bottling up angry feelings can cause stress. If there is difficulty expressing angry feelings, a book on assertiveness will help them express their feeling without harming themselves. Sadness is the emotion that is most often associated with grief. Remember that because abortion can represent a real loss in one’s life, it is natural to cry and feel sad. One of the most common mistakes people might make is to minimize the pain. Many people are uncomfortable with expression of grief, and that is why they try to “fix” one’s feelings too quickly or gloss over how much one is hurting. Support from the church helps many to cope with the grieving process. Shedding tears and talking over sad feelings with others are therapeutic activities. Friends, spouses, prayer, self-help groups and therapists are all potential sources of environmental support. Help them find a support group with those who have gone through a similar experience. Some women benefit by having a memorial service for the pregnancy. Others create a memorial by doing something important or special for themselves or others, something they might not have done if the pregnancy had continued. This can help give the abortion experience meaning and closure. Finally, one might begin to think about the abortion less and less. When this occurs, the feelings are less painful. One has not forgotten about the abortion, but they are simply ready to move on. Acceptance is not forgetting about the experience, but it is coming to the place where one has forgiven themselves and others and has accepted the peace that is available from God. Vining, John Kie. When Home Is Where The Hurt Is: A Ministry Intervention Guide for Trauma Victims. Nashville: Family Ministries, pp. 232-252.

One of the key words in the culture that confuses people today is the word tolerance. We must remember that tolerance is how we treat people, but rationality is how we are supposed to treat ideas—and for the Christian, that is biblically based rationality. We are not to tolerate false ideas. Rather, we are to sort truth from error and then expose error. Two worldviews are in conflict. One worldview is biblical; the other is antibiblical. Christians are often called narrow-minded, but having distinctions requires a narrowing of thought. Jesus spoke of a narrow gate (Matt. 7:13-14), and we see throughout the Scriptures that there is no gray area when it comes to receiving Christ’s salvation and obeying His commands. Jesus must be the Lord of our minds. He exercises His authority through the Word, so we must be sure we are thinking biblically. Be Biblical – Know and teach the truth, and show it in your life. Bank workers study genuine money, not counterfeit bills, so they will recognize bogus money. Similarly, if we want to recognize wolves in sheep’s clothing, we must know what a true sheep looks like! Because evil disguises itself as truth—and remember, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14)—we must study God’s Word so we can quickly recognize error. Even in some evangelical churches, people are not being taught the whole counsel of God. It’s important to anchor our lives in God’s character (2 Pet. 1:3), and know His standards for unchanging truth, so we will not be cast adrift by the empty, always-changing philosophies of the world (2 Tim. 2:15). God does not want us to be spiritual babies. He wants us to mature in Christ so we will not be “tossed to and fro” by foolish, crafty schemes and teachings (Eph. 4:13-15). He wants us to grow in understanding and discernment, because he hates “every false way” (Psalm 119:104). Likewise, God does not want His children to fall into the traps of the Enemy. If we will meditate in the Scriptures, we will be less likely to fall for the counsel of the wicked (Psalm 1:1-2). It is important to come to the Word of God in humility—as a little child—without any ulterior motives and biases, asking our heavenly Father to teach us (Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 1:19-20). It is also important to sit under solid, biblical church teaching and to fellowship with strong Christian believers. God wants us to “exercise” our senses and faithfully seek how to live for Him (Heb. 5:14). We need daily exposure to the Word of God so we will be able to “discern what is best” and live holy, blameless lives (Phil. 1:10). Truth is the most powerful corrective to error. Once we know the truth, we will want to share it with others who have fallen into error, those who are deceived by false teaching. We must teach and live out the truth of God. We can help other believers stand in the liberty of Christ and “not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). Be Courageous – Identify and expose the works of darkness. God wants us to defend the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1) by exposing lies. We must identify the sources of error that may be influencing our lives or the lives of those we love. Perhaps it is a cult or New Age thinking or theological errors. First John 4:1 instructs us to test the spirits, attempting to determine whether they are from God. Whatever their words—whether they are spoken by preachers, teachers, psychologists, authors, talk show hosts, or radio speakers—all teachings are to be judged by the eternal Word of God (John 17:17b). The character and methods of false teachers are exposed in the Scriptures. They preach another gospel and a different Jesus from the one revealed in Scripture (1 Cor. 16:22; 2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6-9). They speak “a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the L ORD” (Jer. 23:16) and prophesy lies in God’s name, trying to make His people forget about Him and His Word (Deut. 18:20-22; Jer. 23:25-27). They dismiss guilt and justify sin, calling evil good and good evil (Isa. 5:20). They “make captives of gullible women” who are loaded down with sinful lusts—women who are “always learning” some new “truth” but never embrace the truth (2 Tim. 3:6-7). They “secretly bring in destructive heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1). They speak great “swelling words of emptiness” and entice people through the flesh, promising them liberty but enslaving them (2 Pet. 2:18-21). They cause dissension in the church (Rom. 16:17) as “untaught and unstable” people follow their example and twist Scripture for their own purposes (2 Pet. 3:16). False apostles often appear to be apostles of Christ (2 Cor. 11:13). In the end times, false prophets will be joined by false christs, who will “show great signs and wonders” to deceive many (Matt. 24:24). Christians are warned to have no fellowship with these teachers and their “unfruitful works of darkness” but rather to “reprove” them (Eph. 5:11) and be careful not to be “spoiled” (taken captive or cheated) by their false doctrines (Col. 2:8). False teachers are empowered by Satan, and we must be courageous and vigilant against this cunning enemy who seeks to “devour” us (1 Pet. 5:8-9a). Be Prayerful – Intercede for those caught in Satan’s snare. Prayer is often the forgotten element in the battle against false teaching. Beyond gently and firmly sharing the truth, we can pray—from a heart of compassion and concern—that God will correct those “who are in opposition” and “grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). We can also pray for those who have fallen prey to these teachers, that they will recognize the error of false teachings and embrace the truth of the Word of God. We must be alert and keep on praying for believers everywhere, that they will stand for truth and righteousness (Eph. 6:18). We must be “serious and watchful” and develop keen discernment in our prayers (1 Pet. 4:7). Just as King Solomon asked for wisdom so that he could discern wisely and govern his people well (1 Kings 3:5-14), so we need to pray for understanding as we seek wisdom and truth in the Word (Psalm 119:125, 130). Be Proactive – Protect yourself against the poison of error. There is no such thing as a safe dose of poison, so we must be careful about what we allow to enter our lives. It is wise to surround ourselves and those we love with a clear understanding of what God teaches in His Word. After we pray for protection, we can stand firm with the “belt of truth” (Eph. 6:14a). In fact, we should put on the whole armor of God, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the “powers of this dark world” (Eph. 6:12-17). To be proactive, we can learn to correctly handle the Scriptures, knowing these truths about the Word of God: It is eternal and unchanging (Psalm 119:89). It is trustworthy (Psalm 119:137-138). It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). It originates in God Himself by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20-21). It will be fulfilled—unlike the prophecies of false teachers (Deut. 18:22; Matt. 5:18; Luke 24:44). It is understandable through the Holy Spirit’s teaching (John 14:26; 16:13; 2 Cor. 1:13). It means what it says and is not to be altered (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; Eccles. 12:11-12; 1 Cor. 4:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19). It is unified, neither contradictory nor inconsistent (Num. 23:19; Psalm 119:160; Matt. 4:4; Acts 20:27). It is the standard for testing all spiritual teaching (Acts 17:11; 2 Cor. 11:4; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 John 4:1). We test teachings by asking questions. Does the teaching present Jesus biblically (John 8:24; 10:33)? Does the teaching represent truth from the Spirit of God—as portrayed in the Word of God—or from another spirit? Is the message consistent with the Scriptures that teach the physical death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 2:8-9)? With the increase of spiritual error in these perilous days, we must be courageous to confront false teachings in confidence, with compassion and wisdom. We must know, share, and live the truth, prayerfully asking God to use us to change the hearts and minds of those ensnared by Satan’s lies. (Learn To Discern booklets available at www.Store.ReviveOurHearts.com. © Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

Did you know that God has blessed you with hope and a future? His blessing is both personal, powerful and prophetic. Genesis 49 reveals great truths about prophetic blessings as seen in the Old Testament. By studying Jacob’s words, we can also learn how to bless those we love as well. Jacob’s blessings over his offspring were prophetic. God allowed him to foretell something over each of his children. Although some of Jacob’s words don’t appear to be blessings, they still have the power to bless the life of each child. Jacob’s blessings are “tailor-made” for each son, and are wise and fair. The patriarch’s words have far-reaching effects. The name of each son represents the entire tribe that will descend from him. “Then Jacob called for his sons and said: Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.” (Genesis 49:1) Theologian Bruce Waltke writes: “The prophetic blessings embrace both the near and distant future…from the conquest and distribution of the land to the consummate reign of Christ.” “He further states that Jacob’s blessings for his sons identify the twelve tribes and their individual blessing, prophesying their unique destinies within their common destiny as a nation.” We have a unique destiny within our common future as Christ’s church. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, we don’t have to be in bondage to the sins of our forefathers. “Jesus…cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:9) We can be free from our past, but we also have a bright future! “We are blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Though Judah, Jacob’s errant son, had made mistakes in his lifetime, the far reach of blessing upon the tribes of Israel is never more beautifully displayed than in the prophecy Jacob spoke over Judah. The redemption of this one-foolish son is stunning. God tethers his line to eternity with crimson thread, saving earth’s crown for His Son’s Head. Genesis 49:9-12: “You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs [a] and the obedience of the nations is his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.” The Lion of the Tribe of Judah was the same One who, draped in flesh, rode…down the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem as the crowd cried out, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9) No wonder Judah’s name means “praise.” Kneel and receive your Blessing. Redemption is your and Jesus is your great reward! Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), p. 596 and 602. Beth Moore, The Patriarchs (Nashville, Tennessee: Lifeway Press, 2006), pp. 231-232. Used by permission of Lifeway.com.

God’s Word gives us wonderful guidance on what attitudes and actions we are to display toward our spiritual leaders. Use the following questions to help evaluate how you can better love and support those who shepherd you, and honor God in the process! “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Do I regularly take time to recognize my spiritual leaders and to identify the contributions they have made in my life? Do I respect those who minister spiritually to me? Do my spiritual leaders know that I admire and love them? Do I express appreciation and gratitude to my spiritual leaders for their labors on my behalf? Do I speak well of my spiritual leaders to others? “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). Do I seek to learn from the lives of my spiritual leaders? Do I seek to emulate godly characteristics in the lives of those who have taught me the Word of God? “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning . . .” (Heb. 13:17). Am I responsive to the direction of my spiritual leaders? When my spiritual leaders stand before God to give account for my life, will they be able to do so with joy? Do I allow anyone to “watch for my soul”? Do I make it easy for my spiritual leaders to lead me spiritually? “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father . . .” (1 Tim. 5:1). When I have a concern about a spiritual leader, do I approach him prayerfully, respectfully, and humbly? Have I been careful to avoid “attacking” or “confronting” my spiritual leaders? “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1 Tim. 5:19). Am I careful to avoid making charges against my spiritual leaders, apart from going through the necessary biblical channels? Am I careful not to plant seeds of disloyalty by giving evil reports to others about my spiritual leaders? “ For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed . . . I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:4-6). Am I careful to give God the glory for the spiritual growth and fruit in my life? Am I careful to avoid exalting one spiritual leader above others? Do I realize that ultimately it is God who is at work in my life, and that those men who have most impacted me are merely His servants? Do I avoid a sectarian spirit, refusing to take sides with one leader against others? “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages’” (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Do I express honor in tangible, practical ways to those who lead me spiritually and minister the Word of God to me and to my family? Are the financial needs of the pastoral staff in our church being adequately met? Have I invested financially in the lives of those who have discipled me and helped me grow in my walk with God? “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches” (Gal. 6:6). Am I investing materially in the lives of those who teach me the Word? Do I look for opportunities to minister to the practical needs of my spiritual leaders? “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions . . . Brothers, pray for us” (1 Tim. 2:1-2; 1 Thess. 5:25). Do I thank God for the leaders He has put in my life? Do I pray faithfully for the men who are in positions of spiritual leadership over my life? Do I take initiative to find out how I can pray for my spiritual leaders? © Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

There are essentially two ways of responding to life’s hurts and unfair experiences. Every time we get hurt, we choose to respond in one of these two ways. The first, natural response is to become a debt collector. We set out to make the offender pay for what he has done. We may be overt or subtle, but until we get a satisfactory apology, until we determine that an adequate penalty has been paid, we intend on keeping the wrongdoer in debtors’ prison; we reserve the right to punish them for their transgression. Instead of releasing our grip on the offenses we’ve received, letting God be the one (the only one) who’s big and strong enough to handle the problem in His perfect, just, and redemptive way, we grab hold of the hurt and refuse to let it go. We hold our offender hostage (we think). But the problem is that being a “debt collector” does more than keep our offender in prison; it puts us in prison. A colleague passed on to me a heartrending story he had heard a woman share with her church family, as the Lord was revealing her need to choose the pathway of forgiveness. As a young girl, she and a little friend of hers in their small town went out one day to see the county sheriff, whose office happened to be in the same building as the town jail. The children had always considered the man to be their friend, the nice person with the uniform and the badge who was just fun to be around. At some point in the afternoon, her girlfriend ran off to play, leaving her alone with the sheriff in his office. Suddenly, the look on his face began making her uncomfortable. The feel of the room became strangely tense and frightening. He moved close to her and whisperingly said, “If you ever tell your parents what I’m about to do to you”—pointing to the iron bars behind him—“I’ll put you in one of those jail cells.” And with that, he proceeded to molest her. The events of that day had occurred many years in the past by the time she finally told the story, as a grown woman, of how the man she thought was a trusted friend had shattered her childhood innocence. Thinking back to what the sheriff had said about locking her up if she were to report him to her mom or dad, she said, “I realize now that in my heart I put him in a ‘jail cell’ that day, and all these years I’ve kept him in that prison.” When God finally opened her eyes to see what unforgiveness was actually doing to her (and to her marriage), she realized something else: on that day so many years ago, she had put herself in jail as well. And though the man was now long dead, unforgiveness and bitterness had kept her locked there—in a cell of her own making—for all those years. Was it her fault for being taken advantage of by an authority figure? Of course not. That cannot be said strongly enough. But who had been hurt the most by her unforgiveness? And why should she be in “jail” for a crime someone else had committed? Debt collecting is the natural response of sinful humans to being harmed, abused, or mistreated. Invariably it produces the bitter fruit of deeper pain, resentment, and bondage. But there is another way . A better way. God’s way. Letting Go As an alternative to being debt collectors—the pathway of resentment and retaliation—God calls us to the pure, powerful choice of forgiveness—and to pursue, wherever possible, the pathway of restoration and reconciliation. “As the Lord has forgiven you,” Paul writes in Colossians 3:13, “so you also must forgive.” The Lord Himself was equally clear and direct: “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him” (Mark 11:25 NKJV). “Anything against anyone.” No offense is too great, no offender is beyond the boundary to which our forgiveness must extend. Yes, that kind of forgiveness is unnatural. It’s supernatural. At times it’s almost unbelievable. Ask the surgeon whose medical mistake cost my friend Margaret Ashmore’s mother her life. She had been rushed to the hospital with chest pains, yet was still visibly bright and alert when tests revealed that she had indeed suffered a mild heart attack. It was decided that an angioplasty procedure would be the best route for opening up the perceived blockage in her arteries. She was immediately wheeled into surgery. Everyone expected her to be fine. But sometime during the operation, the doctor inflated the balloon apparatus too quickly, too early. Her damaged heart began to fail irreparably. She sank into a coma and died three hours later. Margaret’s father was inconsolable. His wife of forty-two years—a marriage he had treasured with an intense love and loyalty greater than most—had been taken from him in a matter of moments. For no good reason. By a surgeon’s goof-up. The days that followed were almost too painful for Margaret to bear. Her kind, gentle father was becoming a cyclone of anger, grief, despair . . . revenge! Unrelenting in his rage, tormented by his broken heart, he declared himself on a mission to “bring down that hospital!” Demanding a meeting with the hospital administration and the doctors responsible for his wife’s care, he vowed to tell them to their face that he was suing them all for everything they had . . . and living to see them suffer. As the hospital staff and physicians anxiously awaited the arrival of Margaret’s dad for the confrontation, they trembled at the thought of what they expected to hear. How does someone in their shoes handle a situation like this? You don’t . . . when God does. On his way to the meeting, Margaret’s dad began to realize that if he ever wanted to be free from this dungeon of anger and bitterness in which he was finding himself, he would have to do what God had done for him. He would have to forgive. To the amazement of everyone in the room, as he walked through the door that day, he walked directly over to the man whose misjudgment had ended his dear one’s life, extended his hand to him, and said, “The only way I’m going to be able to live with any peace the remainder of my life is to forgive you.” The doctor began to weep. For what seemed like forever, he couldn’t even let go of the hand of the man who had relinquished his right to retaliate. Two people walked out of that conference room as free men that day—but none more free than the one who offered the release, the one who did the forgiving. © Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. Excerpted from Choosing Forgiveness: Your Journey to Freedom by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Available at www.Store.ReviveOurHearts.com www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. At least half of American women will experience an unintended pregnancy by age 45, and at current rates, about one third will have had an abortion. So how do we minister to these wounded women? Where do we start? Obviously much counseling and discipleship is needed to mature in their spiritual journey, but I believe the first step is to understand the emotions and struggles they face following their choice. We must do everything we can to prevent abortions, but we must also do all we can to heal those hurting women around us. Here are just a few facts about Post-Abortion Syndrome. Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. The process of making an abortion choice, experiencing the procedure and living with the grief, pain and regret is certainly, at its very core, traumatic. As with any trauma, individuals often try to “forget” the ordeal and deny or ignore any pain that may result. Many simply don’t relate their distress to the abortion experience. At some point, however, memories resurface and the truth of this loss can no longer be denied. During these moments, the pain of post-abortion syndrome reveals itself in the hearts of millions of lives. The symptoms of post-abortion syndrome will not necessarily appear at the same time, nor is likely that any woman will experience the entire list. Some may occur immediately after an abortion and others much later. If you can identify with more than two of these symptoms, it could be that you are experiencing post-abortion syndrome. Below are the symptoms that describe post-abortion syndrome , as described by Dr. Paul and Teri Reisser in their book, Help for the Post-Abortive Woman (now entitled A Solitary Sorrow): 1. Guilt. Guilt is what an individual feels when she has violated her own moral code. For the woman who has come to believe, at some point either before or after the abortion, that she consented to the killing of her unborn child, the burden of guilt is relentless. There is little consolation to offer the woman who has transgressed one of nature’s strongest instincts: the protection a mother extends to her young. In fact, many post-abortive women believe that any unhappy events that have occurred since the abortion were inevitable because they “deserve it.” 2. Anxiety. Anxiety is defined as an unpleasant emotional and physical state of apprehension that may take the form of tension, (inability to relax, irritability, etc.), physical responses (dizziness, pounding heart, upset stomach, headaches, etc.), worry about the future, difficulty concentrating, and disturbed sleep. The conflict between a woman’s moral standards and her decision to abort generates much of this anxiety. Very often, she will not relate her anxiety to a post-abortion syndrome abortion, and yet she will unconsciously begin to avoid anything having to do with babies. She may make excuses for not attending a baby shower, skip the baby aisle at the grocery store, and so forth. 3. Psychological “numbing.” Many post-abortive women maintain a secret vow that they will never again allow themselves to be put in such a vulnerable position. As a result, often without conscious thought, they may work hard to keep their emotions in tight check, preventing themselves from feeling the pain of what has happened, but also greatly hampering their ability to form and maintain close relationships. Cut off even from themselves, they may feel as though their lives were happening to another person. 4. Depression and thoughts of suicide. All of us experience depression from time to time, but the following forms of it are certainly common in women who have experienced abortion: Sad mood —ranging from feelings of melancholy to total hopelessness. Sudden and uncontrollable crying episodes — the source of which appear to be a total mystery. Deterioration of self-concept —because she feels wholly deficient in her ability to function as a “normal” woman. Sleep, appetite, and sexual disturbances — usually in a pattern of insomnia, loss of appetite and/or reduced sex drive. Reduced motivation —for the normal activities of life. The things that occupied her life before the depression no longer seem worth doing. Disruption in interpersonal relationships — because of the general lack of enthusiasm for all activities. This is especially evidenced in her relationship with her husband or boyfriend, particularly if he was involved in the abortion decision. Thoughts of suicide —or preoccupation with death. Not surprisingly, in a study done by the Elliot Institute, some 33% of post-abortive women surveyed reached a level of depression so deep that they would rather die than go on. 5. Anniversary syndrome. In the survey reference previously, some 54% of post-abortive women report an increase of post-abortion syndrome symptoms around the time of the anniversary of the abortion and/or the due date of the aborted child. 6. Re-experiencing the abortion. A very common event described by post-abortive women is the sudden distressing, recurring “flashbacks” of the abortion episode, often occurring during situations that resemble some aspect of the abortion, such as a routine gynecological exam, or even the sound of a vacuum cleaner’s suction. “Flashbacks” also occur in the form of recurring nightmares about babies in general or the aborted baby in particular. These “dreams” usually involve themes of lost, dismembered, or crying babies. 7. Preoccupation with becoming pregnant again. A significant percentage of women who abort become pregnant again within one year, and many others verbalize the desire to conceive again as quickly as possible. The new baby, sometimes referred to as the “atonement baby,” may represent an unconscious desire to replace the one that was aborted. 8. Anxiety over fertility and childbearing issues. A common post-abortion syndrome symptom in women is a fear that they will never again become pregnant or be able to carry a pregnancy to term. Some expect to have handicapped children because they have “disqualified themselves as good mothers.” Many refer to these fears as punishments from God. 9. Interruption of the bonding process with present and/or future children. Fearing another devastating loss, a post-abortive woman may not allow herself to truly bond with other children. Another common reaction is to atone for her actions toward the aborted child by becoming the world’s most perfect mother to her remaining or future children. Likewise, the woman who already had children at the time of her abortion may discover that she is beginning to view them in a different light. At one extreme, she may unconsciously devalue them, thinking things like, “You were the lucky one. You were allowed to live.” Or she may go in the opposite direction and become overly protective. 10. Survival guilt. Most women do not abort for trivial reasons. They are usually in the midst of a heartbreaking situation whereby they stand to lose much if they choose to carry their pregnancies to term. In the end, the decision boils down to a sorrowful, “It’s me or you, and I choose me.” But while the abortion frees them from their current trauma, it frequently produces in them an unrelenting guilt for choosing their own comfort over the life of the child. 11. Development of eating disorders. Some post-abortive women developed anorexia or bulimia. While this phenomenon remains largely unexplored at this time, several factors may contribute to it. First, a substantial weight gain or severe weight loss is associated with unattractiveness, which reduces the odds of becoming pregnant again. Second, becoming unattractive serves as a form of self-punishment and helps perpetuate the belief that the woman is unworthy of anyone’s attention. Third, extremes in eating behavior represent a form of control for the woman who feels her life is totally out of control. And finally, a drastic weight loss can shut down the menstrual cycle, thus preventing any future pregnancies. 12. Alcohol and drug abuse. Alcohol and drug use often serve initially as a form of self-medication—a way of coping with the pain of the abortion memories. Sadly, the woman who resorts to alcohol and/or drugs eventually finds herself having not only more problems but also fewer resources with which to solve them. The mental and physical consequences of alcohol or drug abuse only amplify most of the symptoms the woman is already experiencing. 13. Other self-punishing or self-degrading behaviors. In addition to eating disorders and substance abuse, the post-abortive woman may also enter in abusive relationships, become promiscuous, and fail to take care of herself medically or deliberately hurt herself emotionally and/or physically. 14. Brief reactive psychosis. Rarely, a post-abortive woman may experience a brief psychotic episode for two weeks or less after her abortion. The break with reality and subsequent recovery are both extremely rapid, and in most cases the person returns completely to normal when it is over. While this is an unusual reaction to abortion, it bears mentioning only because it is possible for a person to have a brief psychotic reaction to a stressful even without being labeled a psychotic individual. During such an episode, the individual’s perception of reality is drastically distorted. These individuals should be referred to the care of a professional. For more information see www.RamahInternational.org

What’s a good definition of codependency? In the broadest sense it’s an addiction to people, places, or things. Codependency used to mean that one person was dependent on something like alcohol and the other person simply needed them to be dependent on alcohol, so the second person was codependent. Now it simply means to be dependent, and sometimes dependent on another person who’s also dependent. Many of you have been married . When you got married, you heard the phrase, “The two shall become one.” What you didn’t know was that there was another implied statement or question: “Which one shall they become?” That goes along with another definition. Another definition of codependency is…“Codependency is allowing others to define who you are and how you feel.” Ten Traits of Codependency The codependent is driven by one or more compulsions. Proverbs 19:19 Codependency could be something that looks “good.” Workaholism is a powerful example. Most compulsions are more obviously negative: alcohol abuse, eating disorder, sexual addiction, or counting things. A parent can also live in “rescue” mode to help a child in trouble. Matthew 10:16, Proverbs 19:19, Philippians 1:9, Proverbs 24:11 The codependent is bound and often tormented by the way things were in the dysfunctional family of origin. Proverbs 27:7 Maybe there was “never enough,” so the ghosts of the past scream, “Make more! Spend more!” One example from my own clients is a premarital woman who revealed to me she was molested by someone in her family, and yet waited to discuss it in the last counseling session, a few days prior to the marriage. She wept, but did not want to talk about it. Usually, there’s a yearning to repeat the past over and over until it finally turns out right. The codependent’s self-esteem (and, frequently, maturity) is very low. Numbers 13:33. It probably enabled the person’s survival to believe negative things about themselves. But as an adult, it doesn’t work anymore. Here’s an example: a man came to his son’s baseball game – finally. His son hit a homerun. Dad said, “You weren’t holding the bat right.” What’s the message? “I’m never good enough.” A codependent is certain his or her happiness hinges on others. John 5:44 “You don’t deserve to relax and enjoy yourself.” Or maybe your happiness depended on your behavior when you were growing up. You got strokes for your performance, but for nothing else. Conversely, a codependent feels inordinately responsible for others. Matthew 23:4. I had a client who had to bail his parents out of the bars. Another example was a client who had one parent die, and she had to comfort and take care of everyone else. Perhaps the oldest child simply had to be more responsible. Perhaps one parent elevated the person in the family structure – parentification. The codependent’s relationship with a spouse or significant other Person (SOP) is marred by a damaging, unstable lack of balance between dependence and independence. Ecclesiastes 7:18 The codependent doesn’t want to be abandoned, but also doesn’t want to be swallowed up. Two examples would be married couples that move in and out of the house, or they argue to keep their distance, but passionately “make up.” The codependent is a master of denial and repression. Proverbs 4:19. The controlling person who says his control is just “love.” “As if the gourmet’s love for pork could be called love from the pig’s vantage point.” A codependent worries about things he or she can’t change and may well try to change them. Luke 12:13-15 A few examples would be to get someone to stop drinking or smoking marijuana; to stop playing computer games; to stop staying out late at night; to get a better job. A codependent’s life is punctuated by extremes. Mark 7:6 The codependent person is on a high when he or she is treated nice, but on a low when ignored. They are controlling, then passive. 10. A codependent is constantly looking for the something that is missing or lacking. Often demanding of TOO MUCH TIME with someone. Ephesians 4:19 They thinking that they can be complete if they can just find the right person, go live in San Diego, buy a 2009 Mustang, make more money, etc. Primary Causes of Codependency Unmet emotional needs (and you didn’t know how to ask for them to be met). Anything can blunt the pain, including “religiosity.” A lost childhood (as with Michael Jackson; perhaps you had to “take care” of your family). Some people turn their children into the parents in order to recapture their own childhood. A compulsion to fix the dysfunctional family of origin (may have enabled your survival). So now this kind of person is “fixing” everyone else, hoping to fix his family and maybe himself. Ten Stages of the Recovery Process 1. EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY : Explore your past and present to discover the truth about yourself. RELATIONSHIP HISTORY/INVENTORY : Examine and perhaps reset your personal boundaries. ADDICTION CONTROL: Get a handle on your addictions and compulsions and take the first steps toward mastering them. For example, identify triggers and strategize for staying away from harmful relationships. LEAVING HOME AND SAYING GOODBYE: Say the goodbyes that are appropriate to healing. You may think you said goodbye years ago. Probably you didn’t. Mend relationships with your family of origin, if possible. GRIEVING YOUR LOSS: Grieving is both the bottom of the curve, the very pits of your emotions and feelings, and also the start upward. It’s almost like your dentist hanging up his drill. You know he’s not done yet, but the worst is over. NEW SELF-PERCEPTIONS: Gain fresh perceptions about yourself and make new decisions. Learn to accept yourself as imperfect! What an eye-opener this stage is! NEW EXPERIENCES : Build a foundation of new experiences to bolster the decisions you’ve just made. Learn to proactively meet your emotional needs appropriately. Build new friendships with trustworthy people of integrity. RE-PARENTING: Rebuild your past in a sense, and also the present and future with new decisions about yourself, others, the world, and your future, as you become involved in what we call re-parenting. To re-parent yourself properly, you need to call God your ultimate Father. RELATIONSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY: Establish accountability for your new and refreshed personal relationships. MAINTENANCE: Embark on a maintenance program that will keep you on track for the remainder of your life. Think in terms of your social, psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Think in terms of normal Christian discipleship. Ask God for patience and let time go by! BECOME MORE CHRIST-CENTERED AND LESS SELF-CENTERED!

Here are just a few indicators of pride and humility to help you discern where you are on your spiritual journey. Be patient. Surrender to the Holy Spirit and He will develop these beautiful qualities of humility in your life. Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. Broken people are compassionate; they forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven. Proud people are self-righteous; they look down on others. Broken people esteem all others better than themselves. Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit. Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for others. Proud people have to prove that they are right. Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right. Proud people claim rights; they have a demanding spirit. Broken people yield their rights; they have a meek spirit. Proud people are self-protective of their time, their rights, and their reputation. Broken people are self-denying. Proud people desire to be served. Broken people are motivated to serve others. Proud people desire to be a success. Broken people are motivated to be faithful and to make others a success. Proud people desire self-advancement. Broken people desire to promote others. Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated. Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness; they are thrilled that God would use them at all. Proud people are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people are eager for others to get the credit; they rejoice when others are lifted up. Proud people have a subconscious feeling, “This ministry/church is privileged to have me and my gifts”; they think of what they can do for God. Broken people’s heart attitude is, “I don’t deserve to have a part in any ministry”; they know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives. Proud people feel confident in how much they know. Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn. Proud people are self-conscious. Broken people are not concerned with self at all. Proud people keep others at arms’ length. Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and to take risks of loving intimately. Proud people are quick to blame others. Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they are wrong in a situation. Proud people are unapproachable or defensive when criticized. Broken people receive criticism with a humble, open spirit. Proud people are concerned with being respectable, with what others think; they work to protect their own image and reputation. Broken people are concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; they are willing to die to their own reputation. Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual need with others. Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs. Proud people want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up. Broken people, once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; they are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose. Proud people have a hard time saying, “I was wrong; will you please forgive me?” Broken people are quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary. Proud people tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin. Broken people are able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin. Proud people are concerned about the consequences of their sin. Broken people are grieved over the cause, the root of their sin. Proud people are remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught. Broken people are truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, evidenced in the fact that they forsake that sin. Proud people wait for the other to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship. Broken people take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been. Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor. Broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy. Proud people are blind to their true heart condition. Broken people walk in the light. Proud people don’t think they have anything to repent of. Broken people realize they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance. Proud people don’t think they need revival, but they are sure that everyone else does. B roken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of His Spirit. May God bless you with a gracious, humble heart! http://www.reviveourhearts.com . Used by permission.

Jesus takes the way we see people and flips it upside down. His love moves us to love everyone, including Muslims. Let God speak to you as you read this article from Frontiers USA. 1) God loves Muslims! Muslims are loved by God in the same way that He loves all people. Like all humans, Muslims are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Like all humans, Muslims sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Like all humans, God loved them so much that He sent His Son, so that those who believe in Jesus will have eternal life (John 3:16). 2) God calls Muslims to Himself! God designed all of us to seek after Him. That includes Muslims. “From one man, He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth…God did this so men would seek Him and perhaps reach out to Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:24-31, espec. 26,30). Like you and I, God has placed “eternity in their hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 3) Muslims are our neighbors. Whether in America or in the Middle East, the overwhelming majority of Muslims are peace-loving, hospitable people. 4) Muslims are people like us! Most Muslims are concerned about the same things as you and I. They want to raise their children well, they are concerned about rising crime and pornography, and they work hard to pay their bills and survive. Like us, most Muslims decry human suffering and violence between peoples. Like many westerners, a large majority of Muslims yearn for peace, friendship, and a happy life. 5) God is at work among Muslims! Many Muslims are sensitive to God and spiritual things. Because they fear God and are aware of spiritual reality, Muslims often speak of how God appeared to them through dreams and visions (see Acts 10:1-8 for an example of this). Stories abound of healings because of God’s power through Jesus’ name. An increasing number of Muslims are hungry to know about God’s dramatic work through Jesus. 6) We are spiritually related. All Muslims look to ‘Ibrahim’ (Abraham) as “our forefather” (Romans 4:1). Since those who follow Jesus call Abraham “the father of all who believe” (Romans 4:11), that makes us ‘cousins’ ! Like us, Muslims believe in one true God, the Creator of all peoples. 7) They value our Holy Book and Jesus. The Qur’an specifically commends the Torat (books of the Law, the first five books of the Bible); the Zibur (the Psalms, or wisdom literature); and the Injil (the Gospels). According to the Qur’an, Jesus was sent by God to earth; He healed many during his ministry; and He is returning to judge the living and the dead. 8) Muslims have some things to teach us. Muslims take the spiritual world very seriously and generally are more open to discuss spiritual issues. They have a very high respect for God and His power. Muslims place a high value on community and loyalty. Hospitality is very important to them. These are qualities that most westerners appreciate in their Muslim friends. 9) God made promises to their ancestors. Many Muslims look to ‘Ibrahim’ (Abraham) as their ancestor through his first son, Ishmael. God made this promise to Ibrahim: “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 17:20). God fulfilled this promise, for there are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world today! 10) God promised that Muslims who follow Jesus will be part of the multitudes who are gathered about the Throne of God. When God gathers all His people at the end of time, there will be representatives from every people group on the earth, “from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the Throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes . . . crying out in a loud voice, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne . . .”(Revelation 7:9,10)! http://www.frontiersusa.org . Used by permission.

Wounding is inevitable if we are following Christ. Jesus was both “marred” (Isa. 52:14) and “wounded” (Zech. 13:6), and if we are sincere in our pursuit of His nature, we will suffer as well. How else can love be perfected? Yet, let us beware. We either become Christlike and forgive, or we enter a spiritual time warp where we abide continually in the memory of our wounding. Like a systemic disease, the hurtful memories destroy every aspect of our reality. In truth, apart from God, the wounding that life inflicts is incurable. God has decreed that only Christ in us can survive. Intercessors live on the frontier of change. We are positioned to stand between the needs of man and the provision of God. Because we are the agents of redemption, Satan will always seek the means to offend, discourage, silence, or otherwise steal the strength of our prayers. The wounding we receive must be interpreted in light of God’s promise to reverse the effects of evil and make them work for our good (Rom. 8:28). Since spiritual assaults are inevitable, we must discover how God uses our wounds as the means to greater power. This was exactly how Christ brought redemption to the world. Jesus knew that maintaining love and forgiveness in the midst of suffering was the key that unlocked the power of redemption. Isaiah 53:11 tells us, “By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.” Jesus possessed “revelation knowledge” into the mystery of God. He knew that the secret to unleashing world-transforming power was found at the cross. The terrible offense of the cross became the place of redemption for the world. Yet, remember, Jesus calls us to a cross as well. (See Matthew 16:24.) Wounding is simply an altar upon which our sacrifice to God is prepared. Listen again to Isaiah’s prophetic description of Jesus’ life. His words, at first, seem startling, but as we read, we discover a most profound truth concerning the power of woundedness. He wrote, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand” (Isa. 53:10). How did Jesus obtain the power of God’s pleasure and have it prosper in His hands? During His times of crushing, woundedness, and devastation, instead of retaliating, He rendered Himself “as a guilt offering.” The crushing is not a disaster; it is an opportunity. You see, our purposeful love may or may not touch the sinner’s heart, but it always touches the heart of God. We are crushed by people, but we need to allow the crushing to ascend as an offering to God. The far greater benefit is the effect our mercy has on the Father. If we truly want to be instruments of God’s good pleasure, then it is redemption, not wrath, that must prosper in our hands. So, when Christ encounters conflict, even though He is the Lion of Judah, He comes as the Lamb of God. Even when He is outwardly stern, His loving heart is always mindful that He is the “guilt offering.” Thus, Jesus not only asks the Father to forgive those who have wounded Him, but also numbers Himself with the transgressors and intercedes for them (Isa. 53:12). He does this because the Father takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. 33:11), and it is the pleasure of God that Jesus seeks. Is this not the wonder and mystery, yes, and the power, of Christ’s cross? In anguish and sorrow, wounded in heart and soul, still He offered Himself for His executioners’ sins. Without visible evidence of success, deemed a sinner and a failure before man, He courageously held true to mercy. In the depth of terrible crushing, He let love attain its most glorious perfection. He uttered the immortal words, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Christ could have escaped. As the Romans came to arrest Him, He told Peter, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53). In less than a heartbeat, the skies would have been flooded with thousands of warring angels. Yes, Jesus could have escaped, but mankind would have perished. Christ chose to go to hell for us rather than return to heaven without us. Instead of condemning mankind, He rendered “Himself as a guilt offering” (Isa. 53:10, emphasis added). He prayed the mercy prayer, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also” (John 14:12). We assume He meant that we would work His miracles, but Jesus did not limit His definition of “works” to the miraculous. The works He did—the redemptive life, the mercy cry, the identification with sinners, rendering Himself a guilt offering—all the works He did, we will “do also.” Thus, because He lives within us, we see that Isaiah 53 does not apply exclusively to Jesus; it also becomes the blueprint for Christ in us. Indeed, was this not part of His reward, that He would see His offspring (Isa. 53:10)? Beloved, we are the progeny of Christ. Read these words from Paul’s heart: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24). What did the apostle mean? Did not Christ fully pay mankind’s debts once and for all? Did Paul imply that we now take Jesus’ place? No, we will never take Jesus’ place. It means that Jesus has come to take our place. The Son of God manifests all the aspects of His redemptive, sacrificial life through us. Indeed, “as He is, so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). Paul not only identified with Christ in his personal salvation, but he was also consumed with Christ’s purpose. He wrote, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10). What a wondrous reality is the “fellowship of His sufferings.” Here, in choosing to yoke our existence with Christ’s purpose, we find true friendship with Jesus. This is intimacy with Christ. The sufferings of Christ are not the sorrows typically endured by mankind. They are the afflictions of love. They bring us closer to Jesus. United with Him, we increase the pleasure of God. Father, I see You have had no higher purpose for me but to manifest through my life the nature of Your Son. I surrender to Christ, rendering myself not merely as a judge or critic, but as an offering for those who have brought wounding to my soul. May the fragrance of my worship remind You of Jesus, and may You forgive and cleanse the world around me.