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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1 Is there anything about my speech, actions, dress, or attitudes that could defraud the men around me? Am I building up my “house”—home, work place, church,—(vs. tearing it down)? Am I taking in sensual thoughts and desires through books, magazines, TV programs,music, or movies that are not morally pure? Am I investing in the lives of those around me? Am I nurturing the heart of my siblings or others God has called me to bless? Am I looking to any man (pastor, counselor, colleague, etc.) to fill an emotional vacuum in my life? Do I go to a man rather than going to the Lord to meet my emotional needs? Am I cultivating a grateful, joyful spirit? Am I rejoicing in the Lord? Is there any behavior or relationship I am involved in that I am hiding? Am I engaged in anything now that I will not want my husband to know about if I marry in the future? Am I giving the best of my physical and emotional energy for the Lord? Am I discontent? Am I dwelling on thoughts that make me unable to find fulfillment through serving the Lord and those around me He has called me to serve? Am I cultivating a pleasant, gracious spirit in my words, actions, and attitudes that brings honor and glory to the Lord? Am I critical or judgmental? Do my parents have the freedom to be honest with me? Am I keeping my emotions, attention, and affection from every man to whom I am not engaged or married? Am I protecting the thoughts and feelings of my heart? Is my conversation ever loose, crude, or unbecoming for a woman of God? Am I discreet and restrained in the way I talk with men at work? Am I expressing admiration for a man that should more appropriately come from his wife? 16. Do I communicate a meek, quiet, and submissive spirit? 17. Does my demeanor tend to be “loud and defiant”? Do I dominate or try to control the men around me? 18. Does my dress help men to keep their thoughts pure and Christ-centered? Is my dress feminine and modest? 19. Am I a “door” or a “wall” (Song of Songs 8:9)? Am I a “loose” woman? Do I communicate to the men around me that I am “available”? Does my demeanor invite them to “partake” of intimate parts of my body, soul, or spirit? Do I engage in overly-flirtatious speech, looks, or behavior? 20. Have I purposed in my heart to be morally pure? 21. Am I currently in a situation that is (or could become) compromising? 22. Do I reserve intimate communication, looks, words, and touch for my future husband (if I marry)? 23. Have I become a “refuge” for a man who may be struggling in his marriage? 24. Have I surrendered my sexual desires in honor of the Lord, my future husband if God chooses for me to be married, and the marriages or future marriages of those around me? Am I walking in holiness and honor? 25. Do I esteem and value any man more than the Lord? Do I love any man more than I love the Lord? Who comes first in my estimation? 26. Would those who know me best say that I am a woman of moral virtue and purity? 27. Am I in a situation that could appear to others to be compromising? 28. Am I making myself accountable to another godly woman for my walk with God and others? 29. Do I treat men with respect by keeping an appropriate distance from them, emotionally and physically? 30. Have I erected (and am I maintaining) adequate “hedges” (appropriate boundaries) in my relationships with men? Have I defined what those hedges are? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, pray with me now for God to bring healing and a fresh walk with Jesus in my life. “Lord, I acknowledge and renounce my sinful involvement in _______________ and pray in the name and through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that you would break this stronghold in my life. I realize, Lord, this sin has been a detrimental influence in my life [and marriage]. Lord, I humbly ask that You would forgive me and wash me in the blood of Christ, cleansing me from this sin. I ask you, Lord Jesus to take back the ground given to the enemy through my involvement and I yield that ground to Your control. I purpose to honor You in my heart, practicing purity and discretion in all of my relationships.” © Revive Our Hearts. Adapted from “Becoming a Woman of Discretion” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used by Permission.

Two religions that put special emphasis on men are America’s fastest growing, according to a study released this week. Mormons and Muslims are adding the most members, while mainline Protestants and Catholics continue to shed followers. “The number of Muslim adherents rose to 2.6 million in 2010 from 1 million in 2000, fueled by immigration and conversions,” said Dale Jones, a researcher who worked on the study by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. The number of U.S. Mormons grew by 45% over the past decade. They were the fastest growing group in 26 of the 50 states. Muslims and Mormons would seem to have little in common, yet both have strong appeal to men. This is undoubtedly one of the factors driving their explosive growth. Mormons give great discretion and latitude to their laymen. The Latter-Day Saints do not have professional pastors. Each layman is considered a priest, and is authorized to preach, teach, prophesy and baptize. The LDS church offers a formal, rigorous training program to every young man. Males are initiated into a lower priesthood at age 12, and the higher priesthood at 19. Mormons have a long tradition of sending their young men on two-year missions after high school (although women have joined this tradition in recent years). Muslims also take pains to accommodate men. Men and women worship separately in the mosque. Friday prayers are a full-body experience, with an almost militant air. There’s no emphasis on emotion or “feeling God.” Islamic leadership is completely male dominated and female imams are extremely rare. Islam’s reputation as a dangerous, violent religion only increases its allure among young men. As a practical matter, both Mormons and Muslims value childbearing and large families. High fertility is another reason these groups are growing so rapidly. Interestingly, both faiths have a reputation for polygamy, and both promise sex in the afterlife, which undoubtedly increases a man’s yearning for eternity. Both faiths are known for theological and social conservatism. Numerous studies have shown that high-demand churches that lean conservative attract more men (and tend to grow). Meanwhile, theological liberalism drives men away. The study found that the more liberal the denomination, the more likely it was to have lost members. The Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Episcopal Church, both of which made major concessions on homosexuality during the past decade, each lost more than 15% of their members. The United Methodists lost four percent, while the Southern Baptists held steady over the past decade. Non-denominational Protestants grew slowly, with most of the growth occurring in micro-congregations of fewer than 100 people. The Catholic church, rocked by allegations of sexual abuse against boys, saw huge declines, particularly in the Northeast. The exposure of gay and pedophile priests has been a definite turn-off for men. This report simply confirms what we’ve been saying at Church for Men since we opened our doors seven years ago: laymen are the key to church growth. Faiths that are intentional about reaching guys grow the fastest. Meanwhile, churches that marginalize or drive away men are declining. Jesus started his church with 12 common men. The original church growth strategy still works today. Recruit men. Train them. Create an environment where they can grow. Just ask the Muslims and Mormons how this strategy works.

One of my favorite cartoons features a young boy standing at Dad’s computer, while Dad looks blankly at the screen. The son says, “In return for an increase in my allowance, I can offer you free unlimited tech support.” Now that’s the truth in most homes! Can anyone else relate to this little comic- or is it just me?! With out littlest Leman out of the house, Mrs. Uppington and I are having to call our 2nd oldest daughter that lives in town to help us fix our computers or turn on the TV. She now answers the phone, “Hello Tech Support.” Anyways, Allowances. Any of these sound familiar? “I give Matt, our 14-year old, an allowance every week. But he’s always coming back to me the day after he receives the money asking for more money for something he’s just got to have it’s driving me crazy” “We give all three of our kids- who are 12, 14, and 16 the same amount of allowances every week. But our 16-year old is constantly asking to borrow money for our 12-yera old… and getting it! Should we give more to the 16 year old because he’s older? Or be fair and keep the amount consistent?” or “Our 2 children, ages 11 and 13 are vastly different in personality. Jen, the oldest, is a hard worker. Always doing extra chores. Mark, our youngest, has to be prodded away from his Wii serval times in order to get his own chores done. I was raised in a home where everything was ‘even Steven’. But it always drove me crazy when I would do all the work and my little brother and I got the same amount of allowance. I don’t want to make Mark feel inferior by giving him less money, what should I do?” Here’s my 2 cents on allowances: Giving allowances is one of those areas that influence many other areas. Money a child has at his fingertips, how he has received that money, and how he views that money affect not only what he’s able to buy or save but how he feels about himself. In my view, an allowance is part of a family’s recreational budget. It’s one of the perks of being a family member. This is very different view than most of us grew up with. Remember, the chore list on the refrigerator? We all groaned about it, but we did it (unless we could get our little sister to do it for us!) because it was the only way to get paid. Clean your room: 50 cents Set the table: 10 cents Take out the garbage: 20 cents Doing those chores directly related to how much money we received in our allowance each week. But here’s what I am suggesting: every family member should automatically receive an allowance from the family’s recreational budget. Some family members, due to age and abilities, will have more work to do than others. For example, you wouldn’t expect a 6-year old to do the same kind of work that you would expect from a 14 year-old. But by the same token, the older child also has some perks that younger child doesn’t have- like a later bedtime and freedom to go out with friends. I suggest that you start a child with an allowance around the age of 5. Give the child, say 5 quarters ($1.25 per week). Age 5 is also a good age at which to begin teaching the value of money. As a child gets older, increase their allowance with respect to her or his age. Little Kayla, who is 8, is a saver. She puts every penny she received into her buy-a-horse-someday fund. But last year when she heard about a little girl who lost her home in a flood, she dipped into her allowance and sent that girl’s family a special gift- from her own heart and finances. Encourage your kids to think about how they could help other people with their savings. Children need to know that when the money is spent, it’s spent. There’s no free lunch in life. If your child ask for more money because he/she used it up, say, “Well, payday isn’t until Saturday. I’m sure you’ll make something work.” Children also need to know that upholding their end of the bargain as a family member is important. If they don’t there are consequences. Let’s say your son doesn’t mow the lawn like he is supposed to, instead of bickering what if you quietly hired another sibling to cut the lawn? What if the money it cost to hire someone else was taken out of your son’s allowance the following week? Do you think you’d get them message across? Allowances teach children how to manage money- and they also teach children firsthand about consequences. If your child does not get around to a certain task, don’t cajole her, remind her , or lecture her. Simply hire someone else to do that task and take whatever you had to pay that person from your child’s allowance. No threats-no warnings- only action. I go into even more detail about allowances in the book Have A New Kid By Friday. How do allowances work in your house? What works, what doesn’t? What will you take from this post?

The way that you evaluate your ministry environments establishes the culture for the rest of your church. Your church is a conglomeration of ministry environments. Parking lot, hallways, children’s rooms, check-in process, greeting, worship experience, etc are all ministry environments. Every environment communicates a message. The message of your environment speaks so loudly that it can sometimes overcome the message that’s being communicated from the pulpit. The Gospel is offensive but other things in our church shouldn’t be. The responsibility of the pastor/speaker is to be offensive. Every ministry environment needs to define the win. Make sure there is a filter for everyone to use to evaluate the experiences that happens in the environments that your church creates. It won’t look the same for every church. At the macro level answer this question, “What does is it mean to have a great ministry environment?” When everyone evaluates through the same grid, you accidentally create a culture of evaluation where everyone is evaluating through the same lens. If you don’t tell people how to measure success in their ministry environment, they will default to numbers. We can end up rewarding things that don’t match our values if we don’t have a standard. The word our church uses to evaluate is the word irresistible. We want to create irresistible environments… so people say, “Wow! I’ve got to come back and bring a friend.” What does an irresistible environment look like? 1 – An appealing setting Setting is the physical environment. All ministry takes place in a physical environment. Settings create first impressions. First impressions matter. An appealing setting speaks to people. Settings for 20-30 year olds are HUGE. They are sensitive to physical environments. Starbucks gets it, restaurants get it, churches don’t. An uncomfortable or distracting setting can derail ministry before it begins. • Physical environments impact people. Every physical environment communicates something. Cleanliness communicates, “we were expecting you.” Organization communicates, “we are serious about what you are doing here.” Check out the book The eM yth. What people see says something to them. A business that looks orderly communicates that people know what they are doing. Safety matters. Design, decor, and attention to detail communicate what and who you value most. Design, decor, and attention to detail communicate whether or not you were expecting new people. The sermon begins in the parking lot. Periodically, we all need fresh eyes on our ministry environments. What are some questions we should ask? 1. Are our ministry settings appealing to your target audience? 2. Does the design, decor, and attention to detail of your environments reflect what and who is most important to you? 3. What’s starting to look tired? 2 – An Engaging Presentation Engaging presentations are central to the success of our mission. Presenting the Gospel is a primary responsibility of the church. “Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” is the unique responsibility of the church (Matthew 28:20) To engage is to secure one’s attention. Generally speaking, it’s the presentation that makes information interesting. Great presenters know how to make information people already know what’s interesting. An audience’s attention span is determined by the quality of the presentation. Engaging presentations require engaging presentations or an engaging means of presentation. The presenters present, let the content creators create. Create a system that gives you the flexibility to surface your best presenters and content creators. What we are presenting is too important to fool around with. We need engaging presenters. What are some questions we should ask? 1. Is your culture characterized by a relentless commitment to engaging presentations at every level of the organization? 2. Does your system allow you to put your best presenters in your most strategic presentation environments? 3. Are your presenters evaluated and coached? 4. Does your system create opportunities for your best content creators to partner with your presenters? 3 – Helpful Content Helpful = Useful. Truth isn’t enough. Matthew 7 – “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice…” Helpful content is content that directly addresses the issues of thinking and living. Content should be age and stage-of-life specific. Information that does not address a felt need is perceived as irrelevant. All Scripture is equally inspired but is not equally applicable. Information that isn’t perceived as useful is perceived as irrelevant. Irrelevant doesn’t stick. What are some questions we should ask? 1. Is your content helpful? 2. Do your content creators and communicators understand that the goals are renewed minds and changed behaviors? 3. Is your content age and stage-of-life specific? Conclusion: Creating a “Come and See” environment for your church is critical. It has eternal consequences. Of every environment, program, and production, we must ask: 1. Was the context appealing? 2. Was the presentation engaging? 3. Was the content helpful?

Hell Gates were a real structure in Jerusalem, and every person in New Testament times knew what they were and how specific God’s protection and power is for our lives!! If we understand how they were used, we learn more about how to fend off our Enemy, the Devil. “ A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, a Bulwark never failing.” – Martin Luther A bulwark, or a bastion, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall (termed curtain), facilitating active defense against assaulting troops. It allows the defenders of the fort to cover adjacent bastions and curtains with defensive fire. The bulwark was designed to offer a full range on which not only to defend a position but also to ATTACK oncoming troops. Perhaps Martin Luther knew when he referenced the Bulwark that God intended more for His children than to cower behind a fortress wall awaiting with trembled knee the enemy’s killing blow. I like to think he was telling us all that God is more than our cover… He is our offensive! “…We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” – Romans 8:37 Many people still worshipped the Roman gods during the time Jesus walked the earth. One such practice was to offer sacrifices to appease Hades, the god of death and the underworld. People feared Hades, much more than normal superstition, the wrath of this god meant certain death. It controlled every aspect of their lives. People were terrified and the evil was personified by a cave with a gate at its entrance. It became known as “The Gates of Hell.” The Gates of Hell were located at Caesarea Philippi which was an ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon (Har Hermon or Arabic Jebel esh-Sheikh). Caesarea Philippi was a religious center for paganism because of the massive amounts of water which flowed out from its’ ground. These sources of life sustaining water lent itself to the worship of fertility gods as the springs symbolized fertility. The source of the spring was known to the Greeks as the “Gates of Hades,” that is, they believed the streams flowed from underground, the location of Hades. The pagan idea was the gods would spend winter underground, that is, in Hades, and return in the spring to return fertility to the land and the animals. Fertility rites were practiced to encourage the gods to come out and begin Spring. If the gods were displeased – then there would be no crops and no food. More than that, they may curse you with plagues and pestilence. During some periods of worship, people sacrificed their infants and virgin daughters to ensure the good pleasure of Hades. No one dare refuse their children to be sacrificed if they were chosen. When loving parents attempted to save their child, the community would take them by mob force and then kill the parents publicly as infidels. To the south of this Gate of Hell, just some 20 miles, Jesus said “The Gates of Hell will not prevail”. Before going to Jerusalem , Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi and full well knowing the power and oppression that ruled over these peoples, Jesus proclaimed He would overthrow its reign. Jesus spoke of His triumph over all evil rite and paganistic strong hold in Matthew 16:13-19. “ 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Notice Peter’s reference to the “Living God,” evidently in contrast to the pagan idols that were there. Jesus made reference to “this rock” which was in direct correlation to the locals’ very rock where the idols sat and where their children were brutally murdered. In effect, Jesus proclaimed: I and my church have defeated all the evil, darkness, strength, and power that Satan (Hades) has had over you. Jesus said to these people: You will never have to sacrifice your children again… YOU ARE FREE! When Jesus took the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, it was a commencement into a new season in life. Jesus had taught them for three years, and by going to this place of spiritual oppression, Jesus led them to the main point of everything they had learned so far. That their mission would be to claim victory over the very power of the ultimate enemy himself, not behind closed walls, but in the world in which they lived. This is the spirit of the Christian mission. The proclamation that Jesus built his church on this rock—means that his way has replaced the power, religion, and strength of the devil—and the gates of hell will NEVER prevail. The church is the “Ekklesia” in Greek which translates “the called out”… this is us… you and I. Satan and all of his dark forces can never and will never triumph against us as long as we are in Jesus! Likewise, as the church, our Lord has given us a top priority mission. This mission is to be implemented in our culture and in our society. This mission is to take on the gates—the very entrance and strength of hell itself. This mission is what we traditionally call “The Great Commission”. Commission is an act of doing, achieving and advancing. Matthew 28:16-20 gives Christians our marching orders to advance the Gospel, the very good news itself that Jesus has defeated death and hell and that we all, every single man, woman, and child has the hope of eternal salvation. “ 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee , to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This means GOD WINS! This means We WIN! When we truly digest that Jesus said the “Gates of Hell” would not stand against his church. The image is that the “Gates of Hades” would not defeat spiritual victory by the church. However, Gates are defensive structures. In the Church, our attitude is often to be defensive, to build gates, rather than to challenge and knock down gates. When we picture this imagery, we typically envision the church as a massive fortress, and the devil continuously pounding against it to no avail. Sometimes, this image freezes Christians with fear. So if the gates of hell will not prevail against the church; who is attacking whom? As Christians, we must not be defensive and impish. The image of the church as a fortress keeping the devil out is absolutely backwards! Christianity as a pleasant and polite weekly event in which we warm pews, sing songs and maybe, if we are really ambitious, dare to be a user or deacon is also backwards. Christian churches and schools should be training grounds for challenging and defeating Satan. Much of the unchurched culture sees us as whinny, wimps who are naive at best, and dishonest fools at least who speak about morals and a good life but are ineffective and unwilling to get our hands dirty to actually help. Brother and Sister, We must heed the Gospel Call. We must take our place beside our Great King Jesus and fight the good fight of faith. King David knew God’s power is unmatchable. The victory is already ours. Who can be against us? Please read Psalm 18. Feel and experience the absolute power in the imagery put forth. It’s chilling, terrifying, beautiful, and comforting to know that God has your back in this battle against the gates of hell. “David is the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: 1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. 8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. 9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. 10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. 12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered [the enemies], great bolts of lightning and routed them. 15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. 16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Jesus as the King of Kings reminded his disciples why he came to earth. It was not to be placed on Christmas cards in a manger scene; it was to defeat Satan’s death grip on our souls. Matthew 10:34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Likewise, the Apostle Paul appealed to the church at Ephesus to remember they were in the war of all wars, the very struggle for eternity itself. He said in Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We are to be on the offense. We are called to go into every part of the world and victoriously proclaim Jesus and the power He has given the church over all darkness and evil. Just like the Bulwark, God has our backs like a mighty fortress, but he also provides us a means of offense where we are to cannon blast our way through the powers of darkness with the word of light.