BOOKS

Why Drown When You Can
Walk on Water?
By David D. Ireland, Ph.D.,
Baker Books, softcover, 192 pages, $.

If a repairman arrived and his first question was, “Do you have a screwdriver?” you’d think to yourself, How can you call yourself a repairman and not have the necessary tools?

David D. Ireland’s Why Drown When You Can Walk on Water? asks a similar question, “How can you call yourself a Christian if you don’t have active faith?” Ireland is a pastor and a scientist, so expect a unique perspective on the subject of faith, including a number of equations (knowledge + belief + assent = faith). The author thoroughly dismantles “mystical faith” in favor of “authentic faith” for real-life applications.

Why Drown is penetrated with furnace-fired wisdom and concrete building blocks leading to “higher” knowledge. Ireland notes that “in a spiritual sense, your faith is proof that you are the owner of and heir to God’s promise.”
J. James Estrada

BIBLE STUDY

Focus on the Family Women’s Series Group Starter Kit
Gospel Light, $.

Everything Focus on the Family produces is well thought out, well prayed over and well put together. The Women’s Series Bible study curriculum is no exception.

The Group Starter Kit includes an in-depth guide to women’s ministry (this alone is worth more than the cost of the entire package), four Bible studies, and a crafts and activities guide.

The Women’s Ministry Guide prepares the leader, helping her discover her gifts and passions and further establish her relationship with the Lord. It is jam-packed with samples, surveys, resources and training lessons. It also offers tips on everything from icebreakers to childcare to dealing with conflicts. It’s a must-have for seasoned or first-time leaders.

This curriculum is applicable to any woman and easily lends itself to deeper study, discussion and ministry. Yet, the studies are easy to follow, even for a new believer. Women of Worth helps women discover who they are in Jesus as opposed to who the world says they are. Healing the Heart studies restoration and covers such topics as forgiving and letting go of the past.

Balanced Living offers tools to help women balance life demands while nurturing a vital relationship with God. The Blessings of Friendship explores developing and maintaining real relationships–not relationships that are 500-miles wide but only 1-inch deep.

Each study covers eight topics. The leader’s discussion guide included for each session allows the facilitator to do just that–facilitate.

The crafts and activities guide is a bit deceiving at first glance with its black-and-white pages and illustrations. However, it offers a wealth of ideas for crafts just for pleasure or activities with goals, all designed to build fun and unity. Also included are suggestions for icebreakers and small- and large-group events.

What a great way to start 2005! These studies and activities can be catalysts for personal growth and can open doors for ministry–and that’s what it’s all about!
J.J. Everett

MUSIC

The Worship Project
By Jonathan Butler, Maranatha Music.

Jonathan Butler gained much of his popularity with mainstream hits such as Grammy-nominated “Lies” and “Sarah, Sarah.” The Cape Town, South African native, a guitarist and smooth jazz artist, found fame in the secular arena in the ’80s, easily making him a household name.

Although few knew it, it was also in the ’80s that he gave his life to Jesus Christ. The singer-songwriter recently saw a rebirth in his career with his recording of “Falling in Love With Jesus” on saxophonist Kirk Whalum’s project The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter 2. Now Butler releases his first all-gospel CD with The Worship Project.

Butler showcases his uplifting vocals on the 12-track CD with such cuts as the festive, exotic-sounding “You’re Worthy of Praise,” the reverent “You Are So Beautiful” and an acoustic rendition of his hit “Falling in Love With Jesus.” He reinvents the memorable worship anthem “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High,” with a relaxing, mellow texture.

His special touch is also added to the Lenny Leblanc-penned track “No Higher Calling.” The song highlights the humility of one standing in the presence of God.

Worship is certainly the theme on the pensive “Lord, I’m Ready” and the pop-flavored “No Matter What.”

Providing praise-filled tunes as well, cuts such as the urban-inspired “Don’t You Worry” and two powerful cuts, the destined-to-be-sung-by-praise-teams songs “That’s Why We Praise Him” and “He Is the Lord,” beg to be favorites. Producer and principal songwriter on this project, Butler indeed has just found a new audience.
René Williams

One
By Andy Chrisman, Word.

For well over a decade, Andy Chrisman has lent his voice to the best-selling group 4Him, singing lead on many of the group’s popular songs, including “For Future Generations,” “Where There Is Faith” and “Measure of a Man.” Now, Chrisman takes a break to do his first solo project, One.

The songs stay in the adult contemporary-pop realm, including the opening statement of faith “Believe,” the ballad “Atmosphere,” the infectious praise of “Adore You,” the piano praise of “Love Remains” and the soothing title track. Chrisman varies it a little with the moody “Debt of Gratitude” and a vocal verse variation on “Complete.”

Many times when singers break away from a group to stretch their musical wings, they delve into other genres and sounds. But Chrisman seems to stick with the sound he’s already known for. That’s a good thing for fans of the group who already love Chrisman’s voice.
DeWayne Hamby

I Owe You
By Kierra Kiki Sheard, EMI Gospel.

Rarely has there been such anticipation for the debut recording of a 17-year-old artist. But Kierra “Kiki” Sheard is not an average teenager. After already gaining a huge following from guest appearances on projects with mom, Clark Sister member Karen Clark Sheard, and aunt Dorinda Clark-Cole, Kiki Sheard now steps into her own limelight.

Dropping an impressive project, I Owe You, which already debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Chart, Sheard will gain even more fans with this urban-gospel offering. Hitting you from the first note, the granddaughter of the late gospel legend Mattie Moss Clark delivers the head-bopping “You Don’t Know.” Alluding to the illness her mother suffered a few years ago, the younger Sheard sings about God bringing her through.

Other strong cuts include the danceable “Let Go,” the soulful “All I Am,” the down-home quartet-sounding “Done Did It” and the rhythmic “Closer.” Spanning the musical gamut, Sheard flows seamlessly from the hip-hop grooves of “War” to worship-filled, solemn “Praise Offering.” Filled with a strong contemporary repertoire, the project showcases Sheard’s impeccable vocals and inspiring message-driven collection of tunes.

Teens and adults will relate to the relevant topics Sheard addresses–a lost friendship, godly priorities and growing closer to God.
René Williams

NEWS

Caedmon’s Call Focuses On India’s Oppressed

The contemporary Christian folk-rock band Caedmon’s Call has long helped raise funds for relief organization Compassion International. Yet an unexpected encounter with a man from India led the band to deepen its involvement in missions and become advocates for India’s oppressed Dalit people.

Known as “untouchables,” the Dalits are at the bottom of India’s caste system, which divides the bulk of the population into four primary social groups. But beneath these classes is a fifth group. The population of Dalits–which literally means “downtrodden” or “broken”–is estimated to be 160 million. Though India’s constitution forbids “untouchability,” discrimination is widely practiced toward the Dalits and sometimes includes acts of violence.

Caedmon’s Call lead vocalist Cliff Young said his band was compelled to help the Dalits after a man named Timothy Kasbe sought Young out after a concert in North Carolina in the fall of 2003. Kasbe told Young about the plight of his people and asked the band to help. Young said he knew this was God’s plan.

Joseph D’Souza, international president of Dalit Freedom Network, said, “Caedmon’s Call heard the challenge from the Lord and have taken up the cause of what Dalits call the ‘socio-spiritual freedom’ of the Dalits.”

To raise awareness and funds for the Dalits, Caedmon’s Call released Share the Well. Drawing its title from one of the many indignities Dalits face–they cannot share wells with those outside their caste–the recording includes multicultural sounds and stories from India, Ecuador and Brazil. Working with Peace Gospel Ministries, Dalit Freedom Network and Compassion International, the band traveled and saw firsthand the deplorable conditions many people suffer.

The album title also reminds Christians that they have a well of “living water” to share. Young says giving is an important part of worship and believes many American Christians are self-centered. He sees India as a perfect place to start changing a self-centered worldview.

D’Souza agreed: “It is time for the Christian audience in [the United States] to wake up to this epic struggle for Dalit emancipation and participate in every way in what God is doing in the nation–in the areas of justice, in the areas of educating Dalit children, in the areas of bringing the good news, in discipleship.”

People can get involved immediately by giving money and starting advocacy groups to help raise awareness. And Christians can pray, Young said. But his main challenge is still to spread the gospel.

In an effort to encourage college students to consider the mission field, Caedmon’s Call’s Share the Well Foundation offers sponsorships to students to go on missions trips to India. And through the Share the Well tour, which will feature seven international musicians, the band hopes to raise enough money to fund the construction of two Dalit schools.

The band also will be working with Living Water International, a ministry that builds wells in areas where there is no clean water. Living Water plans to build 30 wells, a well for each Dalit school.

Young has hope: “As dark as India seems … it is on the brink of revival. And what are we going to do?” he asks. “The only answer is the gospel. … [If] we step up, [the Dalits are] going to see Christians all over the world … loving them and taking the gospel to them and turning this all around. I really, truly think we’re talking about worldwide revival. And it could all start with the Dalits.”
Leigh DeVore

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Miller Addresses Islamic Challenge

Prophet Glenn Miller says we must understand what God is doing and align our lives with His plan. Once we step into the revelation, we will step into destiny, success and spiritual dimensions and dynamics that will unveil the kingdom of God.

His book, The Prophetic Fall of the Islamic Regime (Creation House Press), explores God’s strategies against His enemies. God is attacking the false god of Islam, Miller claims. He says: “The war was not about terrorism; it’s about Allah. … Muslims are deceived. We don’t hate the Muslims, but we hate the spirit behind them. And if we don’t do what we’re called to do, we can’t set them free.”

Miller says of the church and Islam: “We have a snake on the doorstep and we don’t know it. … [The church is] not raising up warriors. They’re not raising up illuminated men and women. They’ve not allowed them to be birthed in their purpose and their destiny. They’re just still trying to be nice, sweet people. … That’s not going to get the job done.

God wants us to not just be saved from something but for something, and that’s divine purpose.

“Once I know what God’s doing I can become a weapon in His hand to accomplish His purpose. If I’m blind to what He’s doing and I’m just being a sweet Christian going to church, I’m missing my destiny. … And the result will be I will have a basically very fruitless life.”
Leigh DeVore

The president always appreciates it when people tell him they pray for him.

On January 20, George W. Bush will take the oath of office for his second term as president of the United States. After a narrow victory in 2000, he won by a clear majority last year. His re-election, I’m sure, is an answer to prayer by millions of Christians who believe that “righteousness exalts a nation” (Prov. 14:34, NKJV).

Last May I had the privilege, along with seven other religious journalists, of interviewing President Bush in the White House. Each of us had the opportunity to ask one question. When it was my turn, I asked about the election and then added that I pray for him and his wife every day.

The president paused, looked directly at me and replied that he always appreciates it when people tell him they pray for him and that he never takes their prayers for granted. He added that previously when he would shake the hands of well-wishers after a speech they would say, “Good luck, Mr. President.” But more recently about one in three said, “We pray for you, Mr. President.”

For the inauguration, we decided to publish an updated version of our best-selling book The Faith of George W. Bush, which we copublished with Penguin Group (USA). It has sold approximately a half million copies and was on one of the New York Times best-sellers lists–a first for us.

We are humbled by the success of the book, not just because it shows that the author, Stephen Mansfield, did an outstanding job, but also because it propagates the story of a man whose life was changed when he came to faith in Christ.

We would like to send a copy of this book as a blessing to men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces. If you know of a serviceman or servicewoman who might be interested in receiving one, send his or her full name and APO/FPO (Air/Army Post Office or Fleet Post Office) address to Christian Life Missions, our nonprofit partner, at P.O. Box 952248, Lake Mary, FL 32795-2248.

I wrote a prayer for the new edition I hope readers will use to pray daily for the president and his family. I’ve included it here so you can begin this tradition with the new year.

Our dear heavenly Father, We come to you in the name of Jesus on behalf of our president, George W. Bush. We thank you that he is a man who fears You and who seeks You for wisdom as he leads our great nation during one of the most turbulent times in our history.

We pray that Your Holy Spirit gives him both the ability to discern Your will and the courage to carry it out. We pray that He surrounds him with people who will encourage and support him. We ask that He direct the president’s decisions each day.

Please protect President Bush and his family from harm. Surround them with Your peace and love. May the president always trust in You and make every effort to fulfill the responsibilities of his office in a way that pleases You.

We pray this in the name of Your Son. Amen.

One thing about the president I particularly admire is his habit of reading the Bible on a regular basis. It’s a commitment I share. In fact, I make a pledge every few years to read through the entire Bible as a matter of discipline.

To encourage you to do the same, we’ve included a weekly “Bible-Reading Guide” on page 72 of this issue that, if followed, will help you read the entire Bible by the end of 2005. Reading the selections in the order indicated will provide variety and prevent you from getting bogged down in the difficult passages.

Then, if you write us at the end of the year, we will send you a certificate of completion suitable for framing. I did this several years ago and was encouraged by how many not only did the Bible reading but also wrote in for the certificate.

If you haven’t made a habit of reading the Scriptures daily in the past, you’ll be amazed how much benefit you receive from regular study. Don’t be put off by the lack of a good Bible. The Bible-study section on page 68, which describes the various translations available, will help you find the Bible that’s right for you.

We’re excited about the new year. We believe that a lot of good things, which I’ll tell you about in upcoming issues, are in store for our ministry. I pray this is a good year for you and your family as well.

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Stephen Strang is the founder and publisher of Charisma.

We can’t pretend that homosexuality doesn’t exist in the church. It is time to clean house!
We are living in an era when all kinds of people are “coming out of the closet” to unmask their homosexual identity. Yet, one group of gay men has chosen to remain undercover. In the African American community we call them “down-low brothers.”

Men who live “on the DL,” as we say, appear to be macho on the outside, but they have sex with men in secret. Ironically, these men do not consider themselves gay.

A lot of these men are married–and their wives have no idea their husbands are involved in this behavior. We might be tempted to categorize these men as bisexuals, but I beg to differ. Bisexuality is as much a myth as purgatory is. It does not exist! People who are on the fence regarding this type of sin need to know it’s rooted in perversion.

In the book On the Down Low, a candid look at this phenomenon, author J.L. King says black churches are prime spots for down-low brothers to pick up dates. This sin is occurring in God’s house! You may not believe it, but the evidence is increasing.

I recently traveled with a friend to minister at what we later discovered was a gay-affirming church, pastored by a man I’ll refer to as Rev. X. My friend preached against homosexuality in this church, and Rev. X was highly offended. He told my friend that he does, in fact, celebrate homosexual relationships.

A few weeks later, a young man who used to smoke crack with my husband contacted us. We had not heard from him in years, but he knew that both Ardell and I had become born-again Christians. He called to tell us that he had joined a church. Guess which one? The one led by Rev. X!

Our friend confessed to us that he was still struggling with a cocaine addiction. He also told us that at 4 a.m. that day, while he was standing at a bus stop, a man drove up and asked him for a date. Guess who it was? Rev. X! A pastor was cruising the streets of a city looking for sex with men!

Saints of God, we can no longer pretend that this type of behavior does not exist in the church. Rev. X preaches that homosexuals will not go to hell. After he leaves the pulpit he commits adultery with men. Maybe he believes adulterers have a place in heaven, too?

He claims he is being sensitive to the spiritual needs of homosexuals, but in reality he is a down-low brother. And he has a large following that professes Jesus Christ as Lord.

About a year ago I learned that the pastor of one of the largest churches in the southeastern United States was caught in a homosexual affair. This pastor had sex with another man right in the basement of his church. In the end, the pastor did not lose any members as a result of his actions. In fact, his membership grew!

I believe the heartbreaking reality about these down-low brothers is the trauma they inflict on their wives and families. Because of the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, these women play Russian roulette every time they sleep with their husbands.

Mark 4:22 is the only hope these women have. It says there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, or manifested. The Greek word for “manifested” is kruptos. It refers to things concealed in a crypt.

Down-low brothers live in a crypt intended for dead things. Wherever there are dead things, there is a foul odor–and a foul spirit! And these foul spirits have no place in the house of God. If we tolerate this kind of sexual immorality the stench will spread and affect us all.

It is time to clean the house. There is hope for the down-low brothers, but they first must get out of the crypt. If they refuse, the Bible assures us that their actions will be revealed.

If you are living life on the down low, repent and ask God to deliver you from your perversion. Jesus has the power to take you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

The development of personal potential should be the No. 1 job of every Christian.
It’s amazing how many gifted people there are who just sit on the sidelines of life and do nothing. You may be one of them. I can tell you that whether God uses you or not depends on much more than just the gift or talent He has given you. It has everything to do with character–with maturity, the fruit of the Spirit, how we behave and our heart attitude.

God is looking for Christians who are willing to be used as leaders. I believe the people He uses are not always the most talented but those who have the best attitude–a right heart toward Him.

Some people who want to reach their potential don’t know where to begin. Others know where to begin but don’t know how to move from there to the place where they are supposed to finish. If you fit in either of these categories, you can learn how to reach your goals and fulfill God’s good plan for your life.

A leader is not necessarily someone who has a large ministry or is in a position that influences thousands of people’s lives. A leader is someone who is on top of things in his or her realm of influence.

Through the years, God has guided me from my impatient beginnings in my first realm of influence–that of ministering to a few people in our home Bible study–to the much larger realm of ministering to thousands of people through our Joyce Meyer Ministries conferences and ministry outreaches.

My husband, Dave, and I are doing what we are called to do. And in developing the gifts God has given us, we are fulfilling our potential. I don’t believe this is something God has in store for just a handful of people. I believe it is His will for all people to fulfill their potential.

The development of personal potential should be each Christian’s No. 1 job. We all have potential, but we will never see it manifested until we believe God and believe that we can do whatever He says we can do. And He says, “All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27, The Amplified Bible).

Even if nobody else in the world believes in you, God does. With that confidence, you can do whatever He wants you to do.

Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines “potential” as “existing in possibility, not in act.” This means that our potential is only a possibility until we do something with it.

Potential cannot manifest without form. Like concrete, it must have something to be poured into, something to give it shape and make it useful.

What is the form into which potential is poured? Decisions. To develop potential properly, we must have a plan and pray over that plan; we must have a purpose; and we must be doing something.

I believe that many people are unhappy because they aren’t doing anything to develop their potential. If you want to see your potential developed to its fullest, don’t wait until everything is perfect. Do something now. Start laying your hand to whatever is in front of you.

You cannot start at the finish line. You must start at the starting block like everyone else. Many people want to start at A, blink their eyes twice and be at Z, but it doesn’t work that way.

You must give your potential some form by doing something with it. You will never find what you are capable of doing if you never try anything.

Don’t be so afraid of failing that you never take a chance. Don’t stay in the safety zone, doing nothing, thinking that as long as you do nothing you are safe.

You may be safe, but you will never succeed at developing your full potential or feeling fulfilled in what you are doing. Step out into what you feel God is leading you to do, and you will soon discover what you can and cannot do.

You are full of God-given potential, and He wants to do more with your life than you could ever imagine–but it requires your cooperation. I encourage you to make the decision to develop your potential to its fullest in your realm of influence. As you do, you will lead others in developing theirs.

While the church is growing at a record rate in Africa and Asia, churches are stagnating in the United States. We look at why America isn’t experiencing revival. 

Revival is not when the top blows off but rather when the bottom falls out.” Those words were spoken to me several years ago when I asked the late Leonard Ravenhill to define revival. According to him, most religious activity in the United States does not resemble true revival. We know only a cheap imitation.

We schedule popular speakers and the best musicians and set aside a week for special meetings. We call that revival. Our meetings are set up by organizers, not agonizers.

We have reduced a move of God to a method. Yet the Bible says God is looking for a man.

John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church, prayed continually, “God, give me Scotland or I die!” He said this while he was chained deep inside the hull of a French ship off the coast of his country. He prayed desperately for seven years that God would send revival to his beloved Scotland.

God works only within those who are desperate. Ravenhill also used to say, in reference to revival, that we would either “end up with prison camps or with Pentecost in the prison camps.” The apostle Paul either had riots or revival, and at times both. Yet the American gospel does not seem to produce either.

A Chinese Christian recently visited the United States and toured churches here. At the end of the trip he was asked what he thought about American spirituality. He answered, “I am amazed at how much the church in America can accomplish without the Holy Spirit.”

We have large buildings and many programs but still no move of God. We have more trained ministers and more Bible colleges than any other nation but no revival. We have seminars on revivals and huge campaigns to promote our meetings. But where is the revival?

We have spotless theology but no doxology. We have no song in our hearts. We have replaced true experience with hyperactivity. Our theologians sit in swivel chairs in ivory towers and hand out edicts to those down below.

As a church we are power-hungry and covet top positions as if we are climbing a corporate ladder. We place value on large churches with even larger programs and budgets. Those who are invited into leadership positions are the rich and the influential. We forget that spiritual authority is not given to the savvy businessman or the sports hero but to those who have carried the burden of the Lord.

Where are the brokenhearted believers who weep through the night over our spiritual bankruptcy?

A true move of God makes you utterly dependent upon Him. The touch of the Father was never designed to touch you just once. It was designed to leave you feeling helpless unless you receive the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit.

A true revival brings us to the end of ourselves. It takes us to the foot of the cross where we lay down our hopes, dreams and ambitions. History is replete with those who have given their all to see God move.

Lost Missionary Zeal

Missionaries John Paton and Adoniram Judson both served the Lord in hostile areas, and they both buried their wives and children on the mission field. Through brokenness and humility they saw the Lord touch those who had never heard the message of redemption. When Paton first entered his field of work the locals were filled with demons. When he left, all on the island had become Christians and had renounced the practice of headhunting.

Where is the God of Elijah today? And where is this missionary passion and sacrifice? Our doctrine has changed. Today the church teaches that we are too important to the kingdom of God to lay our lives down. It claims that a good ministry must last a long time.

Neither John the Baptist nor Jesus subscribed to this egocentric American gospel. Both John and Jesus gave their lives as martyrs. Yet we have removed martyrdom from our vocabulary.

People often warn me not to take the ministry too seriously. Perhaps because I spend a lot of time preaching in war-torn nations and dangerous areas where Christians are persecuted, some believers tell me to stop being so radical. Perhaps when we express passion and fervor for the gospel, complacency is exposed.

John the Baptist said that Jesus must increase while he must decrease (see John 3:30). Yet today ministers are promoted to places of power and prominence that were unheard of in years past. Pastors have become celebrities. The halls of their palatial offices are filled with pictures of themselves.

It would seem that these ministers are increasing while Jesus is decreasing! Instead of begging God for a move of His precious Holy Spirit, we waste countless hours begging the flock to give money so the work of God will continue. What we need to do is prostrate ourselves and beg God to strip us of the power-hungry spiritual veneer that has encrusted our souls.

God is moving in powerful ways in the developing world. How is it that God can visit a mud hut in the middle of Africa yet bypass the comfortable sanctuaries we created for Him in our country?

Ravenhill answered it this way: “God does not answer prayer; He answers desperate prayer.” Jesus comes to those who are desperate for Him.

The reason I believe that most of us never experience a move of God is simply that we are content to live without it. In the West we now have the money but no longer the power to speak to a paralyzed world. The song in our hearts is gone, as well as our desire for Him to rule at the center of our hearts.

We quickly point to our blessings (which are almost always of the material variety) and claim that our overabundance is due to God’s favor. But isn’t the ultimate sign of God’s favor converted souls and a sovereign move of God?

A Chinese Christian who spent more than 26 years in a tiny prison cell was asked upon his release how he handled confinement. His answer rocked me to the core. He said it was like a honeymoon with Jesus.

Why are other nations experiencing revival and we aren’t? Could it be that calamity clarifies while comfort confuses? Calamity is an excellent teacher. It shows us in an instant what is truly important.

When we become desperate, the mortgage is no longer important, nor the lawn care. When calamity strikes, it is people that are important to us, not things. While persecution purifies, prosperity often pollutes. Our materialism leaves us content without God.

The Cry of the Persecuted

I was working with persecuted Christians in Eritrea when our director there was arrested in front of our house. He was snatched and taken in the back of a truck to be interrogated because of his Christian activities. Currently more than 400 believers in Eritrea are being detained in shipping containers and holes in the ground for telling others about Jesus.

After hearing of our director’s capture we gathered our team and began praying. As in the book of Acts, a miracle happened, and he was released within a few hours. But not all believers are spared like this.

While traveling through Eritrea we met a believer who had been held captive in a hole in the ground for four months. His only crime was telling others about Jesus. As he shared his testimony he washed my feet and sang a hymn in his local tongue.

The church in Eritrea has exploded in growth while its leaders have been in prison. Laypeople have taken up the call to evangelize, and nothing will stop them.

The Puritans had an old proverb that said, “Either the love of Christ will draw you to His breast or the wrath of God will drive you to His breast.” What we see clearly is that God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness. I believe God has withheld a move of His Spirit in the United States because He knows we would prostitute it and use His gifts to our own advantage. God loves us too much to allow us to be lifted up in pride.

Suffering works out a type of redemption that the West doesn’t understand. To say the name of Christ in an Islamic country, where Christ is not welcome, means identifying with the cross. Jesus warned that people would hate us because we follow Him. America, when will we learn that no cross means no crown?

When I was preaching in Vietnam I asked believers who have suffered for Jesus what prayer requests we could take back to America on their behalf. We asked if they would like us to pray for opened borders so they could evangelize without persecution. Their immediate response was that they would rather have open heavens than open borders.

The refugee camps and the restricted-access countries of the world are experiencing a refreshing move of God. Yet the paradox is that they lack the buildings, money and expertise we possess in the West. Could it be that they have discovered the true treasure of Christ’s kingdom?

When I was ministering to persecuted Christians in Sudan, Sudanese helicopter gunships attacked my team and me. Several people were killed as we fled for our lives.

After escaping and hiding in the rocks, I sat with a pastor who had lost everything. His village had been attacked and his church was burned to the ground. All his possessions were lost and he, like me, had nothing but the shirt on his back.

People from his church had been killed and now he was on the run. I asked him if during his suffering he was ever tempted to doubt God’s love. His reply hit me like a brick to the side of my head. “I am most aware of God’s presence when I am suffering,” he told me.

In the West our blessings have left us content without revival. If a man can live without revival, then he will be content without it. But when he is desperate for a touch from heaven, then God will bring brokenness–and he will no longer trust in the arm of the flesh.

More than anything today in America, we need humility. Leaders who are pompous and have an overstated importance need to humble themselves. No longer should our first question be, “How big is your church?” but rather, “What is the spiritual condition of the members?”

Christian superstars who jam the airwaves are not the answer for a move of God. We need those who will walk in humility, cry aloud and rend their hearts so that God will receive the glory He alone is due.

 

Kevin Turner is an evangelist who ministers primarily in regions of the world where the gospel is restricted. He is director of Strategic World Impact in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. You can learn more about his unique ministry at .

I could bench nearly 400 pounds, but I couldn’t lift the weight of low self-esteem off my back … until I discovered that only what God says about me really matters.

 

How would you respond if someone asked you that question? You might answer with your name, but that’s just what people call you.

Come on, who are you? You might tell me your profession, but that’s just what you do, not who you are. Finally frustrated, you might start saying you’re kind, funny and generous–but those are just personality characteristics. Who are you? Do you really know?

We’re talking about identity. It’s the question of who you are when everything is stripped away. If you get this one wrong–or base your identity on the wrong foundation–you’ll be in for a string of disasters. You certainly won’t be able to find success with any fitness program. It will sabotage your efforts every time.

I haven’t always had my identity built on bedrock. Mine was a combination of things at different times. During my early years, my identity was found in my popularity, athletic ability and physical appearance. Then at age 16, I was ripped from my old environment (a U.S. military base in Japan) and thrown into a new school in the United States.

I coped by throwing myself into what had always helped me: sports. Through that I did make some friends and soon things weren’t so bad. I played soccer and earned a spot as goalie. It was during this first year that my soccer coach wanted me to sign up for weight lifting class to improve my vertical jump.

OK, don’t laugh, but in my first days of weight lifting class I had to start on the bench press with no weights at all. All I could lift was the bar, a mere 45 pounds. I knew there were plenty of girls who could lift much more than I could. But I stayed with it. In a few months something began to happen: I felt stronger, I could lift more and I was getting bigger!

I remember the moment I threw myself into this heart and soul. There was this one senior at our school. He was Mr. Popularity. Everyone in school knew his name. Girls would practically trip over themselves to go out with him at a moment’s notice. This guy was built, too.

Well, one day during our lunch break my friends and I were working out in the gym when this guy came in with some buddies. They weren’t even working out; they would just come in sometimes to show off. The big event that would turn heads was when someone would put three plates on each side of the bar for the bench press–putting the total weight at 315 pounds. Mr. Popularity did about five lifts of this weight, bouncing the bar off his chest like it was a trampoline and arching his back so high I swear you could have driven a truck under the bridge he made. Everyone stood and watched.

Then it happened. A minute later he came over to the bench where I had just finished benching 95 pounds (the bar plus 25 pounds on each side). I had come a long way from my early days of struggling with just the bar, and I was feeling my confidence grow.

Well, this guy came up and asked if he could work in really quick and do some lifts of my bar. “Sure,” I said. Who was I to say no? Plus I was just honored he was speaking to me. He then proceeded to stand facing the bar and began curling the weight a few times using his biceps. What I needed my whole chest, shoulders and triceps to press up, he was curling. The weight I could barely lift with my whole upper body, he played with like a toy.

His friends got a good laugh at my expense, and I’m sure he must have felt pretty proud. I just stood there embarrassed. But I felt a fire come to life in the pit of my stomach like never before. As I walked home that day after school, I remember saying these exact words: “My time will come.”

I began to work out extra hard in gym class, and I’d go during my lunch breaks on the days I didn’t have class. I’d do push-ups and sit-ups in my room before bed almost each night. I started eating two lunches (as unhealthy as cafeteria food was; good thing I was young). I ate any protein I could get my hands on. By the time my sophomore year came I had gotten considerably bigger. I was benching 285 toward the end of that year and was quickly making my way toward 300.

I began to get more attention. Here I was, only a sophomore, yet I was one of the strongest guys in school. I made a lot more friends in that weight lifting circle, and during class the coach moved me up to the highest bench where the strongest guys were. All the guys at that bench were at least juniors, and most were seniors.

So you can see how I might begin to find my identity in this. Who was I? I was the sophomore who could bench press 285. Then I was the senior who could bench 330.

In college I took two New York State records for the bench press in the 165-pound weight class. For competitions and records you cannot bounce the bar on your chest; it has to come to a dead stop with three judges standing around you. The highest weight I ever got up to was 395 pounds. I always wanted to break into the 400-pound club, but I injured my shoulders and never got close to it again.

But during my sophomore year of college I came to know the Lord. That’s when I finally began to discover where my identity really should have been found. There’s nothing wrong with caring for your body or competing in athletics, but we can’t allow our identities to be found in it. Where do you draw your identity from?

I once saw a pastor hold up a $100 bill and ask his congregation who would like it. Of course lots of hands shot up. He said, “I’ll give it to one of you, but first let me do something.” He then crumpled the bill in his hands until it disappeared into his fist. “OK,” he said, “now who still wants it?” The people looked at each other and chuckled, and hands shot up again.

“All right, what if I do this to it?” He threw the bill on the ground and stomped on it, grinding his heel into the floor. “Now who still wants this hundred dollar bill?” Everyone’s hand still shot up.

What he said next really made me think. “My beloved” he said, “why is it that no matter what happened to this bill–whatever it had gone through, wherever it had been–you still would take it? I’ll tell you. It’s because you still recognized the value. Nothing it had been through could change its value one bit.”

You’ve got to get this or you won’t be able to see lasting success in true health. If you think you’re worthless, you’ll find it all but impossible to find the strength to find true health: physical, emotional and spiritual.

Your mirror may say you’re ugly. The world may say you’re undesirable. But none of that can influence you if you are convinced that you have immense worth no matter what you’ve been through–not because the world or anyone else says so, but because the One who made you says it.

Galatians 4:7 says, “So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (NIV). Try that on for what it means to have value. You’re royalty.

How would your life be different if you really embraced that truth? You would stop letting other people tell you whether or not you’re attractive enough. You would find all your truth about yourself in what your royal Father said about you.

To know what your Father says about you, you’ve got to spend time in His presence. We tend to spend more time, money and thought on our physical appearance than we spend with God and in His Word. It’s no wonder our perception of what makes up our identity is skewed. How could we possibly know who we are if we aren’t spending time with the One who made us?

The next time you feel attacked about your body image or self-esteem, remember that the enemy’s goal is to take you out of the battle and keep you from serving with all the wonderful talents and gifts the Lord has given each and every one of us. Think, What does the enemy stand to gain if I believe this to be true about who I am? Then answer back with what God says about you.

---

Dino Nowak is a health and fitness expert who has trained celebrities in the entertainment industry. He writes and produces a weekly radio program and is the author of The Final Makeover: Your 40-day Guide to Personal Fitness (Siloam). The book presents a total approach to fitness and includes more than 100 exercises that can be done at home without one piece of exercise equipment. For more information visit or call 1-800-599-5750.

I could bench nearly 400 pounds, but I couldn’t lift the weight of low self-esteem off my back … until I discovered that only what God says about me really matters.

 

How would you respond if someone asked you that question? You might answer with your name, but that’s just what people call you.

Come on, who are you? You might tell me your profession, but that’s just what you do, not who you are. Finally frustrated, you might start saying you’re kind, funny and generous–but those are just personality characteristics. Who are you? Do you really know?

We’re talking about identity. It’s the question of who you are when everything is stripped away. If you get this one wrong–or base your identity on the wrong foundation–you’ll be in for a string of disasters. You certainly won’t be able to find success with any fitness program. It will sabotage your efforts every time.

I haven’t always had my identity built on bedrock. Mine was a combination of things at different times. During my early years, my identity was found in my popularity, athletic ability and physical appearance. Then at age 16, I was ripped from my old environment (a U.S. military base in Japan) and thrown into a new school in the United States.

I coped by throwing myself into what had always helped me: sports. Through that I did make some friends and soon things weren’t so bad. I played soccer and earned a spot as goalie. It was during this first year that my soccer coach wanted me to sign up for weight lifting class to improve my vertical jump.

OK, don’t laugh, but in my first days of weight lifting class I had to start on the bench press with no weights at all. All I could lift was the bar, a mere 45 pounds. I knew there were plenty of girls who could lift much more than I could. But I stayed with it. In a few months something began to happen: I felt stronger, I could lift more and I was getting bigger!

I remember the moment I threw myself into this heart and soul. There was this one senior at our school. He was Mr. Popularity. Everyone in school knew his name. Girls would practically trip over themselves to go out with him at a moment’s notice. This guy was built, too.

Well, one day during our lunch break my friends and I were working out in the gym when this guy came in with some buddies. They weren’t even working out; they would just come in sometimes to show off. The big event that would turn heads was when someone would put three plates on each side of the bar for the bench press–putting the total weight at 315 pounds. Mr. Popularity did about five lifts of this weight, bouncing the bar off his chest like it was a trampoline and arching his back so high I swear you could have driven a truck under the bridge he made. Everyone stood and watched.

Then it happened. A minute later he came over to the bench where I had just finished benching 95 pounds (the bar plus 25 pounds on each side). I had come a long way from my early days of struggling with just the bar, and I was feeling my confidence grow.

Well, this guy came up and asked if he could work in really quick and do some lifts of my bar. “Sure,” I said. Who was I to say no? Plus I was just honored he was speaking to me. He then proceeded to stand facing the bar and began curling the weight a few times using his biceps. What I needed my whole chest, shoulders and triceps to press up, he was curling. The weight I could barely lift with my whole upper body, he played with like a toy.

His friends got a good laugh at my expense, and I’m sure he must have felt pretty proud. I just stood there embarrassed. But I felt a fire come to life in the pit of my stomach like never before. As I walked home that day after school, I remember saying these exact words: “My time will come.”

I began to work out extra hard in gym class, and I’d go during my lunch breaks on the days I didn’t have class. I’d do push-ups and sit-ups in my room before bed almost each night. I started eating two lunches (as unhealthy as cafeteria food was; good thing I was young). I ate any protein I could get my hands on. By the time my sophomore year came I had gotten considerably bigger. I was benching 285 toward the end of that year and was quickly making my way toward 300.

I began to get more attention. Here I was, only a sophomore, yet I was one of the strongest guys in school. I made a lot more friends in that weight lifting circle, and during class the coach moved me up to the highest bench where the strongest guys were. All the guys at that bench were at least juniors, and most were seniors.

So you can see how I might begin to find my identity in this. Who was I? I was the sophomore who could bench press 285. Then I was the senior who could bench 330.

In college I took two New York State records for the bench press in the 165-pound weight class. For competitions and records you cannot bounce the bar on your chest; it has to come to a dead stop with three judges standing around you. The highest weight I ever got up to was 395 pounds. I always wanted to break into the 400-pound club, but I injured my shoulders and never got close to it again.

But during my sophomore year of college I came to know the Lord. That’s when I finally began to discover where my identity really should have been found. There’s nothing wrong with caring for your body or competing in athletics, but we can’t allow our identities to be found in it. Where do you draw your identity from?

I once saw a pastor hold up a $100 bill and ask his congregation who would like it. Of course lots of hands shot up. He said, “I’ll give it to one of you, but first let me do something.” He then crumpled the bill in his hands until it disappeared into his fist. “OK,” he said, “now who still wants it?” The people looked at each other and chuckled, and hands shot up again.

“All right, what if I do this to it?” He threw the bill on the ground and stomped on it, grinding his heel into the floor. “Now who still wants this hundred dollar bill?” Everyone’s hand still shot up.

What he said next really made me think. “My beloved” he said, “why is it that no matter what happened to this bill–whatever it had gone through, wherever it had been–you still would take it? I’ll tell you. It’s because you still recognized the value. Nothing it had been through could change its value one bit.”

You’ve got to get this or you won’t be able to see lasting success in true health. If you think you’re worthless, you’ll find it all but impossible to find the strength to find true health: physical, emotional and spiritual.

Your mirror may say you’re ugly. The world may say you’re undesirable. But none of that can influence you if you are convinced that you have immense worth no matter what you’ve been through–not because the world or anyone else says so, but because the One who made you says it.

Galatians 4:7 says, “So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (NIV). Try that on for what it means to have value. You’re royalty.

How would your life be different if you really embraced that truth? You would stop letting other people tell you whether or not you’re attractive enough. You would find all your truth about yourself in what your royal Father said about you.

To know what your Father says about you, you’ve got to spend time in His presence. We tend to spend more time, money and thought on our physical appearance than we spend with God and in His Word. It’s no wonder our perception of what makes up our identity is skewed. How could we possibly know who we are if we aren’t spending time with the One who made us?

The next time you feel attacked about your body image or self-esteem, remember that the enemy’s goal is to take you out of the battle and keep you from serving with all the wonderful talents and gifts the Lord has given each and every one of us. Think, What does the enemy stand to gain if I believe this to be true about who I am? Then answer back with what God says about you.

---

Dino Nowak is a health and fitness expert who has trained celebrities in the entertainment industry. He writes and produces a weekly radio program and is the author of The Final Makeover: Your 40-day Guide to Personal Fitness (Siloam). The book presents a total approach to fitness and includes more than 100 exercises that can be done at home without one piece of exercise equipment. For more information visit or call 1-800-599-5750.