There is a direct connection between your sexual behavior and your destiny in Christ. God has designed us to do amazing things for His kingdom, and our level of sexual purity will determine how useful we are. Sex and destiny are linked. This is why the devil works so hard to ensnare men in sexual sin. His goal is to neutralize godly men through immoral sexual behavior, thereby making them ineffective for the kingdom. And after 20 years of counseling men on this issue, I can tell you this is evidence the devil is scared of you.

We have all seen great men of God excelling in the Lord, moving toward global impact, only to succumb to sexual sin. Suddenly, all they can do is watch as their ministry, family and reputation crumble in shame. Had those men prepared themselves to fight against sexual sin by being transparent with others, seeking counsel and remaining accountable—we would still benefit from their ministry today.

As I like to say about the devil, “If he can seduce you, he can reduce you.” 

There are examples of this all throughout the Bible: the destiny of men and women tied to their sexuality. Their response to temptation had a direct impact on their fate. Just look at Joseph’s response, for example, in Genesis 39:7-10:

After a time, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “My master does not concern himself with anything concerning me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my charge. There is none greater in this house than I. He has kept nothing back from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” She spoke to Joseph every day, but he did not listen to her about lying with her or being with her.

Joseph said no and stood his ground. Clearly, his response cost him his job and almost his life. He was thrown in jail, but he had refused to compromise his integrity for a moment of pleasure. You probably know the rest of Joseph’s story. He interpreted dreams for Pharaoh, then in a single day went from being a prisoner with sexual integrity to a position as second-highest leader, not just in the nation, but in the world. 

Had Joseph failed this test, he could have easily been disqualified or killed when Potiphar found out about it. And that one sin would have killed millions by famine because Joseph would not have been where God needed him to be. Sexual purity is what maintained Joseph’s destiny. The same is true of many other great men in the Bible like Moses, Daniel and Elijah. But Samson’s life took a very different turn.

God loved Samson and placed a calling on his life, as Judges 13:24-25 points out: “So the woman bore a son, and she called him Samson. The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him. The Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”

But Samson had one problem, and her name was Delilah. “After this Samson loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. (Judg. 16:4).

You probably know Samson’s story, too. He told Delilah the secret of his strength. The Philistines captured and blinded him. His destiny was limited because of his sexuality. God gave him a final victory; however, his life could have been even greater then had he showed us how a man could use his God-given strength to lead and protect.

We can only wonder what Samson’s life might have looked like had he lived for his true destiny.

So, what about you? What’s it going to be? Will you fight and take a stand? Or will you give in and forfeit the Lord’s calling on your life?

The devil tried to stop me through a series of emotional setbacks. My father and mother abandoned me at an early age, and I fell into the traps of sexual abuse, drug addiction, pornography and promiscuous sex. Looking back, I can see the devil was rightfully concerned that I would figure out God’s purpose for my life and pursue my calling in the Lord. Thankfully, I did. By God’s grace, I was able to recognize the wonderful life He had planned for me, which caused me to give up all my addictions and give everything back to Him. As a result, I have seen God gradually increase my influence through major media outlets and a robust international speaking platform, and I now see men saved and set free from sexual sin everywhere I go.

I love it when I get to speak to teenagers. I see a world of destiny in their young eyes, and yet their generation is under perhaps the largest media assault the world has ever known. They face enormous peer pressure and temptation when it comes to sex. So when I get the chance to talk to them, I often say, “When you feel tempted by someone, tell that person they are simply too small for you.” The truth is their destiny is much bigger than a moment of pleasure.

Your freedom isn’t just about you. Your destiny is tied to that of others all around the world. People are desperate for answers, and once they find out how shallow and unsatisfying a life of sin is, they will want the real thing—Jesus. I believe it is God’s desire to expand your influence for His kingdom. If you will remain faithful, He can make it happen.

You are God’s solution for someone or something on earth. He lives in you and has given you special gifts, unique to your personality. You are a great warrior, and warriors are the ones the enemy attempts to scar early in life. Beyond your guilt, shame or desperation is a heroic, epic story only you and God can write. 

God has called you to His service. There is no need to compromise your destiny by viewing pornography or living a promiscuous lifestyle. Those actions are too small for you. You are not called to peck the ground like a domesticated chicken waiting for the slaughter. No, you are like an eagle destined to fly to incredible heights.

Humble yourself, so others can be free. {eoa}

Doug Weiss, Ph.D. is the executive director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is the author of Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity, Lust Free Living and Sex, Men and God. He is a nationally known author, speaker and licensed psychologist. He has appeared on many national talk shows including Oprah, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America and 20/20 and is the president of the American Association of Sex Addiction Therapy (AASAT). For more information, call 719-278-3708 or visit www.drdougweiss.com.

At church recently, our pastor asked people who were struggling with forgiving someone to come down to the altar to receive prayer for releasing it.

I was shocked when nearly half our congregation went down.

Mind you, the issue itself didn’t shock me, but the number of people struggling with it did.

However, after reflecting on this situation, I don’t believe our congregation is unique.

So I ask you: Do you have a “them” that you need to forgive?

Sin has tainted this world. Many people are hurting because of it. Some of the things stolen from us may include:

• Our childhoods
• Innocence
• Ability to love
• Ability to trust
• Our identity
• Our self-worth
• Material goods

I understand this issue. Many years ago, I had issues with forgiving my father. He abandoned my mother when I was just a baby, so I never knew him. For years I harbored anger against him.

I was in torment, wondering how my life would have been different if only I had known a father’s love growing up.

I did not realize that unforgiveness was eating away at me—literally! Like many, my excess weight was a result of emotional eating. The excess weight was also a form of emotional insulation. In my mind, the excess fat was protecting me from further hurt.

It was only through Jesus’ love and power that I was finally able to forgive my father and release the excess weight I was carrying.

The skill of forgiveness is even more urgent for Christians today. Scripture describes our current world accurately:

“Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1-4).

So offenses are going to come. The question is, will we be able to forgive them?

As Jesus’ disciples, our love is our calling card to unbelievers. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In the following article, I will share how to forgive any of “them” in your life. You’ll explore an uncommon teaching of Jesus and most important of all, learn from His example.

Not only is learning to forgive critical for your spiritual health, but it’s also important for your physical health. Science has discovered a shocking link between cancer and unforgiveness. According to Dr. Michael Barry, over 61 percent of cancer patients have forgiveness issues.

So this issue is killing people—literally. Here is what you can do to remove the cancer of unforgiveness from your life.

Jesus’ Teaching on Forgiveness

In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells a parable about forgiveness after the apostle Peter asks how often he should forgive a brother who has sinned against him.

I recommend you read this parable, asking the Holy Spirit in prayer to illuminate it so that you see the relevancy in your own situation.

As you read, consider these principles from the parable:

• Forgiveness does not mean you approve what the other person did. When you forgive someone, you are not saying that what they did to you was acceptable. It was wrong. It also does not mean that you need to become best friends with that person or trust them. The Bible says that you must have discernment in your dealings with others according to Matthew 10:16.
• Forgiveness does mean releasing the person from the debt they owe you. When one person hurts another, they take something from them. The one who has been hurt feels that the other person should restore what they took.

So that person is written in their life’s ledger as a bill unpaid! However most of the time, that person is either unable or unwilling to pay.

Do not continue to let that loss define and ruin your life. This person already took from you; do not let them steal your future too!

If you do not forgive them, then not only will your Father not forgive you, but your heart will become hardened to the Holy Spirit’s leading over time as you persist in disobedience. The enemy would love that.

Now you might think, “If I forgive their debt, that means they got away with it! It’s not fair.”

But Romans 12:19 tells us that the Lord will handle it:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Trust the Lord for healing and restoration. Focus on doing what Jesus commands:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:43-48).

You love people as an act of obedience to Christ, knowing that you are not going to like everyone’s ways.

You can only love your enemies when you recognize and meditate upon Jesus’ love for you. Recall John 13:34 in which He says:

“Even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Loving your enemies and treating them kindly is a much more powerful testimony to them than returning evil for their evil. After all, the world does that, doesn’t it?

But we are called to stand out, not fit in. Our love enables us to shine in a dark world and will become even more important as the world gets darker.

When you treat others kindly in spite of how they treat you, it is your opportunity to demonstrate the excellence of your faith in Jesus.

Jesus taught this principle in Luke 6:32-35. He said:

“For if you love those who love you, what thanks do you receive? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you receive? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you receive? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much in return. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and the evil.”

So we follow our Lord’s instruction when we forgive others, just as Jesus followed the Father’s example. Jesus did not just teach about this principle. He gave us an example. He lived through it from how He endured the cross.

Jesus’ Example on the Cross

If you have seen the movie The Passion of the Christ, then you saw the things the Bible described that Jesus went through on the cross: He was rejected, insulted, His own abandoned Him, and He was beaten, spat upon and nailed to that cross. Imagine the extreme torment and pain He went through at the hands of others.

And yet in the midst of that pain and sorrow, Luke 23:34 records what Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Consider this: Every stripe and wound inflicted upon Jesus represented the sins mankind committed against God, including the very ones responsible for nailing Jesus to the cross.

No one who has ever walked this Earth was left out.

• The sin the other person committed against you was included in those stripes.
• The sins you have committed against yourself and others were included in those stripes also.

The only possible difference between you and the other person is that you accepted Jesus’ payment for your sins. 

You declared Him as your Savior and Lord. As a result, you can move forward as a beloved, forgiven child of God.

Meditate on your gratitude that God released your sin-debt to Him because Jesus paid it all! In Psalm 32:1-2, King David wrote:

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord does not count iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

The more you meditate on how much you have been forgiven, the more your ability to forgive and love increases.

In the story of the woman with the Alabaster box (Luke 7:36-50), Jesus said of her:

“Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with ointment. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.'”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

In summary on how to forgive “them”:

• You can only forgive when you know that God has forgiven and redeemed you.
• You can only love your enemies out of the love Jesus has for you. From that love, you obey Jesus by blessing those who curse you, doing good to those who hate you, and praying for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Pray for their salvation if they are not already saved.

After all, Jesus is not asking you to do anything He was not willing to do Himself! He is a compassionate High Priest. While He has suffered as you have, you have not suffered as He has.

So you can trust Him with your pain.

As a child of God, recognize that this sick and sad world is not our home. At the end of this life, you will change residences and live with your Lord and Savior forever.

In Revelation 21:4, the Word promises:

“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death.”

Walk forward in freedom and newness of life with your Savior. He already paid the price for your blessing.

Accept it, enjoy it and pass it on. {eoa}

Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight-loss website takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit takebackyourtemple.com.

Your day-to-day eating, or diet, begins with the choices you make at the grocery store.  The degree to which you eat in a healthy way at home is largely determined by what food and beverages you have on hand.

So, the choices you make as you walk down the isles of the grocery store are very important.

In this article, I won’t suggest which specific foods to purchase, but will try to address a few factors that will probably influence the kind of choices you make.

First, I encourage you to step back and reflect deep within your heart, soul and mind, asking yourself questions like this: “Am I committed to eat well?” “Do I truly desire to put healthy foods and beverages into my body?” “Is it really important for me to care for my body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor. 6:19). These are matters of the will. They require you to be honest with yourself and with God at a deep level.

Second, if you respond with a “yes” to these questions, it’s likely you will have to surrender yourself at a deeper level to God and to His will. You’ll have to depend on Him and His power to enable you to make healthier choices at the store. If you struggle with selecting healthy items and are committed to making changes, I encourage you to be intentional in praying before you enter into the store, even as you walk through the store doors and grab a cart. Ask God to help you. Tell Him you recognize you rely on Him and His Spirit to empower you. Remind yourself that what is impossible in your own strength is possible with Him:

“What is impossible for men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Third, add a visual prompt to bring God into your choices. Nowadays, many of us use a digital app on our mobile device for our grocery lists. My wife and I share a reminder on our iPhones labeled “Groceries.” Just this morning, the Holy Spirit prompted me to add the words from Luke 18:27 at the top of the list. I plan to keep them there as a reminder to invite God into our decisions when we shop for food. As I meditate on this verse and ask the Holy Spirit to empower me at the store, I’m convinced my food choices will be healthier.

If you use paper and pen to make your list, perhaps you could write the above verse (or another meaningful thought) at the top.

If you’ve accepted Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit lives within you.  You have a responsibility to care for your body since Jesus paid a high price for you on the cross. “You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20a).

Healthy eating is one key to doing that. {eoa}

Dale Fletcher is a speaker and wellness coach who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He writes and conducts workshops on the link between the Christian faith and health. Connect with Dale at faithandhealthconnection.org.

For the original article, visit faithandhealthconnection.org.

As Thanksgiving is upon us, I have been reflecting upon the topic of giving thanks and have been overwhelmed with gratitude for all that the Lord has done through the years. I have been reminded of the Lord’s grace, kindness and provision. I have recognized that I am usually a lot happier and more peaceful when I’m thankful and when I focus on what the Lord is doing rather than on what He’s not.

I have discovered that some of the rewards of practicing gratitude are a fresh perspective of heaven and a peace that passes understanding. I pray that my thoughts on of stewarding peace impart great courage to remain in Him no matter what comes your way.

In Psalm 100, the psalmist talks about entering His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations” (Ps. 100:4-5).

Thanksgiving and praise usher us into His presence with a sweet invitation to take hold of more of Him. These two pairs are significant attributes that help us better cultivate a lifestyle of intimacy with Jesus and peace that passes understanding.

Thankfulness

Let’s start with Thankfulness. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, it says, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

This verse says be joyful always. It doesn’t say just to be joyful when we feel like it or when God has done something marvelous on our behalf but to be full of joy always. We can choose to be full of joy as we meditate on Him. This verse also says to give thanks in all circumstances. In the most horrible of circumstances, might there be one small seed of hope remaining that we can recognize and praise Him for? He is not saying that we should celebrate and give thanks for bad things that happen to us. We know Romans 8:28 says He will turn bad things around for our good, but that doesn’t make these bad circumstances any less painful. He says in the midst of them, however, that we should give thanks to Him regardless of what is going on around us.

No matter what storms may come or go in our life, surrounding circumstances don’t change the fact that God is good and worthy of our praise. He is always faithful, He always remains, He will never leave nor forsake us, and He has already given His one and only Son for us. We have already been invited to partake of an eternity with Him in heaven. Many of us have a roof over our heads and people around us who love us. There is always something to be thankful for despite the circumstances. It’s our job to keep our eyes on what God is doing, not on what He is not doing. What positive things can you give thanks for today regardless of the state of your present circumstances?

Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Here we see it said again, to rejoice in the Lord always! Here we also discover that one of the secrets to stewarding peace in every situation is through surrendering our heavy hearts to the Lord, trusting Him with our requests, and by giving Him an offering of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving frees up our mind from all the weights and concerns we carry and re-positions us in a place of trusting Him to carry us. It reminds us that He is always faithful and just as He has come through in the past, He will come through again. It shifts our focus off of our problems and onto His goodness.

Praise

As we saw earlier in Psalm 100, praise also goes before us into His inner courts. Praise is a magnet for God’s presence. He loves it when we praise Him. The circumstances around us should never dictate the measure of praise we pour out to our faithful King. In those moments of great pain when everything is against us and we feel like there’s no hope, we have a choice. We can sink deeper down into depression or we can put our hope in God and praise Him anyway. Despite our situations, we can offer Him a sacrifice of praise. It’s easy to praise Him when things go our way, but to praise Him when our world is falling apart is one of the most sacred offerings of love we can give.

Praise not only precedes us entering deeper into the Secret Place but also precedes many breakthroughs. In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was about to face one of the largest armies he had ever seen. His and his people’s deaths were imminent. He responded by gathering his community together to seek the Lord. In that meeting, a prophet spoke up saying that God would deliver them. When the king heard this, he bowed down with his face to the ground and all of the people of Judah and Jerusalem also fell down and worshipped the Lord. Then the Levites stood up and praised the Lord with a very loud voice. This all happened before there was any victory at all.

Then the next morning, they geared up for battle and got in formation. The King positioned the worshippers in the front line of the army to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness. They were to sing, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chr. 20:21).

Here we see it again, the giving of thanks. Why would anyone sing praises to God and songs of thanksgiving right before they were about to face the largest army they had ever seen before? It is because they trusted in the word of the Lord and they understood the power of praise and thanksgiving. It was as they began to sing praises to God that the Lord set ambushes against the invading army. By the time Jehoshaphat’s army came to the place that overlooks the desert, they looked toward the vast army and only saw dead bodies. In the midst of their thanksgiving and praise to God in the face of great danger, He worked behind the scenes to fight on their behalf and to bring them into great victory.

We do not give God thanks and praise so that we can get some massive breakthrough but simply because we love and adore Him. We thank and praise Him because of all that He has done for us. However, in that heart stance, we don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes on our behalf as we engage in thanksgiving and praise. I can guarantee you that no matter what your current situation is right now, if you begin to turn your eyes upon Jesus, thank Him for all He has done and praise Him for His faithfulness, you will experience a new measure of peace. Though your circumstances may remain the same, your perspective will shift. New hope will arise and a peace that passes understanding will guard your heart and your mind. You will begin to walk in a place of victory like never before.

3 Keys to Stewarding Peace

In my life, when I am struggling with some issue, whenever I turn my affection toward Jesus and worship Him even more fiercely, something shifts. Sometimes it takes a little while before I can break into peace, but if I set my heart to get my eyes off of myself and onto Him, He fills me with peace and grace to stand. I encourage you to steward peace in your life by making it a pattern to:

• Rejoice in the Lord always
• Give thanks in all circumstances
• Keep Your eyes on Jesus

Activating a Thankful Heart

In light of thanksgiving, I want to encourage you to think of five people in your life who have impacted you, loved you well or played a key role in your life. Who are a few of the people God is highlighting right now that you are truly grateful for? Now I want to challenge you to write an email, send a text message, call them up on the phone, or have coffee with them and express your gratitude for the gift of God they have been in your life.

Blessing you with a spirit of thanksgiving, a refined focus on Jesus and on what He is doing all around you, and a peace that passes understanding as you rejoice in Him today. {eoa}

Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD., is the founding director of Destiny House, a ministry that cultivates communities of worshippers who do life together in God’s presence and who launch people into their destinies from a place of intimacy with God and connection with family. Destiny House has a 100-year vision for worship to be released in the context of family and for 5,000 other houses to be launched around the world. Jen recently released a new book called Ignite Azusa: Positioning for a New Jesus Revolution. She also supported Bill Johnson in his Defining Moments book as well as has written Writing in the Glory, Life on Wings, Water to Wine, Spirit Flood, and Silver to Gold. Jen teaches revival history classes at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry as well as facilitates Writing in the Glory workshops at Destiny House. Jen is ordained by Heidi Baker with Iris Global and also by Bill Johnson with Bethel Church of Redding, California. Jen loves to lead people into life-changing encounters with Jesus through her writing, teaching and ministry. She received her Ph.D. in Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies from the University of Birmingham, U.K.

For the original article, visit silvertogold.com.

The other day as I was running from recording my daily radio show to preparing for the weekly Bible Study I teach to hundreds of women, a very strange and random thought passed through the brilliant gray matter in my brain.

I miss Ruth Bell Graham, I randomly thought.

What? I have never met Ruth Graham although she remains one of my lifelong heroines of the faith. What was it that caused me to long for the presence of someone with whom I had never crossed paths personally?

I have read every book she has written as well as every biography that has been written about her. Her words, her wit and her wisdom over the years have become a staple in the foundation of my life as a pastor’s wife.

As I quickly fixed myself a cup of coffee between radio and Bible study, I thought about other women whose lives I have come to regard as significant.

• Corrie ten Boom
• Barbara Johnson
• Susannah Wesley
• Betty Stam
• Darlene Rose

Do you recognize any of those names that have become so very dear and so familiar to me?

Over the course of the next few weeks, I intend to introduce some of my heroines of the faith in this, my weekly column. My prayer is that each woman will inspire you to live for Christ at your moment in history and to challenge you to serve the Lord in easy times and in horrific times. My prayer is, also, that someday the story of your life will be some unknown woman’s heroine of the faith.

Ruth Bell Graham

Ruth Bell was born on June 10, 1920, the daughter of medical missionaries in China. Ruth and her siblings were raised in the midst of the disease, agony and disorder that a civil war painfully brings to a country. This young woman saw Christians murdered for the cause of Christ; she also experienced the horror of knowing that brutal savages in China had killed some of her dearest missionary friends.

Her parents, in spite of the fear and instability of war, exercised a profound effect upon the development of Ruth’s character and laid the foundation for the woman she would become. What this extraordinary girl witnessed in her family home, she willingly and diligently practiced for herself: dependence upon God in every circumstance, a delightful love for His Word, a deep concern for others above self, and an indomitable spirit always displayed with a smile.

When Ruth was but a mere 13 years old, her parents believed it best to send her to a Christian boarding school in Korea. She was ferociously homesick, and often days went by when Ruth was unable to either eat or drink, so great was her emotional despair. It was during these dark, solitary days she learned to overcome her loneliness and to take care of the needs of others. Ruth did not realize it at the time, but learning to live far away from those she loved the most would prepare her for the life that she and her husband, Billy, would someday be called upon to live.

When Ruth turned 17, her parents sent her to the States in order to attend Wheaton College during the years preceding and during World War II. It was there Ruth met her future husband and gave up her long-held dream of becoming a missionary because that was not his dream or call. She raised her five children, most days alone, on a mountaintop in North Carolina while her husband traveled the world for Christ. 

Ruth’s happiness and fulfillment did not depend upon her circumstances. She was a lovely, beautiful and wise woman simply because early in life she had determined to make Christ her home, her purpose, her center, her confidante and her vision. Ruth gave up her childhood dreams in order to serve her husband, her children and her aging parents.

Ruth Bell Graham went to be with the Lord just after turning 87 years old in June 2007. Growing up in war-torn China had toughened her to life’s hard edges, but it did not make her callous or hard. Ruth somehow developed a zest for life and a love for God that few of us have chosen to embrace this side of eternity. Her dedication to the Word of God and to the diligence of obedience is her legacy. Ruth discovered a secret of abundant living that you and I sometimes ignore: Ruth had an undying faith in Jesus and diligently pursued a life of highest obedience. On Ruth’s tombstone are written these words:

“End of Construction … Thank you for your patience!”

Editor’s Note: Since this was published Thursday morning, fervent intercession has led to the arrest of 10 people plotting terror on the Rio games. Meanwhile, Brazil police smashed an ISIS plan for attacks on the games. But keep praying. Al-Qaeda is calling for lone wolf terrorists to rise up.

I had no clue the 2016 Summer Olympics were in just two weeks. I have been knee deep in reporting on terrorist attacks, shootings and other violence in America and around the world.

At about 6:30 Wednesday morning, I heard these words in my spirit:

ISIS and other dark forces have formed a confederacy that will orchestrate a coordinated attack at the Olympics. The plan calls for attacks on every side and in diverse manners. Suicide bombers are being trained to infiltrate the perimeter with new tools and tactics and with mass carnage in mind.

Even areas in the outskirts of the city will be targeted to bring mass chaos and spread thin responding forces. Demonic alliances are being forged even now because the attacks in the minds of these terrorists surpass the resources any one group has collected on its own.

Underground networks are being formed even now to strike several cities on the same day, even though the Olympics are the primary targets of terror.

I saw fire, lots of fire and people being trampled as they tried to race away from the sites. I saw chemical weapons being deployed that suffocate victims. Other chemical weapons were deployed that lead to a slower, more painful death. It was clear to me that this coordinated attack is not depending or relying on any one method or strategy or group. This is a cadre of groups unified for one evil purpose.

Again, I had no idea the Olympics were in 15 days.

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When I researched this out, I discovered the games in Rio run from Aug. 5 to Aug. 21. I also read news reports indicating Brazil has beefed up Olympic security after the Nice terror attack and how security services foiled a French delegation at the Rio 2016 Olympics. In other news, a Brazilian extremist group used the Telegram to pledge allegiance to ISIS.

Some of this may be chatter, but some of it is likely real and I’m convinced there’s much more going on behind the scenes.

Please don’t brush this off. I still remember watching in horror the aftermath of the terrorist bomb attack on Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics. The attack ultimately killed two people—one immediately and a second had a heart attack while running to the scene—and injured 110 others. In other words, we’ve seen terror attacks on the Olympics before. Now, in an age of terror where we see violence every week, we need to take this warning seriously.

The Lord also showed me He is calling undercover intercessors to press into new realms of prayer to combat these plans and thwart the purposes of the wicked ones. He’s looking for covert groups of prayer warriors who will band together without any recognition or fanfare and press into what the Lord is showing step by step that each stage of the enemy plot can be overturned. He’s calling special forces to rise up and push back the chaos that intends to manifest so that many lives can be saved. He’s looking for skilled spiritual generals to organize groups of intercessors to pray without ceasing about specific assignments.

Two weeks doesn’t leave us much time to thwart this terror attack. God would not be warning if He did not want to intervene. I believe we can take authority over these demons before the manifest in the midst of a global scene. {eoa}

A new Christian ministry offers a refuge for pregnant women in difficult situations. Lori’s House—founded by Lori Bakker—offers hope and healing to women during their pregnancy and for up to three months after the baby’s birth.

The process to get in is relatively straightforward. Any woman is eligible so long as she is obviously pregnant, at least 18, and at least 30 days clean of drugs and alcohol. Mothers who already have one child, four years or younger, are also welcome. Each woman receives a background check to ensure she poses no risk to herself or others in the house. After an application and an interview, the staff confers and decides whether she’ll be a good fit. If they agree, the mother can move in as soon as is convenient for her. The whole process can be done in a day, if everything goes smoothly.

Once accepted, young mothers-to-be stay in a luxurious house on Jim Bakker’s Morningside property, where they have the opportunity to learn, earn and spiritually grow. The house was finished last June, and the grand opening of Lori’s House took place in October 2015. In that short time, a couple of young women have already gone through the program.

The ministry is spearheaded by Administrative Director Vicki Kriese, who shared the vision with Charisma.

 “Pastor Lori had had in her past life five abortions, and as she found the Lord and He came into her life, she recognized that she wanted a place where women could come and have that alternative to abortion, that they would come here,” Kriese said. “Instead of aborting their baby, they could come here, to a place of love, support and healing for these women. So they can come here and just have their children. Most of our mothers here make the decision to keep their child or parent their child, but some do not, so we offer another agency that can come in—Love Basket—to help counsel those women who have chosen not to parent their children.”

Kriese says the ministry reaches women from all sorts of backgrounds and lifestyles, but they’re all on equal terms in the house.

“Some of these women come from very broken homes or homelessness, so they have a place to come and live,” Kriese said. “We take care of every need they have. We supply everything, so they have nothing here they need to pay for. All their food, all their clothing, all their toiletries, their education—it’s all provided for them. And of course, spiritual growth. We want them to know there is a God and there is a plan for their life. So we bring them in, love on them and show them the way to Christ, so that they would leave a healed woman, a woman that would have faith in the Lord and that would have success in whatever God has in store for her future.”

Mothers can stay at Lori’s House up to three months after giving birth. But all women are encouraged to arrive months before giving birth, in order to give them time for counseling, job training, education and other preparatory work. After the baby is born, the focus for mothers shifts to long-term planning and goal-setting.

Women staying at Lori’s House work shifts at Morningside in order to help them earn money and develop marketable skills. Because all expenses are paid at Lori’s House, women are encouraged to put 50 percent or more of their income from these jobs into a savings account.

Kriese says each woman’s job is decided based on her skillset.

“When they come in, we get an idea of what they’re fitted for—whether that be working in our general store, the office environment, or the media school,” Kriese said. “… If we have moms who have basically no skills, we would try to put them in an area where they can learn skills. We want them to be in the area that best suits them.”

Women who enjoy their work at Morningside even have the opportunity to remain as employees after their time at Lori’s House comes to an end.

“If our moms feel led to live here on the property or at least in the area and work here at Morningside, we would make every effort to accommodate them,” Kriese said. She emphasized it’s about setting up these young mothers for long-term success, not just assistance during the pregnancy.

Regarding education, moms can get their GEDs with help from an onsite tutor or study at the local media school. Lori’s House also offers a program called “Earn While You Learn.” The program incentivizes learning through in-house currency, called “Blessing Bucks,” which can be used at an on-site boutique that sells clothing and toys for the baby.

Kriese encouraged anyone in a desperate situation to consider Lori’s House.

“[Anyone interested] can call with any interest they have,” Kriese said. “There’s no obligation. … I will make every effort to answer any question that they may have, so that they can know, ‘Yeah, I think Lori’s House would be a good fit for me.’  Let’s begin the application together and let’s begin the process of getting her to Lori’s House.”

Lori’s House is funded by Jim and Lori Bakker, partners of their television show, and various fundraisers and donations. In addition, a couple stores in the area donate a portion of their earnings to Lori’s House. Anyone interested in learning more about Lori’s House or becoming a donor can visit lorishouse.org.

Hi, my name is Jen, and I am a recovering Facebook addict. I confess that I have checked Facebook regularly throughout the day and even into the evening in excessive measures.

I’ve successfully been off of FB for over a month now after deactivating my account. I admit, the first week coming off of FB, I had withdrawals. Since I’m usually all or nothing, I felt I needed to completely unplug to break this addiction. Deactivating FB made me realize that every time I woke up or was stressed out, or went to the bathroom and got away from the crowds or even when I was with people, there was a compulsion to check FB, even if just out of habit.

Instant gratification, immediate response time, and scrolling through other people’s newsfeeds on FB has helped make me even more impulsive than ever. Rather than have deep conversations and connect with people in real time, I would regularly be distracted and want to check my FB. It began to change the way I think. I began to think shorter thoughts.

In the beginning of my FB fast, I had to restructure the way I thought. I was living life and enjoying the moment but then stuck with how to share these experiences with my friends. Where would I post pictures of my epic surfing adventures in Bali or of my new baby nephew I met for the first time in Thailand last month? Once I deactivated FB, I wasn’t sure how to share on a more personal level with people. Rather than posting a picture for the masses, I had to redefine how and who I would want to share these experiences with. I texted a few people pictures of my trip since I could no longer post pictures for the masses on FB and assume there was an exchange of life because they saw my post. It helped me to redefine and focus.

One thing I have learned so far on my FB fast is that it is very liberating to not have to check FB every five minutes after I’ve posted something to see who liked it or commented. It’s wonderful being out to dinner with a friend and being able to be fully present in the conversation with the person in front of me rather than checking to see which one of my 4,000+ FB friends responded to one of my posts.

On this fast, I also noticed when I’m out in public that a lot of people are tied to their mobile devices. Countless times I have gone out to dinner with a friend only to notice people around us literally sitting in front of each other at the table and focused on their devices rather than engaging in conversation with the one sitting in front of them.

One of the reasons I got off of FB was so that I could unplug, re-set and begin dreaming about what God has for me in the upcoming season without any distractions. I wanted to go back to my mystic roots and become a minimalist once again in this season. Silence is one of my love languages and I love to sit at the lake for hours and just think. With FB in my life however, I was regularly distracted and torn between the beauty in front of me and the false sense of connection I felt by looking down at my phone. I wanted my thoughts to be pure, refined, and deeper than what FB required from me. I was also getting ready to dive into writing my next book and I wanted it to come from a deep well, not something fragmented, impulsive, shallow or flashy. I was reflecting on what it must have been like for someone like Jane Austin to write a book. Long days with lots of silence, quiet space, and time to think deep thoughts. I felt that there might be a deep place in my heart I could explore more fully. I knew that to get to the depths of that journey inward, I would need to be unhindered by any distractions.

The problem was that my addiction to FB owned me rather than me using it for purposes that would align with my values. So now, into the second month of my FB fast, I am continuing to enjoy a simpler and more focused life. I’m journaling more, spending more time outside enjoying the summer with friends, climbing mountains and having deeper conversations without being distracted. I’m reading more books, spending more time with family, and letting my heart feel at a deeper level. I’m deep cleaning and purging my house and my life it seems. I’m getting more focused on the Lord and praying more often. I’m learning to grow in vulnerability, be uncomfortable and remain with the people in front of me rather than escape by looking down at my phone all of the time.

I’m also praying about what my relationship with FB will be like in the future. If we ever do get back together, I want to set some good boundaries so that I can limit myself to the constant infiltration of words, videos, pictures of others’ lives and begin to live my life more fully in the present. I want my relationship with FB to be life-giving to myself and to all of my “friends.” I think social media and FB can be a wonderful tool to release the power of the testimony, change lives, and share my heart with the world. So if or when I do ever return to FB, I want there to be purpose in this relationship. I want to utilize FB so it becomes a blessing rather than let it control and take over my life.

So that’s my story in case some of you wondered where I disappeared to. Hope you enjoyed the journey. Life is too short to waste it looking down all the time, unless of course, it’s something special like this …

If you feel the need to cut back on your FB use, one way is to remove the FB app from your phone. Another is to only check FB one day a week or whatever you feel works well with you. If you feel like you might be in a similar position with FB where it has taken more of your time than you realized, I encourage you to take a week off to see how it changes your thinking and to allow deeper heart issues to emerge. A great way to do this is to deactivate your account by going to Settings (Account Settings), Security, Account (Deactivate), Temporary, enter your password. By deactivating rather than deleting your account, everything (photos, posts, etc.) will be saved until you sign in again to reactivate your account. You can do this for a week at a time and you can also keep your messenger account active even while off of FB. Would love to hear your thoughts, tips, best practices, or awakenings that occurred especially by those who took the week challenge. Please post comments below. {eoa}

Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD., is the founding director of Destiny House, a ministry that cultivates communities of worshippers who do life together in God’s presence and who launch people into their destinies from a place of intimacy with God and connection with family. Destiny House has a 100-year vision for worship to be released in the context of family and for 5,000 other houses to be launched around the world. Jen recently released a new book called Ignite Azusa: Positioning for a New Jesus Revolution. She also supported Bill Johnson in his Defining Moments book as well as has authored Writing in the Glory, Life on Wings, Water to Wine, Spirit Flood, and Silver to Gold. Jen teaches revival history classes at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry as well as facilitates Writing in the Glory workshops at Destiny House. Jen is ordained by Heidi Baker with Iris Global and also by Bill Johnson with Bethel Church of Redding, California. Jen loves to lead people into life-changing encounters with Jesus through her writing, teaching, and ministry. She received her Ph.D. in Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies from the University of Birmingham, U.K.

For the original article, visit silvertogold.com.

“There is something so incredibly sexy about you.”

Guys, when was the last time you gave your wife a comment like the one above? When was the last time you made her feel like she was the most loved wife on God’s green Earth? If you can’t think of the last time you spoke a comment like the one above, then listen up.

IT’S TIME TO SPEAK UP!

My wife and I are approaching our 10 year wedding anniversary. We’re excited to reach this mark in our marriage, but would have never thought it was possible in our early years. At just two years into it, we thought divorce was the only option moving forward. We were able to overcome those hurdles, but then thought divorce was an option again at four years. We both spoke up to each other and shared our opinions often, but they were mostly negative. A loving compliment rarely made an appearance.

As I’ve stated through past articles, it was only through the grace of God and our willingness to forgive each other and move on that we were able to start over after year four. We decided to give God a place in our hearts and conversations. Everything changed that year for us and we continue to walk in that same path.

It seemed so easy and natural to point out the bad in my wife back then. I’d be angry from work and take it out on her. She’d look at me wrong or say something somewhat disrespectful, and I’d come back at her with the same force or worse. I couldn’t see the fact that my negative response to her negative response, only spurred more negative responses.

If you think about that last paragraph, we actually sounded very childish. I grew up with two older sisters and can remember numerous times fighting back and forth this way. But those were my sisters. This was my wife. Maybe that was my problem.

Can you relate to having childish conversations with your wife? Back and forth bickering you yell at your kids for, yet you do it nearly every day or every week with your wife? Guys, we need do better at this. We need to be mature husbands for our amazing wives!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, and I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11).

Your Complimenting Style

Guys, here are some really simple questions you need to answer about yourself:

• Do you like it when other people compliment you?
• How does it make you feel when you receive a positive compliment?
• How often do you give positive compliments to people other than your wife?
• What compliments have you wanted to give your wife, but haven’t said out loud?

Guys, I get it! Complimenting others, especially your wife, can feel weird and even awkward. You may think it will come across as weakness. You may think she won’t believe you. But even with all of those doubts in your head, you must speak up and compliment her anyway. Be the mature husband that starts a path down positive and encouraging compliments in your marriage. She may not believe you at first. She may even be negative about it, but keep pressing on. Trust me, as you continue to be positive, she will start to respond in the same way to you. Turn the awkward into the normal!

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thes. 5:16-18).

Complimenting Ideas

Alright, I encourage and challenge you to start complimenting your wife TODAY. Start simple. Do it over a text message. Leave a note on the counter as you leave for work. Pick up a little card on your way home and write down some quick thoughts. Guys, you hold the power to change your marriage!

Here are a few compliments I love to say to my wife:

• “There is something so incredibly sexy about you.” (yes, here it is again!)
• “Thank you for making this amazing dinner!” (say this every time she cooks for you)
• “That outfit looked great on you tonight, especially those jeans.” (as Kris Wolf says, BE SPECIFIC)
• “Thank you for being at home and raising our kids.” (stay at home mom)
• “I want to take you out tonight (or this weekend).” (if a date night is due!)
• “Thank you for being an amazing wife and supporting me.”

The ideas above are just sparks. You have the ability to start the fire in your wife!

From here, I challenge all of you men to speak up and compliment your wife more!

Set reminders, do whatever you have to do, but just do it!

Let’s share some thoughts guys. What has worked for you in your marriage? What is holding you back from doing this? {eoa}

Manturity.com is a website written by men, for men. The goal of the site is to build more mature men spiritually and in their everyday circumstances. Please understand that the majority of the content written for Manturity is directed towards men. On rare occasions there will be articles written by women. These articles will be written in the context of helping men better understand a woman’s point of view and perspective.

For the original article, visit manturity.com.

A new large, reliable study shows that lesbians, gays and bisexuals are in worse health than heterosexuals.

The National Health Interview Survey examined nearly 70,000 Americans in 2013 and 2014, with an average age of 47.

The organization has been conducting similar surveys since 1957, but this was the first time respondents were questioned about their sexual orientation. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.

The number of people identifying as heterosexual totaled 67,150, lesbian: 525, gay: 624 and bisexual: 515.

Gilbert Gonzales of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville and colleagues found that compared to heterosexual women, lesbians were 91 percent more likely to report poor or fair health and twice as likely to report multiple chronic conditions. Bisexual women were also twice as likely to report chronic conditions, like heart disease and breast cancer, than straight women.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people were also more likely than heterosexuals to report heavy drinking and smoking.

In addition to physical health disparities, the survey also records differences in mental health. According to the survey, psychological distress is also worse in homosexuals, but most severe among bisexuals.

While only 17 percent of straight men reported psychological distress, 26 percent of gay men reported it and 40 percent of bisexual men did. 

Similarly, 22 percent of straight women reported psychological distress, while 28 percent of lesbian women did and 46 percent of bisexual men reported it. 

Gonzales told Reuters that the reason bisexual people report the greatest psychological distress is probably because they are the least accepted among all the sexual minorities: lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual. 

The JAMA Internal Medicine publication surmises the reason for the diminished health among homosexuals and bisexuals compared to heterosexuals is because of the way they are often treated. Researchers claim these groups, “were more likely to report impaired physical and mental health, heavy alcohol consumption, and heavy cigarette use, potentially due to the stressors that (they) experience as a result of interpersonal and structural discrimination,” they wrote online June 28.

The survey was taken before gay marriage became legal in 2015.

“It will be interesting to see how legal same-sex marriage will affect these health disparities,” Gonzales said.

In a editor’s note published with the study, Dr. Mitchell Katz wrote “Health care professionals can help by creating environments that are inclusive and supportive of sexual minority patients.”  

“In caring for people who have experienced bias and discrimination, support is a very potent medicine,” he continued. “It’s important that all our federal surveys begin to collect sexual orientation status and gender identity.”

The link between discrimination and poor health has also been examined among racial minorities. According to Journalist’s Resource, “Studies have consistently found that experiencing discrimination is associated with poorer health outcomes overall, but findings on the specific factors have been mixed. Much depends on the health problem in question as well as different approaches to studying these issues, highlighting the need to further understand existing controversies in the field.” {eoa}

Reprinted with permission from CBN.com. Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., All rights reserved.