Someone once said … perhaps in jest … perhaps not … that in some instances God’s Spirit could depart from our midst and we wouldn’t notice any difference. With today’s training, education, and skills—plus our sophisticated technology, gadgetry, and ear-splitting amplified music, we can do an impressive job without God’s help. It’s very easy for highly motivated, gifted, success-oriented, and numbers-conscious leaders to run ahead of God and, like crooner, Frank Sinatra, “do it my way.”

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not against technology nor am I against church music (I greatly appreciate both—at least some of it), but without God’s blessing we labor in vain. Actually, I’ve been in small groups where there was no technology and no music but where there was an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. I’ve also been in church services where all they had was an “old-fashioned organ” and again there was an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. I’ve also been in services where highly charged worship leaders were trying to get us to jump up and down “for the Lord”—and where those of us who wouldn’t comply were accused of resisting God’s Spirit.

The reality is that charismatic type personality leaders—be they musicians, pastors, or TV evangelists—can manipulate a crowd and get them hooting-and-a-hollering about the same as rock music “stars” can get their audience to do. We don’t need God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) to do what a rock star does.

When Balaam was about to use his God-given gift and calling for the wrong reason with the wrong motive, God had to use a donkey to stop him dead in his tracks. Read the story in Numbers 22. It’s fascinating. Imagine the shock when Balaam’s donkey spoke to him. One can’t help but wonder which one was the donkey.

Maybe, just maybe, God may have to use a few “donkeys” today to get his people to hear and see what is happening in many of our church circles and in the world around us—a world which is hell-bent on getting rid of every vestige of Christian truth and God’s Word—and to wake up and realize what radical religionists are hell-bent on doing to all Christians, Jews and Americans. To overcome this ever-increasing evil, great preaching, impressive teaching and inspiring music, no matter how good, won’t do it. It’s going to take facing reality, sincere dedication and commitment of every Christian, earnest prayer for revival, and lives that reflect the love of Jesus in all that we are and do. Nothing less will overcome evil with good.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help especially us Western Christians—who know little if anything about persecution for our faith—to see the world in which we live as you see it. Help us to understand what is going on in the world today and to stand guard against all evil in the power of your Spirit, and to so live that your truth and salvation will triumph over all evil and the terrorism that is accelerating throughout the world today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Numbers 22:27-28 (NIV).

When I was fresh out of college and was filling the pulpit at a small church, I was asked to conduct a funeral—something I’d never done before and was scared “half to death” about doing it. So I can appreciate how Ben, a new pastor, felt when one of his first duties was to conduct a funeral of an 80-year-old parishioner.

Because Ben had never met the deceased man and knew nothing about him, he asked members of the congregation in attendance at the funeral if they would speak a kind word or two about Ben. Silence. Nobody said a word.

So Ben said, “Many of you knew Albert for a long time. Isn’t there someone who can say something nice?”

After a long pause a voice from the back of the room said, “Well, his brother was worse.”¹

Hmmm … not a very nice way to be remembered.

Have you ever given any thought as to what you would like to be said about you at your funeral, or be written on your tombstone? I’d like to think that one thing said about me would be: “He was real and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.”

Why not give this question some serious thought yourself. If you should die tomorrow, what would you like to be said about you? Would it be gratifying or would it be disappointing?

As Michael Josephson said, “There’s an old saying: ‘If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you’d like people to say about you after you die—and live backwards.’”² In other words make sure you are living today in harmony with what you want said about you when you are gone. The same goes for me.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to so live that I will not only feel gratified at what is said about me when I’m gone, but more importantly, so that I will be pleased what you say to me when I meet you face to face—and what a glorious day that will be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV).

2. Adapted from Character Counts by Michael Josephson, www.charactercounts.org.

What comes to mind when you hear about the ever-increasing pressure for the acceptance and approval of gay marriage? An oxymoron if ever there was one?

Could this further step of decadence be related in any way to today’s terrorism? Chuck Colson and others believe so. It is worth serious consideration. Furthermore, we have become considerably more decadent than when the following article was written five years ago.

In BreakPoint Colson quotes Charles Krauthammer who, writing in Townhall, gives a deeper reason why Islam is fighting “the jihad” against America. We “agree on the obvious answers: religion, ideology, political power, and territory. But there is one fundamental issue at stake that dares not speak its name. This is also about—deeply about—sex.” The militant Muslims see that wherever there is freedom—”especially in America and Europe—it brings sexual license and corruption, decadence and depravity.”

Colson also quotes Mark Galli who “made the same point in Christianity Today. He noted that Islamic militants are angry at the West for exporting ‘hedonism and materialism into their very homes through television, enticing Muslims to become religiously lazy and morally corrupt.’ Galli quoted a 1985 communiqué from the terrorist group Hezbollah which said, in part: ‘Our way is one of radical combat against depravity, and America is the original root of depravity.’ Members of these groups see themselves, not as terrorists, but as holy warriors fighting a holy war against Western decadence.”²

The great tragedy is that not only do we destroy our own families and society when we glorify decadence, immoral and corrupt behavior, illicit and immoral sexual behavior including homosexuality and gay-marriage, but we also fan the flame of radical Muslim terrorists—and give them another excuse to attempt to justify their cause.

What can you and I do about our ever increasing decadence? For one thing, we need to make our voice heard. You can help preserve the sanctity of marriage and take a stand for moral behavior and standards by signing the Manhattan Declaration at http://manhattandeclaration.org/the-declaration/read.aspx. You can sign this declaration from any country in the world. Note: Brent set this web address to blank when uploading

Don’t delay. Do it today while there is hope. Remember the words attributed to Edmond Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me and all Christians the good sense to live in harmony with your Word, the will to be purifying salt in a decadent world, and the courage to stand up and be counted and make our voice be heard. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Peter 3:3 (NKJV).

2. BreakPoint with Charles Colson Commentary #040622- 06/22/2004. Copyright by Prison Fellowship, www.breakpoint.org.

I read a news report about a couple in England who had been foster parents for 15 years and had an excellent record. They had stopped for a while and recently re-applied for permission to foster more children but were turned down because—if you can believe it—because they were Christians, and may teach the children in their care that homosexuality is wrong.

Is this same nonsense happening in the U.S.A.? As Jerry Beaven reported in American News Commentary: “Mr. Obama’s long term plans start with indoctrinating our youngest school children. His ‘Safe Schools Czar’ (one of more than 30 appointed ‘Czars’ at last count) is Kevin Jennings,* a practicing homosexual, whose goal is expressed clearly: ‘every school, public private or parochial has an obligation‘to teach a pro-homosexual curriculum. His plan is to teach the children when they are young—kindergarten, first and second grades, and eliminate any concept of traditional values, which will be treated as old fashioned, out of date, or as bigotry.”²

Where on earth is the Western world headed?

More and more, when I think about what is happening in today’s world, I am reminded of Satan’s very first question to the first man. To Adam Satan contemptuously asked, “Has God said?” seeking, from the very beginning to have man doubt God and then disregard God’s Word and his directions, all of which are given for the benefit and protection of those whom God loves—us!

I encourage you to please read and sign the Manhattan Declaration at: http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/home.aspx to affirm your commitment to stand for what God’s Word teaches and to take a stand against what God’s Word condemns.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your Word, the Holy Bible, that teaches all mankind how to live life to the full in harmony with your design and plan for your creation. And please give me the courage to stand for all that your Word teaches, and to stand against all opposition to your Word. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Timothy 4:1-3 (NIV).

2. Jerry Beavan, American News Commentary, Vol. 16, N. 13, March 30, 2011. To subscribe send a blank e-mail to: american_news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
* Note: It is my understanding that Kevin Jennings is no longer in his position as Safe Schools Czar.

The following illustration has been around the email circuit for quite a while but it is a good reminder. Also, there are different versions of this story, but they all make an excellent point.

A man found an eagle’s egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them.

All his life, the eagle, thinking he was a prairie chicken, did whatever the other prairie chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly.

Years passed. The eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong wooden wings.

“What a beautiful bird!” said the eagle to his neighbor. “What is it?”

“That’s an eagle—the chief of the birds,” the neighbor clucked. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.”

And so the eagle, thinking he was just a prairie chicken and not able to soar into the heights, lived his life groveling and picking at the ground, never experiencing the exhilaration of flight and the majesty which was his by birthright.

Tragically, this is the picture of many Christians today. With the God-given ability to “soar on wings like eagles,” as Isaiah wrote, they fail to take advantage of the abilities and blessings that God has prepared for all who truly hope and trust in him.

Let each of us determine that, with God’s help, this will not be our fate, but rather that we will be like eagles and become and do all that God has planned and envisioned for us to become and do, and therein reach our God-given potential—and reap the rewards for all eternity.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your Word that assures me that if I put my hope and trust in you, I will be able to ‘soar on wings like eagles’ and fulfill my God-given potential. Help me, God, so to do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV).

Some time ago I read the following story in Focus on the Family magazine about a man who bought a car that had replaced warning lights with spoken instructions from a woman.

In a soft voice, his little woman, as he called her, would say, “Your door isn’t closed properly.” “Your key is still in the ignition.” “Your seatbelt isn’t fastened properly.”

On one occasion, he recalled how the voice of his little woman said, “Your fuel level is getting low.”

The driver thanked her and, figuring he had sufficient fuel to take him fifty more miles, ignored the voice and kept driving. Soon his little woman repeated, “Your fuel level is low.” The longer he drove, the more his little woman repeated her warning.

Getting frustrated, he stopped his car, searched under the dashboard, and found the appropriate wires. One quick jerk and his little woman was silenced.

Imagine the look on his face when, a few minutes later, his car sputtered and jerked to a standstill—out of fuel! One could almost imagine a grin on his little woman’s face!

We all have a little voice within. It’s called conscience. It can get very annoying at times, too. Sometimes we “pull its wires” and, too late, we discover we are “out of fuel.”

One danger, when we ignore the voice of our conscience and don’t live according to our convictions, is that our mind experiences what counselors call “cognitive dissonance.” That is, mental disharmony. Because this is too uncomfortable to live with, we switch off our conscience.

When we do this often enough, our mind not only switches off the voice of conscience but turns up the volume on the voice of rationalization and justification.

The sad fact is that if we don’t live the life we believe, we end up unhappily believing the life we live. The Bible calls this having a seared conscience. It is a dangerous and self-destructive path to follow.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to realize the danger of switching off the voice of conscience and justifying what I want to do. Please help me to live the life I believe—a life that is lived in harmony with your will and your Word. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV).

Today’s Daily Encounter is told by Henry Gariepy.

A rich man named Carl loved to ride his horse through his vast estate to congratulate himself on his wealth. One day on such a ride, he came on Hans, an old tenant farmer who had sat down to eat his lunch in the shade of a great oak tree. Hans’ head was bowed in prayer. When Hans looked up, he said, “Oh, excuse me, Sir. I didn’t see you. I was giving thanks for my food.”

“Hmph!” snorted the rich man, Carl. He noticed the coarse dark bread and cheese which made up the old man’s lunch. “If that were all I had to eat, I don’t think I would feel like giving thanks.”

“Oh,” replied Hans, “it is quite sufficient. But it is remarkable that you should come by today, Sir. I feel I should tell you, I had a strange dream just before awakening this morning.”

“And what did you dream?” Carl asked with an amused smile. The old man answered, “There was beauty and peace all around, and yet I could hear a voice saying, ‘The richest man in the valley will die tonight.’”

“Dreams!” cried Carl. “Nonsense!” He turned and galloped away. Hans prayed as he watched horse and rider disappear.

Die tonight, mused Carl. It’s ridiculous, of course! No use my going into a panic. The best thing to do about the old man’s dream is to forget it. But he couldn’t forget it. He had felt fine, at least until Hans described his stupid dream. Now he didn’t feel too well. That evening he called his doctor, who was also a personal friend. “Could you come over?” he asked. “I need to talk to you.” When the doctor arrived, Carl told him the old man’s dream—how the richest man in the valley would die that night.

“Sounds like poppycock to me,” the doctor said, “but for your peace of mind, let’s examine you.”

A little later, his examination complete, the doctor was full of assurances. “Carl, you’re as strong and healthy as that horse of yours. There’s no way you’re going to die tonight.” Carl thanked his friend and told him how foolish he felt for being upset by an old man’s dream.

It was about 9 A.M. when a messenger arrived at Carl’s door. “It’s old Hans,” the messenger said. “He died last night in his sleep.”²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to live with eternal values in mind and become rich in the eyes of heaven regardless of whether I am rich or poor in the eyes of man. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: To be sure you are ready for the day when you will meet your Maker, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religious” online at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

1. Jesus in Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV).

2. This story is told by Henry Gariepy in Portraits of Perseverance, (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1989).

Speaking of dreams, rock-climbing definitely is not a dream of mine. I’ve seen rock climbers scale the face of El Capitan in the magnificent Yosemite National Park in California. The thought of my doing what they are doing terrifies me. What if they fell? It can happen. Imagine the terror that rock climber, Lynn Hill, experienced in May of 1989 when scaling a cliff face in France. As she reached the top of a 72-foot ledge, she leaned back into her harness to take a rest—and her rope didn’t hold. She hurtled backwards into space. Amazingly, she survived the fall. She shared this in her autobiography, Climbing Free.

Hill was an experienced rock climber and relied fully on her equipment. Her experience, however, is a powerful reminder of the dangers of putting our trust into something that can fail.²

Think of all the people who held stock in companies such as Enron. Thousands thought their future was secure but lost all their retirement funds. Same with me, I put my trust in my broker and he stole my entire retirement fund. True, we can’t go through life being suspicious of everyone, but having said that, we do need to be wise and careful about who and what we put our trust in.

In some situations where we have been let down, we can recover, but when it comes to putting our trust in planning for eternity, there’s no recovery if we place our trust in the wrong religion or in a false “god.”

Many religious leaders besides Jesus Christ have and still claim that their religion is the true way to God. But Jesus was emphatic in stating that he—not religion nor Christianity for that matter—but that HE was the only way to God. “No one,” he said, “comes to God except through me!”

While Jesus Christ is not the only religious leader who claimed to be God, he is the only one who ever convinced a great portion of the world that he is. He is also the only leader who ever claimed that he would rise from death,³ and according to historical evidence, he did. Following his resurrection, he was seen by the women who visited his tomb and found it empty, by the disciples, and by more than 500 other witnesses.⁴

Christ’s resurrection was also recorded by Josephus, the Jewish historian, in his Antiquities (18:3). Josephus was a Jew writing to satisfy the Romans, so his report of Christ’s resurrection would not have pleased the Romans at all. He would not have included it had he not believed it to be true.*

Had there been any other way to save lost mankind from sins’ eternal destruction, why would Jesus, the Son of God, have come to earth as a baby to identify with mankind and then die in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins on the cruel Roman cross?

So be extremely wise and careful in what and in whom you put your trust when it comes to life after death. Your life depends on it. Eternity is forever!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please be merciful to me, a sinner. Help me to see your truth. Help me not to depend on anyone other than you, the one and only God, to reveal to me the way to you and the way to eternal life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

*Note: For further evidence of the deity of Jesus Christ see the article, “Jesus Christ: God or Man?” at: www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=24&d=1&c=1&p=1. And, if you are not sure that you have placed your trust in Jesus for your eternal destiny, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=2&d=1&c=1&p=2.

1. John 14:6 (NIV).

2. James B. Meigs, “Extreme Living,” O, The Oprah Magazine, July 2002, p. 35-37.

3. Matthew 16:21.

4. Luke 24:13-43; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.

Into the shell of an oyster a tiny foreign body—such as a tiny parasite—finds its way into the soft oyster body. “The intruder, though microscopic, is a source of irritation and pain to the soft body of the oyster. Unable to rid itself of the unwelcome ‘guest,’ the oyster seeks to reduce the irritation by coating it with layers of soft, iridescent mother-of-pearl material from its own shell. Over time, the oyster transforms a painful irritation into a beautiful pearl of great value.”

Most of us have “tiny parasites” or annoying “pebbles” that come into our life on a regular basis … many of which can be very frustrating and even painful.

But every one of these annoyances gives us a chance to grow and mature. Some will require great patience, others tough love. Some will require our turning the other cheek, some confrontation, and some kindness and understanding. For example, addicts need to be treated with tough love. Bullies require us to maintain healthy boundaries. Cheaters need to be confronted. Manipulators need to be managed. Control freaks need to be resisted, guilt throwers need to be challenged, and toxic people may need to be avoided, and so on.

With God’s help, if we so choose, we can turn every one of these annoying pebbles into pearls or we can allow them to make us bitter. For it’s not what happens to us that matters, but how we react to what happens. What we do about it is what matters—and that’s a choice we make either consciously or unconsciously. And remember, “The bumps are what we climb on.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to see an opportunity for growth in every annoying situation. Give me the courage to be strong when needed, have healthy boundaries where required, exercise tough love where it is essential, and show kindness, patience and understanding where these are needed. Help me to always ask, ‘What would Jesus do?’ And please give me the courage to do just that. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV).