j a n u a r y 2 0 0 9

doing God’s work

God’s way
Don’t Miss out
On a
Great
Getaway!

ALASKA Cruise n July 9-16, 2010

Great Scenery. Great Teaching. Great Fellowship.
Join Dr. Stanley and friends aboard the MS Zaandam touring the Inside Passage
of Alaska. With seven days of beautiful scenery, uplifting gospel music, and engag-
ing Bible study with fellow believers, this summer cruise is the perfect vacation.

visit www.templetontours.com, or call 800-334-2630 for more information.

When I look at God’s breathtaking creation, like the beautiful scenery

I was blessed to photograph here, I cannot help but be in complete
awe at the things He accomplishes. No one else has infinite wisdom
and power to work as the Father does, which is why we should
always rely on Him and obey, no matter what task He gives us to do.

on the cover
—Charles F. Stanley
 features J U N E 2 0 1 0

6
Doing God’s Work
God’s Way
by c h a r l e s f. s ta n l e y

If we stop trying to live in our own strength,

the Lord will empower us to accomplish
every task He assigns.

12 Saying Yes to
adventure
b y D a v id

It’s so easy to say no. But will you

p i e r c e

be shutting the door on a life-changing

journey with your kids?

early light
Get to know your heavenly Father better
32
with the help of these devotions from
Dr. Stanley’s sermons.

departments
16 solving problems 22 family room
Wanted: A New Kind of Leader Blessed into Exhaustion
b y b i l l p e e l b y a l l e n h a r r i s

You don’t have to be directing an army to fulfill It’s time to give up childish things and let your
the leadership role God has called you to take on. kids enjoy them for a while.

20 by faith 28 strong in spirit

The Least of These Power on Loan
b y s a nd y f e i t b y d a n s c h a e ff e r
Find out how one country’s surplus became What will you be known for—abusing authority
another’s providential supply. or using it to serve others?

IN TOUCH MINISTRIES® INC., P.O. Box 7900, Atlanta, GA 30357 Dr. Stanley portraits
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unless the edition has been licensed and authorized by the governing staff of the domestic In Touch magazine. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise
notated or quoted from a secondary source, are from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update. ©Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,
1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1994. Quotations marked “NIV” are from the New International Version, ©International Bible Society 1973, 1978, 1984.
 A Publication of

At In Touch Ministries, to the Glory of God

our goal is to Dr. Charles F. Stanley

P RESI D ENT / P U B LIS H ER

lead people worldwide into C. Phillip Bowen

E X EC U TIVE VICE P R ESI D ENT
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ chief operating officer

John E. Courtney, Jr.

and to strengthen the local church. SENIOR D IRECTOR
MAR K ETIN G AN D D EVELO P MENT

Visit www.intouch.org
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for great resources designed to E D IT OR

D IRECTOR OF P U B LICATIONS

help you strengthen your faith. Linda M. Canup

A s s i s t a n t Ed i t o r

Sandy Feit

“
SENIOR CO P Y E D ITOR

Erin Gieschen
A c q u i s i t i o n s Ed i t o r

Cameron Lawrence
c o py e d i t o r / W r i t e r

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C r e a t i v e D IRECTOR

Jeff Gregory
ART D IRECTOR

Joey Tindell

Have you chosen to believe in

MAR K ETIN G P ROMOTIONS P LANNER

Jesus Christ and follow Him? Steve R. Lindsey

D IRECTOR
RESO U RCES AN D F U LFILLMENT
Would you like to have an intimate eternal relationship with
the One who made you and loves you unconditionally? If so, David Blahnik
tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer: P r o du c t i o n M a n a g e r

God,
I acknowledge that I have sinned before You, but I receive
Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross as payment-in-full the mission of
in touch ministries
for my sin debt. I believe He rose from the dead, and I trust
Him as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiving me, To lead people worldwide
into a growing relationship
for making me a new person, and for including me in Your
with Jesus Christ
family. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
and to strengthen
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 p
a word from Charles F. Stanley
Cease Striving and
Know God
People live with a lot of stress these days. Whether
our economy is in recession or not, there are a
million reasons to be anxious: pressures in the
workplace or lack of employment, other people’s
criticism or hurtful actions, failing health or
ruined relationships.
Maybe you can’t clearly identify the source
of anxiety in your life, but you strive every day
to pursue your own agenda without God’s bless-
ing—this is the worst stress inducer of them all.
Whatever your situation, Psalm 46 holds the key
to dealing with demanding situations: “God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,

“
though the earth should change” (vv. 1-2). The psalm continues, describing
earthquakes, fallen kingdoms, wars, and desolation, but concludes with these
words: “Cease striving and know that I am God” (v. 11).
To rest, you How can you do this when things are falling apart
all around you? To cease striving, you must rest in
must trust Him the Lord. To rest, you must trust Him completely.
completely.” And to trust, you must know Him.
So how do you get to know God? The process
begins when you place faith in Jesus as your personal
Savior. Then develop the relationship as you would with a good friend:
1. First of all, spend time alone with Him. You have to make an effort to
meet with Him regularly.
2. Get to know what He thinks—read the Bible, pray, and listen to sermons.
3. Observe what God does in other people’s lives and also in your own.
4. Tell Him honestly what you are thinking and feeling. It is important to
be open and transparent.
5. Be still and listen to Him. He will speak straight from His Spirit to your
spirit and quiet your troubled heart.
Once you understand that God loves unconditionally and forgives com-
pletely, you will be able to let go of guilt. When you realize that He has a
will and a plan for your life, you can stop worrying about the future. And
when you see how He turns suffering into something good, your fear will be
replaced by a growing confidence and inner joy.
6 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
 God’s
way
One of the most amazing privileges
that the Lord gives His children is the
opportunity to participate in what He is
doing. The One who needs no help and has
the power to do whatever He wants calls us
to labor alongside Him to accomplish His
purposes on earth. Because He knows we
need a higher goal in life than building our
own personal kingdoms, He offers us the
chance to take part in building His.
Since many people believe that “God’s
work” is activity done by missionaries,
pastors, or churches, I need to clarify what
this term really means. The Devil has tried
to trick us into believing that we can sepa-
rate our lives into two distinct areas—the
religious and the secular. Once we accept
this, he can easily deceive us into thinking
that “the Lord’s work” is done only by the
clergy or those who serve in a church.
According to Scripture, each believer is
Human strength can never
replace divine power.
By C h arles F. S tanle y
“His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them”
(Eph. 2:10). There is no division of secular
and religious areas in the lives of Christians.
Everything we do is to be done “as for the
Lord rather than for men” (Col. 3:23). In
faithfully doing our jobs, caring for our
homes and families, or meeting needs in
the church or community, we are serving
Christ and participating in His activity.
As “God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9),
we need to know how to help accomplish
His goals His way. A wonderful guiding
principle is found in Zechariah 4:6-7.
After 70 years of Babylonian captivity,
the Israelites had been allowed to return
to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple.
Under the command of Zerubbabel, they
had laid the foundation, but because of
harassment and difficulties, the temple
www.intouch.org | 7
had remained unfinished for 15 years. disillusionment. Being sovereign, God
The Lord sent a message to the prophet always accomplishes His plans with or
Zechariah, encouraging Zerubbabel to without us. But by going our own way,
persevere and promising the completion we lose His blessing and the opportunity
of the temple. Although the work that to see Him touch others through us.
God ordains varies with each individual One danger of laboring in our own
and generation, the principle He gave to strength is an attachment to the job
Zechariah thousands of years ago is still rather than to God. Instead of thinking
applicable today: “‘Not by might nor by of ourselves as His servants, we can begin
power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord to consider the ministry as our own and
of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). derive our identity from it. In an attempt
In this verse, we find two contrasting to draw self-esteem and purpose in life
methods for completing from a task, we risk
a task. To tackle a job making it an idol.
with might and power Past achievements A believer’s identity
means to depend on can cause us to is in his relationship
our own resources and with Christ, not in
abilities, laboring with become overconfident what he achieves for
self-determination and and to think, the kingdom.
reliance on human under- Zechariah 4:6 tells us
standing and strength. “I can that the other option
At one point in my life, for accomplishing
I discovered the futility handle God’s purposes is “by
of this method. I took on
the burden of ministry
it.” [His] Spirit.” Anything
the Lord calls us to
and carried it till I was do should be done
so exhausted that I had with total reliance
to take three months upon the Holy Spirit,
off to recover. That was not how God who indwells us. Knowing that human
intended for me to do His work. strength was completely inadequate for
We are not called by the Lord to meet the service intended for His disciples,
every need or take on every opportunity Jesus instructed them to wait in Jerusalem
for service that we encounter. There is only until they were “clothed with power from
so much He has allotted for each person on high” (Luke 24:49). How foolish to toil
to do. Does your schedule hold more than in inadequacy and frustration when God’s
you can handle? If so, then it probably gracious provision is readily available
includes tasks that God has not meant for within us.
you. By spreading yourself too thin, the But how can we know if we are relying
assignments He chose for you won’t be on the Spirit? First of all, let me tell you
done well, and He will not be glorified. what this does not mean. Depending on
The Lord does not bless what we do the Lord is not a matter of praying for His
in our own self-determination. In fact, blessing on what we choose to do, abdicat-
He may withdraw His hand, complicate ing responsibility by “letting go and letting
circumstances, withhold the resources, God,” or turning to Him as a last resort
and frustrate our efforts. Self-reliance after exhausting ourselves and running out
results in stress, discouragement, and of options.

8 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

 True reliance upon the Lord is a deep
conviction that we cannot do the work
without Him. In other words, if He doesn’t
work through us, it will not be done. One
of the sweetest prayers God ever hears
from His children is, “Oh God, I can’t!”
because He knows we are about to depend
completely upon Him.
This prayer may come easily to our lips
when a task is huge, but what about the
small jobs which seem within our capabili-
ties? One of the most surprising obstacles
to dependence upon the Lord is our own
success. Past achievements can cause us
to become overconfident and to think, I
can handle it. This is the same philosophy
promoted by the world’s system, which
says, “You can do it without God.”
We need to guard against rating our
need for the Spirit’s power based on the
size of the task. In reality, we cannot
even take our next breath apart from His
involvement. If we truly understood our
helpless condition, we would cry out to
the Lord every morning, asking for His
strength to face the day no matter what
it brings. Let’s learn to depend on Him,
whether we consider the job at hand small
or extremely important.
Once we have come to the end of our
self-sufficiency, God will empower us to do
the tasks He has ordained for us. But to
discern how to fulfill our callings, we must
seek His direction daily by submitting
ourselves to Him, filling our mind with the
truth of Scripture, and keeping an ongoing
conversation with the Lord throughout the
day. Then in faith, knowing that He is work-
ing in and around us, we can watch for signs
of His hand in our lives and circumstances.
God will be glorified not only in the work,
but also in those who believe and rely on
Him to complete it. As they see the evidence
of His faithfulness, praise and gratitude will
flow from their hearts, and the worry and
stress of self-effort will be replaced with
peace and joy. The temptation to give up
in defeat will turn into endurance, even in
the face of opposition and suffering.
Anywhere the Lord has a goal to
accomplish, opposition can be expected.
Zerubbabel faced tremendous resistance
in his efforts to build the temple, but the
Lord promised to remove all barriers and
bring about the completion of His house
(Zech 4:7). As long as we reside on this
earth, difficulties will continue, but keep
in mind that no obstacle is too big for the
Lord. We may consider our responsibili-
ties weighty and the demands of ministry
strenuous, but such things never tax
God’s energy.
Some of the conflict we face is invisible.
Because there is a war raging between
the kingdom of God and the kingdom
of Satan, opposition arises whenever
Christians seek to labor side by side with
the Lord. Believers desperately need to
cloth themselves in God’s armor each
morning so they can “stand firm against
the schemes of the devil.” Only then can
they “be strong in the Lord and in the
strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10-11).
Roadblocks to God’s work come in a
variety of forms. Circumstances challenge
our endurance, people try our patience, and
fears threaten to overwhelm. Past failures
tempt us to give up, and unbelief causes us
to doubt that the Lord can help. By focusing
on the impossibility of a task, we forget that
with God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).
By facing our fears and pressing on in
obedience, we learn that He is faithful.
Barriers to our service for the Lord are
never meant to stop us; instead, they pro-
vide an opportunity for the demonstration
of divine power. If we never face resistance,
we won’t ever come to know the greatness
of our God. This is not a time to moan
and groan in defeat but, rather, to rise up
in faith and, like Moses, to say, “Show me
Your glory!” (Ex. 33:18).
www.intouch.org | 9
 So often we want to know the Lord
only through the comfort of our salvation
experience, not through the struggles and
obstacles of sacrificial service. But the
apostle Paul came to know Christ more
deeply through weakness, shipwreck,
beatings, and danger (2 Cor. 11:24-30).
He faced constant opposition and intense
suffering, yet considered all of this to be
“momentary, light affliction” which was
producing “an eternal weight of glory far
beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).
Suffering is not a sign that we have
somehow gotten off track and failed
to do the work of God. Whenever His
path leads through a time of adversity,
the Holy Spirit can empower us with an
attitude of expectancy as we watch to see
what He will do. Knowing that the Lord
is laboring for our good enables us to
endure the hardship with patience and
joy. If we persevere with faith and hope
when difficulty arises, what a witness we
will be to a lost world!
My heart’s desire is to do the Lord’s
work His way—that is true success.
Big, fast, and flashy accomplishments
may impress people, but God aims for
a deeper and more enduring success.
While human capability and creativity
can be very remarkable, if the Lord is not
the one empowering the efforts, they will
be like a meteor that burns brightly for
a time and then passes off the scene into
darkness, never bringing God glory or
accomplishing what He desired.
In contrast, the work that the Lord does
through us continues to shine like a star.
Although its success may not be obvious
from our limited earthly perspective, it
will result in eternal rewards in heaven
(1 Cor. 3:9-15). The goal of our labor
should not be to make a big splash, but
to end well, having done everything that
God entrusted to us—and in a manner
that gives Him all the glory and praise.
10 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
Questions for further study
God’s Perspective
1. Read Psalm 127:1-2. What determines
whether your labor is vain or productive
(v. 1)? What does God say about a
workaholic lifestyle (v. 2)?
2. Read 2 Timothy 2:20-23. What qualities
hinder your usefulness to the Master,
and which ones prepare you for every
good work?
3. Read Psalm 62:5-12. In verse 5, what
instruction can help you prepare for
a busy day ahead? When difficulties
and opposition arise in your job or
“
ministry, how can you enter God’s
stronghold and not be shaken (vv. 6-8)?
What do verses 9-10 reveal about the
Lord’s perspective of what the world
calls success? How can verses 11-12
motivate you to let God initiate and
empower all you do?
Our Reward
1. Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. How does
the Lord distinguish worthless effort
from eternally valuable labor?
2. Read Galatians 6:7-8. This passage gives
us a further insight about this difference.
Explain it in your own words.
Our Hope
1. Read Philippians 1:6. What does God
promise to do for you?
2. Knowing that the Lord wants to do His
work through you, pray Colossians 1:9-12,
and believe that He will do it.
Confused about the
Holy Spirit?
Dr. Stanley explains
why relying on the
Spirit of God is the
only way to achieve
spiritual victory.
Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit
uSmall hardcover | $12 (U.S.)
See order form or visit www.intouch.org.
15-minute Bible study
The Power of God
>> The Promise of Strength Within

i
I saia h 4 0 : 1 2 - 3 1

Isaiah portrays the overwhelming nature of God’s power as far beyond human
understanding. Compared to His might, nations are a “drop from a bucket,”
the inhabitants of earth are “like grasshoppers,” and rulers can be dethroned
with the breath of His mouth. Yet the prophet’s impressive description of
divine omnipotence ends with God’s promise to strengthen those who wait

“
for Him. Our Lord loves us enough to use His limitless power to assist us in
our weakness.
But how many times do we struggle with what appears to be His inactivity
in our lives? Knowing that He “is able to do
God often does His far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or
work within rather think” (Eph. 3:20), we pray and wait for Him
than without.” to intervene in our circumstances, rectify
injustices, and rescue us from difficulties. But
the last phrase of that verse says, “according to
the power that works within us” (emphasis added). Sometimes the Lord deliv-
ers us from our afflictions, but many times He does His work within rather
than without. God’s glory and purpose are the factors that determine what He
will do (Eph. 3:21).
Consider how God uses His power to accomplish inner transformation:
uTo conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29)
uTo fill us with joy, peace, and

hope (Rom. 15:13) Questions for Reflection

uTo display Christ in us during
1. What are you asking the Lord to do for you?
affliction (2 Cor. 4:7-10) Do your requests for His intervention focus
uTo produce humility, content-
more on external changes in your circumstances
ment, and dependence upon or internal transformation of your character?
the Savior in our weakness
(2 Cor. 12:7-10) 2. Which of the qualities listed do you lack?
uTo ground us in His love
In faith and active cooperation, ask God to
use His great power to begin working them
(Eph. 3:14-21)
uTo strengthen us in spiritual
within you.
warfare (Eph. 6:10-11)
uTo attain steadfastness and patience (Col. 1:9-12)
uTo overcome fear and empower us in suffering (2 Tim. 1:7-8)
uTo give us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:2-4)
uTo keep us from stumbling and make us stand firm (Jude 24)

www.intouch.org | 11
 saying
yes
to
adventu
I was working in my home office one summer day, minding my own
business, when my 15-year-old daughter Chera stepped in with a book tucked under
her arm. I knew the book; it was about a mountain climbing adventure that went really,
really bad. She had that dreamy look in her eyes, the kind you get after you travel
to and from faraway lands, vicariously living the adventure bound between the front
and back covers of your book. I was about to
ask her how she liked it when she suddenly
Why responding to our kids’
said something that would change our lives
forever: “Dad, I want to climb a mountain.”
invitations can make all the
I tilted my head to double-check the title difference in the world
on the book’s spine. Yep. That was the story b y D av id P ierce
where lots of people died. “Really?” I asked,
waving a hand at the book. “Even after that?”
Chera was unfazed. “There’s a mountain out in Colorado called Pikes Peak. I found it
on the Internet. There’s a trail the whole way up, and at the top, there’s a souvenir shop
that sells ice cream. Please?”
Ice cream at the top? How hard could that be?
My daughter seemed taller to me as she leaned against the door casing. Had some-
one asked five minutes before that moment, I’d have notched the casing an inch or
two lower. When did that happen? She was looking more like her mom than that little
girl who skipped from my truck to her kindergarten class every day. Had it really been

12 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

ure
ten years since she’d skipped to school?
The book about a treacherous journey
was still clamped beneath her arm. But then
I realized what it really was, hanging sus-
pended in the air between us: an invitation to
step into her world and share an adventure.
“Okay,” I said. “We’ll check it out.”
To Chera, this must have sounded
more like a solid yes than I meant it to be.
Because she turned and ran off, laughing
and calling back over her shoulder about
supplies and such. For just a moment
there, she was five again. And I missed
my old truck.
Chera had worked as a junior coun-
selor at a summer camp that year and
discovered that she loved the outdoors, as
in camping and hiking and sleeping on the
ground. I don’t like to sleep on the ground.
But neither of us knew the first thing about
climbing a mountain.
So, while we shopped for matching
backpacks, we asked different store clerks
about what gear we’d actually need to climb
a mountain. Soon we had sleeping pads,
pocket knives, a really cool piece of metal
that you could scrape shavings from to start
a fire, special flashlights, an army shovel.
We packed way more than we needed.
When we arrived in Colorado, I realized
that we didn’t have a map. But at 14,000
feet, Pikes was the biggest mountain in
the area and thankfully, our cab driver
had no problem taking us straight to the
trailhead. We planned to camp two nights,
so the bloated packs we hoisted out of
the trunk were stuffed with freeze-dried
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food, a miniature stove, and even some pots
and pans. And a tent with metal stakes. And
a big hammer to drive the stakes into the
ground. Like I said, way too heavy.
At the trailhead, where numerous wiry,
agile people hoisted small packs and started
briskly up the hard path, we wriggled into
our pack straps and took our first steps. We
trudged, bent over, like two turtles, keeping
to the right on the trail, the slow lane. Despite
the fact that our lungs were adjusting
from middle Tennessee’s 600-ft. altitude
to the 10,000-ft. point where we finally
pitched camp, we made it seven miles—
the halfway point—just before night. Our
special camping-type chicken teriyaki was
crunchy, and since neither of us knew if it
was supposed to be, we didn’t eat much. The
tent was the two-man size, which would’ve
been fine, but then we had to pull our giant
packs in when the rain started. Even as we
attempted to sleep, we looked like turtles.
Early the next morning, we crawled out
of our shells. Chera’s face was swollen but
I didn’t want to alarm her by saying any-
thing. “Whoa, Dad,” she said, studying my
face. “You don’t even look like yourself.”
“Must be the altitude,” I told her.
“What about me?” she asked.
“Um . . . you look a little . . . puffy.” She
smiled puffily. I think she actually liked
the fact that the mountain was working on
her, on us.
We left most of our gear behind, and
then climbed on toward the top. Physically
speaking, the next few hours were the
toughest I’d ever spent. But with every
step I took, I knew that Chera was taking
the same ones. Her bones were younger,
yes, but this was our first mountain, and
neither of us could have guessed how gru-
eling this would be. We climbed up past
the tree line, where our heads scraped the
sky and the wind slowed down for nothing.
The trail zigzagged across the craggy face
of Pikes Peak like the picture a child might
14 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
draw of a lightning bolt. We followed it
relentlessly. The closer to the top we got,
the more often we had to stop to catch
our breath and drink water. My legs ached.
My lungs hurt.
Sometimes I’d catch Chera bent over,
hands on her knees, as if she’d been running
sprints. I wanted to make it easier for her.
But then she’d look up and cast her eyes
out over the valleys and survey the length of
the trail we’d already covered—and smile.
I imagined God just above us (possibly not
very far above us at all) watching us trudge
up this mountain. I guessed He was proba-
bly riffling through all the lessons He could
teach me at that moment, tickled by all the
possibilities. He started me with this one:
Even if I could have carried my daughter,
I wouldn’t have. This was her journey. She
was struggling, yes. She was in pain, yes.
But wait till she gets to the top, I heard God
tell me. Wait till you see the grin I put on
her face then! And so we pushed on, sharing
our struggle as best we could, grinding out
one rocky yard at a time, until the ground
leveled out beneath us and suddenly we
stood at the very top.
I hugged Chera close, her grin beaming
through all the layers of sweating fleece
on my chest. Had someone asked me at
that moment about the pain, I would have
answered, “What pain?” Then together we
slipped into the foretold souvenir shop and
shared the best ice cream cones in the world.
We climbed down that mountain and
finished up much as we’d begun: in a
cab, only this time heading to the airport,
bruised and battered, with Pikes Peak
growing smaller behind us. Chera turned
to me. “So, Dad, what do we do next?”
“We’ll check our packs, get our boarding
passes, maybe grab a bite—”
“No, no,” she stopped me. “What will
be our next adventure?” There was that
grin again.
Was that another invitation I’d just heard?
Chera was 15 when we climbed that
first mountain. And as it should be with
any good adventure, one unexpected
thing led to another. She kept asking, and
I kept saying yes. During the next three
years, we climbed four more mountains:
Mt. Audubon (13,221 ft.), Blanca Peak
(14,345), and the tallest one, Mt. Rainier
(14,411 ft.)—twice. And, oh yeah, we also
ran in two marathons: mountains and
valleys. And within those
three years, I had a front
row seat to watch my
daughter grow from a
girl into a young woman.
Some people have
asked me what made
me willing to climb
a mountain when I’d
never done anything
remotely like that
before—and hadn’t
planned to. At first
I would answer, “I
don’t know. Because
it’s there?” And we’d Chera and Dad at the summit
have a good laugh. But
I’ve thought about that a lot. Before that
climb-a-mountain invitation, I used to
get invitations quite often: Can you read
me a story? Want to have tea with me and
Gorney? (Gorney was Chera’s tattered yet
beloved doll.) Can we catch bugs in a jar?
But the invitations were coming less and
less—until then.
How much easier would it have been
if she’d asked, “Dad, can you teach me to
play golf?” I would have even preferred,
“Dad, can we take up a knitting project
together?” I’d have done that. But that’s
not what she asked. And even though she
chose to climb a mountain, what she was
really asking was, “Can we have an adven-
ture together?”
She asked, and I said yes—and that’s
made all the difference.
Last summer, I gave my daughter away
in marriage to a young man named Craig.
As she and I walked down a long, sloping
walkway in our backyard—her backpack
replaced by a bouquet of flowers—one
of the brick steps wobbled. She squeezed
my arm, and then whispered something
I’d heard her say dozens of times on the
mountain. I was reminded that this was
just another adventure, one I’d been invited
to. We made the climb
down, and this time,
neither of us was too
tired to dance later.
Just a few weeks ago,
Chera and Craig invited
my wife and me into
a small room at the
hospital. Chera lay
back on the white bed
while a doctor pushed
buttons on a machine.
“Right there,” he said,
drawing our attention
to a monitor above
our heads. “There’s
the baby’s heart!” We
studied the miracle before us for a long
moment. I watched my daughter as she
held her husband’s hand and got a close-up
glimpse of what God was knitting together
in her womb. I recognized that look on her
face, that grin—the next adventure!
I’m glad I came along.
To read about another adventure, which
x David Pierce shared with his son, visit
www.intouch.org/magazine.
This dad’s story shows how
you can create stronger
bonds with the important
people in your life.
Don’t Let Me Go
uSoftcover | $13.99 (U.S.)
See order form or visit www.intouch.org.
www.intouch.org | 15
 D
solvingproblems

w
__anted:
______
a new
kind of
leader
________
God’s Calling for
Us Regular Guys
b y B ill P eel

16 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

D
During World War II, Winston Churchill
looked out to sea and told an aide that
the British needed to surface all the
German subs. How? “Boil the ocean,”
said the prime minister. When the aide
asked how he proposed to accomplish this
feat, Churchill replied, “I come up with the
concepts. You work out the details.”
If you are like me and a lot of men I know,
when it comes to being a leader in today’s
world, you feel a little like Churchill’s
aide probably felt—puzzled as to where to
begin on an assignment considerably above
your pay grade. This is especially true if
high-profile business, political, or religious
personalities come to mind when you hear
the word leader. Perhaps you feel as if
you were at the end of the line when God
passed out leadership genes.
But the truth is, every grown-up is called
and gifted by God to lead at some level, and
it has nothing to do with superhuman
exploits like boiling the ocean. The essence
of leadership, according to the Bible, isn’t
about possessing a magnetic, commanding
personality or exceptional skills. Neither is
it just about having a position of authority,
or being able to get one’s way. According
to God, leadership has more to do with who
you are and the choices you make than the
authority you wield. It’s about believing that
what He says about you is more important
than what’s in your resume. It also comes
down to stewardship: taking initiative and
responsibility for all that God has entrusted
to your care.
Dealing in God’s Economy
If the word stewardship brings up visions
of church budgets and building campaigns,
let me expand your thinking. The Greek
word oikonomia, which many Bibles trans-
late as stewardship, is an economic term
(in fact, the origin of our word economy)
that described a key function in commerce
during New Testament times.
In 1 Timothy 3, Paul told his young
apprentice how to select leaders for
the church—namely, he was to choose
men who were already showing faithful
stewardship of their oikos, or household,
which included their entire family as well
as everyone associated with the small
business they ran. The literal core meaning
of proistemi—the Greek word Paul used
to describe this stewardship—is to stand
before, which clearly implies a proactive,
intentional leadership style. Typical male
passivity is not an option for faithful
stewards. We can’t say, “Let someone else
do it.” There’s no room either for blame
or for passing the buck. As men, we should
be exemplary leaders who ‘go first.’ We
can’t wait for someone else to assume
responsibility; we must take action ourselves
“to care for, to protect, to govern, to help”
(which are all meanings of proistemi).
Contrary to popular belief, the opposite of
a leader isn’t a follower; it’s a passive specta-
tor who waits for others to take charge.
Unfortunately, passivity is the route Adam
chose when he should have been leading.
And the result? Instead of security, he
showed fear; instead of taking responsibility,
he assigned blame (Gen. 3:1-12). Passed
down from that first generation, this
legacy of male passivity still plagues us
today, resulting in broken homes, broken
businesses, broken communities, and
broken churches. Every day, passive dads
refuse to turn off the television though
they realize the program content is harm-
ing their kids. Men who know better fail
to confront unethical business practices
instead of standing up for what is right.
They feel spiritual when they warm a pew
and drop a twenty into the plate. They drive
past community trouble spots, blaming
politicians for dreadful social problems
while neglecting to take responsibility and
contribute something that could actually
make a difference.
www.intouch.org | 17
 was putting too much pressure on me.
The next evening, he came into my room,
sat down next to me on my bed, and asked
my forgiveness—then actually cried in
front of me. That was the beginning of a
new relationship with my dad. From that
day on, he began to take responsibility
and prove by action that I was a priority
in his life, and it knit my heart to his. He
Investing in What You regularly spent time with me, making me
Already Have part of his world and himself part of mine.
During the first part of my life, my own He found a way to be at many of my prac-
father was fairly passive, as far as parenting tices and all my games, even when I just
was concerned. Everyone (including me) sat on the bench. Dad became an integral
loved my dad; he was a wonderful man, but component of my life and never quit
he just wasn’t engaged in my life early on. making the effort, because he decided to
take the initiative
to use what he’d
From that day on, [my dad] been given and do
began to take responsibility all he could as a
and prove by action that I father, even if no
was a priority in his life, one had showed
and it knit my heart to his. him how.
As the British
poet George
He’d grown up without a father, so how was Herbert said, “One father is more than
he supposed to know how to father a son? a hundred schoolmasters.” Study after
But then, Dad showed up in spades. The study shows that a family is better off with
crisis came when I was 14. Not only was I a father around. But not just any kind of
dealing with normal adolescent insecurity, father. Wives and children need a leader
but we’d also just moved to a different who understands his stewardship responsi-
city. I was adjusting to a new school and bilities to seek and serve
stressed out with advanced-placement each family member’s
classes. On top of that, I was in the band highest good—and
that semester, plus I was trying to play help each one
football. My day began with band practice become all that
at 6:30 a.m. and ended 12 hours later with God intended.
wind sprints in the Texas heat. When my We exist to serve
grades began to suffer, Dad showed his and sacrifice for
disapproval and applied the pressure. them, Christ’s
Four weeks into the school year, I was self-sacrifice being
toast. I woke up every morning with a the standard for
stomachache that finally got my parents’ our stewardship
attention. After a visit to the doctor— (Eph. 5:25; 6:4).
who found nothing wrong with me—I That involves a lot
blurted out to my mother that I felt Dad more than spending

18 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

time with them. It also means helping
each family member find his or her calling
and become a good steward of gifts given
by God. Our families don’t exist for our
convenience and pleasure, to be shaped
the way we want. They are Christ’s work-
manship, not ours (Eph. 2:10). The Lord
has a specific purpose in mind for each
person He creates. It’s our job to help our
family discover, accept, and pursue God’s
calling in their lives. Have you taken time
to consider the gifts and passions of your
our fulfillment in Him, the only source that
wife and children? What do they dream
will give satisfaction in both the quantity
about? What can you do today—conve-
and quality our souls crave.
nient or not—that will help them discover
The problem is, we begin defining our-
and do the will of God?
selves in terms of money, popularity, and
worldly success from a very early age. And
Losing Your Ego to Find
the habit of doing so is nearly impossible
Your Identity
to reverse—especially when we’re told
Where does the ability to lead like this
time and again that these things are the
come from? If our identity is secure in
measure of a man.
Christ, we have nothing to lose by giving
God is not asking us to crucify our
ourselves away as faithful stewards. In fact,
desire to be somebody. He’s asking us to
we have everything to gain. Jesus told His
crucify our death grip on the substitutes
disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after
we use to fill the space He should occupy
Me, he must deny himself, and take up his
in our lives. If you’ve ever tried to let go
cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes
of something you’ve used to define your
to save his life will lose it, but whoever
very being, you know why Jesus says
loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s
it’s like going to the cross. It feels like an
will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).
execution—we’re giving up something
The Lord wasn’t talking about physical
we think we need in order to live.
life or even eternal life—the word He used
The person we thought we were dies
(Mark translated it into Greek as psyche)
so we can discover our true self in Christ.
refers to man’s individual self—his identity
And when we find our true self in Him,
and personality that distinguishes his life
we also find the love and adequacy that
from others. Here’s what He was getting at:
empower us to be the steward-leaders God
Everyone comes into this world suffering
created us to be.
from an identity crisis. Separated from
our Creator, we don’t know who we are, Most men want to live an impact-
yet the drive to distinguish ourselves is so ful life but don’t know how to
strong, it controls our lives—and will kill start. Bill Peel offers practical
direction for “regular guys.”
us if we let it.
But Jesus wasn’t saying we should take What God Does When Men Lead
uSoftcover | $12 (U.S.)
our deepest desires—for identity, respect,
and significance—and drive them under- See order form or visit www.intouch.org.

ground. He instead challenges us to seek

www.intouch.org | 19
 byfaith
B
MAP International fights diseases of poverty around the globe
b y S a n d y F e i t | p h o t o
By the time ten-year-old Eliane arrived at
the treatment center, disease had so ravaged
her shoulder that permanent deformity
was certain. It was fortunate, though, that
the girl’s mother heard about the facility
and was willing to make the 400-mile jour-
ney with her. Months of antibiotics and
daily wound dressings—not to mention the
prolonged separation from their family—
proved well worth the inconvenience and
sacrifice, as further damage was avoided.
Yet Eliane’s story is still tragic, in that her
condition was totally preventable.
Buruli ulcer is a tropical disease that
attacks flesh as well as bone. Related
to leprosy, the infection involves pain,
disfigurement, and prolonged medical
attention—unless detected early. Before
the initial swelling or nodule becomes
painful, treatment isn’t only simple and
quick; it’s also a complete cure.
Michael Nyenhuis is the CEO of MAP
International (www.map.org). He met
Eliane at a Buruli Ulcer ward in Taabo, Côte
d’Ivoire, the same day he made the acquain-
20 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
b y M A P I n t e r n a t i o n a l
tance of another ten-year-old there—one
whose outcome underscores the value of
MAP’s community education program.
Because the second girl’s mother had been to
one of their training sessions, she recognized
her daughter’s disease while it was still in its
earliest stages. Instead of a lengthy proce-
dure, a quick scraping was all that the child
needed, and she returned home fully healed.
History of MAP
MAP—an acronym for “Medical Assistance
Programs”—was founded in 1954 as an
arm of the Christian Medical Society, after
director Ray Knighton received an unusual
phone call. A pharmaceutical manufac-
turer was about to destroy excess product
worth $25,000 simply because it had been
over-produced or under-marketed. One
of the executives hated the thought of
such waste, especially since the in-date,
good quality medicine was desperately
needed by mission hospitals overseas. He
hoped Knighton could connect donated
product with impoverished nations,
thereby solving problems on both ends.
It took the director and his secretary
three months to distribute the 11-ton
windfall—they sent meds with missionary
doctors returning to the field after furlough.
Until that point, he had never considered
pharmaceutical surplus as a supply source.
But that call made the “light go on,” and
Ray broached the idea to other manufac-
turers. A decade later, the operation
had grown so large that it split off from
the medical society and became an
independent, non-denominational
Christian health ministry. And to date,
MAP International has delivered more
than $2.6 billion in medicines and other
essentials to needy communities worldwide.  second. “Neglected No More” describes
Three-pronged approach
At 48, Nyenhuis has been with the orga-
nization for 13 years—the past 10 as CEO.
Calling himself a “reformed journalist,”
he, in fact, first learned about MAP during
a reporting trip in Latin America. The
group’s humble, empowering approach
caught his attention. “It’s really about help-
ing a community catch its own vision for
a healthier future, rather than coming in
with any preconceived ideas,” Michael
points out. “Communities ultimately have
the answers to their own problems, so we
help them think through what they want
to do and then help them do it.”
The medical supply work that launched
the non-profit has developed substantially.
Last year, nearly 100 pharmaceutical
companies donated products worth a total
of $425 million. Shipping out of its ware-
house in southern Georgia, MAP provides
everything from hand-carried “travel packs”
for short-term missions to sea containers
that can stock a hospital.
A second program area promotes “total
health needs” of individuals, families, and
entire communities in the eight countries
with MAP offices. In addition to disaster
relief, the focus is primarily preventive—
staff members present workshops on water
quality, nutrition, sanitation, and healthier
home environments. They also lead com-
munity efforts to provide clean water.
Results are noticeable and even dramatic,
as in the case of Guinea worm, a dreadful
parasite that deposits larvae in rivers. To
help communities access uncontaminated
water, MAP repairs broken pumps and
teaches ways to build simple but effective
“bio sand filters.” Michael mentions a
notable achievement: “We’ve actually been
part of the eradication of Guinea worm
from Côte d’Ivoire. There are no cases left.”
MAP’s third focus overlaps with its
the fight to prevent, treat, and eliminate
14 debilitating and/or deadly conditions
known as Neglected Tropical Diseases.*
The category may sound remote and
insignificant to someone from a developed
nation, but NTDs worldwide affect an
astounding one billion people—that’s
nearly a sixth of the planet’s population.
And most are children.
These ailments, which afflict only the
poorest communities, are described as
“neglected” because until recently, almost
nobody from wealthy countries paid them
any attention. Thankfully, that’s begin-
ning to change—and Michael recognizes
a great opportunity for the church: “Jesus
tells us that whatever we do for the least
of our brothers and sisters, we do for Him
(Matt. 25:40). And children living in the
world’s poorest communities—with no
sanitation and suffering from diseases like
Buruli ulcer and Guinea worm—clearly fit
that definition. So we as Christians have a
special burden to deal with these diseases
of absolute poverty.”
x *See www.map.org/site/PageNavigator/NNMNTDs.
www.intouch.org | 21
 familyroom
A F a t h e r ’s W h i n e
b y
I’m busy.
I know, I know. Oh, poor guy. He’s so
tired. He’s got so many important things
going on. I imagine you hear my whine and
want to reach through these pages, grab
me by the collar, and shout, “Hey, buddy,
here’s a news-flash: Everybody’s busy!”
Truth be told, I’m a bit ashamed to
complain about feeling busy. I’m downright
mortified to moan about feeling tired and
weary to my wife, the full-time stay-at-
home, do-it-all supermom.
I suppose I’m missing some integral,
yet closely guarded secret to successful
fatherhood. I’m sure other fathers have it
figured out, striking a magnificent balance
22 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
A L L E N H A R R I S
between their roles as father, husband, son,
friend, and provider. Maybe it comes with
time and experience. Maybe God sends
the gift down like lightning from heaven.
However it happens—if it ever happens—I
just know it hasn’t happened to me yet.
From my perspective, I’m running a
race with a moving finish line and no end
in sight. My days, weeks, and months are
melding together like raindrops running
down a windshield. Maybe you know
what I’m talking about. Maybe you, too,
are a father who scratches his head at
bedtime every night, wondering where
the day went.
Buddies with no kids
Now that my daughter is only days away
from turning one, my pre-baby life is
becoming a distant memory. I used to do
stuff! I was active and productive, and I
looked back on each day, knowing what
I accomplished and planning the next
day’s conquests. Now that’s just a condi-
tion I see reflected in my friends who
haven’t had kids yet.
One buddy recently wrote a long,
detailed blog post in which he regaled his
readers with the story of his ascent into
running. This is a guy in his early thirties
who has despised running his entire life.
Then, one day out of the blue, he decided
to train for a half marathon. He went from
the sofa to a 13.2-mile race in four months
(see article on page 26). You want to know
his secret? It was a blessed mix of hard
work, determination, goal-setting—and,
I can only assume, a lack of children.
After the race, he typed out 1,300 words
on how he got started, what the training
was like, what his thoughts were as he
headed into the race, and even the joy of
sharing the accomplishment with his wife.
What struck me about all this is that my
friend took the time to not only train for
a marathon, but to describe it in such
magnificent detail.
Like me, he’s a professional writer. Unlike
me, he has the freedom to take personal
time away from friends and family and
other responsibilities to craft wonderful
stories for the sheer enjoyment of it. I
remember a time when I did that too. But
those days are falling behind, lost in a maze
of baby toys, pack-n-plays, dirty diapers,
and applesauce-stained ceiling disasters.
Time’s vanishing act
How is it that having a baby immediately
reduces the number of hours in a day?
Weekends completely vanish for us now.
By the time everyone is up, showered,
fed, dressed, napped, fed again, dressed
again, and ready to go, two-thirds of the
day is gone.
Anything extra I want to do now
requires me to stay up later or get up
earlier. The problem is, most days I’m
already up before 5:00 a.m. My bedtime
and wake time are racing toward each
other in a freakish game of chicken.
However, there’s no winner in this race;
there’s just a tragic crash in the middle.
Wake. Exercise. Shower. Traffic. Work.
Traffic. Play with baby. Sit mindless and
weary on the sofa for an hour. Sleep.
Repeat. I feel like so much is going on
around me, but I’m too focused on other
things—or honestly too tired—to even
notice, let alone participate.
What a whiner, right? Poor me—the
guy with the incredible marriage, amazing
daughter, dream job, dynamic church,
and great friends. I can’t think about how
weary I am without considering how won-
derfully blessed I am. So, of course, we can
throw a healthy dose of guilt into the mix
for feeling ungrateful or failing to take a
moment to express thanks to God. What
a mess.
Hello guilt
Watching my wife take care of the house
and our daughter brings a mixture of
hope and shame. She seems to glide
effortlessly through the house from one
important job to another with a tiny pink-
clad koala clinging to her calf. And she
does this 24/7. I, on the other hand, find
myself stressed and winded after only two
hours of one-on-one playtime with the
little cutie.
I remember a time when I wondered
what stay-at-home moms did all day. (I
can’t be the only man to ever think that,
to ever halfheartedly believe that full-time
moms enjoy a life of unending vacation
days, lounging on the sofa with an iced tea
www.intouch.org | 23
 Catching
the blessings
overflowing
from God’s
storehouse is
hard work!
in one hand and a remote control in the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “When
other.) How foolish! I was a child, I used to speak like a child,
think like a child, reason like a child; when
Goodbye to childish things I became a man, I did away with childish
My life today is radically different than things” (1 Cor. 13:11).
the quiet, orderly one I maintained a little Isn’t it interesting that this gem of wis-
over a year ago. But the truth is, I absolutely dom immediately follows the Bible’s most
love my life now. I could not be more beautiful passage on love? It is as though
excited about my family or more grateful having a child gives us a glimmer of God’s
to God for all of these ridiculous blessings. viewpoint, on a much more personal level.
I suppose that’s what I’ve found so frus- It changes our perspective on the love we
trating over the past year. I never knew that knew, and shows us the love that can be.
it was even possible to be blessed to the “When the perfect comes, the partial will
point of physical exhaustion. Catching be done away” (1 Cor. 13:10). Suddenly,
the blessings overflowing from God’s what we once knew and adored isn’t good
storehouse is hard work! enough anymore. We’ve discovered some-
And because I’m not about to ask God thing better.
to stop sending His goodness my way, I I’m a daddy now. I’ve been a child and
must instead stay my own hand. Now is enjoyed childish things. And I still do
the season when I must learn to say no. fairly often—that’s okay. But the bottom
No, I may not be able to exercise six days line is this: it’s my daughter’s time to be
a week. No, I can’t update my personal a child. And she deserves a father who
blog every day or two. No, I can’t join your will make the time for her to be childish,
new Bible study or take a spontaneous who will provide the kind of home where
getaway trip with my wife. I’ve got to find she can rejoice in her frivolous ways and
the balance between what I want to do and infant bliss.
what I have to do. May God forgive this father’s whine.
Honestly, it’s hard saying no to things I And may He continue to pour out greater
want to do, places I want to go, and things and greater blessings to make me whine
I want to buy. I think that is what the even more.

24 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

 w
building wisely
Wise Stewardship
>> Know How Your Gifts Will Be Used
By wa y ne O dom

With the turmoil in our economy and allegations of corruption in public

and private organizations, it’s natural to wonder where your dollars are
going. Are the charities and industries you invest in keeping your informa-
tion safe? Are they using your money wisely?

“
Here’s a brief overview of what you should expect from the nonprofits you
support, and how In Touch strives for the highest standards of stewardship.
uKnow the mission of the ministries
Are the charities and you’re giving to—and whether they are
industries you invest using your gifts to fulfill it. In Touch
in keeping your exists to lead people worldwide into a
information safe?” growing relationship with Jesus Christ and
to strengthen the local church. Because of
this, we spend comparatively little on fundraising or administrative costs. Last
year 90 percent of income went toward fulfilling our mission of proclaiming
the gospel around the world.
uGive to ministries that protect your information. In Touch operates on the

basis of transparency, integrity, humility, innovation, excellence, and account-

ability. We do everything possible to safeguard your gifts in a manner that
will ensures security and honor God. We keep our technology current, with
extensive measures to prevent unauthorized access. Also, the employees who
process your donations are trustworthy and fully vetted. In fact, the majority of
the remittance staff have been with the ministry more than ten years.
uSupport ministries that seek out accountability. In Touch submits to a

voluntary yearly audit by a respected Atlanta accounting firm. This ensures

that we continue to follow best practices with regard to your information and
our stewardship of God’s resources. In Touch is also a participating member
of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
In Touch Foundation
(ECFA), which publishes our pertinent information
foundation@intouch.org
on their Web site (www.ecfa.org). or call 800-967-2200
Accountability is both a responsibility and a protec-
tive measure given by the Lord. With the understanding that “each one of us
will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12), we encourage seeking His
guidance about which organizations to support. And we will continue to do our
utmost to serve God faithfully and to be worthy of your partnership.

x For more information, please submit your questions to accountability@intouch.org.

www.intouch.org | 25
 grounded
Confessions
of a COUCH
POTATO
You know them. You’ve seen them dashing
through torrential rain, running in weather
so frosty their breath trails behind them like
smog from a
diesel truck. How I overcame
They wear
tight-fitting sleeveless shirts with loose, flow-
ing shorts. They confidently glide by your
house, head high, chest forward, like human
Transformers chasing down bad guys.
Runners. They’re crazy.  shape is far more than some two-week diet or
At least, that’s what I thought until I
became one.  So I got off the couch and started moving.
I used to sit on my couch, entranced by
my 42-inch Panasonic plasma, certain of
their mockery as they annoyingly sprinted
past my driveway. Lazy dude that lives there,
they must have thought smugly. Fat belly.
Fat face. Totally trashed body. Bum.  ballroom dancing. I just didn’t get it. When
I basked in the glory of my inertia,
munching Fritos® and pondering fantasy
football strategy while they logged another
four miles. At work, I sat at my desk for
eight hours, exerting no more energy than
what it took to click a mouse and—on adven-
turous days—exchange the elevator ride for
a walk up two flights of stairs. Meanwhile,
they put in 30 minutes on the treadmill
at lunch. In sum, I was the anti-runner.
The transformation started with a visit
from a friend who was participating in
Nashville’s Country Music Marathon.
26 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
After watching him compete, I became
inspired. Finally, the pain of my day-to-day
grind hurt more than the pain of change, and
my aversion to running
B y R obert
B ruce
God seemed to be saying, “It’s about
time!” He helped me realize that getting in
a magic pill. It’s about effort and discipline.
Five months after my friend’s visit, I com-
pleted my first half marathon in 2:02:16.
But progress didn’t come overnight. In my
past life, I understood race times and pace
about as well as the technical complexities of
I initially took up jogging—when my shins
started screaming to stop it already and my
heart beat so hard I was sure passersby could
hear—I understood that getting in shape is
tough, especially at first. 
Every day, running tests my commitment
and willpower. It’s 7 a.m. on a Saturday, and
I’ve got 12 miles of training ahead of me.
The inner dialog goes something like this:
It’s gonna happen anyway. So will you sleep
in and sweat through 80-degree heat, or
get up early and take advantage of the cool
morning weather?
 All it comes down to is putting one foot
in front of the other, over and over and
over again. At some point, you discover
you’ve pushed your limit to a mile—or two
or three. Or even 13.1 or 26.2. Of course,
willpower doesn’t trump common sense.
But I’m learning to discern when my body
is actually telling me to shut it down, and
when my head is just getting in the way. My
brain tells lies, like, “You really don’t need
one more mile,” while my heart says I’m
just getting started. My brain warns that
the hill’s too steep, while my heart asks,
“What’s the big deal?” See why the mind
can’t be trusted?
So maybe those runners weren’t crazy
after all. Maybe they were on to something.  train for marathons? Definitely not. It
If I’m honest, I admit they annoyed me
only because I envied them—their fitness,
their confidence, their willingness to go out
and do something. But instead of getting
off the sofa, I chose to judge all runners as
a bunch of overachieving, over-the-top fit-
ness freaks. Essentially, my criticism was
nothing more than a twisted form of praise.
They had something I wanted, but I wasn’t
willing to make the sacrifices to reach their
level of conditioning.
But the most important thing I’ve learned
since starting this journey is that my health
and my faith are not part of two separate
worlds. For most of my life, I’ve pretty
much eaten whatever I wanted and lived
a fairly inactive lifestyle—all while trying
to be a “good Christian.” I never saw the
connection between physical fitness and
faith, though the two are inextricably
linked. Paul said that our bodies are temples
designed to glorify God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). In
other words, the way we manage our physi-
cal health affects our spiritual well-being.
God gave us just one of these “temples.”
And since we’re made in His image, I don’t
think He wants us to sit back and let our
hearts fizzle out while we prop up our feet
and refuse to sweat a drop.
Does this mean that everyone should
simply means that we all have the respon-
sibility to take care of our body. As with so
many things in life, God will most certainly
lead us to different ways of accomplishing
this. He led me down the path of the crazy
runner, and I’m better for embracing it.
In fact, it’s time for a run now. Care to
join me?
x VISIT GROUNDED. In Touch’s new
online community helps 18- to 25-year-
olds connect with like-minded young
Christians. Create your own profile,
start blogs, hear podcasts, and share
ideas at www.intouch.org/GROUNDED.
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stronginspirit

POWER on LOAN
What the rise and fall of kings can teach us
about the world’s most temporary commodity
b y D a n S c h a e f f e r

28 | JUNE 2010 In Touch

In the 1947 film The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty, Danny Kaye
plays a timid comic book writer who lives
in a fantasy world of his own making.
He dreams of being a brave, commanding
ship captain or a fearless flying ace—of
having some position of power over the
people around him. Walter Mitty might
have been a caricature, but the reality is
that he wasn’t alone in his fantasy world.
Power—the authority to control, direct,
or influence the course of events or the
behavior of others—is something people
have grasped at since the beginning of
time. And while we more typically think
of it as an endowment only great leaders
have, we’ve all been given some kind
of power within our own “kingdoms.”
This is why power is such an important
theme in the Bible. The book of Daniel says
much on the issue. Having been raised in
the courts of Jerusalem, then forcibly taken
captive to serve the rulers of the Babylonian
(and subsequently Persian) empire, the
prophet knew the perils of power. While he
advised numerous kings during his lifetime,
Daniel witnessed the rise and fall of two in
particular: Jehoiakim and Nebuchadnezzar.
Power is always on loan—it’s never
truly for sale.
Before being taken into Babylonian exile
as a young man, Daniel belonged to the
nobility of Judah, which was ruled by King
Jehoiakim. Tragically, Jehoiakim did not
follow the example of his father Josiah
and thus didn’t understand the nature of
the power given him (2 Kings 23:36-37).
When the prophet Jeremiah sent a warning
from God about Judah’s future captivity in
Babylon, Jehoiakim listened to only a few
lines before he took a knife, shredded the
scroll to pieces, and threw it into the fire
(Jer. 36). He ignored the call to repentance,
and the prophecy came to pass. The king
not only lost his power; he saw everything
entrusted to him destroyed and scattered.
After defeating Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar
reigned over the mightiest empire of
the ancient world. But Daniel saw this
supremacy for what it was. While interpret-
ing the king’s dream, he first acknowledged
the nature of Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion:
“You, O king, are the king of kings, to
whom the God of heaven has given the
kingdom, the power, the strength, and
the glory” (Dan. 2:37).
Every part of that statement was prob-
ably well received by the ruler—except the
phrase about the origin of his kingly power.
He didn’t know the God of heaven yet and
believed that he had built his empire on his
own strength. Nebuchadnezzar eventually
became so arrogant and self-impressed
that God took drastic measures, removing
him from his throne and causing him to
live in the wild like an animal for seven
years (4:28-36). The king had to learn this
truth the hard way: that irrevocable power
belongs only to the Lord, and when He
allows anyone to take hold of it, it’s merely
on loan—like Monopoly money that goes
back in the box when the game is over.
Think about the position you’ve been
given, whether it involves the authority to
influence, make decisions that affect others,
or somehow direct the actions of subordi-
nates. Are you handling power in such a
way that you could freely give it back at any
time? Do you see and accept it as a “U-Haul
commodity” which always must be returned
some day?
A position of authority is intended to
be a position of intercession.
Whenever God allows us to have authority
over others (no matter how great or small),
His intent is that we use what we’re given
on behalf of those whom we oversee.
In Jeremiah 22, God levels a complaint
against Jehoiakim for failing to realize that
being king meant more than amassing
www.intouch.org | 29
wealth for his nation: “Do you become a
king because you are competing in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink and do
justice and righteousness? Then it was well
with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted
and needy; then it was well. Is not that what
it means to know Me?” (vv. 15-16).
Daniel, in a significant yet lesser position
of power, used every bit of his influence to
serve. Besides setting a righteous example,
he interceded for his people and prayed for
forgiveness on their behalf (9:1-19).
Any power we have is entrusted to us for
purposes beyond our own gain or sense of
worth. Do we see our positions of leadership
as a God-given opportunity to help those
put under our charge—or as an opportunity
to advance and promote ourselves under
the guise of helping others? How might we
use our influence to serve and intercede for
those with lesser positions?
Power abused will become power lost.
Jehoiakim’s lack of integrity and compas-
sion provoked God’s judgment: “Woe to him
who builds his house without righteousness
and his upper rooms without justice, who
uses his neighbor’s services without pay and
does not give him his wages, who says, ‘I will
build myself a roomy house with spacious
upper rooms’ . . . Your eyes and your heart
are intent only upon your own dishonest
gain, and on shedding innocent blood and
on practicing oppression and extortion”
(Jer. 22:13-14, 17). Jehoiakim was just taking
advantage of a royal “perk” of the day: using
his status to build palatial homes for himself
while manipulating the people for whom he
was supposed to advocate. This was an abuse
of power, and God called him on it.
Might we be guilty of such abuse? Are
we exploiting others’ vulnerabilities and
failing to consider their needs? Have we
truly considered that God can at any time
remove our influence at home, work, or
church when we overstep our authority?
30 | JUNE 2010 In Touch
Abuse of power leaves lingering bitter
memories—unless it’s corrected in time.
God’s prophetic words about King
Jehoiakim’s demise (22:18-19) finally
came true: he died in disgrace, and when
he was gone, no one mourned him—not
even his own family. But humbled and
changed by his seven years experiencing
powerlessness, Nebuchadnezzar made
a “180.” When the Lord restored his sanity
and his throne, the king used his authority
to honor the true God before the entire
empire and exhorted his subjects to
worship the true King. Nebuchadnezzar’s
“
change of heart changed how he would
be remembered.
Others have discovered the value of
doing likewise. Consider the Swedish
chemist who was startled to open the
paper and read his own death notice,
titled “The Merchant of Death Is Dead.”
It read, “The inventor of dynamite, who
died yesterday, devised a way for more
people to be killed in a war than ever
before, and he died a very rich man.”
It was a mistake, of course (his older
brother had died), but this obituary
had a profound impact on the inventor.
He decided he wanted to be known for
something other than developing the
means to kill more people efficiently and
amassing a fortune in the process. So he
initiated a series of awards for scientists,
writers, leaders, and humanitarians whose
work fosters the advance of peace in the
world. We now call this the Nobel Prize,
after the Swedish chemist. Alfred Nobel
once wrote, “Every man ought to have the
chance to correct his epitaph in midstream
and write a new one.”
Even if we’re already at midstream,
we can still become the kind of people God
can entrust with power—people who use
the advantage or privilege they’ve been
given to serve others and glorify our all-
powerful God.
spotlight
Phil Stacey

i
>> Call to Action
b y L in d a Can u p

It was a slow night at the Village Inn, as Tuesdays usually are at most pan-
cake houses. So the teenage waiters thought it would be funny if they just
ditched the place.
“I knew it was wrong, but I watched as, one by one, all my friends headed
out to the parking lot and drove away,” says Phil Stacey as he remembers his
16-year-old self plus a cook and a host being left to man the restaurant. It’s

“
fine, he reasoned. Nobody’s here.
But they didn’t know an Amway Convention was in town that night. Or that
when the event let out, attendees would suddenly fill the restaurant to capacity.
Phil panicked when he saw the flood of
. . . his father asked, patrons walk through the door. I can’t do
‘Son, do you want to this, he thought, and called his dad to see
be a boy, or do you if he could quit. After a pause, his father
want to be a man?’” asked, “Son, do you want to be a boy, or
do you want to be a man?”
Was this a trick question? “I don’t know,”
Phil replied. “What do you want me to be?” “I want you to fulfill what you com-
mitted yourself to,” his dad answered.
Um, okay.
Encouraged by the conversation, Phil jumped onto the hostess’s desk and
addressed the crowd. “Can I have everybody’s attention? Welcome to Village
Inn! I’m going to take care of you, but I’m the only server here tonight, so you
have to be patient with me.” The crowd was supportive and excited—“like,
‘woo hoo!’” says Phil.
Then just as he rounded the third booth, the front door opened and in
walked his dad. “Son, how can I help?” he asked. His father spent the entire
night there with his son, serving drinks, apple pie, salads, and whatever else
the customers ordered.
Today, Phil is a Naval reservist, the father of two daughters, and, perhaps
most recognizably, a Season Six American Idol finalist. But he’s never forgot-
ten the life lesson of this story: “If you, as a Christian, submit your life to the
will of the Lord, there is no doubt that God is going to give you a job that is
too big for you—but He’s not
To order Phil Stacey’s newest
going to let you do it alone.
album, see the order form or
He doesn’t call you to sit on visit www.intouch.org. Now
the sidelines; He calls you you can
Into the Light listen in our
online
into action.” uCD | $14 (U.S.) bookstore!

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 1
tuesday
The Priority of Life

read | Matthew 6:31-33

W hat is the priority of your life—the

one thing around which everything
else revolves? Jesus tells us that God’s
kingdom and righteousness are to be our
highest priority.
Such a lofty goal will never be achieved
through passivity. Rather, it demands con-
tinuous, diligent effort. “To seek” means to
be active and aggressive in our quest. This
isn’t an issue that is settled once and for
all in life; it must be pursued every day,
moment by moment.
As significant as We live in a world of two opposing
our human family realms, which are in constant conflict—
the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom
is, a relationship
of God. Our only protection against the
with God is even Devil is the authority of the King of Kings.
more important. To seek the Father’s kingdom is to submit
How wonderful to His rule over every area of our lives.
that the Father The bottom line is obedience. Every
invites us all to decision must be subjected to His will.
To seek God’s righteousness means
be His children. submitting to His process of transforming
us into Jesus’ image. An integral part of this
procedure is the renewing of our minds
with Scripture. The Word of God washes
away worldly thinking and replaces it with
the Father’s viewpoint and instructions. By
yielding to His promptings, we will begin to
sense His presence and discover the most
satisfying relationship possible.
e a r l y l i g h t

Stop and evaluate your priorities. Who or

what dominates your thoughts and affec-
tions? Where do you invest time and
money? How do you come to a decision?
Making Christ top priority requires you to
surrender your time and submit your will—
but the rewards far outweigh any sacrifice.

One Year
the bible in

Es ther 6-10
 2 3
wednesday
God’s Amazing
Promise
read | Luke 12:22-32
A nxiety is reaching epidemic propor-
tions in our culture. As believers,
however, we are commanded not to
worry (v. 22). Instead, we’re to rely on
a conditional promise from our heavenly
Father: If we will seek His kingdom, all
our needs will be provided (v. 31). This
is the opposite of the world’s philosophy,
which tells us to pull ourselves up by our
bootstraps and do what we can to meet
our own needs. What a relief to rely on
the sovereign King of all creation instead
of our meager strength.
Consider these qualities of our King:
• He keeps His word. Every promise is
backed by His divine nature. According to
Titus 1:2, God cannot lie. He never makes
a promise that He won’t keep.
• He is all-knowing. Our heavenly Father
is mindful of all our needs—the ones we
bring to Him in prayer as well as those of
which we are unaware.
• He is all-powerful. The sovereign Ruler
of the universe backs His promises with
almighty power. “Nothing will be impos-
sible with God” (Luke 1:37).
• He cares. God’s provision for birds and
flowers is proof of His even greater care
for those who are made in His image. Not
only is He able to meet our needs, but He
also wants to provide for us.
e a r l y l i g h t
Will you believe God, seek His kingdom,
and rest in the peace that passes under-
standing? Or will you doubt Him and live
with the anxiety of not being sure your
needs will be met? The promise is given,
the fulfillment is certain, and now the
choice is yours.
One Year
the bible in
Job 1-4
thursday
Staying on Course
read | Hebrews 12:1-2
T he Christian life can be likened to a
race with a predetermined course and
a finish line in eternity. Each believer has a
personalized route specially designed by
the Lord. Our goal is to stay on track and
run with endurance, but the path can be
discerned and negotiated only by focusing
on Jesus. Because He ran the race perfectly
and finished His course, He can show us
the way.
As with any long-term race, the course
is full of obstacles that threaten to trip
or sidetrack us. Temptations lure us to
what we imagine are lush green pastures,
while busyness can lead us down rabbit
trails that end in exhaustion. Worry and
fear grab hold of our minds, and emotions
take us places the Lord never intended for
us to go.
Although sins present the most obvious
hindrances, other obstacles and detours
are subtler. Anything that takes precedence
over our relationship with the Lord can
send us down the wrong path. Because
involvement in the daily activities of
earthly life is necessary, we can easily let
our families, jobs, and pleasures distract
us from a wholehearted pursuit of Christ.
Surprisingly, even God’s blessings can
become obstacles in the race if we start to
pursue them more than we do the Lord.
e a r l y l i g h t
We must remember that the goal isn’t to
focus on the path or to try and find our way;
instead, we’re to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is
not only our guide but also our destination.
And He will welcome us home with open
arms when we finish the race and cross
into eternity.
One Year
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 4
friday
Feelings of Inferiority
read | Ephesians 2:10
E arly in my life, I experienced some
feelings of inferiority. Because we
struggled financially, my mom and I didn’t
live in the “right” places, and I didn’t wear
the “right” clothes. Even in school, I felt
that I did not measure up academically
to the other kids. The sense of failure and
embarrassment at not being good enough
was devastating to me.
The misery of inferiority is never what
God intends for His children. Its seed
usually takes root in the impressionable
hearts of the young and thrives in an
atmosphere of comparison. This kind of
emotional baggage can have debilitating
and enslaving ramifications in every area
of life. Feelings of inadequacy may cause
avoidance of healthy challenges; low self-
esteem cripples personal relationships; and
comparison steals contentment.
We need to understand how God sees
us. Then, when feelings of inferiority come,
we can cling to His accurate assessment
rather than our own faulty one. He says we
are His workmanship—His masterpieces.
Each person is specially and uniquely
designed by the Creator for His purpose.
The differences that cause us to make
comparisons and feel discouraged are the
very qualities that the Lord “programmed”
into us to bring Him glory.
e a r l y l i g h t
Feelings of inferiority are a hindrance to
becoming the people God designed us
to be and fulfilling His purpose for our lives.
When it comes to our value, we either
accept the truth of His appraisal or decide
not to believe Him and instead rely on our
own feelings. What will your choice be?
One Year
the bible in
Job 9-12
34 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
the weekend
Healing for
Inferiority
read | Ephesians 3:14-21
T he world bombards us with messages
that nourish feelings of inferiority.
Happiness and satisfaction are promised
if we will only drive the latest car, wear the
newest styles, or build up those muscles
while losing unsightly pounds. If we do not
guard against the onslaught of commercial-
ism, it will drive the truth of God from our
minds, and we will pursue a fruitless search
for adequacy and value.
So often we look at externals to prove
to ourselves and others that we’re valuable.
Or we think, If only I were better-looking,
richer, or smarter, I would be accepted
and esteemed. It’s not wise to let others’
opinions and standards determine our
feelings about ourselves; the only accurate
assessment of our worth comes from look-
ing into the eyes of the One who loved us
enough to die in our place.
Paul told his readers that true significance
comes from knowing and understanding
the full dimensions of God’s love for them.
This knowledge is our anchor when feelings
of worthlessness overwhelm or failures
tempt us to berate ourselves and withdraw
in defeat. Notice that the Lord doesn’t say
He’ll give us all the qualities and possessions
we think will overcome our sense of inferi-
ority. Instead, He promises to strengthen us
“in the inner man” (v. 16).
e a r l y l i g h t
“God is able to do far more abundantly
beyond all that we ask or think” (v. 20),
but His method is to work from the inside
out, “according to the power that works
within us.” If you struggle with feelings of
inferiority, ask God to heal your soul by
doing a great work within.
One Year
the bible in
J ob 13-16
 7 8
monday
A Cheerful Giver
read | 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
G od loves a cheerful giver because He
Himself is one. He wants the bounty
that He pours out on His children to over-
flow toward others. Sadly, many people
treat their wealth more like a personal
reservoir than a divine channel.
The reservoir mentality treats wealth
as a means to provide solely for one’s
own family, goals, and desires; money
for God’s work is given reluctantly. The
stingy person figures that as long as he
offers something, it shouldn’t matter that
he’d rather not. However, attitude is vital.
To God, the state of a believer’s heart is
more important than his or her actions
(Hos. 6:6). Lukewarm giving is a signal
that we aren’t fully engaged in seeing the
Lord’s work done. We’d rather ensure our
own security.
What surprises the tightfisted believer
is that God does not fill a reservoir. Even
people who appear affluent never feel
that they have enough. True contentment
comes with accepting that our wealth—
however limited—belongs to the Lord
and is sufficient for our needs. As soon as
we understand that, our reservoir bursts
its banks to become part of God’s divine
channel. As He pours in, we cheerfully
pour out with full confidence that He will
provide for both our needs and our gifts.
e a r l y l i g h t
The Lord’s ultimate plan does not include
making all of His children prosperous. His
purpose is to make every one of us generous
with all that we have—wealth, compassion,
knowledge, etc. Cheerful giving is coura-
geous giving because we have to trust that
the Lord will provide.
One Year
the bible in
Job 17-21
t
tuesday
God’s Grace and
Our Finances
read | Proverbs 3:9-10
I f you knew that something you desired
could destroy your life, would you keep
chasing after it? The Bible warns about a
certain kind of pursuit that can cause one to:
1) Fall into sin.
2) Be mastered by foolish wishes.
3) Engage in activities that erode character.
4) Plunge into moral ruin.
5) Wander from faith.
In spite of these dire warnings, many
people are ruled by a longing to get rich.
There is nothing wrong with being
affluent so long as we follow God’s rules
for wise living. Specifically, we are to
honor Him with our money (Prov. 3:9),
which includes acknowledging that He is
the rightful owner and giving it cheerfully
(Ps. 50:10; 2 Cor. 9:7). The desire for
riches becomes a sin when accumulation
is among our highest priorities. In that
case, the god we serve is treasure.
Believers are to live by grace in every
aspect of their lives, including finances.
That means we surrender wages, portfolio,
and charitable giving into God’s hands.
Furthermore, we accept what He gives
as enough, even when the bank account
seems low by the world’s standards. He
has promised to supply our needs, so we’re
to regard financial gains and losses as part
of His will and plan.
e a r l y l i g h t
I am not preaching a so-called “prosperity
gospel,” wherein godly people are rewarded
with riches. Poverty and tough times are
as common to believers as to unbelievers.
However, the Bible promises that if we live
by God’s grace, He will provide amply for
whatever we need (2 Cor. 9:8).
One Year
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 9 10
wednesday
Open Up to Others
read | 2 Corinthians 6:11-13
S ocial networking is big business. Things
like Facebook, e-mail, and texting reveal
our hunger to connect with one another,
yet many people still feel lonely. The fall of
Adam and Eve usually brings to mind the
disconnection that sin created between God
and mankind, but it also affected all human
relationships from that time onward. As
a result, fear and pride threaten to keep us
in bondage to isolation and self-protection.
Surprisingly, many homes, workplaces,
and churches are gatherings of strangers.
Even husbands and wives can live in the
same house without really knowing each
other. Being able to list many facts about
those we live and work with is not the same
as really knowing them. To some degree,
whether we are known by others is our
responsibility. Even the friendliest person
may not be able to penetrate someone
else’s self-erected walls. To be known, we
must risk opening up and letting others in.
Paul pled with the Corinthians to open
up to him as he had to them. Because
they’d built emotional walls, their relation-
ship with him and their effectiveness as
a church were hindered. Of all people,
believers are called to live in open honesty
and accountability with one another. We
cannot shut everybody out and expect to
have an open relationship with God.
e a r l y l i g h t
Relational walls can be hard to recognize.
Unforgiveness, a sense of unworthiness, and
fear of rejection are common reasons for
self-protective barriers. Ask God to reveal
any ways that you’re shutting someone out.
He will help you demolish all hindrances to
your relationship with Him and others.
One Year
the bible in
Job 28-32
36 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
thursday
Courage in
the Lonely Hour
read | 2 Timothy 4:6-18
T oday’s passage captures a painful time
in the life of Paul the apostle. As he
sat in a prison cell, he knew that death was
imminent. He had devoted the last years
to teaching, training, and winning souls
for Christ, but he now stood alone, unsup-
ported during his trial and time in jail.
Loneliness must have felt overwhelming.
Paul felt abandoned, yet he didn’t blame
anyone or pity himself. Instead, he met the
suffering with courage. What motivated
him to stand with strength during this
trying time?
For the apostle, an awareness of Christ’s
presence gave comfort and motivated him
to persevere. Having a copy of Scripture
in his cell no doubt encouraged him in
this way (2 Tim. 4:13). And he not only
knew God was right there with him in the
current moment; he also recalled earlier
times when the Lord had intervened. For
instance, years before, Paul had had a vision
telling him not to fear during a storm on
the sea. And though the ship ran aground,
all of the men survived (Acts 27:22-24).
For those of us who know Jesus Christ
as our personal Savior, strength is readily
available in His intimate presence. Our
heavenly Father promises that He will
never abandon His children—even when
everyone else has left.
e a r l y l i g h t
Have your circumstances left you feeling
lonely? Remember times when God was
evident to you—when He clearly revealed
His hand in your life. And read His Word so
that the truth of His presence can comfort
and encourage you. As a believer, you are
truly never alone.
One Year
the bible in
J ob 33-37
 11
friday
Strength for
the Lonely
read | Isaiah 41:9-11
L oneliness is one of man’s most painful
and feared emotions. Many people
consider isolation, disconnectedness, and
abandonment excruciating—especially
during periods of crisis. Because Paul knew
what it felt like to be deserted, his life and
letters offer encouragement for such diffi-
cult times. As we saw yesterday, the apostle
was motivated by the presence of Christ.
Now let’s look at what fueled His courage.
First, Paul experienced the strength of
God. He wrote, “I can do all things through
Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).
Often, the Lord allows us to come to the
end of our ability so that we see His hand.
Otherwise, we’d attribute success to our
own doing. For example, the apostle was
facing possible death charges in court, and it
must have been tempting to water down the
truth in order to save his own life. But God
enabled him to be forthright in proclaiming
again the gospel of Jesus Christ—fearlessly,
boldly, and effectively.
Second, Paul knew he was fulfilling God’s
will, so he didn’t compromise, even in the
face of death. Instead, the apostle found
satisfaction, energy, and overwhelming joy
because he was obedient to the call on his
life. The believer’s reality is bigger than the
“seen”—bigger than the imminent moment.
So obeying Christ is our goal and our joy.
e a r l y l i g h t
Remember, even in painful circumstances,
three truths are certain: Jesus stands with
us; He strengthens us for whatever task
God wants us to accomplish; and He will
enable us to fulfill God’s purpose till our
final breath. Be comforted and encouraged
by these promises of the living Lord.
One Year
the bible in
Job 38-42
the weekend
The Privilege of
Knowing God
read | Psalm 19:1-6
T here is no greater privilege than know-
ing God—and no greater tragedy than
failing to develop a relationship with Him.
Yet many people live their whole life apart
from Jesus, and, therefore, when they die,
they are separated from Him eternally.
While on earth, both the righteous and
unrighteous enjoy benefits of divine blessing
(Matt. 5:45), so those who choose to live
without Christ probably have no clue how
dreadful a godless eternity will be. Some
people seem to ignore the Bible’s warnings
about “outer darkness,” “weeping,” and
“gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30;
Luke 13:28). Or is it possible they’ve simply
never heard the good news of salvation?
Romans 1:18-20 answers that: Creation
offers so much evidence of God that man
is held accountable for unbelief. Consider
nature’s design, beauty, and order—these
things don’t just evolve.
What’s more, God reveals Himself in the
human conscience (2:14-15). Even societies
with no access to Scripture forbid ungodly
behaviors like rape, murder, and theft.
In addition, we have God’s revelation of
Himself through both His Word and the
incarnation of Jesus (John 14:7-9). Christ,
who was fully God, became fully man. And
His life perfectly demonstrates the heavenly
Father’s character and heart.
e a r l y l i g h t
Can you recognize evidence of the Almighty
in creation and in the “law” written on your
conscience? Do you seek to know Him bet-
ter through His Word and the example of
Christ? The Lord desires a relationship with
you and is calling. Answer with a seeking
heart, and watch for God to “show up.”
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Ps alms 1-7
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 14
monday
The Privilege
Corrupted
read | Romans 1:21-34
G od has revealed Himself to mankind
and provided all that is necessary for
a relationship with Him. Yet many people
foolishly refuse His offer.
By choosing to live without God, a person
will spiral downward into sin and a skewed
understanding about the truth that’s evident
all around. As ignorance overpowers the
capacity for intelligent understanding,
an ever-darkening heart develops. The
individual hungers for something to fill his
emptiness but fails to recognize that only
the Lord can satisfy his longing.
Desiring to fill his spiritual void, the
person will look for an idol to worship. It
won’t be a statue of wood or gold, but rather
something on which to focus his affections.
“Idols” occupy a person’s passion, time, and
energy; in today’s world, they often take the
form of money, prominence, and relation-
ships. The “worshiper” begins to indulge in
earthly pleasures and desires. Yet nothing
can satisfy the emptiness. Eventually, as
Romans 1:28 makes clear, the Lord will
turn him over to a depraved mind—one
that can no longer make right judgments.
Remember, the heavenly Father desires a
relationship with us. He even gave His own
Son to make this possible. It is man who
rejects Him and begins the journey toward
godlessness and emptiness.
e a r l y l i g h t
Look around; notice the manifold evidence
that points to a holy, loving God who desires
an intimate friendship with you. Don’t put
off accepting His offer of relationship—
the consequences of rejection are far too
dangerous, and the benefits of saying yes are
beyond what you can imagine (Eph. 3:20).
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 8- 1 6
38 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
15
tuesday
A Clear Conscience
read | Ac t s 2 4 : 1 0 - 1 6
W hen facing hard decisions, do you pay
attention to your conscience? And is
it necessarily wise to trust this inner voice?
God gave everyone an internal “moral
compass.” In fact, reflecting His truth within
all men is one way that He reveals Himself
to mankind. The conscience is a divine
alarm system that warns us of oncoming
danger or consequences. Its primary pur-
pose is godly protection and guidance.
But sin warps perception and can lead us
astray. So it’s important to understand the
difference between following your heart
and allowing a clear conscience to help
with decisions. To make a determination,
ask, What is the greatest influence on my
morality? If the world’s system of what is
acceptable has infiltrated your heart, then
your conscience cannot be trusted. But if
you have allowed God’s Word to permeate
and transform your thinking (Rom. 12:2),
that inner voice is likely trustworthy.
The Holy Spirit, along with a divinely
informed conscience, guides believers. In
order to maintain a healthy internal com-
pass, we should continually meditate on
Scripture. The Ten Commandments are a
solid basis for morality, and we are wise to
internalize them—especially the two Jesus
highlighted: to love God above all else and
to love others (Matt. 22:36-40).
e a r l y l i g h t
What would you say has the greatest
impact on your belief system? Is it the
truth of Scripture? Or do the world’s
standards of right and wrong infect your
heart? Almighty God knows what is best
for you, His child—and He gave you a con-
science to aid in making wise decisions.
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 17-21
 16
wednesday
Ignoring the
Conscience
read | 1 Timothy 1:18-19; 4:1-2
A re you making certain choices today
that your conscience would not have
allowed in the past? If that’s the case, you
may have become desensitized over time.
This is a dangerous place to be.
As we discussed yesterday, God uses our
internal “moral compass” along with the
Holy Spirit’s guidance to direct our daily
choices. The conscience serves as an “alarm
system,” intervening when a Christian is
about to take part in ungodly behavior. In
that way, it offers protection. But sin can
throw off the system’s sensitivity.
The insidious process begins if we
choose to disobey and then refuse to deal
with our rebellion. The conscience warns
us repeatedly, but it will eventually become
“gummed up” and ineffective if we persist
in ignoring the distress signal. When that
happens, there are no longer any signals
from the heart to point us back toward
godliness. In other words, the conscience
has become seared.
This situation is akin to removing all
traffic lights from a busy intersection: it is
a recipe for disaster. If you are at this place,
get on your knees and repent, immersing
yourself in God’s Word and bathing your
life in prayer. Pursue accountability and
fellowship with other believers. A healthy
conscience is worth the effort.
e a r l y l i g h t
Are your internal signals in good working
order, or have they become muffled? Don’t
delay. Scripture warns us that we have a
real Enemy who desires to lure us away
from godliness and into destruction. God
uses a clear conscience to guide, protect,
and lead us into His light and peace.
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 2 2 - 2 7
17
thursday
God’s Love
Comforts Us
read | Romans 8:38-39
O ur heavenly Father wants us to know
how much He loves and cares for us.
He has made this clear through . . .
• Revelation of Himself. In Scripture,
we learn that the Creator made us in His
image and has a purpose for our lives.
We also discover that sin has separated
us from the Lord, but He has a solution
to our problem.
• Provision of a Savior. We were trapped
by our sinful nature and unable to free
ourselves. That left us helpless and lost,
like sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:36).
Worse still, we were under a sentence of
eternal death—separation from the Lord
forever. Because of our Father’s great love
for mankind, He sent His only Son to bear
the penalty we deserved (Rom. 6:23) and
to give us eternal life. Jesus rescued us
from slavery to sin and reconciled us to
the Father. What we could never do for
ourselves, He did for us. His provision is
free to us but costly to Him.
• Adoption of believers. When we place
our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we
become children of God. The separation
between Him and us is gone; instead of
enemies, we are family. His indwelling
Holy Spirit serves as both evidence that
we belong to God and assurance of His
unending love.
e a r l y l i g h t
The Father’s care for us shines brightly
through the cross—it was because of love
that He sent Jesus to earth to die in our
place (1 John 4:9-10). Once we accept the
gift of salvation through Christ, nothing
can separate us from God’s love. What
a comfort that is in times of need.
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 28-34
www.intouch.org | 39
 18
friday
The Father’s
Good Gifts
read | Matthew 7:7-11
T oday’s passage contains one of God’s
most generous assurances to us. Not
only are we granted permission to come
to Him with our requests, but He also
promises to answer our prayers. However,
you may be thinking, If this is true, why
hasn’t He given me what I asked?
Verses 9–11 hold the key to understand-
ing this passage: “What man is there among
you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will
give him a stone? . . . If you, then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father
in heaven give what is good to those who
ask Him!” Think in terms of parenting. A
child may want the latest video game, but
his parent knows that a different gift would
be better for him. In the same way, the God
who made us is more keenly aware of our
needs than we are (Matt. 10:30).
Because of spiritual immaturity or the
limitations of our humanity, we may ask for
what we perceive as good and necessary,
when it isn’t truly in our best interest. But
our loving Father gives what He knows is
more beneficial. Many of His gifts are the
intangible qualities of a Christlike character,
which develops through trials and testing.
We may feel He’s given us a snake instead
of a fish, but the problem is with our lack of
understanding, not with God’s goodness.
e a r l y l i g h t
When it seems that the Lord isn’t answering
your requests, remember that He’s a loving
Father, and consider what good gifts He is
giving instead. Although it may take years to
gain an adequate perspective, in time you’ll
say, “Lord, You were right. Thank You for
giving me exactly what I needed.”
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 35 - 3 9
40 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
the weekend
A Faith Worth
Passing Down
read | 2 Timothy 1:3-7
T he word “inherit” may bring to mind
cash and possessions—or even genetic
and personality traits. Yet the Bible talks
about something else that can be passed
down to the next generation, and it is the
most precious thing we have: our faith.
In today’s passage, Paul writes to Timothy
about faith worth passing down—namely,
that which is based on the truth of God’s
Word. It is the confident conviction that
God is who He says He is and will do every-
thing He says He will do. The apostle notes
that the younger man’s sincere faith did not
materialize out of thin air, but in fact was
evident in his lineage (v. 5).
There are many ways to hand down a
rich legacy of faith to the next generation:
1. Share basic biblical principles. Kids
must be taught the proper attitude about
money (Ps. 24:1), how needs are fulfilled
(Phil. 4:19), and direction in life (Pro. 3:5-6).
2. Model through lifestyle. How we live—
with transparency, peace, and persistence or
fear, doubt, and frustration—sends a loud
message about whether God can be trusted.
3. Serve God by serving others. If we act
on our faith, we show it is real (James 2:26).
4. Pray and praise. Children won’t forget
hearing us speak their names in prayer. And
when we praise them for trusting the Lord,
they will be motivated to do so again.
e a r l y l i g h t
Parents should be intentional about passing
down faith to their sons and daughters. But
even the childless have opportunity to leave
this godly legacy to the next generation of
believers. Paul nurtured new Christians as
a father would his children, and he encour-
ages us to imitate him (1 Cor. 4:14-16).
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 40-46
 21
a hymn about

Christian Parents
the influence of monday
God Knows
Our Needs
read | Philippians 4:10-19
Happy the Home
When God Is There T oday’s passage presents an interesting
paradox. Paul promises the Philippians
that God will supply all their needs (v. 19)
Happy the home yet admits that he has experienced times of
when God is there want (v. 12). To reconcile these two state-
ments, let’s consider God’s divine viewpoint.
And love fills everyone
Paul wrote these words from a prison
When with united work cell—a place of great physical discomfort.
and prayer From a human perspective, we would all
The Master’s will is done. agree that God should have provided for
Paul by relieving his suffering. But instead,
Happy the home the Lord taught him contentment in this
difficult situation. Although his physical
where God’s strong love discomfort remained, a greater need for a
Is starting to appear, changed attitude was met.
Where all the children A change of heart toward ongoing suf-
hear His fame fering is a huge challenge. On our own,
And parents hold Him dear. it’s impossible, but the Lord promises to
strengthen us through Christ. By living in
dependence and submission to Him, we
Happy the home gain His power to overcome our negative,
where prayer is heard sinful attitudes and learn contentment in
And praise is everywhere, all kinds of situations.
Where parents love Our problem is not that the Lord won’t
the sacred Word provide for us, but that we so often fail
to understand what our deepest needs are.
And its true wisdom share. God sees from an unlimited perspective
and works for our eternal good, provid-
Lord, let us ing for us according to His good purposes
in our homes agree from the limitless supply of “His riches
This blessed peace to gain; in glory.”
Unite our hearts e a r l y l i g h t

in love to Thee, Instead of merely pleading with God to

And love to all will reign.
Amen.
Text: Henry Ware, Jr.
Revision by Bryan Jeffery Leech
© 1976 Fred Bock Music Co.
take away your difficulty, try asking Him
to strengthen you through it. Although
He may not always deliver you from trials,
you can count on Him to work in you to
produce contentment, no matter what
your external needs may be.

One Year
Used by permission. the bible in
Ps alms 47-51

www.intouch.org | 41
 22 Jesus
tuesday
Identifies
with Our Needs
read | Hebrews 4:14-16
W e often forget that during His stay
on earth, Jesus identified with us—
not only in meeting our needs but also in
experiencing His own. Although Christ
was fully God, He was at the same time
completely human, with all of humanity’s
weaknesses except for sin.
When Jesus had finished a 40-day fast
in the wilderness, He experienced physical
hunger and an onslaught of temptation
from the Devil (Matt. 4:1-2). Later, after
an exhausting day of healing, teaching,
and feeding a crowd of more than 5,000,
the Son of God required time alone
with His Father for spiritual refreshment
(Matt. 14:23). And in the Garden of
Gethsemane, Christ was under tremen-
dous spiritual and emotional pressure
as He faced the ordeal of paying for the
sins of mankind through His death on
a cross (Matt. 26:38-39).
In each weakness, Jesus turned to His
Father. The Word of God was His defense
in temptation, prayer was His source of
strength for ministry, and submission
to the Father’s will was His pathway to
victory over sin and death. By passing
through every difficult situation without
sin, He became our High Priest, who inter-
cedes for us and invites us to draw near
to God’s throne for help in time of need.
e a r l y l i g h t
Whatever your needs may be, you can
follow Christ’s example and experience the
Father’s provision. The Word of God is your
protection, prayer is your strength, and
submission to the Father is the way to vic-
tory over sin. Draw near with confidence,
and let the Lord shower you with His grace.
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 52 - 5 9
42 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
23
wednesday
The Greatness
of God
read | Isaiah 40:12-26
W hen you think of God, what comes
to mind? Often, people view Him
in the way that best fits their particular
need or situation. For example, a person
who struggles with guilt might focus on the
Lord’s forgiveness or holiness. And someone
with a thirst for justice might dwell on the
Almighty’s righteousness.
The truth is, His character encompasses
far more than we could ever comprehend
or try to explain. I would never attempt
to summarize such an awesome God in
this devotion. At the same time, however,
it is important to look at Scripture in
order to gain an accurate picture of the
One we worship.
Today we will focus on one attribute:
His greatness. Our passage tells us that God
is greater than creation (v. 12), for it was
by His hands that everything we see came
into being. He is higher than the nations or
any idol fashioned by the finest craftsman
(vv. 18-20). In fact, He is above the world
and all mankind (vv. 22-23), surpassing
even the heavens and all galaxies.
Our Father’s thoughts and ways are far
grander than our own (Is. 55:9)—and lofty
compared with what we can understand.
Psalm 93:1 states, “The Lord reigns, He is
clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed
and girded Himself with strength.”
e a r l y l i g h t
Consider the awesome God we serve.
He truly is worthy of our praise. As we
grasp even a fraction of His greatness, our
response should be one of humble worship.
After all, who are we that a God like this
would desire our friendship—so much so
that He sent His Son to die for our sins?
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 60-66
24
thursday
Attributes of God
read | Psalm 90:1-2
A s believers, we desire to know the One
we worship. Human comprehension
is limited, yet understanding all we can is
very beneficial—it deepens our relationship
with the Father and helps us to share our
faith with others. With that in mind, let’s
explore four attributes of almighty God.
1. He is a “person” (Ex. 20:1-6). We
were created with the amazing ability to
feel, reason, and make decisions. And
God has the capacity for emotion as well—
Genesis 1:26 says we were made in His
image. And the Scriptures frequently make
mention of His feelings, like anger and love.
2. The Lord is spirit (John 4:22-24).
Because of this, He has no limitations; He
isn’t confined to a body or place, so we can
worship in His presence at church while
others are experiencing Him elsewhere.
What’s more, His Spirit indwells each
believer, so we can enjoy His presence
and guidance anytime, as long as we don’t
allow sin to interfere (Ps. 66:18).
3. God is eternal (Is. 40:28). He always
was, is now, and forever will be. Nothing
existed before Him or will outlast Him.
4. Our Father is unchangeable
(Mal. 3:6). His nature and attributes always
remain constant. Yes, God experiences
variety in emotions, but not in the essence
of His character.
e a r l y l i g h t
What a blessing that our holy Lord would
reveal His character to us through the Bible.
And how amazing that He makes it pos-
sible for us to have a relationship with Him
through His Son Jesus. Praise Him for His
attributes, and continue seeking to know
Him better through His Word.
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 6 7 - 7 1
25
friday
Wants and Needs:
The Difference
read | Psalm 34:8-10
S ometimes people perceive a desire as
a necessity. The heart can become so
consumed with a craving that fulfilling
it feels critical to well-being. Then, when
God does not meet the “need,” anger and
frustration result.
Believers wondering why they have
been neglected should honestly answer
one question: “Is my petition essential to
accomplishing God’s purpose, or is it only
for my enjoyment?” Beyond basics like food
and shelter, necessities might include coun-
seling for a troubled marriage or money
for a mission trip. If we can’t complete the
Lord’s plan without something, then it is a
need, and He will answer when we pray for
Him to fulfill that requirement (Phil. 4:19).
God is also pleased to satisfy desires that
fit within the confines of His purpose and
will (Ps. 37:4). The things we long for bring
pleasure, entertainment, or a sense of joy.
Many are good and worth pursuing, but
they become troublesome when we deem
them essential for our plans. God isn’t obli-
gated to grant wishes or fulfill any plans but
His own. However, He says that those who
seek Him won’t lack any good thing (34:10).
Pursuing the Lord above all else means
making our desires subject to His will. And
when we “delight in the Lord” (37:4), He’ll
also shape our desires to be most beneficial.
e a r l y l i g h t
The heavenly Father wants to be His chil-
dren’s greatest delight—the One in whom
fulfillment and satisfaction are found.
When that is true in a believer’s life, then
he or she does not require a lot of “stuff,”
entertainment, or people in order to be
happy. Joy is in the Lord.
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 72-77
www.intouch.org | 43

the weekend
The Origin of
Unmet Needs
read | Romans 5:6-8
E motional needs can be every bit as acute
as bodily requirements. The desire for
love, acceptance, and a sense of safety are
hardwired into human beings by the Lord.
These necessities are what cause us to seek
out friendships, marriage, and, ultimately,
a relationship with God. And at the root
of all of our heart-needs is the longing to
feel valued.
Without a solid sense of self-worth, a
person cannot fully receive love and accep-
tance. Nor can he feel safe or at rest.
The uncertain man projects onto family
and friends the God-sized job of proving
his value. From them, he seeks constant
verbal assurance and displays of their
loyalty. The problem is that no human can
be an inexhaustible emotional resource.
Inevitably, basing worth on people’s
judgments and acts of love makes for a
yo-yo-like self-image—it’s down, it’s up, it’s
down again. Besides, no one can build an
adequate collection of good opinions to
substitute for God’s devotion. On the cross,
Jesus Christ gave the only accurate measure
of our significance: He considered every
single person worth dying for. We can’t buy
or earn God’s unconditional love. It is ours
to receive with an open heart. Jesus’ sacrifice
stands as proof that we are of infinite value
to the Sovereign of the universe.
e a r l y l i g h t
God desires to be our unlimited emotional
resource. In fact, if our self-worth is based
upon anything but Him, then it is unstable.
A rock-solid self-image is rooted in the rec-
ognition of who we are in Christ—beloved,
redeemed, and holy children. Nothing
changes His opinion.
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 78 - 7 9
44 | J u ne 2 0 1 0 In Touch
28
monday
God Is Present
in Dark Times
read | Genesis 39:1-23
I n this day of “instant” news, we regularly
see images of calamity in our world. And
on a personal level, we experience seasons of
hardship as well. The same is true of friends
and family who encounter difficulties with
children, job layoffs, and marriage breakups.
As Christians, we have a heavenly Father
who has promised to be with us in our
troubles. We can rely on Him—He knows
what will happen before we do; nothing is
hidden from His sight (Heb. 4:13). He sees
in the darkness of troubled times as clearly
as He does in the daylight (Ps. 139:11-12).
Through His Spirit, He offers us the com-
fort, strength, and wisdom to persevere. The
story of Joseph illustrates this truth. After
being rejected by his brothers at a young age
and sold into slavery, he was falsely accused
by his master’s wife and imprisoned. But in
the midst of those terrible times, the young
Hebrew man experienced God’s presence
and favor.
I doubt Joseph comprehended the Lord’s
intentions during his slavery and imprison-
ment. But later on, as second-in-command
to Pharaoh, he understood God’s purpose
in allowing those difficult years. In the end,
Joseph testified to what he knew to be true.
His brothers had meant to harm him, but
God used all the hardship to accomplish
His good plan (Gen. 45:4-8; 50:20).
e a r l y l i g h t
When troubles hit, remember what is true
and take heart. The indwelling Holy Spirit
has the resources to provide what we need,
equip us for the journey, and sustain us
with His presence throughout the dark days.
Nothing can stop the purposes of our Lord
from being carried out (Isa. 14:27).
One Year
the bible in
Ps alms 80-85
29
tuesday
God Is With Us
in Hard Times
read | Genesis 41:14-44
T he Bible is relevant for every situation.
Although the details of our circum-
stances probably differ from those described
in Scripture, God’s Word still applies.
From the life of Joseph, we get a glimpse
of what it means to have God with us in
hard times. First of all, the young man’s faith
strengthened, helping him place loyalty to
the Lord above his personal welfare. For
example, when Potiphar’s wife attempted
to seduce Joseph, he refused, saying he
would not sin against God (Gen. 39:9).
Second, the Lord’s presence meant that
Joseph prospered right where he was—as
a slave in Potiphar’s house and as a prisoner
in a foreign jail. In both situations, those in
charge recognized God’s favor was upon
Joseph. So they gave him great responsi-
bility and authority (vv. 3-4, 21-22).
Third, during times of suffering, Joseph
gained invaluable life lessons that prepared
him for the future. As a slave and prisoner,
Joseph learned ways to handle responsibil-
ity, the details of Egyptian culture, and the
importance of keeping God first.
An additional blessing was the oppor-
tunity to be a witness to the Lord’s power
and sufficiency. When brought before
Pharaoh to interpret his dream, Joseph said
he could not do it but testified that God
could (41:16).
e a r l y l i g h t
We can see our faith grow by relying on
our heavenly Father the way Joseph did.
When we give God His rightful place in our
lives as Lord, His presence will strengthen
us to resist temptation. Then we, too, will be
equipped to do kingdom work and ready to
proclaim His greatness to those around us.
One Year
the bible in
P s al m s 8 6 - 9 0
30 Itto IsBeGood
wednesday
Afflicted
read | Psalm 119:71-76
D avid rejoiced in affliction because
trials added to his knowledge of God.
Lessons in the Lord’s constancy, grace, and
provision were more valuable to him than
a sack of money. Moreover, David’s heart
and spirit were enriched as well.
Affliction acts as spiritual fertilizer on a
believer’s faith. David’s radical pursuit of the
Lord developed while he was running from
a murderous king. The years between his
victory over Goliath and his ascension to the
throne were physically demanding and emo-
tionally draining. Yet the challenges molded
the future king into a wise leader, a cunning
warrior, and a humble servant of God.
David’s psalms reveal that his struggles
taught him dependence on God (Ps. 4),
perseverance (Ps. 13), and many other
valuable spiritual traits. The Lord also
provided comfort even as He stretched
the warrior-poet’s faith (Ps. 86:17). As
God intended, David’s words offer solace
to others who must walk through misery.
By means of affliction, God molds His
children into comfort carriers (2 Cor. 1:4).
The message we offer is the one we learned
in our trials: God is enough. He is sufficient
to meet needs when the pit is deep, the
obstacle high, or the suffering prolonged.
Moreover, our own life proves that hardship
makes Christians stronger and wiser.
e a r l y l i g h t
Second Corinthians 2:14 tells us that
believers are a sweet aroma on the earth.
Those whom God leads to triumph over
affliction become the fragrance of His
care to a hurting world. We carry cheer
to the discouraged, relief to the hurting,
and the message of Christ’s love to all.
One Year
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