Intouch Magazine June 2010

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january 2009 doing God’s work God’s way

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Intouch Magazine monthly issue, june 2010

Transcript of Intouch Magazine June 2010

Page 1: Intouch Magazine June 2010

j a n u a r y 2 0 0 9

doing God’s work

God’s way

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

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.

AlAsKA cruise n July 9-16, 2010

on the coverWhen 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.

—Charles F. Stanley

Great Getaway

Don’t Miss out on a

!

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on the cover

IN TOUCH MINISTRIES® INC., P.O. Box 7900, Atlanta, GA 30357IN TOUCH MINISTRIES OF CANADA, Box 4900, Markham, Ontario L3R 6G9NEW ZEALAND OFFICE, Box 33-1260 Takapuna, Auckland 1332 0-800-446868www.intouch.orgAll prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.E-mail magazine-related comments to [email protected] Customer Care, call 800-789-1473 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.– 8 p.m. (et) .For Canadian telephone orders, call 800-323-3747.

To discontinue receiving this magazine, or to report receiving multiple issues, call 800-789-1473, or e-mail [email protected]. Please include your name and address.

In Touch® magazine, JUNE 2010, Vol. 33 No. 6. © 2010; all rights reserved. No unsolicited manuscripts accepted. Printed in the USA. In Touch magazine is neither responsible nor liable for any part of the production or distribution of international editions, whether translated or in English, 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.

PRESS ASSOCIATIONEVANGELICAL

DR. STANLEy PORTRAITS By DAVID SMITh.

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Doing goD’s Work goD’s Way

b y c H a r l e s F . s t a 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.

early lightGet to know your heavenly father better

with the help of these devotions from Dr. stanley’s sermons.

saying yes to aDventureb y D a v I D p I e r c e

it’s so easy to say no. But will you be shutting the door on a life-changing journey with your kids?

d e p a r t m e n t ssolving problemsWanted: A New Kind of Leader b y b I l l p e e l

You don’t have to be directing an army to fulfill the leadership role God has called you to take on.

by faithThe Least of Theseb y s a N D y F e I t

find out how one country’s surplus became another’s providential supply.

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family roomBlessed into Exhaustionb y a l l e N H a r r I s

it’s time to give up childish things and let your kids enjoy them for a while.

strong in spiritPower on Loanb y D a N s c H a e F F e r

What will you be known for—abusing authority or using it to serve others?

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Great Getaway!

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“Would you like to have an intimate eternal relationship with the One who made you and loves you unconditionally? If so, tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

God,I acknowledge that I have sinned before You, but I receive Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross as payment-in-full 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, for making me a new person, and for including me in Your family. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

We will gladly send you our New Believer’s Kit to help you take the next step in your walk with God. Contact our customer care department at 800-789-1473, or visit www.intouch.org.

Have you chosen to believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him?

At In Touch Ministries,

our goal is to

lead people worldwide into

a growing relationship with Jesus Christ

and to strengthen the local church.

Visit www.intouch.org

for great resources designed to

help you strengthen your faith.

A Publication of

to the Glory of God

Dr. Charles F. Stanley P r e s i D e n t / P U B l i s H e r

C. Phillip Bowene X e c U t i v e v i c e P r e s i D e n tc H i e f o P e r a t i n G o f f i c e r

John E. Courtney, Jr.s e n i o r D i r e c t o r

m a r K e t i n G a n D D e v e l o P m e n t

Tonya Stonemane D i t o r

D i r e c t o r o f P U B l i c a t i o n s

Linda M. Canupa s s i s t a n t e D i t o r

Sandy Feits e n i o r c o P Y e D i t o r

Erin Gieschena c q U i s i t i o n s e D i t o r

Cameron Lawrencec o P Y e D i t o r / W r i t e r

Lisa Dychesc r e a t i v e D i r e c t o r

Jeff Gregorya r t D i r e c t o r

Joey Tindellm a r K e t i n G P r o m o t i o n s P l a n n e r

Steve R. LindseyD i r e c t o r

r e s o U r c e s a n D f U l f i l l m e n t

David BlahnikP r o D U c t i o n m a n a G e r

the mission of in touch ministries

To lead people worldwide into a growing relationship

with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church

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pcease 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).

How can you do this when things are falling apart all around you? To cease striving, you must rest in the Lord. To rest, you must trust Him 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.

to rest, you must trust Him completely.”“

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from

Cha

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F. S

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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

“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

God’sway Human strength can never

replace divine power.B y C h A R L E S F . S T A N L E y

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had remained unfinished for 15 years. The Lord sent a message to the prophet

Zechariah, encouraging Zerubbabel to persevere and promising the completion of the temple. Although the work that God ordains varies with each individual and generation, the principle He gave to Zechariah thousands of years ago is still applicable today: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).

In this verse, we find two contrasting methods for completing a task. To tackle a job with might and power means to depend on our own resources and abilities, laboring with self-determination and reliance on human under-standing and strength. At one point in my life, I discovered the futility of this method. I took on the burden of ministry and carried it till I was so exhausted that I had to take three months off to recover. That was not how God intended for me to do His work.

We are not called by the Lord to meet every need or take on every opportunity for service that we encounter. There is only so much He has allotted for each person to do. Does your schedule hold more than you can handle? If so, then it probably includes tasks that God has not meant for you. By spreading yourself too thin, the assignments He chose for you won’t be done well, and He will not be glorified.

The Lord does not bless what we do in our own self-determination. In fact, He may withdraw His hand, complicate circumstances, withhold the resources, and frustrate our efforts. Self-reliance results in stress, discouragement, and

disillusionment. Being sovereign, God always accomplishes His plans with or without us. But by going our own way, we lose His blessing and the opportunity to see Him touch others through us.

One danger of laboring in our own strength is an attachment to the job rather than to God. Instead of thinking of ourselves as His servants, we can begin to consider the ministry as our own and derive our identity from it. In an attempt to draw self-esteem and purpose in life

from a task, we risk making it an idol. A believer’s identity is in his relationship with Christ, not in what he achieves for the kingdom.

Zechariah 4:6 tells us that the other option for accomplishing God’s purposes is “by [His] Spirit.” Anything the Lord calls us to do should be done with total reliance upon the Holy Spirit,

who indwells us. Knowing that human strength was completely inadequate for the service intended for His disciples, Jesus instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until they were “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). How foolish to toil in inadequacy and frustration when God’s gracious provision is readily available within us.

But how can we know if we are relying on the Spirit? First of all, let me tell you what this does not mean. Depending on the Lord is not a matter of praying for His blessing on what we choose to do, abdicat-ing responsibility by “letting go and letting God,” or turning to Him as a last resort after exhausting ourselves and running out of options.

Past achievements can cause us to become overconfident and to think,

“I can handle it.”

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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).

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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.

God’s Perspective1. 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 Reward1. 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 Hope1. 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.

Questions for further study

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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.

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i“the power of God>> The Promise of Strength Within

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 far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20), we pray and wait for Him 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)uTo display Christ in us during affliction (2 Cor. 4:7-10)uTo produce humility, content- ment, and dependence upon the Savior in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:7-10)uTo ground us in His love (Eph. 3:14-21)uTo strengthen us in spiritual 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)

God often does His work within rather than without.”

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Questions for reflection1. What are you asking the lord to do for you? Do your requests for His intervention focus more on external changes in your circumstances or internal transformation of your character?

2. Which of the qualities listed do you lack? in faith and active cooperation, ask God to use His great power to begin working them within you.

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I S A I A h 4 0 : 1 2 - 3 1

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sayingyes

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 said something that would change our lives forever: “Dad, I want to climb a mountain.”

I tilted my head to double-check the title on the book’s spine. Yep. That was the story 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

to

Why responding to our kids’ invitations can make all the difference in the world

B y D A V I D P I E R C E

adventure

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adventureten 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

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?

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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 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 David Pierce shared with his son, visit www.intouch.org/magazine.x

This dad’s story shows how you can create stronger bonds with the important people in your life.

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Chera and Dad at the summit

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God’s Calling for Us Regular Guys

B y B I L L P E E L

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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 EconomyIf 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.

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Investing in What You Already HaveDuring the first part of my life, my own father was fairly passive, as far as parenting was concerned. Everyone (including me) loved my dad; he was a wonderful man, but he just wasn’t engaged in my life early on.

He’d grown up without a father, so how was he supposed to know how to father a son?

But then, Dad showed up in spades. The crisis came when I was 14. Not only was I dealing with normal adolescent insecurity, but we’d also just moved to a different city. I was adjusting to a new school and stressed out with advanced-placement classes. On top of that, I was in the band that semester, plus I was trying to play football. My day began with band practice at 6:30 a.m. and ended 12 hours later with wind sprints in the Texas heat. When my grades began to suffer, Dad showed his disapproval and applied the pressure.

Four weeks into the school year, I was toast. I woke up every morning with a stomachache that finally got my parents’ attention. After a visit to the doctor— who found nothing wrong with me—I blurted out to my mother that I felt Dad

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 regularly spent time with me, making me part of his world and himself part of mine. He found a way to be at many of my prac-tices and all my games, even when I just sat on the bench. Dad became an integral component of my life and never quit making the effort, because he decided to

take the initiative to use what he’d been given and do all he could as a father, even if no one had showed him how.

As the British poet George

Herbert said, “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” Study after study shows that a family is better off with a father around. But not just any kind of father. Wives and children need a leader who understands his stewardship responsi-bilities to seek and serve each family member’s highest good—and help each one become all that God intended. We exist to serve and sacrifice for them, Christ’s self-sacrifice being the standard for our stewardship (Eph. 5:25; 6:4).

That involves a lot more than spending

From that day on, [my dad] began to take responsibility and prove by action that I was a priority in his life, and it knit my heart to his.

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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 wife and children? What do they dream about? What can you do today—conve-nient or not—that will help them discover and do the will of God?

Losing Your Ego to Find Your IdentityWhere does the ability to lead like this come from? If our identity is secure in Christ, we have nothing to lose by giving ourselves away as faithful stewards. In fact, we have everything to gain. Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

The Lord wasn’t talking about physical life or even eternal life—the word He used (Mark translated it into Greek as psyche) refers to man’s individual self—his identity and personality that distinguishes his life from others. Here’s what He was getting at: Everyone comes into this world suffering from an identity crisis. Separated from our Creator, we don’t know who we are, yet the drive to distinguish ourselves is so strong, it controls our lives—and will kill us if we let it.

But Jesus wasn’t saying we should take our deepest desires—for identity, respect, and significance—and drive them under-ground. He instead challenges us to seek

our fulfillment in Him, the only source that will give satisfaction in both the quantity and quality our souls crave.

The problem is, we begin defining our-selves in terms of money, popularity, and worldly success from a very early age. And the habit of doing so is nearly impossible to reverse—especially when we’re told time and again that these things are the measure of a man.

God is not asking us to crucify our desire to be somebody. He’s asking us to crucify our death grip on the substitutes we use to fill the space He should occupy in our lives. If you’ve ever tried to let go of something you’ve used to define your very being, you know why Jesus says it’s like going to the cross. It feels like an execution—we’re giving up something we think we need in order to live.

The person we thought we were dies so we can discover our true self in Christ. And when we find our true self in Him, we also find the love and adequacy that empower us to be the steward-leaders God created us to be.

Most men want to live an impact-ful life but don’t know how to start. Bill Peel offers practical direction for “regular guys.”

What God Does When Men LeaduSoftcover | $12 (U.S.)

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BBy 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-

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 MAPMAP—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,

MAP International fights diseases of poverty around the globeb y S A n d y F e I t | P h o t o b y M A P I n t e r n A t I o n A l

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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.

Three-pronged approachAt 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 second. “Neglected No More” describes 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.”

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*See www.map.org/site/PageNavigator/NNMNTDs.x

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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

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.

A F a t h e r ’s W h i n eb y A L L E N H A R R I S

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B u d d i e s w i t h n o k i d sNow 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.

T i m e ’ s v a n i s h i n g a c tHow 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.

H e l l o g u i l t 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

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in one hand and a remote control in the other.) How foolish!

G o o d b y e t o c h i l d i s h t h i n g sMy life today is radically different than the quiet, orderly one I maintained a little over a year ago. But the truth is, I absolutely love my life now. I could not be more excited about my family or more grateful to God for all of these ridiculous blessings. I suppose that’s what I’ve found so frus-trating over the past year. I never knew that it was even possible to be blessed to the point of physical exhaustion. Catching the blessings overflowing from God’s storehouse is hard work!

And because I’m not about to ask God to stop sending His goodness my way, I must instead stay my own hand. Now is the season when I must learn to say no. No, I may not be able to exercise six days a week. No, I can’t update my personal blog every day or two. No, I can’t join your new Bible study or take a spontaneous getaway trip with my wife. I’ve got to find the balance between what I want to do and what I have to do.

Honestly, it’s hard saying no to things I want to do, places I want to go, and things I want to buy. I think that is what the

apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11).

Isn’t it interesting that this gem of wis-dom immediately follows the Bible’s most beautiful passage on love? It is as though having a child gives us a glimmer of God’s viewpoint, on a much more personal level. It changes our perspective on the love we knew, and shows us the love that can be. “When the perfect comes, the partial will be done away” (1 Cor. 13:10). Suddenly, what we once knew and adored isn’t good enough anymore. We’ve discovered some-thing better.

I’m a daddy now. I’ve been a child and enjoyed childish things. And I still do fairly often—that’s okay. But the bottom line is this: it’s my daughter’s time to be a child. And she deserves a father who will make the time for her to be childish, who will provide the kind of home where she can rejoice in her frivolous ways and infant bliss.

May God forgive this father’s whine. And may He continue to pour out greater and greater blessings to make me whine even more.

Catching the blessings overflowing from God’s storehouse is

hard work!

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wWith 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 you’re giving to—and whether they are using your gifts to fulfill it. In Touch exists to lead people worldwide into a 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 (ECFA), which publishes our pertinent information on their Web site (www.ecfa.org).

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.

wise stewardship>> Know how your Gifts Will Be Used

buil

ding

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are the charities and industries you invest in keeping your information safe?”“

In Touch [email protected] or call 800-967-2200

B y W A y N E O D O M

For more information, please submit your questions to [email protected]

hard work!

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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. 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. At least, that’s what I thought until I

became one. 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.

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.

After watching him compete, I became inspired. Finally, the pain of my day-to-day grind hurt more than the pain of change, and

God seemed to be saying, “It’s about time!” He helped me realize that getting in shape is far more than some two-week diet or a magic pill. It’s about effort and discipline.

So I got off the couch and started moving. 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 ballroom dancing. I just didn’t get it. When 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?

Confessionsof a CoUCH

PoTaToHow I overcame my aversion to running

B y R O B E R T B R U C E

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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.

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 train for marathons? Definitely not. It 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?

How I overcame my aversion to running

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 LOANWHAt 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

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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

POWER on LOANWHAt 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

In the

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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?

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.

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iphil stacey>> Call to Action

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 patrons walk through the door. I can’t do this, he thought, and called his dad to see if he could quit. After a pause, his father 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 going to let you do it alone. He doesn’t call you to sit on the sidelines; He calls you into action.”

. . . his father asked, ‘son, do you want to be a boy, or do you want to be a man?’”

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What 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.

We live in a world of two opposing realms, which are in constant conflict— the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. Our only protection against the Devil is the authority of the King of Kings. To seek the Father’s kingdom is to submit to His rule over every area of our lives. The bottom line is obedience. Every decision must be subjected to His will.

To seek God’s righteousness means 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.

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.

read | Matthew 6:31-33

esther 6-10

The Priority of Life

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

As significant as our human family is, a relationship with God is even more important. How wonderful that the Father invites us all to be His children.

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Anxiety 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.

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.

God’s Amazing Promise

Job 1-4

read | luke 12:22-32

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The 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.

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.

3 Staying on Course

Job 5-8

read | hebrews 12:1 -2

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Early 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.

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?

4read | ephesians 2 :10

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Job 9-12

Feelings of Inferiority

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The 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).

“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.

read | ephesians 3 :14-21

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Job 13-16

Healing for Inferiority

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God 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.

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.

A Cheerful Giver

Job 17-21

read | 2 Corinthians 9 :6 -12

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If 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.

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).

8 God’s Grace and Our Finances

Job 22-27

read | proverbs 3 :9 -10

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Social 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.

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.

9read | 2 Corinthians 6 :11-13

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Job 28-32

Open Up to Others

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

e a r l y l i g h t

Today’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.

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.

read | 2 t iMothy 4 :6 -18

t h u r s d a y

Job 33-37

Courage in the Lonely Hour

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

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Loneliness 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.

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.

Strength for the Lonely

Job 38-42

read | isaiah 41:9 -11

f r i d a y

There 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.

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.”

The Privilege of Knowing God

psalMs 1-7

read | psalM 19:1 -6

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God 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.

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).

14read | roMans 1:21-34

m o n d a y

psalMs 8-16

The Privilege Corrupted

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

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When 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).

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.

read | aCts 24:10-16

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psalMs 17-21

A Clear Conscience

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

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Are 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.

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.

Ignoring the Conscience

psalMs 22-27

read | 1 t iMothy 1 :18-19; 4 :1 -2

w e d n e s d a y

Our 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.

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.

17 God’s Love Comforts Us

psalMs 28-34

read | roMans 8:38-39

t h u r s d a y

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Today’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.

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.”

18read | Matthew 7:7 -11

f r i d a y

psalMs 35-39

The Father’s Good Gifts

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

e a r l y l i g h t

The 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.

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).

read | 2 t iMothy 1 :3 -7

t h e w e e k e n d

psalMs 40-46

A Faith Worth Passing Down

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

40 | J u N E 2 0 1 0 I n T o u c H

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Happy the Home When God Is There

Happy the home when God is thereAnd love fills everyoneWhen with united work and prayerThe Master’s will is done.

Happy the home where God’s strong loveIs starting to appear, Where all the children hear His fame And parents hold Him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heardAnd praise is everywhere,Where parents love the sacred Word And its true wisdom share.

Lord, let us in our homes agreeThis blessed peace to gain;unite our hearts in love to Thee, And love to all will reign. Amen.

Text: Henry Ware, Jr. Revision by Bryan Jeffery Leech

© 1976 Fred Bock Music Co. Used by permission.

Today’s passage presents an interesting paradox. Paul promises the Philippians

that God will supply all their needs (v. 19) yet admits that he has experienced times of want (v. 12). To reconcile these two state-ments, let’s consider God’s divine viewpoint.

Paul wrote these words from a prison cell—a place of great physical discomfort. From a human perspective, we would all agree that God should have provided for Paul by relieving his suffering. But instead, the Lord taught him contentment in this difficult situation. Although his physical discomfort remained, a greater need for a changed attitude was met.

A change of heart toward ongoing suf-fering is a huge challenge. On our own, it’s impossible, but the Lord promises to strengthen us through Christ. By living in dependence and submission to Him, we gain His power to overcome our negative, sinful attitudes and learn contentment in all kinds of situations.

Our problem is not that the Lord won’t provide for us, but that we so often fail to understand what our deepest needs are. God sees from an unlimited perspective and works for our eternal good, provid-ing for us according to His good purposes from the limitless supply of “His riches in glory.”

Instead of merely pleading with God to 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.

21 God Knows Our Needs

psalMs 47-51

read | philippians 4 :10-19

m o n d a y

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We 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.

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.

22read | hebrews 4:14-16

t u e s d a y

psalMs 52-59

Jesus Identifies with Our Needs

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

e a r l y l i g h t

When 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.”

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?

read | isaiah 40:12-26

w e d n e s d a y

psalMs 60-66

The Greatness of God

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

42 | J u N E 2 0 1 0 I n T o u c H

2423

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As 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.

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.

Attributes of God

psalMs 67-71

read | psalM 90:1 -2

Sometimes 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.

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.

25 Wants and Needs: The Difference

psalMs 72-77

read | psalM 34:8 -10

f r i d a y

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Emotional 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.

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.

read | roMans 5:6 -8

t h e w e e k e n d

psalMs 78-79

The Origin of Unmet Needs

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

e a r l y l i g h t

In 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).

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).

read | genesis 39:1 -23

m o n d a y

psalMs 80-85

God Is Present in Dark Times

One Yeart h e b i b l e i n

44 | J u N E 2 0 1 0 I n T o u c H

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The 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).

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.

God Is With Us in Hard Times

psalMs 86-90

read | genesis 41:14-44

t u e s d a y

David 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.

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.

30 It Is Good to Be Afflicted

psalMs 91-99

read | psalM 119:71-76

w e d n e s d a y

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Page 47: Intouch Magazine June 2010

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Page 48: Intouch Magazine June 2010

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