The Publisher's Corner

Falling Recklessly in Love With Jesus

2011-06-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

The subtitle on one of our new Bridge-Logos books--The Jesus Book by Michael Koulianos--states, "Fall Recklessly in Love With Jesus." (Michael is an evangelist who is the son-in-law of Benny Hinn.)

He writes, "As long as the Lord is in your boat, the storm can't harm you. Keep your eyes on Him. Make Christ your prized possesssion. Do nothing but love Him because nothing else is needed. When you are confused and hurt, just love Him.

"When worry comes your way, just love Him.

"When your world seems to cave in around you, just love Him.

"When sin causes you to fall, get back up and love Him.

"It is so simple. Please, never make it more complicated thatn 'love.' In your darkest moments, whisper His name and He will be there. Just say, 'Jesus, I love you.'"

Jesus is the answer, no matter what the question is. He is always there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Love Him with all your heart and cultivate and intimate relationship with Him. He loves you!

The Joy of the Lord

2011-05-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

Nehemiah wrote, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

The author of two of our Pure Gold Classics, A.W. Tozer, wrote these stirring words about joy: "George Mueller would not preach until his heart was happy in the grace of God; Jan Ruysbroeck would not write while his feelings were low, but would retire to a quiet place and wait on God till he felt the spirit of inspiration. It is well known that the elevated spirits of a group of Moravians convinced John Wesley of the reality of their religion, and helped to bring him a short time later to a state of true conversion.

"The Christian owes it to the world to be supernaturally joyful."

What an amazing concept--to be supernaturally joyful. Such joy comes from God, and in such joy we can experience His presence.

May you be filled with joy today.

The Everlasting Love

2011-05-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

One of our Pure Gold Classics is The Confessions of St. Augustine. He said many profound things, as demonstrated by the following quote:

"Too late have I loved You, O Beauty so ancient and so new, too late have I loved You! Behold, You were within me, while I was outside: it was there that I sought You, and a deformed creature, rushed headlong upon these things of beauty which You have made. You were with me, but I was not with You. They kept me far from You, those fair things which, if they were not in You, would not exist at all. You have called to me, and have cried out, and have shattered me, and You have put my blindness to flight! You have sent forth fragrance, and I have drawn in my breath, and I pant after You. I have tasted You, and I hunger and thirst after You. You have touched me, and I have burned for Your peace."

The Kingdom of God is within you and so is the King!

Contentment

2011-05-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

The Scripture says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). I believe this with all my heart.

George MacDonald put it this way, "I am content to be and have what in Thy heart I am meant to be and have" (From Diary of an Old Soul).

"From the greatest of all gifts, salvation in Christ, to the material blessings of any ordinary day (hot water, a pair of lets that work, a cup of coffee, a job to do and strength to do it), every good gift comes down from the Father of Lights. Every one of them is to be received gladly and, like gifts people give us, with thanks.

"Sometimes we want things we were not meant to have. Because He loves us, the Father says no. Faith trusts that no. Faith is willing not to have what God is not willing to give. Furthermore, faith does not insist upon an explanation. It is enough to know His promise to give what is good--He knows so much more about that than we do" (Elizabeth Elliott).

Now that is contentment.

Peace and Tranquility

2011-05-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I edited one of our Pure Gold Classics--Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross. It was a most interesting project from which I learned a great deal.

St. John wrote, "Keep your heart in peace; let nothing in this world disturb it: all things have an end.

"In all circumstances, however hard they may be, we should rejoice, rather than be cast down, that we may not lose the greatest good, the peace and tranquility of our souls.

"If the whole world and all that is in it were thrown into confusion [this may have already happened], disquietude on that account would be vanity, because that disquietude would do more harm than good.

"To endure all things with an equable and peaceful mind, not only brings with it many blessings to the soul, but also enables us, in the midst of our difficulties, to have a clear judgment about them, and to minister the fitting remedy for them."

Thank you for these words of wisdom, St. John.

The Effects of the Love of God

2011-05-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

In his book The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis, wrote, "Love is a great and good thing, and alone makes heavy burdens light and bears in equal balance things pleasing and displeasing. Love bears a heavy burden and does not feel it, and love makes bitter things tasteful and sweet. The noble love of Jesus perfectly imprinted in man's soul makes a man do great things, and stirs him always to desire perfection and to grow more and more in grace and goodness.

"Love knows no measure, but is fervent without measure. It feels no burden; it regards no labor; it desires more than it can obtain. It complains of no impossibility, for it thinks all things that can be done for its Beloved are possible and lawful. So, love does many great things and brings them to completion--things in which he who is no lover faints and fails.

"Love wakes much and sleeps little and, in sleeping, does not sleep. It faints and is not weary; it is restricted in its liberty and is in great freedom. It sees reasons to fear and does not fear, but, like an ember or a spark of fire, flames always upward, by the fervor of its love, toward God, and through the special help of grace is delivered from all perils and dangers."

Do I know anything of a love such as this?

Doomsday of the Best Day?

2011-05-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday."

I used to listen to Harold Camping on Family Radio almost every evening. He was known as the Bible answer man, and he did, indeed, have many answers to intriguing questions. However, we now know that he did not have the right answer concerning the timing of Judgement Day.

For some people, though, it was the end of the world. The people who died as a result of the Joplin tornado had no more time to live. This, it seems to me, is the key to life--to live each day and each moment as if they are our last ones.

When St. Francis of Assissi was asked what he would do if he knew that a given day was the end of the world, he answered, "I just keep hoeing my garden." I like that. We must capture each moment and live it to the full. It truly may be our last.

To get caught up in speculations regarding the end of the world and the last days is a waste of time. It is this day--this moment--that counts.

Sources of Irritation

2011-05-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

How do you handle sources of irritation in your life? Sometimes they come from situations in life; at other times they come from other people, and I guess they even come from ourselves sometimes.

What do you do when a person "gets under your skin" The Bible says we are to forgive, but forgiveness sometimes is not that easy.

It begins with a choice. To choose to forgive another is to follow God's will. Paul J. Meyer in his excellent book, Forgiveness--the Ultimate Miracle, writes, "To forgive those who have hurt you, apply the same 10 steps we discussed earlier:

1. Decide on the hurt
2. Be real, be honest
3. State what you want
4. Choose to forgive
5. Verbalize your forgiveness
6. Cover the offense
7. Show love
8. Pray for them
9. Look for reconciliation if possible
10. Move on."

This list is sound advice. Meyer goes on, "That is what it takes to forgive those who have hurt you. One step might take longer than another, and that's fine. You might even want to 'start over' with the steps as you are working to forgive some people, but the process of forgiveness has started. You can be confident in that."

This is good teaching. The Bible says, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn nhot, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." These are the words of Jesus, the most-forgiving of all men.

God bless you with the grace to forgive those who wrong you.

When Sin Abounds

2011-05-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it seem as if sin is abounding more and more? The media presents sin to us as if it is a form of entertainment.

Paul wrote, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20). I thank God for His grace. Without God's grace and favor in our lives, where would we be?

Ancient Greek tragedies presented to us heroes with fatal flaws. Wrath, lust, greed, and other sins caused many heroes to fall. It is still happening today, and that's why people need to learn to experience God's grace--His unmerited favor.

One person describes grace this way: "It enables us to do what we could not do, to be what we could not be, to receive what we could not receive...."

Today's headlines show how sin abounds in our present day:

The head of the IMF is charged with rape.
The ex-governor of California has fathered a child out of wedlock.
A mother is on trial for killing her child.
Murder happens every day in so many cities.
Sin is abundant everywhere.

When sin abounds, as it is today, what can people do? The answer is found in God's amazing grace.

C.H. Spurgeon writes, "Will you come into the lifeboat of God's grace just as you are? God wants you to be safe and secure. Accept His sure deliverance. You might say, 'I do not have anything to bring with me.' That's all right; you do not have to bring anything with you. A person who is escaping from a horrible situation in order to save his or her life is not concerned about possessions. In fact, the person might possibly leave his or her possessions, including even clothing, behind. So take the leap of faith just as you are." (From All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon.)

When sin abounds, grace is the only answer.

Redeeming the Time

2011-05-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

Time is an interesting phenomenon. Carl Sandburg wrote, "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

It is now Friday. As I look back upon this week, I am forced to ask myself, "Did I spend my time well?" Since all we have is the present moment, we must make every effort to capture it and life it to the full. To enjoy each present moment is to spend the coin of time well.

Baltasar Gracian wrote, "All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that." How true that is. While we have life, we have time. It is indeed a precious commodity.

Solomon wrote, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
                            A time to be born and a time to die,
                            A time to plant and a time to uproot,
                            A time to kill and a time to heal,
                            A time to break down and a time to build,
                            A time to weep and a time to laugh,
                            A time to mourn and a time to dance,
                            A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them;
                            A time to embrace and a time to refrain,
                            A time to search and a time to give up,
                            A time to keep and a time to throw away,
                            A time to tear and a time to mend,
                            A time to be silent and a time to speak,
                            A time to love and a time to hate,
                            A time for war and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-6, NIV).

Let us redeem the time, for the days are evil.

Contrasting Two Recent Deaths

2011-05-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Both Osama bin Ladin and David Wilkerson died this past week. Their lives are a study in contrasts.

One man was weak; the other man was strong.

One man was evil; the other man was righteous.

One man killed people; the other man helped people find life.

One man was a Muslim; the other man was a Christian.

One man was full of hate; the other man was full of love.

One man was in hiding; the other man was always in the open.

One man was proud; the other man was humble.

One man condemned others; the other man lifted them up.

It was a matter of choice. Both Osama bin Ladin and David Wilkerson had a choice as to how they would conduct their lives.

One man was a terrorist; the other man was a philanthropist.

One man was a liar; the other man was a man of truth.

As we look at these two lives, we see a contrast between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light.

Both men were created by God. Jesus died for both. God loved both of these men.

David Wilkerson responded to God's love by serving Him with all his might. Though Osama bin Ladin may have thought he was serving God, he was actually serving the prince of darkness.

God does not want us to kill others; He wants us to serve others.

God does not want us to foment terror; He wants us to be peacemakers.

God does not want us to hide away in fear; He wants us to walk in love.

God does not give us our creativity to find ways to destroy others; He wants us to be creative in our attempts to build His kingdom on Earth.

May all of us become more like David Wilkerson. May we learn to avoid the traps that bin Ladin fell into--violence, viciousness, and cruelty.

The Bible says this about evildoers and those who commit wickedness: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetouseness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things. . . without understanding, covenant-breakers, withou natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. . . ." (Romans 1:28-31).

"...they which commit such things are worthy of death" (Romans 1:32).

The after-life, I'm sure, will prove to be quite different for Osama bin Ladin and David Wilkerson--two men who were created in the image of God, but two men who chose markedly different paths.

Light in Utter Darkness

2011-04-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's threatening to storm here in northern Florida this afternoon, but we know the sun is shining above the clouds. The same thing is true when we go through the storms of life, which vary in their intensity and kind--God's love still shines; He is the light in utter darkness.

Charlotte Gray wrote, "Disasters sweep the world--war and disease, earthquake and flood and fire--but always in their wake come acts of courage and concern that astound the human heart. Light in utter darkness."

We have seen that light shining a great deal lately in the wake of the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, the tsunamis in southern Asia and Japan, the tornadoes in the Midwest and North Carolina, the uprisings in the Middle East, mass shootings in so many places, and hunger, violence, war, and inhumanity in so many parts of the world.

At such times, as Lincoln said, "the better angels of our nature" appear and endeavor to minister to those around us. Is this why these horrible things happen? So that we will remember who we are and will seek the Light that is in the utter darkness?

That marvelous Light still shines, no matter what happens in this dark world. We must seek it and reflect it, for it is the light of love.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

The Wonder of Worship

2011-04-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

Nature, God's Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship help me to know that there is a God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. There are two experiences, though, more than anything else, that help me to know beyond all doubt that God does indeed exist. Those two experiences are:

1. I received Christ as my Savior when I was a boy. When Jesus came into my heart my whole world and my outlook on life completely changed. It was an experience like no other. That day I knew that I knew that God exists.
2. The second experience is one that I can avail myself of at almost any time. It is worship, taking time to be in the presence of God. There is nothing that can compare with worship. It absolutely makes me know that God is real.

Judson Cornwall writes, "The emotions of man do not constitute the true essence of worship. Rather, it is the renewed relationship with God that forms the basis of our loving response to God. . . .The true essence of worship is when His Spirit bears witness with our spirit, triggering the human spirit to respond in love and adoration to God Almighty" (From Let Us Worship by Judson Cornwall.)

That's a good definition, and it's the reason we were created in the first place. God seeks true worshipers who will draw near to Him and breathe His presence deep within. Such intimacy with God is life's greatest treasure. It is the best experience we could ever have.

Have you ever soaked in God's presence? He is waiting for you. To go into God's presence is to go into His Most Holy Place--the secret place where He reveals himself to you. He is waiting for you to enter, so you can enjoy His presence, His love, His peace, and His joy.

Worship belongs to Him. He is worthy of all worship and praise. It is time to spend time alone with Him.

Passover--Free at Last

2011-04-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

As you know, Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 18. It is a time of celebration that commemorates the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. You can read about it in Exodus 12.

The Lord said, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

"And this shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever....And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever....

"And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof....All the congregation of Israel shall keep it" (Exodus 12:1-47).

The Passover this year is occurring as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the War Between the States--the war that enabled African-American slaves to go free.

It would be accurate to say that Passover is a celebration of freedom--a commemoration of God-given liberty, but it is so much more than civil liberty. Passover is also a celebration of the spiritual liberty God has given to us.

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).

Because of the blood of Jesus Christ we are free indeed. God said, "When I see the blood [of Jesus] I will pass over you." We are free from sin, condemnation, and Satan's power because of the blood of Yeshua Hamaschiach.

Freemasonry

2011-04-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

For a few years I was a Mason. In fact, I was the chaplain of my lodge. I enjoyed meeting the men of the fraternity and was intrigued by the rituals and rites we conducted.

I went on to become a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner.

However, my eyes were opened when I began to contemplate the fact that I could not pray in Jesus' name.

Eventually, I renounced my involvement with Freemasonry, because I realized it is rooted in the occult, not in Christianity.

Recently we published a book entitled, 33 Degrees of Deception by Tom McKenney. This is a comprehensive work that exposes Freemasonry as an anti-Christian deception. This is a well-written and informative book that I endorse highly.

Here is a quote from Tom's book: "This book is not 'anti-Masonic'; this book is simply the truth--spoken, I pray, in love. I have lived some things and learned some things that most Freemasons don't know--things that they need to know. And I have attempted to set them down in an orderly way as honestly and simply as I can. I am not the enemy of Masons--I am their friend, their advocate, seeking only to tell them the truth about the system that deceives them, uses them, and makes merchandise of their sincere commitment and loyalty. What I oppose is that system--not you.

"Many, many times, at the end of a talk-show interview, I have been asked, 'Tom, what one last thing would you like to say?' My reply is always the same: To the non-Masons, and especially those thinking of becoming Masons, I say, 'Please learn the facts before making the decision to join the Lodge; arm yourself with the truth before you commit.' And to the Mason, if he will listen to just one thing I say, it is this: 'Don't be afraid of the truth'; Jesus promised that if we give it a chance, the truth will set us free.'"

Lt. Col. Tom C. McKenney (USMC, Retired) is a bright and compassionate man. He has written this book to help others see the light. I appreciate all he is doing to bring deliverance to those who are deceived by Freemasonry--a deadly deception, indeed.

Spring Is in the Air

2011-04-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Spring--the season of new birth and renewal--has begun for 2011. In this part of northern Florida the blooms, fragrances, warmth, and foliage of spring start early. We have already welcomed and said good-bye to wisteria, redbuds, azaleas, dogwood, and other flowers, but many different kinds have taken their place, including roses, day lilies, foxglove, and so many other beautiful blossoms.

Soon the commemoration of our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection will be here, and Jews will be celebrating Passover. As we reflect upon this important season of the year, we realize several things about who we are and who Christ is. C.H. Spurgeon wrote, "The love of Christ surpasses all human understanding. Where can language be found that is able to describe His matchless, unparalleled love toward all humanity? It's so vast and boundless that all descriptive words just touch the surface, while immeasurable depths lie beneath. Christ's love is so measureless and fathomless that no human can achieve it. Before we can have any right idea of the love of Jesus, we must understand His previous glory in its height of majesty, and His incarnation upon the Earth in all its depths of shame. But who can tell us the majesty of Christ?. . . Who can tell His height of glory then? And who can tell how low He descended? To be a man was something, to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief was far more. To bleed and die and suffer--these were much for Him who was the Son of God. But to suffer such unparalleled agony, and to endure a death of shame and desertion by His Father, this is a depth of condescending love that even the most inspired mind must utterly fail to understand. This is love--and truly it is love that 'surpasses knowledge.'"

Jesus--the King of kings and Lord of lords--became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God through Him. In Him and through Him we are able to rejoice each day. With Christ, life becomes an eternal springtime. Through Him we experience unparalleled joy.

Helen Steiner Rice wrote:

Each spring, God renews His promise.
Long, long ago in a land far away,
There came the dawn of the first Easter Day,
And each year we see that promise reborn
That God gave the world on that Easter morn.
For in each waking flower and each singing bird,
The promise of Easter is witnessed and heard,
And spring is God's way of speaking to men
And renewing the promise of Easter again."

Happy springtime to you and yours. May you be blessed as you contemplate the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Best Sermon in the World

2010-12-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Of all the systems of morality, ancient and modern, which have come under my observation, none appear so pure to me as that of Jesus."

I believe the president was referring to the Sermon on the Mount, which he loved very deeply.

Charles L. Allen wrote, "It takes only fifteen minutes to read the greatest sermon ever preached--and when you have finished it, you will have read a complete summary of all that Jesus taught."

We recently published The Sermon on the Mount, a Pure Gold Classic, by John Wesley. I highly recommend this work in which we find these words: "The more we are filled with the life of God, the more tenderly we become concerned for those who are still without God in the world. We are concerned because we know they are still dead in trespasses and sin. This concern for others will not lose its reward. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

When we look closely at the Sermon on the Mount, I believe we see the Torah in all its fulfillment and we need both the Torah and the Messiah to lead a holy life.

I like what John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson, "The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount contain my religion."

Hebrew Roots

2010-11-29T13:04:00.000-08:00

In his new book, Temple Treasures, Steven Fuson writes, "It is a new day in God. We are anointed to reestablish the divine order of God so that His people today can experience the court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies in their pure state. Let the confusions of the past fall aside as the pattern burns bright with fiery clarity. Let God reveal His temple treasures in majestic glory and power."

I believe we are living in an age when God wants to reveal so many things to His people. We must remain open to all He has in store for us. This includes understanding our Hebrew roots. Every passage in the Bible can be interpreted literally, spiritually, and prophetically. This, of course, includes the Torah and all of the Old Testament.

There are treasures in the Torah that point us to Jesus Christ--Yeshua Hamaschiach--the Messiah, who lives within us. In fact, He is one of the treasures of the Temple, for we are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus dwells within us. All power in Heaven and on Earth is found in Him and He lives within us. I believe this means that His power is available to us all the time.

Moses' tabernacle was a shadow and a likeness of heavenly things. It was a pattern of things to come. Let God reveal His mysteries to you, as you delve into the treasures of the Temple and the Torah.

The scarlet thread that holds all the Bible together is the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sin. David Davis writes, "As we enter into the fullness of the mystery of the 'one new man' of Jew and Gentile, those who long to sing Heaven's new song cry out together: 'You have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation'" (Revelation 5:9).

Let's rediscover our Hebrew roots. There is so much to learn from them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, which is perhaps one of the nicest holiday of the year because its focus should be on gratitude, family togetherness, and faith. However, all too often the focus of the holiday may be placed on less-important things--food, football, and sometimes even strife and complaining.

We need to remember something about how this national holiday began. Many people trace it back to the Pilgrims' first year in the New World. However, the truth may be that it actually began in St. Augustine, Florida, a few decades earlier. Whatever the case, Thanksgiving is a celebration of the blessings God has bestowed upon us.

H.U. Westermayer wrote, "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have ever been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." What were these brave people thankful for? I'm sure at least a part of it was the fact that God had guided them safely to the New World where they could enjoy freedom of religion--a liberty that had been denied to them in England.

We still enjoy that liberty and several others for which we should be deeply grateful, and we should show our gratitude by the way we live. President John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." W. J. Cameron writes, "Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action."

I like what William Jennings Bryan said about Thanksgiving Day: "On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence."

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Blessings

2010-11-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

In Dr. John D. Garr's book, Blessings for Family and Friends, we learn of seven reasons why we should bless our families and friends through prayer:

1. You fulfill the instructions in the Word of God for blessing.
2. You establish and promote a culture and lifestyle of blessing.
3. You maintain a positive, "Good News" mind-set by blessing.
4. You manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit through blessing.
5. You confirm your dependence on God as your source.
6. You reinforce to yourself and to others that God's Word works.
7. You are always blessed even more when you bless others.

Did you know that the Bible is a book of prayers, and that out of 667 recorded prayers, there are 454 recorded answers?

As we enter this Thanksgiving season, let's remember to bless our homes and families. "God, our maker, doth provide for our wants [needs] to be supplied; come to Go's own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home" (From "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.")

Take the hands of those you love, look directly into their eyes, and speak the Word of God over them. Give them your personal blessing.

Remember these words: "God is the God of blessing. He always has been, and He always will be. He will never change: he will never compromise His covenant faithfulness that is ever manifest in the blissings He brings to His children. He will never stop blessing His children!" (From Dr. Garr's book, cited above.)

You can be the conduit through which God's blessing flows out to those you love.

Does God Ever Change His Mind?

2010-10-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Isaiah warned King Hezekiah that he would soon die and that he needed to get his affairs in order. He said, "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live."

Sobering words, to be sure.

E.M. Bounds (in The Classic Collection on Prayer published by Bridge-Logos Foundation, Inc.) writes, "What can set aside or reverse that divine decree of Heaven? Hezekiah had never been in a condition so insurmountable, with a decree so direct and definite from God. Can prayer change the purposes of God? Can prayer snatch from the jaws of death one who has been decreed to die? Can prayer save a man from an incurable sickness? These were the questions that his faith now had to deal with. But his faith does not pause one moment. His faith is not staggered one minute at the sudden and definite news conveyed to him by the Lord's prophet. No such questions that modern unbelief or disbelief would raise are started in his mind. At once he gives himself to prayer. Immediately, without delay, he applies to God who issued the edict. To whom else could he go? Cannot God change His own purposes if He chooses?"

So, Hezekiah prayed, "I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight." Hezekiah then began to cry.

Bounds writes, "Hezekiah had hardly finished his prayer, and Isaiah was just about to go home when God gave him another message for Hezekiah, this time one more pleasant and encouraging. The mighty force of prayer had affected God, and had changed His edict and reversed Him in His purpose concening Hezekiah. What is there that prayer cannot do? What is there that a praying person cannot accomplish through prayer?"

As a result of Hezekiah's prayer, God healed him and gave him an additional fifteen years of life! There is great power in prayer. We know that prayer changes things, but did it change God's mind in this case? Our God knows the end from the beginning, so I doubt that He changed His mind, but He did use this situation as an opportunity to show His people the importance of prayer and faith.

Tennyson wrote, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."

Let us pray, pray, pray, pray. Let us believe, believe, believe, believe. Let us receive, receive, receive, receive.

Our God hears and answers prayer.

The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Jesus as Lord

2010-10-14T06:43:00.000-07:00

Paul writes, "I consider everything to be loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).

In Morning by Morning (a Pure Gold Classic published by Bridge-Logos), Spurgeon writes, "I must know Him, not as the visionary dreams of Him, but as the Word reveals Him. I must know His natures, divine and human. I must know His offices, attributes, works, shame, and glory. I must meditate upon Him until I 'have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.'"

When we really know Christ Jesus as Lord, we will love Him in the way Spurgeon describes. Our knowledge of Him, according to Spurgeon, must be:

An intelligent knowledge
An affectionate knowledge
A satisfying knowledge
An exciting knowledge
A happy knowledge

Spurgeon writes, "This knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one. In fact, it'll be so elevating that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, doubts, and sorrows, and will fling about me the immortality of the ever-living Savior, and gird me with the golden-belt of His joy. Sit today at Jesus' feet and learn about Him."

Do You Know the Shepherd?

2010-10-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

To be a courageous Christian is to have confidence in God. Paul writes, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Yes, with Him and through Him we can do all things, but without Him, it is impossible to accomplish great things. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

How do we learn to abide in Christ? It is accomplished through worship, prayer, fellowship, and getting into the Word of God on a daily basis. God's Word provides the believer with hope, as we learn to trust in all His promises.

We must get to know God intimately and personally. The great Bible teacher Dr. Alexander Maclaren said that everything he knew was due to one habit: spending an hour each day alone with God. On of his assistants wrote, "He read it [the Bible that was spread open on his lap as he prayed] as a child would read a letter from an absent father, or a loving heart would drink in words of a loved one from far away."

Yes, to know God and abide in Christ, you have to spend time in the secret place. An old chorus says, "Shut in with God in the secret place; there in the Spirit beholding His face, gaining new power to run in life's race, I long to be shut in with God."

Bob Gass, in his Bridge-Logos book, A Fresh Word for Today, writes, "One night, a famous orator recited the 23rd Psalm to a packed house and great applause. Afterwards, he spotted his vicar in the crowd and called him to say a word. To their surprise, he too recited the 23rd Psalm. But when he was through, there was silence. People dried their tears all over the audience. At this point, the orator stood beside his pastor and simply said, "The difference is, I know the 23rd Psalm--but He knows the Shepherd."

Do you know the Shepherd? Really know Him?

Quiet Time in the Morning

2010-10-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

In the morning, when the world is waking up and the rush of life has not begun, is a good time to draw close to God. He has been speaking to me about this lately through the Scriptures and a book I'm reading: E.M. Bounds--the Classic Collection on Prayer--a Bridge-Logos Pure Gold Classic.

Robert Murray McCheyne wrote, "I ought to pray before seeing anyone. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ arose before day and went into a solitary place. David says, 'Early will I seek thee'; 'Thou shalt early hear my voice.' Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then when in secret prayer the soul is often out of tune, I feel it is far better to begin with God--to see His face first, to get my soul near him before it is near another."

Intimacy with God is so important. It's what He wants from us. When we look at some of the prayer habits of Christian leaders, we realize how prayer influenced their ministries:

Charles Simeon devoted the hours from four till eight in the morning to God.

John Wesley spent two hours per day in prayer. He began at four in the morning.

Martin Luther said, "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day."

Bishop Asbury said, "I propose to rise at four o'clock as often as I can and spend two hours in prayer and meditation."

Samuel Rutherford rose at three in the morning to meet God in prayer.

John Welch, a holy Scottish preacher, thought the day ill-spent if he did not spend eight or ten hours in prayer.

I could cite several others, but the above review is enough to convict me of my sin of omission. I need to spend more time in prayer, so I resolve to get up earlier in order to meet with God.

When God awakens me in the middle of the night, that is time for prayer, too.

The Bible says, "Draw night to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8).

Two Phobias

2010-10-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

A new word was coined recently; it is "Islamaphobia"--the fear of Islam and its followers.
Certainly it is possible to be afraid of those things we may not know much about, such as a religion that is different from our own.

Wouldn't it be great if our fear would drive us to learn more about what we fear? I believe this is one way people are treated for various phobias that may develop in life--to approach the fear step by step until we totally vanquish it.

I know many Islamic people, and I do not fear them. Of course, terrrorists are a different matter altogether. What should our response to terrorists be? (By the way, Islamists are not the only terrorists in the world. In fact, I believe we can find them in every religious group.)

Jesus said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45). I wonder what an impact it would have on current world conditions if we practiced what Jesus preached?

Would it change the way we view homosexuals as well? There is another word that has come forth in recent decades. It is "homophobia." It is probably a misnomer, because I think an analysis of the word would suggest that it means, "fear of the same," not "fear of homosexuals."

Whatever the case, many do seem to fear homosexuals. Consequently, like many Islamists, they are bullied, ridiculed, insulted, hated, and sometimes hurt or even killed. I know many homosexuals, and I certainly am not afraid of them. Sometimes I wish they could change, but they tell me they can't. The Bible suggests otherwise, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

People tend to punish differences that they perceive in others, whether those differences involve skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or other things. This response comes from fear, which I believe is essentially a fear of the unknown.

Isn't our job to love and preach the Gospel? People of all backgrounds tend to respond to sincere love. "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that whichy is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Romans 12:9).

God's perfect love casts out all fear, including Islamaphobia and homophobia. (See 1 John 4:18.)

Christ Is God's Everything for You

2010-10-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

This afternoon (at 2:00) I will have the privilege of interviewing Harold J. Chadwick on my blog radio show, "We're Talking Books." I consider Harold to be a personal friend--a brother who possesses great wisdom and compassion. His new book is entitled, "Christ Is God's Everything for You."

Harold writes, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is intended by God to bring joy, peace, righteousness, and rest to all those who believe in His Son. Christ is the fulfillment of the glorious promise made to Abraham--the promise of the Spirit and eternal justification by faith that the Old Covenant prophets and saints looked for in faith but never received. It was the promise whereby those who had struggled to live righteously under the burden of the 613 laws of the Old Covenant, would be made righteous by an imputation of righteousness by God because of the sacrificial death of Christ on their behalf."

Harold loves Jesus, knows the Bible, and walks closely with the Lord. He is now an octogenarian, but his wit, wisdom, and youthful outlook remain steady. One night in my home, as he shared the Scriptures with us, I felt a great sense of peace and the presence of the Lord. I expect we will experience the same in my interview with him today.

Is Christ God's everything for you? Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior and Lord? Do you have an intimate relationship with Him? Harold writes, "All the things that God has for us in this life are contained in Christ, and all things that God has for us through the endless ages of eternity are also contained in Christ, for He himself is all of those things. In Heaven as on Earth, there is nothing for us outside of Christ. He is God's everything for us here and will be God's everything for us there!"

Thomas Merton

2010-10-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

In my last week of service with the U.S. Army I went to Bardstown, Kentucky, for a retreat at the Trappist Monastery--the Abbey of Gethsemani. This is where Thomas Merton spent a good portion of his life. I was there when he was there.

I appreciate the insights he left behind in his many books, most of which I've read. Many people seem to have problems with him, but I think we can derive much from his wisdom.

For example, he said, "Anyone who imagines he can simply begin meditating without praying for the desire and the grace to do so, will soon give up."

Meditation and contemplation were important elements in his life, and they should be in ours too.

He wrote the following about the spiritual life: "The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived. Like all life, it grows sick and dies when it is uprooted from its proper element. . . . We live as spiritual [people] when we live as [people] seeking God. If we are to become spiritual, we must remain [human]. And if there were not evidence of this everywhere in theology, the Mystery of the Incarnation itself would be ample proof of it. . . .Jesus lived the ordinary life of the men of His time, in order to sanctify the ordinary lives of men of all time. If we want to be spiritual, then, let us first of all live our lives. Let us not fear the responsibilities and the inevitable distractions of the work appointed for us by the will of God. Let us embrace reality and thus find ourselves immersed in the life-giving will and wisdom of God which surrounds us everywhere.
This reminds me of some of the things Saint Francis said. It also reminds me of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's words: "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

Merton wrote, "Anyone who imagines he can simply begin meditating without praying for the desire and the grace to do so, will soon give up." I'm sure he's write about this. We need to seek God's grace for every aspect of our physical and spiritual lives.

Trappists in those days greatly fascinated me. They had a vow of silence that only permitted them to use a sign language that they had developed. They used their voices to sing and to praise God, not to judge others or speak negatively.

I need to be more like them, and I'm sure spending more time in prayer, meditation, and contemplation, as Merton did, will help me with this.

Our Teacher and Counselor

2010-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8, NASB).

God is our teacher and our counselor, and His eye is always upon us. We must be open to His instruction, teaching, and counsel--all of which are declared in His Word.

Here is how Paul Tournier put it, "God guides us, despite our uncertainties and our vagueness, even through our failings and mistakes. He often starts us off to the left, only to bring us up in the end to the right; or else He brings us back to the right, after a long detour, because we started off by mistake to the left in the belief we were obeying Him. He leads us step by step, from event to event. Only afterwards, as we look back over the way we have come and reconsider certain important moments in our lives in the light of all that has followed them, or when we survey the whole progress of our lives, do we experience the feeling of having been led without knowing it, the feeling that God has mysteriously guided us."

How true this is. When we survey our lives, we see how the hand of God has steered our course, and we begin to understand how much He loves us. He is the God who is always there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He loves us with an everlasting love, and He takes good care of us, because we are His property.

Thomas Merton said, "We must learn to realize that the love of God seeks us in every situation, and seeks our good."

How true. He cares about you, and you can cast all your cares upon Him. He will lead you and guide you, and His eye is always upon you.

Sources of Irritation

2010-08-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

What do you do when someone or something gets under your skin? Are you able to let it go, forgive, and get on with your life? Or do you stew about it until it affects your entire life?

Here's what I do: I envision helium-filled baloons!

I release these "helium-filled baloons" into the sky with the name of the offending person or the situation on it. I simply let them go heavenward.

I watch them lift into the sky and then vanish, and I imagine that my source of irritation has vanished with them.

This is a letting-go-and-letting-God process. It's not easy, but it is practical.

Spurgeon wrote, "The tender heart of Jesus waits to hear your griefs, so tell Him now."

In Everything Give Thanks

2010-08-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

I believe the year was 1969. I was attending the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International Convention at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. It was a wonderful time of infilling as I sat under the ministry of such notables as Kathryn Kuhlman and Merlin Carothers.

Carothers was still a chaplain in the U.S. Army at that time, and his book, Prison to Praise, had just been released by Logos International Fellowship (our predecessor). The publisher of the book was Dan Malachuk, who was also a prominent figure at the convention.

I remember Merlin's teaching so well. It was very simple, yet direct. He spoke on this verse: "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NKJV). He told of many soldiers and their families that he had counseled to thank God for what they were going through, including divorce, sickness, depression, etc.

I remember Terry Law writing about the death of his wife, a loss so great that he was thrown into the deepest depression. (It happened while Terry was ministering in Europe, and he could not understand why God would let something so terrible happen.) He went to his mentor, Oral Roberts, who told him to go home, get on his knees, and begin praising God. He did this for a long time until the spiritual breakthrough he needed finally came.

We are told to give thanks in everything, not necessarily for everything. Such a positive attitude and response to negative circumstances, no matter what they are, is more than medicinal in its effects.

Can you do this in your present circumstances. Are you able to thank God in spite of the situation. Begin praising Him, for He promises to inhabit your praises. An attitude of gratitude sweetens every bitter situation.

Upheavals Everywhere

2010-08-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to dislike reading the daily newspaper and listening to news broadcasts on radio and TV. I suspect many people feel the same way. I actually find this surprising, because I used to be rather a news "junkie," if you will, and political science was a study I always enjoyed.

Certainly there are all kinds of upheavals taking place all over the world these days. Disturbing news, to say the least. Many of these are coming in the form of violent natural disasters that appear to be more intense than usual, and they are coming in various forms--earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, wildfires, intense heat, etc.

Many do not believe in global warming, but I think there's plenty of evidence to support it--ice islands in the sea that have broken off from glaciers, islands that are being engulfed, wildfires that are caused by intense heat. (Russia, for example, has been going through a heat wave that is hotter than anything they've experienced in the last millennium.)

When God told us to take authority over this planet, I'm quite sure He did not want us to pollute the water and the air, to spill oil into the beautiful seas (such as the Gulf of Mexico), to strip mine the beautiful mountains of Appalachia, or to cut down so many trees. I think He may be judging us for the poor way we've maintained His creation.

I also see human upheavals everywhere. There seems to be so much hate in our world. People are angry, and their anger flares up in unpredictable ways. People are killing babies and abusing children. Road rage and other rants are commonplace. On-the-job shootings seem to happen on a near-weekly basis. Religious hatred and bigotry are showing there ugly heads once more, as they have throughout world history.

It is time for a change, for a transition, for a spiritual awakening. We need to remember that things are not all that important. Money is not the reason for living.

Paul wrote, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Galatians 5:6, NIV). Where is there faith and love in mob violence and terrorism? We don't fight terrorism with hate and terrorism. Doesn't the Bible say we are to overcome evil with good?

It's all about love, and I think until we learn that lesson, we are doomed to more of the same. But my biggest concern is that "the same" will turn into a monster that is uglier and more horrendous than any of us have ever imagined.

Jesus said (and this is the Supreme Commandment): "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35, NIV).

Jesus

2010-08-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I met the author of a book that is entitled, The Jesus Book, which I am now reading. As its title would suggest, it is a book that is simply about Jesus.

There can be no better topic in the world, and it may well be that many Christians have lost sight of the importance of maintaining a close and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The author of The Jesus Book is Michael Koulianos, and he writes, "Loving Jesus is life's greatest achievement. It is a never-ending experience that will change you forever. Jesus does not just help us find our destination, He is the destination."

The Bible says that Jesus is: ". . . the way, the truth, and the life" and no one can come to the Father unless they do so through Him. (See John 14:6.) He is the way, and He is the destination. He is everything that is important in life.

I'm glad that Michael is calling us back to Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things.

I remember so vividly the day when I first gave my heart to Jesus Christ. I invited Him to come into my heart and sup with me. He wants to have fellowship with you and me. He lives within us, and as we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.

I love Jesus, and I know He loves me. Jesus loves you, as well, so be sure to open your heart to Him, listen for His voice, and act upon what He tells you. He will direct you in all your ways.

Michael Koulianos says, "It is so simple. Please, never make it more complicated than 'love.' In your darkest moments, whisper His Name and He will be there. Only say, 'Jesus, I love you.'"

Smashing Through Death's Door

2010-08-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

On August 12, 2010, I will be interviewing Marshall Alexander, author of Smashing Through Death's Door, a new book released by Bridge-Logos Foundation. The interview will take place on my weekly blog-radio show, "We're Talking Books."

Marshall's book is very exciting. Ray Comfort writes, "Many people have been as close to death as marshall and they have lived to tell the story, but I believe this one is different. It is different because of what happened leading up to the crash. It is different because of his amazing attitude, and more importantly, the reason for that attitude. I would love to tell you what happened, but I will leave that up to him--in the hope that this book will be more than just another life-and-death drama."

The crash to which Ray refers took place when Marshall was flying a small plane. This is how he describes the moments leading up to the crash: "You are all alone. You're in complete darkness. It is virtually silent, except for the sound of the rushing air. You have maybe ten moments and the it's over. You're just thinking about your imminent death. . . .I made the emergency call to Eugene [Oregon] tower, indicating I would be crashing in the wilderness. I asked them to tell my wife I love her. . . ."

Marshall smashed through death's door and he was forever changed. The following quotes mean a great deal to him:

God does not change, but He does move.
Do not limit God. All things are possible with Him. What man can't do, God can.
The sun is always shining above the storm.
God does not make mistakes!
Are the things your are living for worth Christ dying for?
It is not the circumstances of life that shape you; it is your response to the circumstances that shapes you.

As you can see, Marshall Alexander is a wise man, and I'm looking forward to chatting with him tomorrow.

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4, NKJV).

More Things Are Wrought by Prayer Than This World Dreams of. . . .

2010-08-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite poems on prayer was written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson:

More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats that nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer both for themselves and those who call them friends?
For so the whole round earth is every way bound by gold chains about the feet of God.

Your prayers are heard. Your prayers are answered.

Here is a prayer God always answers, "Yes, Lord."

I spent a portion of my last week in the U.S. Army on a retreat at a Trappist monastery near Bardstown, KY. (I was a soldier at Fort Knox at the time.)

As you may know, the Trappists are a very strict order of monks within the Roman Catholic Church. At that time (1965) they observed a vow of silence. I still remember the wonderful sense of peace and calm I experienced there.

One Trappist monk wrote these words about prayer: "There are two main pitfalls on the road to mastery of the art of prayer. If a person gets what he asks for, his humility is in danger. If he fails to get what he asks for, he is apt to lose confidence. Indeed, no matter whether prayer seems to be succeeding or failing, humility and confidence are two virtues which are absolutely essential."

The Bible says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16, NIV).

God is waiting, dear friends.

God's Special Promises Are for You

2010-06-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Charles G. Finney writes, "When God has specially promised the thing, we are bound to believe we shall receive it when we pray for it. You have no right to put in an 'if,' and say, 'Lord, if it be Thy will, give the Thy Holy Spirit.' This is to insult God. To put an 'if' in God's promise when God has put none there is tantamount to charging God with being insincere. It is like saying, 'O God, if Thou art in earnest in making these promises, grant us the blessing we pray for."

God is in earnest about all His promises. His promises can never fail. What He says He will do, He will do.

The Bible is a book that is filled with divine promises. Each one is yours to believe and receive. God is the great promise-keeper, and you can be a promise-reaper.

How do we receive God's promises? It is by faith alone. Paul writes, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20, NIV).

Making Your Mark for Christ

2010-06-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Soon we will be at the ICRS Convention in St. Louis (June 28-30, 2012). One of the new books we will be showing in our booth (1811) is a new one by Skip Heitzig. It is entitled, God Print--Making Your Mark for Christ. A "God print" is like your fingerprint or voice print; it is your unique way of making an imprint for Christ in the world.

We must ever remember that "Only one life 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." Pastor Skip Heitzig reminds us that the journey from fear to faith is based on what Christ has done for us.

His insightful book is based on the life of Abraham--a life that overflowed with adventure, crisis, fear, faith, and most importantly, God. Paul said that Abraham was the "father of all who believe."

Your God Print is a lasting legacy that you will leave behind after you go to Heaven. Do you want to make a lasting impression on the world? Skip shows you how to make your mark for Christ in the world.

Franklin Graham has written this about God Print: "Skip turns the spotlight on the Bible, something missing in many of our Christian books today. He hits the mark when he outlines the life of Abraham and distinctly describes the Godprint that was placed upon Abraham's heart. Skip's biblical perspective shows that while Christians battle the flesh throughout life, we can learn by looking back on past mistakes that help us grow deeper in Christ. This book will leave an imprint on your life."

Get a copy and learn how to leave your Godprint on the world!

Two New Books

2010-06-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

Two of our new Bridge-Logos books for this summer are Infusion by Jack Redmond and Jewels From E.M. Bounds, a Pure Gold Classic. Both are outstanding books, and I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend them highly to you.

Jack Redmond is the Director of Youth Ministry for Christ Church in Montclair, NJ. He founded Fourth Generation Ministries and co-founded Generation Holy Youth Coalition. His book gives a fresh perspective on being infused by the power of God and bringing the infusion of His presence to the world.

Here is a quotation from his book: "God's Word is teaching us that we must grow up in our salvation. It is not only an experience, but also a growth process. As we mature in our faith, salvation becomes more real. It begins to affect every aspect of our lives. Our thinking, emotions, actions, and outlook change to become more Christ-like. We begin to view the world as Christ does. We learn to love and forgive and to walk in the authority that brings change wherever we go. But first we have to grow up. We grow faster when we are surrounded by others who are also growing and encouraging us along the way."

Jewels From E.M. Bounds was prepared by E.M. Bounds scholar Dr. Darrel King. It contains never-before-published teachings from the "prophet of prayer," such as the following:

"Faith is brought into leadership by secret prayer. Long, habitual, closeted interviews with God are the sunny seasons for the growth of faith; interviews in which God's searching eye and light discover all the hidden hindrances to faith; interviews in which God reveals himself so faith is mightily strengthened. God's true leadership does more to strengthen its faith than to do anything else. It seeks this one element of power, this secret of spiritual success, at the sacrifice of other things. It keeps its eye fixed not on place or plans, but on God. The leadership of faith has no alliance with ambition, they are eternal foes. Ambition may give leadership in the Church, has done it, does do it, but faith has no part in this leadership. Faith is debauched by its touch; God is not in the leadership of ambition."

Interviews with God! A great concept, indeed, and this is only one of the jewels from E.M Bounds.

May you be infused with God's power as you contemplate and appropriate the jewels from God's Word.

Healing for Today

2010-05-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon (May 20, 2010) it was my honor to interview Paul Teske, author of Healing for Today, on my blogradio broadcast "We're Talking Books."

Paul's book is very inspirational, informative, and interesting. He shares his own personal testimony of having been miraculously healed of a stroke, testimonies of other healings he has witnessed, and teaching about healing that includes the following:

Jesus' healing ministry, then and now
The role of faith in healing
Imparting the gift of healing
How to pray
How to keep a healing

This is a new book on healing--one that opens new windows of insight into this vital topic. In the near future Paul will be interviewed on several well-known television programs, including James Robison's "Life Today" program. God is using him to bring the message of healing to people around the world, and I highly recommend his book to you.

Do We Live in an Uncivil Society?

2010-05-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

The word "uncivil" means "not civilized; barbarous; not civil or courteous; ill-mannered." One of its synonyms is "rude."

Does the above definition describe modern-day society? It does seem as if rudeness abounds, that's for sure. There are barbaric pirates and uncivilized terrorists in our midst.

What do we do when we encounter an ill-mannered individual? Do we wonder why he or she is acting that way?

An attorney Adam Mersereau has written a newly published Bridge-Logos book entitled, Uncivil Society. The subtitle for this book is: "Government's War Against God and the Plight of the Christian Citizen."

In this very poignant and timely book Adam deals with several timely topics, including:

The West's Rejection of Truth
The Futile Search for a Truthless Morality
Government and the Fall
The Separation of Church and State
Divine Limits on Government Authority
New Roles for Church and State
A New View of the Individual
New Definitions for Life and Marriage
The Plight of the Christian in a Hostile Society

Adam writes, "When the Christian learns to live in accordance with God's truth for the sake of the truth, and for no other reason, he reaches the greatest possible glory outside of heaven--greater than any victory this fallen world can offer. There is glory in standing for the truth, even when we see no cultural change for the better. There is glory in witnessing for Christ, even when our witness is met with contempt. The moment the Christian apprehends this truth is the moment his feet become most firmly planted on the rock. This is when he becomes able to take his stand, a living sacrifice, immovable, regardless of what hardships may come. This is when he joins with Christ in storing up the unseen spoils of the eternal victory Christ won on the Cross. This is the Christian's finest and dearest privilege: To render to God the heartfelt obedience that He rightfully asks. No government can extinguist such a flame.

"Western culture may change with every wind of false doctrine, but the Christian's calling will never change. Our joy is to stand firm on the side of truth--against lies, against sin, against Satan--come what may. We cannot undo the Fall, but we can, by God's grace, point others to Christ and His glory. This is not our final home. To the extent we cannot change it, we must learn to overcome it, and to teach others that if Christ is their Savior, they can overcome it, too.

"Then one awful and glorious day, when the trumpet sounds and Christ returns to gather His people, to separate the sheep from the goats, to establish His throne among men, and to make all things new--the government will be upon His shoulder."

What a glorious day that will be.

Trouble Brings Us to Jesus

2010-04-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, Mr. Seabury Oliver, often said, "It's trouble that brings us to Jesus." He knew, because he had experienced many troubles and hardships.

John Newton wrote, "Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come; 'tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home."

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for us in every trouble, toil, and snare. Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Paul wrote, "We glory in triubulations also" (Romans 5:3). Why would he say such a thing? He gives the answer in the next line: ". . . knowing that tribulation worketh patience" (Romans 5:3).

Yes, trouble brings us to Jesus and tribulation is a part of life in this world. Though these things are true, we must ever remember these words: "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

It's the amazing grace of Jesus Christ that makes us more than conquerors even when we are in the midst of tribulation, troubles, and snares.

It's All Love

2010-04-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Love is the core of the Christian life. The truth is that it's all love, from beginning to end, because God is love and love is the most excellent way of life.

Without love, we could not have anything in life that's worthwhile. Years ago, I spoke with a friend of mine who was dying. I asked her, "If you knew this was the last day of your life, what would you do?"

She said, "I'd sit on the couch and hug my two sons."

The cross of Jesus Christ represents love in its fullest expression. Its vertical beam points to the love God has for us and the love we have for Him. The horizontal beam speaks to us of the love we must have for one another.

Yes, it's all love, and the relationships in our lives are the most important part of our lives. Loving God, family, friends, neighbors, and even our enemies is what it's all about.

Here are some good quotes about love:

"Where there is love there is no sin."

"Love can hope where reason would despair" (George, Baron Lyttelton)

"How shall I do to love? Believe. How shall I do to believe? Love" (Robert Leighton).

"Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).

"Love is strong as death" (Song of Solomon 8:6).

"Love sought is good, but given unsought is better" (William Shakespeare).

"There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love" (Thornton Wilder).

Let us remember that love is the supreme commandment.

Another New Book

2010-04-27T06:03:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about another new book that was recently published by Bridge-Logos Foundation. It is by my friend, who is the Senior Editor of our company, Harold J. Chadwick. The title is Christ Is God's Everything for You. It's a beautiful trade-size paperback that sells at only $13.99, and I highly recommend it to you.

Harold writes, "But this one thing you can know for a certainty, everything that God has prepared for you from before the foundation of the Earth is eternally yours in Christ Jesus, who is God's everything for you!"

Is Christ the center of your life? If so, you are among the most blessed people on the Earth, for He is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Everything consists in Him. Let Him be your Lord and Savior.

Thinking Like God Does

2010-04-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

The Rev. Keith C. Powell has written a liberating new book for Bridge-Logos Foundation. It is entitled, The Power of God Thinking. Though this title is a bit ambiguous in that it could refer to the power that is unleashed when God thinks (creative power) or the power that comes to us when we think as God thinks. This book is about the latter meaning, and it is written in a very user-friendly way.

Keith writes, "God-thinking is as much about deliberately abandoning wrong thinking as it is about adopting or putting the things of God on top.

"In his book The Power of Positive Thinking Norman Vincent Peale wrote, "If your thinking is wrong, it is wrong and not right and can never be right so long as it is wrong. If it is wrong in the essence, it is bound to be wrong in the result.'

"It is this very kind of thinking--wrong thinking--that keeps you from getting what is rightfully yours in Christ. the Word of God is filled with references to the way you think and points to the importance it plays in the outcome of your life. 'The thoughts of the righteous are right' (Proverbs 12:5)."

May you discover the power of God-thinking in your life today, as you let His words become your thoughts.

City of Refuge

2010-04-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

Today on "We're Talking Books" I'll be interviewing Ashley King, the author of a new novel that was recently released by Bridge-Logos Foundation. This is a well-written and compelling book.

It's title, City of Refuge, comes from Numbers 35:11, which says, "When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there" (NASB).

Alex began searchin for a "city of refuge"--a place of forgiveness and acceptance--after he was in a fatal accident that he felt responsible for. So many lives were affected by the crash, and this book reveals the feelings and experiences of each character in ways that literally grab the reader's attention.

City of Refuge is a page-turner that is filled with stirring emotions, gripping intrigue, and amazing insights into the human condition. Ashley King is an excellent novelist whose writing is intense, thrilling, and moving. You will readily identify with each of her fascination characters and their thoughts, experiences, and feelings.

I heartily endorse this book and hope you will add it to your summer reading fare.

Dare to Dream

2010-04-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday it was my privilege to interview Trish Porter, author of Rekindle Your Dreams, on our blogtalk radio show, "We're Talking Books." It was a fantastic interview.

Trish is a 1988 U.S. Olympian. After a neck injury she stopped competing for many years. Nonetheless, she continued to dream about being a successful competitor. She became the mother of two children and then decided to rekindle her dream. This resulted in a blaze of success, for Trish became the world record-holder in the high jump for 40-44 year olds. She has won seven U.S. National Masters Championships and three World Masters Championship titles. Trish greatly enjoys competing throughout the world and inspiring other women wherever she goes.

In her very inspiring book, Trish puts forth an acronym that can be applied to our lives in many different ways. It is based on the word DREAMS.

Dare to Dream
Realize the Benefits to Yourself and Others
Eliminate the Excuses
Action Plan
Make It Happen
Say Thanks

This acronym and Trish's story show that it is possible to rekindle your dreams, and her book shows you how to do so through practical steps.

The God of Jacob Is Our Refuge

2010-04-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

A new book that was published by Bridge-Logos Foundation concludes with these words: "Several years ago I was praying at one of my 'secret places' on Mount Carmel, about two hundred meters down a path from the place where the Lord dramatically visited me in the rental car in the 1980s. I was actually standing on the roof of an abandoned British machine-gun bunker from bygone Mandate days. The concrete bunker is built into a promontory on Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean. On this beautiful clear spring morning, I watched Israeli guided missile cruisers slowly patrolling the Haifa coast and port. Three military helicopters flew by, evidently returning from guarding the Lebanese border. I was struck by the contrast of the bunker, helicopters, and the warships against the legendary beauty of Carmel cloaked with multi-colored spring wildflowers and the shimmering emerald sea stretched out before me. I sensed that I was observing the calm before the storm. The still, small voice of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge' (Psalm 46:10-11).

This excerpt is taken from The Elijah Legacy by David Davis, the founder and senior pastor of Kehilat HaCarmel (Carmel Assembly) on Mount Carmel in Israel.

We must continually pray for the peace of Jerusalem, realizing that the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Is Anything Too Hard for God?

2010-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

The title question on this post comes from a question in the Bible that God asked in Jeremiah 32:27: "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"

This, of course, is a rhetorical question that really doesn't require an answer, for we all know that nothing is impossible with God.

When we were in Tulsa last week one of our best-selling books was written by Ms Kathryn Kuhlman. It is entitled, Nothing Is Impossible With God. Though Ms Kuhlman is no longer here on Earth, this book continues to sell amazingly well.

I think this has to do both with her anointing as a healing evangelist and the dramatic truth the title of the book conveys. As David Wilkerson points out in his foreword to this dynamic book, "Over and over again she [Kathryn Kuhlman] cried, 'Dear God, unless you anoint me and touch me I am nothing. I am worthless when the flesh gets in the way. You get all the glory or I cannot go out there and minister. I won't move without you.'"

It is the Lord's touch and anointing that bring success to any endeavor and help us to understand that nothing is impossible with God, absolutely nothing is too hard for Him.

David Wilkerson concludes his tribute to Ms Kuhlman this way: "Her living and her dying brought glory to God."

Remember, all things are possible with God. The only thing God can't do is fail.

Empowered 21

2010-04-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last week Steve Becker and I were in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We were selling our Bridge-Logos books in the Mabee Center of Oral Roberts University in connection with "Empowered 21"--an international gathering of Pentecostal/charismatic Christians who were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the charismatic renewal.

Whether the renewal actually began at that time or not, it was in 1960 that Father Dennis Bennett, rector of an Episcopal church in Van Nuys, California, received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. This experience was reported in both "Time" and "Newsweek" magazines, so the news traveled all over the world.

It was a pleasure for me to be able to spend time with his widow, Rita Bennett, while we were in Tulsa. She is a very special lady. Bridge-Logos Foundation has several books by Dennis and Rita Bennett. Those powerful titles are:

Nine O'Clock in the Morning by Dennis Bennett (first published in 1970)
The Holy Spirit and You by Dennis and Rita Bennett
The Holy Spirit and Your Workbook by Dennis and Rita Bennett
How to Pray for the Release of the Holy Spirit by Dennis Bennett
You Can Be Emotionally Free by Rita Bennett
Heaven Tours by Rita Bennett

I highly recommend all of the above books. They are chock-full of spiritual insights and wisdom.

It was also good to see several other of our authors there, including John Mason, Jack Hayford, and Grant McClung.

Though the focus was on the members of the Renewal passing the torch to the younger generation, Jentezen Franklin reminded us that the "old pillars" need to get moving, too, and that in unity we can work together to build God's kingdom on earth.

Praise God for this opportunity to experience His presence in such dynamic ways.

The Indwelling Christ--My Best Friend

2010-04-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

When I was thirteen I knew Jesus was knocking on the door of my heart. I opened the door and asked Him to come in. He has been living within me ever since. This is what the Lord said in the Revelation: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20, NASB).

One time when I was in England, I visited St. Paul's Cathedral in London. One of the paintings that hangs on the wall of this sanctuary is a picture of Jesus standing at a cottage door and knocking. The interesting thing is that there is no knob on the outside of the door; it has to be opened from the inside. As a boy, I felt Jesus knocking on the door of my heart. It was like the pounding of a drum.

When I opened the door I experienced the Lord Jesus Christ entering my life in a fullness that I never knew could be possible. Truly, it was the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me.

Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us. He promised to be with us until the end of the age, and He is with me still in spite of the mistakes I've made and the sins I've committed.

He is now my best friend--a true friend who is closer than a brother--my best friend, indeed. He walks with me and talks with me. The fellowship we enjoy is so wonderful and awesome.

The Bible says, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). That blessed friend is Jesus Christ.

If you have never invited Him into your life, I encourage you to do so now. This is how Solomon described this: "He has brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love" (Song of Solomon 2:4, NASB).

Jesus wants to know you and have communion with you. He loves you with an everlasting love.

There is no friend so great as Jesus.

New Books at Bridge-Logos Foundation

2010-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Next week Steve Becker and I will be going to Tulsa to show our books at Empowered 21. Some of the exciting new releases we'll be showing and selling are:

Elijah Legacy by David Davis--a book for those who are interested in the end times and who want to learn how to become prophetic intercessors whose prayers will result in people's hearts turning back to God. This book is about a restoration of the prophetic, the Elisha Generation, the forerunner-finisher anointing, the double portion, confronting the Jezebel spirit, the rise and fall of Islam, and the end-time harvest. What a comprehensive book. (David Davis is the pastor of Kehilat HaCarmel on Mount Carmel in Israel.)
The Extinction of Evolution by Darek Isaacs. This book teaches about the fallacies of evolution via both fiction and non-fiction. The fictional part involves letters that come from the celllar of Dr. Iman Oxidant; the letters reveal the motives behind evolutionary theories, atheists, and evolutionists. Learn about the mind set from which evolution and atheism were born. (Darek Isaacs is an author, film producer, and speaker. He is the President and Founder of Watchmen 33, an orgainzation that confirms the authority of the Bible.)
The Power of God Thinking by Keith C. Powell. Through this book the reader will learn how to line up his or her thoughts with God's (as they are revealed in His Word) and discover and entirely new way to think. (Keith C. Powell is the founder and pastor of Crown of Life Ministries.)
Christ Is God's Everything for You by Harold J. Chadwick. This very Christocentric book is for everyone who wants to know Jesus better. It shows how He is the fulfillment of every spiritual blessing for your life. This book will take readers into the very heart of the Christian faith. (Harold J. Chadwick is the Senior Editor for Bridge-Logos Foundation.)
Luther Gold (compiled by Ray Comfort). The reader of this book will experience a greater level of faith, and a strong desire to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Ray Comfort is the best-selling author of more than fifty books and founder of Living Waters ministry.)
Jake's Fortune by Ray Comfort with Anna Jackson. This is a Western novel that deals with so many aspects of the human condition, including murder, romance, greed, and faith. This is an exciting novel.
City of Refuge by Ashley King. This is a very compelling novel that will bring hope and inspiration to every reader. It is good for both adults and young people. (Ashley King is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. She lives on a miniature farm in southern Ohio.)
God Print by Skip Heitzig. This book introduces readers to a fresh approach in self-examination, leadership, and outreach in the context of biblical truth. Learn how to leave a lasting God Print upon the world. (Skip Heitzig is the pastor of Calvary of Albuquerque and the author of numerous books.)
Uncivil Society--Government's War Against God and the Plight of the Christian Citizen by Adam G. Mersereau. This timely book show the reader what his/her biblical responsibilities are and how to live in an "uncivil society." (Adam Mersereau is an attorney and a former officer in the United States Marine Corps.)
Dragons or Dinosaurs? Creation or Evolution? by Darek Isaacs. How do dragon legends fit in with the Bible? Could they be one and the same? Darek offers intriguing answers to these provocative questions. (Darek Isaacs maintains that the great mysteries of human existence are answered only through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.)
Rekindle Your Dreams by Trish Porter. This book by an Olympic champion shows the reader that it is possible to rekindle your dreams, as Trish Porter's life aptly demonstrates. Learn how to realize your desires, become successful, and live your dreams.
Spurgeon on Prayer by Charles H. Spurgeon. This is a Pure Gold Classic. Learn about prayer from the Prince of Preachers, who spent a great deal of time in his prayer closet and daily sought the Lord. He believed that God hears and answers prayer. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a British Baptist pastor who served at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.)

I am very excited about the ministry potential of these new books. Great opportunities for summer reading here!

Holy Week

2010-03-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Though every week should be holy, to be sure, this week is regarded by many Christians as "Holy Week," because this is a week that commemorates the last week of our Lord's life on Earth--Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.

On that first Palm Sunday the people, including children, shouted, "Hosanna in the highest!" They spread palms along the road and honored the King of kings as He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. "From Olivet they followed 'mid and exultant crowd, the victor palm branch waving, and the chanting clear and loud, the Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state, nor scorned that little children should on his bidding wait" (From "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna").

They adored this man, who had brought such hope to the hearts of people, but then things began to change.

After this triumphal entry, things began to grow darker for our Lord. "Go to dark Gethsemane, you that fel the tempter's power, your Redeemer's conflict see; watch with him one bitter hour; turn not from his griefs away; learn of Jesus Christ to pray" (From "Go to Dark Gethsemane").

I wonder what it would have been like to have been in the Garden with Jesus? What was it like for the disciples at the Last Supper in the Upper Room? "An upper room with evening lamps a shine, the twelve disciples, and the table spread; now in our turn Christ bids us pour the wine, and in remembrance bless and break the bread" (From "An Upper Room With Evening Lamps").

Jesus could find no one to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He ate His last supper with His followers, but He knew one of them would betray Him into the hands of those who wanted to kill Him.

After taking Him away, they dressed Him in a purple robe and a crown of thorns. They placed a reed in His right hand. He was mocked, scourged, spit upon, derided, and defamed. He bore all our sins and woes. Beneath a darkened sky, He hung upon a tree, and, as the African-American spiritual tells us, "He never said a mumbalin' word."

They nailed Him to a tree, and the Lamb of God was slain for the sins of the world. Behold the Lamb of God!

Jesus died that we might live--abundant and eternal life to give. It is ours if we will but believe. Only receive and only believe--all things are possible; only believe.

"Low in the grave He lay--Jesus my Savior, waiting the coming day--Jesus my Lord!" Death could not hold Him down. Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph over His foes! His battle ended there, as death was overcome.

"Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood,
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

"Lifted up was He to die,
'It is finished,' was His cry;
Now in Heaven exalted high,
Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is in the law. but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

On Sunday we will celebrate these glorious truths. It is known as Easter, but perhaps a better name would be Resurrection Sunday. Happy Resurrection Sunday, everyone!

Our Inheritance in Christ

2010-03-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

We are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. This means that we have received the same inheritance He has. Paul writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).

Every spiritual blessing is already ours. All we have to do is appropriate and receive those blessings that our loving Father has provided for us. Isn't this exciting news?

The Apostle Peter writes, "His divine power has given us everything we need" (2 Peter 1:3, NIV). Everything we need! This is our inheritance as the adopted children of God, who cry, "Abba, Father."

Paul puts it this way, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

What is our inheritance as believers?

All spiritual blessings
Everything we need
The supply of all that we need

The list is much longer than the above three entries suggest. Each one of them entails a multitude of separate blessings that are ours.

Jesus said, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him" (Matthew 6:8). He also said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. . . . how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11).

It's all our in Christ Jesus, and more. The Bible says, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or thin, according to his power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Will you receive your inheritance today?

The Spirit of Violence

2010-03-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

I am very much concerned about something: It seems as if a spirit of violence is permeating the American culture at this time. It is even appearing is some segments of Christianity.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). If peacemakers are called the children of God, what are people who stir up violence called?

The Bible says the following about wrath and violence:

"Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous" (Proverbs 27:4).
"Do violence to no man" (Luke 3:14).
"Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually they are gathered for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man" (Psalm 140:1-4)
"For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (James 1:20).

These and many other similar passages are scriptural admonitions worth remembering in our present time.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:29-32).

Further, Paul says in Galatians: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21).

That's a very strong statement, indeed. Then Paul goes on to contrast the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

Help us, Father, get beyond the division, strife, bitterness, and hatred that are manifested in the lives of so many today. Help people to realize that the answer is to be found only in the Prince of Peace, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Taming Your Tongue and Fine-tuning Your Ears

2010-03-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

We're surrounded by negativity in our world today. It's on the news, at the workplace, on emails we receive, in the utterances of politicians, in newspapers and magazines, on radio and television, and in general conversations at home and in the marketplace. There is great power in the words we say. In fact, the Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruits thereof" (Proverbs 18:21). As you know, some of those fruits are bitter, and they can be very destructive in people's lives.

I remember overhearing something a fellow-teacher I worked with at an elementary school said. She thrust the results of a standardized test in the face of one of our students and hatefully uttered these stinging and condemning words, "See, Richard, this proves it. You are stupid!" I wonder if Richard still experiences the biting condemnation of those words now, some thirty years later.

What does the Bible have to say about the way in which we should use our tongues?

We should not engage in flattery. "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things" (Psalms 12:3).
We should keep our tongue from evil (including every negative comment): "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile" (1 Peter 3:10).
How we use our tongues plays a role in our health. "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health" (Proverbs 12:18).
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit" (Proverbs 15:4).

The Scriptures abound with references to the use of our tongues and with warnings about misusing them. The following usages are condemned unequivocally: backbiting, lying, slandering, using a multitude of words, deceitfulness, speaking guile, flattery, hypocrisy, swearing, taking God's name in vain, etc.

Instead, we are enjoined to speak the truth in love, tame our tongues, ask God to put a watch before our lips, to rejoice evermore, to use our tongues to tell others about Jesus, to pray, and to praise the Lord.

Clearly, the way we use our tongues is a serious business, indeed. Do we use our tongues to build others up or to tear them down? To give glory to God or to glorify ourselves? To encourage others or to discourage them? To plant positive or negative seeds? Do we use our tongues as tools of blessing or criticism?

We also need to be careful about what we listen to. What goes into the ear, finds its way to the heart, and what goes into the heart, comes out in one's life. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

Do you remember the children's chorus: "Be careful, little ears, what you hear? The Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful, little ears, what you hear"?

As adults, we need to reflect on these truths, as well. In the mid-eighteenth century a group of Methodist men, including John Wesley, signed the following covenant (which Bob Gass writes about in the Bridge-Logos devotional, entitled Best of the Word for Today):

That we will not listen to, or willingly inquire after ill concerning one another
That if we do hear any ill of each other, we will not believe it
That as soon as possible, we will communicate what we hear by speaking or writing to the person concerned
That until we have done this, we will not write or speak a syllable of it to any other person
That neither will we mention it after we have done this, to any other person
That we will not make any exception to any of these rules, unless we think ourselves absolutely obliged, and then only in conference.

We would be well-advised to post these commitments in a prominent place in order to remind ourselves to "speak no evil, hear not evil, and see no evil." Certainly these rules are important ones to follow at home, at work, in church, and in every group in which we participate.

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

2010-03-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

A mother came into the room of her little girl who had been sick and noticed that she was sitting up in bed crying. She said, "What's wrong, honey?"

On the wall across from the foot of the little girl's bed was a mirror. On the wall above the headboard of her bed was a picture of Jesus.

The little girl said, "Mommy, when I see myself I can't see Jesus." (She had been used to seeing the picture of Jesus reflected in the mirror on the opposite wall as she was lying in bed. However, when she sat up, the reflection changed, obliterating the picture of Jesus and replacing it with her own reflection. This was very upsetting to her.)

It's so true--when we see ourselves we can't see Jesus, and this should upset us as well.

The chorus advises us to: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher [the pioneer and perfecter] of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Let's turn away from sin, worries of all kinds, the situations we see around us, the troubles that beset us, and let us turn our eyes upon Jesus who loves us with an everlasting love.

Jesus' Prayer in His Hour of Trial

2010-03-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

As we approach Good Friday, it is important to note how important prayer was to our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Matthew writes, "Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed" (Matthew 26:19).

Prayer was so important to Jesus, because it was His direct-line access to his Father in Heaven. It is the same with us. Jeremiah writes, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

In Morning by Morning by Charles H. Spurgeon (a Pure Gold Classic that is published by Bridge-Logos Foundation) we read, "There are several instructive features in our Savior's prayer in His hour of trial," then he goes on to list and discuss each one (referring to Matthew 26:39):

It was a lonely prayer. We need to be alone with the Lord every day. Such solitude is practically and spiritually helpful to us.
It was a humble prayer. We must humble ourselves before the Lord at all times by realizing who we are and who He is. In prayer, we are kneeling before the throne of the Most High God.
It was a filial prayer. We have been adopted into the royal family of Almighty God. We are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, and we need to cry out, "Abba, Father."
It was a persevering prayer. We must ". . .contine in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."
It was a prayer of resignation. We need to resign ourselves to the Father's will through absolute surrender and death to self.

Spurgeon writes, "Yield, and God yields. Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best. Be content to leave your prayer in His hands. He knows when to give, how to give, what to give, and what to withhold."

The Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Cardinal Virtues

2010-03-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

In The Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross (a Pure Gold Classic published by Bridge-Logos Foundation) we learn about the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Cardinal Virtues.

Saint John of the Cross opens the book with a discussion of the Seven Deadly Sins, ". . .which the soul must overcome in order to enter into spiritual renewal and learn to walk in the Seven Cardinal Virtues through union with love--the love of God."

The Seven Deadly Sins are:

Lust (luxuria)
Gluttony (gula)
Greed and avarice (avarita)
Sloth (acedia)
Wrath and intense anger (ira)
Envy (invidia)
Pride (superbia)

These seven sins are mortal in the sense that they kill our relationship with God and our hope of eternal life with Him. "All of the Seven Deadly Sins must be pruged from a believer's life if he or she is to find the way to union with love in God, as Saint John of the Cross points out so clearly in his writings. He shows how each of us has our 'besetting sins' that must be dealt with before we can make any spiritual progress" (From Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross.)

Once we've gone through the "dark night of the soul" and have rid ourselves of the sins listed above, we are ready to enjoy the Seven Cardinal Virtues, as listed below:

Faith
Hope
Love
Fortitude
Justice
Prudence
Temperance

"As the soul perseveres, however, it finds its way to the place of peace, tranquility, and joy--total union with its heavenly Beloved, and this is the goal that Saint John of the Cross puts forth for every seeker."

May you find than place in your life through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Death to Self

2010-03-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

This is a rather heavy topic--death to self--yet, it's the only way to fruitful living. Years ago, Logos produced a book by Earl Jabay that was entitled The Kingdom of Self. In this book, Earl told us that we need to overthrow the kingdom of self and replace it with the Kingdom of God. Obviously, this requires death to self.

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal" (John 12:24-25). As with the corn of wheat, we must die [to self] in order to become fruitful.

The Apostle Paul put it this way: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, put Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

How does one die to the self-life? It is accomplished at least in part by letting the life of Christ well up within us and take over everything. This, of course, will require the annihilation of self-pity, self-defense, self-centeredness, and every form of selfishness. It is a matter of absolute surrender of everything to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Andrew Murray wrote, "Notice how Christ uses that word deny twice. He said to Peter the first time, "Deny self." He said to Peter the second time, "Thou wilt deny me." It is either of the two. There is no choice for us; we must either deny self or deny Christ. There are two great powers fighting each other--the self-nature in the power of sin, and Christ in the power of God. Either of these must rule within us.

"Self made the devil. He was an angel of God, but he wanted to exalt self. He became a devil in hell. Self was the cause of the Fall of man. Eve wanted something for herself, and so our first parents fell into all the wretchedness of sin. We, their children, have inherited an awful nature of sin" (From Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, published as a Pure Gold Classic by Bridge-Logos Foundation).

Which kingdom do you serve? Are you in bondage to the kingdom of self, or are you crucified with Christ? Are you denying yourself or denying Christ?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm on your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I love the gentle optimism and strong faith that this Irish blessing conveys. Here's another one:

A Wish for a Friend

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers--
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours--
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through.

Happiness, laughter, and friendship--some of the best things in life. St. Patrick used the shamrock as an object lesson when he taught about the Holy Trinity.

From St. Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left
Christ where I lie
Christ where I sit
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me
Salvation is of the Lord

This reminds me of the gospel chorus: "Christ in me; Yes, it's Christ in me; Every day, as I go my way; It is Christ in me."

An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,
And warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
With joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
Bring the best to you and yours!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The One Needful Thing

2010-03-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite stories in the New Testament tells what happened when Jesus was visiting in the home of Mary and Martha. It goes like this: "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).

What is "that good part"? What is the one needful thing? It involves sitting at the Master's feet, fellowshiping with Him, and learning His Word.

Luke paints a vivid contrast between the two sisters. Martha was busy, frustrated, worried, and quite possibly jealous. Mary, on the other hand, was peaceful and happy. What accounts for the difference? Taking time to be with Jesus. That is "the one needful thing."

Hannah Whitall Smith writes, "Die, then, that you may live. Lose your own life that you may find Christ's life. The caterpillar can only enter into the butterfly's kingdom by dying to its caterpillar life, and emerging into the resurrection life of the butterfly; and just so can we also only enter into the kingdom of God by the way of a death out of the kingdom of self, and an emergence into the resurrection life of Christ. Let everything go, then, that belongs to the natural; all your own notions, and plans, and ways, and thoughts; and accept in their stead God's plans, and ways, and thoughts. Do this faithfully and do it persistently, and you shall come at last to sit on His throne, and to reign with Him in an interior kingdom which shall break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms, and shall stand for ever and ever" (From The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith--a Pure Gold Classic published by Bridge-Logos Foundation.)

What Really Counts?

2010-03-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

The older I get the more I realize that I've wasted a good part of my life on trivial matters--matters of little concern or importance. I believe the Apostle Paul hits the nail on the head when he says, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Galatians 5:6, NIV).

This goes right along with what the Great Apostle said in 1 Corinthians 13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV). Paul introduced this chapter with these words: "And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31, NIV).

Yes, love is the only thing that counts, the most excellent way, and the greatest of the Christian attributes. In fact, it is the mark of a true Christian. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35, NIV).

The relationships in our lives should be very precious to us. We need to love one another. Without love, we are like "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1, NIV). Who wants to be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal?

Let us remember these words today: "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8, NIV).

For a fuller treatment of this vitally important topic, please read our Pure Gold Classic--The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond.

In the World, but Not of It

2010-03-12T06:27:00.000-08:00

As I become aware of all that is taking place in our world today, I realize more and more how fortunate we are to be in the world, but not of it. Indeed, we are citizens of the Kingdom of God, not this kingdom of darkness.

As members of the Kingdom of God, we should be following the words of Jesus, who said, "Ye are the salt of the earth. . . .Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid" (Matthew 5:13-14).

The saltier we become, the thirstier other will be, and we will be able to help them quench their thirst with the rivers of living water that flow from us. To quench the darkness in our world today we need to shine as lights.

"This little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine.'

When Art Katz, a former Logos author, was a young hippie hitchiking through Germany in the sixties, a man who picked him up simply said, "You know, all the problems in our world would be solved if we simply followed one command of Jesus." Art asked, "What was that?" The German said, "Follow me." Art said it was as if those words penetrated his heart and set off an explosion.

It's true--if we followed Jesus in all things, particularly with regard to His supreme commandment to love God and others, everything would change. Instead of this, however, we get caught up in the ways of this world.

There are a lot of angry Christians today who are not reflecting the love of Jesus when it comes to politics, the economy, etc. Instead of shining as lights and walking in love, they contribute to the darkness and hate around them.

Let's follow Jesus, remembering that though we're in the world, we're not of it. What we really need is an heaven-born spiritual revival that will sweep our world clean. It's time to return to our first love and let our light shine wherever we are.

The Creation

2010-03-11T06:38:00.000-08:00

The late professor and botanist Edwin Conklin very perceptively stated, "The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of an unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop." I like this very apt comparison.

When noted atheist Richard Dawkins was asked by Ben Stein how he thought mankind came to be, the atheist speculated that we might have come from some species of alien life. (See the movie "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.") I think Dawkins' response requires more faith than believing the account of creation we find in the Bible. (See Genesis 1-3.)

Here at Bridge-Logos Foundation we have several books that deal with this important topic, including a new one entitled The Extinction of Evolution by Darek Isaacs. I highly recommend this cleverly written treatment of the subject.

We also have several books on this subject by Ray Comfort, including God Doesn't Believe in Atheists, How to Know God Exists, and Intelligent Design Versus Evolution. I personally recommend and heartily endorse these excellent works by one of the leading Christian apologists of our time.

In the near future we will be releasing another book by Darek Isaacs. It is entitled Dragons or Dinosaurs? This informative book shows how dinosaurs and dragons may be one in the same and answers the question, "Did men live in the time of dinosaurs?"

Anything as well-ordered as our universe and our planet must have had a Creator--the Master Designer of All Things. I don't think there can be much doubt about this.

There Is Power in the Blood

2010-03-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote, "There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Christ. And 'precious,' unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. 'They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.' How could they do otherwise? Those who fight with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, fight with a weapon that cannot know defeat. By trusting the power of Jesus' blood, we will always conquer!" (From Morning by Morning by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a Pure Gold Classic from Bridge-Logos Foundation.)

The blood of Christ redeems us from sin. ("But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin"--1 John 1:7.)

The blood of Christ atones for our sins. ("And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement"--Romans 4:11.)

The blood of Christ heals us. ("But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed"--Isaiah 53:5).

The blood of Christ preserves us and protects us. ("For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you"--Exodus 12:23).

The blood of Christ sanctifies us. ("Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate"--Hebrews 13:12).

The blood of Christ give us overcoming power. ("And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death"--Revelation 12:11).

Praise God for the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Would you be free from your burden of sin? There's power in the blood. There's wonderful power in the blood.

Harold Hill--How to Live Like a King's Kid

2010-03-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

I got to know Harold Hill fairly well in the early seventies, and I loved his sense of humor. He was an engineer and recovering alcoholic who found new life, hope, and blessing in the Lord Jesus Christ. God blessed Harold with many miracles.

He wrote several Christian books, including How to Live Like a King's Kid and From Goo to You by the Way of the Zoo. Like him, his books are unique and inspiring, and they often reflect the sense of humor that was Harold's hallmark.

I would like to encourage you to read How to Live Like a King's Kid. It is still published by Bridge-Logos Foundation. Take a look at some of the chapter titles in this how-to book: How to Succeed in Everything; How to Stop Drinking; How to Get Out of Quick-mud; How to Start Over; How to Stop Gambling; How to Get More for Your Money; How to Get Rid of an Aching Back; How to Fail at Witnessing; etc. Wow! It's actually 28 how-to books in one.

Here is a quote from the book that is worthy of our attention: "I've learned that one of the most important things to learn if we want to live like King's kids is to trust the King with every problem, every fault, every sin, every impossible thing in our lives. He--and He alone--can make us fit for His Kingdom. As long as we keep trying to do anything by our own willpower, keeping the glory for ourselves, we are doomed to stay in our own puny kingdom of wretchedness and defeat. But King's kids loose everything to the King, and He sets them free to enter the gates of His Kingdom of Heaven."

Remember, a King's kid is either a prince or a princess in God's royal family--a joint-heir with Jesus--a knight in the Lord's army.

I thank God that I knew Harold Hill. He showed us how to live the life of a King's kid.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

2010-03-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

The first line of Psalm 23 contains at least three metaphors. Two are stated and one is implied. The first is found in the word "lord." A lord, as you know, is a nobleman--one who has great power and authority, a ruler, and a master. This is an appropriate figure of speech in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, to be sure.

The second metaphor is seen in the word "shepherd." A shepherd, as you know, takes care of his sheep by protecting them, providing for them, leading them, giving the food, water, and shelter. What an apt metaphor this is for our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd of the sheep.

The implied metaphor would be found in the truth that if God is our Shepherd, then we must be sheep. What are the behaviors and mannerisms of sheep? They need a leader. They need protection. They need to be taken care of. Some would even say they're not very bright! We are sheep, indeed, and thank God we have a Shepherd who takes care of us.

Because He does, we never suffer want. Paul writes, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). His grace is sufficient for us.

Take time today to meditate on these words that were written by David: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23).

Are you a helpless sheep? Is the Lord your Shepherd? What does this Psalm mean to you?

Ask, Seek, Knock--ASK

2010-03-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray He provided them with a model prayer that is sometimes known as the Lord's Prayer. It's a model prayer in that it reveals the components of Christian prayer in a few words. Those components include the following:

Adoration
Confession.
Thanksgiving
Supplication

Did you notice that this outline forms an acronym? It is ACTS, and that is the name of one of the most powerful books in the New Testament.

There's another acronym that relates to prayer as well:

Ask
Seek
Knock

Notice the word "ask" that is formed by the initial letters of each of the words. This takes us to a prayer promise that Jesus gave us: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11:9-10).

Have you been asking, seeking, and knocking? As you do so, you will learn that God will make a way for you even when it seems as if there is no way. He is the Way-maker in our lives.

Tennyson wrote, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." I wholeheartedly agree with him. This is especially true when we learn to pray according to the will of God, which is fully revealed in His Word. The Bible says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

One of our Bridge-Logos authors, Pastor Jack Hayford, writes, "The only point of confusion lies in a misunderstanding of the verb 'ask.' Its tense in Greek conveys the idea of continual asking. But that is not a command to ask repeatedly for the same thing in order to force God into action. The continuality which Jesus wants is in ceaseless petitioning. In other words, you need never hesitate to ask for something just because you asked for something else earlier. Any hint that heaven "gets too busy" with earlier requests to have either time or supply for the next is pure folly.

"Here's the message of the parable: 1. You have a friend in the Heavenly Father. He's on your side, and available anytime, in every circumstance. 2. Boldness is your privilege. Your assignment is to ask; His commitment is to give--as much as you need.

"This is the beginning: 'Seeking' and 'knocking' are further steps as one walks the pathway of prayer. But we need to get started, and this is probably the greatest need facing us today: too many hesitate to pray. they hesitate through a sense of unworthiness, a feeling of distance from deity, a wondering about God's will in the matter, a concern over 'if it's okay,' and uncertainty of how much to ask for, a fear that God won't hear.

"Jesus strikes the death blow to such hesitancy: ask. Ask with unabashed forwardness; ask with shameless boldness! He commands. And when you do, He clearly teaches, "Your friend, My Father, will rise to the occasion and see that everything you need is provided." (Taken from Prayer Is Invading the Impossible by Jack Hayford. Published by Bridge-Logos Foundation in Alachua, Florida.)

Madame Guyon and the Lord's Prayer

2010-03-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

I've been preparing the study guide to accompany one of our Pure Gold Classics, all of which have study guides, a timeline, an audio-excerpts download, illustrations, biographies, detailed indexes, and many other helpful features. Each one has been updated so that modern-English readers will find their reading of these classics to be user-friendly.

As you know, language changes over the years in all its systems, including morphology, semantics, phonology, and syntax. Sometimes the meanings of words and idioms broaden and sometimes they narrow. Our editors endeavor to be sensitive to these changes and make revisions accordingly.

Currently I'm working on the study guide for Experiencing Union With God Through Inner Prayer and The Way and Results of Union With God by Madame Jeanne Guyon, which was revised in modern English by our Senior Editor, Harold J. Chadwick. In this case the book had to be translated into English from its orginal French, so it is a book that has undergone several changes through the years.

Nonetheless, its profound spiritual impact continues to minister deeply to people around the world. Madame Guyon was known as "the woman who loved Christ too much," and her deep love of Him caused her to be severely persecuted. She even had to spend time in the Bastille, where she developed a serious illness. Nevertheless, she persevered in her faith and continued to write and teach on prayer, the inner life, the Law of Central Tendency, and knowing God intimately.

Here is one of the things she said about the Lord's Prayer: "Now they should repeat the Lord's prayer [slowly] in their native language. [As they do], they should think a little while about the meaning of the words, ['Our Father, who art in heaven'], and the infinite willingenss of God, who dwells within them, to become truly "their Father." In this state, let them pour out their wants before Him. When they [softly] speak the name of Father, they should remain a few moments in a reverential silence, wating to have the will of their heavenly Father made known to them."

Her teaching on meditative and contemplative prayer has never been surpassed, in my opinion. Madame Guyon's teachings have influenced so many, including John Wesley, Count Zinzendorf, George Fox, Jesse Penn-Lewis, Hudson Taylor, Watchman Nee, Paul Billheimer, and me. I highly recommend that you read this book and begin the adventure of inner prayer and experiencing God.

The Most Fundamental of All Human Motives

2010-03-03T06:06:00.000-08:00

The Study of Values, a personality inventory I used to administer at the Career and Personal Counseling Center of Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, suggests that the love of power is the most fundamental of all human motives. The longer I live, the more I believe this may be true.

People who are high in political values love power, and the power they have can be used in beneficial or detrimental ways. It has been aptly stated that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and we see evidence of this all over the world, particularly in dictatorships and other political venues.

The power that we should be seeking is God's power--the Bible calls it dunamis, which is the Greek word for words like "dynamo," "dynamic," and "dynamite." There is dynamite power available to all who will avail themselves of it.

At least three of our Pure Gold Classics teach us about this kind of spiritual power. The paragraphs that follow give some insights about power from Moody, Finney, and Wesley.

"May the Spirit of Elijah, beloved reader, be upon us. If we seek for it we will have it. Oh, may the God of Elijah answer by fire, and consume the spirit of worldliness in the churches, burn up the dross, and make us whole-hearted Christians. May that Spirit come upon us' let that be our prayer in our family altars and in our closets. Let us cry mightily to God that we may have double portion of the Holy Spirit, and that we may not rest satisfied with this worldly state of living, but let us, like Sampson, shake ourselves and come out from the world, that we may have the POWER OF GOD" ( From Secret Power by Dwight L. Moody).

"If any one secret of Mr. Finney's power be emphatic, it is this: he gave his whole soul to God. . . . Give yourself, with such supblime simplicity of aim, to God and His service; empty yourself as completely of worldly and selfish ambition; seek as devoutly to be filled and moved by the Spirit; and God will be as willing to use you as a chosen vessel for His glory!" (From Power, Passion and Prayer by Charles G. Finney).

"The expression 'by the grace of God' is sometimes understood to be the love of God, the free unmerited mercy by which any sinner, throught the merits of Jesus, is reconciled to God. Here it means that the power of God, the Holy Spirit, who works in us, both to will and to do His pleasure. As soon as God's grace in the former sense of pardoning love is manifested to us, His grace in the latter sense is given. The power of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to perform, through grace, what was impossible to man. Now we can order our conversation correctly. We can do all things in the light and power of that love through Christ who strengthens us. We now have the testimony of our conscience which we could never have by fleshly wisdom. Now 'in simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in the world'" (From The Holy Spirit and Power by John Wesley).

Remember this: All power [authority] in Heaven and Earth was given to Jesus Christ, and He lives within you!

Practicing the Presence of God

2010-02-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

God is present everywhere, and it's in Him that we live and move and have our being. (See Acts 17:28.) In God's presence there is fullness of joy and there are pleasures forevermore. (See Psalm 16:11.)

Have you ever been in a worship service where you experienced the power of the presence of God?

Have you ever experienced the power of His presence while taking a walk?

Have you ever experienced the power of His presence in the solitude of your prayer closet?

The challenge, of course, is to remain in His presence in light of all the distractions that come to us in our modern society. Is it possible to walk in God's presence all the time? To live in His presence?

Brother Lawrence, who wrote The Practice of the Presence of God (one of our Pure Gold Classics) believed that it was possible. He wrote, "The practice of the presence of God strengthens us in hope. Our hope grows in poroportion as our knowledge grows, and in the measure of our faith--by this holy practice--penetrates into the hidden mysteries of God."

Psalm 31:20 promises, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

The secret of God's presence is wonderful, indeed, and it seems that so few no about it or how to experience it. The Bible tells us, "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms" (Psalm 95:2). Thanksgiving and rejoicing enable us to enter God's presence.

Here's another wonderful promise about the presence of the Lord: "You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence" (Acts 2:28). The Bible frequently associates joy with being in God's presence.

There is great power and joy in the Lord's presence, and we should make every effort to get into His presence and stay there. Brother Lawrence writes, "We must always think carefully how to consider God and His glory in all that we do, and say, and undertake. This is the goal that we should set before ourselves, to offer to God a sacrifice of perfect worship in this life, as we hope to do through all eternity. . . . The presence of God is thus the life and nourishment of the soul."

This Is the Day--This Is the Hour--This Is the Moment

2010-02-24T06:08:00.000-08:00

We must capture each present moment of our lives, and learn how to live in the now, as Oral Roberts used to say. Actually, the present moment is all we have. It has been accurately stated, "Every day is a gift; that's why they call it the present."

One of my favorite Scriptures is this one: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). This verse sounds a note of optimism and faith that helps us launch each day in the right direction.

In the Serenity Prayer by Niebuhr we read these words: "Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time." There is great wisdom in these words, for we all know how short life is. The Bible says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalms 90:12).

Wisdom, in my opinion, leads us to number our days and live in the present moment, to learn to smell the roses instead of just passing them by, and to realize what is important in life. A friend of mine, who learned that she would soon be dying of cancer, was asked, "What would you do if you knew this was the last day of your life?"

She said, "I'd sit on my couch and hold my two sons close to me."

What would you do if you knew this was the last day of your life? Would it make you more positive or less so? Would it cause you to reach out for the things that really count?

Jesus said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his lifre shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:34-36).

Og Mandino wrote, "Live this day as if it will by your last. Remember that you will only find 'tomorrow' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year."

Run Baby Run

2010-02-23T06:20:00.000-08:00

When I was a junior high school teacher in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, my students and I read Run Baby Run by Nicky Cruz in our Social Studies class. The students loved the story of Nicky Cruz, and it would appear that students still love to read this excellent book that was written by a friend of mine, Jamie Buckingham.

John and Elizabeth Sherrill, who had written the best-selling The Cross and the Switchblade, introduced Jamie to Dan Malachuk, the publisher of Logos International Fellowship, because they knew Dan was looking for a writer for Nicky's story. I believe that meeting took place at the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International Convention at the Washington Hilton. I had the privilege of being there, and I will never forget the ministry of Kathryn Kuhlman, Merlin Carothers, and so many others.

Jamie, who has now gone to Heaven, was a Southern Baptist pastor at the time. As time went on, though, he became ardently charismatic. He was such an excellent writer, as is demonstrated in several of the books he wrote, including Run Baby Run, Daughter of Destiny, Glimpse Into Glory, Risky Living, and several others. I remember several things Jamie said, such as, "Our job is not to see through people, but to see people through." That positive attitude of faith and love was demonstrated in his ministry, his writing, and his daily life.

Here at Bridge-Logos Foundation we continue to sell many of these books, and they continue to do well for us. Why? I believe it's because the anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon them and within them. That same anointing reaches into the hearts of their readers, who are inspired by what Jamie wrote.

This, of course, was in the heyday of the Charismatic Renewal, and it was our privilege at Logos International to work with several well-known leaders, including Harold Bredesen, Harold Hill, Kathryn Kuhlman, Art Katz, David duPlessis, Judson Cornwall, and Dennis and Rita Bennett. As you may know, Dennis Bennett wrote Nine O'Clock in the Morning--an account of how he, an Episcopal priest, received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and brought the Charismatic Renewal to his denomination.

In many ways, though, it was Run Baby Run that put our company on the map. I'm happy to report that Nicky Cruz still ministers around the world, and a movie about his life may be coming out in the near future. The exciting story of how a New York City gang leader became a Pentecostal evangelist is one of the most inspiring stories ever told. Much thanks to Dan, Nicky, and Jamie for hearing from God about producing this classic Christian autobiography. It has changed the lives of countless young people and adults.

Camp Shadowbrook

2010-02-22T13:03:00.000-08:00

When I was thirteen years old I attended summer camp at Camp Shadowbrook in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. This camp was founded by a youth evangelist named Percy B. Crawford, who also founded Pinebrook, Mountainbrook, and had a foundational role in Youth for Christ, Youtharama in Philadelphia, and King's College.

While I was there, as we were sitting around a campfire after dark, our counselor (Mr. Dave) read a passage from John that hit me straight in the heart: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).

To think that I could experience God's power to become his son by believing on His name was a total revelation to my young spirit. I gave my heart to Jesus that night, and He has been with me ever since. Like John Wesley in his Aldersgate experience, my "heart was strangely warmed." Our Pure Gold Classic, The Holy Spirit and Power by John Wesley, we read: "In a word, the new birth is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the mind which was in Christ Jesus. That is the nature of the new birth."

We need to have our minds renewed, and that process began for me at Camp Shadowbrook back in 1956. Wesley wrote, "If you have not already expereinced this inward work of God, the new birth, add one thing more. Pray the prayer immediately: 'Lord, add this to all my blessings, let me be born again. Deny me whatever you please, but let me be born again. Take away from me whatever is necessary, only give me this. Take away my reputation, fortune, friends, and health, but let me be born again of the Holy Spirit. Let me be received among the children of God. Let me be born incorruptible by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever. Amen."

Reinhold Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer

2010-02-19T06:01:00.000-08:00

In 1944, the year after I was born, theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote these important words:

"God, grant me the serentiy to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference."

What can we change? It is certain that we cannot change other people, the past, or certain circumstances. However, we are able to change our responses to others, past experiences, and circumstances. This really is a choice we have to make each day. We can also change ourselves through prayer and "the washing of water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26).

Most people are familiar with the line I've quoted from Niebuhr above, but some may not know that there is much more to the "Serenity Prayer." It goes on:

"Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen."

One day at a time, one moment at a time. There is no better way, for the only time we can be sure of is the present moment. What sound advice this is. Then he goes on to pray, ". . . accepting hardship as the pathway to peace." Wouldn't our lives be different if we were truly able to face hardship in this way, viewing it as the pathway to peace? Some choose to take a different pathway in the face of negative circumstances, and this leads them into greater aggravation, anger, and despair. There is a much better way.

We do not live in a perfect world that is inhabited by perfect people. Unless we accept this fact (with serenity) we cannot find happiness. This world is not our home, after all; it is simply a preparation for a much-better place. In this world we will have tribulation, but we need to be cheerful in the face of it, for Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Niebuhr continues, "Trusting that He will make all things right . . . ." Ah, now there's the key: TRUST. One of my favorite verses of Scripture says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding . In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). As the hymn tells us, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

This trusting is conditional, however, for the next line of the Serenity Prayer says, ". . . if I surrender to His will." Have you surrendered everything to the will of the Lord? Have I? This surrender must include our finances, our families, our future, our health, our career, our job, our time, our everything. The old hymn points us in the right direction: "I surrender all; I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender; I surrender all."

When all these aspects are in place in our lives, we will truly experience happiness, as Niebuhr points out: "That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen."

This is my prayer for you. Let go and let God. Know Him and enjoy Him forever. This is why we were created. This is the key to happiness. One day at a time.

"By a Sudden Conversion"- John Calvin

2010-02-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

Currently I'm editing and developing study guides for a series of our Pure Gold Classics that was written by John Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion. This has been a fascinating experience for me in so many ways.

Later this year Bridge-Logos Foundation will be producing a four-volume set of his writings. At present we have only one Pure Gold Classic by him, and it is entitled John Calvin: God the Creator and God the Redeemer. In future editions we will have four different Pure Gold Classics by him:

God the Creator
God the Redeemer
God the Holy Spirit
The Church of Jesus Christ

We need to view each author in the context of the times in which he or she wrote. For Calvin, the times were most difficult, indeed, for his teachings opposed some tenets and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, his life was threatened on more than one occasion.

These things had resulted from something that happend to Calvin in 1533. He wrote (in his Commentary on the Book of Psalms) these words to describe what happened to him: "God by a sudden conversion subdued and broght my mind to a teachable frame, which was more hardened in such matters than might have been expected from one at my early period of life [he was 24 years old at the time]. Having thus received some taste and knowledge of true godliness, I was immediately inflamed with so intense a desire to make progress therein, that although I did not altogether leave off my studies, yet I pursued them with less ardour."

Soon thereafter, he began to break away from the Roman Catholic Church and his reform work began.

After a long and successful career that was stalked by much opposition and many controversies, Calvin wrote these words when he felt his death was drawing near: "I do testify that I live and purpose to die in this faith which God has given me through His Gospel, and that I have no other dependence for salvation than the free choice which is made of me by Him. With my whole heart I embrace His mercy, through which all my sins are covered, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of His death and sufferings. According to the measure of grace granted unto me, I have taught this pure, simple, Word by sermons, by deeds, and by expositions of this Scripture. In all my battles with the enemies of truth I have not used sophistry, but have fought the good fight squarely and directly."

I thank God for John Calvin and all he did to uphold the Word of God and the principles of Christ.

Spring Line Up

2010-02-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

Spring will be here soon, we trust--a time of new life, new beginnings, and newness everywhere in nature. Here at Bridge-Logos Foundation we will be presenting some promising new titles in the spring:

1. The Power of God Thinking by Keith Powell. In this book you will learn how to renew your mind and change the way you think and view things. You will learn how to line your thoughts up with the Word of God.

2. Christ Is God's Everything for You by Harold J. Chadwick. Our Senior Editor shows you how to experience the fullness of Christ and His grace in every aspect of your life. Do you know who He is within you? Do you know who you are in Him?

3. Rekindle Your Dreams by Trish Porter. An Olympian teaches the reader how to become a champion in life by daring to dream and letting your dreams come true.
4. City of Refuge by Ashley King. This contemporary novel will thrill you, inspire you, challenge you, and help you in your spiritual walk.
5. Uncivil Society by Adam Mersereau. An attorney discusses government's war against God and the plight of the Christian citizen. There is something you can do to stem the tide!
6. Embezzlement by Kevin Cross. Kevin is a CPA who wrote Building Your Financial Fortress in 52 Days.
This is his life story, and it tells about the embezzlement he got involved in when he was a young man, how the Mafia got involved, how he ended up in prison, and how his life was completely turned around.

As you can see, each one of these books will make for great summer reading!

I thank God for His great faithfulness to Bridge-Logos Foundation. We're now in our 43rd year!

Presidents' Day

2010-02-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

Two of the most popular U.S. presidents were born in February--George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The holiday that celebrates their births is known as Presidents' Day.

During the War Between the States Lincoln said, "I am oftimes driven to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I have nowhere else to go."

We need to realize our total dependency upon God. Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

There is a chorus that is based on this truth from the Scriptures:

Without Him I can do nothing,
Without Him I'd surely fail,
Without Him I would be drifting,
Like a ship without a sail.

We must never forget that we need the Lord--every day, every hour, every minute. Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

The arm of flesh will fail us--even our own arm of flesh--but if we walk in the Spirit, realizing our total dependency upon Him, we shall prevail in prayer, in truth, in warfare, and in everything.

Here are some other significant presidential quotes:

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far" (Theodore Roosevelt).

"Business underlies everything in our national life, including our spiritual life. Witness the fact that in the Lord's Prayer, the first petition is for daily bread. No one can worship God or love his neighbor on an empty stomach" (Woodrow Wilson).

"More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginnings of all wars" (Franklin Delano Roosevelt).

"Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first, the most basic, expression of Americanism. Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor American way of life" (Dwight D. Eisenhower).

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country" (John F. Kennedy).

"Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skin, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact" (Lyndon Baines Johnson).

"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles" (Jimmy Carter).

"We are a nation of communities. . . all of them varied, voluntary, and unique. . . a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand point of light in a broad and peaceful sky" (George Bush).

Let me conclude with this statement from President Abraham Lincoln: "I do consider that I have never accomplished anything without God: and if it is His will that I must die by the hand of an assassin, I must be resigned. I must do my duty as I see it, and leave the rest to God."

Happy Presidents' Day!

"We're Talking Books"

2010-02-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

For several months now it has been my privilege to host our weekly radio show entitled, "We're Talking Books." We broadcast every Thursday afternoon at 2:00 EST from my office in Alachua, Florida. Most of the time my guests are authors of books that we've produced through Bridge-Logos Foundation.

Today I will be interviewing Darrel D. King, the author of E.M. Bounds Speaks to the Modern Church. I've met Darrel and I know him to be a true scholar. In fact, his research into the life and writings of E.M. Bounds, known as the "apostle of prayer," and a chaplain with the Confederate Army during the War Between the States, is impeccable, thorough, and accurate.

Recently, I've been reading our Pure Gold Classic, E.M. Bounds--the Classic Collection on Prayer. Here is one of the things Bounds said about prayer: "As our great example in prayer, our Lord puts love as a primary condition--a love that has purified the heart from all the elements of hate, revenge, and ill will. Love is the supreme condition of prayer, a life inspired by love. The 13th chapter of First Corinthians is the law of prayer as well as the law of love. The law of love is the law of prayer, and to master this chapter from the epistle of St. Paul is to learn the first and fullest condition of prayer."

Someone once said, "It's impossible to hate a person you're praying for." Did you ever consider love to be the supreme condition of prayer? It must be so, because through prayer we draw near to the One who is love, we express our love to Him, and we experience His love more fully. This is one of the reasons why we need to spend more time in prayer--it establishes us in love.

I look forward to my interview with Darrel King, and I hope you will be able to listen to it, as well. May God teach us how to draw closer to Him, to learn to hear His voice, and to delight in His love. Above all people, we are so very blessed. Why? It's simply because we know God loves us.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2010-01-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

This is Dr. King's birthday. He was a man that I admired greatly. I remember marching with thousands of others through the streets of Philadelphia on the day after he was assassinated.

Though his dream has not been fully realized, I'm sure he would be very pleased to know that the United States of America elected an African-American president.

Dr. King spoke these words in front of the Lincoln Memorial: "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to st down together at a table of brotherhood. . . .

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

"I have a dream today. . . .

"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

On Saturday my wife (Peggy) and I saw a wonderful movie entitled, "Blind Side." It is a very inspirational film that is based on true events. It helps to show how prejudice can be overcome. I highly recommend this motion picture to you.

Let's all work together to bring about a fulfillment of Dr. King's dream. It can happen when we put God first.

Human being tend to punish those who are different from them, but when we read the Bible, we discover that there really are no differences among us. We're all sinners. God loves each one of us. Jesus died for each person, regardless of his/her ethnic background. We are all one in Christ. In lowliness of mind we should each esteem others as being better than ourselves.

Let's keep Dr. King's dream going.

Our Identity in Christ

2009-12-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been thinking about what it means to be a member of God's royal family. As His son, I am a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, a prince in His royal family, a knight in His army, and a priest in His temple (and over my own family). These are sustaining truths in my walk with God.

It's so good to reflect upon our identity in Christ and also to reflect upon who He is in us. We are on orders from Headquarters, so to speak. Our true home is with our precious family in Heaven. The Bible says, "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of rigteousness" (Rom. 8:10).

Here is a wonderful promise that relates to our identity in Christ and His strength within us: "I can do all things through Christ which strentheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

I encourage you to read our Pure Gold Classic entitled Secret Power by D.L. Moody to learn more about these wonderful realities. So, put on the whole armor of God and walk in His power and strength, as you continue your mission on Earth. Remember, you are a royal child of God!

Success or Failure?

2009-12-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

Several years ago I spoke to a Mennonite pastor about my lack of success in life. His response, though at first somewhat hard to take, was, "What's this talk about success? You're a failure to begin with."

Think about that for a moment. It is similar to something Charles Colson wrote, "All my life I labored for success, wealth, acceptance, and power. The more I obtained, the less I discovered I had. Surrendering everything in absolute brokenness, however, was the beginning of finding the identity and purpose for which I had battled so hard. In giving up my life to Christ, I had found it."

Paul wrote, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Of course we cannot crucify ourselves. The way to die to our self-life is to surrender everything to God--our lives, our careers, our health, our finances, our future--literally everything. This is not easy either; however, it is much easier when we obey Paul's words: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).

The verse that follows the above verse tells us more about this process: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).

So failure is success in the Christian live and, in a sense, success (according to the world's standards) is failure. In this connection may I recommend that you read two of our Pure Gold Classics: Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross and Madame Jeanne Guyon. Both works point us to death to self and union with God.

Jesus Loves Me--This I Know

2009-11-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hugh Kerr writes this about the famous theologian Karl Barth: "When Barth gave his Princeton lectures in 1962. . . it was announced that he would receive questions from the audience if the questions were written out beforehand. One of my students said he wouldn't dare ask Karl Barth a question! It would be, he hinted, like tangling with Socrates. 'Why not?' I said. 'Ask him whether he thinks it makes any difference where you begin to study theology.' To my alarm, after one of the lectures, Barth read the student's question aloud and replied in words to the effect that, no, it doesn't make any difference where you start so long as Jesus Christ is at the center. It was also at this time, by the way, when someone asked Barth to distill the esseence of his magnum opus [the voluminous Church Dogmatica] in a few words, . . .he replied, 'Jesus loves me--this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'"

Yes, Jesus loves me, and He loves you, as well, with an everlasting love. This distillation of the core of Barth's teaching is perhaps the most important truth in the universe, and it comes from a children's chorus:

Little ones to Him belong: they are weak, but He is strong.
Jesus loves me, He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me! He will stay close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me, and some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

The Grace of God

2009-11-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Karl Barth wrote, "Grace creates liberated laughter. The grace of God in Jesus Christ is beautiful, and it radiates joy and awakens humor."

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ leads us into unspeakable joy that is full of glory. Through grace we learn that the joy of the Lord is our strength, and we experience the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, which is love, joy, peace, patience, meekness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control.

I like this description of grace: "Grace enables us to do what we could not do, be what we could not be, believe what we could not believe, and receive what we could not receive."

There are at least two Pure Gold Classics that have grace as their central subject: The Amazing Works of John Newton and All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon. I highly recommend both of these important works, and may God's grace fill you as you read them.

Spurgeon writes, "Oh, friend, God's great grace surpasses our understanding and comprehension. . . . God is able to pardon you abundantly. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. God's forgiveness is for those who are guilty."

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Have you received this marvelous gift?

"Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All-sufficient grace for even me.
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame;
O magnify the precious name of Jesus,
Praise His name!"
("Wonderful Grace of Jesus" by Haldor Lillenas)

It's a Wonderful Life

2009-11-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Soon the holidays will be upon us, and many people will watch the famous movie starring Jimmy Stewart: "It's a Wonderful Life." Life truly is wonderful for all who know the Lord Jesus Christ.

This afternoon I was thinking how wonderful it has been for me to have been a part of Bridge-Logos and its predecessors for so many years. It has now been forty-two years since Logos International Fellowship was founded in the back room of Bonded Jewelers in Plainfield, New Jersey. I began packing books in the shipping room of the company soon thereafter. I would work there after teaching school in nearby Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

The jewelry store was owned by Dan Malachuk, an elder of First Christian Assembly in Plainfield, and an International Director of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship. Dan had met Raphael Gasson, a former spiritualist who became a Christian. Dan learned that Mr. Gasson had a book that needed to be published and decided that he would take it upon himself to get it published. That book was The Challenging Counterfeit, which is no longer in print, but is available online.

A year or so later Dan published a blockbuster book that is still in print: Run Baby Run by Nicky Cruz with Jamie Buckingham. This book still sells well for us. In fact, we will be reprinting it in the near future. At the Full Gospel Business Men's International Convention at the Washington Hilton I met Jamie Buckingham, who was then a Southern Baptist pastor. John and Elizabeth Sherrill had suggested to Dan that Jamie would be a good writer to tell Nicky's story.

Soon thereafter Jamie was baptized in the Holy Spirit, and he has since become legendary. What a wonderful man he was. Jamie truly was a great teacher, a good person, an excellent writer, and a loving human being. He wrote many books, including the authorized biography of Kathryn Kuhlman, Daughter of Destiny, which we still carry. He went home to be with Jesus when he was a relatively young man.

So many of the people I knew in those days have gone on to glory. They are now enjoying the presence of the Lord in full measure, but I miss them. I look forward to seeing them again in Heaven: Dennis Bennett, Dan Malachuk, Harold Hill, John Wimber, Harold Bredesen, Kathryn Kuhlman, Willard Cantelon, Jamie Buckingham, and so many others. These folk were true trailblazers, who led thousands to the Lord and brought thousands into the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Willlard Cantelon, incidentally, wrote The Day the Dollar Dies, a book we recently republished. It is doing very well for us. Harold Hill wrote, How to Live Like a King's Kid, a book that's still in print and has always been one of my favorites.

Yes, its' a wonderful life, and it's made so much richer by contact with men and women like those I've mentioned above.

What Would Love Do?

2009-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I recorded one of our Pure Gold Classics--The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond. Do you know what Drummond regarded as the greatest thing in the world?

It is love, pure and simple, and his book does so much to help us understand the importance of love. He bases many of his thoughts on Paul's writing in 1 Corinthians 13.

The question, "What would Jesus do?" has become a popular phenomenon in Christian circles. This is based on another classic Christian work--In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. Sometimes, however, it seems impossible to know the answer to that question, particularly in some situations. So I've developed another question that is similar, and I've found this to be a very useful thing to ask: "What would love do?"

What would love do in any given situation we face? This may not be a question too difficult to answer in many situations. God is love, so when we ask this question, we are, in effect, asking, "What would God do?"

The Bible tells us that love is the fulfillment of the Law, and we are to walk in love, practicing it without any hyprocrisy. Let me share a few of the things that Drummond shares about love:

"Where love is, God is."
"Love hides even from itself."
"The deliberate verdict of the Lord Jesus [is] that it is better not to live than not to love."
"The one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love."

Dwight L. Moody loved Drummond's book, and so do I. In fact, I urge you to read it as soon as possible, for it shares vital truths for Christian life and victory.

No matter what your situation is, ask yourself, "What would love do?" And remember, love truly is the greatest thing in the world.

E.M. Bounds Speaks to the Modern Church

2009-10-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

We have recently published a book that was written by an E.M. Bounds scholar, Darrel King. It is entitled E.M. Bounds Speaks to the Modern Church. I heartily recommend this book to you.

Bounds was known quite accurately as a prophet of prayer. He wrote, "Activity may spring from spiritual strength. It does spring from spiritual weakness. The mistake of working more than we pray is the mistake of being too busy to eat, a killing process.The spiritual motivation of service comes out of intimacy with holy God. As people will be obedient to Jesus and go into their prayer closet and there God reveals himself to them in secret and His plans and direction for their life, they will be about His good bidding and about His good work with the blessing and anointing power of holy God. But activity coming out of the prayer closet will be of God; otherwise it can be totally amiss."

Bounds stresses the importance of intimacy with God in all his books, including our Pure Gold Classic, The Classic Collection on Prayer by E. M. Bounds. I am currently reading this book in order to learn more about prayer. I'm fairly certain that this book is one of the most comprehensive works on prayer that has ever been written.

We need to learn to spend more time in our prayer closets where we can develop initmacy with God, our Father. As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. In the prayer closet, we will learn to hear His voice and experience His presence. The Bible says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. . . . For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place" (Psalm 91:1-9, NASB).

Have you made the Lord your refuge? Is He your dwelling place? How intimate are you with Him? As Bounds points out, these are important needs of the modern church.

Spiritual Beings

2009-10-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

It's true! We're on orders from Headquarters, and we are princes and princesses in the Kingdom of God. This world is not our home. While we're here, however, we are expected to be ministers of reconciliation, reconciling people to God.

Furthermore, we are ambassadors for Christ.

As my grandmother neared her 100th birthday, she kept saying, "I want to go home." I am convinced that she was not referring to her earthly home in Weston, West Virginia, but to her heavenly home.

A few years ago I helped Choo Thomas write her best-selling book, Heaven Is So Real, in which she shared her experiences with the Lord in Heaven. Similarly, Bridge-Logos has published Heaven Tours by Rita Bennett, which shares the experiences of other visitors to Heaven.

Yes, Heaven is real. It is our home and, as the old chorus tells us, "It is better than this."

Let's remember that we're spiritual beings having a human experience. That perspective truly changes everything.

The Heaviest Burden of All

2009-10-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

The great author Madeleine L'Engle wrote, "I would like to travel light on this journey of life, to get rid of the encumbrances I acquire each day. . . .The most difficult thing to let go is my self, that self which, coddled and cozened, becomes smaller as it becomes heavier. I don't understand how and why I come to be only as I lost myself, but I know from long experience that this is so." (From The Irrational Season, 1977.)

Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" (Luke9:22-24, KJV).

Death to self. Losing our lives. Letting go of self. We can't know true peace or experience true freedom until we get rid of the heaviest burden of all--the self.

Where Is the Love?

2009-10-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

God is love, and Christianity involves faith expressing itself through love. A little child asked President Obama, "Why do people hate you?"

Many people, including some Christians, do seem to hate the president. According to my reading of the Scriptures, this is clearly wrong.

I think our job is to pray for him. What do you think?

To be true agents of change in our society, believers need to walk in the light, not darkness; to walk in love, not hate and animosity; to be salt, not pepper; and to stand for biblical principles wherever possible.

Many of the motives we see manifested in politics in all political parties have deep roots in pride, lust, greed, and all sorts of corruption. That's unfortunate, but we don't live in a perfect world. We need to remember that the only way this world will change is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord said, "Follow me," and this is what we must do, as we learn to walk in love in all our dealings with others.

Do you love President Obama? Do you pray for him?

2012--Is This the End?

2009-10-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

My new book, 2012--Is This the End?--is causing many to think seriously about the end times. In this book I've looked at various prophecies and predictions related to the end of the world and/or the beginning of a new world. The research was fascinating. I looked at what the following groups, cultures, writings, and individuals had to say:

The Mayans

The Q'ero Inca Shamans

The Toltecs

The Aztecs

The Book of Changes (the I Ching)

The Hopi Indians

The Cherokees

Merlin the Magician

Mother Shipton

Nostradamus

Saint Malachy (the Last-pope Prophecy)

Roman Catholic Prophecies

Hinduism
Buddhism
Zorastrianism
Science
Islam
Judaism
The Web Bot Project

The Holy Bible

This book will thrill you, inspire you, enlighten you, and inform you of what might happen in the very near future. It might even possibly frighten you. However, my ultimate goal is to show you what Jesus and the Bible have to say about the end times. My prayer is that many will turn their lives over to Jesus as a result of reading this book.

The release of 2012--Is This the End? coincides fairly closely with the release of a Columbia motion picture entitled, "2012," which will be shown in theaters in November, 2009. I hope you will both read the book and see the film, which will be filled with dramatic special effects concerning the end of the world.

Jesus told us to be aware of the seasons and to be looking for the signs of the end times. I believe that many, if not most or even all of the Bible's prophecies about the last days, have already been fulfilled. In light of this I think we should be watching and praying, as Jesus advised us to do.

Do you think the world will come to an end in 2012? Please give me your comments.

Who Is the Best Candidate?

2008-09-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

As Americans prepare to vote for the next President of the United States on November 4, 2008, many things are going through our minds, not the least of which involves the issue of faith and its effect upon the candidates' positions regarding key issues. The question, "Who is the best candidate?" is being debated far and wide and even, in many cases, within the individual minds of the voters. Have you made up your mind yet?

Both of the presidential candidates have expressed faith in Jesus Christ. During Rick Warren's interview with both men, John McCain said, "I am saved and forgiven," and Barack Obama went into a bit more detail about his personal relationship with Christ. Joe Biden is a Roman Catholic who grew up in a very pro-life area: Scranton, PA. And Sarah Palin has Pentecostal leanings and expresses her conservative, evangelical stance quite articulately.

In the early days of Logos International Fellowship, the forerunner of the present company, Bridge-Logos, we published a series of "instant books," including People's Temple--People's Tomb, which was published within a month after the infamous mass-suicide that took place in
Guyana. We also published The Miracle of Jimmy Carter a few months prior to Carter's election as the President of the United States. A few years later we published Regan in Pursuit of the Presidency. Both Carter and Reagan were elected, and both expressed faith in Jesus Christ.

I am pleased to announce that in just a few weeks Bridge-Logos will be releasing another "instant book"--Sarah Palin--Faith, Family, Country. This is an interesting book about the Republican vice-presidential candidate, who is clearly a devout Christian and someone who will incorporate Christian values in her decision making. Though she worshiped for many years in an Assembly of God, Sarah would prefer to be known as a Bible-believing Christian rather than as a Pentecostal.

This is an interesting election year, to be sure. Several key issues will be influencing voters, not the least of which is the faltering economy. The war in Iraq has become less significant to many in light of issues related to the economy. Abortion and same-sex marriages, of course, remain important issues to believers, but it would appear that the economy has taken center stage even for many believers.

Does it necessarily follow that a good Christian will make a good presdent?
How much should one's faith influence his or her decision making in office?
What does the doctrine of the separation of church and state mean to you?
What is the most important issue to you?
Which candidate seems to be closest to your own personal value system?
Who is the best candidate?

Perhaps you'll be able to answer some of these questions after the presidential debate that is scheduled for Friday, September 26.
One thing's for sure: we need to be praying for our nation.
Paul writes, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable lif ein all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour" (1 Timothy 2:1-3, KJV).
May God bless America!

What Is Truth?

2008-08-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Jesus said, ". . . and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me" (John 18:37, NIV).

Pontius Pilate responded, "What is truth?" Echoes from this rhetorical question continue to ring in human hearts around the world. Indeed, this is a very deep and philosophical question that demands an answer.

Now, I don't hope to provide a complete analysis of truth is this blog, but I do know that it is an important theme throughout the Bible. In fact, God has said many things about truth, and I've included some of them here:

Jesus is truth. (John 14:6)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. (John 16:13)
The truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
God's Word is a Word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
We are to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
God wants us to have truth within our inner man. (Psalm 51:6)
The way of truth is a choice. (Psalm 119:30)
We need to speak the truth in love. (Ephesisans 4:15)

The above statements represent only a small portion of what the Bible has to say about truth--a very important subject in God's eyes, to be sure.

Abraham Lincoln said, "The truth is your very best friend, no matter what the circumstances." Why? Truth entails honesty, good faith, openness, and sincerity. It results in a superior quality of life.

This we know: our Lord Jesus was a teacher of truth, and He embodied truth. He always bore witness to the truth. He is the personification of truth, and from Him we learn what truth really is. Jesus' whole life was consumed with the truth--a very important concept to Him.

Pope Benedict XVI has explored the relationship of truth with tolerance, conscience, freedom, and religion. He writes, "Beyond all particular questions, the real problem lies in the question of truth." He has suggested that truth and love are identical, and he said that truth is "the surest guarantee of tolerance."

I think there is a very close correlation between love and truth, for one cannot walk in love without seeking truth and being truthful. Likewise, one cannot live in truth without being a loving and giving individual.

What, then, is truth? It is a way of life in which one strives to be free from duplicity and guile in any form. There can be no compromises about truth. The person who chooses to live in truth has put all lies and falsehoods behind him/her.

Let's say that a person sins or commits a serious error of some sort. The guilt that follows the act suggests to him/her that there is a way to find freedom from the sin or error, and that way is the way of truth. By speaking the truth in love (for oneself and others) he or she truly is set free. "Yes, I did it, and I'm sorry," is the best of all possible responses in such a situation. It is far better than lying or trying to hide from the facts or endeavoring to cover them up.

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6, NIV). So, seek the truth, and you shall find it. "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Proverbs 23:23, KJV). "Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). As you do these things, the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of truth--". . . will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13, KJV).

Remember, the truth is your best friend, no matter what the circumstances.

Obedience and Blessing

2008-08-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

Did you know that God is blessing you? Actually, He has already blessed you with every spiritual blessing! (See Ephesians 1:3.) It is possible for each of us to walk in the blessing, anointing, favor, grace, presence, and glory of God each day. What is the key to such blessedness?

"All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and when you go out" (Deuteronomy 28:2-6).

Obeying the Lord is the key to great blessing in our lives. Our loving Father loves to bless us, His precious children. In fact, He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. (See James 1:17.) He knows what you have need of even before you express it to Him. (See Matthew 6:8.) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
Are you ready to see all that God will do when you step out in faith and obedience? Are you prepared to be blessed exceedingly, abundantly above all that you can ask or think? (See Ephesians 3:20.)

"Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus." Happiness comes from being blessed. God loves to bless you, as you respond to Him in trusting obedience.

May the rich blessings of God be your portion today.

ICRS--Orlando, Florida, 2008

2008-08-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last month several of my Bridge-Logos associates and I attended the ICRS Convention in Orlando, Florida. It was a very busy time for our company. We welcomed visitors to the convention with our appealing booth that had a large lighthouse in the center and Adirondack chairs for comfortable seating. We were pleased to receive numerous comments about the attractiveness of our booth, and we took many orders from booksellers from around the world. We were fortunate to have one of the best--if not the best--locations for our booth; it was right at the front entrance!

It was so good to see old friends and make new friends while we were there. I believe this was my 25th time at the convention, which used to be held in diverse places, including Atlantic City, Washington, Dallas, New Orleans, and Anaheim. Now it seems that Atlanta, Denver, and Orlando are the show's primary locations. Next year we will be going to Denver in July.

My wife, Peggy, joined me at the convention for the first time in many years, and she was able to meet a worship leader whose ministry has meant so much to her. His name is Roy Fields, and he is one of the main worship leaders at the Lakeland Outpouring. She even got one of his CDs. I think it's safe to say that this encounter with Roy made her day.

It was gratifying to see booksellers examining our products with great interest. Our new titles, our top-twenty bestsellers, and our Pure Gold Classics grabbed the attention of numerous customers, many of whom placed orders for large quantities of our books. In fact, several took the whole line of classics, and this enabled them to receive an end-cap display for the books.

Five of our authors were at the convention, as well--Margaret English, Brad Henry, JoAnna Ward, David Balsiger, and Donna Kafer. Incidentally, Brad (who is the author of Destination: the Winner's Circle) was interviewed by "Good Morning, America," and the taping of that interview is scheduled to air this Sunday morning on ABC-TV. (August 3, 2008) I hope to be able to watch it. Brad is an on-fire Christian who desires to minister to fellow-believers around the world.

One very memorable experience for me at the convention was my interview with men from a television network in India. The pastor of one of these men was martyred by Hindus a few years back, and his story is told in our best-selling book, Foxe: Voices of the Martyrs. I was very moved to hear this member of the pastor's church tell me about how wonderful the pastor was and how his attackers had killed him simply because he had passed out a tract to someone. They went so far as to pour acid down his throat! We were happy to be able to present a couple of complimentary copies of the book to him and the presentation was taped for viewing in India.

Though attendance was down somewhat at the show, spirits were high. God blessed, and we thank Him for His great faithfulness to our company, which will is celebrating its 41rst anniversay this year.

Congratulations, Dr. Cho!

2008-07-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dr. David Yong-gi Cho is celebrating his fiftieth year in ministry this year. To commemorate this momentous occasion Bridge-Logos has published Dr. David Yonggi Cho--Ministering Hope fo 50 Years. This is an interesting and informative partial autobiography of a truly great man. The photos that are interspersed throughout this book give us glimpses of Dr. Cho and his family through the various stages of his life.

What a blessing this good man has been to the Body of Christ. He is the pastor of the world's largest church--the Yoido Full Gospel Central Church, and he is the author of several best-selling classic works that deal with life in the Fourth Dimension--the spiritual realm. It has been my honor to serve as the editor of many of Dr. Cho's books through the years.

I just want to take this opportunity to wish Dr. Cho the very best as he embarks on his second half-century of ministry. There is no doubt that his teachings and his books will have a lasting impact within the Body of Christ.

God bless you, Dr. Cho!

Where Do You Find Your Security?

2008-06-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

This morning I watched the network news. This is usually a mistake, because the news seems to be less-than-inspiring, negative, and downright frightening on a daily basis. Today, for example, I learned about the rising cost of gasoline, a young man who had been decapitated on a roller coaster, the mobilization of more troops for our country's war efforts, the increased fares on airlines, and the faltering stock market. One prognosticator believes we're entering a "bear market," and a severe recession, which will get worse and worse. Let's hope these prophets of doom are not putting forth self-fulfilling prophecies that will come forth from the seeds of expectation that the newscasters and political pundits are planting in our minds.

We have just released a wonderful new book by M. Denise Baccus. It is entitled Preparing Yourself for God's Promises. This uplifting and helpful book points the reader to the promises of God, which are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. (See 2 Corinthians 1:20.) It is better to prepare to receive God's promises than to prepare to receive the negative words of the world. You can believe and receive the promises of God, such as this one from Jeremiah, which forms the main thesis of Denise's book: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Christian life gives us so much more than the trite platitude: "Expect the best, but prepare for the worst!" Let's expect the best and prepare for the best. This is the central message of this new book by Denise Baccus. God wants you to have peace, and He has a wonderful plan for your life.

You and I can be promise-reapers by believing and receiving all God has in store for us. Even though the economy is in a downturn, natural disasters are wreaking havoc around the world, dark clouds of war continue to fill the sky, and terrorism is working its evils in so many places, we can find security in our God and His Word.

Where does your security lie? Do you find your sense of security in your bank accounts? In your 401-K plan? In your own talents and abilities? In your friends and loved ones? In your education? In your possessions? Or do you find your true sense of security in God alone?

Insecurity robs us of the peace God gives to us. It makes us ineffectual in the work of the Lord. We need to remember that the Lord is our stronghold, our high tower, our fortress, our sure defense, our hope, our confidence, our Rock, and our everything. He is our only true source of security in this world. Let me encourage you to go to Him for the security you need, to read His Word in the mornings instead of watching the news, to believe and receive all His promises in your life, and to fellowship with Him every day.

The Bible says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).

Where do you find your security?

The Fear Factor

2008-06-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Just today a new book that we are publishing arrived in our warehouse here in Alachua, Florida. It is entitled The Fear Factor. The author is Akeem Shomade, a pastor in London who was born in Nigeria to a Muslim family. He met Jesus Christ and accepted Him as his personal Savior and Lord. Not surprisingly, he had to work his way through his personal fear of deserting and betraying his Muslim roots.

So many people today grapple with "the fear factor" on a daily basis. Fear comes to people in a variety of forms: fear of death, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of people, fear of illness, fear of terrorism, fear of public speaking, fear of snakes, fear of change, and on and on. Are you full of fear, or are you full of love? Love, as Shomade points out, cancels out the power of fear in a person's life.

He writes, "The Bible says, 'There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love' (1 John 4:18).

"This tells us that godly love is the antidote to fear. When we fight each other, leading to stress, migraines, and loss of joy, it is because we are not walking in forgiveness; and pride has taken root in our hearts. Light and darkness cannot co-habit, so when pride and discord move into the very place where the Spirit of God lives, love disappears.

"The spiritual prescription for living abundantly and flowing fully in the fruit of the Spirit is mentioned in Galatians 5:22--to specialize in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we do this, fear evaporates and takes a permanent leave of absence. Jesus also encourages us to specialize in love (Mark 12:30). The Bible tells us that God is love. Our heavenly Father demonstrated His unconditional love for mankind by giving His only Son to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.

"Love will position us for the indwelling and inflowing of the Holy Spirit because love is the nature of God. As we operate in God's nature, we have access to His supernatural power."

Yes, Akeem Shomade has found the secret of spiritual power--walking in love. This is what gives us power over fear. Actually, there are only two emotions in the human condition--love and fear. All other feelings stem from one or the other of those two.

Guilt, for example, stems from fear. Joy, on the other hand, stems from love. Let's learn to walk in love toward God, others, and ourselves. As we do so, all fear will leave us. This is a wonderful truth to ponder and a vital power to tap into.

So, walk in love and share it with all you meet.

Pure Gold Classics

2008-06-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Have you read any of our books in the Pure Gold Classics series? We now have more than thirty different titles in this, our signature line. These books contain a biography of the author, interesting illustrations, an audio-excerpts CD, study guides, a timeline, and updated versions of the authors' writings.

This remarkable collection includes the works of Andrew Murray, R.A. Torrey, Madame Jeane Guyon, Brother Lawrence, Saint Augusinte, Saint John of the Cross, Hannah Whitall Smith, C.H. Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas a Kempis, A.W. Pink, William Law, William Wilberforce, A.W. Tozer, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, Charles M. Sheldon, Fenelon, E.M. Bounds, A.B. Simpson, Henry Drummond, John Calvin, and John Wesley. Isn't it great to know that these great men and women of God are still speaking to believers through these outstanding classics?

I'm happy to report that we will be releasing two new classics this summer: The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does by R.A. Torrey and Walking With God--the Andrew Murray Trilogy on Sanctification, which is actually three books in one: Waiting on God, Working for God, and Be Perfect. These two books are shining containers of the riches of Jesus Christ, and I know you will be blessed by reading them.

Let me conclude this entry by quoting from The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink: "How different is the God of the Bible from the God of modern Christianity! The image of God that is embraced most widely today, even among those who say they believe the Bible, is a miserable misrepresentation and an offensive mockery of the truth. The God of our times is a helpless, weak, and delicate being who commands the respect of no really intelligent person. The God of the modern Christian is the creation of sappy sentimentality and an object of pity rather than of awe-inspiring reverence."

Though Pink wrote these words early in the twentieth century, I fear they still hold true in many circles today. May we return to a view of God that will enable us to see Him as He really is--the sovereign Ruler of the universe, our heavenly Father, and the very essence of our being. May we return to the sense of reverence and adoration that our Creator deserves. He is so worthy of all our honor, devotion, respect, and worship, and He seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. (See John 4:23.)

Let us endeavor to glorify God in all that we say, think, and do.

Dr. Phil

2008-06-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have a personal friend who is affectionately known as "Dr. Phil." This friend is not the counselor we see on TV, however. My friend is Dr. Phil Goldfedder, a neurosurgeon whose books and ministry are known around the world. I had the privilege of serving as his editor in the preparation of two of his books--Healing Is Yours and Lean God's Way.

Dr. Phil has established a Christian alternative healing ministry that is based in South Carolina. The website for this outreach is http://www.healingisyours.com/ Let me encourage you to visit his website and learn about his ministry, his books, and his CDs. I can assure you that you will be blessed as you do so.

Several years ago Phil was miraculously healed of intractable foot pain in a church service in Florida. At that time he was a Jewish neurosurgeon, and he did not know Jesus as his personal Savior. Now he knows Jesus as both his Savior and Lord, and he realizes that Jesus Christ is the Great Physician of our souls and bodies.

He has a great passion to reach the lost and to help people know that they are healed by the stripes of Jesus. His radical teachings on healing have brought health and victory to thousands of people. You will be blessed by his testimony and the testimonies of all those who have received healing through his ministry.

I want to encourage you to let God speak to you through Dr. Phil's books and teachings. There is a very good possibility that your life will be completely changed as you do so.

The Only Thing That Counts

2008-06-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

The New International Version of the Bible says, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Galatians 5:8). This verse reminds me of what Jesus said to Martha: "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-41, NIV). What was Jesus referring to? He was saying that Mary was spending time with Him, learning from Him, and enjoying a personal relationship with Him. This is the essence of love--the only thing that counts, the "most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31).

Knowing that God loves you is the most important fact in the universe. He loves you with an everlasting love. Paul writes, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Romans 5:8, NIV). Yes, there's a clear connection between love and hope as well as love and faith; we see this in 1 Corinthians 13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV). Let the Holy Spirit pour out His love into your heart.

Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV). I thank Jesus for helping us to see that the Christian life is always centered on love. It's true that love is the only thing that counts, that love is the most excellent way, that love is the greatest quality of all, and that love is the fulfillment of God's law. When we are coming from love, it is certain that we will obey the Lord. Jesus said, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love" (John 15:9, NIV).

Therefore, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8, NIV). Remember this as you endeavor to walk in love: those who are the hardest to love probably need it the most.

God loves you!

God loves you. May you experience His love more and more each day.