Many are actively praying for Leading The Way's revival event in Jakarta, Indonesia next week. The planning committee and intercessors joined together in Jakarta this week to pray over the event. 

As we unite with them in prayers, they have asked for us to pray this revival meeting is not an isolated event in Jakarta, but a spark of the Lord to ignite countless other revival meetings and gatherings throughout Indonesia. Pray revival will spread like wildfire throughout the nation, leading to lasting spiritual change. 

May the Lord draw all hearts in the nation of Indonesia to Himself as the Son of Man is lifted up in the nation's capital city and broadcast live throughout the nation on the LIFE channel!

You may also watch the event live from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on May 23rd - May 25th on www.LeadingTheWay.org.

On May 1, 2013, THE KINGDOM SAT began to broadcast on the popular Palapa D satellite, which reaches all of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation of 240 million people. Now, for the first time in history, the Indonesian people have free-to-air Television access via satellite to over 50 evangelical preachers, all handpicked by Leading The Way for their commitment to sound biblical teaching.

Leading The Way has been actively broadcasting in Indonesia for years through radio, television and a large Navigator distribution project. The latest expansion of THE KINGDOM SAT will contribute significantly to the mission of Leading The Way to Revival throughout Indonesia. 

Would you join us in praying for our ministry outreach in Indonesia, including our upcoming revival in Jakarta?  May the Lord be glorified in our work together in Indonesia and around the world.

“… and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” Acts 1:8-9.

On May 9th, Indonesian Christians joined others around the world to celebrate Ascension Day. Before ascending to heaven, the Lord Jesus’ last call to His followers is a commission to bear the Good News to the world. One way to be His witness “to the ends of the earth” is to partner with Leading The Way.

PRAYING FOR INDONESIA REVIVAL

In just two weeks, Leading The Way to Revival begins in Jakarta!

Preparations are well under way. Intercessory teams are praying all over the world, in Indonesia, Australia, America, and even in the Middle East.

In Jakarta, the organizing team representing many different denominations is working together, mobilizing 300 prayer intercessors, 100 ushers, 300 counselors, 150 security guards, dozens of singers, musicians and many others working behind the scenes to get the Istora stadium ready for the 3 big nights.

The 3 night event will be 6:00 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. Jakarta time and will be telecast live throughout Indonesia via LIFE Channel by Indovision, worldwide via THE KINGDOM SAT, and through the Internet via www.leadingtheway.org

It is still not too late to participate in this historic outreach event in Indonesia. Even if you can’t go, you can still make a difference by praying for and supporting Leading The Way to Revival 2013.

Have you ever suffered from a bad attitude—not just a short-term bad mood, but an all-encompassing negative view on life? When we neglect our relationship with Christ, our thoughts become influenced by our sinful human nature instead of being guided by the Holy Spirit. When we forget to draw on God’s power to lead our hearts, we quickly succumb to bad attitudes. We become impatient and selfish. We whine when things do not go our way. We become dissatisfied with where God has placed us. We grumble against God’s will for our lives. We complain about our families, friends, other believers and our spiritual leaders.

How quickly we forget the joy of our salvation. When we accepted Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit gave us overwhelming joy. Do you remember how you felt on the day you became a Christian? Were you so overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s love and mercy that you wanted to shout to the world what God had done for you? That bliss was never meant to be a one-time gift. God wants us to experience His joy every day for the rest of our lives. We must work to keep it strong.

At the core of our joy is our relationship with Christ and our obedience to Him. When our joy begins slipping and we begin to grumble against God, it is a sure sign we are trying to do things our own way. We are no longer drawing on God’s power, but are trying to rely on our own strength. As we drift further from Christ, joy decreases and misery increases.

A bad attitude is a significant enough problem when it affects our personal walk with Christ and steals our joy. But a far greater consequence of our grumbling is the effect it has on others in our lives, including the nonbeliever. When we allow our bad attitudes to eclipse our joy, we not only hurt ourselves, it hurts our testimony for Christ. Who would be attracted to the Christian faith when Christians are miserable, complaining, and bitter? Why would someone want to come to a church when its members bicker, gossip, and backbite against each other?

As Christians, we have a serious responsibility to witness for Christ. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We may think we are containing our grumbling and murmuring to ourselves, but the attitude of our hearts will show in how we treat others, the things we say, and in our actions. When we forget our joy, our testimony is no longer about the glory of God but about our own misery.

How do we live as positive testimonies for Christ? We show our faith through our conduct, the way we live, our obedience to Christ and in the joy that our relationship with our Creator brings us. As we follow Christ each day, we manifest the fruit of the Spirit and radiate our eternal joy. When we are walking in obedience to Him, He will continuously pour His power into our lives. The world will see the power of the Resurrection in us as we are transformed more and more each day in Christ-likeness. When His power is fully at work in us, our joy will be infectious, and others will want to know Jesus.

We recently received a request from an intercessory prayer group. They have been praying fervently for the Leading The Way to Revival in Indonesia. They asked us to outline specific prayer requests. We shared them with the group and we also want to share these with you, our supporters, to unite our prayers:

1. Pray For Receptivity to Christ and Against Spiritual Strongholds. Spiritually, Indonesia has been filled with various religions over the past 2,000 years all that have resisted the entry of Christianity. Historically, nationalistic aspirations and resistance to the Dutch Colonial powers, who ruled Indonesia for 330 years, fueled the opposition to Christianity as a Colonial and "Western" religion. Many of these religious strongholds and paradigms continue to resist the Gospel today, but we know the Holy Spirit of God is more powerful than any stronghold and we ask Him to tear them down in Jesus' name.

2. Pray for God's Protection and Against Threats of Violence and Persecution. In recent years, as the Gospel has advanced by God's grace and power, and many have converted to Christianity, there has been an inevitable reaction. At times, the opposition has been hostile and very violent. This has resulted in attacks against churches, bombings of public places, killing of Christians and other violent opposition. 

Ask the Lord to protect the organizers, the speakers, the singers and musicians, the production team, the participants, the ushers, the security guards, the intercessory prayer group, the attendees -- and the stadium venue and the communication lines for live broadcast from any dangerous or hostile opposition during the days leading up to and during the revival meeting dates. 

3. Pray For Clear Paths and Against Obstacles. On a practical level, there are many obstacles that could prevent people from getting to the stadium for the revival meetings. Jakarta is a huge city of 12 million people notorious for its nasty traffic jams, inadequate public transportation, and torrential rains. All can easily bring the city to a standstill. Heavy rain or road blockages can triple or quadruple the travel time for many people to two to three hours, making it hard for them to attend. May the Lord bless us with passable roads and favorable weather.

4. Pray For a Mighty Move of the Spirit and Against the Powers of Darkness.  We pray for the teaching each night to touch the hearts of those who attend and others who will be watching the live TV broadcasts. Pray that there will be a bountiful harvest of souls each night to the glory of Christ Jesus.  

Thank you for joining us in Spirit-led prayer for this vital Gospel outreach!

On the National Day of Prayer, I would like to share something I wrote during our God Save America campaign. I pray it is an encouragement to you both today and into the future as you pray for our nation.

There are hurting people all around us who are constantly searching for fulfillment and satisfaction. They are firmly convinced that the next relationship, financial windfall or personal achievement will provide the elusive fulfillment and satisfaction they are seeking.

If you listen to the media today, you would think this is a new phenomenon that has happened as a result of our fast-moving technological society. Not true. The desperation for fulfillment is as old as the Garden of Eden.

Hurting people are living next door to us. They are in the office down the hall. They are at the gym. They are in our schools and universities. On the outside, they may look like they have it together and are having a great time, but deep down they have an inner longing for fulfillment and the peace of mind that only Jesus can offer.

Jesus reaches out to these people through us. As the church, we are His body and we should be actively sharing the hope we have in Christ with those He has entrusted to us. Not only has He given us the honor of sharing with those next door, He has blessed us abundantly in this country to reach those around the world—some who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ.

The answer to our national crisis and the crises we see around the world is not political. It is spiritual. People need the Savior and they need to hear about Him from His people. When hearts are changed, nations will follow.

I would like you to continue to pray with me that our churches will be lights for Christ to their communities and the nations. We have been entrusted with a great treasure and we must share it.

Thank you for continuing to pray with me for God to save America. You are truly a blessing to many.

In Him,

Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Are your circumstances weighing you down? Do you feel trapped in your present situation? If so, you may be searching for a way out of your suffering. You may be vainly trying to find relief and solace in the flawed solutions of this world. Yet, as we learn from the apostle Paul, God is the only solution to our struggles.

For years, Paul struggled with what he called “a thorn in my flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Scholars have theorized about what this might have been, but no one knows for sure what Paul faced. We do, however, know that it was mentally and physically exhausting for Paul. Perhaps because we aren’t certain what it was, we can relate more to Paul’s struggle as we compare it to our own.

In the midst of his pain and suffering, Jesus spoke directly to Paul, reassuring him of His watchcare. “Three times,” says Paul, “I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

Few of us like to think of ourselves as being weak. We like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient, even in our spirituality. We think we need to be strong in our Christian walk, so when sorrow comes, we strike out against it. When faced with discouragement, we draw back in fear. In the face of disappointments, we become angry, wondering if God has forgotten us. But He hasn’t, and He won’t.

God didn’t forget nor dismiss Paul’s thorn, and He won’t overlook ours. He uses life’s stresses—physical and emotional—to draw us closer to Him. He can speak to us and show us how and where His grace is most efficient.

God could have eliminated Paul’s struggle in a moment. But He knew that Paul would receive the greater blessing and the greater lesson by learning to rely on God’s perfect strength through his difficulties. God knew that His grace would not manifest nor shine in a strong and self-sufficient person like it would in a man who suffered in weakness.

Rather than removing Paul’s distress, God used it to strengthen His servant and teach him about His faithfulness in all circumstances. By trusting the Savior, Paul learned so much about mercy and grace. He discovered that no matter what he faced, God’s power and grace were available to him.

Paul wrote, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Do you find yourself stretched to the breaking point today? Even if you believe “I can’t take another day of this. I just need to leave, to escape, to begin again,”—you can’t outrun God. When you are faced with hardship, you need to run toward Him, not away from His love.

No matter what you face, God’s grace is sufficient. His power is revealed and made perfect through your weakness. Never be ashamed to cry out to the Lord. He listens for you and will come to you, fulfilling the promise of His matchless, perfect grace.

Michael Youssef recorded the following invitation for the Indonesia Revival.  It is being distributed on television stations across Indonesia.  Please continue praying for God to draw many to this exciting outreach event in Jakarta.

Promotional posters, like below, are being shared throughout Indonesia to promote the three-day revival event. 

If you or someone you know would like to attend the event in Indonesia, please visit www.indonesiarevival.org or email us for more information. 

Recently, 25 members of the Leading The Way to Revival organizing committee led by Nus Reimas and Robinson Nainggolan attended a half day meeting to report on and discuss preparations for the May event.

The meeting began and ended with prayer, joining with over 300 fervent prayer intercessors who have been praying daily for the event in eight different locations in Jakarata, including the venue. 

Pastor Reimas began with a time of devotion during which he reminded everyone that this is the Lord's revival and we, as His children, rely on His grace, guidance and providence to set the tone for the revival. The Lord will grant the courage to organize, publicize and host this event.

We thank the Lord the Jakarta police permit has been received and we continue to pray the final step in the permission process will be completed soon when the Ministry of Religion gives their approval for Dr. Youssef to speak.

The committee discussed many things including promotion, program, logistics, multimedia and stage logistics, hospitality, security, displays, prayers, and more.

To date over 500 churches have been contacted and the local team has another 2,000 to contact. Over 50,000 flyers have been distributed. Several churches have already committed to sending their people and their choirs to sing at the event and the committee plans to run 40 buses from different points in Jakarta to the event site. Please pray churches would reach out beyond their church walls to invite their neighbors, co-workers and friends who are not Christians to the event.

Many have watched the TV advertisements and there has been good print media coverage. Many are asking about Dr. Youssef and his ministry and excitement growing. This is encouraging for the team.

As a fun side note, 70 shofar blowers will announce the opening of the revival meetings.

There is still so much to do, and many loose ends to be tied up. Please pray for the organizing team and all of the faithful volunteers who are helping us to host this large outreach event. We thank God so many are working hard to get the job done, for His glory.

Indonesia is a 17,000 island nation where Leading The Way (Dia Buka Jalan) programs are broadcast through two television channels, one satellite and one cable, and over 40 FM and AM radio stations. 

When THE KINGDOM SAT is launched in this area within the next month, by God's grace, it will reach an even wider audience in Indonesia--the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.

If you would like to help us support this outreach effort, your gifts to our international fund will help us to passionately proclaim the uncompromising Truth of Christ through vital international outreach efforts. 

The organizing committee for Leading The Way to Revival in Indonesia hosted a press conference recently to promote the event through Indonesian media sources.  Organizing chair, Nus Reimas, answered questions from the media on the event.

When asked why the event would be unique and why now was the time, Dr. Reimas answered, "Dr. Youssef's Middle Eastern background and the Arabic flavor of the event will challenge Indonesian thinking. In Indonesia, Arabic tends to only be associated with one religion, not Christianity. Also, Dr. Youssef's messages will be cumulative--a three-day event, not three one-day events. Finally, we waited until now to do it because we waited for the Lord's timing. The door opened in Indonesia and the Lord has prepared us to walk through the open door."

Please join us in prayer for this event and for the organizing committee as they continue to step through open doors of opportunity for the Gospel.

If you would like to help us support this outreach effort, your gifts to our international fund will help us to passionately proclaim the uncompromising Truth of Christ through the Indonesia revival and other vital international outreach efforts. 

THE KINGDOM SAT, a 24/7 satellite television channel, was launched in 2009 to reach the lost and equip the saints with sound Biblical teaching in English, Arabic and French to the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe. Today, four years later, THE KINGDOM SAT has expanded to reach five regions of the world with Biblical encouragement from 50 ministries through five satellite platforms.

Each broadcast provides viewers with contact information for our in-country follow-up teams, an integral part of our ministry.  Through these dedicated teams, our ministry evangelizes and disciples those who reach out to us through Skype, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SMS (texts), phone/fax numbers and our Global Response Management System.

In spite of the dangerous and unstable situation in the Middle East, there are still many who have turned to Jesus Christ, their only stronghold in these difficult times. Daily, we receive amazing testimonies of God’s work through THE KINGDOM SAT in the Middle East and North African region and around the world. 

In March, in honor of the channel’s fourth anniversary, we want to share notes from THE KINGDOM SAT inbox. Please join us in giving praise and thanks to God for them.

Iraq:

I accepted Jesus as my Savior after a year of studying Him in which I was convinced of His Lordship. This was the most beautiful and valuable decision I have made in my life. After a while, my parents discovered my new belief and threatened to kill me, so I fled. It was then that I began watching your channel. Not only do you have great speakers on your channel, but you also have great field workers that are valuable brothers.

Yemen:

I live in a very immoral place and the people here are against God. Thank you for being my way out of it.

Jordan:

I like THE KINGDOM SAT because it chooses the important subjects that we need as Christians and helps us to handle the problems which we face in our Christian life. In addition, THE KINGDOM SAT channel avoids the programs that ignite the conflict and feed the hostility between Christians and Muslims. I personally turned from Islam and the channel has been helping me since then.

Algeria:

I accepted the Lord as my Savior due to your programs. Thanks for the clear and solid teaching about the identity of Christ.

United Arab Emirates:

You’ve helped me in my spiritual growth and now I know a lot in the Bible and about our Lord.

Iraq:                                                                                                                  

I feel that I’m very far away from God, but I want to get closer to Him. Please help me.

Saudi Arabia:

I am searching for the Truth and requesting a Bible so that I can read it and unearth it’s mysteries to discover the way of salvation. Please reply quickly, for I hope to find rest.

Sudan:

I want to know Jesus more.

Gambia:

I love your programs and your teachings because I learn a lot from them. I want you to help me build up my faith in Christ with books, prayer, etc.

Egypt:                                                                                                                               

I get very encouraged when I watch your program. I feel like the message is coming directly from God.

Istora Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta

For three nights, May 23-25, Istora Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta will fill with 15,000 people hungry for the Truth of Christ. Dr. Michael Youssef will meet them there with powerful Biblical Truth to answer the question, “What is the value of your soul?”

These days when many things are measured by money, you can buy almost everything in the world, but no one can buy salvation. Jesus said in Mark 8:36-37, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

True revival begins when people discover the eternal value of a soul and acknowledge that Christ Jesus alone can save a soul and ignite a heart.

Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef is the host for this revival meeting in Indonesia—the world’s fourth largest country with the largest Muslim population in the world.  There, the Gospel is advancing powerfully. God is moving in Indonesia and churches are growing rapidly. Church leaders are working together with a sense of mission and in unparalleled unity. Revival is in the air.

Although most Muslim majority nations are closed to the Gospel, God has kept a door open for the Gospel in Indonesia. Leading The Way is actively broadcasting there through radio, television and a large Navigator distribution project. 

Our local ministry partners are passionate about the Truth of Christ and are excited to join us as an active part of the Christian revival movement in Indonesia. In May, we will partner together to offer three days of solid Biblical teaching from Dr. Michael Youssef—influencing leaders in the nation for Christ and challenging all to know, believe and act upon the Truth of Christ.

You, as a supporter of Leading The Way, have an opportunity to play a significant role in what God is doing in an important part of the world. Your gifts to our international fund will help us to passionately proclaim the uncompromising Truth of Christ through the Indonesia revival and other vital international outreach efforts.

Please be in prayer for this massive mission in Indonesia, your partnership with us, and check back for more details as they unfold.

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

All around us we see the work of Satan. He tempts us to sin. He plants seeds of bitterness, hate, and envy in hearts. He deceives us with his subtle lies and half-truths.

We only have to look as far as the news to see the results on a global scale: Hatred and anger inciting countless skirmishes around the world. Greed and selfishness are fueling corruption. Extremists are persecuting Christians for their faith in Jesus Christ, even in democratic nations founded upon Christianity. Satan's campaigns are weakening our religious freedoms.

While we must take responsibility for our own actions, we can trace much of our contention to the plans of Satan. As long as we live in this world, the devil can and will try to pull us down.

The good news is that we can learn to fight him and not give in to temptation. It is a growth process as we learn how to overcome him. I want to share seven main points today to help you in your spiritual battles:

1. Remember the victory is ours.
2. Lay down your life.
3. Lock the doors each morning.
4. Put on your battle gear.
5. Praise the Lord.
6. Pray for the other person.
7. Start thinking of heaven.

Walking in each of these areas will bring peace and joy into our lives, knowing that the devil cannot bring us down. The first point, remember the victory is ours, points to Jesus' victory on the cross when He declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30). He secured our salvation and has provided everything we need to live victorious lives.  

The second, lay down your life, can be summed up by James' words: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

In the third area, we need to lock the doors each morning by closing any doors in our hearts that are susceptible to sin and by humbling ourselves before God — for without Him, we can do nothing. In our own strength, we are no match for Satan. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Galatians 5:16).

The fourth point, put on your battle gear, refers to the armor of God — both the uniform and the weapons. Read Ephesians 6:10-17 and be intentional about putting on the full armor of God.

Fifth, praise the Lord. It is easy to do when things are great. However, when we are struggling and need to put Satan in his place, praise is a sure way to defeat him.

The sixth step is prayer. The most difficult thing to do is to pray for others who have wronged us. Yet the words of Jesus instruct us, "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

The seventh step is to start thinking of heaven. When we do, we will have the right perspective filled with hope of eternal victory.

We can have victory over Satan if we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of the Lord and allow Him to show us the things we need to learn. He has provided everything for us — we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. Let us go forth rejoicing in all we have in Him.

In this book, Dr. Michael Youssef uses Paul’s letters to the people of Ephesus to reveal the spiritual treasures that we have in Christ. Learn how to endure trials and sufferings, prepare for spiritual warfare, and live out the gospel in your everyday life. Let Leading The Way Through Ephesians show you the way to a more dynamic, active, and stronger faith.

Through your generous gifts, we have raised the funds necessary to continue the Arabic-English radio broadcasts in Richmond, Virginia.  Thank you!

Shortly after notifying you of this need, we received the following testimonies from friends of the ministry in Richmond:

Reaching a Taxi Driver from Morocco

A Richmond church member had a discussion with a Muslim taxi driver from Morocco. At the end of the conversation, he gave him a card with the Arabic-English radio program information. The taxi driver exclaimed, “I listen to this every week; the first time I found this station I couldn’t believe that I was hearing something in my own language, in Arabic in America. I like the messages I hear and I have even told my friends about it.”

Comforting a New Believer in Prison

Ibi is a Muslim immigrant from Palestine who committed a crime and ended up in jail. There, he gave his life to the Lord through the prison ministry. After he was released, he contacted us to tell us he listened to the program every week in prison and couldn’t wait for the next week’s message because it was the only source of comfort in his mother tongue during this hard time.

Creating a Bridge for an Inmate and Her Son

Roda is a member of a church in Richmond. She could not get her teenage son to read the bible or listen to any Christian media. She said language was a barrier; she speaks Arabic and understands very little English, while her son speaks English and understands very little Arabic. One day, she tuned into the program in her car while her son was with her. Michael Youssef was teaching the Bible in English and Arabic. Through the dual-language messages, they have been able to connect spiritually. She said, “My son has fallen in love with Dr. Youssef’s biblical teaching and has downloaded several podcasts to listen to later on his iPod. Thank you!”

Answering a Heartfelt Prayer

Fotna was a Muslim from Egypt and she gave her life to Jesus Christ after seeing Christ in a vision. Her husband always argued with her about her faith and accused her of worshipping three gods. Finally, she told him, “Just pray to God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you.” The next day, her husband used her car and the radio was tuned into the program. He listened to Dr. Youssef teach about the Lord’s Prayer and how we can relate to God as a loving father. He felt like God was talking to him through Dr. Youssef. He kept listening to the program and he accepted Christ and both were baptized in Christ!

OM from Iraq listens to the Navigation

OM, a Muslim refugee from Iraq, who lives in Richmond, met with the pastor at a recent wedding she attended. During the reception, she approached the pastor and said, "I want to talk with you about something. I keep seeing Jesus Christ in my dreams. He told me He loves me.” The pastor shared the Good News about God’s love and Christ sacrifice for all human kind and asked her if she would like to know more about Jesus Christ. She did and so he suggested she read the bible. She looked at the pastor, smiled and said, "I don't know how to read." The pastor invited her to attend his church and there gave her information about Leading The Way's Navigator and information about the weekly radio program. She came back to the church several times until her husband told her to stop. However, she shared with a church friend she met at the Mall that she listens to the Navigator all of the time because it is the only way for her to know more about the God who loves her.

We are excited to be able to continue this vital and fruitful outreach in Christ.   Please join with us in praying for all who hear the broadcasts and for those who follow-up with our listeners.

May you be blessed today as you have been a blessing to so many.

We all experience failure, discouragement, and spiritual stagnation at some point in our lives. We may feel shame or embarrassment over our weaknesses, but we must remember the Bible does not hide the failures of the faithful. It retells their great acts of faith and their failures.

There is great encouragement knowing that the spiritual giants of the Bible were humans with faults, sins and disappointments. What set them apart was how they turned from their failures to God—continuing to follow Him in faith. Whatever setbacks we encounter on our faith walk, we can take heart that it is never too late to trust and obey God.

Abraham is a man known for his faith and his friendship with God. Abraham sacrificed much in his obedience to God; yet the Scriptures also reveal his many missteps and detours along the way. The greatest lesson to be learned from Abraham is that our faith is a journey. Great faith requires time as we develop trust in God and a willingness to serve Him wholeheartedly.

In Abraham’s story, we see a slow progression of faith with many setbacks. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham out of his pagan lifestyle and told him to move to Canaan. Abraham started the journey, but before he reached Canaan, Abraham settled along the way in Haran. He eventually arrived in Canaan, but left for Egypt as soon as things got tough. Twice, he lied to save himself while putting his wife, Sarah, in harm’s way. In Genesis 16 and 17, Abraham followed his wife’s scheme to conceive a child instead of waiting upon God’s promised time. 

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, God calls us out of whatever pagan and sinful place we are living in and leads us on a journey with Him. Ideally, our journey to become more like Christ will remain straight and focused. However, for most of us, our journey will look more like Abraham’s. We will stagnate in our spiritual growth and stop our journey at places that are comfortable and easy. We will run when God’s calling becomes too difficult. We will compromise our beliefs and hurt people we love in order to save ourselves. We will face many opportunities to give in to temptation, pride, indifference, and stubbornness.

However, we must remember that Abraham did not wallow in his failures or give up on his relationship with God—he always returned to the right path. As God continued to show Himself faithful, Abraham’s trust in God grew. Abraham’s faith was strengthened and he learned to trust God more and more. During the early years of his journey of faith, Abraham did not trust God for his daily bread during the famine. Yet years later, after learning lesson after lesson of how to trust in God, Abraham was willing to trust God with the life of his precious and beloved son.

Each one of us will experience failure and setbacks in life. We should never allow our failures to become excuses for giving up on God’s plans or running from our relationship with God. Has your spiritual journey come to a halt? If so, seek God’s forgiveness for the doubt, indifference or fear keeping you from following His plan for your life. Identify the obstacles that keep you from fully developing your faith and pray for God’s strength to help you overcome those hurdles so you can continue your faith journey in Him.

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Have your thoughts lately been focused on what you lack? Are you concerned about the lack of a strong economy, the lack of godliness in America, or even your own lack of ability to walk out your faith in a difficult world? Read John 6:1-15 and discover what happens when we place everything of concern into the Master’s hands and refuse to dwell on what we lack.

After an intense day of preaching to crowds of people, Jesus realized that the crowd was hungry and had made no provision for their next meal. Instead of expecting them to be self-reliant, Jesus felt deep compassion on them. The word used to describe Jesus’ compassion communicates that he had a physical, visceral feeling—much like pain—for them.

Jesus used the problem of feeding the hungry crowd to grow the faith of three people who were present that day. First, He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do” (John 6:5b-6).

Jesus knew that Philip was thoughtful, analytical and cautious. True to his nature, Philip offered the analytical answer that it would take eight months of wages to feed the crowd, and the lack of this sum was very clear.

Andrew offered a half-hearted suggestion but with no expectation that all the needs would be met. He did mention that there was a young boy with five loaves the size of silver dollar pancakes and two sardine-sized fish. He suggested this as if the offering were just a way to put a minor patch on an overwhelming problem.

The only person who wholeheartedly gave his all to Jesus with faith and expectation was the boy. He did not operate out of his lack, his hunger, his rights to the lunch he had brought for himself, or an expectation of receiving anything in return. Instead, he turned his entire lunch over to Jesus to see what He would do, and he was not disappointed.

“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish” (John 6:11).

Not only were the boy’s needs met, he had the joy of seeing his lunch feed over 5,000 people. Then, he watched as another 12 basketfuls of food were collected. Jesus could have fed the crowd without anyone’s help, but the young boy received an exciting and unforgettable blessing as he became part of the miracle.

What do you have that you can give to Jesus? Are you holding back because you believe your gift is too small or won’t make a difference? Lately, have you focused on your lack instead of seeing what God will do with what you have to offer? You may be missing an exciting blessing when you hold back even part of what God wants you to yield to him, whether your talents, your time, your testimony, or your money.  The same mercy He had for the hungry crowd, He will show you.

He gave you all you have. He is the manufacturer of your resources, you are only the distributor. Offer up the resources he has given you and see what He will do with you, for you, and through you. Pray today about what gifts you have and what He wants you to do with them. Little becomes much in the Master’s hands.

We are, by nature, creatures of habit, easily lulled into complacency.  However, God wants more from us so He nudges us forward, compelling us to see new opportunities to grow in Jesus Christ and to share His Good News with others.  He daily brings people and situations to our awareness, opening doors for the ministry of the Gospel. 

In the first three chapters of Revelation, Jesus, speaking through the Apostle John, exhorts and rebukes the seven churches in Asia.  Of these, the church in Philadelphia receives a commendation: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8).

Jesus knew that this church was weakened by continual attacks from unbelieving and hostile people. Even so, they were faithful to God. Jesus could have said, “Take a breather. Strengthen yourselves for the fight.”  Instead, He pointed them to an open door of opportunity that only He could open and shut. He challenged them to stand firm and to seize opportunities provided by the open door. 

Today, Jesus presents open doors of opportunity for His faithful saints to walk through. No matter how tired, weak, or overwhelmed we may be, we must walk through them and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.  He could have said that the sufferings of this church were enough. Instead, He indicated that His grace was sufficient to meet the opportunity He had given to them.

Each of us has been given an open door. How faithful are we to do the work that God has entrusted to us? God has given us many points of contact with others—through our jobs, our family, in our community, our neighborhood, or even our church—to make Him known. We each have special talents and experiences that God has allowed us to have—so that we can reach those people He intends us to influence for the good.

Everyone of us were made for a purpose in God’s kingdom. If this purpose does not come immediately to your mind, begin by looking at the spiritual gifts described in Romans 12:6-8. These gifts are listed as prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing to the needs of others, leadership, and showing mercy.

God will give us opportunities to serve Him through the spiritual gift or gifts He has given us. Respond first to general opportunities that are in keeping with your gift, and God will soon reveal specific situations for your involvement.

No matter what you do, don’t ignore your open door of opportunity. Don’t let procrastination or indifference steal your time. Instead, seek God’s strength as you step forward. When you embrace your God-given opportunities in obedience, you will see God’s glory in your life—and in the lives of others this New Year. 

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There is a story about a wealthy man and his only son who travelled the world together collecting priceless paintings by Van Gogh, Monet and many other masters. Tragically, the son died at war while rescuing others. Distraught and lonely, the old man dreaded the upcoming Christmas day.

Christmas morning, a young soldier knocked on his door and said, “I’m a friend of your son. I’m one of the ones he rescued.”  Then the soldier presented a picture he had painted of the son. Though the picture lacked genius, the brokenhearted father saw the features of his precious son and immediately valued this painting above all the masterpieces in his home. Every day, the father gazed at the portrait and told his housekeeper of his great love for it.

When the father died, the art world buzzed with excitement over the sale of his extraordinary art collection on Christmas day.

The first item offered was the painting of the son, but no one in the self-important crowd would bid on the amateurish portrait. The auctioneer insisted that the terms of the will required the portrait must be sold before any other paintings could be offered.  Finally, the housekeeper, tears streaming down her cheeks, said to the auctioneer, “May I pay ten dollars for it? That is all the money I have. I knew the son, and I knew how much the father treasured that portrait.” The auctioneer said, “The bid is ten dollars. Going once, going twice, gone,” and the gavel fell.

The auctioneer then announced that the auction was over.  “What do you mean?” said the stunned audience. “There must be hundreds of millions of dollars of art here.” The auctioneer replied, “It is very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son gets it all.”

Like the art collectors, not everyone can see the real value of a relationship with Jesus.  John 1:11 tells us that Jesus came to His own but His own received Him not. They did not accept the precious gift of God’s Son, a gift that brings with it all the blessings and love of God.

If you are not intentional about recognizing and receiving Jesus Christ, you will have nothing in the end, and there will be no negotiation of God’s terms. God’s Son may have been born in the most humble of circumstances in a manger in Bethlehem, but He is coming back in power and glory. The next time we see Jesus, things will be very different from His first coming. Not only will He be the King of kings but He will be a judge and we will be held accountable for our lives.

Read John 3:18-36 and Revelations 3:16. Clearly, there are two categories of people: those who fully accept the Son as the only means to the Father and those who don’t.  People who are indifferent or neutral about the Son will miss the opportunity to live eternally with the Father in Heaven. It is not enough to believe Jesus was a good man or a prophet; James 2:19 says that even the devil believes and “trembles.” 

Have you said “Yes” to the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?  Luke 15:7 says there will be joy in Heaven when you do. Tell the Father today about your love for His Son. Ask God to protect your heart from being neutral or complacent about your devotion to Jesus. Is there someone you know who needs to acknowledge Jesus as Savior? Pray about being intentional about introducing them to the Son.

Have you ever given an expensive present to someone who never thanked you for it? Most of us are guilty of the same indifference toward our gifts from God. God blesses His children in many ways—from our talents and resources to the assurance of eternal life in heaven. Yet how often do we half-heartedly acknowledge our gifts, then quickly forget the Giver?

In Luke 17, we read a story of Jesus’ interaction with ten lepers. In this passage, we have the opportunity to watch as one of the lepers fully realizes what Jesus had done for him, and we witness the exuberant thanksgiving that resulted.

To be sure, lepers were the outcasts of all outcasts. They were considered so detestable and contagious, they were prohibited from even approaching people for conversation, resorting instead to covering their mouths and yelling “Unclean!” so people would be aware of their presence.

Leprosy was not only a terrible physical disease, it also prevented people from social interaction.  They were excluded from Temple worship and were separated from their families and communities. Leprosy left its victims utterly alone and without remedy for their disease.

Leprosy is not unlike a condition that is afflicting us, though ours is much graver. While the lepers were separated from Temple worship and the presence of God by their fleshly disease, we are eternally separated from God by our sinfulness. The commonality does not stop there. For both the lepers and us, our separateness finds healing exclusively through the power of Jesus.

When Jesus came to the lepers’ village, they kept their distance and shouted to Jesus at the top of their voices, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13). When Jesus saw them, He instantly knew of their plight, misery, and isolation. Jesus also knew that the only way they could return to their homes and families, according to the Law, was to be declared clean by the priests. “Go and show yourselves to the priests,” Jesus told them, and the lepers went immediately (see Luke 17:14).

As the lepers traveled to the priests, they noticed that they were being healed! The wonder that came over them in the midst of their deliverance must have been tremendous. Perhaps they began to run even faster, anticipating their reinstatement into community, into family, into life! While the ten lepers celebrated, one was so overcome by the completeness of his healing, he turned and immediately rushed back to Jesus, before he even reached the priests. While returning to Jesus, the leper began praising God in a loud voice, without inhibition or restraint. When he finally reached Jesus, the leper fell down at His feet, continuing to offer praise and thanksgiving to Him.

When this Samaritan leper returned, Jesus was struck by the fact that none of the Jewish lepers did likewise. “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Jesus queried (Luke 17:17, 18). Only one out of the ten lepers showed Jesus the gratitude He deserved. How often do we, too, fail to give Jesus heartfelt praise for our blessings?

How can we live a life that is truly thankful? First, we must consider the depth of our greatest blessing. The leper’s story of miraculous healing is remarkable—to see such a disease immediately eradicated in someone’s life is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Yet when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are healed even more completely! We were eternally separated from God by our sins, but Jesus has made forgiveness possible through His obedient sacrifice on the Cross.

Second, we need to make thanksgiving a priority. The leper didn’t wait to return to Jesus until it was convenient or until after he visited the priests. He went immediately to Jesus. The priests did not heal the leper, and he knew it. He returned to the only One worthy of his worship and thanksgiving.

Third, thanksgiving should be offered from the outpouring of our hearts. There was intensity in the leper’s worship because he was aware of his inefficacy to provide the healing he needed. How much more wonderful is the eternal healing for those who follow Christ? Let our thanksgiving be an enthusiastic celebration of Christ, who healed our direst need when we could not.

Finally, we must be consistent in our thanksgiving. The more intentional we are about offering thanks to God, the easier it becomes to see His blessings in our lives. That is why we are repeatedly commanded in the Bible to be thankful in all things. No one can bless us like our Heavenly Father. Let us be diligent in thanking Him for His grace and goodness.

[God is in Control Transcript]

Daniel chapter 2, verses 20, 21 and 22, "Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him."

When you think about this teenager who was grabbed from his home, from his family, and was taken hostage from Israel to Babylon, he became a hostage to a brutal dictator by the name of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.

This tyrant threatened to kill everyone who would not tell him what the interpretation of the dream was and God supernaturally revealed it to Daniel. And the first thing Daniel does is remember who God is. He was not intimidated by a tyrant dictator. He was not intimidated by a powerful King of Babylon who went into Israel and grabbed young people out of their homes, as he and his four friends were, and took them into the palace of the king. He was not intimidated by any of that. He just said, "I know who God is."

That is something we need to remember tonight. Remember who God is. Not who the president is. Not who the Congress is. Not who the Supreme Court is. But who God is. Our God is a sovereign God. God is the only one who is in control. Some people think they are in control, but they are not, and nothing happens that is surprising to God. Everything works according to His plan. He is the one in charge of the weather; He is the one in charge of the seasons; He is the one in charge of who rules and where. He sets them up and He takes them down.

Now many of us are concerned—and rightly so. I'm not going to minimize that because that would not be truth. Many of us are concerned. Will we have more executive orders to force chaplains in the military not to pray in Jesus' name? Maybe. Will we have more executive orders that force chaplains, against their own conscience, to perform same-sex marriage? Possibly. Will we have more anti-Christian and anti-biblical morality? Probably. Will we continue to see Islam elevated and Christianity put down? Most likely. Will we continue to see God and His blessed Son ridiculed, pushed out of public life? It's not beyond the realm of possibility.

Will we continue to see committed Bible believers ridiculed and ostracized—and maybe even worse? Will we continue to see Israel isolated, pressed and forsaken by the only friends they have? I don't know. I pray not.

But Daniel said, in the midst of his turmoil, "Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them." So no matter what we'll face, we know one thing: We are not going to be alone.

Even if we are taken hostage by Nebuchadnezzar, I pray that we would have Daniel's courage not to be intimidated, not to be afraid. God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of love and self-control. And I believe now more than ever that for those who believe, there is power in the name of the Lord.

You see one of the things, and some of you who know me well enough, and I've shared this with you before, that used to kind of tear my heart is when people get all great prayer warriors around election time and then suddenly everybody goes back to life as normal. We cease to be prayer warriors. Why? Do you think God sees this and is not taking notice of it? He does.

He actually saw that in the days of Isaiah and He said, "You know actually you just weary me when you come to me just when you want something."

It is my prayer—has been for a long time—that whatever circumstances, the tougher the better, because the darker it gets outside, the brighter our light is going to shine, because that is the will of God. He wants us to shine as stars, holding the word of life. And if tonight does not encourage you watching these precious people, I don't know what will, because that is what we're all about; that's what the Church is all about. The reason we exist. The reason we have this building. The reason we have this light. The reason we have a staff. The reason the church existed is for something like tonight.

And therefore, I am going to challenge you to consecrate yourselves afresh, that we would consecrate ourselves to the glory of God alone. That will make His glory to be paramount in our life, in our calendar, in our social life, in our money, in our resources. Our praising of God in the times of difficulties elevate Him to His rightful place.

There is no use singing in the sunshine. Anybody can do that, but singing in the rain, especially in the storm. Our praise of our sovereign God also reminds us that we are mere travelers in the world; we are sojourners. We sometimes think this is it, this is our world, this is our utopia, this is our heaven. It is not, and no matter what we say that we believe, we act as if we are going to be here forever.

I have a number of dear friends, older people; they don't know the Lord and they are grabbing for every day. They want just to live long.

They say to me, "How are you?"

I say, "I'm rejoicing."

"Why are you rejoicing?"

"Because I'm one day closer to heaven."

I know some of them think I'm nuts, but that's all right.

Psalm 81:1 says, "Sing for joy to the God of our strength. Shout aloud to the God of Jacob." Amen? Let's go to the Lord in prayer.

[Praying] Father, what an honor and privilege to be in your presence, to know that even if the whole world falls apart, we will not because we are upheld by your right hand. We thank you, Father that you promised never to leave us nor forsake us. We thank you that our future is not dependent on politicians. We thank you that our welfare is in your hands. And your servant David said, "I was young and now I am old. I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his children begging for bread. And Lord, we rejoice you are the God, the same yesterday who was true to David, is true to us today and will be true forever.

Bless our night tonight. Let this time of prayer and re-consecration of ourselves be a serious-minded time so that heaven would rejoice and heaven would witness that we are serious about your business. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Have you ever given an expensive present to someone who never thanked you for it? Most of us are guilty of the same indifference toward our gifts from God. God blesses His children in many ways—from our talents and resources to the assurance of eternal life in heaven. Yet how often do we half-heartedly acknowledge our gifts, then quickly forget the Giver?

In Luke 17, we read a story of Jesus' interaction with ten lepers. In this passage, we have the opportunity to watch as one of the lepers fully realizes what Jesus had done for him, and we witness the exuberant thanksgiving that resulted.

To be sure, lepers were the outcasts of all outcasts. They were considered so detestable and contagious, they were prohibited from even approaching people for conversation, resorting instead to covering their mouths and yelling "Unclean!" so people would be aware of their presence.

Leprosy was not only a terrible physical disease, it also prevented people from social interaction. They were excluded from Temple worship and were separated from their families and communities. Leprosy left its victims utterly alone and without remedy for their disease.

Leprosy is not unlike a condition that is afflicting us, though ours is much graver. While the lepers were separated from Temple worship and the presence of God by their fleshly disease, we are eternally separated from God by our sinfulness. The commonality does not stop there. For both the lepers and us, our separateness finds healing exclusively through the power of Jesus.

When Jesus came to the lepers' village, they kept their distance and shouted to Jesus at the top of their voices, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (Luke 17:13). When Jesus saw them, He instantly knew of their plight, misery, and isolation. Jesus also knew that the only way they could return to their homes and families, according to the Law, was to be declared clean by the priests. "Go and show yourselves to the priests," Jesus told them, and the lepers went immediately (see Luke 17:14).

As the lepers traveled to the priests, they noticed that they were being healed! The wonder that came over them in the midst of their deliverance must have been tremendous. Perhaps they began to run even faster, anticipating their reinstatement into community, into family, into life! While the ten lepers celebrated, one was so overcome by the completeness of his healing, he turned and immediately rushed back to Jesus, before he even reached the priests. While returning to Jesus, the leper began praising God in a loud voice, without inhibition or restraint. When he finally reached Jesus, the leper fell down at His feet, continuing to offer praise and thanksgiving to Him.

When this Samaritan leper returned, Jesus was struck by the fact that none of the Jewish lepers did likewise. "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Jesus queried (Luke 17:17, 18). Only one out of the ten lepers showed Jesus the gratitude He deserved. How often do we, too, fail to give Jesus heartfelt praise for our blessings?

How can we live a life that is truly thankful? First, we must consider the depth of our greatest blessing. The leper's story of miraculous healing is remarkable—to see such a disease immediately eradicated in someone's life is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Yet when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are healed even more completely! We were eternally separated from God by our sins, but Jesus has made forgiveness possible through His obedient sacrifice on the Cross.

Second, we need to make thanksgiving a priority. The leper didn't wait to return to Jesus until it was convenient or until after he visited the priests. He went immediately to Jesus. The priests did not heal the leper, and he knew it. He returned to the only One worthy of his worship and thanksgiving.

Third, thanksgiving should be offered from the outpouring of our hearts. There was intensity in the leper's worship because he was aware of his inefficacy to provide the healing he needed. How much more wonderful is the eternal healing for those who follow Christ? Let our thanksgiving be an enthusiastic celebration of Christ, who healed our direst need when we could not.

Finally, we must be consistent in our thanksgiving. The more intentional we are about offering thanks to God, the easier it becomes to see His blessings in our lives. That is why we are repeatedly commanded in the Bible to be thankful in all things. No one can bless us like our Heavenly Father. Let us be diligent in thanking Him for His grace and goodness.

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

What does it take to live a godly life in an ungodly world? Many of us have asked ourselves this question repeatedly. The signatures of sin and evil are all around us. There has to be something more that we can do than to white-knuckle our way through temptation.

Simply put, our anchor is Jesus Christ. He is our only salvation from sin—the anchor of our souls (see Hebrews 6:19) that holds firm, especially when the storms of life threaten and when the enemy’s temptations blow hard against us.

Does this mean that you can escape the troubles of this world? No—but you can set the compass of your heart on Christ. Then, when the aggressive winds and tumbling waves of temptation come, you will not be overwhelmed by them.

Jesus knew that we would face serious temptations and trials. The night of His arrest, He prayed for us: “[Father], my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:15-16).

Living a godly life in an ungodly world is realizing that you do not belong to yourself. As a believer, you belong to Jesus Christ. He is the Shepherd of your soul, your loving Savior, and eternal Lord—and from a spiritual standpoint; you do not belong to this world. Thankfully, you are not left in this world without help. Our heavenly Father has provided all that you need, through His Holy Spirit, to live free of Satan’s temptations, tactics, lies, and snares.

You can begin living the godly life Christ has given to you when you:

Have a heart focused and set on Christ. Be committed to prayer and the study of God’s Word. You can’t set your heart on Christ or learn to live godly lives unless you follow the instruction manual that God has given to you, and this is His Word—the Bible.

Refuse to get caught up in busywork, believing that you are pleasing to God. The greatest gift you can give the Lord is not a full schedule that includes one church meeting after another. Immorality can rob you of a beautiful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but busyness will prevent you from getting to know God in a personal way. You should not allow anything you are doing for God to prevent you from being with God.

Realize that God loves you with an unconditional love. When you draw nearer and nearer to Christ, your desire to give in to temptation will fade. No one will ever care as much for you as the Savior does. Christ died so that you might have eternal life. His grace is a gift that cannot be purchased through good works or outstanding behavior. He loved you even before you were born, and He loves you now. You cannot earn His love, and you cannot lose it. When you yield to sin and sense that there is a distance between the Lord and you, it is not because His love for you has faded.

There are consequences to sin that are unavoidable, and one of these is that you sense God’s rebuke because you have grieved His Spirit. But when you pray and ask Him to forgive you, He does—and He restores your fellowship with Him because His love has the ability to cover a multitude of sins (see James 5:20).

Invest in your spiritual future. You are involved in a spiritual battle. Unseen forces wage war against you, but the ultimate victory is won in Christ. Only faith in Jesus Christ wins the battle. It is faith that is not embraced one day and forgotten the next. Instead, it is faith that is built and maintained through love and devotion to God’s Son.

If you are struggling to live a godly life in an ungodly world, stop and seek Him. Ask Him to help you understand the depth of His love for you. When you do, you will find that God will give you all that you need to live a godly life in an ungodly world!

Do you ever feel like you just don’t belong in this culture or that you are a foreigner in this world? As Christians, we are foreigners because we are not of this world. We are citizens of God’s kingdom.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. . . . Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:9-11).

When you feel overwhelmed by the shadow of the world, when you feel alone in your stand for the Truth, look toward Daniel’s example. No matter what temptation or pressure was set before Daniel, he always remembered that he was set apart from this world. And knowing that he was part of God’s kingdom and that God was on his side gave Daniel the strength to face the world.

God calls us to His own set of standards and morals—not those of the world. As we follow what is righteous, we must also stand up for righteousness. When we are ridiculed for our beliefs, we must hold on to our identity in Christ. Challenging the status quo will not be easy, but we must stand firm or we will be swept up in the current of this world.

When Daniel was being trained in the Babylonian palace, he was fed lies about spirituality and the meaning of life. Just as we face lies every day from our society, Daniel was being indoctrinated into the pagan culture in which he was held captive. Yet Daniel held on tightly to God’s Truth. God’s Word permeated every ounce of Daniel’s being; and he refused to let that go. Because God was the center of Daniel’s identity, he did not lose focus.

Like Daniel, we must always take any message we hear and filter it through God’s Word. No matter how appealing a message may sound, or how often we hear it, if it does not bring glory to God; we cannot let it in. We must discern the difference between man’s truth and God’s Truth. We must recognize what will provide only temporary happiness and what will bring eternal joy.

If we fail to hold on to God’s teachings, we will become vulnerable to worldly messages and lose our effectiveness for Christ. Make a commitment to understand thoroughly what you believe—and why. Spend time in God’s Word and learn who you are in Christ. Standing up for your beliefs will help you become a powerful tool for God.

We can let the messages of this world seep into our lives. Sometimes we don’t even realize they are there. Take a few minutes to think about the television shows, movies, books, and music that you spend time enjoying. How many of these glorify God, and how many are selling messages of self-promotion, self-importance, and self-centeredness?

Confess to God the areas in your life where you have allowed ungodly beliefs and priorities to overshadow His Truth. Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict you of any changes you need to make to align with your identity in Christ.

Whatever problem you are facing today—whether it is a broken relationship, a bad report from your doctor, or a financial crisis; you can tackle it in God's strength.

No matter how weak you may feel right now, you are connected to our all-powerful God who is not surprised by the trial you are facing. Instead of worrying about your future, seek the Lord's strength and guidance through prayer.

The Bible tells us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer must become a high priority for God's children. Prayer involves praising God, acknowledging His absolute authority, repenting of your sins, and presenting your request before Him. However, you must also become quiet before the Lord to align your heart with His. Once you have your heart in the right place, ask Him to give you direction so that His will, not yours, will be accomplished.

Many people start well, but finish discouraged and misdirected because they take their eyes off of Jesus Christ. Instead of focusing on Him and His sufficiency, they begin to focus on themselves. As problems creep in, they begin to rely on their intellect, their judgment, and their wisdom. We must remember that it is imperative to rely on God from the start until we cross the finish line.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

Evan Roberts knew the rewards of persistent, ongoing prayer. After he became a Christian as a teenager, Evan began praying every day for a national revival in his homeland Wales.  

Evan seemed the least likely candidate to lead the revival though. By age 11, he had dropped out of school to help his father work the coal mines. Later he became a blacksmith’s apprentice. However, in 1904 at age 26 he felt led to ministry and began taking courses again at the grammar school to prepare for seminary.

During this time he experienced a personal spiritual awakening and began to tell others in his church and town about it. Soon, more people wanted to hear about the awakening and joined him in prayer. Evan began to travel to share his message around Wales. After 11 years of daily prayer for a national revival, he was now becoming part of one.

The revival greatly impacted Wales and even spread around the world. An estimated 150,000 souls were saved during the first six months. Wales became a God-fearing nation once more. The pubs were nearly empty. Businesses, factories, and even bars closed for prayer time. Crime decreased to the point that magistrates often came to court with no cases waiting for them. People paid their bills and their debts. Feuds were settled. People had truly changed from the inside out.

Although the public excitement of the revival died down a few years later, many of the people touched by the awakening claimed a fully renewed relationship with Christ that lasted the rest of their lives. The most unlikely people can accomplish great things when they consecrate themselves to praying for revival.

The sad part is that many people seem to think that their prayers don’t matter. Even people who believe in the power of prayer don’t always think of themselves as effective.  However, the Bible is not silent on this point.  It shares the secret of powerful and effective prayers. 

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). A righteous person is a person who is in right-standing with God.  A righteous person has a personal relationship with Jesus as his or her personal Savior.  Righteousness means a person wants what is right according to the Word of God—he or she wants to see God’s Truth and God’s will established on this earth.  Evan Roberts was a righteous man and his prayers for national revival were powerful and effective.

We also see the power and effectiveness of the prayers of a righteous man in the Old Testament prophet Daniel.  His prayers provide a model for us to follow.  First, read his powerful plea to God in Daniel 9:4-19. Now, let’s take a look at the key components of his prayer.

START WITH PRAISE

Daniel began his prayer by praising God. He prayed to “the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands” (Daniel 9:4). He acknowledged God as absolutely righteous, but also merciful and forgiving.  Begin your own prayers with praise and thanksgiving to God.  Praise Him for His glory, His power, His love. Thank Him for His daily provision in your life, your salvation, and your many blessings.  Spend time just adoring God.

CONFESS YOUR SINS

Daniel didn’t try to dismiss, justify, or sidestep the fact that Israel had made a grave error.  Daniel stated up front in his prayer, “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (Daniel 9:5).  When you go to God in prayer, don’t play the blame game when it comes to your sin.  Acknowledge any element of sin or misdoing—intentional or unintentional—related to the situation or circumstance.

APPEAL FOR MERCY

Daniel appealed to God’s mercy. He said, “O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn way your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem—For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on our desolate sanctuary. ….We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:16-18). Acknowledge to God that you do not deserve His blessings, but you receive them because He is a merciful and loving God. Humble yourself before God, realizing that your strength and success come from Him alone.

PETITION FOR GOD TO ACT

Daniel very specifically asked the Lord to take action: “O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name” (Daniel 9:19). Daniel’s prayer was not selfish in nature, but he prayed for the Lord to show Himself strong so that the Lord might receive glory on this earth. We are to pray that God will act in a way that brings God the greatest glory and in a way that is the most profound witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!

PRAY THE WILL OF GOD

How can you be assured that you are praying for God’s will, and not your own to be done? Immerse yourself in the Word of God. The more you seek to know the mind of God, the more you will begin to understand what He wants for your life. As you pray for specific requests, always check them against Scripture.  You can be sure God’s desires for you will never go against His Word. 

NEVER GIVE UP

As you pray, never lose sight of this truth:  “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”(Galatians 6:9).  Continue to pray, knowing that at God’s appointed time, a harvest will come.

What do you fear? You may have ongoing fears tied to your past, such as the fear of abandonment, failure, or rejection. Your fears may be new and tied to current circumstances like the fear of natural disasters, terrifying events, or financial ruin. Jesus told us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1).

How do you respond to fear? Do you run and hide, withdrawing into yourself? Do you try to distract yourself from fear with activities?  Read Matthew 10:24-31. Three times in this passage, Jesus says “Fear not.” While the world around us slips into panic, Jesus says not to live like them. We have no reason to allow fear to intimidate or defeat us because our eternity is secure in Christ.

The correct response to fear is not to surrender to it or to ignore it, but to overcome it with faith in God and absolute obedience to His Word.

Scripture tells us, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7,8).

Many people trace their fears back to a loss of control. We experience fear when the stock market fluctuates. We experience fear when we cannot fix our relationships, health, or careers. We experience fear when seemingly senseless tragedies happen.  So what do we do? We try to control the situation.  We try to control our circumstances. Rather than bringing peace, the constant need for control creates greater fear and anxiety. What are we to do?

We must realize that the God who created us, and who redeemed us, is still actively working in our lives today. In Him, we can release the fear and need for control and enjoy rest no matter how violently the storm rages around us. Jesus told us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

When we comprehend that God is in control of our lives and surrender our circumstances to Him, we will find security. “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed’” (Isaiah 28:16).

Simply knowing God is faithful and trustworthy is not enough. We must enact this belief in our daily lives. Faith is like a muscle—when it is neglected it atrophies, but when used consistently it builds up and becomes stronger. We continually need to exercise faith to conquer and overpower fear. The Lord told His children through Isaiah, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (Isaiah 7:9).

When Jesus rebuked His disciples during the storm, He asked, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26). Notice: the disciples’ faith was “little” and they were “so afraid.” Their faith was in inverse proportion to their fear. When faith is at 100 percent, fear is at 0 percent. When faith is at 60 percent, fear is at 40 percent. Yet when faith dips to 20 percent, fear will soar to 80 percent.

However, no matter how we fail in our daily trust in God, fear can never damage or destroy our saving faith. No matter how we give into our fears, our salvation can never be taken away from us. Nothing can snatch us away from God’s unending love: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39).

God does not want His children to live a fearful, defeated life. No matter how terrifying our circumstance, God wants us to live victoriously in Him. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children” (Romans 8:15, 16).

If you are experiencing fear today, acknowledge it to the God who cares for you. Cry out, “Abba, Father.” Ask for His supernatural peace to fill your heart. Draw on the presence of the Holy Spirit. Seek confidence in His loving purpose. Commit today to trust and surrender completely only to God, and not your fears.

“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Psalms 94:18, 19).

The Youssef family remembers God's faithfulness in Michael Youssef's journey to America.

Do you have people in your life who only talk to you when they want something? Conversations that revolve around the other person’s needs or demands make it hard to develop true fellowship. These one-sided relationships can lead to us feeling used and manipulated. Yet that is exactly what many of us do to God when we only approach Him in prayer with a need or desire. We give Him our laundry lists of prayer requests without seeking a relationship with Him, spending time praising Him, or thanking Him for our many blessings. We pray for future events without acknowledging His help in the past. Our forgetfulness is an indication of our ingratitude toward God and it renders our prayers ineffective.

Yet none of this shocks God. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are a forgetful people. He knows our capacity for ingratitude. He knows our capacity for reinventing the truth. He knows our capacity for taking credit for His provision. Throughout the Scriptures we see God reminding His people of His blessings. He often urged them to set up visible memorials of His past provision so they would be filled with prayer and praise. Without these reminders, the people would forget God’s faithfulness.

When God miraculously brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, they quickly succumbed to ingratitude towards God. They grumbled and complained and murmured every time they faced a new challenge, instead of thanking God for His ever-present hand. Their attitude prevented them from entering the Promised Land for 40 years until that grumbling generation had died out in the wilderness.

After God’s people finally reached the Promised Land, God told them to create a monument as a reminder of His supernatural aid in crossing the Jordan River. “When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight’” (Joshua 4:1-3). Joshua carried out the Lord’s commands and explained to the men that this would “serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.…These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” (Joshua 4:6, 7).

God wants to see prayers that are filled with genuine praise and thanksgiving for what He has done in the past. He wants our hearts to be filled with awe and gratitude for His blessings. He wants us to set up memorials in our hearts testifying to the provisions He has given us.

God does not want to be taken for granted. He does not want to be given our lists of wants without any true desire to know Him. We dishonor God when we relegate Him to the role of magic genie. God answers our prayers to strengthen our faith in Him, to help us trust in His Word, to glorify Himself, and to express His love for us. Imagine how He feels when we respond to His grace and love and mercy with indifference and forgetfulness and presumption.

When we face difficult times, we often become blinded by our problems and forget how God has always provided the solutions to our past troubles. God wants to see that His past aid did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. He wants us to come to Him confidently in prayer, gratefully acknowledging His past mercies. After we have spent time in praise and thanksgiving, we can then ask Him to again help us so that our blessings can glorify Him.

As you join with us in praying for America, spend time building a relationship with God. Praise Him for who He is and thank Him for the many blessings He has given and continues to give to this country today. 

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” Psalm 116:1, 2

America was formed and developed from biblical roots, but today our leaders are chopping away at our foundation. They deny the core of our purpose.

The secular thinkers of this country would like us to think our country was founded on humanistic values and ideals. They view our country’s birth as a philosophical and political event. However, the original words from the colony charters, the Declaration of Independence, and early political speeches all point directly to our country’s foundation upon the Christian faith and biblical Truth. Our Founding Fathers believed that this is a nation with its roots in the Bible.

The Mayflower Compact specifies that the colonies were established “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.” The Virginia Charter instructs the colonists to help “in the propagation of the Christian religion to such people as yet live in ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God.” The Delaware Charter defines one of the purposes for its settlements as the “further propagation of the Holy Gospel.” The charter of Rhode Island commits to “the true Christian faith and worship of God.” The Charter of Maryland explained a “pious Zeal for extending the Christian Religion.”

In the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers acknowledged God as our country’s Divine Protector. In an 1844 U.S. Supreme Court case, the Court said, “Why may not the Bible and especially the New Testament be read and taught as a divine revelation in the [school]?...Where else can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?”

The 1777 Congressional Thanksgiving proclamation called for the nation to offer “solemn thanksgiving and praise…and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor; and that together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, penitent confession of their manifold sins…and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ….”

How horrendous that we have let these evangelical roots rot underneath us! The people of the prophet Jeremiah’s day had also departed from their godly roots. The prophet understood that only God could change their hearts and said, “Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).

The reason for our country’s decay—our economic turmoil, our social ills, the church’s coldness and apostasy from the Truth, pastors in the pulpit without a backbone, citizens living in fear, the decline of our culture—is because we have departed from the one true God.

We have rejected the God of our Founding Fathers. We need to pray that God will restore us to Himself, just as Jeremiah did. We need to pray that America, starting with ourselves, will turn back to God. Our Creator God cares deeply for us as individuals and as a nation. He wants to bless our country in His sovereignty and mercy, but we need to repent of our pride and willful independence. We need to start a revival of prayer and thanksgiving and confession to God.

A great awakening in America is not beyond hope. Revival will happen when we repent. Real spiritual change will happen when we call our nation to repentance. Real change will happen when we live according to biblical standards. Our Almighty God can return this nation to her roots. He is waiting to offer His mercy and forgiveness. We need to join together in humility to pray for our own repentance, for that of our nation, and for the souls living in this great country.

Join Leading They Way and Dr. Michael Youssef in prayer for our nation. Commit to be one of 100,000 Bible-believing Americans who will pray daily for our country between July 4, 2012, and November 6, 2012. Let us know of your committment and stay united in prayer with us with periodic prayer email updates by signing up on the God Save America page.

Jonathan Youssef was recently interviewed for a Father’s Day special on Patheos.com about his relationship with his father, Michael Youssef. 

In this interview, Jonathan reflects on the impact of some foolish choices made early in his life that negatively impacted his relationship with his father.  However, in the interview he shares that as he has grown in maturity in Christ, the relationship with his father has not only been repaired, but has grown in strength and depth of love and respect.

This Father's Day, we hope you will take a minute to read this interview and reflect on how God's grace is uniquely expressed in this father/son relationship and that it will be an encouragement to fathers and sons alike.

May you and your family have a Happy Father's Day. 

Read the interview

By, Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

There are many people today who would like to demote marriage by labeling it a human invention. But Scripture tells us marriage was created by God and as such it is a holy institution. In this traditional wedding season, let’s take a moment to look at the components of a stable, healthy marriage.

Imagine your marriage as a three-legged stool, and the three legs are selflessness, forgiveness and communication. Without one of the legs, the stool will fall down. A good marriage needs all three components to be well-balanced and strong.

The first component of a blessed and healthy marriage is selflessness. We live in a self-centered world, and this focus on self is destroying marriages. The concept of “looking out for number one” is creating division between husbands and wives. But Paul tells us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

Immaturity and selfishness tell us to focus on our own desires, comfort, and self-protection, but maturity leads us to focus on other’s needs. Maturity is a key to selflessness.

Selfless love manifests itself in graciousness. It focuses on the other person’s thoughts, feelings, and needs. In marriage, the focus is on our spouse’s needs. A selfless love makes sacrifices without keeping a running tally of who has contributed the most in the marriage. It puts aside selfish stubbornness for a willingness to yield to each other.

While selflessness goes against many of the world’s teachings about personal ambition, self-importance, and self-protection, selfless love is a critical component to a healthy marriage.

The second component of a blessed and healthy marriage is forgiveness. Sometimes forgiveness is hard, especially when we allow little annoyances to build up over time. But the Bible tells us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

In Matthew 18:22, Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive each other not merely seven times, but seven times seventy. In other words, we are to forgive so often that we lose count.

So, how can we forgive that readily?

First, begin by forgiving the things which seem insignificant—the irritating habits and the annoying characteristics. These can build up over time and can destroy a marriage. Forgiving them will require daily discipline.

Second, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). You will find it harder to forgive others if your own mind is waging a battle against old hurts. Focus on Christ in your relationship, not on keeping score.

Third, maintain your identity in Christ. Our old sinful nature is filled with resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness. But through Christ, we are able to offer mercy and forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Problems of selfishness and unforgiveness may seem apparent in a relationship. But there are also enemies that stealthily creep into a marriage like a choking vine. Busy schedules, apathy, and even exhaustion can lead to a deadly trap, a breakdown of communication.

The third component to a healthy and blessed marriage is communication. When communication breaks down between husband and wife, Satan is always waiting in the wings. Then what often takes place is a power struggle, the silent treatment and deception.

How many hours—or minutes— did you spend this week engaged in conversation or activity while solely focused on your spouse—no TV, no children, no computer or cell phone interrupting? Many of the larger problems in marriage stem from poor communication.

Poor communication stems from not making the time for your spouse, letting the children come before the marriage relationship, and from a fear of conflict. Inevitably, there will be conflict but keeping the lines of communication open will provide the opportunity to resolve the conflict rather than allowing it to take root. The ultimate outcome is a growing and thriving relationship.

Maintaining the components of the three-legged stool of marriage is not easy. We will always be competing against our sinful, selfish nature. We will always be seeking God’s strength to forgive. We will often struggle to find balance between our calendars and our marriage. But, if you keep Christ at the center of your marriage and allow Him to give, forgive and communicate through you, yours will be a blessed and healthy marriage.

Prayer: God, show me how I can improve communication in my marriage. God, I need Your help to be the godly spouse I should be. Help me to keep You at the center of my marriage and to be on guard against selfishness, to be quick to forgive, and to be vigilant to communicate. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

God is love and His love for us is unconditional.  Though we do not deserve it, God freely gives His grace to us. 

However, many times when we need God the most, we end up feeling as though we are least accepted by Him.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Even when we fall flat on our faces due to sin, God does not turn His back on us.  In fact, He does just the opposite—He opens His arms to us and beckons us to repent and to come to Him.

We need to understand a principle concerning grace:  it is not currency we carry around in our pockets, spending it at will whenever we sin.  The grace of God is precious.  It is impossible to earn God’s grace. As fallen humans, we certainly do not deserve His mercy, yet He opens the windows of heaven and pours His grace on us.  Christ did not die on the cross so that we can take sin lightly and flaunt our freedoms without consequence. He also did not die in order to give us a constricting and rigid life. Either extreme is a limited version of the Christian faith.

We must balance both legalism and grace. When we fully understand the cost of our sin, we choose not to take God's grace for granted. When we fully understand Jesus' sacrifice and love, we begin to cherish our relationship with Him above all else. When we love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, we will hate sin and crave a closer relationship with Him.

As we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ, we begin to understand that He truly cares about our lives. We learn that He wants to build intimate relationships with us. Instead of living in terror of Him, we are given an opportunity to be children of the King of kings.  Suddenly, we begin to understand He wants us in his throne room, where grace showers all who enter into His presence. 

As we grow in intimacy with God, we discern His voice and we obey the Lord—regardless of the circumstance.  We know and believe that God is able to handle any obstacle that enters our path.  We simply obey and watch as His grace unfolds before our very eyes.  In fact, Christ’s life is a perfect model of what it means to have intimacy with God.

Throughout every trial and tribulation, throughout every victory and valley, Jesus was in perfect communion with God. He listened for the voice of His Father and responded appropriately—even if the answer meant He must wait.

In the moments we must wait, God’s grace sustains us.  Waiting on God can be difficult.  In our anxiousness to see Him move, we have a tendency to try and prod God along.  We want to see His glory here and now.  Yet, God is at work preparing the people and circumstances we will encounter along the way.  His grace sustains us as we wait and it prepares the way. May all praise and glory be given to God for His amazing grace!

¿Tiene expectativas insatisfechas? ¿Hay una necesidad que no ha sido llenada en su vida, o un sueño roto? Algunas veces en nuestras vidas experimentamos obstáculos y fracasos. Trabajamos para alcanzar una meta, solo para verla frustrada. Tenemos una imagen en nuestra mente de la familia perfecta, carrera, o estilo de vida - pero lo que tenemos en la vida real nos desilusiona.

La esperanza y los sueños no son malos -nos inspiran a seguir adelante. Pero cuando los sueños fallan, nos dejan confusos, desilusionados y algunas veces devastados. Las expectativas insatisfechas son dolorosas. Pueden ser traumáticas, especialmente cuando hemos puesto nuestra esperanza en estas expectativas.

Lea 2 Reyes 5. En este pasaje vemos un hombre que casi se convirtió en la víctima de sus propias altas expectativas. Pero gracias a que estaba dispuesto a subyugar su ego y someterlo a la Palabra de Dios; el experimentó un milagro.

Naamán era un hombre poderoso, pero tenía un problema doloroso: "Naamán, general del ejército del rey de Siria, era varón grande delante de su señor, y lo tenía en alta estima, porque por medio de él había dado Jehová salvación a Siria. Era este hombre valeroso en extremo, pero leproso" (2 Reyes 5:1).

Hay muchas similaridades entre la lepra y el pecado. Como la lepra, el pecado comienza pequeño - con una pequeña mancha - y luego se esparce a través de todo el cuerpo, infectando nuestras facultades, retorciendo nuestro intelecto, pervirtiendo nuestras emociones, endureciendo nuestra conciencia y esclavizando nuestra voluntad. La lepra y el pecado ambas crean una disminución en la sensitividad. La lepra causa la disminución de los nervios centrales y la inhabilidad del sentido del tacto. De igual manera, cuando permitimos que el pecado tome control de nuestras vidas, nos convertimos callosos y entumecidos a la Palabra de Dios.

Durante los días de la Biblia, los pacientes con lepra eran tratados como si ya estuvieran muertos. No había ninguna cura, y los leprosos eran aislados de la comunidad. No tenían esperanza, considerados muertos en vida. Cuando Jesucristo sanó la lepra en los Evangelios, Él no estaba realizando un milagro sino algo inimaginable. El Salvador tocó lo intocable y amó a los que nadie amaba- El sanó a los leprosos cuando la sociedad quería aislarlos. Él los perdonó cuando nadie más podía. Ese mismo Salvador es el único que puede realizar ese milagro en nuestros corazones hoy.

Solo podemos imaginar lo horrible que era la lepra para Naamán - el tenía el poder y la victoria en todas las áreas en su vida, excepto su salud. Afortunadamente, había una esclava hebrea en su casa que le dijo a la esposa de Naamán: "Si rogase mi señor al profeta que está en Samaria, él lo sanaría de su lepra." (2 Reyes 5:3). La fe de esta mujer no estaba en el profeta, sino en el Dios que el servía. El sabía que Jehová tenía el poder de sanar la enfermedad que nadie más podía.

Aun así cuando Naamán conoció a Eliseo, sus expectativas se hicieron añicos. "Entonces Eliseo le envió un mensajero, diciendo: Ve y lávate siete veces en el Jordán, y tu carne se te restaurará, y serás limpio. Y Naamán se fue enojado, diciendo: He aquí yo decía para mí: Saldrá él luego, y estando en pie invocará el nombre de Jehová su Dios, y alzará su mano y tocará el lugar, y sanará la lepra. Abana y Farfar, ríos de Damasco, ¿no son mejores que todas las aguas de Israel? Si me lavare en ellos, ¿no seré también limpio? Y se volvió, y se fue enojado" (2 Reyes 5:10-12).

Cuando Naamán por fin accedió y se bañó en el Río Jordán siete veces, su piel fue sanada. Este milagro no provino del río, o de las palabras de Eliseo. Este milagro provino del viaje de Naamán hacia el río, porque hay bendición en la rendición a Dios. Hay un milagro en la obediencia- Hay provisión en la sumisión. Hay sanidad en conceder.

¿Qué pecado ha negado en someterle a Dios? ¿Qué desobediencia ha estado racionalizando? Ore a Dios hoy, "Señor Dios, vengo a ti en obediencia. No puedo deshacerme de esto, pero puedo someterlo a ti. Señor, no lo puedo hacer por mi mismo. Por favor ayúdame a hacerlo. Señor, no quiero entregar esto, pero quiero que me ayudes."

The United States is facing a critical time. Culture has lifted up the "god" of tolerance. Extremists of other religions and world views are attacking the values this country was founded on. There are those who are chipping away at freedoms in the name of progress.

Friends, on Wednesday, May 3, we ask you to join us in prayer for this nation. Here in the United States, we have freedom of religion, we have an average of 4.3 Bibles per home, and yet we are often more consumed with personal gain than with glorifying God. Whether you are an American citizen or part of our international community, please pray with us that:

• Americans would bless the name of Jesus, turning to Him as Lord and Savior;
• The body of believers in America would love what God loves, seeking His will in all they do;
• The coming election would bring ultimate glory to God, putting individuals into office who will lead the country in grace and truth;
• Powerful voices would rise up in every town, giving testimony to God's everlasting love;
• Hearts would be turned to the Truth, lives would be turned around, and this nation would once again become a bastion of faithful followers of Christ.

For more information about these critical times, please read Dr. Youssef's newly released book, "Blindsided."

To join Leading The Way in prayer, visit our Prayer page.

To support the broadcast of the Gospel message in towns and cities around the US and beyond, consider partnering with us.