Weep With Those Who Weep . . .In Other Words . . .

"For most of this century we have wrongly defined soul wounds as psychological disorders and delegated their treatment to trained specialists. Damaged psyches aren't the problem. The problem is disconnected souls."

~Larry Crabb

"Connecting" -
Healing for Ourselves and Our Relationships

"Counseling" is an often-used word today, but what do we really understand of it from a Biblical perspective?

The Book of Job is rich with lessons on suffering, but one of the greatest lessons that we can apply to the church body is that of how to counsel and how not to counsel those who are hurting. There are a great number of counselors that actually do more harm than good! If you've studied the Book of Job, you know that Job had to take some time to "recover" from his friends’ “counseling” techniques. And that recovery only came after Job forgave and prayed for his counselors. (Job 42:10)

Let's revisit Job's counselors. They started out with wonderful technique: They wept. They mourned. They sat with Job in the dirt, in shocked grief -- speechless, for seven long days.

When they saw him, they began to weep aloud…
they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job 2:12-13

Job's "counselors" might have done well to just
pack up their stuff and leave at this point because . . .

Sadly, like so many of us today, they became impatient and instead of filling their divinely appointed role of comforter, they chose the world’s preferred alternative of claiming godlike knowledge. They focused their efforts on becoming superior-advice-giving-therapists, rather than comforting and counseling their friend as a peer.

Like Job's friends, we also tire of being in the dirt with our hurting, depressed, and often-irritable sisters and brothers. We want to dust ourselves off and show that we’re above that sort of thing.

We refer our hurting friends to secular therapists and best-seller books. We rely less and less on God and our divinely appointed role as comforters and defer to a therapeutic culture -- A culture that looks beneath every hurt, every pain and every struggle in life and finds some psychological disorder that needs repair -- and more often than not: a pill.

What’s really going on (in far more cases than we'd care to admit) is a soul crying out for what only Jesus Christ can provide. We need to quit relying on professionals to fix damaged “psyches” because . . .

The real problem is disconnected human souls. See . . . the church body is designed to “grow and build itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16) Just as spiritual gifts are to be used for the entire church body – so is its capacity to listen, understand, empathize, and nourish.

It works like this: If you’ve ever received comfort from God – no matter how small - you have something in you that could deeply impact someone else who is hurting.

. . . the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
~II Corinthians 1:4

You -- as part of the Body of Christ -- are able to comfort and encourage the lonely, revitalize the discouraged, and introduce hope into the lives of people who feel rejected and useless. Even if you yourself feel rejected and useless. Look at Jesus' life on earth for inspiration. He is – after all - the Wonderful Counselor. (Isaiah 9:6) . . .

He was the Son of the God of the Universe! -- yet he was humiliated his entire life. He was despised and rejected. (Isaiah 53:3) He was physically vulnerable, weak, tempted, subject to pain, and as the final disgrace, rejected by God. (Matt. 27:46) We see him tired, thirsty, in tears, impoverished, ridiculed. Scripture stresses that the thing that equipped Jesus for his ministry was that he became like those he was called to help.

Today, we’ve somehow established that only those exalted to godlike status holding PhD’s or M.A.'s or LMFT's are empowered to minister and counsel. Nothing could be further from the truth! Even, the most renowned Christian counselors have said that they are only able to truly help people when they put aside their academic training and rely upon the Lord to direct them. And isn’t this what each of us is called to do?

Much heartache could be averted in the body of Christ if we could learn to “weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)

. . . Not necessarily shedding liquid tears, but unashamedly embrace the pain of others, and let it be obvious that “if one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it.” (I Cor.12:26)

It’s a huge shift in thinking, but the greatest need for the hurting and depressed in our community is not to have more counseling centers or psychotherapists or support groups, but a church body where Christ is exalted and ordinary people learn to shepherd the hurting because, Biblically speaking, simply being a friend, confidant, and sympathizer, is a lofty role that not even the angels or God Himself can fully fill.

Only we, for example, can give a hug or share coffee with a hurting friend. People in pain need to know that they are not alone - they need people with whom they can relate. They don’t need advice as much as they need company and comfort.

Advice is cheap.
Comfort is precious.

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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Good Enough Christianity . . .

"Good-Enough Parenting" is a phrase familiar to developmental and child psychologists. The idea is this: No parent can be perfect so we should stop trying.

We should stop reading Parenting Magazine. We should stop making bunny-shaped pancakes. We should stop beating our heads against that Pottery Barn furniture that never did come together correctly after we took it out of the box . . . . and just be real. We'd do a better job of parenting if we'd just leave our terror driven, self-hating perfectionism behind and be happy with being (hold your breath)

. . . average.

But does this apply to being a Christian?

Will the pursuit of "Good-Enough Christianity" get us farther along the path of spiritual maturity than aiming for "Perfect Christianity?"

My husband and I have been reading Devotional Classics together for several weeks now over our morning coffee. We've been immersed in the writings of authors such as C.S. Lewis, Bernard of Clairvaux, George A. Buttrick, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Chrysostom, Jean-Nicholas Garou, Charles Spurgeon . . .

I think you get the point.

Why are we reading these authors? You should not have to ask, but just in case you're wondering . . . it's because these Christian authors actually believed God's Word to be inerrant and sufficient and infallible and inspired and the absolute final authority on all things! And, frankly, there aren't all that many authors today who write from this perspective.

If you hadn't already observed this phenomena, our culture subscribes to an anti-authority mentality which contributes to an anti-Bible mentality. God's Word has been depreciated by rationalism, existentialism, egoism, relationalism, ritualism, liberalism, intellectualism, mysticism, socialism, and probably a few other-isms as well.

These Christian writers of previous centuries would have been appalled by "Christians" today who blindly believe that God's Love will carry them to heaven simply because they've avoided the big, bad sins like embezzlement and murder. They would be sickened by the mass number of "Christians" who attend church for no other reason than to socialize. They would be horrified to see that "worship" was now defined by a certain style of music. They would be dismayed to know that most Christians only view Christianity as another of the world's many Religions.

These great Christian writers and preachers of yesterday would be aghast to realize that an immesurable number of Christians really are living a "good-enough" Christian life if only because they've never actually read their Bibles!

If St. John of the Cross had seen people today living a "good-enough" Christian life, he would have cried out,

"Oh soul created for this greatness and summoned to it -- what are you doing?"

Christianity is not about public or even private devotion. The Christian is the person who has seen his wretched and prideful state before God and chooses instead to acknowledge God's will. Such people consider God in EVERYTHING they do and live out EVERY aspect of their lives in accordance with God's Perfect Will. And -- Yes! They strive for perfection in their lives.

Listen to the words of William Law:

The simple point is this: either Christianity prescribes rules to live by in our daily lives, or it does not. If it does, then we must govern all of actions by those rules if we are to worship God.

. . . Our blessed Savior and his Apostles were very intent on giving us teachings that relate to daily life. They teach us:
to renounce the world and be different in our attitudes
and ways of life;

to renounce all its goods, to fear non of its evils, to reject its joys, and have no value for its happiness;

to be as newborn babes who are born into a new state of things;
to live as pilgrims in spiritual watching, in holy fear, and heavenly aspiring after another life;

to take up our cross daily, to deny ourselves,
to profess the blessedness of mourning, to seek the blessedness of poverty of spirit;

to forsake the pride and vanity of riches, to take no thought for the morrow, to live in the profoundest state of humility, to rejoice in worldly sufferings;

to reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;

to bear injuries, to forgive and bless our enemies,
and to love all people as God loves them;

to give up our whole hearts and affections to God, and to strive to enter through the straight gate into a life of eternal glory.

Isn't it strange that people place so much emphasis upon going to church when there is not one command from Jesus to do so, and yet neglect the basic duties of our ordinary life which are commanded in every page of the Gospels?

~ William Law (1686 - 1761)
From "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life"

If every Christian were to read the New Testament from its beginning to its end, we would find our course of life condemned in every page of it.

We would then conclude -- with pride -- that the Christian life is impracticable and unattainable in today's world and that the Bible does nothing but condemn and judge. We would also settle once and for all that those Christians who do believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God are delusional.

So then . . . we become content to live out "good-enough" Christianity because the Christianity of the New Testament is hopelessly out of reach in today's world and just flat-out absurd.

No Christian can be perfect so we should stop trying. We should just live like the rest of the world. God's Word is desperately behind the times and can't possibly be relevant to our lives today.

Right?

~Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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A Fellowship of Burdens . . . Or a Fellowship of Joy?

To ease another’s heartache
is to forget one’s own.

~ Abraham Lincoln

On Mondays I often wonder how many church members come to church so burdened by the cares of life that they aren’t even really present at worship.

The message of God’s Word does not penetrate their hearts, because it doesn’t make its way past their conscious hearing. They are simply consumed by their burdens. The burdens they carry grow out of finances, marriage, friendships, problems at work, a child who is rebellious or who is running from God, an ongoing health issue, a death in the family – the list of potential problems people face is endless.

I wonder if it's possible for a church – a body of believers – to reach a point where there are more burdened people than there are people willing to bear the burdens? Some churches have become nothing more than a fellowship of burdens!

We've made a verb of fellowship so that we can now "fellowship" over coffee! . . . when the koinonia is nothing more than a burden-comparison-session.

What happened to the Joy of fellowship?

After all -- depending on whom you listen to -- the whole world is a financial, relational, moral and political disaster! Everyone is burdened by something or someone!!

In the New Testament, the word "fellowship" (Greek koinonia) is a very strong word that reminds us that we SHARE together in God's grace -- NOT our common burdens!

The New Testament Church understood Joy.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
~ Galatians 6:2

The word “burden” in Galatians 6:2 comes from the Greek word βάρος (baros). It refers to a weight that is heavy or crushing. Spiritually speaking, a "burden" is anything that threatens to crush our Joy!

In terms of perceivable burdens in a church body, we do tend to think of "burdens" as sickness, unemployment, loss of a loved-on, loneliness, rejection, etc. And we see the people who bear these burdens as victims -- which isn't necessarily wrong. If we are full of Christ we will most definitely be about the business of bearing these burdens.

Throughout the New Testament we are given instructions on how to conduct ourselves among fellow-believers. The Christian family isn't about criticizing or condemning, but about encouraging and restoring one another. . .

. . . and there isn't a counselor or mental-health professional
anywhere who would disagree that encouraging and
helping to restore others takes our mind off
of ourselves and our own problems.

To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.
~ Abraham Lincoln

There is, however, a greater heartache -- a far more overwhelming and crushing burden -- that too many Christians overlook. Immediately before telling the Galatians to "bear one another's burdens" in Galatians 6:2, Paul describes this greater burden and how to help a person bear it:

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

~ Galatians 6:1

A person who is sinning needs help! The Bible tells us that those who are spiritual should "restore him." The sad part is that way too many Christians wrongly label this Biblical mandate as "judging."

They say, "That's none of my business. I don't want to be burdened by that.
It's not my problem. I'm not going to judge that person."

Sorry. That position is just not Biblical.

Ultimately, Christ has already taken on the burden of sin. We can not carry this burden for someone else. HOWEVER, as Christians, it is our responsibility to admonish and warn each other about attitudes, habits, actions, etc. which are wrong and then point each other to Christ. The Bible is clear on this! . . .

. . . and what greater Joy than to point someone to Christ?
In doing so, aren't we also taking the focus
off of ourselves and our own problems?

Problems that may not have as great an eternal consequence??
If you've ever led someone to Christ, you understand that . . .

. . . To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.
~ Abraham Lincoln

On Mondays do you sometimes feel overwhelmed thinking about the "burdens" of those who surround you in church?

Are they burdened by the economy?
Are they burdened by a broken relationship?
Are they burdened by physical illness?

Or are they burdened by sin?

A burden easily disguised.
A burden with eternal consequence.

Whatever their particular burden, it is our responsibility as Christians to show genuine care -- restoring them to a strong trust in God's all-sufficient grace. Our fellowship (koinonia) with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ. (I John 1:6-7)

. . . remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
~ Acts 20:35

~Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Susan on her blog, Forever His.

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31 Biblical VirtuesTo Pray for Your Children. . .

Printable Version

As parents, the time we spend praying for our children is likely the most precious of the day -- and its value is IMMEASURABLE!!! I don't think we can come close to what God expects from us as parents in this area -- especially in our society. Disruptions (especially as mothers) come on levels that we don't even recognize as "disruptions."

Many months ago, I participated in a Baby Dedication with my husband and I presented a young mother in our church a list of 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Child. After the service, another mother asked if I would share these with her.

Unfortunately, I got disrupted (I'm a mom, remember?) and I forgot to pass them on. . .

I was reminded of my absentmindedness this past week when the lady who'd asked for the list became my newest Facebook Friend. She didn't remind me -- it just occurred in one of those wide-eye'd "oh-my-goodness" moments when I saw her picture on Facebook. So, I now pass them along to her and everyone else as well. (Sorry it took so long, Rebecca!)

Pictured throughout this post are our five children:
Sharon (24),
Tim (22),
Alisa (17),
Selah (5),
and Shepard (4) .
We pray for them daily!

31 Biblical Virtues
to Pray for Your Children

Printable Version

► Salvation
“Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”

Isaiah 45:8
II Timothy 2:10

► Growth in Grace
“I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

II Peter 3:18

► Love
“Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.”

Galatians 5:25
Ephesians 5:2

► Honesty & Integrity
“May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.”

Psalm 25:21

► Self Control
“Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do.”

I Thessalonians 5:6

► Love for God's Word
“may my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.”

Psalm 19:10

► Justice
“God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do.”

Psalm 11:7
Micah 6:8

► Mercy
“May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.”

Luke 6:36

► Respect (for Self, Others & Authority)
“Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.”

I Peter 2:17

► Biblical Self-Esteem
“Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:10

► Faithfulness
“Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablets of their hearts.”

Proverbs 3:3

► Courage
“May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

► Purity
“Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.”

Psalm 51:10

► Kindness
“Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”

I Thessalonians 5:15

► Generosity
“Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.”

I Timothy 6:18-19

► Peace-Loving
“Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.”

Romans 14:19

► Joy
“May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”

I Thessalonians 1:6

► Perseverance
“Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.”

Hebrews 12:1

► Humility
“God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.”

Titus 3:2

► Compassion
“Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.”

Colossians 3:12

► Responsibility
“Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load.”

Galatians 6:5

► Contentment
“Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.”

Philippians 4:12-13

► Faith
“I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.”

Luke 17:5-6
Hebrews 11:1-40

► A Servant's Heart
“God, please help my children develop servants’ hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.”

Ephesians 6:7

► Hope
“May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

► Willingness & Ability to Work
“Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their hearts, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Colossians 3:23

► Passion of God
“Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after Thee’ (Psalm 63:8), one that clings passionately to you.”


► Self-Discipline
“Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.”

Proverbs 1:3

► Prayfulness
“Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayfulness, that they may learn to pray on all occasions – allowing the Holy Spirit to intercede – with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

Ephesians 6:18

► Gratitude
“Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God, the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:20
Colossians 2:7

► A Heart for Missions
“Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your Glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

Psalm 96:3

~ Esthermay

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Question of the Week . . . Republicans vs. Democrats. Is it becoming more and more black and white?

Question of the Week:

It flat-out scares me. . .
and I really wonder about “Christians” who voted for him [Obama]. Do they have a clue what they’ve done to this country? Morally? Economically? Are they only “Christian” in name? Do you see the line between Democrats and Republicans becoming more and more black and white?
~ Andrea

A: Yes. The line is becoming more and more black and white. Not in a racial sense. But in a day versus night -- no gray area -- completely polarized sense.

I certainly believe Andrea's questions are rhetorical. They are, nonetheless, worth addressing.

“When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily;
but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability.”
~ Proverbs 28:2

Spiritually speaking, the Grand Old Party is just as lost as is the DNC. Every human being is short of God’s perfection and needs Christ. But the Republican Party does have far more unabashed Born Again Christians among its leadership and its nationally- and state-elected offices.

And there is no doubt that the Republican Platform is more in line with Christian values and more devoted to American freedoms as set out in the U.S. Constitution.

With each national election, this dichotomy becomes more and more obvious.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania presented these facts concerning the 2008 Presidential election:

► Number of States won by:
Democrats: 28
Republicans: 22

► Square miles of land won by:
Democrats: 1,483,702
Republicans: 2,310,315

► Population of counties won by:
Democrats: 183 million
Republicans: 119 million

► Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Democrats: 6.56
Republicans: 3.60

Has the line between Democrats and Republicans grown more black and white? You decide.

The math itself does not pinpoint the contrast -- and from the standpoint of a non-Christian, the facts say absolutely nothing. (Keep reading . . . )

"Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people."
~ Proverbs 14:34

“Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.”
~ Proverbs 16:12

"God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day."
~ Psalm 7:11

Here's where the line between Democrats and Republicans becomes more black and white -- In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. These would be the citizens who actually work for a living. Just curious: Do you think this work-ethic has anything to do with Biblical values?

"Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best,
for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done,
and won't need to compare himself with someone else."
~ Galatians 6:4

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might."
~ Ecclesiastes 9:10

"He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment."
~ Proverbs 12:11

"A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days."
~ Proverbs 28:16

The fact that Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned properties and living off various forms of government welfare -- citizens who've been ingrained with an entitlement mindset -- should be very telling. Again. . . Just curious: Do you think there's a correlation here between living off the government and living a godless life?

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."
~ Proverbs 14:23

"The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work."
~ Proverbs 21:25

"Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, buy hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. "
~ Proverbs 21:5

Most of us -- who understand, appreciate and accept the Judeo-Christian principles on which the United States' government was founded -- would agree that the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of democracy -- with some forty (40!) percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

The greater question is: What is our leadership doing about it? Does the leadership even care?

"Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?"
~ Luke 6:39

"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint."
~ Proverbs 25:19

If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.
~ Proverbs 29:12

“A leader of good judgment gives stability.”
~ Proverbs 29:4

“When good people run things, everyone is glad.”
~ Proverbs 29:2

Are you among the 40%? The 60%? Do you care at all?

Apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom. . .

" . . . and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek
My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
~ II Chronicles 7:14

" . . . so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,
children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. . ."
~ Philippians 2:15

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
~ Psalm 33:12

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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Cardboard Christians. . . Wouldn't You Rather Soar?

“Refuse to be average.
Let your heart soar as high as it will.”

~ A. W. Tozer

Adrian Rogers calls them cardboard Christians. They’re Christians -- Yes. But they are average. Very, very average.

They are typically quite active in the local church. They may even lead a Bible Study or head up the youth group. Might even be the pastor’s wife. Or the pastor! Sadly, they've surrendered to the environment of the typical Evangelical church in America.

They are Christians. They are leaders. But they are average.

One of the greatest foes of Christianity is complacency. Any Christian who believes that he or she has arrived at spiritual maturity will go no farther.

The snare is believing we have arrived at the point of “soaring” when we aren’t even close. It could be likened to the teenager who is so certain she is "in love" only to realize at a later (more mature) stage of life that she wasn't so much "in love" as she was "stupid."

Average Christians don't necessarily realize they're average.

If you’ve ever tried to share Christ with an unsaved person (e.g. an atheist) in the grip of skepticism, who wants only to debate on an intellectual level with you, then you understand that the debate only enforces self absorption and nothing is accomplished.

This is what confronting an "average" Christians is like. . . .

Christian complacency is encountered almost everywhere among Christians these days. Average Christians fill the pews in almost every church. Their presence is a both a sign and a prophecy. Evangelical churches are indeed average; and they have fallen to this present low estate because of a lack of soaring Christians encouraging others to also soar . . . .

If indeed 90% of Americans believe in God and the current population of the United States is approximately 305 Million, this means we have 275 Million people thirsting after God. Right?

The number of persons in the United States who described themselves as either Evangelical or Born-Again has fluctuated over the last 25 years, but a reasonable estimate is 35 percent of the population or just under 107 Million. This means we have 107 Million people REALLY thirsting after God. They're soaring!! Right?

The state of our culture is proof opposite. Among the many who profess Christianity, there are very (very!) few that reveal any passionate thirst for God.

The great Saints of the Bible all had thirsting hearts. Their cry was,

“My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”
~ Psalm 42:2

Their longing after God all but consumed them -- it propelled them onward and upward to heights which we could accurately describe as soaring!

Today, less ardent Christians look at these Saints and entertain no hope of reaching this same state of soaring!

Why?

Why can't we soar too?

We can. Examine yourself using the following criteria for being a true Christian thirsting after God:

► Do you hear from God regularly?
► Do you share what you hear?
► Have you stayed with Jesus through good times and bad?

The sharing-part and the staying-part might be easier than the hearing-part. Do you hear Him? We have to hear God if we want to soar.

He speaks through His Word. I don't know anyone who has really heard God speak audibly. I do, however, know quite a few soaring Christians -- and they read and meditate on His Word. Daily.

This is where soaring lessons begin.

If there are parts of the Bible that we just don’t understand no matter how many times we read it -- We just need to admit that and begin to thirst after God by starting simple:

If you don’t understand the Scripture, start obeying the simple parts of Scripture that you do understand and you will then be able to understand the parts that you don’t understand. Understand?

~ Adrian Rogers

What if hearing and understanding a portion of Scripture were a requirement for our job? How diligently would we seek to hear and understand?

Do we really thirst for God to the point that we will do whatever it takes to understand it . . . even in our "chilled" environment? How badly do we want to soar?

“Keep your feet on the ground, but let your heart soar as high as it will. Refuse to be average or to surrender to the chill of your spiritual environment.”
~ Aiden Wilson Tozer
The Root of the Righteous

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Deborah on her blog, Chocolate & Coffee.

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In Which I Acknowledge the Evangelism Potential of Facebook. . .

Blogging is such a selfish venture in and of itself. As a Christian, I've struggled with the whole blogging thing. It is such a prideful endeavor, isn't it?

Being obedient to God's call on our lives in the context of blogging is not an easy thing. I'm always blessed to see someone call it out on their blog!

Facebook: An entirely different enterprise. Are you on Facebook? If yes. . . Do you ever have the sense that some of your Friends only befriend you so as to add your picture to their wall of 852 Friends?

Just asking?
I 'm grateful for each and every one of my Facebook Friends!

A few weeks ago, my friend Barbara suggested I create a Fan Page on Facebook for my blog. My first response was an e-mail explaining that I wasn't so much seeking fans as I was seeking to share my passion for God's Word and sound biblical doctrine and consistent theology which is so lacking in today's culture and blah blah blah. . . .

Fast Forward: As narcissistic as the idea first appeared, I did it. With Barbara's help, there is now an Esthermay Bentley-Goossen, Writer/Counselor Fan Page.

I prefer to think of it as a "Ministry Page."

Here's what has transpired since. . .

Company Girls: Wonderful testimony coming up here. You may want to set down your coffee. . . .

First. . . I've changed the format of my blog to a Q & A Format and will now be addressing topics posed to me via e-mail, comments and the Facebook Wall.

Thank you, Melissa . . . for providing the first question!

Second. . . When a Friend of a Friend on Facebook saw that her Friend had become a "fan" of Esthermay Bentley-Goossen, Writer/Counselor, she followed suit and also became a "fan." She then began an exchange with me which she describes as "a turning point" in her life . . .

She explains that she was immediately drawn to read the Inauguration Day Post, "Can a Born-Again Christian Support President Obama?" because she was hoping to find a bit of ammunition to convince her husband to agree with her on the topic. But. . . instead of enforcing (or frustrating) her own political ideology, the post led her to open up her own Bible and read for herself what God has to say about government, prayer, and Salvation.

The rest, as they say, is history.

My husband is now helping my newest Facebook Friend find a Bible-Preaching church in her area and we pray that she is able to get her entire family back into church on a regular basis.

I'm not usually one to yell out, "Praise the Lord," but. . . .

Praise the Lord!

Here's where my thinking has been over the last few days. . .

As Christians, how big is the responsibility to share and defend our Christian faith? If we maintain a blog, are we compelled to fulfill the great commission on that blog?

Do you have a Facebook account? If yes, are you using your Facebook account to share Christ? Do you know which of your Friends are Christians? Are you reaching out to those who aren't?

. . . think about that Newsfeed on Facebook where people see who's doing what and who's talking with whom and commenting on such & such. . . .
Does your contribution represent Christ?
Is it edifying?

There is great potential for evangelism on Facebook and Blogger and WordPress and TypePad. . .

Are we using it?

We don't necessarily have to be "preaching salvation" to share Christ.
We're not all John MacArthur! We have different gifts.
The question is: Do visitors to our blogs, our Facebook Profile, etc. see Christ when they visit?

Would my newest Facebook Friend have re-discovered Christ had she not seen that a mutual Facebook Friend was a "fan" of my blog? That's not a self aggrandizing question -- I do not know the answer. But the events of the last week do confirm to me that the WORLD Wide Web is indeed part of the world. . .

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel. . . . "

~ Mark 16:15

How are you using the Internet?

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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The Age of Accountability. . . When Childlike Faith Become Saving Faith?

Q: At what age do you think a child is old enough to understand that they are a sinner and what it means to accept Christ into their heart as Lord and Savior?

~ Melissa

In His wisdom, God did not identify a specific moment when a child becomes "responsible" for a spiritual understanding of sin and salvation through Christ. Children mature at different phases and there is no "age of accountability" identified in Scripture. It is unrealistic to use a chronological age as a marker for spiritual understanding and maturity. Here's what the Bible tells us about the spiritual state of all human beings:

"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies"
~ Psalm 58:3

A six-year old who lies to his mother is just as guilty of breaking God's law as a thirty-five year old who commits adultery. But does the six-year old understand that he is breaking God's law?

Probably not.

Does he understand his depravity before God?

Probably not.

What if the child has already invited Jesus into his/her heart?

The child may have childlike faith, but without a full understanding of his depravity as a sinner before God, he does not have saving faith.

So . . . a four-year old smashing his brother over the head with a toy block is not aware of his unrepentant heart -- or God's righteous judgment -- or justification by faith. But how about a six-year old? An eight-year old? . . . A ten-year old?

The Jews had identified the age of twelve. It was during a Jewish boy's twelfth year that he was prepared for his induction as a full member of the religious community which took place when he turned thirteen.

This is significant. This is the also age when Jesus was taken by His parents to Jerusalem for Passover and later found deeply engrossed in discussion the "doctors" (KJV).

The Greek word for "doctors" is didaskalos, and refers to scripture scholars.

Do you see a wonderful illustration here? Jesus was asking profound questions at this point in his childhood. Questions that would not have come from a four-year old. This then seems to be an age when these kinds of questions begin to be personal in the heart of a child.

Somewhere around the age of twelve, a transition from childhood to adulthood begins to take place. It's not totally dissociated from puberty, where one becomes aware of impulses, feelings, drives, desires . . . and therefore sinful attitudes and passions.

Remember: This age of accountability is not based upon any direct teaching from the Bible.

This time of early- to mid-adolescence does not correspond to a particular age for every child due to differences in personal and psychological maturation AND environment. (Could be age 10. Could be age 16.) When a child is old enough to understand the moral consequences of his or her actions, then he/she is capable of obeying the moral laws of God and can be held accountable for sins. And it is at this point, that a child is capable of understanding and accepting the plan of Salvation.

Salvation is not a "feel-good" experience where we are simply filled with "God's Love."
Salvation is an experience of genuine repentance.
Salvation is not possible until we know we're lost!

It's important to remember that when a child professes faith in Jesus at any age -- regardless of their ability to fully grasp the concept of sin and redemption -- we need to encourage them in ways appropriate to their age and developmental stage.

"Train up a child in the way he should go. . . "
~ Proverbs 22:6

The idea of an "age of accountability" should never undermine our duty as Christian parents to lead our children to Christ because God's Word is clear on this: We cannot save our children. We are all guilty through Adam. Even children . . .

"Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all have sinned."

~ Romans 5:12

Children, like adults, are accountable for their sins. This is why Paul says that by nature we are all "children of wrath." (Ephesians 2:3) In the case of our children, we trust God for their salvation and are at the same time called to exercise our duty to raise them in the knowledge and fear of the Lord so that when they do reach an age of understanding their child-like faith can become saving faith.

When children do profess faith in Jesus -- in ways appropriate to their age and developmental stage -- we should rejoice while continuing on with our duty:

"Train up a child in the way he should go. . . "
~ Proverbs 22:6

And as they grow, Christian parents need to continue to encourage a child's understanding of salvation.

God inspired John to write these words:

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
~ III John 4

"Sanctify them through the truth: thy word is truth."
~ John 17:17

And the Apostle Paul writes this:

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
~ Romans 10:17

In other words, our children need vital exposure to the Word of God. In his second letter to Timothy (who was probably a teenager at the time of his salvation), Paul wrote,

". . . from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
~ II Timothy 3:14-17

Note Paul's words: ". . . Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation."

See, simply reading or hearing God's Word will not save us. Salvation requires an awareness of our depravity and a mature understanding of sin, righteousness and judgment before Almighty God.

It is possible that the deeper a child's immersion in Scripture in his early years, the easier the salvation experience will be. . . .

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
~ Psalm 119:9-11

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
©2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

For the entire plan of salvation:
Kids Need HIM
Teenagers Need HIM
Twenty-Somethings Need HIM
Women Need HIM
Men Need HIM

Questions?
Leave a comment
. . . or visit my Facebook Page and leave your question in the Discussion Area.

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