Shadow of The Cross Indonesia

Minggu, 29 Januari 2017

Will You Have Friends in Heaven?

Augustine and Aquinas—two of history’s most influential theologians—imagined that in Heaven people would focus exclusively on God and that relationships between human beings would be minimal or insignificant.^[i]
These great theologians were swayed by Christoplatonism. For the most part, they didn’t seem to grasp that the eternal Heaven will be on Earth, where people will live and work in a relational society, glorifying God not merely as individuals but as a family in rich relationship with each other.
Near the end of his life, however, Augustine significantly changed his view of Heaven. He said, “We have not lost our dear ones who have departed from this life, but have merely sent them ahead of us, so we also shall depart and shall come to that life where they will be more than ever dear as they will be better known to us, and where we shall love them without fear of parting.”^[ii] He also said, “All of us who enjoy God are also enjoying each other in Him.”^[iii]
Do you have a close friend who’s had a profound influence on you? Do you think it is a coincidence that she was in your dorm wing or became your roommate? Was it accidental that your desk was near his or that his family lived next door or that your father was transferred when you were in third grade so that you ended up in his neighborhood? God orchestrates our lives. “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26).
Since God determined the time and exact places you would live, it’s no accident which neighborhood you grew up in, who lived next door, who went to school with you, who was part of your church youth group, who was there to help you and pray for you. Our relationships were appointed by God, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll continue in Heaven.
God’s plan doesn’t stop on the New Earth; it continues. God doesn’t abandon His purposes; He extends and fulfills them. Friendships begun on Earth will continue in Heaven, getting richer than ever.
Will some friendships be closer than others? Augustine claimed, “In the city of Godthere will be no special friendships. . . . All special attachments will be absorbed into one comprehensive and undifferentiated community of love. . . . The universalized love of heaven permits no exclusive, restricted circles of friends.”^[iv]
But how does this position stand up to Scripture?
Just because we’ll be sinless doesn’t mean we won’t be drawn to certain people more than others. We’ll like everyone, but we’ll be closer to some than others. Jesus was closer to John than to any of the other disciples. Jesus was closer to Peter, James, and John than to the rest of the Twelve, and closer to the Twelve than to the seventy, and closer to the seventy than to His other followers. He was close to Lazarus and Martha, and closer still to their sister Mary. He was so close to His mother that while He was dying on the cross, He instructed John to care for her after His death. Since Christ was closer to some people than to others, clearly there can’t be anything wrong with it.
In Heaven there won’t be cliques, exclusiveness, arrogance, posturing, belittling, or jealousy. But when friends particularly enjoy each other’s company, they are reflecting God’s design. If, as you walk about the New Jerusalem, you see Adam and Eve holding hands as they look at the tree of life, would you begrudge them their special friendship?
Perhaps you’re disappointed that you’ve never had the friendships you long for. In Heaven you’ll have much closer relationships with some people you now know, but it’s also true that you may never have met the closest friends you’ll ever have. Just as someone may be fifty years old before meeting her best friend, you may live on the New Earth enjoying many friendships before meeting someone who will become your dearest friend. Maybe your best friend will be someone sitting next to you at the first great feast. After all, the sovereign God who orchestrates friendships will be in charge of the seating arrangements.
On the New Earth we’ll experience the joy of familiarity in old relationships and the joy of discovery in new ones. As we get to know each other better, we’ll get to know God better. As we find joy in each other, we’ll find joy in Him. No human relationships will overshadow our relationship with God. All will serve to enhance it.

[i] Augustine, quoted in Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang, Heaven: A History (New York: Vintage Books, 1988), 58.
[ii] Ibid., 60.
[iii] Augustine, On the Christian Doctrine, 1:32–33.
[iv] Augustine, quoted in McDannell and Lang, Heaven: A History, 64–65.
www.epm.org

Boring Marriage? Sexify It God's Way!

Jeff Foxworthy, the redneck comedian who readily admits that he is “not smarter than a fifth-grader” is wiser than he looks. In spite of his humble roots, Foxworthy teaches us a thing or two about keeping romance alive in our marriages. The country boy chides women for becoming lackadaisical in their bedroom attire. The newlywed bride owns a veritable treasure trove of Victoria Secret’s finest lingerie to entice her new mate. After five years of wedlock, Wifey-Poo pads around the house in flannel polka-dot jammies she bought in bulk from Costco. After ten years of wedded bliss, her sleep attire consists of her husband’s old football jerseys. And, God forbid, on their twentieth anniversary, the blushing bride consistently wears holey granny panties and anything else she can retrieve from the Goodwill donation bag. Sad.
What happened to the mystery? What happened to the romance? When did passion, pleasure and spontaneity disappear? One factoid you may not know is that most Christian couples NEVER talk about sex, especially regarding what pleases and arouses their partner. Sex is a guessing game where both parties remain disappointed, bored and unsatisfied. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom. Twice a week or even less. Sadly the beautiful act of intimacy God created to bind a man and woman together is lost the shuffle of mundane family routine. Kids are no help in the love-making department. My husband and I were looking forward to a sexy tryst in the New Mexico mountains when we discovered we had to bring along our fifteen-month old daughter with us. Thinking she was asleep, Roger and I were in the midst of a passionate kiss when Brie toddled through the door and said, “You Peskies!!!” So much for the romantic getaway.
Keeping a marriage exciting is an art. Here are a few tips that may assist you in “firing up” a stale sex life.
Praise the one you love sincerely and often. Accompany that praise with genuine affection. King Solomon waxed eloquent about his bride in Song of Solomon 4:1-3 NIV.

“How beautiful you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from the hills of Gilead.
²Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
    not one of them is alone.
³Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth is lovely.”

I’ve always felt plain compared to my stunning sister. But from Day One Roger assured me I was gorgeous and alluring. Daily, consistently, he elaborated upon my beauty and charms. My Honey was sincere, poetic and persistent. One morning I was kinking my locks with a curling iron when my true love passed by. He put his arms around my neck and whispered in my ear, “Hello Beautiful!” My heart melted. For the first time, I looked in the mirror and thought, “I’m not so bad looking after all!” I felt so loved and secure.

Intimacy is the foundation for a rich, romantic union. Roger and I have taught hundreds of marriage seminars on intimacy. We always ask our couples, “What are some synonyms for intimacy?” The shy folks from Oklahoma blurt out “trust, transparency, communication, openness and vulnerability.” The Californian couples yell “hot, steamy sex” right off the bat. Wow, what a difference! Genesis states that Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed. It was only after munching on the forbidden apple that the pair went clothes shopping!

"Adam and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame." Genesis 2:24-25 (NIV )

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:7 (NIV)

What is true intimacy and why is it foundational for good sex? God gave us three Hebrew words for intimacy. Yada-to know (Jeremiah 1:5), Sod-to disclose (Proverbs 3:32), and Sakan-deep, caring involvement. (Psalm 139:3).
Don’t ever stop “getting to know” your partner. Learn what they love, how they think, what they need. Your mate is always growing and evolving. Don’t miss the transformation. Let them know you. Guys, this is usually more challenging for you. According to Psychology Today, women speak 25,000 words a day while men speak a measly12,000. Guys, open your heart and let your wife in, even if it is difficult for you.
Finally, remember Sakan. The reason you can let someone into your heart is because you know that your spouse wants to be caringly and intimately involved in your life. You don’t want to open up to someone and be wounded and betrayed. Trust is the basis for intimacy.
Take time to think about sex with your partner. Psychology Today, in another study, reported that men think about sex18.6 times a day and women had sexual thoughts 9.9 times daily. In summary, men learn to talk about sex more often and openly with your wife. Women, purpose to think about sex more frequently (about your partner, of course!)
Here’s a practical way to implement the process of igniting the fire of passion.
Make a love map. Each partner describes what a pleasurable sexual encounter would look like for him or her. This is where the differences between men and women become apparent. Here is the love map from one of our female conference attendees:
Wednesday night: Home on time for dinner.
Thursday night: Take a walk.
Friday night: Dinner date and a movie.
Saturday night: Hot, burning love!
Most men would look at that list and say: That’s wasting time! The first thing on EVERY man’s list? GET NAKED.
Couples, meet in the middle. Learn what your partner desires and design a love map that works for both of you. (By the way, don’t leave the list on the coffee table for the kids to find. Discreetly stuff it in a dresser drawer away from prying eyes…).
Finally, remember sex is spiritual-created and ordained by God. Paul says abstaining from relations with your spouse can hinder your prayers. Honor the Lord with the purest picture of Christ’s love for His bride, the church!
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31-32 NIV
Don’t let your marriage grow stale. Light the fire!!!
www.greatcommandment.net. Some materials were created by Dr. David Ferguson. Used by permission.

Eight Reasons the Church is the Greatest Change Agent on Earth

The Church will last for eternity, and because it is God’s instrument for ministry here on Earth, it is truly the greatest force on the face of the Earth. That’s why I believe tackling the world’s biggest problems – the giants of spiritual lostness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and ignorance – can only be done through the Church.
The Church is the most magnificent concept ever created. It has survived persistent abuse, horrifying persecution, and widespread neglect. Yet despite its faults (due to our sinfulness), it is still God’s chosen instrument of blessing and has been for 2,000 years.

The Church has eight distinct advantages over the efforts of business and government:

1. The Church provides for the largest participation.

Most people have no idea how many Christians there are in the world: More than 2 billion people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. That’s one third of the world’s population! The Church has about a billion more people than the entire nation of China.
For example, close to 100 million people in the United States went to church this past weekend. That’s more people than will attend sporting events in the United States throughout this year. The Church is the largest force for good in the world. Nothing else even comes close.

2. The Church provides for the widest distribution.

The Church is everywhere in the world. There are villages that have little else, but they do have a church. You could visit millions of villages around the world that don’t have a school, a clinic, a hospital, a fire department, or a post office. They don’t have any businesses. But they do have a church. The Church is more widely spread – more widely distributed – than any business franchise in the world.
Consider this: The Red Cross noted that 90 percent of the meals they served to victims of Hurricane Katrina were actually cooked by Southern Baptist churches. Many churches were able to jump into action faster than the government agencies or the Red Cross. Why? The Church is literally everywhere, and Christians who could provide help to the Gulf Coast communicated with Christians in need of help so relief could be sent immediately.

3. The Church provides the longest continuation.

The Church has been around for 2,000 years. We’re not a fly-by-night operation. The Church has a track record that spans centuries: Malicious leaders have tried to destroy it, hostile groups have persecuted it, and skeptics have scoffed at it. Nevertheless, God’s Church is bigger now than ever before in history.
Why? Because it’s the Church that Jesus established, and it is indestructible. The Bible calls the Church an unshakable kingdom. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “I will build my Church and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (NLT). All the powers of hell – in other words, no hurricane, no earthquake, no tsunami, no famine, no pandemic, no army will ever conquer the Church established by Jesus Christ.

4. The Church provides the fastest expansion.

Did you know that every day 60,000 new people come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? By the end of today, thousands of new churches will be started throughout the world, and that will happen tomorrow and the next day and the next.
In one country that is closed to traditional Christian missions, more than 60,000 house churches have been started in one province by the work of lay people, no different from the people who fill your church sanctuary every weekend.
Why is fast expansion important? If you’ve got a problem that’s growing at a rapid rate, then you need a solution that will grow even more rapidly. For instance, HIV/AIDS is growing at an incredibly fast rate in the world. Yet thank God the Church is outgrowing the disease, so more and more believers can help minister to those with HIV/AIDS.
If we’re going to tackle global giants like poverty, disease, or illiteracy, then we must be part of something that’s growing faster than the problem. The Church is doing just that!

5. The Church provides the highest motivation.

Why do any of us do what we do in ministry? It’s not to make money, not to make a name for ourselves and not for duty to our nation. We do it out of love. Jesus stated it as the Great Commandment: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. We wouldn’t do the hard work required to tackle these global giants for money, for fame, or for anything else. It just wouldn’t be worth it; we’d quit before the end.
We’re motivated to keep at the hard work of ministry because we love God, and our love for God compels us to love other people. It is love that never gives up; it is love that keeps moving forward despite the appearance of impossible odds; and it is love that outlasts any problem.

6. The Church provides the strongest authorization.

God authorized the Church to take on global giants, such as spiritual lostness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and ignorance. With God’s authorization, the outcome is guaranteed to be successful.
When you know that God has authorized you to do something, you don’t worry about failure because God doesn’t sponsor flops. If God says we’re going to do it, it’s going to happen. It is inevitable. In fact, the Bible teaches that God will give us his power to complete the task. This is God’s way – ordinary people empowered by his Spirit.

7. The Church provides the simplest administration.

The Church is organized in such a way that we can network faster and with less bureaucracy than most governmental agencies or even well-meaning charities. For instance, the organizational structure at Saddleback, which is based on the New Testament model, holds that every member is a minister. Each person in our church family is encouraged to use his or her own SHAPE (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences) to do what God has called him or her to do. There is no bureaucracy or hierarchy. There isn’t a single committee, and the process doesn’t require a long list of approvals.
The old wineskin of command and control won’t work well in the 21st century. The organization of the future is the “network.” And there’s no better worldwide network than the Church, where every member is a minister and empowered to do what God wants done.
Consider it this way – tens of millions of Christians in millions of small groups that are part of churches around the world can take on the global giants with no other authority than that given from Jesus Christ. In other words, we have God’s permission and we have God’s command to do it. There is no need to seek permission from anyone else.

8. The Church provides for God’s conclusion.

Since we believe the Bible is God’s Word, we already know the end of history. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “The good news about God’s Kingdom will be preached in all the world to every nation, and then the end will come” (NCV). It is inevitable and unavoidable.
When you consider these eight advantages, think about the exponential explosion of ministry when millions upon millions of small groups in millions upon millions of churches organize in such a way that each person can do their part in attacking the five global giants.
What do you think could happen if God’s people prayed against these global giants, prepared for action against these giants, and then moved through faith to tackle these giants?
We may look at these problems and think, “These are too big! How could we possibly solve them?”
But with God, nothing is impossible – and if we all work together as his Church, we’ll see these giants falls just as Goliath fell when faced with David’s obedience to God.
Pastor, it is a great privilege and an awesome responsibility to lead a local church. God wouldn’t have placed you where you are if he didn’t believe you could handle the task before you. You play a vital role in tackling these global giants. It is my privilege to co-labor with you.
www.pastors.com. Used by permission.

Are You Beating Yourself Up With Religion?

Hey,

If you’re not experiencing the joy and freedom you once did in your faith, it may be that you are beating yourself up with religion instead of believing and living out of the true gospel of grace.

Let me explain: my latest vlog/blog post.

Are You Beating Yourself Up With Religion?

Stop ‘shoulding’ all over yourself and others.

I grew up in the Church. From before I was born I was there with my mother every Sunday. But if I am to be completely honest, the message I heard (over and over) was a scary “get out of hell card” type of idea.

Who wants to burn in hell for eternity? Not me! [click to continue]

Thanks,

Caesar

How to Answer “What’s God’s Will for My Life”

Dennis Beckner

January 12, 2017

Got asked a twist on an age-old question today. A student asked, “Since we are supposed to follow God and surrender our lives to God, why do Christian men tell people to follow their dreams and to have the job they want?”
That’s just another way of asking, “What is God’s will for my life?”
I chose to answer this using wisdom from Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven model of ministry. Here’s my response:
About following your dreams…that can be fully in line with God’s plans for us, but not necessarily always. God put us on earth to fulfill five purposes:

Fellowship (building relationships)
Discipleship (knowing God better)
Ministry (serving God by serving others)
Missions (reaching out to others beyond our immediate sphere of influence)
Worship (honoring God)

We fulfill those purposes through our S.H.A.P.E.

S – Spiritual gifts that we get when God’s Spirit fills us
H – Heart (what we’re passionate about)
A – Abilities (what we’re naturally good at or choose to develop)
P – Personality (being an introvert or an extrovert)
E – Experiences we have (educational, work, circumstantial, painful, etc.)

God uses all of our S.H.A.P.E. to serve him and others. Because he uses what we already love to do and are passionate about, when somebody says “follow your dreams” they can be telling you to do what God wants you to do. Those dreams you follow, though, need to also fulfill the five purposes he put you on earth to fulfill.

Free Kids’ Lesson Package: “Beautiful Feet”

Daniel So

December 29, 2016

Free Kids’ Lesson Package

From FourFiveSix, “This is a lesson about love. It’s also a lesson about sharing the good news of God with the lost. This lesson helps preteens to develop their understanding that loving others means thinking about, wanting and doing what’s best for them. We’ll talk about what truly is best for others – God. We’ll take a look at Paul’s reference in Romans to the “beautiful feet” that are talked about in Isaiah: It is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'”
This lesson package includes:

31 Page Lesson PDF — including lesson overview, leader prep and devotional, large group and small group options, social media elements, printables
Set of 34 slides in JPG format
3-minute teaching video

Get Download Now

Resource provided by FourFiveSix.org

Download Instructions: To download these resources, follow the on-screen directions at the download site.

3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don’t Leave the Church

Jon Nielson

January 3, 2017

“What do we do about our kids?” The group of parents sat together in my office, wiping their eyes. I’m a high school pastor, but for once, they weren’t talking about 16-year-olds drinking and partying. Each had a story to tell about a “good Christian” child, raised in their home and in our church, who had walked away from the faith during the college years. These children had come through our church’s youth program, gone on short-term mission trips and served in several different ministries during their teenage years. Now they didn’t want anything to do with it anymore. And, somehow, these mothers’ ideas for our church to send college students “care packages” during their freshman year to help them feel connected to the church didn’t strike me as a solution with quite enough depth.
The daunting statistics about churchgoing youth keep rolling in. Panic ensues. What are we doing wrong in our churches? In our youth ministries?

It’s hard to sort through the various reports and find the real story. And there is no one easy solution for bringing all of those “lost” kids back into the church, other than continuing to pray for them and speaking the gospel into their lives. However, we can all look at the 20-somethings in our churches who are engaged and involved in ministry. What is it that sets apart the kids who stay in the church? Here are just a few observations I have made about such kids, with a few applications for those of us serving in youth ministry.

1. They are converted.

The Apostle Paul, interestingly enough, doesn’t use phrases like “nominal Christian” or “pretty good kid.” The Bible doesn’t seem to mess around with platitudes like: “Yeah, it’s a shame he did that, but he’s got a good heart.” When we listen to the witness of Scripture, particularly on the topic of conversion, we find that there is very little wiggle room. Listen to these words: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17) We youth pastors need to get back to understanding salvation as what it really is: a miracle that comes from the glorious power of God through the working of the Holy Spirit.
We need to stop talking about “good kids.” We need to stop being pleased with attendance at youth group and fun retreats. We need to start getting on our knees and praying that the Holy Spirit will do miraculous saving work in the hearts of our students as the Word of God speaks to them. In short, we need to get back to a focus on conversion. How many of us are preaching to “unconverted evangelicals”? Youth pastors, we need to preach, teach and talk—all the while praying fervently for the miraculous work of regeneration to occur in the hearts and souls of our students by the power of the Holy Spirit! When that happens—when the “old goes” and the “new comes”—it will not be iffy. We will not be dealing with a group of “nominal Christians.” We will be ready to teach, disciple and equip a generation of future church leaders—“new creations”!—who are hungry to know and speak God’s Word. It is converted students who go on to love Jesus and serve the church.

2. They have been equipped, not entertained.

Recently, we had “man day” with some of the guys in our youth group. We began with an hour of basketball at the local park, moved to an intense game of 16” (“Chicago Style”) softball, and finished the afternoon by gorging ourselves on meaty pizzas and 2-liters of soda. I am not against fun (or gross, depending on your opinion of the afternoon I just described) things in youth ministry. But youth pastors especially need to keep repeating the words of Ephesians 4:11-12 to themselves: “[Christ] gave … the teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Christ gives us—teachers—to the church, not for entertainment, encouragement, examples or even friendship primarily. He gives us to the church to “equip” the saints to do gospel ministry in order that the church of Christ may be built up.
If I have not equipped the students in my ministry to share the gospel, disciple a younger believer and lead a Bible study, then I have not fulfilled my calling to them, no matter how good my sermons have been. We pray for conversion; that is all we can do, for it is entirely a gracious gift of God. But after conversion, it is our Christ-given duty to help fan into flame a faith that serves, leads, teaches and grows. If our students leave high school without Bible-reading habits, Bible-study skills, and strong examples of discipleship and prayer, we have lost them. We have entertained, not equipped, them … and it may indeed be time to panic!
Forget your youth programs for a second. Are we sending out from our ministries the kind of students who will show up to college in a different state, join a church and begin doing the work of gospel ministry there without ever being asked? Are we equipping them to that end, or are we merely giving them a good time while they’re with us? We don’t need youth group junkies; we need to be growing churchmen and churchwomen who are equipped to teach, lead and serve. Put your youth ministry strategies aside as you look at that 16-year-old young man and ask: “How can I spend four years with this kid, helping him become the best church deacon and sixth-grade Sunday school class teacher he can be, 10 years down the road?”

3. Their parents preached the gospel to them.

As a youth pastor, I can’t do all this. All this equipping that I’m talking about is utterly beyond my limited capabilities. It is impossible for me to bring conversion, of course, but it is also impossible for me to have an equipping ministry that sends out vibrant churchmen and churchwomen if my ministry is not being reinforced tenfold in the students’ homes. The common thread that binds together almost every ministry-minded 20-something that I know is abundantly clear: a home where the gospel was not peripheral but absolutely central. The 20-somethings who are serving, leading and driving the ministries at our church were kids whose parents made them go to church. They are kids whose parents punished them and held them accountable when they were rebellious. They are kids whose parents read the Bible around the dinner table every night. And they are kids whose parents were tough but who ultimately operated from a framework of grace that held up the cross of Jesus as the basis for peace with God and forgiveness toward one another.
This is not a formula! Kids from wonderful gospel-centered homes leave the church; people from messed-up family backgrounds find eternal life in Jesus and have beautiful marriages and families. But it’s also not a crapshoot. In general, children who are led in their faith during their growing-up years by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church. The words of Proverbs 22:6 do not constitute a formula that is true 100 percent of the time, but they do provide us with a principle that comes from the gracious plan of God, the God who delights to see his gracious Word passed from generation to generation: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Youth pastors, pray with all your might for true conversion; that is God’s work. Equip the saints for the work of the ministry; that is your work. Parents, preach the gospel and live the gospel for your children; our work depends on you.