88 Sermon Illustrations on Crisis

Principles for effective praying when you or a friend is in crisis. Examples are given how Jesus prayed during a crisis, such as the death of Lazarus. For Jesus, prayer was not a self-pity session but an opportunity to affirm His faith in God. Prayer became His audible expression of trust, a chance to place the problem into God's able hands. How can we change our negative, fear-filled prayers into joyous affirmative praying?

1. Get to know God intimately, as Jesus did.

2. Include God in your daily living.

3. In every prayer make at least one affirmation about God.

4. When praying for others, thank God for His work in their lives.

Evangelicals tend to think of conversion as a crisis experience, modeled after Augustine. It is a much more complex process. Even Augustine's conversion was preceded by years of seeking. Crusade evangelism does not take this into account and therefore does not produce lasting results.

A. Who converts?

In Acts 8-16, a wide variety of people convert. Evangelism doesn't

just stir their emotions but grips their minds. Scientists find no

one personality is more likely to convert. There are many ways to

convert but only one Savior.

B. The process of conversion.

A common sequence according to missiologist Alan Tippett: there is a

developing awareness within the person that he or she is adrift,

estranged from God. At this stage the person becomes aware of, or

identifies, a problem. A second stage follows, wherein the individual

considers the essentials of faith, cognitively or doctrinally framed,

as a possible solution to the problem. This, under the Spirit's

guidance and because of his work, leads to the acceptance of Christ

and his death and submission to him as Lord.

M. Heirich suggests another useful model, based on Thomas Kuhn's

understanding of the development of scientific theories. Scientists

work with various theoretical models of knowledge that, while not

perfect, are sufficiently coherent to provide a framework for

research. Gradually, however, as knowledge develops, inconsistencies

arise that initially extend the model. If they become too

substantial, the existing paradigm is challenged as inadequate and a

whole new paradigm emerges, a process Kuhn called a "paradigm

shift." The acceptance of the theory of relativity is a good example.

C. How much do we need to know?

We need as much knowledge as will bring us to an awareness of

ourselves as sinners, sufficient knowledge to understand how Christ

will "solve" the problem we are sensing, adequate knowledge to see how

the world will look from within life in Christ, and enough knowledge

to know what is asked of us as we believe the gospel and what will be

required of us after we believe it.

D. Preparing the way.

People need enough preparation to come to the point where they believe

that the gospel is true, and to a sufficient falling out of love with

sin and sufficient gratitude to Jesus for opening the door to a new

and godly way of living. The Puritans taught that we must hate sin to

come to Christ, but it does not have to be morbid.

E. Beyond counterfeit conversions.

Conviction of sin is not pathological but healthy. Psychologist R.

Wallace discovered that faith addresses us in four areas:

1. In our need for social contact.

2. In our need for stability.

3. In our need for solidarity (belonging).

4. In our need for others' constructive influence.

F. Conversion counts more than decisions.

Charles A. Beard, the historian, was once asked if he could summarize the lessons of history. Beard replied that he could do it with four simple observations:

1. Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad with power.

2. The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.

3. The bee fertilizes the flower it robs.

4. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

Cited in More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

A Handle On the Situation

It was the perfect way to flush out potential problems.

Just before Baltimore's new football stadium was opened, more than 600 people took part in "Super Flush", activating every toilet in the entire facility on command. The test was to simulate the halftime rush to the bathrooms expected during National Football League games.

Understandably, officials were anxious to avoid what happened when the Camden Yards baseball stadium opened in 1992. After the first inning, a bathroom blitz burst the valves on dozens of toilets, dousing unsuspecting fans.

In Baltimore, no pipes burst, water pressure was fine and everything went smoothly. There was no shortage of volunteers, either. Hundreds of people requested passes to participate and radio stations gave them out as contest prizes. For that one and only day, the toilets were the best seats in the house.

There's a lot to be said for being prepared, especially since who and what we are tend to surface most clearly when the pressure's on.

"The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' - One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity."

-- Richard M. Nixon

How often in times of crisis we cry out instinctively for a power beyond our situation. On September 11th we cried out as a nation. In the midst of tragedy we correctly observe that the thought of a sovereign God is comforting.

I recently read an essay in which the author, a Zen Buddhist, recounted the fateful day his plane came just moments from crashing. As the plane literally dropped from the sky, he recalls being shocked by his response. He writes, “When all seemed lost, it wasn't Mu I had cried out, or even Buddha, but of all things, Jesus — in spite of everything else I had ever believed or done.” [1]

The Gospel of John records a similar situation. (John 4:43-54) A royal official whose son was near death also found himself crying out to Jesus when tragedy drew near. Like many today, he believed Jesus was a unique person. But he had not fully considered the uniqueness of Christ until the peril of this moment, until Jesus himself tested his cry.

His son teetering between life and death, the man chose to make his way to Jesus pleading that he come to his house and heal his son. The cry for help was persistent. But Jesus did not offer what the troubled father asked for. Jesus only offered words: “You may go. Your son lives.”

This moment becomes absolutely pivotal when you realize the man was given only a word of assurance from a man who spoke many words people that were unsure about! He faced a defining decision about the uniqueness of Jesus that day. Jesus tested the man's cry for life with an inquiry. “Will you believe in my words or do you only ask for a miracle?”

The man, we are told, took Jesus at his word and departed. He chose to trust that the uniqueness of Jesus held the promise of that for which he cried; he chose to believe there was Life in the words of Christ. On his way home, his servants met him with news that his boy was living.

Dear friends, the sovereign Lord is indeed our refuge in times of trouble; the Name above all names to cry out when all seems lost. Jesus is also so much more than that. Even as he draws near, His words test our cry: “Who do you say that I am? I tell you the truth, I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will never die.” That is the unique promise we cry out for.

____________

1. Clark Strand, Essay: At the Root of It All. www.beliefnet.org/story/44/story_4406.html

____________

Copyright © 2002 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #4532

I had only stopped at a local convenience store to pick up a newspaper. As usual, I fired off a friendly “How'ya doing?” to the clerk. She didn't give me a usual answer. “Scared,” she replied with wide eyes. Then pointing to my newspaper, she said, “Really scared.”

With headlines filled with news of “the diplomatic window closing” on disarming Iraq and the President's pending speech, her feelings of apprehension were understandable, to say the least. Then, after the President of the United States spoke Monday night with a 48-hour ultimatum, we now know that we could be at war before this week is over.

And simultaneous with the President's address, the terror alert level was raised to its second highest level. The Homeland Security Director's warning notably bypassed the normal “may” or “could” with the statement that terrorists “will attempt” attacks against Americans and their interests. After the night's breaking news, a cable news host asked his distinguished guest, “What scares you?” “The unknown,” he quickly replied.

So once again, we are all reminded of what dangerous times we live in. And that store clerk isn't the only one who is, at some level, “scared.” Just when we feel certainty might make a comeback, we are all suddenly plunged again into unsettling uncertainty. So many unknowns. So many sobering possibilities. So little we can be sure of.

Like a ship tossed about in a storm that is totally beyond its control, we are in need of an anchor. Something - or someone - that is bigger and stronger than the storm that surrounds us. Not just the storm of war or terrorism. Something stronger than even the deeply personal storm of a life-threatening illness or a collapsing family or the loss of someone we love.

Looking at a world that honestly is increasingly “scary,” - and reflecting on the honest fears of that girl at the checkout counter, I got to thinking about “Boomer.” I don't know if that was his real name, but he was our neighborhood bully when I was little. I'm not sure how big he was really was, but he was a lot bigger than we were. He called us names, picked on us, stole our stuff, and sometimes beat us up. We were “really scared” of him.

But one day I got really fed up with him taking my stuff. So I walked down to the end of our block to the apartment where Boomer lived, knocked on his door and demanded that he give back my stuff. “What a brave little guy,” you might say. Well, in the interest of total disclosure, I should probably tell you the one little missing detail. My father went with me! And that made all the difference! Boomer even gave back my stuff! My Dad totally changed the balance of power. The winning equation was pretty simple: Boomer was bigger than I was ... but my father was bigger than Boomer was!

In a world full of battles and questions and unknowns that are bigger than we are, we need a “father” who is bigger than every Boomer we may face ... bigger than anything in tomorrow's headlines. That's why, when that clerk admitted the fear she was feeling because of our scary world, I told her what personal peace there is when you “belong to the God who's got the whole world in His hands.”

He is described by the Biblical prophet Isaiah as “He who sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,” who “stretches out the heavens like a canopy” and “brings princes to naught.” With the great nations of the earth flexing their diplomatic and military muscle, it is striking that, according to that same Biblical passage, to God, “the nations are like a drop in the bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales.” (Isaiah 40:15,22-23)

No matter how big the “Boomer,” the God of the universe is so much bigger. And with a “48 hour” reminder of how dangerous a world we live in, it has never seemed more urgent to be sure we are anchored to this God. That we belong to Him. Not just believe in Him, but belong to Him.

Our greatest fear, then, should be of going into the future without the God who made us. “Separated from your God,” as the Bible describes it (Isaiah 59:2) - speaking of the price we all pay for running a life God was supposed to run. This separation, caused by a lifetime of sinful self-rule, becomes irreversible at the moment of our death. The hell of being forever shut out from the love and meaning we were made for is reversible, though, based on the personal sacrifice of the only Son God has. The death of Jesus on a cross was so much more than just a historical or a religious event - it was deeply personal. “Christ died for our sins,” the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:3. For your sins.

So when you abandon running your God-given life and put your total trust in the One who died for your place, you experience the total release of having every sin forgiven. And then, the “unloseable” love and security of finally belonging to the awesome God you were made for. To a nation shaken to its foundations by the terror of September 11, President Bush cited a powerful Biblical anchor in the days that followed: “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers ... 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)

That's the Father who is bigger than any “Boomer” you will ever face ... the One of whom the Bible says, “The man who fears the Lord ... will have no fear of bad news.” (Psalm 112:7) From the moment you give yourself to Jesus, you are resting in the only arms that can keep you safe in any storm. And nothing can separate you from His love.

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[Original illustration at this number was added to HolwickID #16640]

It is not surprising that in times of war some of the most impassioned prayers of the heart have been prayed. How they are prayed and by whom makes for a fascinating study, as history is replete with the prayers of generals on the eve of a great war.

Russian history tells of that pivotal turning point when Napoleon had surrounded Moscow and its spires were being torched. Aware of impending defeat, the czar was on his face before God in a church in Saint Petersburg, pleading for his nation. No, he was not a devout man with a propensity for prayer. This czar, in fact, had lived a dissolute life. Earlier he had appointed a vile man as archbishop in the hope of gaining an ally in his own wicked lifestyle. Yet God works even through the schemes of political demagogues, and after taking office the archbishop, in a surprising move, surrendered his life to Christ. As the nation tottered on the brink of defeat, the czar himself sought God in repentance and prayer. And God sent (if you will) a minor prophet - winter. The rest is history.

In the Philippines, in 1986, eight hundred soldiers were open targets before President Marcos’ air force. Nervously the soldiers stood, watching aircraft hover, knowing their attempt at a peaceful revolution could end in moments with their small army being blown apart. Certain of defeat, General Isleta (who personally told me this story when he was my student) led them in prayer and read to them from Psalm 91. The aircraft overhead grew closer. Yet instead of decimating the army, one by one the pilots defected and landed. That story of the "Bloodless Revolution" is now history, too.

In the Persian Gulf War, General Norman Schwarzkopf was at the helm of the greatest firepower ever brought under one man’s command. He has said that even as the Stealth bombers were closing in on their targets, he was in prayer.

Such situational prayers do not always have national import, but the underlying principle is this: From life’s more serious battles to the smaller conflicts we face, we pray in times of confrontation. As a frightened child runs to the comfort and guidance of his mother, many seek God’s face in times of trouble, and trust his wisdom for life’s outcomes. Psalm 91 verse 2 reads, "I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" Is the wisdom and the refuge you are trusting in, trustworthy?

_________________________

Copyright © 2002 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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It’s getting to the point where I hesitate to turn on the TV. From the financial crisis, to hurricanes, to Iran, to fuel prices, you name it. And it’s not just the news, it’s the media’s — and the public’s — voyeuristic preoccupation with chaos that troubles me. The news is grim.

But don’t just hide in bed and pull the blanket over you. We need to understand what’s happening in the world, not as mere spectators, but in order to engage the world in a winsome way, ourselves to be light in the darkness.

I can’t help but be reminded of a lesson taught by a certain Oxford don named C.S. Lewis. Yes, these are frightening times today. But 60 years ago the entire world was at war. It was then that he preached his famous sermon THE WEIGHT OF GLORY. This is what he had to say: “Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun.”

Lewis’ words could not be more appropriate for us today. It’s precisely during times of crisis that we must persevere all the more in our quest for beauty and truth.

________

Edited from a longer article by Rev. David Holwick. Copyright (c) 2008 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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[Original illustration at this number was moved to HolwickID #28441]

"Throughout history, the really fundamental changes in societies have come about not from dictates of governments or as the results of battles, but through vast numbers of people changing their minds - sometimes only a little bit." - Willis Harman from Global Mind Change

Nothing is more powerful than a fundamental change in your thinking process. In my studies and experiences of literally thousands of individuals and organizations, I know this to be fact.

In my books and seminars you have frequently heard me speak of "paradigms." Another term for your paradigm is your "Total Belief System" (TBS).

I find that there are 3 distinct levels to your TBS:

1. Surface Beliefs

These are readily available in your consciousness. Simple beliefs like I am a mother, father, man, woman, accountant, distributor and the like. These beliefs are easily changed with new knowledge, learning, and experience.

2. Mid-Level Beliefs

These are more deeply imbedded in your subconscious but can come into awareness if you are open and willing to work. Often these are the beliefs dealt with in various psychotherapeutic interventions. Beliefs about authority, the inner childhood experience, judgments of parents, etc.

3. Core Beliefs

The most deep and fundamental of your TBS. These are your deepest beliefs about your own identity and your relationship with others and the world. Most individuals go through life with these beliefs totally unchanged. If and when they do change it typically is accompanied by a stressful or difficult period in life, what I often refer to as a "Significant Emotional Event" (SEE).

Revolutionary life and business changes can be seen with a "Mid" or "Core" level belief shift. Remember both of these levels are out of your conscious awareness. The evidence of these beliefs is most readily experienced in situations in which you take some action and then after the fact ask yourself "why did I do that?" Ever had that one happen? You do something that is totally counter-productive or destructive and for the life of you don't know why you did it?

The other time these beliefs are evident is when you intellectually know something makes sense or is true and yet you don't apply it in your life. In other words, "you know what to do but don't do what you know."

Exploration of your TBS is vital to your continued success and achievement. That being said, it is very difficult (but not impossible) to accomplish. While shifts in your Surface Level and occasionally Mid Level beliefs can be made over time (most often through discipline and consistent new thoughts). Core Level shifts most often come with a radical or revolutionary event accompanied by tremendous emotion.

What must you do to continue your growth?

1. Hold on loosely. Our beliefs affect our perception but our perception is effected by our beliefs. It often becomes a vicious cycle of limitation. Remain open.

2. Question everything. The truly secure individual has the courage to see every situation from a variety of angles. Allow your mind to ponder and be open to even "radical perspectives." Remember, to consider and understand does not mean you have to agree.

3. Be honest with yourself. Questioning your TBS means your total world and life foundation may shift. Everything you thought to be right and true about yourself and your world could be rattled. This is difficult and hard. If you choose this personal growth route -- be honest. If you are going to be open and question - REALLY BE OPEN don't just go through the motions and allow in only enough information to affirm your existing position.

4. Purposely put yourself in a "comfort zone stretch" on a regular basis. This can be accomplished by:

Attending a powerful seminar, ... taking a big leap of faith, reading

something unusual, attempting things you don't think you can achieve.

Get uncomfortable -- it means you are about to have a breakthrough!

Learn to embrace discomfort and abhor comfort. The only time you and I

are comfortable is when we are doing the same things we have done

before.

If you are not growing you are dying -- there is no standing still.

_____________________

James Ray, Master of The Entrepreneurial Mindset

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Romans 12:6-18

THERE IS HOPE

=============

I. How will you handle the stress?

A. Experts predict high post-traumatic stress syndrome. (CBS, 26th)

B. Trauma can be conquered.

C. Wise words from Romans 12.

II. Use what you've been given by God.

A. Important Christian teaching - we all have a gift. Use it.

B. Crisis has brought out the best in our leaders.

C. It can bring out the best in each of us.

III. What you need in troubled times.

IV. What we must remember.

A. As great as this disaster is, things have been worse in past.

B. Hardship and struggle are part of this world.

C. Jesus is coming back.

In light of the storms that have raged in our world over the past few months, our families have grown closer. Many of us have been in the process of rediscovering our faith in God. Others search for an anchor for their families. As we search for that anchor, the Bible teaches us that our families will experience peace and rest as we embrace a heart of gratitude, in spite of our circumstances. We have reason to celebrate and express gratitude to God.

In the Scriptures, we find a person who developed a heart of gratitude, and in that, he found peace in the storm. He experienced the heights and the depths of life. He lived life at the peak and in the deepest valley. His name is David, the great king and leader of Israel.

David knew what it was like to experience storms in life. He faced the storm of fear when Saul set himself to kill David out of rages of jealousy. He faced and failed the storm of temptation when he took another man's wife. He walked through the storm of death when Absalom, the child conceived out of his affair with Bathsheba, died. He knew the storm of anxiety over the state of his kingdom. He walked in despair when Absalom commandeered David's own kingdom from him. He raged in the storm of anger when his son was killed by one of his own men. David knew what it was like to feel the stress of the storms of life. But David also knew the most wonderful times of life. David knew how to celebrate God's goodness with a heart of gratitude. We want to learn from him how to develop a grateful heart.

We find grounds for gratitude in Psalm 103.

Throughout this psalm, David cries out, "Bless the Lord." David thanks God for who God is, what God has done and where God lives. Why does David thank God for these qualities? First, David expresses his gratitude because of who God is. He does this because David knew that God is faithful to those who serve him. David knew that God does not abandon those he loves. David knew that God cares about us, and will help and save us.

Second, David thanked God for what God had done. Why did he thank God for that? After all, David experienced adultery, rebellion and death in his own family! How can David thank God for his wonderful acts? David can express gratitude to God because he remembered that God is our life-giver, forgiver and life-sustainer. When we remember what God has done for us, we have reason to be grateful!

Finally, David thanked God for his throne in heaven. This fact communicated to David that God is in charge and is powerful to act on behalf of his children. In spite of the struggles of the day, God has the power to deliver. The power and blessing of the government of God will be forever. And when we are facing the horrors and the ungodliness of this world, we are grateful that our God reigns!

There is no doubt that we have all experienced the storms of life in these days. But as we follow our Lord, we can experience peace and direction as he navigates our way through the storm. This is cause for gratitude. We can be grateful that God is our deliverer and our help. We can be grateful that God has always taken care of those who serve him, and will continue to do so. We can be grateful that God's throne will be forever and forever, giving us hope that although our journey in this world may sometimes be difficult, our eternal home will be forever beautiful. As we develop a grateful heart, like David, we will experience peace in the storms that face our families.

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Maybe you've seen those old world maps that were created when a lot of the world was still unexplored. When they reached the edge of what had been explored, they drew a line and they showed dragons and monsters beyond it - which didn't exactly encourage exploration. The story is told of a first century Roman commander who had to lead his troops beyond the line on the map and into, uh, "dragon territory." He sent a courier back to Rome with a straightforward message - "We have just marched off the map! Please send new orders!"

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Marching Off The Map."

Man, that sure describes how a lot of us are feeling since things changed so dramatically on September 11, 2001. We have marched off the map! Things are up for grabs with the economy - with many people's jobs - and with our own personal sense of safety and security ... anthrax in the mail ... a long war ... prospects of bioterrorism and cyberterrorism. USA Today talked about DEFCON 1, the military's phrase for their highest state of alert - and they said suddenly all of us are living at DEFCON 1.

We need some certainty - we need some leadership. We want to hear from our national leaders, from our military leaders, from our financial leader, but none of them can give us the sense of peace and security we're needing in this "new world" that is off the map. What we're looking for can ultimately only be found in the leader - the One who created us. The issues of our day and the questions of our heart are just too big to be answered by anyone other than God Himself.

In times like these, I'm glad Jesus described His relationship with those who belong to Him as one of a shepherd. Because with no clear direction these days, we're feeling a little like sheep. Well, here's what Jesus offered to people like us in times like these - it's in our word for today from the Word of God in John 10, beginning in verse 3. "He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out - He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him." Later, Jesus said, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand."

There is someone who knows the way to go when there is no map - and He's the Lord of this universe! And Jesus leads those who belong to Him, giving them daily direction and provision, no matter what's in the headlines. And He never loses anyone that's His - because, in the words of John 10, He "laid down His life for the sheep." Jesus died for everything wrong you've ever done so you could belong to Him forever. He's not about to lose you!

The Bible tells us that Jesus weeps for those who are, as He says, "sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:37) That may be you today. But it doesn't have to be you for one more day. He's reaching out to you right now. He's ready to be your Shepherd in confusing times, your Anchor in stormy times.

Your relationship with Him begins when you tell Him you're done trying to be your own shepherd, running your own life - that you're putting your total trust in Him to forgive your sins, direct your life, and get you to heaven. You can tell Him you want to begin that relationship right now. And I'd like to send you the booklet "Yours For Life" that I wrote about this relationship, if you'll just let me know you want it.

We've marched off the map. But Jesus knows exactly where we are - and what the future holds. And He can take you there safely - if you'll just grab His hand.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. 'Practical Answers to Real Life Issues'

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”There is a tremendous opportunity for growth in crisis. Letting go of old loves, old habits, old beliefs is so hard. It’s hard because we don’t know that on the other side of this chasm is a far greater peace.”

In the midst of the most terrifying 18 hours of his life, Army Ranger Jeff Struecker's future suddenly crystallized.

Compelled to return to the exploding center of Mogadishu, Somalia, to rescue survivors of a downed American helicopter, Struecker was petrified. On his first trip to retrieve an injured soldier, his Humvee careened through a constant hail of gunfire and rockets. A soldier beside him was shot and killed.

Now he was ordered to re-enter that hellish chaos. He felt certain he would die that day in 1993 in a war-torn and terrifying city.

“I thought I was going to die, and every single soldier that I worked with was going to die, if we had to drive back into that city and fight through the same thing that we had just come through,” Struecker said.

It was at that moment that Struecker's life became clear, he said, because he realized that his life was in God's hands and only one of two things could happen -- he would live or he would die.

“Either I would drive back into that city and I would survive and go home to be with my family, or I would drive back into that city and I would die and go home to be with my savior in heaven,” he said.

“From that moment on, when that finally hit me, I had no more fear about what was going to happen to me. The only fear I experienced that night and the rest of the time I was in Somalia was the fear of losing another one of my soldiers.”

You may know Jeff Struecker because his heroic role as a squad leader rescuing stranded soldiers was portrayed in the movie “Blackhawk Down.” Today Struecker is still an Army Ranger. But instead of leading a squadron in firefights, he wages war on a spiritual front as battalion chaplain.

Like so many young men and women, Struecker was enormously affected by the fear and fire of that horrible night in Mogadishu when 19 American soldiers and dozens of Somalis died. What affected Struecker most, however, was not the gunfire and terror but the hollow, bewildered expressions on the faces of his fellow soldiers who had no “faith foundation” from which to sort events.

“What really impacted me were those young Rangers who were absolutely devastated about what they had just seen and what they had been through,” Struecker said. “A lot of those young Rangers were asking me questions. A lot of veteran Rangers who had been to war a number of times were asking me questions because they knew I was a Christian. And they were saying, 'Jeff, what just happened? How could God let something like that happen? What happened to my friend who just lost his life? What's going to happen to me if I get back on a helicopter or if I get back on a Humvee and I drive back into that city and I lose my life?'

“At that moment, grown men who never wanted to hear about Jesus Christ before that moment, began to sit down and listen as I told them about Jesus Christ and how he could give them the assurance of knowing they'd spend an eternity in heaven.”

Struecker went to seminary after that hitch in Somalia. But he later returned to the Army because of his concern that those soldiers have the opportunity to know God.

He considers his congregation to be his battalion's 750 soldiers and their families. He estimates 80 percent “don't know Jesus.” “It's my responsibility to introduce those men and women to Jesus Christ every opportunity I get.”

Struecker encourages Christians to remember soldiers and their families at every opportunity. “I hope every time you see someone in uniform you think about a mother or father, you think about a wife or a husband, you think about a baby girl or a young toddler who is just learning to walk,” he said. “As that Marine or soldier, or sailor gets on a ship or into an airplane to go do his or her job, they're leaving a family behind.

“When my battalion loads aircraft and we fly somewhere, when we're jumping out of airplanes to go do our job late at night, I never forget there are women back home who are absolutely petrified at the thought of losing their husband. There are mothers not having any idea where their son is tonight and what they're doing.”

Struecker knows people care about those in the military, but he urges those who care to let the soldiers know.

“Let them know you love them,” he said. “Write them a note. Send them an e-mail. Just shake their hand when you see them walk down the street or when you see them at a restaurant.”

And pray their lives will become crystal clear, without having to undergo the hell of another Mogadishu.

*

A lost puppy in Africa sees a lion running in his direction.

Thinking fast, he sees some bones and lays down to chew on them.

When the lion is ready to attack, the puppy says: The lion I just finished eating was so-o-o delicious!

The lion quickly stopped, and left intensely frightened, thinking: What a wild dog! In a little while, he'll eat me too!

A monkey, who'd been watching this scene, went running after the lion to tell him that he'd been tricked.

Furious, the lion growled: Foolish dog! I'll get him!

The puppy saw the Lion coming back for him, this time with the monkey riding on his back.

Traitor monkey! What am I going to do now? - thought the pup.

Instead of running away, he lay down with his back to them, as if he hadn't seen them coming.

When the Lion was about to attack him again, the puppy said: Lazy monkey! It's been half an hour since I sent him to get me another lion and he still hasn't come back!

_________________

“In crisis, imagination is better than knowledge.” -- Albert Einstein

OUR LION:

1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

“IT IS WRITTEN”:

Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

*

On the September 11th we'll never forget, she was the last person brought out alive from the rubble of the World Trade Center. Fleeing down the stairs from her office on the 64th floor of the north tower, Genelle Guzman got as far as the thirteenth floor when the building came down around her. Suddenly, she was in total darkness, buried alive and unable to move much of her body. Genelle cried out to God for help. And that help came in the person of a rescuer breaking through the rubble and grabbing her hand. In her darkest moments, Genelle Guzman promised her life to Jesus Christ. Her emotional miracle was the total peace she has had every day since - a peace that her psychiatrist, who's worked with many nightmare-plagued survivors, simply could not understand. In his book “Breakthrough Prayer,” Jim Cymbala quotes Genelle's bottom line on what happened to her as she told it to her amazed psychiatrist. She said, “The tragedy I suffered was something I needed to go through in order to know Him.”

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Why Things are Caving In.”

You've never had a September 11th, but you know what it is to feel like everything is caving in around you. You've had your share of pain, of discouragement, darkness. Someone trusted has failed you, maybe you've failed, your health has let you down, things are in turmoil at work, at home, in your personal life. You're really under it, and you're wondering why.

Maybe, in a way, it's Genelle's story reenacted on the stage of your life: the tragedy you're suffering is what you've needed to go through in order to know your Creator. He loves you too much to lose you, and He'll do whatever it takes to bring you to Him; to get your attention so you can finally find the relationship you were made for. So you can move from your religion to a personal relationship with God. So you're ready for eternity, whenever it comes.

For one man, it took a death sentence for him to experience the love and forgiveness of God. He was a hardened criminal, nailed to the cross next to Jesus Christ. At first, he had no use for Jesus. The Bible says, “The robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.” But then he heard Jesus say of the men who had nailed Him to that cross, “Father, forgive them.” And this dying man suddenly realized that Jesus was his only hope. In Luke 23:42, our word for today from the Word of God, this man says, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus said to him what I hope you'll hear from Him one day, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” Like the last survivor at Ground Zero, this man's suffering brought him to his Savior.

That may be why things are caving in around you - the pain you're going through now is God's way of saving you from the awful pain of an eternity without Him - a penalty for your sin that Jesus has already paid. The Bible says Jesus was “a man of sorrows ... pierced for our transgressions,” “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:4-5). But some of us are so self-reliant, so stubborn, even so religious, that we refuse to acknowledge our need of the Savior who is our only hope until everything's coming down and out of control.

Now, like the rescuer who reached into the rubble and grabbed a dying woman's hand, Jesus is reaching for you. Isn't it time you surrendered the steering wheel of your life and said, “Jesus, I now realize that You are my only hope. I'm sorry for all the years when I've done it my way. From this moment on, I'm Yours.”

You may never be this close again. Don't miss Him.

__________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

Challenging times require resolve and courage. But I believe that challenging times also require deep and passionate prayer.

I recently read of the first two characteristics, namely resolve and courage, in England in World War II. By 1940, France faced an uncertain future because Hitler's forces had gained momentum and power. Due to this rise in Nazi power, England began to withdraw its forces from continental Europe.

England's roughly 330,000 troops escaped the continent on small privately owned boats to arrive safely back on their own shores.

Their troops safe, the country was relieved and excited that such an escape from Hitler's forces was a success. Britain was enthused about the escape and confident in their land.

But Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in a speech to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940, boldly declared, “Wars are not won by evacuations!” He delivered an address that moved all. He inspired and encouraged his countrymen to resolve and courage.

He concluded this now famous speech by exclaiming, “We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans.

“We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air; we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches; we shall fight on the landing grounds.

“We shall fight in the fields and in the streets; we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

No one can question the necessity of steel-willed resolve and courage in challenging times. A strong, inner fortitude. A deep dedication. A sense of purpose.

I hear about the importance of resolve and courage among Christians all the time. And I agree. But the Scriptures remind us that what is needed, what we must have, is prayer.

The Bible tells us that a new era emerged in Israel's history during King Solomon's reign.

It was in this era that the people faced the challenge of a new king, growth pains and generally challenging times.

However, the Solomonic rule culminated in the building of the temple and represented a crucial moment in Israel's history. How would God's people respond at this hinge in Israel's history? What did God require of His people at this moment?

This is what God said to Israel at that moment: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

God commanded prayer for Solomon and for Israel. God's Word is sharper than a sword and it should cut our hearts today. At “hinge of history” moments in the life of a country, God's people must pray.

The Bible teaches us this: If we are not on our knees in challenging times, we will not see the face of God. There is no compromise here.

Many Christians wonder why prayer is so important. I cannot express the truth of prayer more clearly. Prayer is essential for growth, guidance and God's presence in our lives.

Now as we turn to the challenging times in our nation, we certainly need resolve. We certainly need courage. But we as Christians must be on our knees seeking the face of God.

Too often, I fear that Christians are quick to point our fingers at the “wicked” and the “proud” in our cultures.

But quicker than the finger-pointing, Christians should be quickened to kneel before the presence of Almighty God and ask for forgiveness, healing and repentance.

Without prayer, all that we do will ultimately stand as ineffective. Wholeness cannot come solely through education or university enlightenment. Healing cannot come solely through interdisciplinary dialogue or multicultural exchange. Forgiveness will not come solely through international summits and peace talks.

Forgiveness, healing, wholeness and peace will only come when the people of God get serious about prayer.

*

Alumni and fans made UCLA football coach Pepper Rodgers's life miserable during a season when his Bruins got off to a horrible start. Nobody would hang out with him.

“My dog was my only true friend,” Rodgers said. “I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends. She bought me another dog.”

Rodgers can be rigid in the face of adversity. When his players were having difficulty adapting to the wishbone offense he'd installed and the school's alumni demanded that he adopt another system, Rodgers didn't budge. The wishbone, he said, “is like Christianity. If you believe in it only until something goes wrong, you didn't believe in it in the first place.”

__________

Source: Washington City Paper (10/26/01)

Luke 12:35–59 — “Since the Master is Coming” « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Servants! Be Prepared for The Master’s Coming! «

1. Jesus has been talking about the right use of wealth, reminding His audience that earthly wealth is temporary; He now talks about “the Master’s Coming” to show just how fragile it is »

2. Because There Is a Reward, Luke 12:35–38 (NKJV): 35 Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. «

a. these words have a veiled reference to the Second Coming but for Jesus’ disciples it was more general: “be ready, for change and crisis is always imminent” »

b. what was there about eastern weddings that made this illustration appropriate? « — they could go on for days, or even a week; so the coming of the master was uncertain as to time — he might be long delayed — but not as to fact »

c. what marks of readiness do the servants show? … what is the significance of each?

(A) « the waist girded: flowing eastern clothing needed to be bound up out of the way if work involving anything in the way of significant effort was to be done »

(B) « the lamps burning: readiness was not just for the normal hours of labour, but even during “personal time” »

(C) « immediately … watching: they have their eyes open to the Master’s return, not to be surprised or caught asleep, regardless of what hour of the night, he may return »

d. such a master will be so pleased that what unexpected event transpires? … what does this tell us of the Master we serve?

(A) « the master reverses the roles and serves the servants »

(B) « He came as a Servant to all (Matt 20:28, Phil 2:7) »

3. Because His Coming Is Imminent, Luke 12:39–40 (NKJV) 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

a. the coming of a thief is used to illustrate only one truth, which is? « — thieves do not publish the time they plan to come and break into (through the wall) the house »

b. what is the one thing that we can expect for sure about the coming of the Son of Man « — it will be unexpected; people will not be prepared (for the most part) »

B. Peter Interjects a Question, Luke 12:41 (NKJV): 41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

1. in your opinion, who does Peter’s “us” include? « — it seems most likely that he is speaking of the twelve, who had “left all and followed” (Mark 10:28, Luke 18:28) »

2. what do you think the answer to Peter’s question is? « — that it was spoken for all disciples; for all who would leave their old life in order to follow Jesus »

3. as you read the following response of Jesus, see if you think that He answered Peter’s question, directly or indirectly.

C. Jesus Tells About Two Kinds of Servants

1. The First Distinction, Luke 12:42–(NKJV): 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

a. what is the reward to those who find approval under the terms of this first distinction? « — he will be given a larger responsibility in serving the Master »

b. what is that first distinction? « — how has the servant carried out the responsibilities that he has already been given »

c. what is the punishment who fail to find approval under the terms of this distinction? « — literally, “dichotomized” … the soul separated from the body; slain »

d. Is there any indication in these words that they are related to Peter’s question (ie., to the disciples or discipleship)?

(A) « those failing are classified with the unbelievers; which takes us from the physical realm to the spiritual realm; from servants to disciples … so it is to such he is speaking »

(B) describe the service attitude of each of these servants

(1) « from the heart, responsible »

(2) « the second serves only as a man-pleaser (Col 3:22) »

(C) how does this apply to discipleship to Jesus?

2. The Second Distinction, Luke 12:47–48 (NKJV): 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

a. what is the difference between these two servants? « — one knew fully what the job entailed, the other did not »

b. in what way are they alike? « — both fail to do the job »

c. is it fair that the one who did not know is punished? « — yes, because he should have found out what was required »

d. what is suggested about God’s justice? « — that He takes into account what has been revealed to a person … Amos 3:2 »

3. Destiny of Disciples, Luke 12:49–53 (NKJV): 49 I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

a. What destiny did the Master face on earth? « — the fire of punishment (?) with which He would be baptized (die, rise) for our sakes »

b. Our destiny in earthly relationships is … « estrangement on Christ’s account »

D. Comments to the Crowd

1. On Spiritual Perception, Luke 12:54–56 (NKJV): 54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

a. what were the crowd able to see coming? « — the weather »

b. what were the crowd blind to its coming? « — judgment; by and large, the teaching of Christ was but an ear-tickler, that their hearts were not changed is shown by “Crucify Him!” and, as in the Old Testament, in their being cast out of the land of promise »

2. On Ethical Perception, Luke 12:57–59 (NKJV): 57 Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.

a. what was their prevailing attitude toward social justice? « — pay what you absolutely had to pay when you were forced to do so. »

Most would say Chuck Norris has reached the pinnacle of success. A six-time world karate champion, he starred as the hero in more than 23 films and wrote and produced his popular television series, “Walker, Texas Ranger.” But success couldn't rescue the Norris family the night they faced a life-threatening crisis.

Norris felt absolutely helpless when his wife, Gena, went into pre-term labor with their unborn twins. But Norris also knew he could rely solely on God. He recounts the events of that frightful night in his autobiography, “Against All Odds: My Story” with Ken Abraham, published by Broadman & Holman.

“I had earned millions of dollars over my lifetime,” he writes. “I'd been a friend to several presidents, yet all the money in my bank account couldn't help me now.... There was only one person to whom I could turn.” It was God. He'd been with Norris throughout his life, and this would be no different.

'GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU'

Carlos Ray Norris was born into a family struggling to survive, led by an alcoholic father who moved the family 16 times by the time the future actor turned 15. Norris' mother, a strong Christian and prayer warrior, never gave up or let her children give up despite living in extreme poverty.

“God has a plan for you,” she told her son daily, convincing him he could, indeed, beat the odds.

His mother's enormous faith was a great example for the young Norris. It was she who insisted the family go to church wherever they were living. Norris began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at an early age, and he rededicated his life to Christ as a young adult when he attended a Billy Graham crusade.

Norris says his mother continues to be a great influence in his life.

“She loves Jesus with all of her heart and soul and made sure we understood that [growing up,]” he said, following a book signing in Atlanta. “She influenced me spiritually and instilled in me a sense of responsibility that carried over in my later adult life. She always told me 'God has plans for you,' and I didn't know what she meant. I think I do now.”

FINDING FORGIVENESS

You could say the action star's career “kicked” off as a young airman stationed in Korea studying martial arts. He wasn't initially strong, and success did not come easily, but within eight years, Norris became a martial arts world champion. He holds the distinction of being the first man in the Western hemisphere to receive an eighth degree black belt grand master in Tae Kwon Do.

The chain reaction that followed his success in karate moved him rapidly up the ladder of recognition. His karate championships led him to open a successful chain of karate schools and gain appearances on television, including “The Tonight Show.” Eventually Hollywood took notice, and it wasn't long before he was cast in his first feature film.

But while his career path was leading to fame and fortune, his personal life bore the toll. Norris and his first wife, Dianne, divorced after 30 years of marriage. When their two sons grew up and moved away, the long distances and times apart adversely affected their relationship. Despite the divorce, he and Dianne remain friends.

Ten years later, life took a life-changing twist. A letter from a daughter he'd never known turned up in his mailbox. In his first year of marriage, Norris had committed a one-time extramarital affair while stationed away from home. He'd never known the experience had made him a father.

It would be hard for many people of Norris' stature to relay struggles in a book for all to read, but Norris and his new wife see the theme of forgiveness as a big part of their story. His daughter Deanna and her husband are now a part of the family, and there's been emotional healing all around -- between Norris and Deanna's mom and Norris and his former wife, and new relationships between his sons and their half-sister.

“These are human frailties; we all have them, we all sin,” Norris said. “But as far I'm concerned, the sin that resulted in my daughter turned out to be a blessing. I can't imagine my life without her and her children, my three grandchildren.”

FROM KICK 'STAR' TO 'KICKSTART'

These days, children are very important to Norris. After a difficult pregnancy, his wife of six years gave birth to healthy twins -- a boy and a girl, now age 3. He also continues to work on his KICKSTART program for middle school students. The proceeds of his book will go to KICKSTART.

More than 30,000 kids have graduated from the program, currently found in 37 schools. While the focus of the program is on martial arts, it does a lot more for the kids who participate -- many who are from the inner city. It builds their self-esteem.

“Many have gone on to college, and one of our kids just graduated from MIT on a scholarship,” Norris said proudly.

It's clear he's passionate about the program, almost as much as he is about his faith. By his own acknowledgement, he's grown deeply in his walk with God in the last 10 years. But Norris gets frustrated at the silent majority of Christians who refuse to speak out on issues of faith.

He and Gena have taken a stand to get the Bible back in public schools. They endorse the National Council of Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, which aims to incorporate the Bible as part of elective history and literature classes.

Members of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, he and Gena hope eventually to get involved in missionary work as their children grow older. And, of course, he remains passionate about the KICKSTART program.

“We're hoping to help millions and millions of kids and show them that they don't have to give up,” Norris said. “The odds aren't stacked too highly against them to achieve their dreams. I want them to know that if I can overcome the things in my life, there's no reason why any of them can't do the same thing.”

*

It was one of those unexpected phone calls that leaves you stunned. Our friend Curt, one of the most experienced private pilots we know, had crashed two hours earlier. He was landing on a grass strip near his home, a strip where he had landed hundreds of times. This time he somehow went into a skid that propelled his plane right into a tree. The plane caught fire and then it exploded. And our friend Curt was in heaven. As a beloved leader in our community, his death rocked a lot of us. Because of a collapsed wheel, he had been in a crash fourteen months earlier actually; one which should have been fatal but from which he escaped with serious but survivable injuries. I can't tell you how grateful I am that he didn't die then. Something very important happened between those two crashes.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “How Your Life - and Your Death - Can Really Count.”

It was my privilege to be asked by Curt's wife to talk about his faith at the funeral and the powerful changes that had taken place since that first crash. The word for that day from the Word of God is ours today. It's like a scale on which you can weigh the significance of your life and what you're living it for. Philippians 1:20-21: “I eagerly expect and hope that ... Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

We all need to honestly fill in the blank, “For to me to live is _________.” The true answer - not the spiritual answer - might be, “For to me to live is my business, is sports, my home, or my success. To me to live is my family, my friends, my education, my dream.” Or maybe you should just put the name of the most important person in your life in that blank to fill it in honestly. Here's the problem: if you're living for any one of those things, to die is to lose it all. It's only when for you “to live is Christ” that to die will be gain.

When our friend Curt went down the first time, I'm not sure what he was living for. He was always a good man, but I think he would have said he wasn't always God's man. But after that crash he said, “God spared me for a reason.” And he concluded that one major reason was for him to live for Christ in such a way that the people he cared about, the people who looked to him, would want his Jesus so they could be in heaven with him someday. He began to live in such a way that “Christ would be exalted” by his life. And because he did, Christ was really exalted by his death.

In the past months, Curt had boldly told so many people in his large circle of influence about the Christ who died for him and for them. So it was only logical that his funeral would do the same thing - to give those he had touched the opportunity he had had - a wakeup call from a plane crash that would bring them into vital relationship with Jesus Christ. But if you haven't lived to show Christ to people, your death really can't lift Him up. The death of a man or a woman who has really lived passionately for Christ can have such incredible meaning - helping others be in heaven with you. But a life not lived for Christ just can't have that kind of meaning. Death destroys every reason for living but one - living for Jesus and what matters to Him.

If Curt were here today, I believe he would tell you, “Don't wait to surrender your life and your influence to Jesus Christ. You never know how many days you have left to make your life count for something that will last forever.” And, for sure, Jesus would tell you that. In fact, I believe He is - right now. “Someday” isn't soon enough to give everything you've got to Jesus. It needs to be this day.

________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

Whether it's the Columbine shootings, September 11, or Hurricane Katrina, in the wake of the initial crisis, an army of grief counselors descends on the survivors. Is that a good thing? Probably not.

In their excellent book One Nation under Therapy, ethicist Christina Hoff Sommers and psychiatrist Sally Satel show how junk science has promoted the notion “that seemingly content and well-adjusted Americans — adults as well as children — are emotionally damaged.” They trace the history of what they call “therapism,” which “valorizes openness, emotional self-absorption and the sharing of feelings.”

This trend was popularized by twentieth-century psychologists like Abraham Maslow. He believed — though he had no scientific proof for it — that restraint was unhealthy and that “self-actualization” and high self-esteem were crucial to human development. It was Maslow who said, “I sometimes think that the world will either be saved by psychologists ... or it will not be saved at all.”

We see the fruits of that philosophy everywhere. From schools to talk shows, people are coached to focus on themselves and obsess about their own feelings — in short, to “save themselves” through psychology. No wonder that Jim Windolf, writing in the Wall Street Journal, said, “If you believe the statistics, 77 percent of America's adult population is a mess. And we haven't even thrown in alien abductees, road ragers or Internet addicts.”

As if it weren't enough to teach healthy people that they're emotionally crippled, therapism is most prevalent at disaster sites: Busloads of grief counselors shuttle in — who, the authors point out, are often underqualified. And they offer the wrong medicine.

Valid scientific studies show that self-absorption, or self-pity, is actually the worst possible way to respond to tragedy. Study participants who were told to focus on their emotions and express them aloud actually ended up more depressed than those who tried to distract themselves and find constructive ways to cope.

We have bought into the myth of “therapism” so completely that after every one of these disasters, these armies of “grief counselors” descend upon us. Well, the good news is that some folks are catching on. After Columbine and September 11, even members of the media saw the failure of the therapeutic model. The Washington Post's Jonathan Yardley wrote, “Surely there are few sights in the contemporary landscape more repellent than that of these leeches attaching themselves to the stunned, bewildered survivors of affliction, demanding that they give vent to their 'feelings.'“

As I reported in a “BreakPoint” at the time, kids at Columbine were ignoring grief counselors, but flooding the churches. Those kids understood. But the grief counselors, after all, are after clients. That's what keeps them paid. So after September 11, Sommers and Satel report, grief counselors literally walked the streets trying to recruit patients. One mental health center tried to hire someone to sit in a general practitioner's waiting room and ask every patient who came in if he or she was having problems dealing with September 11.

No wonder people are getting disgusted with in-your-face tactics and pop psychology. What these people do not need is more high pressure. What they really need is counseling from the Great Counselor.

________

Copyright (c) 2005 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

*

There's a story that comes from the sinking of the Titanic. A frightened woman found her place in a lifeboat that was about to be lowered into the raging North Atlantic. She suddenly thought of something she needed, so she asked permission to return to her stateroom before they cast off. She was granted three minutes or they would leave without her.

She ran across the deck that was already slanted at a dangerous angle. She raced through the gambling room with all the money that had rolled to one side, ankle deep. She came to her stateroom and quickly pushed a side her diamond rings and expensive bracelets and necklaces as she reached to the shelf above her bed and grabbed three small oranges. She quickly found her way back to the lifeboat and got in.

Now that seems incredible because thirty minutes earlier she would not have chosen a crate of oranges over the smallest diamond. But death had boarded the Titanic. One blast of its awful breath had transformed all values. Instantaneously, priceless things had become worthless. Worthless things had become priceless. And in that moment she preferred three small oranges to a crate of diamonds.

________

Source: Illustrations, http://www.cybersaltlists.org

We all want to be happy but the problem has always been that you can't measure happiness. Happiness has always been seen as too vague a concept, as Lord Layard, Professor of Economics at the LSE and author of “Happiness - Lessons From A New Science” points out.

“There is a problem with the word happiness. When you use the word happy, it often has the sort of context of balloons floating up into the sky or something frivolous.”

Now scientists say they can actually measure happiness. Neuroscientists are measuring pleasure. They suggest that happiness is more than a vague concept or mood; it is real.

MEASURING HAPPINESS

Social scientists measure happiness simply by asking people how happy they are. It is argued that what a person says about their own happiness tends to tally with what friends or even strangers might say about them if asked the same question.

Most people say they are fairly happy. The leading American psychologist Professor Ed Diener from the University of Illinois, told THE HAPPINESS FORMULA that the science of happiness is based on one straightforward idea: “It may sound silly but we ask people 'How happy are you 1-7, 1-10?’ And the interesting thing is that produces real answers that are valid, they're not perfect but they're valid and they predict all sorts of real things in their lives.”

One type of measurement even tries to record people's levels of happiness throughout the day wherever they are. Ecological momentary assessment uses hand held computers. The person being quizzed is bleeped and then taken through a questionnaire. “The measures are not perfect yet I think they are in many ways as good as the measures economists use,” said Professor Diener.

It is a remarkable claim. Simply by asking people, we have a measure of happiness that is as good as the economists' measure of poverty or growth. And if true, governments could be judged by how happy they make us. An adviser to the Prime Minister, David Halpern, told us that within the next 10 years the government would be measured against how happy it made everybody.

POWER OF HAPPINESS

Happiness seems to have almost magical properties. We have not got proof, but the science suggests it leads to long life, health, resilience and good performance.

Scientists work by comparing people's reported happiness and a host of other factors such as age, sex, marital status, religion, health, income, unemployment and so on. In survey after survey involving huge groups of people, significant correlations between happiness and some other factors are repeated.

At the moment scientists cannot prove causation, whether for example people are healthy because they are happy, or whether people are happy because they are healthy. However, psychologists have been able to identify some very strong links.

According to Professor Diener the evidence suggests that happy people live longer than depressed people. “In one study, the difference was nine years between the happiest group and the unhappiest group, so that's a huge effect. Cigarette smoking can knock a few years off your life, three years, if you really smoke a lot, six years. So nine years for happiness is a huge effect.”

RICHER BUT NO HAPPIER

Happiness researchers have been monitoring people's life satisfaction for decades. Yet despite all the massive increase in our wealth in the last 50 years our levels of happiness have not increased. “Standard of living has increased dramatically and happiness has increased not at all, and in some cases has diminished slightly,” said Professor Daniel Kahneman of the University of Princeton. “There is a lot of evidence that being richer... isn't making us happier”

The research suggests that richer countries do tend to be happier than poor ones, but once you have a home, food and clothes, then extra money does not seem to make people much happier. It seems that that level is after average incomes in a country top about £10,000 a year [approximately $20,000].

Scientists think they know the reason why we do not feel happier despite all the extra money and material things we can buy.

First, it is thought we adapt to pleasure. We go for things which give us short bursts of pleasure whether it is a chocolate bar or buying a new car. But it quickly wears off.

Second, its thought that we tend to see our life as judged against other people. We compare our lot against others. Richer people do get happier when they compare themselves against poorer people, but poorer people are less happy if they compare up.

The good news is that we can choose how much and who we compare ourselves with and about what, and researchers suggest we adapt less quickly to more meaningful things such as friendship and life goals.

WHAT MAKES US HAPPY?

According to psychologist Professor Ed Diener there is no one key to happiness but a set of ingredients that are vital.

First, family and friends are crucial - the wider and deeper the relationships with those around you the better. It is even suggested that friendship can ward off germs. Our brains control many of the mechanisms in our bodies which are responsible for disease. Just as stress can trigger ill health, it is thought that friendship and happiness can have a protective effect.

According to happiness research, friendship has a much bigger effect on average on happiness than a typical person's income itself. One economist, Professor Oswald at Warwick University, has a formula to work out how much extra cash we would need to make up for not having friends. The answer is £50,000 [about $100,000].

Marriage also seems to be very important. According to research the effect of marriage adds an average seven years to the life of a man and something like four for a woman.

The second vital ingredient is having meaning in life, a belief in something bigger than yourself - from religion, spirituality or a philosophy of life.

The third element is having goals embedded in your long term values that you're working for, but also that you find enjoyable. Psychologists argue that we need to find fulfillment through having goals that are interesting to work on and which use our strengths and abilities.

UNHAPPINESS

However, there are also many things we experience in life that can produce lasting unhappiness. Professor Ed Diener identifies two key events which can have lasting effects. After the loss of a spouse it can take several years to regain the previous level of well-being. The loss of a job can affect a person for years even they are back to work.

So if you are born grumpy are you always going to be grumpy? The question of whether we can actually use our knowledge of what makes us happy to lift our levels of happiness permanently is hotly debated by psychologists. According to the positive psychologist Professor Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania it is possible to lift our biological set range of happiness, at least to some extent if we work at it.

“The best you can do with positive emotion is you can get people to live at the top of their set range. So I think you've got about 10 to 15% leverage but you can't take a grouch and make him giggle all the time.”