Here’s another:  5 clicks to sharing your faith.

Erwin W. Lutzer

Stanley Hauerwas said “Most of us professing Christians, from liberals to fundamentalists, remain practical atheists in most of our lives.”

BSF – Bible Study Fellowship   This is great if you want a real meaty study of the Bible.  It has daily homework and a fair amount of reading.   You’ll love it if you’re ready for a serious commitment.   Click on the following link and then select “BSF Classes” and then “locate a class” on the left hand column.   http://www.bsfinternational.org/

CBS – Community Bible Study   This is a lot like BSF but if you want a study that’s a little more relaxed without quite as much homework this is for you.  Click on the following link and then at the top of the page, click on “Ministries and Classes”  then “find a class”  http://www.communitybiblestudy.org/

Alpha -  If you want to know more about what the Christian beliefs are or don’t have a lot of background in the Christian faith,  this is a great study.  It’s relaxed, interactive, practical and very popular.  Click the following link  for the Alpha website and then in the upper right hand corner click on “find a course”.  http://www.alphausa.org/

2. Pain can warn us of danger.  Without discomfort, we might not go to a doctor; our worn-out bodies would not get rest.

3. Suffering reveals what is in our heart. Strength is not developed as much when things are going our way, but much more when the flames of suffering test the mettle of our character.

4. Suffering takes us to the edge of eternity. Those who find themselves and their eternal God through suffering have not wasted their pain.

5. pain loosens our grip on this life. Each new pain in our bodies or with the world as it crumbles makes this life less inviting and the blessing of eternity more appealing.

6. Suffering gives us the opportunity  to trust God. (enough said)

7. God suffers with us in our suffering. No one has experienced suffering like the One who paid for our sins with His crucifixtion.

8. God’s comfort is greater in our suffering. “MY grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.( 2 Cor. 12:9-10)

9. In times of crises we find one another. We remember that people are more important than things.

10. God can turn our suffering around for good. We hear this one the most, but it is always true.

From The Daily Bread June 2009

I went along my merry way until at 19 years old when a relationship I thought was headed toward marriage, crumbled. I became so sad that I resigned myself to the fact that if I had to carry this pain for the rest of my life, I couldn’t do it. Friends and family can only console you so much, you know.

Since I didn’t want to end my life, I set out on a quest to reacquaint myself with God. I visited many churches, looking for one where the people were “serious about God.” I found one. After a few months, I wanted to meet the pastor and ask him a few questions about my friends of different faiths.

Well, I don’t remember what his answers were but I do remember that he asked me this question, “Lisa, if you were to die tonight and God were to ask you, ‘why should I let you into my heaven?’ what would you say?”

I didn’t know the answer but I thought it must have been something like, ‘I tried my best to be a good person and not hurt anyone’.

Then he explained to me how my sin, kept me apart from God. (Isaiah 59:2) But that God wanted me to live forever with him in heaven. (2 Peter 3:09) Therefore, God had a dilemma. How to get me into heaven? So he sent Jesus to earth to die as a substitute for me, like a pitch hitter (my word picture) (2Cor 5:21). And if I believed that Jesus did that, (and by “believe” I mean that my actions and life would be the proof of my words and my thoughts) that I would get to go to heaven (Acts 16:30). And not only that, I would discover why I’m on this earth in the first place (Ps. 139:16).

After that, the pastor asked me if I wanted to invite Jesus Christ into my life. And what was my response to the pastor?

I was so insulted I wanted to scream!

I knew all that! At least, I had heard bits and pieces of that story my whole life! OK…well… maybe I couldn’t put all the pieces together the way he did, but I definitely had heard all that before. How utterly embarrassing! How did I get into this mess?

Now it was I, not God, who had the dilemma.

On the one hand, I thought I already was a Christian and so I wanted to tell the pastor “no” to the invitation of Christ. On the other hand, I really was desperate to know God better than I had known him growing up. So I had a major battle going on in my mind between my pride and my desperation.

I finally chose desperation over pride and prayed to invite Jesus into my life. But only on the outside! The real sparks would fly after I got to my car that night.

It was a crunchy January night and about 30 degrees below zero. Inside my car I trembled from the cold and shook from my shock and disbelief at what had just happened. I burst into tears and cried out in horror as I drove away from the church, “Why did he think I don’t know you, Lord?! Who have I been praying to all these years if it’s not you? DON’T YOU KNOW ME?

Well, I didn’t get an answer. Not just then anyway.

I kept attending that church and got involved in Bible studies and classes and retreats. I learned how to study the Bible in ways I had never known before. I learned how to pray and how to share my faith with others. I started a whole new life! It was so cool. I had never known what it was to live in a spiritual dimension at the same time as a human existence.

After about a year, God answered that question I had hurled at him (“Don’t you know me?). He made it clear to me, without using any words, that all those years growing up, I had been ACQUAINTED with Him, but I was never COMMITTED to him.

I don’t know what your background is with church or with God. But I do know that having tender feelings toward God and praying on occasion is not the same thing as having a relationship with Him. I’ve tried it. It’s fruitless and boring.

What I’ve discovered is that the God of the Bible is real, personal, communicative, funny, holy, perfect, understanding, comforting, directing, patient and kind.

And since you can’t get to know someone unless you spend time with the, the same is true with God. Forget what others have told you about him. They may be right, they may be wrong. Forget Christians who have hurt you. That’s history. Everybody’s on a journey making mistakes as they go, but they are merely obstacles that you can jump over on this marathon race with Jesus Christ.

If you’re just getting started, find a church that is passionate about knowing Jesus Christ and considers the Bible the inspired Word of God. But don’t expect going to church to be the end-all. That’s just the beginning! Get into a good Bible study with people who are crazy about God and are growing in their love and knowledge of him…people who are becoming more like Jesus every day.

Then make it a point to find friends who you can walk this journey of faith with. I promise you, you will never regret running after God with all your might! But you must seek after him! He has already sought after you, bought your life with His, and he knows the paths you should take! Not only that he’s crazy about you!!

If you need a sugesstion for a church near you, call KTIS at 651-631-5000 or go on-line at www.ktis.fm and look for church-finder.

I’m praying for you!

Lisa Barry
9AM- 2PM Midday’s on KTIS Radio 98.5

Laid apart from the rest was a harmless looking tool, well worn and priced very high.

“What is the name of this tool?” asked one of the purchasers, pointing to it.

“That is Discouragement”, replied the devil.

“Why have you priced it so high?”

“Because it is more useful to me than the others. I can pry open and get inside a man’s heart with that when I cannot get near him with my other tools. Once I get inside, I can make him do what I choose. It is badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since very few people know that it belongs to me.”

My friend, don’t let Satan discourage you in anyway. You are God’s child and have the victory already won. All you have to do is keep your faith on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. The devil will not have a chance to discourage you, even with his best tools.

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