Lessons We Can All Learn From Jim Bakker's Fall and Rise - STEVE STRANG CHARISMA NEWS

I appeared on the Jim Bakker Show earlier this year. (Facebook )

Lessons We Can All Learn From Jim Bakker's Fall and Rise

11/15/2016 STEVE STRANG  CHARISMA NEWS

Pain is a part of life. The infilling of the Holy Spirit helps us deal with pain but is no guarantee Christians won't be immune to our share of it. The question is not whether you will experience pain, but how you will respond when the pain comes.

It's been said the heat that melts the butter hardens the clay. Too many Christians, I've observed in my six decades on Earth, melt at the slightest problem. They've been led to believe following Christ means a life of joy and fulfillment. That's absolutely true, but the way that message has been preached, at least in America, has left some with an unhealthy expectation that the Lord only allows smooth sailing in our lives.

On top of this, an overemphasis on the so-called prosperity gospel based on a mistranslation of 1 John 3 that God wants you to prosper has caused many a shipwreck for Christians who bought into it without understanding being a Christian is more than living like you won the lottery.

Jim Bakker should know. He told me he got off base partly because of an overemphasis on the prosperity gospel. And he has experienced far more pain in his life than almost anyone I know. In this month's cover story of Charisma magazine, I tell how Jim Bakker lost everything—his ministry, his reputation and his wife, and even his home burned to the ground. In addition, he lost his freedom and was in prison for almost five years. Despite it all, he has come back—in some ways stronger than ever.

Sometimes I will write an editorial about our cover story in Charisma. You can click here to read the digital version of that issue about Bakker, who I have covered since before the infamous "fall" in 1987. Here I share my own thoughts and conclusions on his life and I ask how you'll respond when the inevitable crises in life cause you to despair.

You may never experience the depth of what Jim Bakker experienced. But all of us will experience loss, whether it's the loss of a dream or a job or one's health. Maybe it will be the loss of a marriage. And even if it's not the loss of any other of these things, each of us will experience the loss of a loved one because no one can escape the inevitability of death.

We can all learn valuable life lessons from how Jim Bakker fell and how the Lord raised him up in this hour:

Humble yourself. If Jim Bakker was haughty before the fall, he is humble today. What happened to him was unjust in my opinion. Maybe he couldn't help being humiliated as he lost everything as the world press covered every twist and turn. Read how low he was when he came out of prison. Yet I've known others who were humiliated by lesser "scandals," and they tried to justify themselves and remained prideful. Whatever your pain is, embrace humility and ask God what He is trying to teach you.

Learn something new. While Jim was in prison cleaning toilets, he took time to get a doctorate degree by correspondence. But more than that, he did an in-depth study of the words of Jesus and also the book of Revelation. It was unplanned and unwanted, but it was like a five-year sabbatical, and he took advantage of every moment to study Scripture. So if you are bedridden due to your health or out of work, what creative way can you spend the time learning something new or growing spiritually?

Realize the Lord may be preparing you for something you can't anticipate. Most of us don't change unless we go through a difficult time. If this is happening to you, realize God has a bigger plan and allow your trial to shape your character. In Jim Bakker's case, it was becoming an expert on end times so he could help ready the body of Christ for whatever difficulties may be ahead. If PTL had continued to go and grow, would he have learned that? No. But look at the people he has been able to help. What is the equivalent of this in your life?

Finally, never give up. As long as there's life, there's hope. Nothing will continue as it is now—either very good or very bad. So you may feel overwhelmed, but that doesn't mean the sun won't rise tomorrow. Meanwhile, remember the words of Winston Churchill: "Never give up."

One of the things I admire about Jim Bakker is that he didn't give up. Instead, he started over, built a great organization and a great legacy, and served as an example for us all.

You can read my article on Jim and the entire November issue of Charisma by clicking here for the digital edition.

A few months ago, I interviewed Jim while I was on a visit to Morningside. I made it into a podcast which had the most downloads up to that time. Plus, I wrote about it in my newsletter which you can read here if you missed it. Take time to listen to the podcast again and to share it with others.

Take time to like my Steve Strang page on Facebook. During this election season, my audience has really grown! And as usual, share this with others you think would enjoy it.

Jim Bakker Has the Heart of a Changed Man

There is only one Jim Bakker. In this show, Jim opens up to discuss his career, Lori's house and his passion for America. Be open to hear how his life is an example of how God is a God of second chances.

Steve Strang is the founder of Charisma and CEO of Charisma Media. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to subscribe to the Strang Report podcast, and hereto sign up for the Strang Report newsletter.

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Get to know the Holy Spirit and how to interact with Him on a daily basis. Learn to enter God's presence and hear His voice clearly for yourself! Go deeper in your faith with Life in the Spirit and change your life and destiny. Are you ready to start your journey?

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Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: Lessons on Leadership: Moses, Passover and the Call of God. (Thoughts on Exodus 3 & 4.)

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Lessons on Leadership: Moses, Passover and the Call of God. (Thoughts on Exodus 3 & 4.) by joelcrosenberg In late March, as readers of this blog know, Lynn and I had the joy of visiting the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the invitation of King Abdullah II. On our second day, we went up to Mount Nebo. This was Lynn's first trip to Jordan, so what a special thing to do. But this was my seventh, and yet I had never gone up to the mountain where the Lord took Moses to show him the Promised Land. Wow! What a view. It was a beautiful, clear, crisp Spring day. Lynn and I could see the entire range of the Jordan River Valley. We could see Jericho, and Bethlehem, and -- in the distance -- the Judean Hills, the eastern sides of the Mount of Olives and Mount Scopus, and the lights of the holy city of Jerusalem. In the weeks that followed, I found myself thinking a great deal about Moses -- about the tremendous miracles the Lord accomplished through him, to be sure; about his great courage before Pharoah, the evil tyrant of the Middle East at that time; and about the powerful prophecies that Moses both proclaimed as God directed him, and those that he fulfilled, as well. At the same time, I also found myself reflecting on the sadness Moses must have felt at not being allowed by God to enter the Promised Land with his people, the nation of Israel. This was Moses' own fault. He had been unable to control his anger, and there were consequences, even for such a great Biblical leader. Fortunately, of course, Moses eventually made it to Israel. In Matthew 17, we read the remarkable account of Moses standing on the Mount of Transfiguration, talking with the Lord Jesus Christ and the prophet Elijah. Amazing. Talk about an exciting first visit to the Holy Land! That said, I also found myself meditating a great deal on the man Moses was when the Lord first called him to this important mission to set His people free. I began studying Exodus chapters three and four day after day, trying to understand God's call on Moses' life, and why Moses resisted it so intensely. Last Friday night, Lynn and the boys and I gathered with dear Israeli friends and celebrated our second Passover here in the Land of Israel since moving to the Land in August 2014. Yet again, like every year, we spent an evening thinking about what God did to rescue and save His people. The following morning, I preached at a congregation not far from Tel Aviv. The message the Lord put on my heart came from Exodus three and four. Here are my sermon notes. Hope you find them helpful and take some time to answer the questions below. God bless you, and Happy Passover from Israel! WHEN GOD CALLED MOSES: Lessons on Leadership from Exodus 3:1-22 and 4:1-17 Today, we think of Moses as a great hero of the faith, and the Passover story as his most dramatic accomplishment. That’s true. But let’s step back and see the man God called into His service. To begin, please read Exodus 3:1-22 and 4:1-17 in full. Then, let's look at a series of excuses Moses made, telling the Lord why he couldn't possibly respond to God's divine call. 1.) Moses asked God, “Who Am I?” Exodus 3:11 – “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” Translation: I am nothing. I am no one special. I have failed many times. I’m not the right one to do this. So, how did God answer Moses? Read here. 2.) Then Moses asked God, “What Shall I Say?” Exodus 3:13 – “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” Translation: I don’t know what to say. I don’t know God well enough to speak for Him. I’m not the right one to do this. So, how did God answer Moses? Read here. 3.) Then Moses asked God, “What if they won’t believe me?” Exodus 4:1 – “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?” Translation: No one is going to listen to me. No one is going to believe me. I’m not the right one to do this. So, how did God answer Moses? Read here. 4.) Then Moses told God, “I’m not eloquent.” Exodus 4:10 – “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Translation: I’m not a good public speaker. I’m slow to form my words. (Note: it is widely believed that Moses stuttered.) I get “tongue-tied.” I’m not the right one to do this. So, how did God answer Moses? 5.) Finally, Moses essentially told God, “No.” Exodus 4:13 – “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.” Translation: I’ve heard everything you’ve told me, but it doesn’t persuade me. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to say it. I can’t do this, I won’t do this. I’m not the right person. Find someone else. How did God respond? Read here. In Exodus 4:14, we read: "Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses..." Still, the Lord showed tremendous grace and mercy to Moses. He provided Aaron, the older brother of Moses (by three years), to assist Moses in this vital mission. And despite Moses' lack of faith -- his sinful obsession with his own flaws and faults rather than trusting in the Lord's love and power and greatness -- the Lord redeemed him and used him in spite of himself to save the nation of Israel and bring them out of terror and tyranny and into freedom. God’s Grace Have you ever stopped to consider that all of Moses' excuses were essentially true? He didn't really know the Lord well. He didn't know what to say? Pharoah didn't listen to him or believe him. And after forty years on the backside of the desert, tending sheep, thinking about his worst failure -- murdering an Egyptian and having to flee for his life -- perhaps it's no wonder Moses was not eloquent, and perhaps even someone who stuttered. But have you also ever stopped to consider that maybe all of Moses' weaknesses and failures were precisely why the Lord chose him to be His servant and His spokesman? By choosing a weak and sinful and desperately self-conscious person, the Lord showed Himself great and powerful, loving and wise. This way the Lord -- not Moses -- could receive all the praise and glory and honor, because it wasn't possible for Moses to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt on his own. He wasn't capable. And he knew it. What does the Bible say about the man that Moses eventually became? “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3) “Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12) Moses was included in the “Faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews chapter 11. Questions For Us Today I was deeply moved by these passages. They contain some tremendous lessons on leadership for all of us. What is God calling you to say? Where is God calling you to go? What excuses are you giving to the Lord? What promises has the Lord made in His Word to those who love Him and want to obey Him? The Bible is clear: the Lord is calling you to serve Him and take His Word -- the special message of the Scriptures -- to people who need rescue and salvation, freedom and redemption. He is calling you and I to "go and make disciples of all nations" and to be His "witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and even to the ends of the earth." Will we be faithful to this high calling? Or will we give God a list of excuses why we're the wrong people for the job? May you study Moses carefully, and learn from the lessons he learned the hard way. ————————– Read The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a chemical weapons attack against Israel, Jordan and the United States — is available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ——————- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Read THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | April 25, 2016 at 12:09 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-4yZ

Lessons You Can Learn While in the Wilderness - KATHERINE RUONALA CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Lessons You Can Learn While in the Wilderness

 4/3/2016 KATHERINE RUONALA  charisma magazine

Your time in the wilderness can give you a powerful testimony. (iStock photo )

Time. That space between planting and harvesting, between promise and fulfillment. Living in a world where we are widely accustomed to instant gratification, the concept of having to wait can be frustrating. Yet if we understand the purpose and potential of these times, we can learn to cooperate with God and enjoy the journey.

Many live with a sense of destiny and promise but struggle to see how it can be fulfilled in the light of their present circumstances. That can be a frustrating situation, especially when they see how God is already moving in the lives of others. It invites all sorts of questions: Why not me? I know God has called me to greater things, so why do I feel stuck where I am? What am I doing wrong? When will God fulfill the promises He gave me?

This is a very common experience, and it can be disorienting if we don't understand what God is doing or know how to respond to it. Some people call it a "wilderness" and for good reason. Like Joseph in Egypt, the Israelites on the their way to the Promised Land, David in exile, and many other figures in Scripture, we are in the midst of a process between calling and fulfillment. Through their experiences we are able to take hope in the truth that God will also bring us through whatever situation we may find ourselves in.

Jesus spent years waiting for God's timing in His life too. He didn't begin His ministry until He was about thirty (Luke 3:23) which means there were long years of waiting. He had a calling. He had a vision. And He had God's promises, but He was not yet walking in the fullness of what God called Him to do. He also had an actual wilderness experience in which He overcame temptation and was able to solidify the reality that God had spoken and could be trusted.

In the wilderness we have the same opportunity to have our trust in God's words tested and solidified until they become like iron in our soul. (See Psalm 105:18-19.)

The enemy came at Jesus in the wilderness with all sorts of temptations and distractions, doing everything he could to steer Him away from His purpose, distort His thinking, or question His identity. But when Jesus came out of the wilderness, He began ministering with power the world had never seen before.

A lot of Christian leaders and teachers are doing a great job equipping God's people for their calling, showing the way to walk in God's power, and casting vision. Not many talk about the process between promise and fulfillment or calling and destiny, so the wilderness can come as a shock to those who are unprepared.

I believe there is a great need in our time to understand the processes of God, the baptism of fire, and the joy and power of surrender. My personal journey included years of frustration and wondering what God was doing, but I learned to lean on Him in those times and came out with a relationship that could not be shaken. Whenever I teach on this, it seems to resonate with many people. Some remark on how rare it is to hear from speakers about their years of preparation and their behind the scenes stories of trials God has brought them through. Many are encouraged to know the process from wilderness to wonders.

I believe you can embrace your journey with fresh hope and perspective, and that not only will you survive the seasons between promise and fulfillment, but thrive in them. In fact, with the right kind of response, your wilderness season can become a time of accelerated growth and fruitfulness.

I hope that encourages you. Wilderness seasons are a great opportunity to lean on your Beloved and learn the deep things of His Spirit. You learn to anchor yourself in the One who gives you lasting joy. You learn to carry the peace of God in every situation because the Prince of Peace is within you. You learn not to let the wilderness or the enemy shape your identity because you find your identity entirely in Him.

In the wilderness we learn to dream God's dreams. We discover God as our source in every situation. We learn how to respond to temptation, injustice and pain. We not only endure obstacles and storms, we become victorious in them and rise above them. In the wilderness we learn to recognize divine invitation and wage war with the promises God has given to us. Regardless of what we are going through, in the wilderness we learn to find our delight in God alone.

God wants to be the glory and the lifter of your head in every situation (Ps. 3:3, KJV). No matter how difficult your circumstances may seem, He wants you to look up and see His glorious face. He wants to tell you how lovely, free, clean, and redeemed you are. God wants you to know you are the beloved apple of His eye and that He has created you to shine.

The wilderness cannot prevent you from shining. Jesus shone in His wilderness season and you can too. Jesus' wilderness experience became one of His greatest victories. That can be your testimony too. You are destined to shine just as He does and to walk in His power, doing even greater works than He did. And even if you are in the midst of a wilderness, that can begin right now.

Adapted from Wilderness to Wonders—Embracing the Power of Process by Katherine Ruonala, copyright 2015, published by Charisma House. This book examines the journey we take through wilderness seasons of test and trials, and emphasizes the importance of enduring the process.  You'll be encouraged to stand in faith for all God promised you when you see how God is for you, believes in you, and is making all things work for your good. To order your copy, click here.

Prayer Power for the Week of April 3, 2016

This week pray that the Lord will help you embrace your life's journey with fresh hope and perspective, so that not only will you survive the seasons between promise and fulfillment, but thrive in them. Ask Him to help you have the right kind of response, so that it can become a time of accelerated growth and fruitfulness. Continue to pray for those who lost loved ones during the recent terrorist attacks, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the protection of our nation and allies. Lift up our spiritual, civic and government leaders and pray for revival to spread across the land and around the world. (Ps. 3:3; 1 Thess. 5:16-18; 1 Tim. 2:1-3).

Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.

Dare to go deeper in your faith. Our "Life in the Spirit" devotional takes you on a journey to explore who the Holy Spirit is, how to interact with Him, and how He works in your life. Are you ready to go deeper?

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