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Sadly, too many Christians waffle between trusting in God and trusting in themselves. The prophet Elijah's question to the Israelites on Mount Carmel is equally applicable to us today. He asked, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him." Kasey Van Norman, author of Nothing Wasted: God Uses the Stuff You Wouldn't, urges us not to waver between the truth and a lie.
Kasey Van Norman experienced a difficult childhood, infidelity in her marriage, and a battle with cancer. The author of Nothing Wasted: God Uses the Stuff You Wouldn't, Kasey believes that God has used her rocky road of regret and loss. Indeed, He prepares our hearts through pain. Kasey points to Elijah, the depressed prophet, for whom God sent ravens to feed him daily. The Lord prepared Elijah for that victorious "fire ball confrontation" with King Ahab's false god, Baal. In the same way, God can use your private pain for His glory.
On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. Tim Clinton and Greg Laurie continue their conversation about Greg's new book, Billy Graham: The Man I Knew. As Rev. Graham's ministry continued to grow, he saw a pressing need for his "crusades," and invited a young pastor, Greg Laurie, to write relevant sermon illustrations that Billy could use to reach a younger generation. Spending significant time together, Laurie saw that Graham was the same man in private as he was in public: down-to-earth, humble, and approachable. Whether talking to world leaders, celebrities, or common folks, Billy Graham never compromised the gospel.
Like David, whom God plucked from obscurity as a lowly shepherd, Billy Graham was a country boy who grew up milking cows when the Lord chose him to preach the gospel and further His kingdom. Pastor Greg Laurie, author of Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, shares the story of how Billy Graham came to Christ and eventually became America's best-known evangelist and Christian ambassador to the world. Reverend Graham once told Laurie, "I don't think I'm a very good preacher. But I think God has given me the gift of giving the invitation."
Dehumanization of a category of people always precedes injustice and violence, whether it was slaves in 19th century America, Jews during World War II, or preborn babies in the womb today. Lila Rose, author of Fighting for Life: Becoming a Force for Change in a Wounded World, calls on Christians to take a stand for the RE-humanization of these precious souls that God has created in His own image. Abortion sells the lie that the child in the womb is less than human, despite the biological evidence to the contrary.
At the age of 15, Lila Rose founded Live Action, a pro-life ministry powerhouse known for its undercover expos?©s of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics. With nearly 3 million followers of Live Action on Facebook, the author of Fighting for Life: Becoming a Force for Change in a Wounded World reveals that she was inspired by her hero, author Corrie ten Boom, whose Dutch family risked their own lives to hide Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War.
In Part 2 of "The Miracle of An Abortion Survivor," author Claire Culwell continues her inspirational account of miraculously surviving an abortion when her birth mother was only 13 years old. Claire forgave her birth mother, who came to faith in Christ. Years later, when Claire found herself pregnant out of wedlock, she again experienced the life-changing forgiveness of God. Inspired by her new-found friendship with Abby Johnson of the movie "Unplanned," Claire has become a powerful champion for life.
When Claire Culwell turned 21, she desired to meet her birth mother who had placed her up for adoption. Nothing could have prepared her for what she discovered. Her birth mother, Tonya, was only 13 at the time of her pregnancy, and Tonya's mother had insisted that she get an abortion. However, the abortionist was unaware that Tonya was pregnant with twins, so only one of the children was aborted. Claire was the twin who survived! She shares her emotional story in her new book, Survivor: An Abortion Survivor's Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption.
Augustine once said, "Hearts are restless, O God, until we find our rest in Thee." Former Indianapolis Colts football coach Tony Dungy, author of Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance, explains that once a man chooses the uncommon path to be in a right relationship with God, he will stand up for godly values in the culture, cherish his wife, and treasure his children. He won't simply follow the crowd. As Dungy says, if you put the Lord first, everything else falls into place.
Teenagers are often desperate to fit in and to be accepted by the "in" crowd. That's why sometimes they make bad decisions that lead to regret. Former Indianapolis Colts football coach Tony Dungy, author of Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance, points to the truth of Romans 12:2 ("Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."). Dungy challenges teens and adults to take the narrow road, the uncommon path; that is, Jesus is the only source of true fulfillment. Coach Dungy discusses this and much more, including his role as a mentor.
