Far too many people do not understand the way God works, notes one of America’s most prominent pastors.
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(Photo: AP Images / Richard Drew)Traders gather at the post that handles Bank of America on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. Wall Street extended its huge decline Wednesday as an emergency interest rate cut failed to alleviate investors' fears that the paralysis in the credit markets will set off a global recession.
“The problem is, many of God’s people know about Him, but they do not have a personal relationship with Him,” writes Dr. Charles Stanley of InTouch Ministries in his recently released book, In Step With God: Understanding His Ways and Plans for Your Life.
“And this is where we face our greatest challenge – knowing God and loving Him above all else,” he adds. “The bottom line to any relationship is this: if you want to know someone, you must know him or her intimately.”
Stanley’s book comes out as the United States is expected to slide into recession reflecting mounting damage from the most dangerous financial jolt in more than a half-century.
The financial crisis, which erupted in the United States in August 2007 and has quickly spread around the globe, entered a tumultuous new phase last month, badly shaking confidence in global financial institutions and markets, according to the International Monetary Fund, which released a World Economic Outlook Wednesday.
“Many have said, ‘If only I knew what He wanted me to do, I would do it,’” says Stanley as Americans face mounting job losses, shrinking paychecks, shriveling nest eggs and rising foreclosures. “Others have tried desperately to make sense out of tragic or challenging circumstances only to come away feeling more alone."
“God will reveal Himself to us, but before He does, we must come to a point where we surrender to Him,” he asserts. “This means that we desire to know Him more than we desire to have our own way.”
Throughout In Step With God, which released on Sept. 30, Stanley reminds readers of simple truths and characteristics of God, ultimately pointing them back to the Bible as he draws comparison to the lessons learned by Old Testament figures such as Moses, Jeremiah and Joseph.
“The heart of the book is simply this: that God has His ways, and His will, and His path, and His plan. And for us to be able to be pleasing and honorable to Him, and walk in obedience to Him, I have to understand that,” explains Stanley, who serves as pastor of the 17,000-member First Baptist Church in Atlanta and is president and founder of In Touch Ministries.
“And so, that means I have to understand something about what motivates Him. How does He think? Why does He think the way He thinks? And why does He do the things He does?” Stanley adds. “Because we’re so earthbound and so human, we’re prone to be influenced by the world and miss out on what God’s up to in our lives.”
In the first chapter of his new book, Stanley notes how the word “intimacy” over the years has been “redefined and misinterpreted by our morally out-of-step society.”
“Many people are satisfied with just knowing a few things about God but not knowing Him deeply. True, unbridled intimacy touches the soul and the hidden places of our hearts like nothing else can,” he argues.
“One of the greatest desires of God’s heart is that you and I would desire to know Him – not just give lip service to Him on Sundays but truly long to know Him and His ways. He wants to build an intimate relationship with us, but do we desire the same thing when it comes to Him? Do we want to know Him?” he asks.
Stanley reminds believers that the nearer they draw to the Lord, the more they will know about Him, His love for them, and His good plans and desire for their lives.
“By the end of this book, I believe your view of God will change. Your love for Him will grow deeper as you allow Him to teach you about who He is and not just who someone says He is,” he writes.
In addition to his current positions as church pastor and ministry leader, Charles Stanley has twice been elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention and is known internationally from his radio and television program “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley.” His many best-selling books include Landmines in the Path of the Believer, When the Enemy Strikes, Finding Peace, Seeking His Face, Success God’s Way, Enter His Gates, The Source of My Strength, and How to Listen to God.
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danielpaul
'This is often done in liberal churches'.
what about conservative churches? the pharisees would always point to sin when christ healed on the sabbath or if they see a suffering person the reason is sin. the neighbors of job assumed that his suffering is because of sin. if a person's solution is always pointed to sin, those are 'immature & childish' teachings. if a pastor would treat you like sin & not a person, that is immature. even the 'conservative' churches have immature & childish teachings that put people in bondage which is biblical. pastors would say that science is wrong but they go to hospitals when they or their children are sick. pastors would teach that prosperity is based on 10% but they do not teach about work, skill & self confidence (w/c is sin)
I remember Pat robertson & jerry falwell accused the liberals & gays for the cause of 911, but the truth is common sense or the leader did not have 'knowledge & understanding. that's 'immature & childish'.
conservative churches are not sinless, they are just hypocrites.
The BIBLE says that the LORD JESUS will supply all your NEEDS ( not WANTS) according to HIS riches. This is the result of a GREEDY generation, the so called GEN-NOW.
TEACHING the NEWBORN how to write .....milk......instead of letting him drink simply.
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"the reason many do not understand how god works is the pastors' teaching are 'immature & childish.' "
Very true. Much childish teaching is taught. Children rarely play by the rules. They want to change them to play the way they want to. These are the people who justify sin by reinterpreting or completely ignoring what the Bible clearly says. This is often done in liberal churches. An example is the justification of homosexuality by throwing out God's design and clearly stated disgust for the practice not to mention the Bible clearly stating on the subject.
Perhaps one day those who practice this childish approach to life will, as Paul wrote, leave childish things behind.
mike, you need to find a good Great Commission church, because based on your posts it sure sounds like you hang out in a lot of stagnant and dead ones.
'Far too many people do not understand the way God works, notes one of Americaâ
Thanks, believer.God bless you too, brother! Keep up the good work, my friend!!
ge, I didn't take your post that way at all, be blessed as you serve Him, believer
Good post, believer.Thanks for the information.The Scriptures do teach that a man has a responsibility to his wife, which is why Paul advocated staying single for those who are able.The single person can devote more time to God(I Corinthians 7:32-33).I agree that we don't need to make her out to be the bad guy.I hope I didn't leave that impression.If so, I apologize.
I think we need to be careful to not make her the bad guy. The one thing I commend his church for is that they did not go public with all the details of the divorce, but one thing I heard was that he was so caught up in ministry responsibility that it basically cost him his marriage. But we serve a forgiving God and my prayer is that he has reconciled this with God and even though he and his wife may not get back together, hopefully they have reconciled with each other. I also did hear that he offered to step down from the pastorate, but the church voted overwhelmingly to not accept his resignation.
You are right about that.The Church that I attended previously almost didn't "vote a Preacher in" because he was divorced and remarried.Thanks for the clarification, melancthon.
I think that's my point, GoldenEagle: Stanley bears at least some blame for what occurred in his marriage; he failed in his God-ordained vocation as a husband. In some denominations, this would disqualify him as a pastor.
That's what I thought.So what am I missing here? So why does what he is saying here "ring hollow"? I know it is never 100% any one person's fault, but if she pushed for a divorce, he can't make her stay.
Stanely's wife left him.
I thought she left him.What exactly is the story on that? The Bible does teach that a man has a responsibility to his wife, obviously.
I admire Stanley in so many ways--but, I wish he had take time to cultivate a relationship with the woman he divorced. This too would have been a God-glorifying thing. Some of his remarks ring hollow in light of this.
Imagine if people in the world pursued God as diligently as they pursued money.
Matthew 19
I don't have time to read Deuteronomy, much less all 66 books! I want intimacy now. I'm a busy, busy man. Can't the government MAKE God tell me what He wants?
We live in a society with microwaveable Minute Rice. Think about that a minute....
We all need to slow down, take time with the Father, and He will sooth our aches, and rest our minds. We need that more now than ever.
I have much respect for Dr. Stanley.I think too often we get so busy that we don't take the time to develop a relationship with God.It takes time to develop any relationship, including one with God.Jesus took time to be alone with the Father, and we need to do the same.
How can people say they donâ