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ctivatedctivated
The #1 key to raising
great kids
WANTED: REAL
PARENTS
What your love and time
can do
SENSE OF
VALUES
The choices that shape
our lives
CHILDREN ARE
FOREVER
CHANGE YOUR LIFE. CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
08_August_2002_Act.indd 1 4/11/2002, 4:30:21 PM
personallyspeaking
For a wide range of books and
audio and video productions
to feed your soul,lift your spirit,
strengthen your family,and provide
fun learning times for your children,
please contact one of our distribu-
tors below,or visit our Web site at
www.activated.org
Activated Ministries
P.O.Box 462805
Escondido,CA 92046–2805
USA
info@activatedministries.org
(1–877) 862–3228 (toll-free)
Activated Europe
Bramingham Pk.Business Ctr.
Enterprise Way
Luton,Beds.LU3 4BU
England
activatedEurope@activated.org
(07801) 442–317
Activated Africa
P.O.Box 2150
Westville 3630
South Africa
activatedAfrica@activated.org
083 55 68 213
Activated India
P.O.Box 5215
G.P.O.
Bangalore – 560 001
India
activatedIndia@activated.org
EDITOR
Keith Phillips
DESIGN
Giselle LeFavre
PRODUCTION
Francisco Lopez
VOL 3,ISSUE 8
© 2002 Aurora Production AG
All Rights Reserved
Printed in Thailand
www.auroraproduction.com
Unless otherwise indicated,all
Scripture quotations in Activated are
from the New King James Version of the
Bible © 1982 Thomas Nelson,Inc.
I felt the delivery room, then the rest of the world,
shift to some strange but wonderful new dimension. I
was holding my first child—just minutes old—for the
first time. It seemed that Heaven and Earth revolved
around the tiny baby boy in my arms, and perhaps for
that moment they did. It took me a while to realize that
only the focal point of my world had changed forever.
I was no longer the most important thing happening.
My wife and I had been in this together from the
start, of course, and throughout her pregnancy I had
tried to be involved and supportive. Still, when the
big day came, she was way ahead of me. For her
the birth was a sweet and natural transition to the
next phase of a loving and nurturing relationship that
had been going on for nine months; for me it was a
sudden awakening of emotions that I hadn’t imagined
before.
In the days that followed, I noticed myself chang-
ing in unexpected ways. Pastimes that had once
seemed so important or even necessary lost their
appeal. I drove much more carefully, especially when
the baby was in the car. Life was dearer now. I had
more reason to work hard, and more to come home
to. I wasn’t just a husband, but a husband and a
father. I was a family man! If you have children of
your own or children you have loved as your own, you
know just what I’m talking about.
This issue of Activated is dedicated to one of
God’s most wonderful earthly creations, the family. We
hope that you find these testimonials, tips, and other
articles informative and inspiring.
Keith Phillips
For the Activated family
activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 2 4/11/2002, 4:30:41 PM
THERE ONCE WAS A LITTLE BOY WHO
WANTED TO MEET GOD. He knew it
was a long trip to where God lived,
so he packed his suitcase with cook-
ies and a few bottles of juice and
started his journey.
When he had gone only a few
blocks from home, he met an old
man in a park. The old man was sit-
ting by a pond, feeding the birds.
The boy sat down next to him,
opened his suitcase, and was about
to enjoy a drink when he noticed
that the old man looked hungry. So
the boy offered him a cookie.
The old man gratefully accepted,
and smiled at him. His smile was
so incredible that the boy wanted
to see it again. So he offered him a
drink.
The old man smiled at him
again. The boy was delighted! They
sat there all afternoon eating and
smiling, but they hardly said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized
he was tired and he got up to leave.
But when he had gone only a few
steps, he turned around, ran back
to the old man, and gave him a hug.
The old man gave him his biggest
smile ever.
When the boy got home, his
mother was surprised by the happy
look on the boy’s face. “What did
you do today that made you so
happy?” she asked.
“I had lunch with God,” the boy
replied. But before his mother could
respond, he added, “And do you
know what? He’s got the most beau-
tiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old man, also
radiant from his day in the park,
returned to the home he shared
with his grown son’s family. The son
was stunned by the look of peace
on his father’s face and asked, “Dad,
what did you do today that made
you so happy?”
“I ate cookies in the park with
God,” the old man answered. But
before his son had a chance to
respond, he added, “You know, He’s
much younger than I expected.”
Too often we underestimate the
power of a touch, a smile, a kind
word, a listening ear, an honest
compliment, or the smallest act of
caring—all of which have the poten-
tial to make someone’s day a very
special one, or even turn someone’s
life around.
—Author unknown
LUNCH
WITH GOD
... the
power of
a touch,
a smile, a
kind word,
a listening
ear ... the
smallest
act of
caring ...
activated August 2002 3
08_August_2002_Act.indd 3 4/11/2002, 4:30:42 PM
Compiled from the writings of
David Brandt Berg
BEARING BABIES AND RAISING CHIL-
DREN IS THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE in
this natural life. Children are eternal
gifts—not just for a time, but for
eternity.
Babies are so close to God—
straight from Heaven. Although it’s
very mysterious how the Lord plans
and orders His creation, we know
that He does not make any mistakes.
God is the Creator of souls. He’s the
one who creates that spark of life,
the union of spirit and body to form
a human soul.
Of course children are not only
a gift of God, but also the work of
God. If God has given you children,
then your first duty to God is to raise
those children right. Your children
are God’s work for you. They’re
His children too, of course, but He
wants you to take care of and train
them.
That’s a full-time job, but with
that big job come big rewards and
lots of benefits. You should be very
proud to be a parent, because yours
is the greatest work in the world—
molding the future. The world of
tomorrow is what the parents of
today make it, according to the way
they raise their children.
What an important job a parent
has! It probably doesn’t seem very
important, just taking care of a baby
and changing diapers, but who
knows what that baby will grow up
to do someday?
Never minimize the training of
your children. Did you ever real-
ize that the most important things
CHILDREN ARE FOREVER
children are going to learn in their
lifetimes, they learn before they’re
five years old? So just think how
important it is that you teach and
train them right during those first
formative years. That’s why the
Bible says, “Train up a child in the
way he should go, and when he
is old he will not depart from it”
(Proverbs 22:6).
You can’t wait till your child
is five years old before you begin
teaching him or her. Every single
day counts, and what that child
learns each day is important. You
as a parent are responsible to see
to it that your child is not only
fed, clothed, protected, and kept
healthy, but also that your child is
taught God’s Word, trained in His
truth, and inspired with His love.
Some parents have the wrong
attitude that if their kids learn, they
learn, and if they don’t, they don’t.
While children shouldn’t be forced
to learn something they don’t want
to learn, the truth of the matter
is that all children want to learn.
They’re happier and feel more
fulfilled when they are learning,
4 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 4 4/11/2002, 4:30:43 PM
and they can learn a lot more with
a parent’s guidance and encourage-
ment than if they are just left to learn
on their own. In fact, it is entirely
unscriptural to leave children to
make up their own minds without
first trying to inform them and guide
them in their decisions. “A child
left to himself brings his mother to
shame” (Proverbs 29:15).
My mother and father placed
great importance on teaching me
about the Bible, the Lord, spiritual
values, and biblical truths. Bible
stories and the Bible itself were a tre-
mendous influence in my life. I loved
them and believed them because
I knew they were the voice of God
and the Book of God. As a result,
my knowledge of God’s Word and its
truths were what guided my deci-
sions and kept me through many
difficult situations as I grew older.
I traveled a lot when my own
children were small, helping to put a
Gospel program on over 1,100 radio
and 300 television stations over a 13-
year period. But when I was home,
I followed my parents’ example
and spent as much time as pos-
sible with my children. I also took
them with me on my trips when I
could, and constantly taught them
myself when we were together. I’d
tell them a Bible story at bedtime
nearly every night, usually in simple
language they could understand.
I would even act out parts to help
them get the point, and they really
enjoyed that. Children’s minds are
just like sponges, or tape recorders,
or computers; they absorb, record,
and process everything that goes on
around them.
It’s simple to teach your young
children about Jesus. Just do it from
your heart! Point them to the Lord
by your example and your love, and
by talking to them about Jesus.
As soon as they’re old enough
to understand what a mother or
a father is—someone who loves
them and takes care of them, who
helped create them and gave birth
to them—they’re old enough to
receive Jesus as their Savior. Just
explain that there is a great unseen
Father who is everywhere and loves
us all very much, but because we’ve
all been bad and deserve to be
punished, He sent Jesus to take our
punishment for us. Then have them
repeat a simple prayer like the fol-
lowing:
Dear Jesus, please forgive me
for being bad. Please come into my
heart and help me to be good.
That’s all they have to do! Jesus
said, “Let the little children come to
Me, and do not forbid them; for of
such is the kingdom of God” (Mark
10:14). He’s just waiting to become
their Best Friend and Savior!
May God help us to be good
stewards of the most precious gifts
He’s given us—our children! •
activated August 2002 5
08_August_2002_Act.indd 5 4/11/2002, 4:32:03 PM
I WATCHED FROM MY WINDOW as
a group of neighborhood children
tried to retrieve a ball that had fallen
into a drain. One boy reached in to
get it, and pulled out a handful of
leaves and dirt instead. That hand-
ful was followed by a second and a
third of the same. Soon he and his
friends had forgotten all about their
ball game and were enthusiastically
cleaning out the drain. They worked
tirelessly for nearly four hours, as a
couple of their parents stood by to
guide them.
As I watched that group of five-
to twelve-year-olds work happily
together, I thought about my oldest
son, now in his teens, and how
much responsibility I had given
him when he was a child. By con-
trast, my six- and eight-year-old
sons weren’t nearly as responsible.
That’s when it dawned on me that
I wasn’t expecting enough of my
PARENTING
FROM THE
HEART
By Michelle Lynch
younger boys. The difference was
in me. Like most kids their age,
my younger two were sometimes
rascals, but they also had a desire
to help out and take responsibility.
I needed to learn to channel their
energy in the right direction and
in a way that would inspire them
rather than push them.
I decided to start working with
them each weekend. We tackled
such needed projects as garden-
ing, sweeping the driveway, raking
leaves, cleaning the pantry, and
making jam. Most of these jobs
required physical exertion that
burned up their excess energy—and
they loved it!
I needed and appreciated the
help and it kept my boys occupied
and out of trouble, but best of all
we found that working together can
be a fun and unifying experience.
Before long they would actually
I needed
to learn to
channel
their energy
in the right
direction.
GROWING
UP,
HELPING
OUT
6 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 6 4/11/2002, 4:33:09 PM
ask, “Can we do one of those fun
projects, so it’s not a boring week-
end?”
Some of the things I learned to
keep in mind are:
¾ Be realistic when choos-
ing jobs and setting goals. Don’t
get into such a big project that it
will leave a mess or create other
problems if you run out of steam or
time.
¾ Spending quality time
together is more important than
getting the job done. If I go into the
job with my primary goals being
to give my boys attention and to
strengthen the bonds between
us rather than getting a lot done,
we actually get more done and it
doesn’t become a chore.
¾ Pour on the praise and
appreciation. I make a point to be
both lavish and specific when I
thank my boys for their help and
the difference their hard work will
make for our whole family.
¾ Reward jobs well done.
Knowing that there will be a little
treat at the end helps the job go
faster, even if the reward is no more
than a special snack that the kids fix
themselves.
My long-term goal, of course,
was to teach the boys to take
initiative and be responsible when
I wasn’t there to remind them or
work with them. As they gradually
became more responsible, things
that I had first done for them and
then with them—like washing
dishes, for example—they were
able to do on their own.
I could expect more of them,
but they still needed commenda-
tion from me. There’s a subtle but
important difference between
doing things out of a sense of
responsibility and doing them out
of duty alone. I soon leaned that if I
failed to keep my boys motivated by
praising them for being responsible
and working hard, tasks that had
once been fun and rewarding chal-
lenges became drudgery. I needed
to be careful not to take their help
for granted.
Another tricky situation was
what to do when the boys couldn’t
fulfill one of their new responsibili-
ties. I didn’t want to be hardline, but
also didn’t want to be so lenient that
they stopped taking their respon-
sibilities seriously. It was actually
my youngest son who helped me
solve this dilemma. He had a good
reason for not being able to help
with dinner dishes one night, so he
offered to do one of my small jobs
the next day if I’d do his dishes. His
sweet presentation put all of our
household chores into the realm
of a team effort. It wasn’t a matter
of bartering jobs in a self-serving
sort of way, but rather a matter of
shifting responsibilities. Of course I
was happy to say yes, and I heaped
on the thanks the next day when
he fulfilled his offer without being
reminded.
From what I learned by watching
those neighborhood children clean
out that drain and from working
with my own children since, I think
I can safely say that most children
desire responsibility. They are just
waiting to be helpful; they’re waiting
on us parents to provide the spark
that makes it fun and rewarding for
them. If they learn to enjoy and take
pride in work when they’re little,
they will carry that attitude into
the responsibilities that come with
adulthood. That’s something that
contributes to our overall happi-
ness, I think, and something we all
want for our children. •
I think I can
safely say
that most
children
desire
responsibility.
activated August 2002 7
08_August_2002_Act.indd 7 4/11/2002, 4:33:14 PM
“I got into lots of trouble.
I stole everything I needed or
wanted, including cigarettes,
candy, food, and money. I
was incorrigible, and did
poorly in school.
“At fourteen I was
arrested for stealing again
and sent to a reform school.
My father’s first reaction was
to be angry with me, but later
as he prayed about it, he
came to the realization that
he had been partly to blame
for not being more of a father
to me. He reevaluated his life
and decided to help me.
“He quit his nighttime
job and took a daytime one
that paid less, so he could
spend time with me every
day. When I came home from
Wanted:
school, he was there. He
took an interest in how I was
doing in school, and helped
me with my homework.
We joined a men and boys
club. Instead of me hanging
out at a dingy pool hall, we
went together to a recreation
center where we played pool,
handball, and basketball
together—all the things I
liked to do. He bought me a
season pass at the local golf
course, and took me golfing
three or four times a week.
We were together all the time.
“As my father showed me
love and understanding, it
changed my life. My grades
at school improved until I
made the honor roll. I made
new friends who were studi-
I RECEIVED A LETTER in
which a man told me of
his childhood experiences
before he found Jesus. He had
been a juvenile delinquent
as a preteen and teen, but a
dramatic change took place
when his father began spend-
ing more time with him. Here
are excerpts from this man’s
letter:
“From the age of eight to
fourteen I was a very bad boy.
My father would leave for
work at 3:00 in the afternoon,
and come home at 3:00 in the
morning. He was asleep when
I got up, and by the time I got
home from school he had
gone to work. I rarely saw
him, except for a few minutes
on weekends.
By Maria David
8 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 8 4/11/2002, 4:33:14 PM
ous and didn’t get in trouble.
I had been tough on the
outside, but on the inside I
had been crying out for love,
attention, and companion-
ship. My father’s love, as
demonstrated by the time he
spent with me, was the key.”
All children need a father
or a father figure—someone
they know admires them,
prostitutes, gang mem-
bers—those who fall through
the cracks of society. In the
interview she said, “The
children that I serve are the
most unwanted children, the
rejects of the nation.”
When the interviewer
asked some of the kids what
they were doing before they
came to the home they
said, “She’s my mom. Not by
blood, but in a sense, she’s
still my mom. She takes care
of me.”
When the kids were asked
what changes had come
about in their lives as a result
of this woman, the mean-
est-looking kid, the one who
used to shoot people for fun,
said, “Look inside of us. We’ve
has faith in them, enjoys
their company, and looks
forward to being with them.
All children need someone
who they know will be there
to feel for them and pray for
them when they’re deeply
disappointed, to hold on to
them when they’re about to
lose hope, and to celebrate
with them when their dreams
come true.
Are your children getting
that kind of love? Are there
other children around you
who don’t have a father, who
need that kind of love too?
You can make a difference!
We often see stories on
TV of otherwise ordinary
people—teachers, pas-
tors, police, etc.—who have
helped bring about remark-
able changes in young
people’s lives, even the worst
of delinquents, because they
gave them their time.
One such news spot
featured a woman who had
opened a home for troubled
kids—runaways, castoffs,
answered, “Taking drugs.”
“Fighting a lot.” “Pimping
girls.” “Shooting people for
fun.”
When talking about
the kids, the woman said,
“They’ve lost all hope.
They’ve lost trust in adults.
We adults are too busy. We
don’t listen anymore. No one
has time for the children
anymore.”
When asked what
the children need, she
responded, “These guys? It’s
a very simple formula. You
know what these kids really
need?—Motherly love. They
want role models. They want
people who will be honest
with them. They want some-
one to discipline them. They
want someone who can
teach them responsibility,
consequences. Someone to
hold them, hug them. I don’t
give up on them. If you teach
them to give up easily, they’ll
give up.”
One of the older boys
hugged this woman and
got hope. We’ve got dreams.
We care too. Now I want to go
to college.”
This woman’s closing
message to parents was:
“Love your children. Don’t
give up on them. Love them
till it hurts. That’s what love
is all about—loving uncondi-
tionally, till it hurts!”
This woman is making
a difference. Just one caring
person is changing the lives
of those kids. We can easily
lose sight of the power of one
individual. We can depend
too much on society as a
whole—its institutions,
government, schools—so we
as individuals don’t feel the
need to take responsibility for
children, whether our own
or some whose paths simply
cross ours, who may need us.
You could be Jesus’ love
for a child. You could be part
of God’s plan of love and
care for that young life. Your
love, concern, and friendship
could make a world of differ-
ence! •
Real Parents
activated August 2002 9
08_August_2002_Act.indd 9 4/11/2002, 4:33:29 PM
I WAS SITTING IN A LITTLE COFFEE
SHOP overlooking the ocean, watch-
ing the boats far out to sea. Sud-
denly I became conscious that a
man at the next table was saying
something interesting, and loudly
enough for everyone around him to
hear. His companion had asked him
the question, “Why did you dismiss
Henry from your office staff?”
“Because he had no sense of
values,” the man replied. “He didn’t
value life, health, or money, and this
began to affect my business. When-
ever I wanted him, he was taking a
coffee break. It seemed to me that
he valued a cup of coffee more than
his job—and I warned him about
that a number of times.”
A light wind had risen, and
the little sailboats on the hori-
zon skimmed over the water. As I
watched them and thought about
Henry, I wondered how many
people like him just skim over the
surface of life, never having any
sense of values and living off the
nonessentials while the things
that are truly worthwhile in life get
crowded out.
Can you imagine someone
ruining an expensive pair of gloves
by picking up a penny from an oily
driveway, or lighting a dollar bill to
find a lost penny in the gutter? Well,
there are people like Henry who do
that with their lives, and they do it
because they lack a sense of values.
I wonder sometimes if that’s
what’s the matter with our confused
world. On a stupendous scale, we
have put the emphasis on material
things instead of spiritual things.
Jesus’ emphasis was always
on the spiritual. What’s the great,
outstanding purpose of life? What
are we here for? God has entrusted
us with the sacred responsibili-
ties of loving Him, pleasing Him,
and loving others, but do we truly
put those things first? Too often we
shove God and the things of the
spirit aside in order to give some
trivial, momentary interest first
place.
When that’s the case, all of life is
thrown out of balance and the result
is only disharmony and confusion,
A sense of
valuesBy Virginia Brandt Berg
10 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 10 4/11/2002, 4:33:30 PM
LOOKING FOR LIFE?
If you’re looking for meaning in life and want to put priority on things of eternal
value,the first step is to receive the most precious gift ever bestowed—salvation,the
promise of eternal life in Heaven.All you have to do is open your heart and life to the
gift-giver,Jesus,by sincerely praying a prayer like this one:
Thank You,Jesus,for the great gift You are offering me—forgiveness for my sins
and eternal life with You in Heaven.I open my heart to You and accept this gift that
You paid for with Your own life when You died for me on the cross.Please give me a
new life,a fresh start,with Your sense of values.Help me to learn to know You better,
find Your plan for me,and to love You and others more.Amen. •
and the only remedy is to put God
back in His rightful place.
Are the things that really matter
in the proper perspective in your life?
Do you have a sense of values? Or do
you let little trivialities and material
things come before your relation-
ship with God or finding His best for
you through reading His Word and
prayer?
The Bible contains the Word of
God. There’s life in that Word. It’s food
for your soul and absolutely essential
to your spiritual growth. If you excuse
yourself by saying you don’t have
time for it, then your soul will suffer;
you will be stunted spiritually.
Prayer is communion with God.
Without prayer, you go through life
powered only by your own puny
strength and wisdom, when you
could have His. God’s Word says,
“Without Me you can do nothing”
(John 15:5), but it also says, “I can
do all things through Christ who
strengthens me” (Philippians
4:13). The Lord’s strength comes
only through prayer and reading His
Word.
A friend of mine spent all of her
years scraping, digging, and slaving
to build and decorate a little cottage
where she could be comfortable for
a few years, and just a few months
after it was finished she was
stricken with an incurable disease.
While I was at her bedside she said
to me, “Time is closing in on me! I
spent the little time I had on things
that don’t have a bit of value in the
place where I’m going.” She had a
sense of values, but too late. How
sad!
I wish sometimes we could see
all the events of life framed in the
results they lead to. What a change
there would be in our lives! We
wouldn’t give priority to trivialities
when eternal things are calling.
The one that lives only for
today instead of for eternity has no
sense of values. Every day some-
one will say, not in words, perhaps,
but by his actions, “I just don’t
care about getting a mansion in
Heaven. I’m not interested in eter-
nal things. Give me a mansion here
instead, or a little fame and glory.
I’ll take my satisfaction here.” And
the King of kings who has offered
him a crown of glory and an eternal
Home among the mansions of
Heaven is put aside for these “other
things” that really have no value.
Please don’t let that be you! •
No one
will ever
be great in
life or soul
without a
sense of
values.
activated August 2002 11
08_August_2002_Act.indd 11 4/11/2002, 4:33:37 PM
Q: MY ELDEST SON HAS BECOME
REBELLIOUS to just about every
rule in our home.This has
been going on for months
now,and it’s getting harder
and harder to communicate
with him or to get to the
bottom of his bad behavior.
I’m exasperated! What can I do
to straighten out my son?
A: When children seri-
ously misbehave, there is
usually an underlying cause.
Maybe they feel insecure,
so they act up to get more
of your time and atten-
tion, reassurance, and love.
Maybe they’re upset about
something that happened at
school. Maybe they’re test-
ing the boundaries you’ve
set, to see if you mean what
you said. Maybe they think
they’re old enough to make
their own decisions and
don’t understand the reason
behind some of your rules.
Maybe it’s time to change
some rules in order to give
ANSWERS
TO YOUR
QUESTIONS
What to Do when You Don’t
Know What to Do
them more room to grow.
Whatever the case, it’s
important to find out why
they’re misbehaving, and
how you can help them get
back on track. Most problems
don’t just go away by them-
selves, nor are children usu-
ally equipped to handle them
on their own. Many times the
children themselves don’t
even know what is wrong.
They need a parent’s love and
guidance.
The best way to know
what your children need
and how to help them—the
only way, really—is to ask
the Lord to show you. Next
to having the Lord’s love, the
most important key to suc-
cessful parenting is learn-
ing to ask the Lord for the
answers. Jesus always has
just the answer you need.
Having Him as a parenting
partner lifts a great deal of
the load off of you. You know
you can always go to Him in
prayer, and He will speak to
your heart and mind with the
guidance and solutions you
need.
If your child has been
going through a difficult
phase that is trying your
patience, ask Jesus for help.
Share your burden with
Him; He has lots of patience.
He has had a great deal of
patience with your faults
and failings, so you can be
sure that He will help you be
patient with your children’s.
When you feel at the end of
your rope, ask Him for His
love and patience. His Spirit
will calm your own spirit,
bring solutions to your mind,
help you to ride out the storm
of difficulties that may arise,
and help you be the kind of
love and support to your chil-
dren that He is to you.
*This month’s answer was
provided by Derek and Michelle
Brooks,from their book Keys
to Kids,available from Aurora
Production.•
12 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 12 4/11/2002, 4:33:38 PM
perdition [Hell],” and “the
wicked one.”
“[There] shall stand up a
vile person … he shall come
in peaceably, and obtain
the kingdom by flatteries”
(Daniel 11:21 KJV). Some ver-
sions use the word “intrigue”
here, in place of or in addi-
tion to “flattery.”
“Let no man deceive
you by any means: for that
day [the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ] shall not come,
except … that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdi-
tion” (2 Thessalonians 2:3
KJV).
“Then shall that Wicked
be revealed, whom the Lord
shall … destroy with the
brightness of His coming [at
the Battle of Armageddon]”
(2 Thessalonians 2:8 KJV).
“Satan himself is trans-
formed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers [such as the
Antichrist] also be trans-
formed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end
shall be according to their
[evil] works” (2 Corinthians
11:14–15 KJV).
2. The Antichrist will be
outspoken and have great
speaking ability.
“He shall speak great
[pompous] words against the
Most High” (Daniel 7:25 KJV).
“He was given a mouth
speaking great things and
blasphemies” (Revelation
13:5).
3. The Antichrist will have a
fierce countenance.
“In the latter time [the
Endtime, just prior to Jesus’
return] … when the trans-
gressors are come to the full,
a king of fierce countenance,
and understanding dark
sentences, shall stand up”
(Daniel 8:23 KJV).
The prophet Daniel also
describes him as a man
“whose appearance was
PROFILE OF A
DESPOT
Characteristics of the
Coming World Dictator
and False Messiah,
the Antichrist
By Joseph Candel
The world is waiting for
a superman to come and
put an end to the wars and
armed conflicts, religious
squabbles, and political and
economic instability. And
according to the Bible, just
such a superman will soon
appear on the world scene—
a man who will be the Devil
incarnate, who the Bible calls
the Beast and the Antichrist.
Numerous Bible passages
describe some of the Anti-
christ’s personal characteris-
tics. Pieced together like the
criminologist’s composite
sketch of a suspect, they can
help us recognize this man
when he begins to rise to
power, so we won’t be duped
into following him.
1. The Antichrist will be
intrinsically evil, yet appear
as a savior.
He is variously described
in the Bible as “a vile person,”
“the man of sin,” “the son of
activated August 2002 13
08_August_2002_Act.indd 13 4/11/2002, 4:34:01 PM
greater than his fellows”
(Daniel 7:20). Other trans-
lations render this phrase
“more stout than his fellows,”
or “more imposing than his
fellows.”
4. The Antichrist will be
extremely proud.
“The king [the Antichrist]
shall do according to his
own will: he shall exalt and
magnify himself above every
god, shall speak blasphemies
against the God of gods, and
shall prosper” (Daniel 11:36).
He is going to be so
proud, in fact, that he will
eventually claim to be God
Himself. “Who opposes and
exalts himself above all that
is called God or that is wor-
shiped, so that he sits as God
in the temple of God, show-
ing himself that he is God”
(2 Thessalonians 2:4).
5. The Antichrist will be a
military genius.
The prophet Daniel
describes several major
wars that the Antichrist
fights against those who
oppose him during the last
three and a half years of his
reign. “He will be a master of
deception, defeating many
by catching them off guard
as they bask in false security.
Without warning he will
destroy them” (Daniel 8:25
TLB).
“They worshiped the
Beast, saying, ‘Who is like the
Beast? Who is able to make
war with him?’” (Revelation
13:4).
6. The Antichrist will not
desire women.
“He shall regard neither
the God of his fathers nor
the desire of women, nor
regard any god; for he shall
exalt himself above them all”
(Daniel 11:37). This verse
could mean that the Anti-
christ will be either celibate
or a homosexual.
7. The Antichrist will have
supernatural powers, given
him by the Devil.
“His power shall be
mighty, but not by his own
power: and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and shall pros-
per” (Daniel 8:24 KJV).
The Antichrist will be a
man of such force and per-
verse ways that throughout
the book of Revelation he
is referred to as “the Beast.”
And by whose power will
he prosper? Not by his own,
and definitely not by God’s!
He will be the Devil’s own
man, the false messiah, and
through deviltry and witch-
craft and all that is evil, he
will take control of the world.
“The Dragon [Devil] gave him
his power, his throne, and
great authority” (Revelation
13:2).
“Even him, whose coming
is after the working of Satan
with all power and signs and
lying wonders” (2 Thessalo-
nians 2:9 KJV).
He will astonish the
world with his devices. “I saw
[the Antichrist] as it were
wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed:
and all the world wondered
after the Beast” (Revelation
13:3 KJV).
For a short time, through
the Antichrist, the Devil is
finally going to get what he’s
been after all the time—king-
ship of the entire world—and
he’s going to rule the world
with tremendous power.
“Power was given him over all
kindreds, and tongues, and
nations. And all that dwell
upon the earth shall worship
him, whose names are not
written in the book of life of
the Lamb [Jesus]” (Revelation
13:7–8 KJV).
God put these descrip-
tions of the Antichrist and his
reign in the Bible not to cause
us to be fearful, but to help us
to recognize him and be pre-
pared. “You are all children
of the light and of the day.
… So be on your guard, not
asleep like the others. Watch
for His [Jesus’] return and
stay sober” (1 Thessalonians
5:5–6 TLB). Knowing that the
appearance of the Antichrist
signals Jesus’ soon return
to rescue His own will help
carry us through! •
14 activated August 2002
08_August_2002_Act.indd 14 4/11/2002, 4:34:05 PM
Almost two centuries ago, men
followed the events of Napoleon Bona-
parte’s march of conquest across Europe,
waiting with bated breath for any news
of the outcome of his various wars. All
the while, babies were being born in their
own homes. But who could think about
babies? Everybody was thinking about
battles!
However, in that one year, 1809, there
came into the world several babies who
were destined to become stars of the
greatest magnitude—William Gladstone,
considered by many as Britain’s greatest
statesman of the 19th century; Abraham
Lincoln, one of America’s most famous
presidents; Alfred Lord Tennyson, the
celebrated poet laureate of Britain; and
the Frenchman Louis Braille, the blind
inventor of the widely used Braille system
of reading for the blind. While they were
being born, no one thought of babies,
just battles. Yet which of the battles of
1809 mattered more than the babies of
1809?
Some fancy that God can manage His
world only with big battalions, when all
the while He is doing it by babies. When-
ever a wrong needs righting or a truth
needs preaching, God sends a baby into
the world to do it.
—Author unknown
COMING NEXT…
Love Is Making a Connection
Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is to love—to“love
the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul,and with all your
mind.… And the second is like it.”—It’s almost equal,almost the same—
”You shall love your neighbor as yourself”(Matthew 22:37,39).Those He
was speaking to then asked Him who was their neighbor,and with the
story of the Good Samaritan,Jesus tried to show them that it is anyone
who needed their help.If we have real love,we cannot face a needy situa-
tion without doing something about it.We can’t just pass by the poor man
on the road to Jericho! We must take action like the Samaritan did (Luke
10:25–37).Love is making a connection like that from God to somebody
who needs His love.The next issue of Activated will help you do just that!
Children
Children are a blessing
from God.
Psalm 127:3
Genesis 49:25
Psalm 113:9
Psalm 127:4–5
God loves and knows
children,even before
birth.
Psalm 22:10
Isaiah 49:1
Jeremiah 1:5
God takes care of
young children.
Matthew 18:10
Their early training
will guide children all
through life.
Proverbs 22:6
If you neglect your
children for other
things,you and they
will suffer.
Proverbs 29:15b
FEEDING READING
You should teach your
children God’s Word.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
Isaiah 38:19b
Joel 1:3
John 21:15
2 Timothy 3:15
Teach your children to
trust in God.
Psalm 22:9
Psalm 34:11
Psalm 78:6–7
Acts 2:39
Lead your children to
receive Jesus.
Mark 10:14
Galatians 4:19
1 John 2:12
2 Timothy 3:15
Only God can teach
life’s most important
lessons.
Psalm 25:5
Proverbs 8:32–33
Isaiah 54:13
ALONG
CAME
A BABY
activated August 2002 15
08_August_2002_Act.indd 15 4/11/2002, 4:34:05 PM
FROM JESUS WITH LOVE
A Promise for You
and Your Children
All parents feel inadequate in some way
or another, at some time or another. It is part
of parental love to want the best for your
children even if it means giving of yourself
beyond your natural limits.
But don’t make the mistake many parents
do in thinking they have to carry the whole
load themselves. If you do that, you’ll soon
wear out. You need to learn to share the load
with Me. If you can’t give your children every-
thing you would like to every day, give them
what you can and then trust Me for the rest.
The most important thing you can give
your children is love—your love and My
love. Do that, and you will have happy, well-
adjusted children; you will have succeeded as
a parent. But to have that love, you must take
time with Me and My Word, in prayer and
reflection. I have all the strength and peace
and faith and love and answers you need. I
love your children and know exactly what
they need day by day. I want to fill your every
need so together we can fill theirs, but to get
those things you must spend time with Me.
When it seems impossible to make time
for Me, that’s when you need it most. Come
into My arms and find rest. Cast your bur-
dens upon Me. My shoulders are broad
enough and My arms strong enough to carry
any load. Make time to be with Me each day
and I will answer your prayers for your chil-
dren. I will make you the parent you want to
be. I will do what you can’t. And last but not
least, your children will see a new light upon
your face, for they will see Me there.
08_August_2002_Act.indd 16 4/11/2002, 4:34:06 PM

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Activated Magazine: Children are Forever

  • 1. ctivatedctivated The #1 key to raising great kids WANTED: REAL PARENTS What your love and time can do SENSE OF VALUES The choices that shape our lives CHILDREN ARE FOREVER CHANGE YOUR LIFE. CHANGE YOUR WORLD. 08_August_2002_Act.indd 1 4/11/2002, 4:30:21 PM
  • 2. personallyspeaking For a wide range of books and audio and video productions to feed your soul,lift your spirit, strengthen your family,and provide fun learning times for your children, please contact one of our distribu- tors below,or visit our Web site at www.activated.org Activated Ministries P.O.Box 462805 Escondido,CA 92046–2805 USA info@activatedministries.org (1–877) 862–3228 (toll-free) Activated Europe Bramingham Pk.Business Ctr. Enterprise Way Luton,Beds.LU3 4BU England activatedEurope@activated.org (07801) 442–317 Activated Africa P.O.Box 2150 Westville 3630 South Africa activatedAfrica@activated.org 083 55 68 213 Activated India P.O.Box 5215 G.P.O. Bangalore – 560 001 India activatedIndia@activated.org EDITOR Keith Phillips DESIGN Giselle LeFavre PRODUCTION Francisco Lopez VOL 3,ISSUE 8 © 2002 Aurora Production AG All Rights Reserved Printed in Thailand www.auroraproduction.com Unless otherwise indicated,all Scripture quotations in Activated are from the New King James Version of the Bible © 1982 Thomas Nelson,Inc. I felt the delivery room, then the rest of the world, shift to some strange but wonderful new dimension. I was holding my first child—just minutes old—for the first time. It seemed that Heaven and Earth revolved around the tiny baby boy in my arms, and perhaps for that moment they did. It took me a while to realize that only the focal point of my world had changed forever. I was no longer the most important thing happening. My wife and I had been in this together from the start, of course, and throughout her pregnancy I had tried to be involved and supportive. Still, when the big day came, she was way ahead of me. For her the birth was a sweet and natural transition to the next phase of a loving and nurturing relationship that had been going on for nine months; for me it was a sudden awakening of emotions that I hadn’t imagined before. In the days that followed, I noticed myself chang- ing in unexpected ways. Pastimes that had once seemed so important or even necessary lost their appeal. I drove much more carefully, especially when the baby was in the car. Life was dearer now. I had more reason to work hard, and more to come home to. I wasn’t just a husband, but a husband and a father. I was a family man! If you have children of your own or children you have loved as your own, you know just what I’m talking about. This issue of Activated is dedicated to one of God’s most wonderful earthly creations, the family. We hope that you find these testimonials, tips, and other articles informative and inspiring. Keith Phillips For the Activated family activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 2 4/11/2002, 4:30:41 PM
  • 3. THERE ONCE WAS A LITTLE BOY WHO WANTED TO MEET GOD. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with cook- ies and a few bottles of juice and started his journey. When he had gone only a few blocks from home, he met an old man in a park. The old man was sit- ting by a pond, feeding the birds. The boy sat down next to him, opened his suitcase, and was about to enjoy a drink when he noticed that the old man looked hungry. So the boy offered him a cookie. The old man gratefully accepted, and smiled at him. His smile was so incredible that the boy wanted to see it again. So he offered him a drink. The old man smiled at him again. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they hardly said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized he was tired and he got up to leave. But when he had gone only a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. The old man gave him his biggest smile ever. When the boy got home, his mother was surprised by the happy look on the boy’s face. “What did you do today that made you so happy?” she asked. “I had lunch with God,” the boy replied. But before his mother could respond, he added, “And do you know what? He’s got the most beau- tiful smile I’ve ever seen!” Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant from his day in the park, returned to the home he shared with his grown son’s family. The son was stunned by the look of peace on his father’s face and asked, “Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?” “I ate cookies in the park with God,” the old man answered. But before his son had a chance to respond, he added, “You know, He’s much younger than I expected.” Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring—all of which have the poten- tial to make someone’s day a very special one, or even turn someone’s life around. —Author unknown LUNCH WITH GOD ... the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear ... the smallest act of caring ... activated August 2002 3 08_August_2002_Act.indd 3 4/11/2002, 4:30:42 PM
  • 4. Compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg BEARING BABIES AND RAISING CHIL- DREN IS THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE in this natural life. Children are eternal gifts—not just for a time, but for eternity. Babies are so close to God— straight from Heaven. Although it’s very mysterious how the Lord plans and orders His creation, we know that He does not make any mistakes. God is the Creator of souls. He’s the one who creates that spark of life, the union of spirit and body to form a human soul. Of course children are not only a gift of God, but also the work of God. If God has given you children, then your first duty to God is to raise those children right. Your children are God’s work for you. They’re His children too, of course, but He wants you to take care of and train them. That’s a full-time job, but with that big job come big rewards and lots of benefits. You should be very proud to be a parent, because yours is the greatest work in the world— molding the future. The world of tomorrow is what the parents of today make it, according to the way they raise their children. What an important job a parent has! It probably doesn’t seem very important, just taking care of a baby and changing diapers, but who knows what that baby will grow up to do someday? Never minimize the training of your children. Did you ever real- ize that the most important things CHILDREN ARE FOREVER children are going to learn in their lifetimes, they learn before they’re five years old? So just think how important it is that you teach and train them right during those first formative years. That’s why the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). You can’t wait till your child is five years old before you begin teaching him or her. Every single day counts, and what that child learns each day is important. You as a parent are responsible to see to it that your child is not only fed, clothed, protected, and kept healthy, but also that your child is taught God’s Word, trained in His truth, and inspired with His love. Some parents have the wrong attitude that if their kids learn, they learn, and if they don’t, they don’t. While children shouldn’t be forced to learn something they don’t want to learn, the truth of the matter is that all children want to learn. They’re happier and feel more fulfilled when they are learning, 4 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 4 4/11/2002, 4:30:43 PM
  • 5. and they can learn a lot more with a parent’s guidance and encourage- ment than if they are just left to learn on their own. In fact, it is entirely unscriptural to leave children to make up their own minds without first trying to inform them and guide them in their decisions. “A child left to himself brings his mother to shame” (Proverbs 29:15). My mother and father placed great importance on teaching me about the Bible, the Lord, spiritual values, and biblical truths. Bible stories and the Bible itself were a tre- mendous influence in my life. I loved them and believed them because I knew they were the voice of God and the Book of God. As a result, my knowledge of God’s Word and its truths were what guided my deci- sions and kept me through many difficult situations as I grew older. I traveled a lot when my own children were small, helping to put a Gospel program on over 1,100 radio and 300 television stations over a 13- year period. But when I was home, I followed my parents’ example and spent as much time as pos- sible with my children. I also took them with me on my trips when I could, and constantly taught them myself when we were together. I’d tell them a Bible story at bedtime nearly every night, usually in simple language they could understand. I would even act out parts to help them get the point, and they really enjoyed that. Children’s minds are just like sponges, or tape recorders, or computers; they absorb, record, and process everything that goes on around them. It’s simple to teach your young children about Jesus. Just do it from your heart! Point them to the Lord by your example and your love, and by talking to them about Jesus. As soon as they’re old enough to understand what a mother or a father is—someone who loves them and takes care of them, who helped create them and gave birth to them—they’re old enough to receive Jesus as their Savior. Just explain that there is a great unseen Father who is everywhere and loves us all very much, but because we’ve all been bad and deserve to be punished, He sent Jesus to take our punishment for us. Then have them repeat a simple prayer like the fol- lowing: Dear Jesus, please forgive me for being bad. Please come into my heart and help me to be good. That’s all they have to do! Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). He’s just waiting to become their Best Friend and Savior! May God help us to be good stewards of the most precious gifts He’s given us—our children! • activated August 2002 5 08_August_2002_Act.indd 5 4/11/2002, 4:32:03 PM
  • 6. I WATCHED FROM MY WINDOW as a group of neighborhood children tried to retrieve a ball that had fallen into a drain. One boy reached in to get it, and pulled out a handful of leaves and dirt instead. That hand- ful was followed by a second and a third of the same. Soon he and his friends had forgotten all about their ball game and were enthusiastically cleaning out the drain. They worked tirelessly for nearly four hours, as a couple of their parents stood by to guide them. As I watched that group of five- to twelve-year-olds work happily together, I thought about my oldest son, now in his teens, and how much responsibility I had given him when he was a child. By con- trast, my six- and eight-year-old sons weren’t nearly as responsible. That’s when it dawned on me that I wasn’t expecting enough of my PARENTING FROM THE HEART By Michelle Lynch younger boys. The difference was in me. Like most kids their age, my younger two were sometimes rascals, but they also had a desire to help out and take responsibility. I needed to learn to channel their energy in the right direction and in a way that would inspire them rather than push them. I decided to start working with them each weekend. We tackled such needed projects as garden- ing, sweeping the driveway, raking leaves, cleaning the pantry, and making jam. Most of these jobs required physical exertion that burned up their excess energy—and they loved it! I needed and appreciated the help and it kept my boys occupied and out of trouble, but best of all we found that working together can be a fun and unifying experience. Before long they would actually I needed to learn to channel their energy in the right direction. GROWING UP, HELPING OUT 6 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 6 4/11/2002, 4:33:09 PM
  • 7. ask, “Can we do one of those fun projects, so it’s not a boring week- end?” Some of the things I learned to keep in mind are: ¾ Be realistic when choos- ing jobs and setting goals. Don’t get into such a big project that it will leave a mess or create other problems if you run out of steam or time. ¾ Spending quality time together is more important than getting the job done. If I go into the job with my primary goals being to give my boys attention and to strengthen the bonds between us rather than getting a lot done, we actually get more done and it doesn’t become a chore. ¾ Pour on the praise and appreciation. I make a point to be both lavish and specific when I thank my boys for their help and the difference their hard work will make for our whole family. ¾ Reward jobs well done. Knowing that there will be a little treat at the end helps the job go faster, even if the reward is no more than a special snack that the kids fix themselves. My long-term goal, of course, was to teach the boys to take initiative and be responsible when I wasn’t there to remind them or work with them. As they gradually became more responsible, things that I had first done for them and then with them—like washing dishes, for example—they were able to do on their own. I could expect more of them, but they still needed commenda- tion from me. There’s a subtle but important difference between doing things out of a sense of responsibility and doing them out of duty alone. I soon leaned that if I failed to keep my boys motivated by praising them for being responsible and working hard, tasks that had once been fun and rewarding chal- lenges became drudgery. I needed to be careful not to take their help for granted. Another tricky situation was what to do when the boys couldn’t fulfill one of their new responsibili- ties. I didn’t want to be hardline, but also didn’t want to be so lenient that they stopped taking their respon- sibilities seriously. It was actually my youngest son who helped me solve this dilemma. He had a good reason for not being able to help with dinner dishes one night, so he offered to do one of my small jobs the next day if I’d do his dishes. His sweet presentation put all of our household chores into the realm of a team effort. It wasn’t a matter of bartering jobs in a self-serving sort of way, but rather a matter of shifting responsibilities. Of course I was happy to say yes, and I heaped on the thanks the next day when he fulfilled his offer without being reminded. From what I learned by watching those neighborhood children clean out that drain and from working with my own children since, I think I can safely say that most children desire responsibility. They are just waiting to be helpful; they’re waiting on us parents to provide the spark that makes it fun and rewarding for them. If they learn to enjoy and take pride in work when they’re little, they will carry that attitude into the responsibilities that come with adulthood. That’s something that contributes to our overall happi- ness, I think, and something we all want for our children. • I think I can safely say that most children desire responsibility. activated August 2002 7 08_August_2002_Act.indd 7 4/11/2002, 4:33:14 PM
  • 8. “I got into lots of trouble. I stole everything I needed or wanted, including cigarettes, candy, food, and money. I was incorrigible, and did poorly in school. “At fourteen I was arrested for stealing again and sent to a reform school. My father’s first reaction was to be angry with me, but later as he prayed about it, he came to the realization that he had been partly to blame for not being more of a father to me. He reevaluated his life and decided to help me. “He quit his nighttime job and took a daytime one that paid less, so he could spend time with me every day. When I came home from Wanted: school, he was there. He took an interest in how I was doing in school, and helped me with my homework. We joined a men and boys club. Instead of me hanging out at a dingy pool hall, we went together to a recreation center where we played pool, handball, and basketball together—all the things I liked to do. He bought me a season pass at the local golf course, and took me golfing three or four times a week. We were together all the time. “As my father showed me love and understanding, it changed my life. My grades at school improved until I made the honor roll. I made new friends who were studi- I RECEIVED A LETTER in which a man told me of his childhood experiences before he found Jesus. He had been a juvenile delinquent as a preteen and teen, but a dramatic change took place when his father began spend- ing more time with him. Here are excerpts from this man’s letter: “From the age of eight to fourteen I was a very bad boy. My father would leave for work at 3:00 in the afternoon, and come home at 3:00 in the morning. He was asleep when I got up, and by the time I got home from school he had gone to work. I rarely saw him, except for a few minutes on weekends. By Maria David 8 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 8 4/11/2002, 4:33:14 PM
  • 9. ous and didn’t get in trouble. I had been tough on the outside, but on the inside I had been crying out for love, attention, and companion- ship. My father’s love, as demonstrated by the time he spent with me, was the key.” All children need a father or a father figure—someone they know admires them, prostitutes, gang mem- bers—those who fall through the cracks of society. In the interview she said, “The children that I serve are the most unwanted children, the rejects of the nation.” When the interviewer asked some of the kids what they were doing before they came to the home they said, “She’s my mom. Not by blood, but in a sense, she’s still my mom. She takes care of me.” When the kids were asked what changes had come about in their lives as a result of this woman, the mean- est-looking kid, the one who used to shoot people for fun, said, “Look inside of us. We’ve has faith in them, enjoys their company, and looks forward to being with them. All children need someone who they know will be there to feel for them and pray for them when they’re deeply disappointed, to hold on to them when they’re about to lose hope, and to celebrate with them when their dreams come true. Are your children getting that kind of love? Are there other children around you who don’t have a father, who need that kind of love too? You can make a difference! We often see stories on TV of otherwise ordinary people—teachers, pas- tors, police, etc.—who have helped bring about remark- able changes in young people’s lives, even the worst of delinquents, because they gave them their time. One such news spot featured a woman who had opened a home for troubled kids—runaways, castoffs, answered, “Taking drugs.” “Fighting a lot.” “Pimping girls.” “Shooting people for fun.” When talking about the kids, the woman said, “They’ve lost all hope. They’ve lost trust in adults. We adults are too busy. We don’t listen anymore. No one has time for the children anymore.” When asked what the children need, she responded, “These guys? It’s a very simple formula. You know what these kids really need?—Motherly love. They want role models. They want people who will be honest with them. They want some- one to discipline them. They want someone who can teach them responsibility, consequences. Someone to hold them, hug them. I don’t give up on them. If you teach them to give up easily, they’ll give up.” One of the older boys hugged this woman and got hope. We’ve got dreams. We care too. Now I want to go to college.” This woman’s closing message to parents was: “Love your children. Don’t give up on them. Love them till it hurts. That’s what love is all about—loving uncondi- tionally, till it hurts!” This woman is making a difference. Just one caring person is changing the lives of those kids. We can easily lose sight of the power of one individual. We can depend too much on society as a whole—its institutions, government, schools—so we as individuals don’t feel the need to take responsibility for children, whether our own or some whose paths simply cross ours, who may need us. You could be Jesus’ love for a child. You could be part of God’s plan of love and care for that young life. Your love, concern, and friendship could make a world of differ- ence! • Real Parents activated August 2002 9 08_August_2002_Act.indd 9 4/11/2002, 4:33:29 PM
  • 10. I WAS SITTING IN A LITTLE COFFEE SHOP overlooking the ocean, watch- ing the boats far out to sea. Sud- denly I became conscious that a man at the next table was saying something interesting, and loudly enough for everyone around him to hear. His companion had asked him the question, “Why did you dismiss Henry from your office staff?” “Because he had no sense of values,” the man replied. “He didn’t value life, health, or money, and this began to affect my business. When- ever I wanted him, he was taking a coffee break. It seemed to me that he valued a cup of coffee more than his job—and I warned him about that a number of times.” A light wind had risen, and the little sailboats on the hori- zon skimmed over the water. As I watched them and thought about Henry, I wondered how many people like him just skim over the surface of life, never having any sense of values and living off the nonessentials while the things that are truly worthwhile in life get crowded out. Can you imagine someone ruining an expensive pair of gloves by picking up a penny from an oily driveway, or lighting a dollar bill to find a lost penny in the gutter? Well, there are people like Henry who do that with their lives, and they do it because they lack a sense of values. I wonder sometimes if that’s what’s the matter with our confused world. On a stupendous scale, we have put the emphasis on material things instead of spiritual things. Jesus’ emphasis was always on the spiritual. What’s the great, outstanding purpose of life? What are we here for? God has entrusted us with the sacred responsibili- ties of loving Him, pleasing Him, and loving others, but do we truly put those things first? Too often we shove God and the things of the spirit aside in order to give some trivial, momentary interest first place. When that’s the case, all of life is thrown out of balance and the result is only disharmony and confusion, A sense of valuesBy Virginia Brandt Berg 10 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 10 4/11/2002, 4:33:30 PM
  • 11. LOOKING FOR LIFE? If you’re looking for meaning in life and want to put priority on things of eternal value,the first step is to receive the most precious gift ever bestowed—salvation,the promise of eternal life in Heaven.All you have to do is open your heart and life to the gift-giver,Jesus,by sincerely praying a prayer like this one: Thank You,Jesus,for the great gift You are offering me—forgiveness for my sins and eternal life with You in Heaven.I open my heart to You and accept this gift that You paid for with Your own life when You died for me on the cross.Please give me a new life,a fresh start,with Your sense of values.Help me to learn to know You better, find Your plan for me,and to love You and others more.Amen. • and the only remedy is to put God back in His rightful place. Are the things that really matter in the proper perspective in your life? Do you have a sense of values? Or do you let little trivialities and material things come before your relation- ship with God or finding His best for you through reading His Word and prayer? The Bible contains the Word of God. There’s life in that Word. It’s food for your soul and absolutely essential to your spiritual growth. If you excuse yourself by saying you don’t have time for it, then your soul will suffer; you will be stunted spiritually. Prayer is communion with God. Without prayer, you go through life powered only by your own puny strength and wisdom, when you could have His. God’s Word says, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), but it also says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). The Lord’s strength comes only through prayer and reading His Word. A friend of mine spent all of her years scraping, digging, and slaving to build and decorate a little cottage where she could be comfortable for a few years, and just a few months after it was finished she was stricken with an incurable disease. While I was at her bedside she said to me, “Time is closing in on me! I spent the little time I had on things that don’t have a bit of value in the place where I’m going.” She had a sense of values, but too late. How sad! I wish sometimes we could see all the events of life framed in the results they lead to. What a change there would be in our lives! We wouldn’t give priority to trivialities when eternal things are calling. The one that lives only for today instead of for eternity has no sense of values. Every day some- one will say, not in words, perhaps, but by his actions, “I just don’t care about getting a mansion in Heaven. I’m not interested in eter- nal things. Give me a mansion here instead, or a little fame and glory. I’ll take my satisfaction here.” And the King of kings who has offered him a crown of glory and an eternal Home among the mansions of Heaven is put aside for these “other things” that really have no value. Please don’t let that be you! • No one will ever be great in life or soul without a sense of values. activated August 2002 11 08_August_2002_Act.indd 11 4/11/2002, 4:33:37 PM
  • 12. Q: MY ELDEST SON HAS BECOME REBELLIOUS to just about every rule in our home.This has been going on for months now,and it’s getting harder and harder to communicate with him or to get to the bottom of his bad behavior. I’m exasperated! What can I do to straighten out my son? A: When children seri- ously misbehave, there is usually an underlying cause. Maybe they feel insecure, so they act up to get more of your time and atten- tion, reassurance, and love. Maybe they’re upset about something that happened at school. Maybe they’re test- ing the boundaries you’ve set, to see if you mean what you said. Maybe they think they’re old enough to make their own decisions and don’t understand the reason behind some of your rules. Maybe it’s time to change some rules in order to give ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS What to Do when You Don’t Know What to Do them more room to grow. Whatever the case, it’s important to find out why they’re misbehaving, and how you can help them get back on track. Most problems don’t just go away by them- selves, nor are children usu- ally equipped to handle them on their own. Many times the children themselves don’t even know what is wrong. They need a parent’s love and guidance. The best way to know what your children need and how to help them—the only way, really—is to ask the Lord to show you. Next to having the Lord’s love, the most important key to suc- cessful parenting is learn- ing to ask the Lord for the answers. Jesus always has just the answer you need. Having Him as a parenting partner lifts a great deal of the load off of you. You know you can always go to Him in prayer, and He will speak to your heart and mind with the guidance and solutions you need. If your child has been going through a difficult phase that is trying your patience, ask Jesus for help. Share your burden with Him; He has lots of patience. He has had a great deal of patience with your faults and failings, so you can be sure that He will help you be patient with your children’s. When you feel at the end of your rope, ask Him for His love and patience. His Spirit will calm your own spirit, bring solutions to your mind, help you to ride out the storm of difficulties that may arise, and help you be the kind of love and support to your chil- dren that He is to you. *This month’s answer was provided by Derek and Michelle Brooks,from their book Keys to Kids,available from Aurora Production.• 12 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 12 4/11/2002, 4:33:38 PM
  • 13. perdition [Hell],” and “the wicked one.” “[There] shall stand up a vile person … he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries” (Daniel 11:21 KJV). Some ver- sions use the word “intrigue” here, in place of or in addi- tion to “flattery.” “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the Second Coming of Jesus Christ] shall not come, except … that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- tion” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV). “Then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall … destroy with the brightness of His coming [at the Battle of Armageddon]” (2 Thessalonians 2:8 KJV). “Satan himself is trans- formed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [such as the Antichrist] also be trans- formed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their [evil] works” (2 Corinthians 11:14–15 KJV). 2. The Antichrist will be outspoken and have great speaking ability. “He shall speak great [pompous] words against the Most High” (Daniel 7:25 KJV). “He was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies” (Revelation 13:5). 3. The Antichrist will have a fierce countenance. “In the latter time [the Endtime, just prior to Jesus’ return] … when the trans- gressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up” (Daniel 8:23 KJV). The prophet Daniel also describes him as a man “whose appearance was PROFILE OF A DESPOT Characteristics of the Coming World Dictator and False Messiah, the Antichrist By Joseph Candel The world is waiting for a superman to come and put an end to the wars and armed conflicts, religious squabbles, and political and economic instability. And according to the Bible, just such a superman will soon appear on the world scene— a man who will be the Devil incarnate, who the Bible calls the Beast and the Antichrist. Numerous Bible passages describe some of the Anti- christ’s personal characteris- tics. Pieced together like the criminologist’s composite sketch of a suspect, they can help us recognize this man when he begins to rise to power, so we won’t be duped into following him. 1. The Antichrist will be intrinsically evil, yet appear as a savior. He is variously described in the Bible as “a vile person,” “the man of sin,” “the son of activated August 2002 13 08_August_2002_Act.indd 13 4/11/2002, 4:34:01 PM
  • 14. greater than his fellows” (Daniel 7:20). Other trans- lations render this phrase “more stout than his fellows,” or “more imposing than his fellows.” 4. The Antichrist will be extremely proud. “The king [the Antichrist] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper” (Daniel 11:36). He is going to be so proud, in fact, that he will eventually claim to be God Himself. “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is wor- shiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, show- ing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). 5. The Antichrist will be a military genius. The prophet Daniel describes several major wars that the Antichrist fights against those who oppose him during the last three and a half years of his reign. “He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard as they bask in false security. Without warning he will destroy them” (Daniel 8:25 TLB). “They worshiped the Beast, saying, ‘Who is like the Beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” (Revelation 13:4). 6. The Antichrist will not desire women. “He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all” (Daniel 11:37). This verse could mean that the Anti- christ will be either celibate or a homosexual. 7. The Antichrist will have supernatural powers, given him by the Devil. “His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall pros- per” (Daniel 8:24 KJV). The Antichrist will be a man of such force and per- verse ways that throughout the book of Revelation he is referred to as “the Beast.” And by whose power will he prosper? Not by his own, and definitely not by God’s! He will be the Devil’s own man, the false messiah, and through deviltry and witch- craft and all that is evil, he will take control of the world. “The Dragon [Devil] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority” (Revelation 13:2). “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalo- nians 2:9 KJV). He will astonish the world with his devices. “I saw [the Antichrist] as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the Beast” (Revelation 13:3 KJV). For a short time, through the Antichrist, the Devil is finally going to get what he’s been after all the time—king- ship of the entire world—and he’s going to rule the world with tremendous power. “Power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb [Jesus]” (Revelation 13:7–8 KJV). God put these descrip- tions of the Antichrist and his reign in the Bible not to cause us to be fearful, but to help us to recognize him and be pre- pared. “You are all children of the light and of the day. … So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Watch for His [Jesus’] return and stay sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6 TLB). Knowing that the appearance of the Antichrist signals Jesus’ soon return to rescue His own will help carry us through! • 14 activated August 2002 08_August_2002_Act.indd 14 4/11/2002, 4:34:05 PM
  • 15. Almost two centuries ago, men followed the events of Napoleon Bona- parte’s march of conquest across Europe, waiting with bated breath for any news of the outcome of his various wars. All the while, babies were being born in their own homes. But who could think about babies? Everybody was thinking about battles! However, in that one year, 1809, there came into the world several babies who were destined to become stars of the greatest magnitude—William Gladstone, considered by many as Britain’s greatest statesman of the 19th century; Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s most famous presidents; Alfred Lord Tennyson, the celebrated poet laureate of Britain; and the Frenchman Louis Braille, the blind inventor of the widely used Braille system of reading for the blind. While they were being born, no one thought of babies, just battles. Yet which of the battles of 1809 mattered more than the babies of 1809? Some fancy that God can manage His world only with big battalions, when all the while He is doing it by babies. When- ever a wrong needs righting or a truth needs preaching, God sends a baby into the world to do it. —Author unknown COMING NEXT… Love Is Making a Connection Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is to love—to“love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul,and with all your mind.… And the second is like it.”—It’s almost equal,almost the same— ”You shall love your neighbor as yourself”(Matthew 22:37,39).Those He was speaking to then asked Him who was their neighbor,and with the story of the Good Samaritan,Jesus tried to show them that it is anyone who needed their help.If we have real love,we cannot face a needy situa- tion without doing something about it.We can’t just pass by the poor man on the road to Jericho! We must take action like the Samaritan did (Luke 10:25–37).Love is making a connection like that from God to somebody who needs His love.The next issue of Activated will help you do just that! Children Children are a blessing from God. Psalm 127:3 Genesis 49:25 Psalm 113:9 Psalm 127:4–5 God loves and knows children,even before birth. Psalm 22:10 Isaiah 49:1 Jeremiah 1:5 God takes care of young children. Matthew 18:10 Their early training will guide children all through life. Proverbs 22:6 If you neglect your children for other things,you and they will suffer. Proverbs 29:15b FEEDING READING You should teach your children God’s Word. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 Isaiah 38:19b Joel 1:3 John 21:15 2 Timothy 3:15 Teach your children to trust in God. Psalm 22:9 Psalm 34:11 Psalm 78:6–7 Acts 2:39 Lead your children to receive Jesus. Mark 10:14 Galatians 4:19 1 John 2:12 2 Timothy 3:15 Only God can teach life’s most important lessons. Psalm 25:5 Proverbs 8:32–33 Isaiah 54:13 ALONG CAME A BABY activated August 2002 15 08_August_2002_Act.indd 15 4/11/2002, 4:34:05 PM
  • 16. FROM JESUS WITH LOVE A Promise for You and Your Children All parents feel inadequate in some way or another, at some time or another. It is part of parental love to want the best for your children even if it means giving of yourself beyond your natural limits. But don’t make the mistake many parents do in thinking they have to carry the whole load themselves. If you do that, you’ll soon wear out. You need to learn to share the load with Me. If you can’t give your children every- thing you would like to every day, give them what you can and then trust Me for the rest. The most important thing you can give your children is love—your love and My love. Do that, and you will have happy, well- adjusted children; you will have succeeded as a parent. But to have that love, you must take time with Me and My Word, in prayer and reflection. I have all the strength and peace and faith and love and answers you need. I love your children and know exactly what they need day by day. I want to fill your every need so together we can fill theirs, but to get those things you must spend time with Me. When it seems impossible to make time for Me, that’s when you need it most. Come into My arms and find rest. Cast your bur- dens upon Me. My shoulders are broad enough and My arms strong enough to carry any load. Make time to be with Me each day and I will answer your prayers for your chil- dren. I will make you the parent you want to be. I will do what you can’t. And last but not least, your children will see a new light upon your face, for they will see Me there. 08_August_2002_Act.indd 16 4/11/2002, 4:34:06 PM