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Lee Strobel on ABC's 20/20

Author Lee Strobel to Make the Case for the Resurrection of Jesus on ABC's 20/20

Lee Strobel will be featured along with other theologians, scholars, and archeologists on ABC's 20/20 special report: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ airing Friday, May 20, at 10 p.m. EDT. Lee did an extensive interview with Elizabeth Vargas for this segment.

In her report, Vargas is expected to present multiple views on the resurrection from Christian, secular, and Jewish perspectives.

"The resurrection is the pivotal event of history—and I'll be anxious to hear how ABC sifts through the compelling evidence that Jesus rose from the dead." −Lee Strobel, author

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Trusting God with the Details

In recent weeks, I've had to ask myself the question several times, "Do I really trust you God?"  I often find myself answering, "Yes, but...."

Yes, I know you love me, but...

Yes, I know you will work all things out for good, but...

Yes, I know you will provide for my family, but...

Yes, I know my friend is sick and you will always help, but...

The buts are getting in the way.  I need to chop them out of my vocabulary. One thing that keeps coming back to me as I read my devotions in the morning, He understands my doubt.  I think that's why He choseThomas to be one of His disciples.  He knew I would doubt and that I could relate to Thomas very well.

I want to follow Him in every area of my life and I want to go where He leads me.  Trusting Him enough to work out the details is the hard part.  The thing is, God has a wonderful track record of working out the smallest areas of my life, and yet it is still hard to trust Him with the big stuff.  Honestly, he's done a great job with that too.

Recently I watched very dear friends leave a ministry they love, sell their home and find a new job in a different part of the country.  God worked out every detail of the new job, the new home, their new church and the sale of their home.  It has diminished my doubt that He will do the same for me.  It's given me a chance to chop off the buts from the end of my responses.  I just need to say, "Yes God, I trust you".  No buts about it, I really do."

In recent years, I've come to realize the more details I give God in my prayers, the more he loves to answer them in detail.  It is joyful to watch what He does and how He delights in my requests. I used to pray in generalties, such as - "Lord, heal my friend."  Now, I tell Him my friend has a severe back problem and the doctors do not know what is wrong, but you do.  The area where the pain is, is what I'm asking to be taken away.  If this is not your will, then please guide my friend and the doctors in reading the tests accurately, finding the cause and finding a medication that will help him ease his pain. Help him to have rest at night with no pain and to wake up refreshed each morning. Help him to trust you Lord.

God loves the details of our lives and cherishes when we ask Him to take care of them for us.  Pray in detail, watch what He does and how your trust of God will grow.  You'll notice less "buts" at the end of your conversations with God.

15 proven ways to reach the unchurched

Christina and Tom had been Christians for only seven months at the time of our interview. When they moved to a mid-sized city in North Carolina, they decided to visit a Southern Baptist church. I asked them what prompted them to visit a church...

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The Perfect Child

As Christian parents, we often feel our children should be perfect.  There should be no backtalk, no staying out beyond curfew, no use of drugs, no promiscuity, and no lying.  They should always be obedient and do exactly as we ask of them.  When, they are not the model children we have raised them to be, we hide from embarrassment and beat ourselves up because we must have done something wrong as a parent.

What I've come to discover is, my children have grown me spiritually because they remind me of my own rebellion toward my heavenly Father.  I have not always been the perfect child, in fact, far from it.  God has set boundaries, made rules to follow and needs to disclipline me more often than I want to admit.  I know all of this, but I still want to do what I want to do. I struggle with wanting things my own way everyday and not always looking to God for the direction I need.  I know He never turns his back on me and He would never disown me.  Yet, this is something I have watched Christian parents do to their own children because they do not measure up to the standards we set before them.

The next time one of your children dissapoints you, causes you great pain in their decisions or actions - remember our Heavenly Father is standing right there with His arms open wide, no matter what.  Parents, I encourage you to consider doing the same.

Unemployment

My husband and I are experiencing unemployment for the third time in our married lives.  It has been quite a roller coaster ride this week to get the news.  One thing I feel we are resting in, is the assurance that God has a better plan.  While that is easy to say, it is not always easy to live.

As we've had doubts and worry this past week, I remember us saying to one another,  "God is good, God is faithful and God will give us something better."

It has been a tough year with the serious illness of my husband's mother and then the sudden death of his father right before Thanksgiving.  God has been good, he has been faithful and he has provided for us through all of these struggles.  And now we have unemployment before us.  At times like this, we can feel beaten down from what life throws us.  However, we know there is something God is working on in our lives and maybe that is more trust in Him.

I feel all He asks of us throughout our day is to remember those words, to lift Him up and thank Him for what he has given us.  Our lives, our children, grandchildren and a beautiful home.  He has also given us a wonderful marriage so we can lean on each other.  He has reminded me to lean on Him each minute, each hour and each day that he will provide for all of our needs.

Yes, worry does enter our minds and our hearts. It has brought anger and moments of anxiousness.  As it comes in waves, I am reminded to "Give It to Me, my dear child.  I will take this burden from you."

The New Science of Happiness

In this issue of Time Magazine, study results revealed that one of the happiest groups of people are believers who have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The sense of unshakable faith in God and the truth in one’s beliefs is most closely linked with life satisfaction...