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According to Scripture, we are never to think of God as a cold, unfeeling Father. Our God feels deeply! He is touchable. His heart can be moved upon. In fact, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (see Hebrews 4:15).

God not only feels pain, but grieves as well. You remember that Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb. Here is a picture of God in flesh weeping! It shows us that the Lord feels with us and weeps with us. After all, Jesus said, "...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father..." (John 14:9).

God has a way of dealing with His children by asking them questions. And He poses these questions in such a way as to expose our very thoughts.

For example:

When Elijah was hiding in the cave, the Lord asked: "Elijah, what are you doing here?"

When Peter began walking on the water toward Christ, and doubt caused him to sink in the waves, Jesus asked: "Why did you not believe?"

When Saul, soon to be named Paul, was on the Damascus road, Christ asked him: "Why do you persecute Me?"

During the revival days of my youth, a phrase was often used to describe certain Christians: "He has the touch of God upon him." Or, "She has really been touched of God."

These particular saints were easily recognized because they were unusual, even among those who followed the Lord. They were on fire, wholly given to God, detached from the things of the world. They were God-possessed, brokenhearted, grievers for lost souls. And you knew this about them: They had a touch of God upon their lives!

It is possible to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart! God said to Abraham, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Genesis 17:1).

God also said to the children of Israel, "Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 18:13). David determined in his heart to obey this command. He said, "I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way.... I will walk within my house with a perfect heart" (Psalm 101:2).

"And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward" (Luke 16:1–2).

"…But David encouraged himself in the Lord" (1 Samuel 30:6)

 Here are just three of the many testimonies of those who were saved during our recent San Francisco outreach. These converts left that city and are now surrounded by Christians in a godly environment. Some are going through our Teen Challenge program in various centers throughout the United States. Please read their testimonies - study their pictures - and pray much for their continued growth in Christ.

Temptation is an invitation or an enticement to commit an immoral act. And right now Satan is raging over the earth as a roaring lion trying to devour Christians through powerful enticements toward immorality. No one is immune and the closer you get to God, the more Satan will desire to sift you.

“The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (Psalm 25:14).

I believe God carefully chose the word “secret” to use in this passage. Its Hebrew root means “to be alert, to be on the lookout, to watch, to be a confidant.” The concept expressed here is powerful: God has a secret he will share only with believers who are willing to pursue it with passion. This company of seekers will become his confidants only by having a deep hunger to know his heart.

When I was a boy the cry of the church was, “Jesus is coming!” All through my teenage years, every evangelist who came to preach in my father’s church had a stirring message about the soon return of Christ. Even today their sermons remain burned in my memory: “The Bible says Christ will come like a thief in the night, when you least expect him. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye, with the sound of a trumpet. You must be ready at all times.”