Yesterday we presented Voice of the Martyrs ministry at another local church. If you are on our list for prayer partners then you already know which church. And if you are not on that list, then you don't know and it does not really matter as to what I'm going to say here. In fact, it might be better if I don't state specifically. Soooooo........
For 2 yrs, bw has taught at the public high school here. And for 2 yrs, there has been 1 female co-worker about whom she has the most trouble. The main problem has been gossipping and rumoring by the co-worker. Certainly not a month passed but what this lady came to bw with another rumor--often later proven false. Often the co-worker tried to draw bw into some of the strife she was creating. Fortunately, bw learned early not to say anything that could possibly be taken as agreeing with the trouble she had brewing. Meanwhile, bw--much to her credit and my admiration--has worked hard to maintain a friendly relationship with this lady.
So imagine my reaction when I saw this co-worker in the congregation at the church yesterday. I learned that she attends there regularly.
Well, when I first started to write this post, I had somewhere in the back of my mind to say some things about Christians who are consistent versus inconsistent. But I had hardly started the first paragraph when this thought hit me:
I wonder how many times others have seen me in church and said to themselves, "Wow! I never knew he claimed to be a Christian!"
Do you know what I mean?
30 July 2007
26 July 2007
Romans 16, Relatives
I think we should give credit where credit is due. The common view is that the martyrdrom of St. Stephen led to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. I do not deny that this death prepared the way for the Damascus event. No doubt the vision of a joyous dying saint had an impact that haunted the young Saul. Similarly today, our brothers and sisters in Christ around world turn their persecution--even death--into opportunities to bless and love their torturers. And, like Saul, a percentage of today's persecutors turn to Christ.
But when I worked through Romans chapter 16 this morning I noticed something that I had forgotten and it adds another factor to the contributors to Saul's conversion. 3 times in this chapter Paul mentions "relatives" who were at the time of his writing also believers. But the first pair mentioned he specifically states were followers of Christ before he came to faith.
I see here at least some credit to his relatives who already lived changed lives in Christ. Their example--before the death of Stephen--also prepared the way for Saul. Their testimony, albeit silent, gave witness (martyr) to the power of Christ. Thus, when Stephen died with victory and blessing, his witness (martyr) compounded the effect of Saul's already-believing relatives.
You probably have already thought of this. But it finally occurred to me this morning.
Thanks for reading!
But when I worked through Romans chapter 16 this morning I noticed something that I had forgotten and it adds another factor to the contributors to Saul's conversion. 3 times in this chapter Paul mentions "relatives" who were at the time of his writing also believers. But the first pair mentioned he specifically states were followers of Christ before he came to faith.
I see here at least some credit to his relatives who already lived changed lives in Christ. Their example--before the death of Stephen--also prepared the way for Saul. Their testimony, albeit silent, gave witness (martyr) to the power of Christ. Thus, when Stephen died with victory and blessing, his witness (martyr) compounded the effect of Saul's already-believing relatives.
You probably have already thought of this. But it finally occurred to me this morning.
Thanks for reading!
25 July 2007
Unanswered prayer
Today's Bible study from Romans 15 brought me to one of Paul's prayers that went unanswered: In verse 31, he asks the believers in Rome to pray that he "may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea...." Now, it could be argued that he was rescued from their plot to assassinate him. True. But when he dictated these words for Tertius (his scribe) to pen, I strongly suspect that he had in mind that God would allow the visit to Jerusalem to go smoothly, Paul to get out of there free to visit Rome and go on to Spain. The entire context of Romans 15:14-33 suggests this expectation or prayer. Clearly, from the events recorded in Acts, God had other plans in mind.
Why did Paul make this request? Perhaps because he had already heard the warnings from prophets in the church saying that his visit to Jerusalem would lead to his being bound over to the authorities. The warning is given at least twice in Acts. If he sent this letter before getting these warnings, then perhaps God had already started alerting Paul's spirit that something undesirable would befall him in Jerusalem. In either case, he had sensed God's message that something negative would happen there. Still he asked the church to pray that he would be rescued from the unbelievers there.
I'm not throwing stones at Paul. I've been there too: Sensing that God wants to go a certain way but praying that God would change his mind.
Have you been there?
Why did Paul make this request? Perhaps because he had already heard the warnings from prophets in the church saying that his visit to Jerusalem would lead to his being bound over to the authorities. The warning is given at least twice in Acts. If he sent this letter before getting these warnings, then perhaps God had already started alerting Paul's spirit that something undesirable would befall him in Jerusalem. In either case, he had sensed God's message that something negative would happen there. Still he asked the church to pray that he would be rescued from the unbelievers there.
I'm not throwing stones at Paul. I've been there too: Sensing that God wants to go a certain way but praying that God would change his mind.
Have you been there?
Bible Study, Romans 13
I meant to write a little about this yesterday. But.... no excuses. I just got distracted with other things: Like finishing Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg and also finishing Bold as a Lamb by Ken Anderson--both, very good and I recommend them (the former is available through the general market, a current best seller; the latter is available through Voice of the Martyrs [if you want to know what either is about, just ask me]). Plus, yesterday I also made progress on my writing assignment for the course I'm taking. Anyhooooooo, all of that to say, it was not a waisted day; nevertheless, I neglected to write about a couple verses that jumped out at me. And now the inspiration (or whatever it is) has faded somewhat. But I want to at least mention them.
In Romans 13, Paul seems to be addressing some perceived laziness on the part of the Roman Christians. Maybe, he has heard some rumors about their relaxed attitude. Or maybe, being an astute observer of human nature, he just figured everyone can benefit from such reminders. In any case, in verse 11, he tells them and us "to wake up from your slumber." He was just talking about the continuing debt of love and that all the commandments can be summed up in the command to love. It is not my pattern here to analyze the Roman church or what Paul wanted to say to them. Rather, this phrase jumped out at me. That is, perhaps the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me to wake up. Maybe the Holy Spirit's alarm clock has been buzzing for some time. And I wonder how many times I have rolled over in my laziness and punched the snooze button so I could slumber a little longer. And that reminds me of the Proverb about "a little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit." (Proverbs 6:10-11; and Proverbs 24:33-34). So the problem (or part of it at least) lies in a sleepy attitude. Right?
Then the solution, or a key element of it at least, comes in verse 14: "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ...." It's almost as if Paul continues the imagery of waking up from our sleep and what is one of the first things we do when we wake up? We get dressed. Right? So when I wake up from my spiritual slumber, do I dress myself--cover, enclose, wrap up--in Christ Jesus? Or do I go about unprotected, partially uncovered and exposed?
Well, those were some of the thoughts that came to me from yesterday's passage. Today I finished chapter 15 and tomorrow I will finish the Letter to the Romans.
Thanks for reading. Any thoughts, input, reaction, feedback are always welcome. I love to read them, even if I don't always reply.
In Romans 13, Paul seems to be addressing some perceived laziness on the part of the Roman Christians. Maybe, he has heard some rumors about their relaxed attitude. Or maybe, being an astute observer of human nature, he just figured everyone can benefit from such reminders. In any case, in verse 11, he tells them and us "to wake up from your slumber." He was just talking about the continuing debt of love and that all the commandments can be summed up in the command to love. It is not my pattern here to analyze the Roman church or what Paul wanted to say to them. Rather, this phrase jumped out at me. That is, perhaps the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me to wake up. Maybe the Holy Spirit's alarm clock has been buzzing for some time. And I wonder how many times I have rolled over in my laziness and punched the snooze button so I could slumber a little longer. And that reminds me of the Proverb about "a little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit." (Proverbs 6:10-11; and Proverbs 24:33-34). So the problem (or part of it at least) lies in a sleepy attitude. Right?
Then the solution, or a key element of it at least, comes in verse 14: "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ...." It's almost as if Paul continues the imagery of waking up from our sleep and what is one of the first things we do when we wake up? We get dressed. Right? So when I wake up from my spiritual slumber, do I dress myself--cover, enclose, wrap up--in Christ Jesus? Or do I go about unprotected, partially uncovered and exposed?
Well, those were some of the thoughts that came to me from yesterday's passage. Today I finished chapter 15 and tomorrow I will finish the Letter to the Romans.
Thanks for reading. Any thoughts, input, reaction, feedback are always welcome. I love to read them, even if I don't always reply.
23 July 2007
Great Video
Yesterday afternoon bw and I watched an incredible DVD. As if we had not had enough fill of the persecuted church, when we got home yesterday afternoon we unwrapped our copy of "Underground Reality: Vietnam," a production from Voice of the Martyrs. The DVD follows 8 teens from US and Australia who smuggled Bibles in Vietnam. It is broken up into 4 segments, each about 1/2 long. Really incredible story. Each segment is very moving. Both bw and I cried most of the way through. If you watch this and are not moved, you need to check for a pulse.
Check it out at: www.undergroundreality.com.
outtahere.
Check it out at: www.undergroundreality.com.
outtahere.
Exciting day
Well, I'm a little disappointed that I did not get any reactions to either of my previous 2 posts. I really expected that someone(s) would have something to say about those topics. But be that as it may, I will move on to something else....
BW and I participated in the worship with a local congregation yesterday, where we had been invited to present the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs. It was an excellent experience. About 125 or more people attended the worship service. The worship team was composed entirely of teens, playing guitars and singing. They did an outstanding job--mixing praise choruses and hymns (albeit, very up-tempo). And the congregation joined in enthusiastically.
The pastor and his wife are on a short-term mission trip to Peru (where he had a heart attack, but is stabilized and doing well). So he had scheduled a number of guests to participate in the worship service. One man ministered with Native American style flutes, and that ministered to us very well. Then another man gave his testimony. He had been an alcoholic for many years, went through detox 8 times he said, and finally met Jesus and really got turned around.
Finally, it was my turn to talk about the persecuted church. The congregation was so responsive and attentive that I really got into it. The Holy Spirit guided my words, so that the whole thing went very smoothly. They laughed at the appropriate times and got somber at the right times too. My latest version of the powerpoint closes with a series of slides that shows the growth of God's church in "closed" countries where followers of Christ are persecuted and even killed. This way of closing the presentation resulted in leaving the audience on an encouraging note. Afterward, people crowded around our resource/display table. For donations they could get various books, videos and merchandise--which they readily snatched up. Plus we have free, sample copies of newsletters/magazines published by Voice of the Martyrs and we gave out many of those as well.
I have a couple reasons for talking about this: First, if the Lord lays it on your heart to pray for this ministry, we would greatly appreciate it. I have a relatively small list of people who have committed to pray regularly for this ministry. And I email them separately about upcoming events. They partner with us in this effort by praying for us and for the speaking opportunities. So if you would like to be included in this prayer team (if you will commit to praying regularly for us and the events), please send me a separate email requesting to be included and I will add your name to future email on that topic.
The second reason is this: If you or someone you know is looking for an avenue of ministry, I encourage you to consider this organization. Any denominational affiliation is welcome--or non-denominational, as long as you are active in a local fellowship of believers. You may not feel comfortable speaking to an entire congregation. That is fine. Most of our "area representatives" (volunteers) do not speak in worship services. Each finds his/her own avenue of sharing--small home study groups, Sunday School classes, manning a table at a conference, or many other contexts. Church services happens to be the area in which I feel most comfortable. But most find other avenues. So I you or someone you know feels God drawing you in this direction, just go to http://www.persecution.com/. On the home page, you will see a place that refers to volunteering. Look for the connection to "Voice Volunteer Network" or "VVR." You can make contact there and they will follow-up with you to guide you through the training process.
Thank you for reading!
BW and I participated in the worship with a local congregation yesterday, where we had been invited to present the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs. It was an excellent experience. About 125 or more people attended the worship service. The worship team was composed entirely of teens, playing guitars and singing. They did an outstanding job--mixing praise choruses and hymns (albeit, very up-tempo). And the congregation joined in enthusiastically.
The pastor and his wife are on a short-term mission trip to Peru (where he had a heart attack, but is stabilized and doing well). So he had scheduled a number of guests to participate in the worship service. One man ministered with Native American style flutes, and that ministered to us very well. Then another man gave his testimony. He had been an alcoholic for many years, went through detox 8 times he said, and finally met Jesus and really got turned around.
Finally, it was my turn to talk about the persecuted church. The congregation was so responsive and attentive that I really got into it. The Holy Spirit guided my words, so that the whole thing went very smoothly. They laughed at the appropriate times and got somber at the right times too. My latest version of the powerpoint closes with a series of slides that shows the growth of God's church in "closed" countries where followers of Christ are persecuted and even killed. This way of closing the presentation resulted in leaving the audience on an encouraging note. Afterward, people crowded around our resource/display table. For donations they could get various books, videos and merchandise--which they readily snatched up. Plus we have free, sample copies of newsletters/magazines published by Voice of the Martyrs and we gave out many of those as well.
I have a couple reasons for talking about this: First, if the Lord lays it on your heart to pray for this ministry, we would greatly appreciate it. I have a relatively small list of people who have committed to pray regularly for this ministry. And I email them separately about upcoming events. They partner with us in this effort by praying for us and for the speaking opportunities. So if you would like to be included in this prayer team (if you will commit to praying regularly for us and the events), please send me a separate email requesting to be included and I will add your name to future email on that topic.
The second reason is this: If you or someone you know is looking for an avenue of ministry, I encourage you to consider this organization. Any denominational affiliation is welcome--or non-denominational, as long as you are active in a local fellowship of believers. You may not feel comfortable speaking to an entire congregation. That is fine. Most of our "area representatives" (volunteers) do not speak in worship services. Each finds his/her own avenue of sharing--small home study groups, Sunday School classes, manning a table at a conference, or many other contexts. Church services happens to be the area in which I feel most comfortable. But most find other avenues. So I you or someone you know feels God drawing you in this direction, just go to http://www.persecution.com/. On the home page, you will see a place that refers to volunteering. Look for the connection to "Voice Volunteer Network" or "VVR." You can make contact there and they will follow-up with you to guide you through the training process.
Thank you for reading!
20 July 2007
Obama and Genocide
Today Barack Obama said, "the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.
"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now — where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife — which we haven't done," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Or you could look at it this way Senator: If preventing genocide is not a good enough reason to keep US forces in a foreign country, then we should not have invaded Germany. Or do you mean to say that the Jewish population has more value than the Kurds or Sunnis or Shiites?
To argue that the absence of troops in the Congo extends to removing troops from Iraq is a negative argument. The fact that we have failed to do right by the Congo does not justify doing wrong to potential genocide victims in Iraq.
Is the Senator suggesting that the US should never become involved in any foreign situation again? That is the kind of self-centered, neo-isolationism that runs exactly counter to all the US has come to stand for. We are supposed to be a caring nation. Just because we have failed the people in the Congo, does not mean we should not or cannot care about Iraq's people.
We have come to expect double-talk from our politicians. But Senator, at least you could try to be consistent.
"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now — where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife — which we haven't done," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Or you could look at it this way Senator: If preventing genocide is not a good enough reason to keep US forces in a foreign country, then we should not have invaded Germany. Or do you mean to say that the Jewish population has more value than the Kurds or Sunnis or Shiites?
To argue that the absence of troops in the Congo extends to removing troops from Iraq is a negative argument. The fact that we have failed to do right by the Congo does not justify doing wrong to potential genocide victims in Iraq.
Is the Senator suggesting that the US should never become involved in any foreign situation again? That is the kind of self-centered, neo-isolationism that runs exactly counter to all the US has come to stand for. We are supposed to be a caring nation. Just because we have failed the people in the Congo, does not mean we should not or cannot care about Iraq's people.
We have come to expect double-talk from our politicians. But Senator, at least you could try to be consistent.
Bible Study, Romans 8 & 9
Does anyone else see a contradiction here?
At the end of Romans 8, we find that wonderful passage that concludes, "nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." These verses have given comfort and encouragement to millions over the centuries--including me. I've heard them read (more times than I can count) at funerals and memorial services and gravesides. I've heard them used as a text for sermons, and done so myself as well. They provide wonderful assurance.
But this morning's Bible study took me from the end of chapter 8 into most of chapter 9. And it kind of rubbed my nose in a seeming contradiction. Notice these verses from chapter 9. Verse 13 quotes Malachi 1, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." Malachi seems to use the statement looking backward in time; but Paul quotes it as if God determined before they were born that He would love Jacob and hate Esau. Or notice verse 18, when Paul reflects on God's treatment of Pharaoh. Paul says, "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." Does that sound to you like love from which nothing in creation can separate us? Apparently, at least for Esau and the Pharaoh, there was indeed something that could separate them from God's love--that is, the will of God could separate them from the love of God. Or look at verse 22: "What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction?" It seems, in light of the previous verses, that God created these objects of wrath simply so that He could "make his power known."
Are these truly contradictions? And do you ever wonder if you are unknowingly part of the group that includes Esau and the Pharaoh?
At the end of Romans 8, we find that wonderful passage that concludes, "nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." These verses have given comfort and encouragement to millions over the centuries--including me. I've heard them read (more times than I can count) at funerals and memorial services and gravesides. I've heard them used as a text for sermons, and done so myself as well. They provide wonderful assurance.
But this morning's Bible study took me from the end of chapter 8 into most of chapter 9. And it kind of rubbed my nose in a seeming contradiction. Notice these verses from chapter 9. Verse 13 quotes Malachi 1, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." Malachi seems to use the statement looking backward in time; but Paul quotes it as if God determined before they were born that He would love Jacob and hate Esau. Or notice verse 18, when Paul reflects on God's treatment of Pharaoh. Paul says, "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." Does that sound to you like love from which nothing in creation can separate us? Apparently, at least for Esau and the Pharaoh, there was indeed something that could separate them from God's love--that is, the will of God could separate them from the love of God. Or look at verse 22: "What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction?" It seems, in light of the previous verses, that God created these objects of wrath simply so that He could "make his power known."
Are these truly contradictions? And do you ever wonder if you are unknowingly part of the group that includes Esau and the Pharaoh?
17 July 2007
Bible Study progress
I haven't said anything about my Bible study for a while. So I will take this morning to update whoever might be curious.
First off: Never be concerned or ask yourself, "Did he stop his Bible study?" This pattern has become so tremendously engrained in me that I could not imagine starting my day any other way. I started this method of Bible study around the time son#2 was born and he will turn 30 next month. Granted, I stopped doing it for a very few years; and granted, even when I was doing it I was not quite as regular as I am now. But since getting back into it, I find it has become as linked with my mornings as getting dressed (which I pretty much always do!).
So I finished the book of Joshua last week, on Thursday. And started on Romans the next morning, Friday the 13th. It's always kind of a mildly momentous day for me when I finish one book of the Bible and start on the next. It means switching from OT to NT or vice-versa. And I always mention it to bw; although I'm not certain that she recognizes any significance to the event. And I'm even less certain that I could explain the significance if she were to ask.
But the real reason (I suppose) that I'm writing about it today is that today I finished chapter 5 and did the first half of chapter 6. Now chapter 6 of Romans holds special significance for me: It was the first chapter I memorized. When we lived in Billings, I started memorizing it (in the NAS translation). But I got bogged down because the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs start out so similarly. (Granted: That's just an excuse.) Then after I got the NIV translation (not that the particular translation gave extra motivation; instead it made it more difficult), I started memorizing it again. This time there were parts that were easy to recall because they were the same as in the NAS; but there were other phrases that were very difficult because they were slightly different and my brain had to re-program. Well, that effort stalled after a while again.
Then in about 1989, I finally succeeded in memorizing the whole chapter. We were living in Tecate, Mexico, and I commuted to LA every week to work. I was facing some specially difficult and intense spiritual battles (and not doing so great on that score). So I dug back into Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Do you see how it relates? Well this time, the combination of having worked on the first portion previously added to the fact of my desperation to see some spiritual victory(ies), I had that chapter down pat very quickly. It helped that when I was in LA, I was staying at a house about 3/4 mile from my work and generally I walked from one to the other (right alongside MacArthur Park, but that's another story). I mention that because as I walked from home to work and back, I would quote the chapter out loud. Well, in LA--especially in that area--you can walk along the street, talking to yourself (which is what it looked like when I was quoting Romans 6) and even gesturing vehelmently (which I did as pnemonic devices), and no one even notices that you're doing this. The person who does these things is just another pedestrian. So I was just fitting in each evening and each morning (I worked through the night) as I walked to and from work, quoting Romans 6 out loud and gesturing with big gestures to help me remember each section. Finally, the day came when I had the entire chapter memorized. It had taken almost 2 full weeks.
In the years since then, I have gone back a few times to review and refresh my memory. But meanwhile, I have gone on to other chapters and memorized them (the most recent being Psalm 51).
So, it was a special event for me this morning to get back into Romans 6--in the NIV. I've done it in my Bible study in other translations/paraphrases. But this time I'm doing my Bible study in the NIV. So it was especially enjoyable to work through it again. I stopped half-way through the chapter, just because of other factors that don't enter in here. But that means I get to look forward to doing the last half of the chapter tomorrow!
Well, that's where I'm at these days. Thanks for reading.........
First off: Never be concerned or ask yourself, "Did he stop his Bible study?" This pattern has become so tremendously engrained in me that I could not imagine starting my day any other way. I started this method of Bible study around the time son#2 was born and he will turn 30 next month. Granted, I stopped doing it for a very few years; and granted, even when I was doing it I was not quite as regular as I am now. But since getting back into it, I find it has become as linked with my mornings as getting dressed (which I pretty much always do!).
So I finished the book of Joshua last week, on Thursday. And started on Romans the next morning, Friday the 13th. It's always kind of a mildly momentous day for me when I finish one book of the Bible and start on the next. It means switching from OT to NT or vice-versa. And I always mention it to bw; although I'm not certain that she recognizes any significance to the event. And I'm even less certain that I could explain the significance if she were to ask.
But the real reason (I suppose) that I'm writing about it today is that today I finished chapter 5 and did the first half of chapter 6. Now chapter 6 of Romans holds special significance for me: It was the first chapter I memorized. When we lived in Billings, I started memorizing it (in the NAS translation). But I got bogged down because the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs start out so similarly. (Granted: That's just an excuse.) Then after I got the NIV translation (not that the particular translation gave extra motivation; instead it made it more difficult), I started memorizing it again. This time there were parts that were easy to recall because they were the same as in the NAS; but there were other phrases that were very difficult because they were slightly different and my brain had to re-program. Well, that effort stalled after a while again.
Then in about 1989, I finally succeeded in memorizing the whole chapter. We were living in Tecate, Mexico, and I commuted to LA every week to work. I was facing some specially difficult and intense spiritual battles (and not doing so great on that score). So I dug back into Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Do you see how it relates? Well this time, the combination of having worked on the first portion previously added to the fact of my desperation to see some spiritual victory(ies), I had that chapter down pat very quickly. It helped that when I was in LA, I was staying at a house about 3/4 mile from my work and generally I walked from one to the other (right alongside MacArthur Park, but that's another story). I mention that because as I walked from home to work and back, I would quote the chapter out loud. Well, in LA--especially in that area--you can walk along the street, talking to yourself (which is what it looked like when I was quoting Romans 6) and even gesturing vehelmently (which I did as pnemonic devices), and no one even notices that you're doing this. The person who does these things is just another pedestrian. So I was just fitting in each evening and each morning (I worked through the night) as I walked to and from work, quoting Romans 6 out loud and gesturing with big gestures to help me remember each section. Finally, the day came when I had the entire chapter memorized. It had taken almost 2 full weeks.
In the years since then, I have gone back a few times to review and refresh my memory. But meanwhile, I have gone on to other chapters and memorized them (the most recent being Psalm 51).
So, it was a special event for me this morning to get back into Romans 6--in the NIV. I've done it in my Bible study in other translations/paraphrases. But this time I'm doing my Bible study in the NIV. So it was especially enjoyable to work through it again. I stopped half-way through the chapter, just because of other factors that don't enter in here. But that means I get to look forward to doing the last half of the chapter tomorrow!
Well, that's where I'm at these days. Thanks for reading.........
16 July 2007
Bangladesh
Through Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com), we have been giving monthly support to a pastor and family in Bangladesh for a few months now. In this country that is closed to the gospel (and others like it), pastors must work many hours at another job just to keep their family alive. By our giving a small portion of our wealth and designating it for this man and his family, they are able to have regular income and he is freed to minister in the name of Jesus. Plus--and this is the most important part--we pray for them and their ministry regularly. It's called the "Pastor Support Program" (PSP).
Well, over the weekend, we received a letter from VOM indicating that this family has been removed from the PSP. Information has come indicating that pastor/workers in Bangladesh are coming "under increased interrogation by the government over receiving foreign funding." Plus, there is increased media publicity (a dangerous thing in these countries).
I mention this situation here in hopes that you will add your prayers for this pastor and his family. Bw & I know his name. But I won't include it here, nor will I put any other info about him, because any such clue might--and probably will--increase the danger and threat to him and his family.
But would you join me in praying for this man and his family? Choose any name you like; God will know whom you intend. Pray that this pastor/worker will not grow weary in well-doing. Pray that God will keep him bold in his witness for Jesus. Pray that the love of God will show through him even more clearly as the pressure and threats increase. Pray that even his children and wife would shine with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you!
Well, over the weekend, we received a letter from VOM indicating that this family has been removed from the PSP. Information has come indicating that pastor/workers in Bangladesh are coming "under increased interrogation by the government over receiving foreign funding." Plus, there is increased media publicity (a dangerous thing in these countries).
I mention this situation here in hopes that you will add your prayers for this pastor and his family. Bw & I know his name. But I won't include it here, nor will I put any other info about him, because any such clue might--and probably will--increase the danger and threat to him and his family.
But would you join me in praying for this man and his family? Choose any name you like; God will know whom you intend. Pray that this pastor/worker will not grow weary in well-doing. Pray that God will keep him bold in his witness for Jesus. Pray that the love of God will show through him even more clearly as the pressure and threats increase. Pray that even his children and wife would shine with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you!
14 July 2007
Persecution
A previous post about immaturity in the NA church suggested that this had something to do with our easy, "cushy" lifestyle and that we rarely feel any negative consequences for following Christ. Then this morning I read an article by Philip Yancey (one of my favorites). You can get the whole article here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2005/003/1.42.html
But this particular statement caught my attention and brought a chuckle of surprise:
But this particular statement caught my attention and brought a chuckle of surprise:
Yancey said:
I found the same pattern in Myanmar (formerly Burma), a dictatorship with brutal policies against religious activities. The person who invited me to the country informed me, "When you speak to pastors, you should remember that probably all of them have spent time in jail because of their faith."
"Then should I talk about one of my book topics like Where Is God When It Hurts? Or Disappointment with God?" I asked.
"Oh, no, that's not really a concern here," he said. "We assume we'll be persecuted for faith. We want you to speak on grace. We need help getting along with each other."
"Then should I talk about one of my book topics like Where Is God When It Hurts? Or Disappointment with God?" I asked.
"Oh, no, that's not really a concern here," he said. "We assume we'll be persecuted for faith. We want you to speak on grace. We need help getting along with each other."
So maybe these sibling rivalries in local congregations is more widespread than I thought!
What do you think?
11 July 2007
childishness
So this next post kind of springs from the previous....
I've been reading a lot of material from Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). [I mentioned this organization in my introductory stuff. You can read and register with them at: www.persecution.com.] I volunteer for them--going to churches or other organizations and raising awareness of 200million followers of Christ who are being persecuted for their belief. So lately I've been reading the testimonies of men and women in Vietnam who risk everything to spread the good news about Jesus. They thrill to have A Bible. They cannot conceive of having multiple translations in one's personal library from which to choose. They share one Bible among 300 people. Each family gets to have it for 2 days before passing it along to the next family. Knowing the police are watching them & expecting that the police will arrest them, they meet to praise God anyway. They meet at different times. The pastor will send word that this Sunday's meeting will start around 6a.m. Some of them leave home at 3a.m. in order to be there on time. The next week the pastor might schedule the service for 4a.m. As a result, some must start their journey around 1a.m. One pastor said he has 30 new believers in his home town. They have been following Christ for 2 years. But they are not yet ready to be baptized--they are not yet mature enough. But they will be soon.
This is just one country. I watch videos and read accounts from Indonesia, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, India and many more. The accounts have many similarities.
Then I remember churches in North America: At one, they complain about the lack of things going on. At another, they don't like the music. At another, they criticize a leader. Sometime the complainers/criticizers just talk. Often they threaten to leave their church. Sometimes they follow through on that threat and go to another church. Or they might just stop worshiping altogether.
Last night as bw and I were praying, I started praying for some of the churches described in the previous paragraph. Suddenly it hit me: We are soooooooo childish in the North American church. Sometimes, I wish for a degree of persecution here in North America. It might help us grow up.
What do you think?
I've been reading a lot of material from Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). [I mentioned this organization in my introductory stuff. You can read and register with them at: www.persecution.com.] I volunteer for them--going to churches or other organizations and raising awareness of 200million followers of Christ who are being persecuted for their belief. So lately I've been reading the testimonies of men and women in Vietnam who risk everything to spread the good news about Jesus. They thrill to have A Bible. They cannot conceive of having multiple translations in one's personal library from which to choose. They share one Bible among 300 people. Each family gets to have it for 2 days before passing it along to the next family. Knowing the police are watching them & expecting that the police will arrest them, they meet to praise God anyway. They meet at different times. The pastor will send word that this Sunday's meeting will start around 6a.m. Some of them leave home at 3a.m. in order to be there on time. The next week the pastor might schedule the service for 4a.m. As a result, some must start their journey around 1a.m. One pastor said he has 30 new believers in his home town. They have been following Christ for 2 years. But they are not yet ready to be baptized--they are not yet mature enough. But they will be soon.
This is just one country. I watch videos and read accounts from Indonesia, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, India and many more. The accounts have many similarities.
Then I remember churches in North America: At one, they complain about the lack of things going on. At another, they don't like the music. At another, they criticize a leader. Sometime the complainers/criticizers just talk. Often they threaten to leave their church. Sometimes they follow through on that threat and go to another church. Or they might just stop worshiping altogether.
Last night as bw and I were praying, I started praying for some of the churches described in the previous paragraph. Suddenly it hit me: We are soooooooo childish in the North American church. Sometimes, I wish for a degree of persecution here in North America. It might help us grow up.
What do you think?
I'm not talking about finding a fellowship whose worship style enables me to worship more truly. I understand that some people relate better to a formal style while others relate better to relaxed and informal worship. I'm not talking about that.
But having found a community of believers, let's stick with them through thick and thin, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. And let's make that local fellowship thrive to the glory of God.
What do you think?
Control
I have some catching up to do. So I might end up posting a few times today. On the other hand, I have a couple articles due tomorrow. So additional posts might get postponed. At any rate, here is one thought that I tried to work through recently:
It has to do with son#1 and the "valley of the shadow of crap" (that is his phrase, not mine, but I like it; you'd have to go to his myspace page to read his discussion that lead to this phrase) that he has been going through recently and will be in for a while longer. I refered to this situation recently in a previous post. Then he and I had an online exchange. then I spent some time hiking in the gorgeous Gorge (i.e. Columbia River Gorge). While hiking I was talking with God about my issues as well as son#1's issues. Combination of the online exchange with son & the hiking exchange with God, I had to admit that once again I need to let go of control.
I think generally I do okay in the area of releasing control. I'm as comfortable as I can be with not knowing what the next few months of my life will bring me--not to mention next year. I have little or no need to control events in the operation of our home (usually). I have no need or desire to direct events in the church where we worship.
But God gave me a gentle reminder that I was trying to control events in the "valley of the shadow of crap" that son#1 is experiencing. So I let go of that situation (not that I ever had anything to hold onto anyway). And I just lifted my son to the Lord and I lifted his senior pastor to the Lord and I lifted their church board to the Lord and I lifted the congregation to the Lord. (It occurs to me just now that I did NOT lift to the Lord the prime movers creating this "valley of the shadow of crap.")
I'm fairly certain that we all face these times when we need to let go of our attempts to keep control. I doubt that I will ever totally escape that temptation. Some people struggle with it more than others. I have had my struggles with it. And while I continue to struggle daily with other issues and temptations, this is one that fortunately only crops up occasionally. Also fortunately, God only needed to give me a gentle reminder to let go rather than a firm or drastic confrontation.
I certainly do not mean any of the above as a boast about how spiritual I am. The better you know me, the more you know that I am not a spiritual giant. But I think I intend the above for 2 purposes: 1. To give thanks to God for the growth He cultivates in me; and 2. (in case anyone reading this struggles with issues of control) to encourage you that we can trust God to keep control and therefore we can relax and let go.
What do you think?
It has to do with son#1 and the "valley of the shadow of crap" (that is his phrase, not mine, but I like it; you'd have to go to his myspace page to read his discussion that lead to this phrase) that he has been going through recently and will be in for a while longer. I refered to this situation recently in a previous post. Then he and I had an online exchange. then I spent some time hiking in the gorgeous Gorge (i.e. Columbia River Gorge). While hiking I was talking with God about my issues as well as son#1's issues. Combination of the online exchange with son & the hiking exchange with God, I had to admit that once again I need to let go of control.
I think generally I do okay in the area of releasing control. I'm as comfortable as I can be with not knowing what the next few months of my life will bring me--not to mention next year. I have little or no need to control events in the operation of our home (usually). I have no need or desire to direct events in the church where we worship.
But God gave me a gentle reminder that I was trying to control events in the "valley of the shadow of crap" that son#1 is experiencing. So I let go of that situation (not that I ever had anything to hold onto anyway). And I just lifted my son to the Lord and I lifted his senior pastor to the Lord and I lifted their church board to the Lord and I lifted the congregation to the Lord. (It occurs to me just now that I did NOT lift to the Lord the prime movers creating this "valley of the shadow of crap.")
I'm fairly certain that we all face these times when we need to let go of our attempts to keep control. I doubt that I will ever totally escape that temptation. Some people struggle with it more than others. I have had my struggles with it. And while I continue to struggle daily with other issues and temptations, this is one that fortunately only crops up occasionally. Also fortunately, God only needed to give me a gentle reminder to let go rather than a firm or drastic confrontation.
I certainly do not mean any of the above as a boast about how spiritual I am. The better you know me, the more you know that I am not a spiritual giant. But I think I intend the above for 2 purposes: 1. To give thanks to God for the growth He cultivates in me; and 2. (in case anyone reading this struggles with issues of control) to encourage you that we can trust God to keep control and therefore we can relax and let go.
What do you think?
06 July 2007
mercy
So I spent the first hour (plus time later in the afternoon as well) praying the sinner's prayer for mercy: "God have mercy on me a sinner." I've done this kind of thing in the past, though only for briefer periods of time. Admittedly, by the standards of true contemplatives, doing this for an hour is also a "brief period of time." But for today, it was a good start. So I was going along saying this one-sentence prayer each time I exhaled. Suddenly, as I ended one of the exhale/prayers, a single word came to my mind/spirit.
Pride. It came as clearly as if it had been spoken audibly. So in the next exhale, I said "God have mercy on me for my pride." Then I toggled between "me a sinner" and "for my pride" several times. And suddenly another word came. Then another and then more. When that first hour was up, I wrote down the list of words as I could remember them....
Pride. It came as clearly as if it had been spoken audibly. So in the next exhale, I said "God have mercy on me for my pride." Then I toggled between "me a sinner" and "for my pride" several times. And suddenly another word came. Then another and then more. When that first hour was up, I wrote down the list of words as I could remember them....
God have mercy on me...
a sinner
for pride
for rebellion
for self-centeredness
for deceitfulness
for scheming
for bitterness
for resentfulness.
It's somewhat distressing to realize all this about myself. We go along thinking of ourselves as being really some kinda Christian. Then we spend a little extended quiet time and we let ourselves get honest with God and we let God have a little peak inside (as if He needs that, He's just waiting for us to get quiet and still enough to listen) and suddenly we see what we're really like. Well, for any who might be inclined to write and remind me of God's mercy and forgiveness, I will forestall your reminder by reminding you that I was praying for God's mercy and forgiveness. So not to worry.
Later, another term (from James 1) came along: double-minded. "The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."
Then toward the end of that first hour, I started seeing some similarities between the list God was forming to reveal myself to me and what is happening in my son's situation. So after a little break (certain needs of nature don't seem to understand about being quiet with God), I started praying for the church where he serves. I used most of the same terms from the above list and sought God's victory over those things. Maybe I can say more about that later or at another date.
I think that's enough for now.
Day of Prayer
Today I plan to go to a secret place for a day of prayer. A few weeks ago, I found this place. And since then, I have felt an increasing draw to go back for an extended period of aloneness with God. I don't know what to expect. But I have 2 concerns on my mind:
The first involves my long-ingrained struggle. 'Nuff said about that. I feel so close to the end of that struggle. And I feel increasingly sick about it and sick from it. But it won't go away and I need God's touch.
The second concern involves my son, of whom I wrote previously. This seems to be a spiritual battle for the congregation where he has been serving. He will survive and grow strong and serve the Lord wherever he goes. But that body of believers faces a serious challenge to their integrity for years/decades to come.
So, please pray for me today. Thank you.
The first involves my long-ingrained struggle. 'Nuff said about that. I feel so close to the end of that struggle. And I feel increasingly sick about it and sick from it. But it won't go away and I need God's touch.
The second concern involves my son, of whom I wrote previously. This seems to be a spiritual battle for the congregation where he has been serving. He will survive and grow strong and serve the Lord wherever he goes. But that body of believers faces a serious challenge to their integrity for years/decades to come.
So, please pray for me today. Thank you.
04 July 2007
church conflict
My son sent an email yesterday informing us that he has submitted his resignation at the church where he is youth pastor. For about a year now, a certain family has spread rumors and lies about him. It has been a concerted effort to force him out of his position there. Finally, he couldn't take it any more and gave his resignation letter to his senior pastor. That letter will be read to the church board next Tuesday, the 10th.
Given my history of being voted out or forced out of churches, I hardly got past the first sentence before my stomach knotted up. I spent the afternoon toggling between reviews of my experiences and praying for my son's situation--mostly the latter.
So this is what dominated my praying: I tried to listen to the Spirit's prompting. I tried to look at the situation from God's perspective. I tried to sense what God wanted to do. This thought kept coming back to me: My son specifically said that he does not feel that God has released him from the ministry at that church. That means that God wants him to stay there. Or it might mean that my son is not listening to God's release. But I'm inclined to the first version. If God wants him to stay there, then something needs to be done to keep him there. And I kept sensing that the church board has the option of not accepting the resignation. Thereby they would communicate to the troublemaking family that their rumormongering is out-of-line and unchristian.
To bow to their unchristian treatment would not bring church unity (the stated desire). Instead, it would reward church division. But to rebuke the troublemakers would cause them either to repent of their sins or to leave the church. Either of those outcomes would enhance church unity.
So last night bw and I prayed for quite a while that God would work in the hearts and minds and spirits of the church board to have the boldness to refuse the resignation and rebuke the troublemakers.
At the same time, I/we know that people sometimes (often) fail to heed God's prompting. I expect that God will prompt some on the board to refuse the resignation. But I would not be surprised if those He prompts fail to hear/heed that prompting. Perhaps they would be afraid to obey God's direction. So it may still be that--in spite of God's faithfulness to try to direct the board toward doing the right thing--they still may allow him to resign.
In that scenario, I hear a verse of Scripture coming to me: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." Granted, this initially and primarily applies to Jesus Christ. But in a lesser degree, the principle involved operates in the lives of believers who remain faithful to God's leading. That suggests that if this troublemaking family succeeds in pressuring him out, succeeds in rejecting the stone, God will see to it that this stone is used significantly in another way. He may even orchestrate events so that my son comes back to this same church as their senior pastor in the future!
Well, I do not claim to know for certain what God intends to do. But I think that in yesterday's afternoon of solitude and prayer I may have gained some insight into what God wants to do as well as what might be His "plan B."
What do you think?
Given my history of being voted out or forced out of churches, I hardly got past the first sentence before my stomach knotted up. I spent the afternoon toggling between reviews of my experiences and praying for my son's situation--mostly the latter.
So this is what dominated my praying: I tried to listen to the Spirit's prompting. I tried to look at the situation from God's perspective. I tried to sense what God wanted to do. This thought kept coming back to me: My son specifically said that he does not feel that God has released him from the ministry at that church. That means that God wants him to stay there. Or it might mean that my son is not listening to God's release. But I'm inclined to the first version. If God wants him to stay there, then something needs to be done to keep him there. And I kept sensing that the church board has the option of not accepting the resignation. Thereby they would communicate to the troublemaking family that their rumormongering is out-of-line and unchristian.
To bow to their unchristian treatment would not bring church unity (the stated desire). Instead, it would reward church division. But to rebuke the troublemakers would cause them either to repent of their sins or to leave the church. Either of those outcomes would enhance church unity.
So last night bw and I prayed for quite a while that God would work in the hearts and minds and spirits of the church board to have the boldness to refuse the resignation and rebuke the troublemakers.
At the same time, I/we know that people sometimes (often) fail to heed God's prompting. I expect that God will prompt some on the board to refuse the resignation. But I would not be surprised if those He prompts fail to hear/heed that prompting. Perhaps they would be afraid to obey God's direction. So it may still be that--in spite of God's faithfulness to try to direct the board toward doing the right thing--they still may allow him to resign.
In that scenario, I hear a verse of Scripture coming to me: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." Granted, this initially and primarily applies to Jesus Christ. But in a lesser degree, the principle involved operates in the lives of believers who remain faithful to God's leading. That suggests that if this troublemaking family succeeds in pressuring him out, succeeds in rejecting the stone, God will see to it that this stone is used significantly in another way. He may even orchestrate events so that my son comes back to this same church as their senior pastor in the future!
Well, I do not claim to know for certain what God intends to do. But I think that in yesterday's afternoon of solitude and prayer I may have gained some insight into what God wants to do as well as what might be His "plan B."
What do you think?
03 July 2007
Why did I watch that?
I love anything to do with medicine--specifically with surgery. When I was growing up, I had dreams of being a heart surgeon. But that did not happen. This is not the time or place for pointing fingers or putting blame about that. Bottom line: I did not feel confident enough in the realm of hard sciences to pursue that field. Since then (when I was studying mortuary science), I realized I probably could have done fairly well in pre-med, etc. But by then it was too late.
All of that to say that once-in-a-while I do something that reminds me of that dream. Last night I watched a show called "Heartland." I had seen ads for it and I expected I would enjoy it since it was about heart surgery. So we taped it (so we can skip the ads) and watched it immediately after. The problem is that whenever I'm reminded of all the advances in heart treatment in my lifetime, I start thinking, "You could have been part of that!" And often that thought pushes me onto a big downer.
So I went to sleep last night thinking about what could have been--if only. And I woke up this morning thinking much the same thing. I'm still feeling a bit down about the whole thing. But as some important people in my life would say: "Get over it! Move on with your life." And that's what I'm trying to do. And I think overall I am doing that. But still once-in-a-while I remember what might have been.
Please don't feel sorry for me. I have done some wonderful things. And I still have dreams of what God wants to do in me and through me in my remaining years. And who knows? Maybe if I had gone into that other field, I never would have taken the time to pursue my interest in writing. So I'll keep working on the writing thing. And hopefully I can touch some lives through this avenue instead of the other.
Do you have dreams? Are you at the stage in life when you look back and wish? Do you sometimes think, "If only..."? What new dreams is God trying to give you to replace those old ones? God is not living back there in the "if only's"; God is living today and in our tomorrows in the "what-can-God-do-in-me-today"?
All of that to say that once-in-a-while I do something that reminds me of that dream. Last night I watched a show called "Heartland." I had seen ads for it and I expected I would enjoy it since it was about heart surgery. So we taped it (so we can skip the ads) and watched it immediately after. The problem is that whenever I'm reminded of all the advances in heart treatment in my lifetime, I start thinking, "You could have been part of that!" And often that thought pushes me onto a big downer.
So I went to sleep last night thinking about what could have been--if only. And I woke up this morning thinking much the same thing. I'm still feeling a bit down about the whole thing. But as some important people in my life would say: "Get over it! Move on with your life." And that's what I'm trying to do. And I think overall I am doing that. But still once-in-a-while I remember what might have been.
Please don't feel sorry for me. I have done some wonderful things. And I still have dreams of what God wants to do in me and through me in my remaining years. And who knows? Maybe if I had gone into that other field, I never would have taken the time to pursue my interest in writing. So I'll keep working on the writing thing. And hopefully I can touch some lives through this avenue instead of the other.
Do you have dreams? Are you at the stage in life when you look back and wish? Do you sometimes think, "If only..."? What new dreams is God trying to give you to replace those old ones? God is not living back there in the "if only's"; God is living today and in our tomorrows in the "what-can-God-do-in-me-today"?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)