Glimpses of Glory

I love the "parade of nations" at the Olympic opening ceremony. Despite my internal conflict over this year's Beijing Olympics, I found myself anxious to see each nation march proudly into the Bird's Nest.

My favorites are always the little nations, those with one or two or a handful of athletes. I always think they are so brave, so proud to be representing their homelands. There are always interesting stories too - such as this year's US flag-bearer, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan who emigrated to to US and now represents my country in the Olympics.

The world seems to love this part of the Olympics, I think I know why. It gives us glimpses of glory. It draws out from within us something that God put there when He set "eternity in our hearts". It is an earthly attempt at the heavenly in-gathering that will come at the end of the age, when every tribe, tongue, and nation will "parade" before His throne to worship Him.

On that day, there will be some with just a few represented. There will be fascinating stories - billions of them. And there will be more than the 204 countries represented in Beijing -- there will be people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people group. But we won't be gathered to compete, because the race will be over.

And all our crowns and medals will be to cast at His feet.

After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. They were shouting out in a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God,
to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Rev. 7:9-10

A New Path

I walked a new path last week.

While waiting on a friend, I took a path around a pond and into the woods - a path I didn't know existed. And as I did, I found myself reflecting on change and the paths of life.

Those of you who know me well understand that I am not an adventurous person. The whole "life is an adventure" approach has never had appeal for me. I avoid risk and struggle with change. (I stayed in my first full-time job 8 1/2 years, until God forced me out of the nest!)

But as I walked the path, I learned something of the joy of adventure. It was a journey of discovery, since I had no idea where the path led or ended, nor did I know what twists and turns it took along the way. And I found it unexpectedly - fun! I found myself wondering what was around the next bend.

The second round on the path had its own pleasures. I was able to pay better attention to things I missed the first time, and to look more carefully at things I only glimpsed first. But the walk made me realize that life truly can be enjoyable as an "adventure". I don't have to know the details, or even the outline, of the path. Instead, I can trust in the One who designed the path, and know that His ends are always good and for His glory.

If you're like me, you may be struggling to find joy in the journey today. If you're facing an unknown path, try trusting the Designer - and seek to pleasure of discovering where He leads.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

(Psalm 23:1-3)

The Face of Global Christianity (or, Listening with My Heart)

I was so privileged yesterday to look into the face of global Christianity.

I've heard about the "global south" and the vibrancy of the evangelical movement in places like India, Africa, and Latin America. But my readings didn't prepare me for yesterday's visit to a local Hispanic congregation.

On the invitation of a Hispanic co-worker, my husband and I attended a non-denominational evangelical church a couple of towns away. I must explain that neither of us are fluent in Spanish. Bob can converse better than me, but struggles with reading the language. I can read about 1/3 of a given text, but can't carry on a conversation. Neither of us have very good listening comprehension. So we went almost more out of courtesy than with any real expectations to receive.

But we were quite blown away by their love and hospitality, their graciousness and heart. We were made to feel included from the moment we arrived -- they even provided a translator during the message to provide at least the sense of what was said. They apologized that their translation equipment was not yet installed. (This is a very small church.) For the post-service meal, they insisted on getting our plates and serving us.

I was amazed. Here was a group of immigrants to our country, making us feel far more welcome than some of them have probably been made to feel. I felt convicted that I've never once been in a church that even attempted to provide translation for non-English speakers. Sure, there have been some that tried to plant Spanish-speaking churches - but not provide the translation in the English service. (I'm sure some do - I just haven't been in them. This is not meant as a condemnation, just a sharing of a personal time of conviction.) Yet here was a small church of less than 50 or so that was so focused on other cultures than their own that they were making the effort to translate into English.

Their heart for the world was equally overwhelming. Not once was the focus on their home countries -- in fact, we only learned the home country of 4 of the people we met. Neither were they limiting their vision to Northwest Arkansas. They clearly had a heart for the world, and were out to impart that heart within their congregation. With my reading comprehension I was able to grasp the sense of most of the worship songs. What I heard was a heart for the world -- consistently the choruses cried out to God on behalf of the nations, begging for His glory to come, and reflecting the need to take the message everywhere.

As I looked around the congregation I saw all ages, faces upturned in passionate worship. The 17-year-old who shared our lunch table could hardly wait to ask us how long we've been Christians and what we've seen God do. Here was a vibrant congregation, learning together what it means to be on mission with God. And God spoke to my heart that this was the reality of things I've been studying in my World Christian Foundations curriculum; this was the face of global Christianity.

Some of you have seen this and told me about it. Others of you hope to bring it to your corner of the world. I'm posting this to encourage you that those stories you read in the journals are real. The face of global Christianity may be shifting from the west, but it is very vibrant, and God is very much at work.

I didn't understand everything yesterday. But I understood enough to know that if I listened with my heart, I could hear the wind of the Spirit blowing.

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Acts 2:1-2

Active or Passive?

Those of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses, but those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle in the field. (Ex. 9:20-21)

God's Word is meant to spark action.

We should certainly study Scripture. Praying it back to God is great, discussing it with others is helpful, and grasping its nuances can be rewarding.

But Scripture is God's Word, and from the first words God spoke to man, He intended His words to be acted upon. This passage in Exodus jumped out at me - those who feared God's Word took action; those who did not take it seriously did nothing. It remained for them a theory, a novelty.

The principle that I drew from this underscored the truth God has been teaching me for about 6 months now -- God doesn't want me to be passive. Certainly He doesn't want me to rely on my own strength, and there is a place for "being" rather than "doing". But "Be still and know that I am God" doesn't mean to do nothing -- it means to rest in Him. Resting, as Hebrews 4 says, from my works -- not from His words!

I get frustrated at passive Christianity - my own included. I hate that sometimes I know what's right and don't do it - Paul calls that sin. I hate that sometimes I grasp something theologically long before I apply it practically. I hate that it's so easy for me to tell someone "I'll pray for you" (maybe remembering to do so, maybe not) and so hard to say "Let me take this part of your burden" and then put myself out for them sacrificially. I hate that I have been guilty of brushing away horrific sins in the world with the rationalization that "this is a fallen world; what can we expect" -- as if God had forbidden me from speaking out or trying to change anything.

I am challenged by active Christians - like William Wilberforce, who refused to be passive in the face of slavery's horrors. Like William Carey, who refused to sit down when ordered to do so by an elder who insisted God's method of saving the "heathen" didn't require human action. Like Hudson Taylor, who was willing to risk scorn to blaze a new path for kingdom workers, a path that was radically different and yet thoroughly biblical.

I don't expect to solve every problem. But I am increasingly committed to actively manifesting the lessons God teaches me through His Word. This commitment doesn't lead me to pray less - quite the opposite. For I am learning that if I take God's Word seriously, I will live my life in a war zone - and the battle starts on my knees.

I've known that for a while. What is new lately is that God is teaching me that it doesn't end there.

"God's Word is alive and active in me." -Beth Moore

Different Kinds of Pickles

What's the best kind of pickle?

I love a crunchy dill - sour dills are even better. My husband, on the other hand, could eat kosher dills all day. And my mom swears by sweet pickles. Which is best?

As I've canned dozens of pickles this year, I'm coming to understand how many varieties are out there -- and I appreciate the uniqueness of each one. When you can homemade pickles, you have the added pleasure of creativity - no two batches are alike. We've made kosher dills, dills, pepper dills, and even "non-dills" (made by forgetting to put the dill in the jars) out of the same basic ingredients - cucumbers, water, and vinegar.

As I work I've thought about how my pickle-making illustrates an important truth about the body of Christ. There are so many ways that our worship and Christian community can look -- and if you are on the field, you have personally experienced that. We start with the same basic ingredients - faith in Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit, relationship with God - and turn out some pretty different-looking results.

And that's the beauty of it. God doesn't want assembly-line churches. He is personally involved in each one, for His glory. John could tell the ethnic distinctions in his vision of heaven (Rev. 5) and so we know that those differences transcend earth's boundaries.

On the field, you are one of God's instruments for creating a unique batch of Christians - a unique church. As He adds the ingredients that will make this body distinct from others, sit back and enjoy the process. Because at the end of the day, you will have a new variety on the shelf, and God will be glorified in His creativity.

Distracted by Survival

I've decided that the enemy has a subtle tactic to shift our focus away from kingdom work: getting us into survival mode.

This can happen in several ways. At one extreme is persecution. True, some degree of persecution purifies the church and makes her stronger and more kingdom-oriented. But extreme persecution historically has thrown the church into "survival mode", where self-preservation moves the church into a defensive posture. When all energy is directed toward survival, the advance of the kingdom can suffer.

But this distracted-by-survival mentality can creep in the church subtly as well. I know of two churches that are scaling back giving to kingdom work in order to survive financially during these tough times. Other churches, struggling to maintain enough workers in the nursery or recovering from in-fighting and a church split, have decided that "we have to get healthy here before we are of use there" - and quickly find themselves distracted by survival.

The survival mentality can affect families and individuals. Conflict in a marriage can lead to more time spent praying in warfare for the marriage to survive and a loss of energy to pray for the warfare across the world. A wayward child can quickly - and rightly - become the focus of prayer, but at the expense of praying for that people group. Extreme poverty can cause a family's day to be filled with trying to find food to eat -- and indeed, one reason for the great advance of the kingdom in the late 1800's was the mere fact that because the standard of living was raised, people had more time to devote to something other than survival.

Falling into survival mode isn't selfish - it's part of our human tendency, something God put in us that scientists call "fight or flight". But we have to recognize when our perceived need to focus on survival is genuine or when it is a distraction by the enemy.

I've known churches that refused to cut back on giving - and found themselves blessed with a donation after a death in the church. I've read of small churches that committed more efforts in kingdom advance overseas rather than focusing on their conflicts and needs, and found themselves growing by leaps and bounds. I've known a wife who faced a serious conflict in her marriage that determined not to replace her kingdom prayers with marriage prayers - she committed to praying both. Lots of warfare, but the marital battles subsided faster than she ever imagined and was stronger than ever - allowing her even more kingdom prayer time.

I've also known churches that truly needed time to heal and regroup. (Smyrna in Rev. 2 affords a great example of a church that needed to be in survival mode, and received encouragement from God for it.) I've known people who needed to lay down fruitful kingdom work to focus on family needs and battles for a season.

My point isn't that every focus on survival is a distraction or of the enemy. But we are wise to remember that this IS a war. Sometimes in war, a soldier has to get out of the battle for a season to heal and survive effectively. Other times, he simply presses through the pain and keeps on fighting - finding that survival is granted in the middle of the battle.

What are you facing today that makes you head for survival mode? As you fight that personal battle, ask God to reveal to you whether this raises the need to focus on survival, or whether the enemy is distracting you by trying to get you into survival mode.

God is faithful. He will bring what He has started to completion. He will help you survive this trial - just trust His leading for that next step.

Moving the Stones

You're probably content not to always be the harvester. By the time you have any experience on the field at all, you understand the true meaning of Paul's words that "one plants, one waters, one harvests, but God gives the increase".

But you probably feel better when you realize where in that chain you are working. When you are bumping up against roadblocks of every kind and feel that you aren't even getting to sow seeds, frustration sets in. When you pray week in and week out for significant conversations that never happen, for deepening relationships that never quite get off the ground, for divine appointments that don't seem to come - you wonder. You question the call, you re-examine the steps that led you to presume this location was God's will, you look for open doors elsewhere in an attempt to go where God is working ... and still, you stay put, wondering what to do when the soil is hard.

Maybe God put you there to move stones.

I ran across this concept in my studies today. Paul Pierson referenced it in the context of workers who toiled for 50 years to garner 5 new believers. Pierson writes:

...there are people whose mission is not to reap, not even to sow, not even to plow the field, but, as one put it, to take the stones away from the field so that others can plow and others can sow and others can reap.

Lifting stones takes a strong body. Likewise, lifting spiritual stones requires a strong spirit. God didn't put you there because you are a failure - instead, He put you there to put within you a strong spirit to lift the stones away. To prepare the way of the Lord.

Come through! Come through the gates! Prepare the way for the people! Build it! Build the roadway! Remove the stones! Lift a signal flag for the nations! (Isa. 62:10)

Secret Believers

Most of the time, I try to keep this blog to encourage you. But today, I shamelessly use it to appeal to your hearts - because I have a prayer request that many of you can really understand.

If you haven't already read Secret Believers, the latest book by Brother Andrew, I highly recommend it. The book is a story of MBB's and their struggles. There is an awesome website, www.secretbelievers.org, that has a secured log-in blog written by some MBBs in the Middle East. Usually those blog posts are private but today I found one that was a cry for prayer - a request to pass it on - and that is what I am doing here. Please pray for this precious family.
---------------------------------------------
From secretbelievers.org ...
Uncle brought news about a family we are praying for. He is a spiritual father to the family. T. about 50, has 8 children & 4 grandchildren. She met Jesus & became a Christian when she was about 20 years old. When her husband found out the persecution began. His solution to the problem was making sure she was always pregnant! Every time she had a baby, a few weeks after recovering she would be pregnant again! Shocking! But she just kept dedicating her babies to the Lord even the 6 she lost. Every one of them is walking with the Lord.

For the last 4 years it has been difficult & they have been on the run. Four years ago Uncle found her in a hospital recovering from serious acid burns & stab wounds. It was the children who first met him & shared the story of their lives. Uncle saw that the Lord had brought him to the city & hospital, reached out to them & took them under his wing making it possible for them to go into hiding after she recovered some. At home we were on our knees praying & weeping before God. T.’s family is influential- they are related to people even you would have heard the name in the US. However, I do not think it is safe to actually tell you who exactly. Just pray urgently with us.

T. & her family have continued to worship & declare Jesus their Lord & Saviour. In spite of her ugly scars, she is beautiful with a beaming smile & beautiful heart that just shines for Jesus. But she is a woman with young daughters & sons & is on the run. Her daughters were once kidnapped from her & forced to marry Muslim relatives of their father. However God in his goodness made it possible for T. to get to them in time & help them escape. It was only God’s goodness & power that saved them from these marriages.

I love my country but it is not the kind of country where someone like T. can live a Christian life without trouble. Last year Uncle arraged for them to leave & go to another country where they did not need an entry visa. This country also houses a UN base. They are in hiding there. The situation is getting worse. Their Muslim family is closing in, writing letters to Embassies & the UN discrediting their story, saying they are fakes & frauds. ... Get the world to pray. They are very alone & very afraid in a land where they do not speak the language- where those promising to help the needy have abandoned them & where they are now illegal residents. If they are sent back they will be kidnapped, tortured or even killed on arrival. Oh please get your families, friends & churches to share this story. Let’s get a lot of prayer going for this family. They really need it. I cannot even imagine what it must be like in a strange land, in a tiny crammed living space, in hiding, unable to speak the language and unable to go to the shops to get food, uncertain about finances etc… Please pray for this. Can we pray that in the days to come the Lord will stir up the heart of someone to do something for T. & her family? Pray for protection, that the people there would stop looking for them, following them, threatening them and they’re able to slip away & make a life as God has purposed for them.

We do not advise running away & leaving your home country, but sometimes you are forced out of the country as was their situation. Pray God can give them a home and in the place God has for them. Last time Uncle spoke to her, her son was crying with the concern in his heart for his mother & sisters.

Changing Chairs

I spent a day-and-a-half trying to be blessed by a new chair at work.

Someone's hand-me-down looked better than my old chair, so I tried it out. Unfortunately it was uncomfortable, and I found another possibility. This one had everything going for it - ergonomically correct, adjustable, and no stains on the arms :). I really wanted to make it work - but it was so uncomfortable that I finally switched back to my trusted old friend.

I'm not sure the old chair is really better - maybe my body needed to conform to that new chair. I just wasn't willing to go through the pain in the process. My back and backside were sore, and even my arms were tired from the different position. I remembered adjusting to an ergonomic keyboard and the eventual benefit that resulted - but this time the price was too great.

That got me thinking about change in our lives. Sometimes, where God takes us is so uncomfortable that we want the old place back - even if it's not where we needed to be. Sometimes, when God adjusts us, the price feels high, and we are glad we don't have the option to turn back, or else we might just run for the hills. We are His moveable treasure, but it can be painful to be uprooted.

I know several of you who are in this sort of situation. You know God is making a significant change, but the place in between the comfort of the old situation and the settling into the new is rubbing blisters on you! Let me encourage you - don't do what I did with my office chair. Let God define what "fits" best for you - and conform you to the new environment.

He is faithful, and will finish what HE has started!

Bridge Builders

My absence from the blog the past week or so doesn't mean God hasn't been working in my life. Quite the contrary - He has been bringing together things that have stirred around in me for a while, coalescing them into a tangible, practical awareness:

We need bridge builders.

It's no secret to kingdom workers that there are two structures - the world of the field and the world of "church". Though they should be the same, they rarely are. For all practical purposes, things function differently in the two worlds. On the field there is unity among denominations and groups, international churches with mixed races, radical faith in God for healing, finances, transportation, serious prayer and lots of awareness of spiritual warfare. While the church occasionally comes close to this, it's usually within the confines of a small group who are kingdom-minded, or former field workers and the like. The average Christian may truly and sincerely be interested in kingdom work, but doesn't understand that world, and doesn't know much beyond writing a check and praying for "all the workers". Not a bad start, but not enough.

That's why I'm calling for bridge builders - people who feel at home in both worlds. Often when we are awakened to the implications of the Great Commission and determine we are not goers (at least for now), we get frustrated with the church world and glamorize the field world. Or we become "the m. person" at our church - thereby enabling them to check off a box and not get more involved.

We need to engage both worlds. We need to encourage kingdom workers and find out what their real needs are. We need to teach the church how to pray and encourage them that "keep the m's safe" isn't always the prayer that needs to be prayed. We need to rally our church to keep the support going even when the budget is tight, to inform about why research on UUPGs is just as important as evangelism, to keep the communication flowing. We need to be bridges ourselves and train others to do so.

The best New Testament example I can think of is Gaius. John wrote to him:

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 5-8)

This speaks of more than financial support - the brothers testified of Gaius' LOVE. Gaius was apparently a significant person in his church - John exhorts him to greet "every one" of the friends. But he was also significant to those who went out "for the sake of the name". And John makes it clear - this is how we become "fellow workers for the truth".

If you are reading this as a field worker - please know that God is stirring in me specific ways to raise up bridge builders and be a bridge myself! I am praying that God will help you identify YOUR bridges!

If you are not a field worker but have been awakened to the cause, then please, seek to be a bridge. Seek to be a bridge builder to raise up more bridges in your church. The more I talk to workers the more vital I realize this role to be.

"Fellow workers for the truth." Hallelujah!

Rest

Have you ever tried to rock to sleep a toddler who was determined to stay awake and not miss the fun? Typically, such children will wear themselves out "fighting sleep" and finally collapse, spent, against your chest, looking every bit the innocent child with a sleeping face betraying none of the struggle shown only moments before.

That's the picture God has given me to help me understand the principle of rest, and the futility of struggling against Him. In fact, I am beginning to see a strand through Scripture that calls us to this rest:

* Jacob "fought with God" (Gen. 32) but the blessing didn't come until he quit fighting. The NET Bible notes explain that the Hebrew text makes clear that after the angel touched Jacob's sinew, Jacob stopped fighting before asking for a blessing: "To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency." In other words, he had to learn something of rest before he could be blessed.

* "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted over the nations." (Ps. 46:10) Here God calls us literally to "cease striving" (the literal translation of 'be still') and know Him. Specifically, we rest in knowing He will be exalted over the nations - even in a time when the nations are in turmoil.

* Even the Apostle Paul had to learn that struggling with God is futile. In fact, God told him that he was only hurting himself by "kicking against the goads" (Acts 26:14).

Hebrews 4 lays down rest as one of the key principles of faith. Verse 10 makes clear that we rest from our works. We find our "rest in faith" in Him. We may come away limping, but we find a dependence that keeps us trusting in a new way.

And that is precisely the point. Because like a parent knows when the child is tired, God knows that we need to relax and lean against Him. He knows that we need to learn how much we need Him. And He calls us to do that in a position of rest - not so we can do nothing, but so that we can realize that only as He equips us will we do anything at all. If we can get to that point, then we are ready to start serving. Until then, we're just struggling.

Rest in Him today, and see your service transformed by dependence.

Hanging out with Kingdom Workers

I think everyone should hang out with kingdom workers.

I was thinking today how my life has been impacted by my relationships with each of you. The reports and newsletters are nice, but it's been through "hanging out" - through the stuff of life - that I have learned and been impacted the most.

Because you've allowed me to live vicariously in your worlds, I view my world differently. I find myself responding differently, wondering how this decision will impact your corner of the world or seeing opportunities where previously I only saw obstacles. Increasingly, I 'get' that we are all connected in the body of Christ, in a way that cannot be described. Even my personal struggles are put into perspective - complaining about an unbalanced washing machine feels selfish when I think of one of you who washes clothes for 4 kids and a husband by hand!

If you are reading this and you're not a cross-cultural field worker - please, get to know at least one. Dangerous prayer: "Lord, send me a friend who ministers over there." In 1998 God starting surrounding me with those sorts of people, and life hasn't been the same - thankfully!

And for those of you who are field workers - please, keep those relationships with the rest of us. I know it's hard, because you often hear from those who don't "get it." It's easier and probably more fun to hang out with those from your organization who understand your struggles. And you need that, desperately.

But we need you. Every day I realize increasingly just how much we need what you offer the Body. Keep the reports and updates coming. But even more than that, be our friends.

Only God knows what fruit those relationships will bear!

Refusing to Settle

My monthly women's group just concluded, and while I thoroughly trust God's sovereignty, I refuse to settle for less that all He wants for us.

You see, we have about a dozen ladies, and every month, a few are unable to attend. Sometimes it's because of God-given higher priorities - a mission trip, a family event. Often, though, it's because of what they describe as "last-minute" distractions, obstacles, or spiritual attacks. Even the high gas cost has been a prohibitive factor. Lately the number who have to miss exceed the number who make it.

And I'm not going to take it sitting down. I've decided the position from which to address this is on my knees. I'm not going to settle - I'm going to fight.

So today, we prayed for the group, for God's purpose and people. We prayed against obstacles and distractions and attacks. We even prayed that God would stretch gas money and increase their mileage so more can attend. We agreed in spirit and in prayer - God hasn't indicated an end to this group. He hasn't indicated that we should be laissez-faire about the roadblocks some of them have shared that have kept people away. We are fighting for their ability to attend, and will continue to fight in prayer.

One of the preparations God gave me for this morning - that I was going to share with the group, but instead found to be for myself - is this brief essay. It reminds me that it's okay to not settle in my prayer life. It reminds me that God honors persistence! Most of all, it reminds me that desperation is a good place to be.

Many of you may be discouraged. You may be thinking you should give in and settle for less of an impact than you were hoping for in your corner of the world. You may be facing a change of service area, and wondering if you should give up on those you left behind. You may be seeking God's will in a matter and wondering if you're expecting too much.

I can't address every situation - but one thing I can say is don't settle. Seek desperation!

Living Out Life in His Presence

I love reading through the Bible in a new translation. Familiar passages leap off the page when presented in a new "language". My current read-through utilizes the NET Bible, a translator's Bible that gives tons of alternate renderings for words and explains the choices made by the translation team.

In Gen. 17 yesterday I read the familiar covenantal condition to Abram: "Walk before me...". The translator's note clarifies the sense of the phrase in Hebrew: "Live out your life in My presence".

WOW. Understanding that makes the second half of the condition more understandable: "and be blameless." One possible way of understanding the connection is that walking before God - living all of life in His presence - has the purpose or result of the individual being blameless, or righteous.

Unfortunately this principle has been taught in some ways that generate fear and legalism. "God is watching, so you'd better be good" is the message we get. Like "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", we think that we'd "better watch out, better not shout" because "He knows when you've been bad or good" and of course, what's in our stocking depends on being good!

But becoming more aware of His presence in the minutae of life has to do with more than our sanctification. This covenant is immediately followed by God appearing to Abraham with two angels in Gen. 18. This chapter illustrates what it means to walk before God. Living life in His presence looks like this: worship, interaction, giving, receiving, interceding. It's relational, not legalistic. It's faith, not fear.

So my prayer this week is that I will consistently live out my life in God's presence - becoming increasingly aware of His presence in the minutae of life. I want to know Him more so, like Abraham, I can intercede better. I want to know that I can trust His no's, like Abram did when He gave him an emphatic "no" about Ishmael. I want to see Him come through time after time after time, year after year after year. I want to know that the blamelessness is because of His change in me, not because of my fear or legalism. And I want to interact with Him in intimacy and relationship and constant dialogue.

I know you do as well. So tonight, this is my prayer for you: That you will increasingly live out your life in His presence. And that together we will learn just what that means!

Fleas and Warfare

OK, confession time. We have a dog, and this summer, that means like everyone else in our area with a pet, we have fleas. We've never had them before in 12 years of pet ownership, and so we've been learning a lot!

For example, did you know that fleas have 4 stages in the life cycle - and at one of the stages, larvae, the flea can survive for months without a food source (i.e., blood). Flea eggs can live after the fleas that laid them are dead, and to my horror, one flea can lay billions of eggs.

All of this means that our approach has had to attack the flea at all stages of development. It means we've had to treat our dog, our yard, our house, and even our car. We've used a variety of tools in the treatment. And in the process, I've learned a lot about warfare.

Sin is a lot like the fleas we've been fighting. It's a greedy parasite that can lay dormant for an extended time. That's why some of the lessons I've learned fighting fleas can help me spiritually as well.

Get to the source. This means fighting a multi-front war. We couldn't just treat our dog - we had to treat all places the fleas went when they weren't on the dog. Likewise, with sin we can't just attack the symptom - such as a sharp tongue. We have to treat the underlying source - the pride, or bitterness, or selfishness, that reveal themselves in bad fruit.

Take serious action to gain the upper hand. As much as I complained about the fleas, not much happened until we started taking serious action. We had to move beyond occasionally spraying the dog to committing significant amounts of time to getting rid of fleas. Similarly, sin doesn't go away on its own, even when we recognize that it's unpleasant. We have to get serious about fighting sin, and that requires commitment that might be inconvenient but is utterly
essential.

Keep the momentum. We're at a stage now where we haven't seen fleas in a couple of days, and things seem pretty "normal". But we've made the mistake previously of quitting after a couple of rounds of treatment - not realizing that those larvae were just waiting for a blood source to walk by :). Now we know that to keep the momentum, we have to fight daily against the fleas we can no longer see. Sin is like the fleas - "crouching at your door", as God told Cain in Gen. 4. The author of Hebrews wrote of sin that "so easily entangles us" and gave us the solution: Keeping our eyes on Jesus. He shed blood for our sin, so any struggle we make against it will never go beyond what He's already done (Heb. 12:1-3). This should motivate us to keep fighting for a victory that has already been secured on our behalf. But the fight must proceed daily!

Don't fight alone. The tasks involved in "flea-proofing" our home would be overwhelming if I tackled them by myself. But because my husband and I team up, we are able to maximize our efforts and maintain a better consistency in the process. When you are actively trying to gain the upper hand against a certain sin, it's important to solicit prayer support and accountability. Find believers you trust to fight with you and help you maintain the momentum. And realize that you are not alone in the struggle! When I shared my "flea prayer request" with a friend the other night, she immediately said, "Oh, I'm having the same problem"! We realized that we were fighting the same battle. 1 Cor. 10:13 tells us that our temptations are "common to man" - whether other people mention them or not. And Jesus is our way out!

The battles you face on the field certainly involve significant outside warfare from the enemy. But I've talked to enough of you to realize that you also struggle with the same sins we face daily at "home". Keep fighting!

New Post on Big Picture

Hi everyone,

If you're following it, I have a new post over on The Big Picture (http://worldchristianfoundations.blogspot.com).

Thanks!

Detours and Clouds

We don't always get all the choices we'd prefer.

Last night was one of those times for us. Driving through Oklahoma on the way home, we missed the turn for our turnpike. By the time we figured it out, we were in a stretch 7 miles from the next exit and absolutely no way to get onto the other side of the highway. The long-awaited exit bore a sign we dreaded to see: No re-entry. In other words, keep going the wrong direction; this is going to take a while. By the time we finally had the option to exit and re-enter 13 miles later, we were halfway to an alternate route home. A 2 hour trip took almost 4, but we made it.

Life often affords unscheduled detours as well. A doctor's visit with unwelcome and unexpected news. A forced job change due to downsizing. A teenager's pregnancy. A reassignment from a sending agency. We struggle with these changes the most, I think, because we feel such a helplessness, such a lack of choice.

We fail to see that these times are like the storm system I also saw yesterday -- from the backside. Like the picture above I could tell precisely where the system ended. I marveled at how sunny it was from my perspective, and how fierce the storm must look to those underneath its massive dark clouds. When we're underneath the circumstances of our life's latest detours, we see the darkness, the storm, the whirlwind. We struggle to see the handprints of God. But when we get to the other side, we can see the beauty of the clouds. We can see the detour had a purpose.

What detour are you struggling to accept today? Pray for God to give you eyes to see the sun that will signify the end of the storm. And ask Him to reveal the beauty of the scenic route.

Changing the World

We all want to see the world changed.

Wherever we live, if we have a biblical worldview there is something we want to see changed. And yet we so frequently get discouraged - "weary in well-doing", Paul called it. We determine that changing the world is impossible, that the best we can hope to do as an individual is make a difference in othe lives of one individual at a time. If we're diligent, we think maybe we can make a different in a few dozen individuals' lives.

But we're still not satisfied - nor should we be. Because God never asked us to change the world by ourselves.

The limitations of the English language combined with a western individualistic mindset have turned a lot of the plural "you's" of the New Testament into singular ones. The church - the body of Christ, all true believers regardless of denominational attendance - has a role to play in society. The Gospel and our lives should preach the same message. And when we move to view things from a group perspective, we realize it's not just me making a difference in one life...it's us making a difference in lots of lives!

There are so many strands that go into social change. Who "caused" slavery to crumble? The abolition movements, to be sure - but what stirred them, and how did they move from merely assessing and praying about a problem to a movement that impacted two continents? We think of the big names - Wilberforce, Brown, Sojourner Truth - but they were only strands in the rope that forced a new worldview about slavery. So often when we are one strand we feel insignificant. But when one becomes many, it matters!

That's why you must realize that "you" aren't alone. You're not singular, you're plural! You are part of a team where you are ... you are the feet for the team that sends you ... you are positioned at the head of the battering ram that is the church's offense against the gates of hell. You're not alone.

And that very fact should help you realize that it's not hopeless. Whatever the situation on the ground, whatever your personal struggles right now, the change you are longing for doesn't depend on "you". God is the one who is working all this out, and He has put an "us" behind you as part of the task.

And the victory around the throne will be oh, so sweet.

New Post on Big Picture

Hi everyone! If you're following my studies this module, there is a new post over on The Big Picture. Check it out at http://worldchristianfoundations.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Legacy

A year ago this week, we were in mourning.

On May 25, my mother-in-law went from worshipping in this life to worshipping in the next. Her praise on earth poured out in full, we could only imagine what that moment was like when she stood before Jesus to hear Him say, "Well Done".

The next days were filled with family and friends, with planning and details. Yet in a way, the world stood still. It's one of those times when you know what really matters, and it's usually not something on your list.

My mother-in-law didn't want a funeral - she wanted a Coronation Celebration. And boy, did she ever get it. We had a grand worship service and memorial of her life. I've never seen anything like it - but God was glorified in the very unorthodox way she wanted us to remember her.

After her death, we sought intentionally not to grieve "without hope", but we still grieved. We faced times when we started to make a call that we couldn't make. We still think of things "Mom would know".

But most importantly, we have learned the true meaning of "legacy". It's not something you can plan. It sounds profound, and many people try to sit down and think of the "legacy" they want to leave. Let me tell you this: You can't. The legacy you will leave is being written on the hearts of those closest to you, those in your sphere of influence, and those you seek to serve. It's the message of your life.

Mom's basic life message can be reflected in the prayer she prayed less than two weeks before her Homegoing. It was the last prayer I heard her pray aloud.

Mom was in a long-term acute care hospital - it was about the 85th day out of 90 that she'd been in some hospital or another, with countless progresses and setbacks. A dear family friend - the kind more family than friend - came by to see her. Before she left, she asked if we could pray. Mom never turned down a chance to pray with others, and so the three of us clasped hands. Beth and I prayed heartfelt prayers, but to this day I can't tell you what we said. Because Mom's simple, one-sentence prayer rings in my ears: "Lord, cause me to be a blessing to someone today."

That certainly defined Mom's life. She was a blessing even in the hospital - kind to the nurses right up to the end, always loving and gentle with her family. But when we were looking for photographs for the PowerPoint before the service, I realized just how much that prayer defined her life. We found pictures of her with kids no one could identify - some of the many "strays" she took in over the years. Months later friends who didn't come to the service told me stories of her impact on their lives. The prayer I heard may have been the last she verbalized, but it reflected a life lived in blessing others.

What a legacy! She had no idea, I'm sure, that her simple prayer would be such a defining moment for me. And if it hadn't lined up with her life, it wouldn't have. But the words and the works were consistent, and the legacy was solidified.

No matter what I face in a day, I often remind myself of Mom's prayer. I fully believe that we are "blessed to be a blessing". My challenge is the outworking of that into action. And so the prayer, "Cause me to be a blessing to someone today, Lord," is becoming part of my daily quiet time. And so it goes - legacy.

You want to make a difference where you are, or you wouldn't be there. In your own way you desire a legacy. Remember the lessons I learned in grief: Legacy isn't something you determine. It's a reflection of who you are - a reflection that shines beyond the grave and teaches those who follow.

Those radicals!

"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also" (Acts 17:6b)

You have to love those radical early Christians. Ousted by the synagogues but set on fire by the Spirit, they became known as men who "turned the world upside down". Their passion was Jesus, their aim was His glory, and they couldn't be controlled. They just couldn't stop talking about Him! And it got them in quite a few jams.

Good thing we've moved beyond that, isn't it? I mean, almost 2000 years later, especially after the Enlightenment brought the triumph of reason, we know that there are far more rational, safe ways to demonstrate our faith. We can be Christians without seeming weird or radical. We've come so far.

Or, maybe not.

When I read the New Testament, I see a lot of things - vigorous debate, radical obedience, serious prayer, the hard work of unity, a passion for the Word and the kingdom. I see the Holy Spirit working in and through imperfect people. What I don't see is safe. What I don't see is comfortable. What I don't see is a lot of things that "make sense".

We forget, I think, that it's really a battle. There are spiritual forces that don't want the kingdom to advance. We rightly rest on Jesus' words that the gates of hell won't prevail against His church ... but we forget that we are to be making a forward assault on those very gates. And if you're at the front of the line, you may get pounded in the process.

For all the craziness of the idea, God uses people in His great plans. Whether it's Peter preaching to a crowd of thousands, Paul teaching in Ephesus, Augustine defending the faith against false teachings, Wilberforce fighting to free slaves and tell of God's glory, Brainerd sharing with the Native Americans and treating them with dignity - God's message and the hope of transformation is always carried in the vehicle of human flesh. This "treasure in earthen vessels" Paul spoke of.

In a sermon dated 1819, Rev. Heman Humphrey delivered a message upon the commissioning of missionaries. After discussing the spiritual battle facing the new kingdom workers, Humphrey observes:

"Although the excellency of the power is of God, this great work is to be accomplished by human instrumentality....How was the Gospel first propagated, even in an age of miracles? By toil, by perseverance, by encountering a thousand dangers."

In other words, by being radical.

As you fight on the front lines, take courage in those who have gone before you - those who know that we never move beyond the simplicity of those first missionaries. May you never be too reasonable to be radical for Jesus.

Tiny Signs of Growth

It's become a daily ritual.

My husband and I walk through our recently-planted garden, avidly seeking signs of growth. We delight in spotting the first leaf of a tomato or cucumber plant pushing stubbornly through the soil. He journals to keep up with dates so we know precisely which row was planted when, and can anticipate when growth might be expected.

But some plants are just stubborn - they push through the soil ahead of schedule. Others are right on time, and there are always a few on each row that are stragglers, lagging behind at each stage of the game. We find ourselves rooting for these "runts".

This early in the season, it's hard to imagine that soon we'll be spending hours chopping peppers and canning green beans. We worry about the plants still under the soil, wondering what is going on down there that will eventually bring them into our view. We dread the sound of thunder and potential hail that could easily wipe out the entire garden at this point.

It's easy to forget when faced with a plethora of produce at the height of harvest, that each plant started as a seed in the ground, that stubbornly pushed its way through the soil to greet the morning sun. Each one fought off the threat of disease and destruction by bugs of some sort or another. Rarely was the combination of sun and moisture ideal. And yet somehow, they survive. With appropriate, but imperfect, care on our part, the seed becomes a plant that yields "in due season".

How like our ministries! We plant a seed - the word- and watch for it to push its way through the soil. We nurture and do the best we can to provide an environment in which a believer can flourish. We anticipate fruitfulness, but worry when we don't see the tiniest shoots. We wonder if something catastrophic will wipe out a believer or even an entire church. And we pray that our care is doing what needs to be done.

Those daily walks through the garden encourage us. We are reminded daily that what we are doing is sufficient - even if not perfect - and that God has put into that seed everything needed to push the plant toward the sun and into the world where it can be fruitful.

Pray that God will give you eyes to see the tiniest signs of growth today. He has put in the word everything needed to push the believer toward truth and fruitfulness. We just need eyes to see the work in progress.

Perception, Reality, and Truth

"Perception is Reality." It's the modern mantra of a post-modern society ... the idea that we create our own reality. Scripture tells us differently.

While it is true that we think we know what is real based on our perceptions -- if we perceive that eating a certain food makes us sick, then we are going to avoid it regardless of whether that is truly the culprit. You've seen many examples in the cultures in which you live and work as well. People perceive that a person has some sort of power over them, and they act as though it is true. Festishes and idols have the same perceived power.

But the Biblical worldview teaches us that while perception is reality, it's not necessarily truth. Truth, as we know, is a Person - and the truth He teaches surpasses any perceived reality. It's one of the best things about Scripture - giving us that external grasp of what is true, what we can hold on to.

It's easy to take for granted though. I find myself giving into perceived reality sometimes faster than truth. I've challenged myself to look for the truth, beyond the perceived reality. And it is transforming me!

Whatever struggles and challenges you face, seek the Truth beyond the perceived reality. And when you find Him, He will show you what you can really hold on to. May you too be transformed!

Pray for Asia

Asia is heavy on my heart this week. First the horrific cyclone in Burma, where the astronomical death toll is worsened by the government's desire to control the aid flow. Then the tragic earthquake in China - wrap your mind around the fact that the earthquake was physically felt over an area the size of the contiguous United States. Tens of thousands dead.

That's why I'm asking you to take time to pray for Asia. The strong Chinese church is well-positioned to impact all of Asia, and they can get into places like Burma where westerners cannot tread. As the body of Christ, we should support them any way we can - and prayer is at the top of that list. We all can't go to the Olympics and help the Chinese church evangelize -- but we can all pray.

So please, take some time to pray for Asia. I'm asking that this Saturday, May 17, be a special time of prayer for Asia. But please don't wait until then. Ask God this week to break your heart for Asia. Pray for Asia daily, especially China. Ask God if He would have you fast and pray Saturday, or even join with a group for prayer. Some possible prayer points for now and later:

* Pray now for children trapped in the rubble of a school. Parents are organizing a vigil - let's have one of our own. How fervently would we pray if children were trapped under rubble in a Dallas school? Let's pray for these as if they were "our own" - because they are His. This is a time-sensitive request - officials fear time is running out for these little ones.

* Pray for the national churches in China and Burma. The Chinese church is highly evangelistic and kingdom-minded; pray for them to grasp the opportunities they have within their own country. Pray for God's work in their purification. Pray for God to help them stretch their limited resources even further to reach the needy in the earthquake zone. Pray for unity between the house churches and the true believers within the official church.

The Burmese church, by contrast, has only "a little strength" like the church at Philadelphia. Pray for this trial to bring them together in unity and love. Pray for God to open previously closed doors as the Buddhist-linked regime is shown to not care about its people.

* Pray for kingdom workers "on the ground". Few new people are getting into Burma, but there are many believers already there with established relationships both here and in the country. Pray for wisdom and discernment in disseminating resources and funds. In China, pray for a couple who will be going into "earthquake zone" Thursday. They need protection and wisdom!

* Pray for the international community to see the tragedy for what it is, and not get desensitized. I am so thankful for internet and media that afford us the chance to see and pray about things in almost real time. But that same information flow can easily become information overload, with people dismissing tragedies and moving on to the next story out of Hollywood. Pray that Christians, especially, would be gripped to do more than move on; pray that God would awaken them during the night to intercede, to give, to go if that is His plan for them.

* Pray for provision of practical, tangible needs. That is one way Christians have always set themselves apart - meeting practical needs when no one else could. We saw it here during Katrina. Pray that it will be even more apparent because of the contrast to the predominant religions in the areas.

Thanks so much for caring. God is in control - and I'm thankful He has put us together for this season to come before His throne together for these precious individuals. May we see some of them around His throne!

He's Not Safe

Yesterday, on Pentecost Sunday, I celebrated the Global Day of Prayer in our town. It was such a blessing to pray for the world in unity with believers from all over the world. I thought of many of you who have shared your GDP stories over the years. I hope it was as significant a day for you as it was for me!

One thing that made it significant for me was being reminded that God never called me to play it "safe". We spend a lot of time making sure things are "safe" in our Christianity. We call it "balance" and there is certainly a need for that. But often our pursuit of "balance" turns into lukewarm safety. Safe worship - so we don't cross the line to emotionalism. Safe prayer - so we don't get into selfish excesses. Safe adherence to the Word - so we don't find ourselves out on a limb.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not negating the need for balance or correction in our pursuits. I'm just saying that sometimes we start down one path, and end up in a box. I'm guilty of it myself. I used to be so scared of anything "emotional" that I developed a completely rational view of my relationship to Jesus. Then I read the story of the woman who washed His feet with her tears, the one who loved much because she was forgiven much. And I saw a depth of intimacy that required me to get out of my safe comfort zone. I saw emotion, pure and raw, based on love. And I saw Jesus affirm it.

That wasn't a safe action for her to take. The upper room wasn't safe either - that day when tongues of fire visited the congregation. That rational part of me would have been looking for the door - things were getting a little radical here! And yet, it was the Holy Spirit at work. His power filled the crowd, and the apostles were later called men who "turned the world upside down". Also not a safe approach.

So I have been called afresh to reject the safe life and live the surrendered life. Surrendered in worship, in prayer, in service, in Bible study and radical obedience to what I learn there. Surrendered to Him, to His corrective balancing.

As C.S. Lewis wrote of Aslan, the Christ-figure, "He's not safe - but He's good." He doesn't call me to be safe either.

But the surrender is oh, so good.

Happy Mother's Day! and Pentecost Sunday!

Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:28-31)
My parents came up yesterday, and I was sad to have only a few hours with my mom before they had to leave. I haven't seen them since Christmas, and I longed for days together. But God's provision and work schedules only allowed part of a day, so we thoroughly enjoyed that time together.

This morning I am especially grateful, because I know many of you aren't with your moms on Mother's Day - and probably haven't been for years. Even with yearly furloughs, you aren't likely to be home on this weekend. And for the women among you, especially those who are moms yourself, I know you feel that absence keenly. It's hard to describe, that mother-daughter relationship, comforting and maddening at the same time, with a strong dose of "Oh no I'm becoming my mother" thrown into the mix!

So when I read these words of Jesus I think of you especially today. Jesus doesn't let Peter get much out. Peter - of course it would be Peter - points out in the midst of Jesus' teaching on the kingdom that they had given up a lot to follow Him. Jesus is talking about how hard it's going to get, and Peter explains how hard it's already been. Jesus doesn't hear a word of it. He simply points out that we receive back a hundredfold more than we give up.

Bottom line: He knows how hard giving up is, more than we can imagine. The Father gave up perfect intimacy with the Son in heaven. Jesus gave up the glories of heaven. "For God so loved the world that He gave." We can never do more.

But in His grace and mercy, He meets us at the point of pain and promises more in return than we ever give up. Mark it down: You will never surrender anything to God - nothing - that He doesn't more than make up for. I'm not talking treasure - I'm talking relationship. He will be the great reward, the hundredfold return.

This Mother's Day doubles as Pentecost Sunday. What a beautiful illustration of this truth. The disciples had to "lose" Jesus in this world in order to gain the perfect intimacy of the indwelling Holy Spirit. They had to "give up" the daily walking and talking with Him in the hills of Jerusalem and plains of Galilee in order to see Him revealed to every people group. They had to "surrender" their position within the Jewish community to become part of the Diaspora with the Gospel to all peoples.

May He meet you at your point of loss and sacrifice today, with a fresh revelation of His sufficiency.

From my Heart

My posts have been much more sporadic lately, and as I sit before the computer tonight committed to blogging something, I realize that I don't feel very profound right now. All I really can do is share my heart.

We all go through seasons where God rearranges our furniture - moving our carefully set routines and patterns around, shaking things up a bit. That's the season I'm in right now. It's all for good reasons -- God brought new ministry to our doorstep and asked us to pour out love. That's all He said, and we are learning to trust that it is enough. At the same time, He has advanced other ministries in our lives. He's opening doors and giving us the choice to walk through them ... and enabling us to do what He calls us to do on the other side.

But at the same time I find myself spending less time on a couple of things I love with a passion: this blog and my studies. I find that I have no frustration about doing the ministries God places before us, unless I factor in the things I'm doing less of for this season. That's when I start wanting "more time". I don't have any profound answers, but I know this: learning to be "content with what I have" means being content with the amount of time He gives. It means balancing what is before me in the "now" with the visions I really feel are from Him that take a longer-term investment. And it means being sure I'm not being selfish -- even about ministry.

So tonight, I just share my heart. I'm sure you can relate. I've heard so many of you tell stories about being moved into an area that gave less time for what you were passionate for - only to see God move mightily in the new ministry context. I don't want to limit Him. I realize that I am by nature prone to ruts and He is faithful enough to prod me along. I'm by no means giving up on this blog or my studies -- He hasn't given the slightest indication that those purposes are served. But He has given me peace that they might not look the same. How He has me approach them might be different. And if I want to see maximum fruitfulness in my life, I have to submit to the pruning and weeding process. I have to let Him rearrange my furniture.

Because in the end, it's all His anyway.

New Post on Big Picture

FYI in case you follow it - there's a new World Christian Foundations summary posted on my other blog, The Big Picture, at http://worldchristianfoundations.blogspot.com.

Thanks!

What Really Matters in the Darkness

If we live very long at all, we'll face dark days. It just goes with the territory - our fallen world at times blatantly invades our lives, and we feel as though the light goes out.

It may be overwhelming depression. It might take the form of a dreaded disease. It could be a day you think you might die. It could be tragedy to a loved one. Whatever it looks like, you are left groping like someone lost in a cave. You fervantly want to hold on to something solid - something that matters.

One the darkest days of our lives, all that really matters is relationship: with God and with others. Those relationships are all that survive this temporal realm, this fallen world, this present darkness. When we are certain that our standing before God is unchanged because we come through Christ, and when we know we have invested our lives in others and have authentic relationships with them, we can land on our feet in the tumult of darkness. We can have a stable point of reference as we grope our way back to the light.

So today, a reminder: Prioritize those relationships. No matter how "busy" you are, how task-oriented your personality, come face to face with what you would hold onto in the darkness. Then build it in the light. Develop the intimacy that will pull you through when you can't see up or down.

The day will come when we each discover what really matters. Let's make some advance preparations now.

The Manifold Wisdom of God

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (Eph. 3:8-13, ESV)

If I was going to show off God's wisdom, I sure wouldn't pick the church.

Creation, definitely. The intricacies of the human body, the profound beauty of a sunset, all the creatures that live beyond the human eye showing that creation is for God's pleasure and glory - obviously show God's wisdom. If Scripture said "through the creation ..." I wouldn't have blinked an eye.

But as He so loves to do, God stunned me with His Word. God's manifold wisdom is made know - through the church? Really?? Did I read that right?

But indeed, there it is preserved for all eternity - God shows His wisdom through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places! Those spiritual beings see in the church God's wisdom.

It's a stunning thought, really - and a profound one. What we do, how we respond to the struggles in our lives, the reactions we allow ourselves to demonstrate when no one is around -- are all watched from the heavenlies. We glorify God when we demonstrate His character in such situations, even when no one is watching. As "the church", we show God's wisdom when we work in His power and not our own; when we exercise spiritual gifts and work as a body where each part is needed; when we come together in unity around Christ without distinction of our racial, gender, or socio-economic differences. We may not feel like it's anything special, but from a heavenly perspective, God is being glorified in our simple acts of fellowship.

You and your support team are part of the body, the church. When you walk out together the propogation of the Gospel, when you truly see each other as parts of a whole that is needed for kingdom advancement, when your gifts strengthen and edify each other and the churches of which you are part, then God is glorified as His wisdom is made known in the heavenlies. When you personally handle those difficult people, those hard days, those disappointments, with grace and love and the fruit of the spirit, then God is glorified as His wisdom is revealed.

I'm still shocked that for all the failures of "the church", it is still God's tool to demonstrate His wisdom to heavenly beings. But I'm also encouraged and challenged, because this truth gives a new depth of meaning to every reaction, every word, every relationship. It's not about me. It's about glorifying God for His wisdom.

And all heaven is watching.

Open Doors and Shut Mouths

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’(Rev. 3:7-13, ESV)

It's great to know that the advance of the kingdom doesn't depend upon us.

The words of Jesus to the church at Philadelphia remind us that when we feel the pressure of having just a "little strength", there is a Power moving that is above the fray of earthly struggles. And even more amazingly, this Power is both personal and loving.

When God opens a door, no one can shut it, and when He shuts one, no one can open it. But one of the most amazing things that jumped out to me today when I read this passage is what that while He is opening and closing doors for a tender church with just a little strength, He is also encouraging them about His personal love for them. In fact, He makes an amazing promise: "they will learn that I have loved you."

Wow. He isn't just going to advance the kingdom despite their lack of strength. He is going to make sure that His love for them is evident. I couldn't help but think how this echoes the principle David observed in the beloved 23rd Psalm: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (v. 5). He doesn't promise us a lack of trials or opposition, but the theme underscored by both David and John writing under the inspiration of God is that our relationship with Him will be obvious, even to our opposition. Even to our oppressors.

Peter addressed the issue of our interactions with the opposition as well. 1 Peter 2:15 tells us that our right actions in the face of their abuse will shut their mouths: "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people." What I learn from the principles of David, John, and Peter is that when we are so focused on our relationship with God, and the love He has for us, then we will be able to do what is right and even our opposition will know that the relationship is deep, real, and loving. And they will be silenced. Maybe not on earth - but in the heavenlies, none of their arguments will have merit. God will have shut their mouths with His love - and what He shuts, no one can open.

Watch for open doors today. And trust Him to shut mouths.

Acting and Praying

So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Daniel 2:13-19)

I'm really glad that all our Biblical heroes of faith aren't paragons of spirituality, always pictured spending hours on their knees before any decision. While I complete concur with the purported statement of John Wesley that "I have so much to do I must spend 3 hours in prayer", the reality of my life usually happens too quickly for such intense prayer times. In fact, often a hurried prayer is all I can manage before making a decision that could affect others as well as myself. Sometimes, not even that - the decision and prayer come hand-in-hand.

I don't say this to encourage a popcorn prayer life. In fact, I'm convinced that the times in our lives when we have to make decisions prior to or simultaneous with prayer are undergirded and supported by intense times in our prayer closet. There we learn His voice, so that when He guides us quickly we can recognize before we analyze. We KNOW Him experientially. He is real to us.

My husband is a former police officer and he was taught that "In stress you revert to training." Those times of prayer are "training" for times of stress. When I've been in life or death situations with others, I've seen this work: you discover more about yourself and your relationship with God because you are acting out of nature and habit more than reflection and prayer. And the beautiful thing is - it's okay! It's called walking in the Spirit, and it works.

Daniel showed this when he boldly offered to interpret the king's dream - a dream that was unrevealed. He steps out, acts on the life and death situation before him, and gets the chance he requests. But notice what he does next: He runs for his prayer team. And God answers.

I love those times when, like David, we can pray "before we go up" in each step of the way. But I also love that God showed us Daniel, who jumped into a situation then trusted God to follow through. And he is called a hero of faith. His prayer team was ready and they sprung into action. That's the other thing I learned; when was regularly facing life and death decisions, I had a prayer team that I knew was taking the time I couldn't in those moments. And it worked, every time.

You're on the field, and it is crucial for you to spend intimate time with God. But sometimes you are going to face decisions that can't wait. At those times, please have your prayer team lined up to pray for the follow-through on your decision. Ask them ahead of time to pray for your wisdom in those crucial moments. And know that it's okay.

God meets us in the moments. Not just those on our knees - but also those in the fray. Daniel is proof!

"Not What I Signed Up For"

One of the most challenging things in my Christian life is saying "yes" to God thinking it means one thing, then realizing that He meant something entirely different altogether.

The specific circumstances aren't what's important - I've experienced the theme often enough to know that sometimes God is going to throw me a curveball. He's going to ask me to say "Yes" to something, knowing full well that I'm not ready for all the facts. He keeps me on a need-to-know basis. And sometimes, the results leave me crying out, "This is not what I signed up for!"

You may have experienced this as well. A child with a disability. A parent hit with Alzheimer's far too early. A reassignment on the field taking you away from what you thought God wanted you to do. A health trauma with a loved one. All those things which leave you wondering what God is up to and why He couldn't have clued you in earlier.

In my own life I've come to see these times as God drawing me closer to Him. He knows that I am going to need to communicate constantly with Him, and He makes me clearly aware the He is in control, not me, and that I am just His tool. It's not "my" ministry, "my" plans, "my" gifts ... it's all about Him, and times that are far beyond me serve as a vivid reminder of my dependence on Him. They point out that I am the vessel and He the potter. Not the other way around.

And yet through it all He is so full of love and grace and mercy. At those times of desperation I cry out like the Rich Mullins song "Hold me Jesus/I'm shaking like a leaf/You have been my king of glory/Won't you be my Prince of Peace." And He responds.

Because you see, He has already said Yes to me. 2 Cor. 1:19-20 tells us "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." Jesus is God's YES to me ... so all my yeses to Him are a response to His ultimate Yes.

Oh, how glad I am He didn't tell the Father, "This is not what I signed up for!" on the way to the cross ... how He doesn't say "This is not what I signed up for!" when I fail ... how He never points to me in frustration but always in love. Even His hard lessons are from a heart of love.

Do I expect Him to stop throwing curveballs? No ... because He knows that I can't handle seeing the depth of the problems at once. Like a loving Father, He will continuet to reveal what He knows I'm ready to say Yes to. And He will continue to give me more than I never signed up for. Things like unexpected mercy. Profound demonstrations of His presence. Grace abounding. And Love without measure.

May He reveal Himself in unexpected surprises today!

New Post on The Big Picture

I'm back at work on my Global Civilization degree, and so I now have my first post for this module ready over at the other blog, http://worldchristianfoundations.blogspot.com.

Thanks!

Don't be Anxious - Fight!

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:6-10)

Like so many scriptures, this one seems counterintuitive. Peter tells us that Satan roams like a lion to find someone to devour in the same breath that he tells us to cast our anxieties on God. In fact, the basic message he presents could be "Don't be anxious - fight"! Yet for me the thought of fighting produces anxiety!

But God is, as always, wiser than me (what a relief). He knows that if we are anxious and burdened about the cares of the world, we won't see the battle for what it is and fight it spiritually. If we allow the enemy to distract us by anxiety and fear, we give him the upper hand. And so Peter tells us to put our anxieties on God, and focus our energies on the spiritual battle.

The things in this world that make me anxious are all in His hands. Instead of anxiety, I should be on the alert for Satan's schemes. Resist him, Peter writes - and one tool for resistence is the awareness that other believers are also suffering similarly. Our "fellowship of suffering" becomes part of the battle. Peter also reminds us that our suffering will lead to God perfecting, confirming, strengthening, and establishing us. In other words, a proper theology of suffering is part of spiritual warfare!

Are you suffering today? Put your anxieties on Him, and learn from the suffering how to do battle with the enemy. You'll find yourself strengthened in the process.

Delight!

Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Ps. 37:4)

It's an unspoken tragedy for many western Christians: We don't know what it means to delight in God.

With our rationalistic mindset that emphasizes natural over supernatural, our "cultural Christianity" that prioritizes how God can help us with our goals, and the general perception that exuberance is for children, not adults, we are programmed for everything but pure, unfettered delight.

We love God. We obey Him. We may be radical and not just believe in Him, but truly believe Him. But we balk at unabashed delight.

Delight can be defined and described easier than it can be developed. The word means pretty much what you imagine: Strong's Concordance defines it in part as "to be happy about, take exquisite delight in, make merry over, make sport of". The picture we may get is one of a child's first taste of ice cream, or the squeal of delight when they discover the puppy on Christmas morning. It's joy that can't be held back.

But all that is theoretical unless we are able to develop delight. And there's the rub for many of us. How can we develop delight in God - apart from divine intervention? Part of it, of course, is divine intervention - the new heart that He gives us at salvation is hard-wired to long for Him. And yet He loves us enough not to short-circuit the process. He wants us to develop the relationship with Him - and part of the joy is in the journey.

If you've ever struggled to delight in someone that you loved dearly - a child, a spouse, a friend - you will find that some of the same relationship principles that develop delight in people will also strengthen your relationship with God. I'm listing a few that I've learned from experience. If you've become more focused on yoru tasks than on pure enjoyment of God, then my prayer is that this helps you recenter on the privilege of delight.

* Delight comes with time - specifically, spending lots of time together. Even if you fell in "love at first sight" with your spouse, likely the true delight came as you spent time together, seeing each other in different settings and truly enjoying the person you observed. It's the same with God. We have to spend lots of time with Him if we want delight to bloom.
* Delight comes with shared experiences. Part of my delight in the people I'm closest to is that we have been through a lot together. Laughing our way to McDonald's this morning to beat out a strong storm before work was a shared experience that caused me to delight in my husband's ability to make even stressful times fun. Likewise, I've grown to delight in God when we come through something together. But I have to communicate for that to happen. He's always there, of course - but He wants me to acknowledge the fact and let Him in on my life, much like a parent wants a child to tell them about the bad day even if the teacher already called.
* Delight comes with mutual goals. The people I delight in the most are those with whom I share similar passions, dreams, and goals. There is just something about working together for a common cause - the heart of the Greek word koinonia that our English "fellowship" has minimized to church socials. Indeed, probably the best tool for delighting in someone is to find a common interest. It's the same with God. If we want to delight in Him we have to share His interests, His heart. He is passionate for His glory. His heart is for the nations. He is interested in our spiritual progress. He intentionally builds His church. Those big-picture purposes go beyond the "failures" of today. If we get on mission with Him, building His church, spreading the Gospel to the nations, and meeting practical needs as a way to bless others around the world, we will find delight springing up unexpectedly!

Most importantly, undergird all of this with prayer. God wants us to delight in Him - He delights in us (Zeph. 3:17)! Pursue Him in these ways passionately - and ask Him to give you the delight for Him that He wants you to have.

Then get ready for joy you can't hold back.

Divine Intervention

I love reading the Bible in different versions for my devotional use. It just brings to life passages that I am prone to skim over out of familiarity.

Two nights ago, I read this passage in the NET Bible and have heard this words ringing in my ears from Psalm 102:

102:18 The account of his intervention will be recorded for future generations;
people yet to be born will praise the Lord.
102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above;
from heaven the Lord will look toward earth,
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,
and to set free those condemned to die,
102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,
and praise him in Jerusalem,
102:22 when the nations gather together,
and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord.

Think of it from where you sit. "The account of His intervention will be recorded...". Don't you see the need for it everywhere? Even in the Christianized society in which I live, I see that His intervention is desperately needed.

This Scripture reminds us that He sees, hears, and sets free for one key purpose: so those freed will proclaim His name when the nations gather together. It's a Psalm anticipating that favorite passage of kingdom-minded believers in Rev. 7:9 - that time around the throne with every tribe, tongue, and nation.

And what will our song of praise to the Lamb extol? Merely "the account of His intervention". He intervened in Christ to reconcile the world to Himself. He intervenes in our individual lives. He intervenes in society. He is not distant. He is not a clockmaker, like the Deists envisioned, who leaves us to figure all this out. He is actively involved. And He hears your cries and those of your people.

Imagine. Of those you serve, some who are yet to be born will praise Him. Maybe that pregnant woman next door. Or perhaps the couple who are marrying this weekend will have a child in this category. The possibilities are endless.

I join you in prayer tonight that His nail-scarred hand will pierce the division between heaven and earth, bring God's will to earth as it is in heaven, and that by His Divine Intervention make progress toward that day.

Even so, Lord Jesus, come. Let all Your interventions in our world prepare a people to praise You when the ultimate intervention comes and we gather at Your throne.

Night Watch

So many of you have experienced the power of answered prayer. From the side of things over here, one of the most exciting things is when God wakes me up to pray for one of you. I just love to feel included in what He is up to!

Perhaps for that reason, my friend's email today really touched me. She has been rallying a group of us to pray for a boy in Children's Hospital. She has prayed for him for years, and so is very sensitive to God's direction in prayer for Spencer. She put into words so beautifully what I've often felt, but never articulated, that I asked her permission to use her words here. My hope, my prayer is that you will be encouraged -- because even though she writes about Spencer, I've experienced this on your behalf. And I know many who would say the same.

The next time you are having a tough day, remember that God might be waking someone up on the other side of the world at that very moment. And we will get to be part of what He is doing for you.
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Hey all. thanks for your continued prayers. I will never forget the things God has taught me and reminded me of through praying for Spencer. I knew when he was so close to death. My sister used to be his night nurse, so I knew from her, and from God. I woke up one night and I didn't know why I was awake. I tried to go back to sleep (I don't have probs going back to sleep if i wake up) so I got up and checked my emails, as we all do as soon as we wake up ha (or maybe it's just me) and I had an update that Spencer needed urgent prayer. That is when they put him on the oscillator.

So I started to pray. I knew God was allowing me to participate in what He was doing. I just knew. And I knew that Spencer was very close to death. As I prayed God was saying to me, "I can do this all by myself, but I'm allowing you a great oppertunity to participate in what I am doing." I prayed all night till sunrise that night. I went to bed and when I got up there was an update that Spencer had made it through the night and was stable.

I knew that so many of us had been praying for him. I felt our connection in prayer. Whatever had happened, I knew that God was in control, and I was privileged to be part of it. And part of being united in prayer with others. Prayer has changed for me as I have learned that it's about being in the prescence of God. I have always known that's what it is about, but I haven't always experienced it that way. Not as deeply as this has been. Just a few times in my life, this being one. And I am grateful.

Cleaning House

My mother's housekeeping genes skipped a generation. Well, actually my brother got a double portion! I am simply not Suzie Homemaker.

To compensate for my lack of interest and natural ability to find cobwebs, I have designed a cleaning schedule. I have things I do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. Well, things I'm supposed to do, anyway. This schedule isn't a reflection of my heart to clean but my lack thereof - it's an indicator that cleaning is truly a chore for me. So more gets done than if I didn't have my schedule, but rarely does everything on the schedule get accomplished.

Currently I'm in the process of revamping my schedule. I'm trying to do my weekly cleaning in a different way or on a different day of the week, to make it easier to accomplish other, higher priority goals in my life. I'm finding this is more of a challenge than I thought. I'm stuck in my cleaning "habits" and find it hard to shift out of my system.

Tonight, I had to clean more than usual for a Thursday - a lot more. We are expecting weekend guests, and they'll be here before I'm off work tomorrow. So, I sat folding clothes and reflecting on the challenge cleaning has always been for me. And I realized that it really reflects spiritual tendencies that are easy to fall into.

It's easy to set up a spiritual "cleaning" schedule. On Sundays, we go to church and confess. The rest of the week, we dabble at religion. Maybe we touch this or that area, but overall, we leave it to the scheduled day for Jesus. We get stuck in a life-rut and wonder what happened, when the problem is that all along our hearts aren't in it.

It can happen in ministry too. "Every time I lead a Bible study I ...." "Here are the exact steps to disciple someone." "Outreach? Sure, I've done a hundred of them. We'll throw something together the week before, it'll be okay." We just assume that the way we approach it is the only way God will work, and soon our hearts aren't even in it.

So God throws wrenches into our plans, or knocks us off course - because He wants to fully engage us. He wants our hearts in it. He wants us to allow Him to scrub the walls on Monday night, for heaven's sake!

So, let Him shake things up a bit. He's just cleaning house, moving furniture around. He'll have it ready for the work He needs to use it for. Just don't get too comfortable there. Because soon He'll be at it again. Because He knows what it took me forever to learn about housecleaning: if something just sits unused, it will eventually get covered in dust.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. (John 15:2-3)

"Just do what you can"

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. (Heb. 13:15-16, NET)

James turned my spiritual world upside down. A 4 1/2 month study of the book (summary notes are on my other blog, http://worldchristianfoundations.blogspot.com) drove home to me like never before the importance of practical Christianity.

And then I got overwhelmed. Once aware of the needs and the importance of meeting them, I began to see problems at the societal level, issues that I couldn't begin to figure out how to tackle in a practical manner. Even some personal ministry opportunities God gave me seemed to be over my head!

And then God brought me to this wonderful passage in Hebrews. Oddly enough, the admonition to "share what you have" brought me great encouragement as I realized - aha! God doesn't expect me to share what I don't have! And He doesn't expect me to do what only He can do. He calls me not to what I can't do, but to what I can.

Sometimes that is a lot, and sometimes it's a little. Always it involves love. Always it is practical. Always I should pray. And always, I should trust Him that it is enough. Jesus didn't ask the boy to provide food for 5000. He just took what was offered, and made it sufficient.

It's pride that says if it's going to get done, I must do it. Humble trust simply says "Lord, here's what I can do. You take it from here."

What is overwhelming you tonight? Are you perhaps focusing on what you can't do? Try the lesson I'm learning - seek to do what you can. Give what you have. He never asked you to multiple the loaves and fishes - just to be willing to share them.

Steadfastness

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (Jam 1:2-4 ESV)

As I read these words this morning, I had one of those "Aha!" moments - you know, the ones where you realize something you should have known all along.

What I saw in the text was that steadfastness - which comes as a result of testing - results in us being perfect ("mature") and complete, lacking nothing. In other words, as I "hang in there", somehow I have all I need. This echoes 2 Peter 1:3: We have all we need for life and godliness in Christ Jesus!

How often I want the "perfect, complete, lacking in nothing" without the steadfastness! It's like my current weight loss goal. I want to be at that final weight. I really, really want to have this weight loss journey behind me. I don't want to figure up what percentage of my goal I'm at - I want to be able to say "I lost xx pounds." And yet, I can't get there without the steadfastness. It's the weekly losses of 1/2 pound, 1 pound, 2 pounds, that add up over time. And those are achieved by the daily choices, one small decision at a time. A salad instead of chips here, turning down the cheesecake there ... it all matters. I can't reach the goal without the steadfastness required along the way.

And that's what the "perfect, complete, lacking in nothing" part is all about. I frequently joke that I wish I were the person I am in my quiet time ... the one with an understanding of theological truth that is so excited about applying it. Not the one who snaps at the car rental company because I only have 5 minutes to solve a problem at work. I want to have arrived. God wants to get me there.

And trials are part of the process. For me and for you, those trials that James exhorts us to count as joy are tools that God uses to produce that steadfastness which results in that maturity we so desire. If I look back over my journey with God, I see a lot of things that I wouldn't have chosen. But I also see a lot of growth that I wouldn't trade for anything.

And so I rejoice ... even in trials. May He bless you to do the same tonight.