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Envision

Mar 26
Love0

Heading out

By Envision, Headfirst

Just a few minutes here at the gate en route to Haiti. This trip is going to be similar to the two trips I made last February when we needed to assess the situation and determine where we could help and be most effective, and develop longer-term partnerships with local ministries. After one year of labor and learning, we’ve reaches the point where we need to re-evaluate our effectiveness and also to reach out to ministries that we have met in the past year but haven’t had the opportunity to pursue.

We would value your prayers on this journey for God’s wisdom and direction, for His providence to be clearly revealed, for smooth transitions and appointments, for understanding despite language differences, and of course for safety and good health as we travel and for our families at home.

More soon!

Mar 17
Love0

Upstream / Downstream

By Envision, Headfirst

Disclaimer: Before I become the focus of anyone’s theological condemnation, let me affirm the truths that following God’s will can be painful, difficult and fatal.  Jesus told us following Him means we must bear our cross daily.  At the same moment, living the Spirit-filled life also sets us free, brings us joy, is an easy yoke to bear, and gives us Jesus Himself, a fountain of living water.  Several New Testament exhortations to persevere and endure literally mean for us to “stand up under” the pressures and trials (e.g. 1 Peter 2:19.)  So in this paradox it is possible that God’s will for me can lead me to brutal martyrdom, and to peace and simplicity.  There is no mutual exclusivity between suffering and joy.

So with that out of the way, let me honestly admit, I’d rather be the leaf floating down the stream than the salmon swimming up the stream.  Life is hard enough, ministry has relentless challenges; sometimes I am compelled to ask “why is it so hard?”  And since I’m a principled man, I think it makes a lot of sense that when given the freedom to choose – when neither selection is “right” nor “wrong” – there is nothing wrong with choosing the simple path.  Perhaps even the easy path.

Is it not accurate that God gives us choices, and we can choose to be blessed?  For instance:

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  • God has made us stewards, and gives us great freedoms in our stewardship.  But we also know that giving generously is a blessing to others and to ourselves.  And it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35.)
  • The Lord promised Abraham that He would bless His descendants, and thereby all who bless Israel will be blessed and all who curse her will be cursed (Genesis 12:1-3.)  I choose blessing Israel!
  • Christ’s best known sermon included the Beatitudes which are all about how to be blessed.
[/arrow_list]

I’m aware that the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to salvation – but sometimes we make spiritual matters far too complicated and difficult when Jesus regularly brought clarity to the world for His disciples.

This might seem a simplistic example, but God created our world with physical laws, including gravity.  This means that it’s a lot easier for a human, when stepping off the edge of a cliff, to fall rather than fly.  It’s more natural.  No one is surprised by falling.  Yet many followers of Jesus assume that once we are talking about the spiritual world, it makes sense to attempt to violate spiritual laws – at least if we pray a lot about them.

If there is truth to the premise that when we discover where God is working we should join Him in His work, that might mean that if we’re toiling fruitlessly we should ask ourselves whether it is hard soil that God has called us to labor in, or whether we are flapping our arms in the wind with futility as we fall toward earth.

Sometimes living out God’s calling and staying in His will is hard.  Sometimes an easy path is not from the Lord.  And sometimes Jesus offers us a simple path of blessing to follow.  Should you be swimming upstream or downstream?  I don’t know the path that God has called you to sojourn – just make sure that you’re on it.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”  (Matthew 11:28-30.)
Mar 03
Love0

When Silence isn’t Golden

By Envision, Personal
[pullquote_left]Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him.  Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.  (1 Chronicles 16:28-29)[/pullquote_left]

I think all parents are acquainted with the maxim that “silence is golden.”   But the Lord was speaking to me this morning as I walked my dog, reminding me that when it concerns God and His Kingdom, there is no place for silence.  I felt His gentle rebuke of my spirit that I haven’t been lifting up His name with the frequency or volume that He merits.

Here are some of the things I must belatedly trumpet:

Each of these is true and needs no explanation. But God has illustrated each of these in my life recently, so I will give Him the honor He deserves and address why He put them on my heart:

  • The past year was financially tumultuous as the economy and other circumstances impacted many of our ministry partners and their ability to give to the Lord through our ministry.  Yet again and again, in His timing, God met our needs in the moment and is now engaging many new ministry partners to come alongside us and provide the means to advance our mission.
  • Thousands are dying across the Middle East as lost souls cry out for change.  They may not know that Jesus can give them the living water they are so thirsty for, but we must be ready to lead them to the Well. My heart is broken for those suffering and persecuted, especially for the believers punished for their faith.  I pray the Lord will enable us to again take part in building His unshakable Kingdom in this region.
  • Haiti also continues to be challenged in it’s governance.  The Lord is not surprised by any of the turmoil in the nations, but rather He holds the future in His hands.  I will follow Him back to Haiti and wherever He leads as often as He calls.
  • It’s all about Him.  There is nothing in my day today that has greater significance than living for Him and seeking His Kingdom.  If it doesn’t have eternal significance, why am I investing in it?
  • I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 6:3.)  God has illumined and envisioned His eternal romance in my marriage, which grows sweeter every year.  I love being married to Anne, and I learn new things about Jesus through our marriage all the time.

Yes, there are moments in life when the old axiom about silence being golden can seem true.  But never when it comes to the glory of the Lord.  Lift His banner high!

Jan 18
Love0

Benefit Concert

By Envision, Involve

For those in the Southern California region, we’d love for you to join us at the Haiti Benefit Concert at 6pm this Sunday, January 23, 2011.  The event is being hosted by Crossline Community Church and there is no charge for admission, though it will be preceded by an all-you-can-eat international dinner for $10 beginning at 5pm.  (Dinner will be only $5 for those who purchase a $20 raffle ticket to the drawing for a “missions experience for 2 to Haiti.”)  Raffle tickets and dinner tickets will both be for sale on site, though again, the concert is free.

The music will be performed by Factor V, featuring Martin Gerschwitz of Iron Butterfly.  There will be a free will offering taken during the program, and the winning ticket of the Haiti raffle will be drawn at the conclusion.  (Winner not required to be present to win.)  All proceeds will go to support the ongoing ministry in Haiti.

Jan 04
Love0

Haiti Video Recap

By Envision, Involve

Here is a moving video which is an excellent wrap-up and moving video of last month’s recent mission trip to Haiti.  Thank you to Jake Hart for his work producing the video.  To answer the inevitable question about how to get a hold of the soundtrack, you can purchase ‘ “Hold On” by Rapture Ruckus from iTunes, Amazon or your favorite media store.

We’re grateful for your partnership with The Global Mission!

Dec 31
Love0

Looking Ahead

By Envision, Headfirst

What does God have in store for you this year?  And for His Kingdom?  Are you anticipating it?

The Scriptures are filled with the historical accounts of His supernatural intervention in history and thoroughly documented.  The Bible is complete, but God’s work is not.  What could be written about how He will work in and through you in the year to come?

  • In the year King Uzziah died…  (Isaiah 6:1)
  • In the 480th year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel…  (1 Kings 6:1)
  • And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus…  (Daniel 1:21)
  • In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar…  (Luke 3:1-2)

Will you look ahead in faith and anticipation?  Will you follow the King into battle?

How will you use your freedom?  How will you use your resources?

As you welcome the New Year, as you hear the trumpet blow, join us in running headfirst into God’s calling on our lives!

Dec 21
Love0

Give it up

By Envision, Personal

The malls are full of shoppers looking for the perfect gift.  Or as we get this close to Christmas, any gift.  (I’m thinking that the advent of online shopping has got to bring immense relief to a claustrophobic.  Never had thought of Amazon.com as a purveyor of emotional peace before.)  I wasn’t even shopping for gifts today, yet I managed to visit both the post office and Costco today.  Did I experience the Christmas spirit?

Don’t even check your mail box or email if you can’t handle the flood of advertisements or a barrage of appeals directed at your year-end giving.  (Full disclosure: yes, our ministry was among them.  Just once though – not every five minutes.)  Hold on to your wallet and your checkbook before good intentions drag you into debt.

So Dave, is this the part where you insist something is wrong with my perspective and offer a different one?

Don’t get me wrong – I like gifts.  I’ve even been known to buy myself gifts [insert appropriate gasp of shock here.]  But here’s the deal:

  1. You can only give from what you have.  Affection, wisdom, experience, cash, whatever – if you don’t possess it, you can’t give it away.
  2. If they don’t want it, they’re not going to receive it.  (Favorite phrase on Christmas morning: “Oh, this is lovely…”)
  3. The truth is, you’re the ultimate re-gifter: nothing you have is really yours anyway.  What you were born with was a gift from God.  Everything you’ve earned is a blessing from Him too.  (See James 1:16-17)  So why are you holding on to everything so tightly?

Philip James "Jim" Elliott (Oct 8, 1927 – Jan 8, 1956)

God has already shown us that it’s better to give than to receive.  It just takes humanity longer to accept it.  (Though researchers have indeed found this to be true – see the Science Central Archive or the original study.)  He modeled true gift giving in Christmas and Easter – by giving Himself through His incarnation and redeeming us through His crucifixion and resurrection.  (How long we take to accept that is also up to us.)  As written in Romans 5:8, God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The best gift you can receive is Jesus.  He gave up His life for you.  The best gift you can give is the Gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ.  And the best way to give it is through your life.  Even if you have to give it up.  It isn’t yours anyway.

(In the words that Jim Elliott paraphrased from Scripture: He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose.)

Dec 10
Love0

Day 6

By Envision, Involve

Which do you prefer: the journey? or reaching the goal?

Day 4 brought near completion of our major project – the concrete for the basketball court.

But by now I’m losing track of the days. I’ve been so deeply engaged in leadership and problem solving, all I really know is what happened, but not when.

I know we loved children and taught them about Jesus. I know partnered with pastors and their churches. We prayed with families, worshiped together, shared the Word. Bonded. Loved. Cried. This is a group of young men and women who have left everything they knew to minister the life and love of Christ to people hurting deeply.

It hasn’t been perfect because we aren’t perfect; circumstances aren’t perfect; we are just fragile containers whose cracks and gaps are windows for God’s glory to shine.

I’m tapping this out with my thumb as I hold the phone in my one free hand as we drive from Port au Prince to the Dominican border. We are on a new journey with a new destination since our airline cancelled this week’s flights. Great symbolism, as none of us are the same any more. We are new people with changed hearts reaching for new goals.

We’ll keep you posted along the way…

Dec 08
Love0

Politics, Passions, Opinions

By Envision, Involve

My analysis reflects no one’s opinion but my own and makes no claim to prophetic revelation. It is simply my political insights and social and spiritual assessment.

Key players:
Celestin – represents status quo as the son in law of the current president. His political party UNITY is the establishment.

Manigat – her late husband was democratically elected president in 1988 and served four months before a military coup deposed him. She is 70 years old but represents change and diplomacy.

Matelly – a wildcard in the election, a pop music singer and celebrity, represents the anti-establishment and unknown transition.

The results announced last night had no candidate had achieved 50% of the vote required to win. Manigat led with >30%, Celestin had >20% as did Matelly, less than 1% behind or about 6800 votes. The commission interpreted narrowly and announced a mid-January run-off between Manigat and Celestin.

The electoral process allows for 72 hours for candidates to protest. Matelly and Celestin have reportedly already lodged appeals, which will then be reviewed and ruled on Dec 20.

Meanwhile, demonstrators allegedly lit the UNITE party headquarters of Celestin on fire. There are many dubious unverified reports of violence, but this was apparently witnessed by AP journalists.

Some people are looking for any reason for violence – politics, cholera, poverty. I don’t minimize these concerns and crises. But the reaction is an inappropriate response.

I believe once there is clarity in the process forward, the violence will subside – at least for the time being.

The people of Haiti are crying out for help. They want help to feed their families. They want a hope and a future. They need Jesus. It is not my place to endorse a candidate, but I do believe (strongly) that a new government has a potential for change that will not occur with the ruling party.

I anticipate that our team will have safety to operate in Haiti until our return. While here we will continue a vigilant day-to-day & moment-by-moment supervision of our Christ centered outreach to Haiti.

Dec 08
Love0

Day 3

By Envision, Involve

I’ve got to start working on this earlier in the day!

Obviously, with the results of the presidential election tonight, at least 50% of Haitian voters are disappointed, and we are taking safety and security quite seriously.

Tonight, rather than the scheduled outreach, we stayed in and spent time with the boys here in the care of the Center of Hope. We had a time of “verbal worship” as we listened to one another answer two questions: how has God revealed Himself to you? and how has that changed your life?

The Haitian, American and Dominican stories were so beautiful and moving. Jesus was lifted up and many tears rolled down. Common themes touched on hope, grace, purpose and forgiveness. What an amazing group of people. What an awesome God.

We’ve only been together for a bit more than 48 hours, yet this is a family!

Most of the day was spent working on the basketball court. Mixing water, sand, gravel and cement. Pumping more water from the well (no, not for drinking.) a bucket brigade passing the concrete mix down to the forms, pouring it out, passing it back empty. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Making the backboard from scratch since the airline reps at LAX refused to allow us to bring the one we purchased (after clearing it with them by phone.) Measure, cut, paint, mark. Prune the tree overhanging the court. Dig the hole for the pole.

We had some great breakthroughs today too. We don’t mind hiring locals for pay – providing jobs is beneficial for the community. But we’ve also been trying to engage people in helping each other. Today we had a good group from the community join us to help build THEIR court, which is great and encouraging progress seeing increased ownership.

Also, we connected with several new people and organizations who we have been hopeful to develop future relationships.

Much to pray for, much to praise for.

Now we are beginning a new day, starting with team devotions in the Word, then onto breakfast and pouring more concrete to finish the court.

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