We have arrived safely in Haiti and spending some time with old friends. As soon as we are settled, we’ll be off to deliver some of the special gifts we brought. (Nothing like playing Santa when it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Despite fatigue from traveling overnight, we want to maximize this window of time to re-connect with some ministry leaders and friends and cover some new territory as well.
More to come…
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!
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:
[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.
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?
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!
A hinge can only function with two engaged and matching halves
There are many theological dynamics to the concept of “My Part / God’s Part” – after all, if God the Father planned salvation, God the Son accomplished salvation and God the Spirit applied salvation, then my part is simply to receive salvation. Easy enough?
So once I’m saved – by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone – what’s the division of labor between me and God as I step into the good works created beforehand for me to walk in? (see Ephesians 2:8-10.)
I’ve been thinking about this for a very practical reason – trusting God to provide for our family’s financial needs. That’s something pretty much anyone can relate to, especially right now in the world economy. For our family, the nuance is that all of our funding comes from God through His people contributing to our ministry. I have a job, and it doesn’t matter how many hours I work – if people don’t give to the ministry, there’s nothing for me to be paid. So fundraising becomes a spiritual endeavor, much like evangelism: it’s my part to initiate with people and tell them the news (e.g. God loves them, Christ died and rose again to forgive sin, you can be our partner in bringing the Gospel to those who’ve never heard) and it’s God part to move in their hearts and reveal who responds. I have no control over who receives Christ, nor over who chooses to join with us and give back to the Lord through our ministry.
Here’s where I recognized a rebuke from the Holy Spirit – I decided that God wasn’t providing adequately for our needs, and I became frustrated and angry with Him. After all, wasn’t I doing my part? I’d been inviting people to join us as ministry partners. So if I was doing my part, and we still had such a significant need – that meant that God wasn’t doing His part. (My guess is that you can relate to getting frustrated or mad at God for your circumstances.) After all, Moses raised his staff and the sea parted, right? Elijah called down fire from heaven and the offering was burned up. Hey God, in case You hadn’t noticed, I’ve been sitting here and praying and I’d like to see some supernatural action, okay?
The truth is that I wasn’t doing my part. As my heart was convicted, I asked myself: have you truly done everything in your power or ability? Or have you only done what you were willing to do, and then blamed God for not responding? Could He be waiting for you to step out in faith, to go beyond your comfort zone, to truly trust in Him alone for your needs?
So it became much clearer who I should be frustrated and angry with – me. I haven’t been doing my part. Once I’ve done everything within my power, everything humanly possible, I can go back and seek Him out and… give thanks for the ways He has answered and provided.
P.S. Your equation of “My Part, God’s Part” may not be financial, it may be something else. I expect that the principle still holds true in your circumstances.
You want to live with purpose? Make sure you’ve got a grip on three things the Bible says will last forever and keep your eyes on the eternal. Here’s a snapshot of how to draw your power for living the Christian life from the One who designed and called you: Click to read on
courtesy of MLB
Baseball exemplifies living headfirst in many ways – and stealing 2nd base with a headfirst slide may be the all-time epitome. It might be safer to slide feet first, but it’s an all-out, no-holds-barred, face-forward assault. I regret that too much of my life was lived “safely” without the risk or the glory of living headfirst for the Kingdom. I had an internal question mark interrupting every opportunity, shouting out warnings, demanding permission, and challenging my choices. It took a chapter of my life to recognize, understand and reject the fears and lies, but that’s a story for another day.
This month is filled with tremendous baseball opportunities. See more
Rick shares how Jesus changed his life
The classic headfirst apostle is Peter – with little regard for how things could be done or should be done, he went for it. Long before Texas Hold ’em, Peter went “All In.” On one of our final nights in Haiti, I had the privilege of preaching to a crowd from the community who had come to join us for a free meal at the Center for Hope. About 200 adults and youth ate, listened to my friend Rick’s story of salvation, and learned about Peter’s courageous decision to step out of the boat (while ~80 children learned about Jesus and played a short distance away.)
All preconceptions are wiped clean when you Read More
Kiefer Sutherland as 24's Jack Bauer (courtesy of Kelsey McNeal/FOX)
Tracing back over several hundred years, the battlefield technique of suppressive fire was enhanced in World War II by the introduction of hand-held automatic weapons. The thrust of the tactic is to respond to a threat with a barrage so powerful that the enemy is forced to temporarily stand down or withdraw from a battle, allowing safer maneuver of troops. In modern media, a protagonist such as 24‘s Jack Bauer will request suppressive fire with a phrase as simple as “cover me.”
In Afghanistan, Master Gunnery Sergeant Peter Proietto of the U.S. Marine Corps was on a patrol ambushed by Taliban fighters. His story and more
John Eldredge, courtesy of Ransomed Heart
John Eldredge posted an article last month in which he unpacked the connection between the pace of life and our weakened resistance to spiritual attack. “The world is utterly draining,” he wrote, “and when we are drained, we are vulnerable.” He also offered eight suggestions for drawing close to the Lord and building our defenses against the adversary.
I agree with John in his assessment of my vulnerability. Whether it’s a direct spiritual attack or just the barrage of the world system, my defenses become worn down by the distractions and pressures of life. Like all believers, I need to refresh and refocus on Christ through prayer, study of the Scriptures, solitude and the practice of other spiritual disciplines. The power of God in answer to prayer cannot be overstated. Click for my prayer needs
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