For some reason, there are a number of very cool blogs I'm reading today. I highly recommend you taking a look at each of them. I promise they are worth the trip:
Monday, November 05, 2007
The Story
I've always had trouble with the word 'transparency' as we use it today. I don't really know why. Maybe because it is an ill-defined word. Does it mean 'see-through' or 'humble?' Does it mean that one doesn't hide anything? It could mean any of these things, depending on how it is used. I think that most people, when they say that we should be transparent, mean honest.This last weekend, Carla was reading the biography of Eric Liddell to us as we drove out to Wylie. (You know, 'Liddell went on to say that this is how we should live our lives as Christians; without wax. However, it seems that we spend so much time trying to cover up our blemishes and imperfections that we're completely COVERED with wax.
The irony is that, just like an artist would purposely leave blemishes visible, God made us just like we are; covered with blemishes and imperfections. Yet, we conceal what God created and only let people see what we want them to see; a false image of ourselves that we can control.
The Application
So, what does this look like? Does this mean that we should share every little problem and insecurity that we have? I don't know. I hate to sound all churchy, but I have a funny feeling we're going to get somewhere like "It looks like Jesus." Then we have to ask, what does THAT mean?
What do you think?
Yours, without wax,
mark
The Day II
This is part two of The Day I
So, the flight was awesome. Usually, Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) lessons are very indepth, but not very personal. I don't really know how to explain this, it's just how I feel. Anyway, it seemed that so many of the passages spoke directly to me. They either dealt with me and what I was doing or with Mike and Lauren. I guess you'll just have to take my word for it...
When I arrived at John Wayne airport, my friend Steve Basden called me from Adventures In Missions (AIM). He told me that they had spent their morning devotional time covering me in prayer and that he wanted to pray the armor of God over me. So, while I stood outside in the California air, he prayed for me from 2,000 miles away. It was great to know that I had people praying for me all over the US, but especially good to know that my brothers and sisters at AIM were taking it to the Lord and doing battle in the spirit.
My oldest brother, Ken, picked me up and we drove off. He had driven fifty miles just to take me to Mission Viejo and drop me off - what a man! While he drove, we talked about the situation and then, when he dropped me off, he prayed for me. It seems like this is much that I can't explain about this experience: my feelings as I prepared, the fervency with which I prayed, my time with God on the plane, my feelings as my oldest brother prayed for me and blessed me. He's prayed for me before, but never like this. I felt like I was being sent into battle with everything I needed.
He dropped me off at Mike's work and I went in with my rolling suitcase following behind me. Mike helped with marketing in a small call center and, therefore, had a cube all to himself (but no window, alas). When I got to his cube, I was informed that he was in a meeting. I sat down, checked my email, and started to play with the stuff on his desk. After about ten minutes, he showed up. He just stood there and kind of stared at me, then said my name. I could tell he was surprised...
I told him I wanted to take him to lunch, if that was OK, and that I needed a place to stay for a few days. He said I could stay at his place (what a nice guy). Mike's boss knew that I was in from out of town, so he let Mike take off a little early for lunch. We went to some Mexican place - a California Mexican place. (If this doesn't mean anything to you, don't worry about it. The food was good.)
It's important for me to reiterate a point here; I rarely listen to what people are saying. I'm usually planning my next move or trying to analyze what they're saying so I can figure out what they really mean. This is not good. The whole way to California and all the time I was there, God kept telling me to be quiet and listen. To let Mike and Lauren talk and not make judgements of them. Throughout the entire time I was there, I made a concerted effort to not speak about important issues until I felt released by God to do so. Sorry if this freaks you out, but that doesn't change anything.
Neither one of us figured we had a much time for chit-chat, so we got right to the point. He said that it took him about thirty seconds to figure out why I was there, and I asked him not to be upset with his sister for telling me. I didn't figure he would be, he's just not that kind of guy, but I wanted to be sure.
I don't remember much of what we said. I just remember trying to listen to him without all that garbage in my head. It was obvious that he didn't know what to do. While I was trying not to make any judgements (or smack him in the head - I've know this boy since he was six), he said that he knew I thought abortion was wrong and he didn't like it either, but he didn't know what else to do. They had gone to get some counseling at PP (I refuse to name them, as they might get some linkage from it), and had, of course, been counseled to get an abortion. He spoke about how this was going to put a serious damper on his life and plans for the future. This is where God's hold on my tongue was a very good thing. Rather than saying what I really wanted to say, I said "On Friday, your life will be changed, no matter what you do. It'll either be changed with a baby or without, but you'll never be the same person after that day." As it turns out, he said this was one of the statements I made that really made him think about what he was doing.
Next, a trip to Lauren's house...
So, the flight was awesome. Usually, Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) lessons are very indepth, but not very personal. I don't really know how to explain this, it's just how I feel. Anyway, it seemed that so many of the passages spoke directly to me. They either dealt with me and what I was doing or with Mike and Lauren. I guess you'll just have to take my word for it...
When I arrived at John Wayne airport, my friend Steve Basden called me from Adventures In Missions (AIM). He told me that they had spent their morning devotional time covering me in prayer and that he wanted to pray the armor of God over me. So, while I stood outside in the California air, he prayed for me from 2,000 miles away. It was great to know that I had people praying for me all over the US, but especially good to know that my brothers and sisters at AIM were taking it to the Lord and doing battle in the spirit.
My oldest brother, Ken, picked me up and we drove off. He had driven fifty miles just to take me to Mission Viejo and drop me off - what a man! While he drove, we talked about the situation and then, when he dropped me off, he prayed for me. It seems like this is much that I can't explain about this experience: my feelings as I prepared, the fervency with which I prayed, my time with God on the plane, my feelings as my oldest brother prayed for me and blessed me. He's prayed for me before, but never like this. I felt like I was being sent into battle with everything I needed.
He dropped me off at Mike's work and I went in with my rolling suitcase following behind me. Mike helped with marketing in a small call center and, therefore, had a cube all to himself (but no window, alas). When I got to his cube, I was informed that he was in a meeting. I sat down, checked my email, and started to play with the stuff on his desk. After about ten minutes, he showed up. He just stood there and kind of stared at me, then said my name. I could tell he was surprised...
I told him I wanted to take him to lunch, if that was OK, and that I needed a place to stay for a few days. He said I could stay at his place (what a nice guy). Mike's boss knew that I was in from out of town, so he let Mike take off a little early for lunch. We went to some Mexican place - a California Mexican place. (If this doesn't mean anything to you, don't worry about it. The food was good.)
It's important for me to reiterate a point here; I rarely listen to what people are saying. I'm usually planning my next move or trying to analyze what they're saying so I can figure out what they really mean. This is not good. The whole way to California and all the time I was there, God kept telling me to be quiet and listen. To let Mike and Lauren talk and not make judgements of them. Throughout the entire time I was there, I made a concerted effort to not speak about important issues until I felt released by God to do so. Sorry if this freaks you out, but that doesn't change anything.
Neither one of us figured we had a much time for chit-chat, so we got right to the point. He said that it took him about thirty seconds to figure out why I was there, and I asked him not to be upset with his sister for telling me. I didn't figure he would be, he's just not that kind of guy, but I wanted to be sure.
I don't remember much of what we said. I just remember trying to listen to him without all that garbage in my head. It was obvious that he didn't know what to do. While I was trying not to make any judgements (or smack him in the head - I've know this boy since he was six), he said that he knew I thought abortion was wrong and he didn't like it either, but he didn't know what else to do. They had gone to get some counseling at PP (I refuse to name them, as they might get some linkage from it), and had, of course, been counseled to get an abortion. He spoke about how this was going to put a serious damper on his life and plans for the future. This is where God's hold on my tongue was a very good thing. Rather than saying what I really wanted to say, I said "On Friday, your life will be changed, no matter what you do. It'll either be changed with a baby or without, but you'll never be the same person after that day." As it turns out, he said this was one of the statements I made that really made him think about what he was doing.
Next, a trip to Lauren's house...
Monday, October 22, 2007
Vision
Anyway, to make a long story short (too late!!), he lost everything. I don't think he even owns Bob and Larry anymore. I know he doesn't own Big Idea (the Veggie Tales company). He said that he had all these great plans and visions about becoming the Christian Disney and now the plans are all dead. God made it clear to him that He didn't want Phil's plans and dreams, he only wanted Phil.
Related to that, Vischer points out that the verse most Evangelicals use to explain/excuse our plans is the King James' version of Proverbs 29:18a - Where there is no vision, the people perish… From this, we get our mega-churches and building programs; man-created visions that we expect God to bless.
He then points out that the NIV version of this verse is quite different: Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restrain… According to Vischer, when the KJV used the word ‘vision,' it meant something totally different in 1611 than it does now. Then, it meant that God gave one a vision or that God gave vision. Now, it means "our plans for the future." However, if we wait for God to reveal himself and/or his plans, imagine what could happen!
So, that's what I'm trying to do right now; wait/look for God's revelation of his plan. I've got all kinds of great ideas and plans for what I should be doing, but I can't say that they are God's plans. I pray that he will show me the way to go.
This is really hard. As an American man, I'm supposed to have a five year plan, a vision of very specific goals that I am committed to reaching. It's hard to let that go and let God give HIS vision for my family's future. In Amos 3:7, Amos says, Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. I don't think I'm a prophet - that's not the point - but I do think that God wants to reveal his plans.
My prayer, for you and for me, is that we would follow God's direction
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia Nelson
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.
by Portia Nelson
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
A Traitor
I feel like Cypher, the guy from the Matrix that sold out the whole group so that he could go back to his old life.
"You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? [Takes a bite of steak] Ignorance is bliss."
Cypher had, for whatever reason, grown tired of real life and wanted to go back into the Matrix, where he could live in blissful ignorance of the real world.
I almost wish I could go back. I could still be working in Dallas - at a different place. I could be making $60K a year and have a great health plan, maybe even a new house.
[This is the part of the movie in which I fall asleep/get hit on the head and have a dream where I see what my life would have been like if I hadn't made the choices that I've made.]
Of course, my life would royally suck. I'd be divorced/very unhappy, my kids would be distant, and I'd be in debt up to my eyeballs. I'd have a cool loft and a great car, but would be all alone. None of what I had would mean anything to me because everything that was truly important would be gone. I would also see how my selfish choices adversely affected those around me; my family especially. I would probably cry in agony as I tried to win back what I had lost, unable to reach those most dear to me.
At the end of the movie, I would come to the realization that my wife and family were more important than anything. Then, I would wake up, step in dog pee, hear my girls fighting and smile, knowing that I was doing the right thing.
OK, I'm ready to wake up now.
"You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? [Takes a bite of steak] Ignorance is bliss."
Cypher had, for whatever reason, grown tired of real life and wanted to go back into the Matrix, where he could live in blissful ignorance of the real world.
I almost wish I could go back. I could still be working in Dallas - at a different place. I could be making $60K a year and have a great health plan, maybe even a new house.
[This is the part of the movie in which I fall asleep/get hit on the head and have a dream where I see what my life would have been like if I hadn't made the choices that I've made.]
Of course, my life would royally suck. I'd be divorced/very unhappy, my kids would be distant, and I'd be in debt up to my eyeballs. I'd have a cool loft and a great car, but would be all alone. None of what I had would mean anything to me because everything that was truly important would be gone. I would also see how my selfish choices adversely affected those around me; my family especially. I would probably cry in agony as I tried to win back what I had lost, unable to reach those most dear to me.
At the end of the movie, I would come to the realization that my wife and family were more important than anything. Then, I would wake up, step in dog pee, hear my girls fighting and smile, knowing that I was doing the right thing.
OK, I'm ready to wake up now.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
In His Will
Can you imagine what that would feel like? Can you imagine what that would be like?
I'm not sure I've ever been there, but I think I have. I don't mean that I was perfectly in God will, but there have been times when I felt like I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.
Does this sound scary? I think it should. Everyone knows stories of someone who was so convinced that they were doing God's will that they either did something really stupid or were absolutely unwilling to listen to any counsel that contradicted what they believed. How does one prevent this from happening?
I don't know. But, I do have some ideas. Shock!
For me, my most recent, real life example would be raising support to go on staff with AIM. There were quite a few people who didn't think this was a good idea (there were also a fair number of people who supported our decision to go with AIM). I have a family to support, bills to pay, that kind of thing. Most of the people who didn't support the idea were very close to us, making it all the harder to accept. How does one stand against an unexpected onslaught of well thought-out criticism that is contrary to what one believes should be done? Did God really tell me what he wanted me to do? Did he just open a door of opportunity to see if I would take it? Or, was what I thought I should do actually contrary to God's will?
The Test - taken from AIM literature, but adaptable to just about anything
Ok, back the original questions: Can you imagine what that would feel like? Can you imagine what that would be like? Am I there now? I don't know. I sure don't feel like I am - see the previous post. I think that we/I get stuck in the past. Sort of a 'if I did it this way before, it must be the only way' kind of thing. It doesn't appear to work this way with God. Not that one always has to think of new ways to talk to God and/or get his approval - nothing could be farther from the truth. It's more that one cannot rest on one's laurels. One needs to keep growing.
This is what I think happened to me; I have stopped trying to grow in my relationship with God. I just expected that what I had done in the past would be all I needed to do. To keep the record straight, God doesn't operate by performance-based acceptance (PBA). He loves us the same, no matter what and is always willing to forgive and restore us (I John 1:9, Ephesians 3: 17-19, Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 43:25, Isaiah 55:6-7 (while I'm thinking about it, I just discovered Isaiah 58:6-11...very interesting), Joel 2:32) Ok, having said all that, I think that one needs to continue to learn and grow as a believer. It's like climbing a hill and stopping when you're at a place that you love and then never starting to climb again...
I'm not sure I've ever been there, but I think I have. I don't mean that I was perfectly in God will, but there have been times when I felt like I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.
Does this sound scary? I think it should. Everyone knows stories of someone who was so convinced that they were doing God's will that they either did something really stupid or were absolutely unwilling to listen to any counsel that contradicted what they believed. How does one prevent this from happening?
I don't know. But, I do have some ideas. Shock!
For me, my most recent, real life example would be raising support to go on staff with AIM. There were quite a few people who didn't think this was a good idea (there were also a fair number of people who supported our decision to go with AIM). I have a family to support, bills to pay, that kind of thing. Most of the people who didn't support the idea were very close to us, making it all the harder to accept. How does one stand against an unexpected onslaught of well thought-out criticism that is contrary to what one believes should be done? Did God really tell me what he wanted me to do? Did he just open a door of opportunity to see if I would take it? Or, was what I thought I should do actually contrary to God's will?
The Test - taken from AIM literature, but adaptable to just about anything
- Does it exalt Christ? (John 16:14)
- Is it scriptural? (Proverbs 30:5-6)
- Do other Christians confirm it? (Proverbs 15:22)
- Does it produce good fruit? (John 15: 1-16)
- Does God bring it to pass? (Isaiah 55: 10-11)
- Yes. By foregoing the things that the world has to offer in terms of status, advancement, and security, I was/am following God's desires - Matthew 6:33, Luke 9:23
- Yes. See verses in previous answer
- Yes. Many of my friends confirmed that this was a good idea. Does this make it right? No, but it sure helps.
- Yes. I've been able to spend more of my time in ministry - going on mission trips, going to prisons, talking at church. I believe that God has used these opportunities to bring people to him. I've got stories if you want to hear them...leave a comment.
- Yes. Ten months after Carla and I decided to go full-time with AIM, we had raised over 100% of our support-raising goal.
Ok, back the original questions: Can you imagine what that would feel like? Can you imagine what that would be like? Am I there now? I don't know. I sure don't feel like I am - see the previous post. I think that we/I get stuck in the past. Sort of a 'if I did it this way before, it must be the only way' kind of thing. It doesn't appear to work this way with God. Not that one always has to think of new ways to talk to God and/or get his approval - nothing could be farther from the truth. It's more that one cannot rest on one's laurels. One needs to keep growing.
This is what I think happened to me; I have stopped trying to grow in my relationship with God. I just expected that what I had done in the past would be all I needed to do. To keep the record straight, God doesn't operate by performance-based acceptance (PBA). He loves us the same, no matter what and is always willing to forgive and restore us (I John 1:9, Ephesians 3: 17-19, Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 43:25, Isaiah 55:6-7 (while I'm thinking about it, I just discovered Isaiah 58:6-11...very interesting), Joel 2:32) Ok, having said all that, I think that one needs to continue to learn and grow as a believer. It's like climbing a hill and stopping when you're at a place that you love and then never starting to climb again...
Dry Spell
I've been going through a dry spell.
I feel like God is not near.
I said this to someone when he asked if there was anything he could pray for. His first response to me was, 'Are you in the Word?' I had to say no.
I've been reading the Bible just for the heck of it. I pick up my small Bible and read Matthew. I was inspired to do this by Donald Miller, the guy who wrote 'Blue Like Jazz.' I'm sure it's a good idea and all, but I haven't spent any time studying God's word for three to four months.
So, of the last two mornings, I spent one of them actually studying. I'd love to say that everything is peachy, but of course it doesn't work that way. I do, however, feel like this is what I'm missing.
My wife and I led a mission trip to Mississippi at the beginning of July and I went will all the authority I could muster. AIM does a good job, I think, of letting project leaders know that they have been given spiritual authority over the trip. Throughout the entire trip, even after seeing God work and do cool stuff, I still felt like I wasn't right. I don't mean this in the sense of "I'm right and you're wrong,' I mean this in the sense that nothing felt right. There were a few times when I felt like I was solidly in his will, but, for the most part, I felt like I was on the outside, sort of hanging around for scraps from the table of his grace.
I do not blame God for this in any way. I'm the one who moved. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His will and direction are constant.
Drew, the speaker at my local Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), said, 'There is a difference between being in God's grace and God's approval.' I have felt, maybe since I heard him say that, that I am living in God's grace, not in his approval. Right now, God is being patient and longsuffering with me - this is what I think anyway. I am living only for myself. My focus and desires are only for me.
It's kind of like exercise: I think about it, imagine what it would be like to do all the workouts and exercises that I should do, I imagine eating properly but I never do it. I see myself falling down in my closet and asking God to forgive me for my sloth, arrogance, shortsightedness, and desire to go my own way. But I never do it.
I want to know what God wants me to do. I want to do what God wants me to do. I do not want to have a will of my own. I only want to follow him - to be part of whatever he is doing.
I feel like God is not near.
I said this to someone when he asked if there was anything he could pray for. His first response to me was, 'Are you in the Word?' I had to say no.
I've been reading the Bible just for the heck of it. I pick up my small Bible and read Matthew. I was inspired to do this by Donald Miller, the guy who wrote 'Blue Like Jazz.' I'm sure it's a good idea and all, but I haven't spent any time studying God's word for three to four months.
So, of the last two mornings, I spent one of them actually studying. I'd love to say that everything is peachy, but of course it doesn't work that way. I do, however, feel like this is what I'm missing.
My wife and I led a mission trip to Mississippi at the beginning of July and I went will all the authority I could muster. AIM does a good job, I think, of letting project leaders know that they have been given spiritual authority over the trip. Throughout the entire trip, even after seeing God work and do cool stuff, I still felt like I wasn't right. I don't mean this in the sense of "I'm right and you're wrong,' I mean this in the sense that nothing felt right. There were a few times when I felt like I was solidly in his will, but, for the most part, I felt like I was on the outside, sort of hanging around for scraps from the table of his grace.
I do not blame God for this in any way. I'm the one who moved. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His will and direction are constant.
Drew, the speaker at my local Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), said, 'There is a difference between being in God's grace and God's approval.' I have felt, maybe since I heard him say that, that I am living in God's grace, not in his approval. Right now, God is being patient and longsuffering with me - this is what I think anyway. I am living only for myself. My focus and desires are only for me.
It's kind of like exercise: I think about it, imagine what it would be like to do all the workouts and exercises that I should do, I imagine eating properly but I never do it. I see myself falling down in my closet and asking God to forgive me for my sloth, arrogance, shortsightedness, and desire to go my own way. But I never do it.
I want to know what God wants me to do. I want to do what God wants me to do. I do not want to have a will of my own. I only want to follow him - to be part of whatever he is doing.
Monday, February 20, 2006
The Day
On 2/15, I was on the way to Mission Viejo, CA to talk with my nephew and his girlfriend - more on the particulars later. Here's what happened on the plane ride there.
I had the most incredible time with God this morning as I flew from Dallas to Orange County. I was doing my BSF lesson about Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah. I felt like God wrote the whole lesson just for me to use today.
I was sitting on the plane and suddenly, the question popped into my head, ‘Why am I doing this? What is the justification for this radical action?’
First, Carla and I prayed and asked God for guidance.
We spent much time in prayer, together and alone, crying out to God. We thought he was telling us to go, but asked him for a sign. We decided, after some conversation, that we knew we should go, it was just matter of when.
Second, we received confirmation that God wanted me to go.
All of our Christian brothers and sisters who heard of the situation and our plan to go confirmed that it was a good idea. They offered airline miles and offered help to Carla at home alone with the girls. Most importantly, my niece gave me her ok to go. She had told us this terrible secret against her brother’s spoken request and we did not want to have to betray her brother’s confidence.
For Carla and me, getting her permission was the sign that NOW was the time to go. It was very hard for me to wait for this – I wanted to go ASAP. However, my wise wife counseled me by reminding me that we had asked God for a sign and we needed to wait in faith for his timing. Proverbs 12:4.
Third, I got confirmation from God’s word.
On the plane to Orange County, I decided to do my Bible Study Fellowship lesson (BSF). For those of you who know, it was lesson 20 of the Genesis study. As I studied, the passages from the study began to speak directly to me about the situation I was in. Almost every verse and passage spoke to my heart and encouraged me, or gave me wisdom for what to tell my nephew and his girlfriend.
Here’s list of the scriptures that God used to speak to me (NIV):
James 3:17, 18
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t, sins.
II Corinthians 1:3 – 5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
II Corinthians 7:6a
But God, who comforts the downcast…
Colossians 2:2,3
My purpose is that they might be encourage in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Matthew 11:28 – 30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Psalms 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Psalms 18:6
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
Psalms 18:16 – 19
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19He brought me into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Psalms 118: 5 – 7
In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. 6The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
I had the most incredible time with God this morning as I flew from Dallas to Orange County. I was doing my BSF lesson about Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah. I felt like God wrote the whole lesson just for me to use today.
I was sitting on the plane and suddenly, the question popped into my head, ‘Why am I doing this? What is the justification for this radical action?’
First, Carla and I prayed and asked God for guidance.
We spent much time in prayer, together and alone, crying out to God. We thought he was telling us to go, but asked him for a sign. We decided, after some conversation, that we knew we should go, it was just matter of when.
Second, we received confirmation that God wanted me to go.
All of our Christian brothers and sisters who heard of the situation and our plan to go confirmed that it was a good idea. They offered airline miles and offered help to Carla at home alone with the girls. Most importantly, my niece gave me her ok to go. She had told us this terrible secret against her brother’s spoken request and we did not want to have to betray her brother’s confidence.
For Carla and me, getting her permission was the sign that NOW was the time to go. It was very hard for me to wait for this – I wanted to go ASAP. However, my wise wife counseled me by reminding me that we had asked God for a sign and we needed to wait in faith for his timing. Proverbs 12:4.
Third, I got confirmation from God’s word.
On the plane to Orange County, I decided to do my Bible Study Fellowship lesson (BSF). For those of you who know, it was lesson 20 of the Genesis study. As I studied, the passages from the study began to speak directly to me about the situation I was in. Almost every verse and passage spoke to my heart and encouraged me, or gave me wisdom for what to tell my nephew and his girlfriend.
Here’s list of the scriptures that God used to speak to me (NIV):
James 3:17, 18
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t, sins.
II Corinthians 1:3 – 5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
II Corinthians 7:6a
But God, who comforts the downcast…
Colossians 2:2,3
My purpose is that they might be encourage in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Matthew 11:28 – 30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Psalms 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Psalms 18:6
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
Psalms 18:16 – 19
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 19He brought me into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Psalms 118: 5 – 7
In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. 6The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
News
My friends and everyone else...
I apologize to everyone who has read this blog for not keeping it up. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I've heard from at least a few people that had been reading this blog. How interesting that something I thought was not read at all is actually being used.
I've had some really cool stuff happen lately and will be writing about it within the next day or two.
mark
I apologize to everyone who has read this blog for not keeping it up. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I've heard from at least a few people that had been reading this blog. How interesting that something I thought was not read at all is actually being used.
I've had some really cool stuff happen lately and will be writing about it within the next day or two.
mark
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Flight 93 Memorial
Here is a copy of the email I submitted to the National Park Service regarding the proposed Flight 93 memorial. If you care. I honestly can't believe it's true. It's got to be a hoax, it's so bad.
To Whom It May Concern,
The proposed crescent design of the Flight 93 memorial is a slap in the face of the people who gave their lives defending themselves and our country on that fated flight.
You should by no means approve this design that blatantly honors the terrorists who were responsible for the crash of Flight 93.
Sincerely,
Mark Lindberg
I got this story from Michelle Malkin.
[update]I tried to send the email and got a 404 server error - file not found for the uninitiated.
If you want to try it, you can go here. I hope this is happening because they're getting inundated with emails. You can also call at 814.443.4557.
To Whom It May Concern,
The proposed crescent design of the Flight 93 memorial is a slap in the face of the people who gave their lives defending themselves and our country on that fated flight.
You should by no means approve this design that blatantly honors the terrorists who were responsible for the crash of Flight 93.
Sincerely,
Mark Lindberg
I got this story from Michelle Malkin.
[update]I tried to send the email and got a 404 server error - file not found for the uninitiated.
If you want to try it, you can go here. I hope this is happening because they're getting inundated with emails. You can also call at 814.443.4557.
Monday, September 05, 2005
First Official Day as a Missionary
Well, that was fun. I slept way too late because I've been working on AIM's Katrina Relief Effort database all weekend. After I woke up, I did some more db work and fixed various errors on the site that we built and posted in one day.
We went to see the March of the Penguins - here's news for you...it's a documentary. Haven't you seen them before? What's the big deal? I paid $24 to see a documentary. Shoot me now.
After the movie and some dinner with the cousins at Grapevine Mills, the girls and I went to Dallas to find a man at the evacuee center in Reunion Arena. His family is at a center in Baton Rouge and he is, supposedly, here in the DFW area. I wasn't able to find him, but I think I will be able to track him down tomorrow. Apparently, he is an older man and doesn't know that his family is safe in Baton Rouge.
What's really cool is that tomorrow, I'll get to go on an errand of mercy, serve God and it'll be part of my job. Is that great or what?
I met a guy tonight from SGI. He said it was a world peace organization that is chartered by the UN. He was fairly reticent about it and it seemed kind of creepy. Anyone know what they are and what they do?
Ok, forget that. I just went and found them on the internet. They are officially creepy and I refuse to link to them. Here's a quote from their website:
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a Buddhist association with more than 12 million members in 190 countries and territories worldwide. For SGI members, Buddhism is a practical philosophy of individual empowerment and inner transformation that enables people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives.
The problem I have is that he never said he was Buddhist. He just came across all...I hate to use the word again, but creepy is it. It's Humanism. Man, it's too late to start that debate.
We went to see the March of the Penguins - here's news for you...it's a documentary. Haven't you seen them before? What's the big deal? I paid $24 to see a documentary. Shoot me now.
After the movie and some dinner with the cousins at Grapevine Mills, the girls and I went to Dallas to find a man at the evacuee center in Reunion Arena. His family is at a center in Baton Rouge and he is, supposedly, here in the DFW area. I wasn't able to find him, but I think I will be able to track him down tomorrow. Apparently, he is an older man and doesn't know that his family is safe in Baton Rouge.
What's really cool is that tomorrow, I'll get to go on an errand of mercy, serve God and it'll be part of my job. Is that great or what?
I met a guy tonight from SGI. He said it was a world peace organization that is chartered by the UN. He was fairly reticent about it and it seemed kind of creepy. Anyone know what they are and what they do?
Ok, forget that. I just went and found them on the internet. They are officially creepy and I refuse to link to them. Here's a quote from their website:
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a Buddhist association with more than 12 million members in 190 countries and territories worldwide. For SGI members, Buddhism is a practical philosophy of individual empowerment and inner transformation that enables people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives.
The problem I have is that he never said he was Buddhist. He just came across all...I hate to use the word again, but creepy is it. It's Humanism. Man, it's too late to start that debate.
The Whole Support Thing
So, I'm a missionary. I raise support for half of my income.
There, I said it.
One can't imagine how hard it has been to say that.
It has been very difficult to view myself as a Missionary. Note, if you will, the capital M.
I have been raising support for almost a year. I am attempting to go on staff with a missions trip organization in Gainesville, GA called Adventures In Missions. I will be their internal web guy. Throughout all of this, I've been a missionary. I've been on multiple mission trips, gone to prison, and even did an interview with the child of a friend who needed to interview a missionary. But I wasn't officially on staff because I didn't have my support raised.
Yesterday, 9/4, God provided all of our support.
Our church was discussing the possibility of upping our support $200 a month so that we could get over the hump. They had to table the issue because of budget issues - they don't have a mission budget right now. Then, on Sunday, a member of a sunday school class said he and his wife would support us for $200 a month. Praise God! Now we're at 100.99% of our support.
Thanks be to the great God of the universe for his marvelous love and favor. I will praise him as long as I have breath. Who am I that he is mindful of me?
There, I said it.
One can't imagine how hard it has been to say that.
It has been very difficult to view myself as a Missionary. Note, if you will, the capital M.
I have been raising support for almost a year. I am attempting to go on staff with a missions trip organization in Gainesville, GA called Adventures In Missions. I will be their internal web guy. Throughout all of this, I've been a missionary. I've been on multiple mission trips, gone to prison, and even did an interview with the child of a friend who needed to interview a missionary. But I wasn't officially on staff because I didn't have my support raised.
Yesterday, 9/4, God provided all of our support.
Our church was discussing the possibility of upping our support $200 a month so that we could get over the hump. They had to table the issue because of budget issues - they don't have a mission budget right now. Then, on Sunday, a member of a sunday school class said he and his wife would support us for $200 a month. Praise God! Now we're at 100.99% of our support.
Thanks be to the great God of the universe for his marvelous love and favor. I will praise him as long as I have breath. Who am I that he is mindful of me?
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Why Did You Make Me This Way?
Why are you the way you are?
I don't mean this in a 'God, why did you make me this way?' kind of lament. I mean, for what purpose was I crafted?
Think about all the things that make you you.
Ok, here's me: I'm a daydreamer, I make jokes all the time, I'm really good at looking for shortcuts, I am introspective, I'm very gregarious, I'm very loquacious (I LOVE that word), I love to ask people questions, I love to know the truth - from the source, not from you (as my wife, Carla, says, 'what does it say in the text?'), I'm very sarcastic, I love to read.
Somebody stop me...that list could go on forever. The Bible says I was made for a purpose - see Ps 139:13-15 and Jeremiah 29:11-13. God took whatever was required to make the unique person of me and had some sort of plan. All these parts are put together so that I can do...? What? What is it that God had planned?
Look at the list of attributes above. All of them come from some God-given characteristic. But look how the enemy has taken what God has made and turned it to evil: I can wile away the day doing nothing, I'm inconsiderate of others, I'm lazy, I'm withdrawn, I talk WAY too much, I'm nosy, I'm arrogant, I'm mean, I put myself before others.
Two things I'm NOT trying to do: 1 - Absolve myself of responsibility for my own actions, 2 - Fish for compliments.
Think about it - what if I was able to take all those cool, God-given attributes and use them for Him. Rather than serving my self and my own interests, I could serve Him. It would be so awesome to find the groove, wouldn't it? That place where you are being used as you are, as you were created, and as you were intended to be used.
I am praying for myself that God would make me part of his story. No, I don't mean that as a play on words of 'History.' I mean, God has a story that he wrote a long time ago. Now, I'm asking God to show me my part in his story, rather than asking him to be part of mine.
I don't mean this in a 'God, why did you make me this way?' kind of lament. I mean, for what purpose was I crafted?
Think about all the things that make you you.
Ok, here's me: I'm a daydreamer, I make jokes all the time, I'm really good at looking for shortcuts, I am introspective, I'm very gregarious, I'm very loquacious (I LOVE that word), I love to ask people questions, I love to know the truth - from the source, not from you (as my wife, Carla, says, 'what does it say in the text?'), I'm very sarcastic, I love to read.
Somebody stop me...that list could go on forever. The Bible says I was made for a purpose - see Ps 139:13-15 and Jeremiah 29:11-13. God took whatever was required to make the unique person of me and had some sort of plan. All these parts are put together so that I can do...? What? What is it that God had planned?
Look at the list of attributes above. All of them come from some God-given characteristic. But look how the enemy has taken what God has made and turned it to evil: I can wile away the day doing nothing, I'm inconsiderate of others, I'm lazy, I'm withdrawn, I talk WAY too much, I'm nosy, I'm arrogant, I'm mean, I put myself before others.
Two things I'm NOT trying to do: 1 - Absolve myself of responsibility for my own actions, 2 - Fish for compliments.
Think about it - what if I was able to take all those cool, God-given attributes and use them for Him. Rather than serving my self and my own interests, I could serve Him. It would be so awesome to find the groove, wouldn't it? That place where you are being used as you are, as you were created, and as you were intended to be used.
I am praying for myself that God would make me part of his story. No, I don't mean that as a play on words of 'History.' I mean, God has a story that he wrote a long time ago. Now, I'm asking God to show me my part in his story, rather than asking him to be part of mine.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
A Real Man
So, I was sitting at work one day in Dallas (sometime in 2002), dreaming about lunch. I'm a pretty big guy and this is a common occurrence.
I had five bucks and change in my pocket and I was thinking about how I was going to go to the Italian place two blocks away and get a stromboli. yuuummmm.
Carla and I had just talked the night before about not using the credit cards. You know, the whole radical idea of not spending money you don't actually have. Where do people get this crazy stuff?
So, I was going to be good. I was going to spend actual cash.
As I was sitting there, I felt God tell me that he wanted me to give my money away and fast for lunch. I had been thinking about fasting and had done it once or twice and it was pretty cool. Not something I wanted to do all the time, but a good thing to get one focused on the right stuff.
Ok, the whole fasting thing is cool and all, but this stromboli is GOOD. It was not going to kill me to miss a meal or six, but I really wanted that stromboli.
Here's what I did: I said, 'Ok, God. If someone asks me for some money when I go to lunch, I'll give them all my cash. But if they don't, I'm doing the stromboli thing."
I sat at my desk, counting the minutes until lunch. I planned to have a working lunch...
11:30:01 I was out the door. I didn't get twenty feet before a homeless-looking guy walks up to me and asks if I have any spare change. Boom. Just like that.
What was I supposed to do? If I give this guy my money, no stromboli. There was no way I could use a credit card to buy myself lunch...
Then, I had a brilliant idea. It was so brilliant, I was stunned by its clarity and magnificence. I would use a credit card to buy HIM lunch. That way, I would get my stromboli and eat it too. So to speak. I would gain points with God for being obedient, and there was no way that using a credit card to help someone could be wrong.
I said, "How about I just buy you lunch?"
He said, "Ok."
I asked him where he wanted to eat, but his attitude was "you're buying, I'm flying." I suggested Subway and he said fine. (Crucial part of the plan; Subway takes plastic, McDonald's doesn't.)
As we walked to Subway (which is, coincidentally, just past the stromboli place), I talked with him and asked him questions about his life. His name was Keith, and he seemed fairly with it. There did seem to be just a little something missing. Not mentally, more like he had accepted his station and had given up. This, from a five minute conversation...
Anyway, I told him that I was buying him lunch because God told me to and had given me the money to do it. I just didn't tell him which money... As we waited for his 12 inch meatball and mayo combo, we chatted about inconsequentials, I paid, wished him luck and headed to stromboli heaven.
I crossed the street and was immediately run over by a bus.
Just kidding.
Sitting on the sidewalk, right in front of me, was a guy asking for spare change.
Stromboli.
I told the guy, "I'm sorry, I just bought lunch for someone and now, all I have is enough money to buy myself lunch." I then promised to help him out another day.
I walked away, towards my blessed stromboli.
Inside the Italian place, I ordered my stromboli, paid, and sat down to wait for them to heat it up. As I was waiting, I thought, "I have change in my pocket. I can take it to the second guy who asked for money." I was so impressed with myself. I had been obedient to God, bought Keith lunch, got a stromboli, and was about to give my change to another homeless guy. It was the five loaves and two fishes all over again in Dallas, Texas.
I stepped out onto the sidewalk and started to walk towards the guy begging on the sidewalk. I looked up the street to where he was and stopped in my tracks. Sitting next to him, sharing his sandwich, was Keith. He had taken the sub I bought and split it with the guy. Even the chips and soda.
I made myself keep walking towards them, even though I was struggling not to cry. I handed the man my change and told Keith, "You're a better man than I am."
It sounded melodramatic, but there was nothing else I could say. Here I was, a fat, rich man, blessed by God with everything I needed. There was Keith, a skinny, homeless guy, blessed by God with a good heart.
I Samuel 15:22
I had five bucks and change in my pocket and I was thinking about how I was going to go to the Italian place two blocks away and get a stromboli. yuuummmm.
Carla and I had just talked the night before about not using the credit cards. You know, the whole radical idea of not spending money you don't actually have. Where do people get this crazy stuff?
So, I was going to be good. I was going to spend actual cash.
As I was sitting there, I felt God tell me that he wanted me to give my money away and fast for lunch. I had been thinking about fasting and had done it once or twice and it was pretty cool. Not something I wanted to do all the time, but a good thing to get one focused on the right stuff.
Ok, the whole fasting thing is cool and all, but this stromboli is GOOD. It was not going to kill me to miss a meal or six, but I really wanted that stromboli.
Here's what I did: I said, 'Ok, God. If someone asks me for some money when I go to lunch, I'll give them all my cash. But if they don't, I'm doing the stromboli thing."
I sat at my desk, counting the minutes until lunch. I planned to have a working lunch...
11:30:01 I was out the door. I didn't get twenty feet before a homeless-looking guy walks up to me and asks if I have any spare change. Boom. Just like that.
What was I supposed to do? If I give this guy my money, no stromboli. There was no way I could use a credit card to buy myself lunch...
Then, I had a brilliant idea. It was so brilliant, I was stunned by its clarity and magnificence. I would use a credit card to buy HIM lunch. That way, I would get my stromboli and eat it too. So to speak. I would gain points with God for being obedient, and there was no way that using a credit card to help someone could be wrong.
I said, "How about I just buy you lunch?"
He said, "Ok."
I asked him where he wanted to eat, but his attitude was "you're buying, I'm flying." I suggested Subway and he said fine. (Crucial part of the plan; Subway takes plastic, McDonald's doesn't.)
As we walked to Subway (which is, coincidentally, just past the stromboli place), I talked with him and asked him questions about his life. His name was Keith, and he seemed fairly with it. There did seem to be just a little something missing. Not mentally, more like he had accepted his station and had given up. This, from a five minute conversation...
Anyway, I told him that I was buying him lunch because God told me to and had given me the money to do it. I just didn't tell him which money... As we waited for his 12 inch meatball and mayo combo, we chatted about inconsequentials, I paid, wished him luck and headed to stromboli heaven.
I crossed the street and was immediately run over by a bus.
Just kidding.
Sitting on the sidewalk, right in front of me, was a guy asking for spare change.
Stromboli.
I told the guy, "I'm sorry, I just bought lunch for someone and now, all I have is enough money to buy myself lunch." I then promised to help him out another day.
I walked away, towards my blessed stromboli.
Inside the Italian place, I ordered my stromboli, paid, and sat down to wait for them to heat it up. As I was waiting, I thought, "I have change in my pocket. I can take it to the second guy who asked for money." I was so impressed with myself. I had been obedient to God, bought Keith lunch, got a stromboli, and was about to give my change to another homeless guy. It was the five loaves and two fishes all over again in Dallas, Texas.
I stepped out onto the sidewalk and started to walk towards the guy begging on the sidewalk. I looked up the street to where he was and stopped in my tracks. Sitting next to him, sharing his sandwich, was Keith. He had taken the sub I bought and split it with the guy. Even the chips and soda.
I made myself keep walking towards them, even though I was struggling not to cry. I handed the man my change and told Keith, "You're a better man than I am."
It sounded melodramatic, but there was nothing else I could say. Here I was, a fat, rich man, blessed by God with everything I needed. There was Keith, a skinny, homeless guy, blessed by God with a good heart.
I Samuel 15:22
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Raising Support Update
$234 in monthly pledges to go...wow. That means we have been able to raise $1878 in monthly pledges. Who woulda thunk?
Right now, we have a total of 34 supporters with more on the way. Praise God.
Yesterday, I was doing some daydreaming - as I do from time to time. I was imagining what it would be like to have a lot of money. Yes, God convicted me about this, I just didn't respond to the conviction as quickly as I should have. I KNOW that I can't depend on money. It just causes more and new problems and doesn't really solve anything. God has also shown me that it would be very easy to make money a god. But man, wouldn't it be cool?
So, as I was putting away the thoughts of having big money, God showed me that I was doing the same thing with the $234 in monthly pledges. It's not big money, it's little money. But, I am still looking to that money for security. 'If I just had the rest of my support raised, everything would be cool.' Or something like that. I'm not sure that God is concerned with scale on issues like this. The love of money is wrong, at any level - see 1 Timothy 6:10 and Hebrews 13:5.
Of course I want to have the support raised. Of course it would be cool. But I keep going back to a statement by John Candy in the movie, 'Cool Runnings.' He said, "...if you're nothing without a medal, you'll be nothing with a medal."
Right now, we have a total of 34 supporters with more on the way. Praise God.
Yesterday, I was doing some daydreaming - as I do from time to time. I was imagining what it would be like to have a lot of money. Yes, God convicted me about this, I just didn't respond to the conviction as quickly as I should have. I KNOW that I can't depend on money. It just causes more and new problems and doesn't really solve anything. God has also shown me that it would be very easy to make money a god. But man, wouldn't it be cool?
So, as I was putting away the thoughts of having big money, God showed me that I was doing the same thing with the $234 in monthly pledges. It's not big money, it's little money. But, I am still looking to that money for security. 'If I just had the rest of my support raised, everything would be cool.' Or something like that. I'm not sure that God is concerned with scale on issues like this. The love of money is wrong, at any level - see 1 Timothy 6:10 and Hebrews 13:5.
Of course I want to have the support raised. Of course it would be cool. But I keep going back to a statement by John Candy in the movie, 'Cool Runnings.' He said, "...if you're nothing without a medal, you'll be nothing with a medal."
More Matamoros ATLs
The third ATL I led was cool. Way. Just remember, I was there, I saw this with my own eyes.
It was a pretty large group - about 12 - and we had to meet right outside the noisy VBS tent. I introduced the ATL and sent them away to pray.
When they came back, they immediately started to tell me what they thought God had revealed to them. Red shoes. A woman, all alone and carrying a heavy burden. A blue house. A man in a yellow shirt, walking by a blue car and Trinity was supposed to translate (this was from a young girl of about 12. I'll never forget what she said because she said it with such assurance). One of the leaders said, sort of embarrassed-like, 'something Irish...?' No one really reacted. We just said ok, and moved on to the next person.
We did the test and started out. I asked which direction we should go and they all said they wanted to go find a woman they had met the day before. They knew where her house was, so we started in that direction.
The first house we went to had a few people in the yard. We talked with them and weren't getting anywhere. It was apparent that they were just being polite. We said goodbye and walked across the street to a big, blue house. A young woman came out and three girls from our group went over to talk to her. The rest of us stayed back and prayed for them.
While we were praying, one of the girls in the group came up to me and asked if it was ok if she kept praying and asking God to show her something. Of course, I said yes. She moved across the street and began to pray. She came up to me five to ten minutes later and said that God had shown her a boat. I asked her what kind of boat and she said, 'a boat.'
Meanwhile, the girls that were at the house went inside for about five minutes. When they came out, they were smiling like you wouldn't believe. They said that the girl they had talked to was pregnant and her husband had been missing - she thought he was in jail in the States. One of our groups had visited her the day before and had prayed for the lady and her husband. He came home that night. When we showed up, she was ready to accept Christ as her savior and her grandmother was too. Praise God!
We continued walking and got to the house of the person they were looking for. She wasn't there. They talked with her young son - he was 12-14 - and, as we were leaving, I saw Trinity slip him some cash.
We turned a corner and saw a woman carrying a baby who was wearing red shoes. Some of the group started talking with her while about four others from our group went to the next house and started witnessing. The lady with the baby was a Jehovah's Witness. They gave her a tract and a Bible and left her alone after talking with her for a while. I wish I remembered what happened at the other house, but I don't.
As we were leaving, someone came out of that house and went to the bus stop. One of our girls, one who had not said a single word voluntarily the whole time we were out, took Trinity and the pastor's wife and went and talked with the girl at the bus stop. She told me later that she felt a strong push from the Holy Spirit to talk to the girl and she said to God, "If you want me to talk with her, you're going to have to make her come to me." When she looked up, the girl was walking straight at her. Is that cool or what?
It was time to head back, so we headed towards the VBS site, keeping the three people at the bus stop in sight. We stopped at a corner and someone saw a bunch (3) of people wearing yellow shirts standing across from a blue car. They shouted at me, 'Hey, look, there they are.' Meaning, the man in the yellow shirt thing mentioned earlier. I pointed out that none of the people wearing yellow shirts were, technically, male and therefore did not fit the criteria. They acknowledged this and went to talk with them anyway. What the heck, it was what we were there for.
I stayed on the corner so I could keep an eye on both groups. When the group of three left the bus stop, I directed them across the street to the yellow shirts.
I'll never forget what happened next. It was like I was watching a movie that I was also in...does that make sense? I saw a man in a yellow shirt walk by the blue car. I watched Trinity, the pastor's wife, and the junior high girl turn their heads and see the man in the yellow shirt. They headed towards him and he just kept on moving, around the corner and out of the picture. The three of them went to the house behind the blue car and led the father and the daughter to the Lord. Woo Hoo!
I found out later that the blue car had a shamrock hanging from the mirror and the thing that caught the eyes of the three girls was a water truck that drove by with a boat on it.
Why does stuff happen like this? I don't know. Does God do this kind of stuff here in the States? Yes. So what?
If someone is actually reading this, please comment on what you've read. I'd love to know what you think.
It was a pretty large group - about 12 - and we had to meet right outside the noisy VBS tent. I introduced the ATL and sent them away to pray.
When they came back, they immediately started to tell me what they thought God had revealed to them. Red shoes. A woman, all alone and carrying a heavy burden. A blue house. A man in a yellow shirt, walking by a blue car and Trinity was supposed to translate (this was from a young girl of about 12. I'll never forget what she said because she said it with such assurance). One of the leaders said, sort of embarrassed-like, 'something Irish...?' No one really reacted. We just said ok, and moved on to the next person.
We did the test and started out. I asked which direction we should go and they all said they wanted to go find a woman they had met the day before. They knew where her house was, so we started in that direction.
The first house we went to had a few people in the yard. We talked with them and weren't getting anywhere. It was apparent that they were just being polite. We said goodbye and walked across the street to a big, blue house. A young woman came out and three girls from our group went over to talk to her. The rest of us stayed back and prayed for them.
While we were praying, one of the girls in the group came up to me and asked if it was ok if she kept praying and asking God to show her something. Of course, I said yes. She moved across the street and began to pray. She came up to me five to ten minutes later and said that God had shown her a boat. I asked her what kind of boat and she said, 'a boat.'
Meanwhile, the girls that were at the house went inside for about five minutes. When they came out, they were smiling like you wouldn't believe. They said that the girl they had talked to was pregnant and her husband had been missing - she thought he was in jail in the States. One of our groups had visited her the day before and had prayed for the lady and her husband. He came home that night. When we showed up, she was ready to accept Christ as her savior and her grandmother was too. Praise God!
We continued walking and got to the house of the person they were looking for. She wasn't there. They talked with her young son - he was 12-14 - and, as we were leaving, I saw Trinity slip him some cash.
We turned a corner and saw a woman carrying a baby who was wearing red shoes. Some of the group started talking with her while about four others from our group went to the next house and started witnessing. The lady with the baby was a Jehovah's Witness. They gave her a tract and a Bible and left her alone after talking with her for a while. I wish I remembered what happened at the other house, but I don't.
As we were leaving, someone came out of that house and went to the bus stop. One of our girls, one who had not said a single word voluntarily the whole time we were out, took Trinity and the pastor's wife and went and talked with the girl at the bus stop. She told me later that she felt a strong push from the Holy Spirit to talk to the girl and she said to God, "If you want me to talk with her, you're going to have to make her come to me." When she looked up, the girl was walking straight at her. Is that cool or what?
It was time to head back, so we headed towards the VBS site, keeping the three people at the bus stop in sight. We stopped at a corner and someone saw a bunch (3) of people wearing yellow shirts standing across from a blue car. They shouted at me, 'Hey, look, there they are.' Meaning, the man in the yellow shirt thing mentioned earlier. I pointed out that none of the people wearing yellow shirts were, technically, male and therefore did not fit the criteria. They acknowledged this and went to talk with them anyway. What the heck, it was what we were there for.
I stayed on the corner so I could keep an eye on both groups. When the group of three left the bus stop, I directed them across the street to the yellow shirts.
I'll never forget what happened next. It was like I was watching a movie that I was also in...does that make sense? I saw a man in a yellow shirt walk by the blue car. I watched Trinity, the pastor's wife, and the junior high girl turn their heads and see the man in the yellow shirt. They headed towards him and he just kept on moving, around the corner and out of the picture. The three of them went to the house behind the blue car and led the father and the daughter to the Lord. Woo Hoo!
I found out later that the blue car had a shamrock hanging from the mirror and the thing that caught the eyes of the three girls was a water truck that drove by with a boat on it.
Why does stuff happen like this? I don't know. Does God do this kind of stuff here in the States? Yes. So what?
If someone is actually reading this, please comment on what you've read. I'd love to know what you think.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
More ATL Stuff
The second ATL I did in Matamoros was a miserable failure. No one shared what God had shown them with any confidence. We didn't know where to go. We didn't find a single thing that we thought God was telling us.
Is that what made it a failure? No. What made it a failure was that I didn't really talk about it with them in the debrief.
So, here's what happened.
I talked with them - they were all boys, with the exception of one female leader - about what we were doing and why. I gave them the verses that have become my staple, Rev 3:20 and John 14:21, and sent them off to pray. They came back and had nothing. No one shared anything except for 'a red arrow.' During our discussion, one of the kids said that he wasn't convinced that God was real...what to do? I sent them off again and this time they came back with a little bit more information. They saw pink. Pink!
I felt a disaster coming on.
We started off in some random direction with Tori leading the way. We would get to an intersection and I would ask them which way we should go. No one would answer. Except for Tori. She got really frustrated with their inaction and ended up leading them around, starting conversations with people (through a translator) and trying to get these boys to do what they should be doing. She was unsuccessful.
We eventually gave up and headed back to the church. No one was saved. We didn't really talk to anyone except for some kids - they may have come to VBS, but I don't know for sure. When we got back, I tried to talk with them about what happened, but it just didn't seem to click. I did talk about whether or not we had heard the voice of God and how we apparently had not, but...it was just weird.
I did two more ATL's on that trip, both with two different teams from Georgia. They were from a different church than the boys mentioned above. On each of those trips, we saw EVERYTHING that God revealed. Why were they so different?
I think that God did reveal things to the boys in my second group and they, for whatever reason, were reluctant to share what it was. I say this for a number, 3, of reasons. 1) In all the ATLs I have done (somewhere around 12), God has always shown things to the people in the group - with the exception of this one group. 2) They were all junior high boys and appeared to be extremely concerned about what everyone thought about them. 3) The church they were from didn't seem to have an open spirit about this kind of thing. By this, I mean that it didn't appear that one could say something like, 'I saw something Irish' as a man did in one ATL I did, without worrying about rejection or condemnation. The other two churches on this trip were eager to see what God was doing while the people from this church stood to the side and sort of just watched. Not that there is anything wrong with watching, but they didn't really participate in most of the out-of-the-box stuff on the trip. At the end of the trip, I did see a definite change of heart in their youth leader. Maybe next year will be different.
Was it really a disaster? I guess it wasn't, at least for me. I learned that I need to make them comfortable with sharing. That I need to NOT take the responsibilty of the ATL's success on me.
The next day, I got to lead two more ATLs and saw God work in powerful ways.
Is that what made it a failure? No. What made it a failure was that I didn't really talk about it with them in the debrief.
So, here's what happened.
I talked with them - they were all boys, with the exception of one female leader - about what we were doing and why. I gave them the verses that have become my staple, Rev 3:20 and John 14:21, and sent them off to pray. They came back and had nothing. No one shared anything except for 'a red arrow.' During our discussion, one of the kids said that he wasn't convinced that God was real...what to do? I sent them off again and this time they came back with a little bit more information. They saw pink. Pink!
I felt a disaster coming on.
We started off in some random direction with Tori leading the way. We would get to an intersection and I would ask them which way we should go. No one would answer. Except for Tori. She got really frustrated with their inaction and ended up leading them around, starting conversations with people (through a translator) and trying to get these boys to do what they should be doing. She was unsuccessful.
We eventually gave up and headed back to the church. No one was saved. We didn't really talk to anyone except for some kids - they may have come to VBS, but I don't know for sure. When we got back, I tried to talk with them about what happened, but it just didn't seem to click. I did talk about whether or not we had heard the voice of God and how we apparently had not, but...it was just weird.
I did two more ATL's on that trip, both with two different teams from Georgia. They were from a different church than the boys mentioned above. On each of those trips, we saw EVERYTHING that God revealed. Why were they so different?
I think that God did reveal things to the boys in my second group and they, for whatever reason, were reluctant to share what it was. I say this for a number, 3, of reasons. 1) In all the ATLs I have done (somewhere around 12), God has always shown things to the people in the group - with the exception of this one group. 2) They were all junior high boys and appeared to be extremely concerned about what everyone thought about them. 3) The church they were from didn't seem to have an open spirit about this kind of thing. By this, I mean that it didn't appear that one could say something like, 'I saw something Irish' as a man did in one ATL I did, without worrying about rejection or condemnation. The other two churches on this trip were eager to see what God was doing while the people from this church stood to the side and sort of just watched. Not that there is anything wrong with watching, but they didn't really participate in most of the out-of-the-box stuff on the trip. At the end of the trip, I did see a definite change of heart in their youth leader. Maybe next year will be different.
Was it really a disaster? I guess it wasn't, at least for me. I learned that I need to make them comfortable with sharing. That I need to NOT take the responsibilty of the ATL's success on me.
The next day, I got to lead two more ATLs and saw God work in powerful ways.
Missionary or Mission Field?
So, I was in Fresno, CA, doing some video taping for Champions For Life (Bill Glass Ministries). Wendell Tyler, former running back for the 49ers, was speaking at one of the banquets and, as he left, he said, 'Remember, you're either a missionary or a mission field.'
For me, it was one of those 'hhhmmmm' moments. You know, when you sort of react and then you freeze, thinking about whatever was just said? Could it be true? Or is this one of those puesdo-profound statements that one reads on church signs?
So, I started thinking. It sounded reasonable. Which one was I? What about the people I go to church with? I mean, it's easy to apply this to the masses of people who don't go to church, but what about those of us who go to church? Am I a mission field? Are my friends a mission field? What about the kids in my sunday school class?
Ok, on some level, we're all a mission field. Everyone needs work at something. No one's perfect.
Having said that, I started to view the people around me in a totally different light. Now, just about everyone I meet or have any contact with, I ask the question, 'are they a missionary or a mission field?'
What, exactly, is a missionary? How does one determine if another person is a missionary or a mission field? I'm glad you asked.
I think that a missionary is someone who shares their faith verbally and with their works.
Does someone share their faith verbally? No? Mission field. Do they go out of their way to share their faith with their works? No? Mission field.
Does this mean that someone who isn't a missionary isn't a good Christian? I don't think that's the point. I think that someone who isn't a missionary just hasn't moved there yet - for whatever reason. I am talking here about small 'm' missionary. Not big 'M'-move-to-Africa-for-the-rest-of-your-life Missionary. I think that everyone is called to be a missionary (see two previous links and Matthew 4:19).
I started looking at my sunday school class as a mission field. Instead of seeing them as little Christians, I started to view them as a mission field and as people who needed to be taught how to be missionaries. While in SS, I presented the gospel whenever I could. I told them stories of the cool stuff that happened to me on my mission trips. I prayed for them (not as much as I should have). Kind of like when I was a teacher and I figured out that the seniors I had looked like adults, but still didn't know how to act like it. I made it my goal to show them how to behave like adults and it paid off.
Well, when I came back from a mission trip in Harlan, KY, the LABC kids had just returned from their mission trip in Matamoros. They were talking about it in SS large group and Caleb stated that he and some of the others in his group had prayed and asked God to show them something. Caleb said that he and a few others got a picture of an old woman that they had seen a day or two before. They found the lady again, talked to her, and she came to faith in Christ!
What does this have to do with our theme today? I asked Caleb about it and he said that he prayed because of the ATL I told him about. He moved from being a mission field to being a missionary. Way cool.
When Carla and I were in Harlan, we started to pray for the salvation of some of the kids on the mission trip. It was apparent that some of them weren't very strong in their faith and that others weren't even saved. By the end of the week, two of them had come to faith in Christ. We viewed them as a mission field, instead of missionaries.
What about you? Are you a missionary or a mission field? If you don't pick...you're a mission field. However, the cool thing is, you get to pick.
For me, it was one of those 'hhhmmmm' moments. You know, when you sort of react and then you freeze, thinking about whatever was just said? Could it be true? Or is this one of those puesdo-profound statements that one reads on church signs?
So, I started thinking. It sounded reasonable. Which one was I? What about the people I go to church with? I mean, it's easy to apply this to the masses of people who don't go to church, but what about those of us who go to church? Am I a mission field? Are my friends a mission field? What about the kids in my sunday school class?
Ok, on some level, we're all a mission field. Everyone needs work at something. No one's perfect.
Having said that, I started to view the people around me in a totally different light. Now, just about everyone I meet or have any contact with, I ask the question, 'are they a missionary or a mission field?'
What, exactly, is a missionary? How does one determine if another person is a missionary or a mission field? I'm glad you asked.
I think that a missionary is someone who shares their faith verbally and with their works.
Does someone share their faith verbally? No? Mission field. Do they go out of their way to share their faith with their works? No? Mission field.
Does this mean that someone who isn't a missionary isn't a good Christian? I don't think that's the point. I think that someone who isn't a missionary just hasn't moved there yet - for whatever reason. I am talking here about small 'm' missionary. Not big 'M'-move-to-Africa-for-the-rest-of-your-life Missionary. I think that everyone is called to be a missionary (see two previous links and Matthew 4:19).
I started looking at my sunday school class as a mission field. Instead of seeing them as little Christians, I started to view them as a mission field and as people who needed to be taught how to be missionaries. While in SS, I presented the gospel whenever I could. I told them stories of the cool stuff that happened to me on my mission trips. I prayed for them (not as much as I should have). Kind of like when I was a teacher and I figured out that the seniors I had looked like adults, but still didn't know how to act like it. I made it my goal to show them how to behave like adults and it paid off.
Well, when I came back from a mission trip in Harlan, KY, the LABC kids had just returned from their mission trip in Matamoros. They were talking about it in SS large group and Caleb stated that he and some of the others in his group had prayed and asked God to show them something. Caleb said that he and a few others got a picture of an old woman that they had seen a day or two before. They found the lady again, talked to her, and she came to faith in Christ!
What does this have to do with our theme today? I asked Caleb about it and he said that he prayed because of the ATL I told him about. He moved from being a mission field to being a missionary. Way cool.
When Carla and I were in Harlan, we started to pray for the salvation of some of the kids on the mission trip. It was apparent that some of them weren't very strong in their faith and that others weren't even saved. By the end of the week, two of them had come to faith in Christ. We viewed them as a mission field, instead of missionaries.
What about you? Are you a missionary or a mission field? If you don't pick...you're a mission field. However, the cool thing is, you get to pick.
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