Victim or Victor?

The story of King David and Mephibosheth is found in 2 Samuel 9. Mephibosheth was the son of David’s good friend Jonathan and the grandson of Saul, the first king of Israel. Mephibosheth was five when his father and grandfather died at Jezreel. At this time he became lame and he had lived nearly his entire life in a crippled condition. David remembered the covenant he had made with his friend and years later went to show kindness to the surviving people of Saul’s house for the sake of Jonathan. When David calls his name, Mephibosheth responds:

“What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”

Recently I heard someone ask “do you have a victim mentality or do you have a victor mentality?”

It seems that Mephibosheth’s identity was based entirely on his disability, when he was in reality the grandson of the king. Apparently he had forgotten his royal roots and was wallowing in self sympathy; he was feeling sorry for himself. Yet as David looked past this man’s disability and recognized who he was; he offered Mephibosheth a place at the King’s table.

Have we allowed our problems and troubles to become our identity? Do we spend our time wallowing in self pity, whining and moaning about the daily struggle of life? Our enemy would love for us to keep our attention on our disabilities and inabilities so that we are side-tracked from the calling of God on our lives. The enemy loves, and wants us to have, a “victim mentality”.

As children of the king, we should not lose focus of who we are. Because of Christ and His work we are re-born into a chosen generation and made to be part of a royal priesthood. David offered Mephibosheth a place at his table. Similarly, the King of the Universe has offered us a place at His table. We are heirs of the Father and joint heirs with the Son of the King; He welcomes us to His great throne.

In our Heavenly Father, we do not have a victim mentality, we can have a champion mentality – we are victors not victims. We have been born of God and we have overcome the world and its methods. Press forward in faith; know who you are in Him and take your rightful seat at the King’s Table.

God With Us

You probably know the Christmas story well. The Gospel writer Matthew tells us that before Mary was married to Joseph, an angel of the Lord appeared to her. The angel told her that God had chosen her among all the young women of the world and that she would have a child by means of the Holy Spirit. As difficult as it may have been for Mary to grasp and even impossible to believe, she agreed to do what God wanted. Later on she told Joseph. That didn’t go so well. Joseph was a godly man who did not want to openly dishonor Mary, so he considered divorcing her (breaking the engagement) quietly.

Before he did this an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told her to not be afraid and to go ahead as he planned and take Mary as his wife because what is created in her is from the Holy Spirit. The angel verified to Joseph that Mary would have a son, and she and Joseph were to call Him Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.

The Old Testament prophets wrote in well over 300 places not only about Jesus’ birth, but they also gave very specific details regarding His death. God let us know from the beginning that Jesus was sent to save God’s people from sin and death. He came to restore the broken relationship between God and man so we could once again have fellowship with our heavenly Father.

Isaiah wrote that Jesus would have the name Emmanuel which means “God with us”. God wants us to know that He is with us all the time in every place. We are never alone. He will not abandon us or forsake us. Whatever our need or wherever or need, God is with us.

Our world today is pretty much the same kind of world He was born into more than 2000 years ago. All the same kinds of problems – economic struggles, social strife, racial unrest, political corruption, religious conflict, moral decay – were looming large on the scene. Yet He has not left. He is still here with us in the middle of our problems.

We often think that Christmas is for the children. We can know for sure that God loves children. It is at this time of year that we focus on the fact that God became a little child and was born in a stable. The baby Jesus whose birth we celebrate is real evidence that God is with us. Emmanuel.

Whatever you may do for Christmas, keep in mind His plan was not to have a holiday with trees and stockings and a fat guy in a red suit. His plan was to be with us. The tree and the fat guy are okay; just don’t forget that God is with us.

Mary and Joseph and later the shepherds were all told “don’t be afraid.” Today the Lord would say the same thing to all of us – don’t be afraid. He is with you.

El Niño

El Niño
By Willie Nelson

He is born
There’s a reason now to carry on
Toot your horns
Write another song

Love is here
Seated at your table now
Not living in a stable now
Love is here

So let us sing
Let us sing
Love is king
Love is here

He is born
There’s a reason now to carry on
Toot you horns
Write another song

Love is here
Seated at your table now
Not living in a stable now
Love is here

Angels sing
About the king
Let it ring
Let us sing
Let us sing
Let us sing
Love is king
Love is here

Reasons for Trials

One of the best tests of Christian growth and maturity is trouble.

When a believer goes through personal trials, they discover the kind of faith they really possess.

Trials not only reveal our faith, but they also develop our character.

James is written to show us that God is trying to produce in us the kind of faith that overcomes. “The trying of your faith works patience.”

Patience is enduring faith, faith with stamina and resilience.

In chapter one, verses one through twelve, James is writing about the trials and tests that come into our lives from outside circumstances.

God is trying to produce in every Christian “faith that overcomes,” that endures, that has staying power.

Too many Christians fall by the wayside when temptations and trials come.

God is trying to produce an inward change by allowing and even ordaining outward trials to build in us an overcoming faith.

He wants us to understand that trials in the Christian life are not unique. They are for every Christian

If you are going through trials right now, realize that God is not picking on you. He has a purpose!

Forgiveness

Former first-baseman Bill Buckner was at Fenway Park for the 2008 Boston Red Sox home opener last month. This may seem inconsequential unless you happen to remember that on October 25, 1986, the Boston Red Sox squared off against the New York Mets in game 6 of the World Series. Boston led 3 games to 2, and had a two-run lead with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning. Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball to Buckner at first base. The ball rolled between his legs and into right field, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run, which forced a seventh game. The Mets won game seven and the 1986 World Series.

The ovation he received from the fans at Fenway this year seemed to say "we forgive you."

One of the fundamental distinctives of the person of our heavenly Father is forgiveness. Forgiveness removes barriers to reconciliation. God is a forgiving God and as His people we are called to be forgiving people who forgive those that wrong us.

Because of unforgiveness, broken relationships are one of the extreme tragedies of life. The unhappiness is compounded when the break involves family members, church members, or close friends.

The plus is that relationships do not need to remain broken. There can be restoration – a relationship “make-over” if you will. As believers we can be agents of healing in broken relationships.

The solution to bringing healing to stressed relationships is to possess a forgiving spirit. Resentment, self-pity, or a general refusal to forgive others will keep us from restoring and being restored.

What is forgiveness? According to one dictionary, to forgive means:
“to give up resentment against, or the desire to punish”
“to stop being angry with”
“to pardon”
“to excuse, let off, exonerate, absolve”

Sometimes the word is used in a legal sense: such as to forgive a debt or to cancel what is owed.

Those who have been forgiven know through practical understanding that there is nothing shallow or superficial about forgiveness.

When forgiveness is genuine, it comes from the heart. It never includes reservations such as “I will forgive, but I cannot forget.” Or qualifications such as “I will forgive as long as you don’t do it again.”

One of the best exemplars of forgiveness in the Bible is the story of Joseph and his brothers. He had a lot to forgive because he had suffered significantly at the hands of his brothers. Their hateful and harmful actions brought to him many years of trouble and hardship in Egypt.

Had Joseph harbored feeling against his brothers, it would have poisoned his spirit. God could not have used him if he had become bitter.

Don't wait twenty-two years to forgive.

It's A Marathon

Excessive concern and worry for this life, or love for the world in which we live, presents an unnecessary burden and distraction to the Christian that pulls him down when he should rise up, and pulls him back when he should press forward. Let go of this world and all its attractions. Live like the new man you are.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:22; “for you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”

When Jesus called for him, blind Bartimaeus threw off his coat and he ran to Jesus on the road to Jericho as reported in Mark 10. He would not let even his clothing slow him down when going to Jesus.

How do we get rid of those things that would slow us down?

Repent. Acknowledge as sin the sin that is keeping you from the best place in God. Then act on your repentance. You have put off the old man. Now put on the new man and live a new life in Christ.

After you have thrown off all hindrances run with perseverance. Where? Where are we to run? There is a specific course to run. Keep moving along the course that is marked out.

Christians have a race to run, a race of service to Christ and His Body, the Church. It is an unpopular course, but we also have a race of suffering for righteousness, a course of active and passive obedience to God.

This race is set before us. It is marked out for us, both by the Word of God and the examples of the faithful servants of God, that cloud of witnesses with which they are compassed about. Ours is a clearly defined course as set out by God-marked boundaries and directions.

Run your race well. Stay on course. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you from the goal line.

Beijing

At 8:00 PM on 8-8-08 – the summer Olympics begin. Hopefully.

Every athlete planning to compete in the Olympic events will throw aside every thing that might impede them in their course: Excess weight; Extra body fat; Poor sleep patterns; Negative emotional influences; All surplus baggage must go. Likewise, followers of Jesus on their race to heaven must throw aside every thing that might hinder them in their Christian race.

Whatever weighs down or holds our hearts or affections to this earth is to be carefully avoided. No person, with the love of the world in his or her heart, can reach the kingdom of heaven. All unreasonable affection and desire for this present life and world must be thrown off.

Care for the present life, or love for it, is a dead weight on the soul that pulls it down when it should rise upwards, and pulls it back when it should press forward. Cut it loose. Throw it off. Don’t allow anything to slow you down.

Why Did Jesus Suffer?

The gospel message is that Jesus shed his blood and died for our sins according to the Scriptures – 1 Corinthians 15:3 and Isaiah 53:4-6

We read that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins – Hebrews 9:22; Ephesians 1:7

Do you ever wonder why couldn’t Jesus have simply died a quick death? We know that animal sacrifices were immediate with a quick slice of the knife. There was no suffering on the part of the bull or goat or lamb. Why did Jesus have to suffer and endure the scourging, mocking, and finally the crucifixion? There is really no arguing the fact that Jesus did suffer. The list is long:

As a fully human man, for thirty-three years He suffered temptation, the daily struggles against sin we endure – Hebrews 4:15; 2:18

He was rejected by those that knew Him best in His own hometown – Luke 4:16, 28-30

He was profanely accused of doing wrong when He was doing good – Luke 11:14-15

He was treated with contempt and disdain by the Pharisees – Luke 16:14

He was deceitfully questioned in an attempt to ensnare Him – Luke 20:20

His own disciples defected – John 6:60-61, 66

His family ridiculed him – John 7:3-5

He endured the disgrace and the indignity of all this while knowing who He was, yet He humbly “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant” – Philippians 2:7

None of the above takes into account Gethsemane or the trial before Caiaphas, the Council, Herod, or Pilate. We have not mentioned the soldiers, the crowd, Barabbas, or the thieves.

Why did Jesus suffer? Why did it please the Lord to bruise Him, to put Jesus to grief (see Isaiah 53:10)? Couldn’t His death for our sins have not been less horrifying and more merciful?

Peter explained in his epistle – 1 Peter 3:18 – the reason for the extreme suffering of Jesus was that God wanted to reconcile us back to Himself – Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. God, with love as His complete motivation, sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins – 1 John 4:9-10

When we see the unbelievably appalling suffering of our Lord, we also see the terribleness of sin. Everyone has sinned. Everyone is a sinner. Sin is universal – Romans 3:23. And there is a terrible outcome to our sin – nothing less than death – Romans 6:23.

In the greatness of the suffering of Jesus we also see the magnitude of God’s love. Just as sin is worldwide, the love of the Father is also worldwide – John 3:16; Romans 5:8. The love of the Son is no less – John 15:13; 1 John 3:16.

Isaiah said it; He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.

Scripture also shows that He also suffered to be our example. He confirmed the value of suffering for the sake of righteousness – 1 Peter 2:20-24. He proved to us that when we are mistreated for doing good, we can and should trust in God to judge appropriately. He showed us how to persevere in our battle against sin according to 1 Peter 4:1-4. When we seek to live for the will of God, instead of the lusts of the flesh and when we endure the ridicule of the people of this world, and when we love one another, and love our enemies – John 13:34-35; Ephesians 5:1-2; Matthew 5:44-45 – we are truly following His perfect example.

We emulate Christ when we love one another as He loved us. And also when we bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who persecute us. This is true imitation Christ. Jesus’ perfect suffering exemplifies how far we must go for the sake of perfect love and perfect righteousness.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps – 1 Peter 2:21.

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator – 1 Peter 4:19.

Sam is a Problem Solver

The situation: Sunday Morning was BGMC (missions) day at our church. Thirty-five first through fifth graders had prepared a song with motions and then came into the sanctuary to present their production from the platform/stage to the adult congregation.

The problem(s): Sam does not like to be up in front of people. Sam does not like to sing publicly. Sam does not like to do motions. In other words, Sam is opposed to anything that draws attention to himself in a public forum.

The solution: As a second grader, Sam has learned, at least tacitly, that the girls are generally bigger than the boys. He has also learned that the girls are generally much more willing to sing publicly and certainly more willing (and able) to do the motions. Therefore, he positioned himself behind a larger and more effusive girl and was content to stand there smiling at the congregation.

Yep, he’s a problem solver.

The True Kingdom

Jesus continued His model prayer by saying “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

The Kingdom of God is His presence. We need His presence established in our lives. God’s Kingdom has a King – Jesus. As followers of Christ, we should ask Jesus to establish His rulership over our lives.

God’s Kingdom should be established in four major areas according to the pattern of heaven – from personal to public.

First, His Kingdom should be established in my life according to the pattern in heaven.

Secondly, His Kingdom should be established in my family for my mate and my children and the atmosphere in our home.

Thirdly, His Kingdom should be established in my church. Pray God’s Kingdom will for the pastor and other leaders in the local church.

Fourthly, His Kingdom should be established in my nation. Pray for God’s will in America (or your nation), your state, your city, your community, and your neighborhood.

May God’s will be done in our lives and through our lives to His glory.

This Is How You Should Pray

For some people, it is easy to pray and for others it seems difficult to get through to God. Jesus, God’s Son, gave clear instruction as to how we should not pray and how we should pray to have victory in our lives. What is referred to in the Sermon on the Mount (Plain) as the Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13. A similar prayer is in Luke 11:2-4

Jesus’ opening statement gives praise to God: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Praise God for who He is.

Psalm 22:3 says “You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the holy One of Israel.”

We can praise Him because He is: Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Healer, Deliverer, Helper, Provider, Savior, and more. He is enthroned upon our praises and sits down among us. We are to bless the Lord.

“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” – Psalm 34:11.

The prophet Isaiah tells us to put on the garment of praise.

"To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

Take off the heavy coat; the heaviness and despair. When I am in despair, I will worship Him. Tell God who He is; it will build your faith in Him. Look what You have done. You are great! You do miracles! There is no one else like You!

Psalm 90:2 – “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

Psalm 121:1 – "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Isaiah understood the importance of building his own faith in God."

Isaiah knew God and what he had done.
He acknowledged what God had done.
He glorified God for what He had done.

Romans 1:20-21 shows the contrast of those people that refused to acknowledge God. When we know who He is and what He has done we can better see what He will do. Do you know what God has done and what God will do in your life?

Noah Found Grace - Final

Noah was a just man, He was justified by faith in the promised seed that he never knew; “By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” – Hebrews 11:7.

He was sanctified and he was righteous in his conversation; He was a man who made God's ethics his own ethics and was careful to give to God His due and to men theirs. Only a completely honest man or woman can find favor with God.

Noah was perfect, not with a sinless perfection, but a perfection of sincerity; He was not perfectly holy, or free from sin, but he was a recipient of the true grace of God; as we accept Christ’s work of grace, His righteousness is accepted as our perfection.

Noah walked with God, as Enoch had done before him.

He was not only honest, but also devoted and dedicated; he walked with God. He knew that God saw him. And lived accordingly.

He lived a life in relationship with God; it was Noah’s unwavering desire to conform himself to the will of God, to please Him, and to approve himself to Him and not men.

Noah was righteous and perfect and walked with God, in his generation.

He did not ask to be born in that corrupt degenerate age. But he was born into that sinful society and he lived in that society with his eye toward heaven and his ear toward heaven that he might see and hear God and act for Him.

No one else in all the world of his day could be described this way. We are called to be like Noah in our generation; to be just, sanctified, perfect, and to walk with God. While we live in a wicked fallen world, we are here to walk with God and show others the way to God.

Noah Found Grace - Part 3

The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

All kinds of sin were being done among men. Man had corrupted worship of God. Sin filled the earth with violence. The corruption spread. The sordidness and pollution of sin had filled the whole earth. This wickedness brought about God’s determination to wipe out all living things in the world.

History has shown us that when wickedness is the general rule of a society, the destruction and fall of that society is not far off. It does not take much for mankind to be brought down to a level not too much different from that of the wild animals.

Whenever there is a remnant (however small) of praying people in a nation, to empty the measure of wickedness as it fills up, judgment for sin may be postponed.

If all of society seems to be hard at work to pull down the boundary markers of morality and righteousness by continual sin, and there is no one stand in the gap to make up the breach, what can be expected but a flood of divine wrath to wash away the flood of sin?

By God's own evaluation, Noah and his family were the only exception to the universal apostasy of the land. God always reserves some, in the worst of times, for Himself. There was a remnant, according to the work of God’s grace; it was a small one, but there was a remnant. This grace, which Noah found was the favor and good will of God. Noah was acceptable to God; God was pleased with Noah.

He found favor with God, and consequently was directed by God to build an ark for the purpose saving of himself and his family and the various animals. He found favor with God, and because of that favor he had the honor of being the preserver of mankind, and the father of a new world.

Genesis 6:9 says “These are the generations of Noah.” Or this is the account of his descendants, of those persons that were to come after him, that were born from him, and populated and inhabited the earth after the flood.

These are mentioned in the next verse. The genealogy of Adam is carried on from Adam to Noah, Genesis 5:1 the old world ends at the flood, the genealogy of the new world begins with Noah:

Whatever the past of your family may be, whatever sin and wickedness there may be; you can be Noah in your generation to bring a change for righteousness. Make a difference. Live right before God and receive His favor.

“By his faith Noah condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” – Hebrews 11:7.

Noah Found Grace - Part 2

It is not likely that Noah found favor in the eyes of men; they hated and persecuted him, because both by his life and his preaching he condemned the world. He found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It is not likely that the world will respect us and hold us in high regard for our faith in God. The Bible gives a number of examples of godly people who were hated by their generation. The world will (does) revile you and me as well. Keep in mind this; you and I do not answer to our generation. We answer to God.

There are some big people in our world. There are some powerful people in business, in finance, in society, in sports, in politics. But none are so big as the one who comes to the Father like a little child and asks for the kingdom of heaven. God looks down with an eye of favor and grace to those men and women and young people and children, who look up to Him with an eye of faith.

It calls for strong faith to stay off of the broad road, and to stand for, and live for, God when no one else will stand for Him; Noah did. So must we. This should be the high point of our life’s purpose, to find grace in the eyes of the Lord; this is what we work toward.

So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it – 2 Corinthians 5:9.

Eight Reasons Why Prayers May Not Be Answered

Here is something to think about when it seems our prayers are not answered:

1. We may have a wrong motive in prayer – James 4:3.
2. There may be a cherished sin in our heart – Psalm 66:18.
3. Lack of love in action may keep us from answers to prayer – 1 John 3:20-22.
4. Any unforgiveness hinders prayers – Mark 11:25.
5. A lack of consideration and respect between husband and wife hinders prayer – 1 Peter 3:1-7.
6. Lack of generosity with God and His people will hinder prayers – Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:19.
7. Lack of belief or trust in God hinders answers to prayer – James 1:5-7; Psalm 37:5-7.
8. The resistance of the enemy may keep your prayers unanswered (temporarily) – Daniel 10:12-13.

if . . .

“if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Revival is an amazing and astounding outpouring of the Spirit of God on His people. God brings a fresh awareness of His holiness and power and at the same time reveals man’s personal sinfulness, spiritual insufficiency and desperate need of Him. Christians who have hidden sin or spiritual laziness are revived. They come back to life. There is a new focus on God and His word, holy fellowship and heavenly worship. There is a new excitement for sharing the Gospel and winning lost people to Christ. Preaching takes on new enthusiasm and huge numbers of people put their faith in Christ.

God removes, through man's repentance and forgiveness, ungodly behavior, immorality, dishonesty, and selfishness, etc. replacing them with His righteousness, peace, joy, generosity, kindness. The fruit of the Spirit is allowed to grow. There have been times in past revivals when entire towns or areas and sometimes even nations have been affected.

Historically when God is preparing to send revival He will raise up people and give them a distinctive burden to pray for the outpouring of His Spirit. This period of prayer can last for years. And then in His appointed time, God answers and showers down the power of His Spirit.

In His divine plan, God is raising up prayer warriors to pray for revival. Are you one whom He has chosen and called for this great work? Will you obey? Will you pray for revival until God sends it?

Noah Found Grace

I love the Guinness Book of World Records. It is full of unique people that have distinguished themselves for one reason or another. And, the Guinness people have approved their uniqueness.

In the Old Testament, Noah has been distinguished from the rest of the world. There is an uncommon note of honor given to him. Noah’s uniqueness is unique. God has approved his uniqueness.

The Lord said to him, “I have seen you righteous before Me in this generation.”

When God was displeased with the rest of the world, He was pleased with Noah: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, Genesis 6:8.

We see the rightness of God’s justice in His displeasure against the world. He had closely examined the character of every person in it before He pronounced it universally corrupt.

There was one good man, God found him, and smiled upon him.

The grace that Noah found in God distinguished him from all his contemporaries, and brought him favor with God, yet also brought him under an especially strong obligation.

Noah was called upon to build the vessel by which God would save His creation. He was also called to be the vessel by which God would save His creation. We do have an obligation to our sinful society.

Be Thankful

Earlier this morning, surrounded by the standard Thanksgiving gourd-and-corn-husk decor in the White House Rose Garden and in keeping with a fabled tradition started by President Truman sixty years ago, George W. Bush give his Presidential word to May the turkey that he would not be dished up with a side of yams and cornbread on Thanksgiving Day. May’s feathered crony Flower was also promised clemency.

The President joked that the names May and Flower were certainly better than the names Vice-President Cheney suggested, which were ‘Lunch’ and ‘Dinner’.

Chortles and chuckles arose from the audience. Gobble Gobble Gobble emanated from May the turkey. It was such a grand day for all.

Remember to be thankful. Only a turkey is not thankful.

To The Sudan

Zac and Shelley are going to the Sudan next month. They were at church Sunday night telling about their journey. Not so much their journey to the Sudan as much as their journey to decide to go to the Sudan. There were three things that Zac said that I want to pass on to you.

First, as a missionary, you must expect him to say this: "Every Christian has a role to play in the Great Commission." Yes, we do know this to be truth. Yet we also need to be reminded and re-challenged with this nugget. Please consider yourself reminded. I have.

Second. He and Shelley were both school teachers. Zac mentioned that he was praying several years ago and he was telling the Lord all about the plans he had for his life (like you and I do sometimes). The Lord spoke to him (not audibly, but clearly) and asked Zac, "What about the plans that I have for your life?" Wow, good question for all of us. What about the plans that God has for your life? Has He asked something of you that you have yet to do?

Third, as school teachers for six years they were preparing to run a school in the Sudan. Understand that they were not consciously preparing to run this school (they did not as yet know they were going to the Sudan), yet the skills and experiences they were picking up in the school systems where they worked were giving them great advantages for what the Lord knew they would be doing in 2008 and beyond.

This third point is powerful. What are you and I doing right now that we may or may not enjoy or like? Yet can we grasp that this experience (that we sometimes fight against) is possibly preparing us for some work that the Lord has for us to do in 3 or 5 or 7 years.

Don't quit now. See you in the Sudan.

Window Wednesday

On Wednesday I ask that you pray for one nation in the 10/40 Window. Today we lift up the people of Eritrea. I am not making any political statements or judgments, I am simply asking for prayer for some people in need. Join us if you can.

Eritrea, East Africa

Population: 4,906,585

Political Leader: President Isaias Afworki
Religions: Islam 48%, Christianity 47.4%, Other 4.6%
Persecution Ranking: No. 13
Number of Terrorist Groups: 4
Acts of Terrorism: 5; Casualties: 16
Percent of Corruption: 71%
% of People in Poverty: 50%

Location:
Eritrea is a country situated in northern East Africa. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south and Djibouti in the southeast. The east and northeast of the country have an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands are part of Eritrea. The country is virtually bisected by one of the world's longest mountain ranges, the Great Rift Valley, with fertile lands to the west and the descent to desert in the East.

Terrorism:
The United States said in August 2007 that it was considering putting Eritrea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism for allegedly funneling weapons to insurgents fighting the Ethiopian-backed government in Somalia. A U.N. monitoring group said in July 2007 that large quantities of arms, including surface-to-air missiles, were flowing from Eritrea to Somalia. Eritrea has denied sending the weapons. Diplomats say Eritrea and Ethiopia have been waging a proxy war in Somalia since last year, when Eritrea backed a hard-line Islamist movement against the country's government.

Religion:
The religious population of Eritrea is comprised of 48% Muslims and just over 47% of the population are Christians. Following a 2002 government decree that religious groups must register, the government closed all religious facilities not belonging to the country’s four principal religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church of Eritrea, Islam and the Roman Catholic Church.

Challenges for Christians:
Eritrea is ranked No. 13 among nations that are the worst persecutors of Christians based on Open Doors 2007 “World Watch List.” On August 19, 2007, 10 members of the Full Gospel Church were arrested as they worshipped in a house in Asmara. Some 2,000 Eritrean Protestants are presently suffering for their faith under appalling conditions in prison. Recently, a group of 10 single Christian women who had been in prison for some 18 months were separated from other prisoners and taken to the Weaa Military Training Centre. The women were then ordered to recant their faith and were tortured when they refused. On September 5, 2007, Nigsti Haile, 33, was tortured to death. She is the fourth Christian to die in custody due to torture. The systematic persecution of Protestants began in mid-2002. Some Eritrean Catholic and Orthodox churches also have since come under attack for resisting the government's attempts to control them. On August 16, 2007, the government ordered that all schools, clinics, orphanages and women's vocational training centers of Eritrea's Catholic Church be turned over to the government's Ministry of Social Welfare and Labor. The government routinely dismissed U.S. government concerns, citing the absence of conflict between Christians and Muslims within the country and its concerns about disruptive practices of some religious groups that it feared would disrupt the country's “social harmony.” In November 2006, the U.S. Secretary of State again designated Eritrea as a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Prayer Points:
Pray Eritrea to stop supporting hardline Islamist numerous terrorist groups.
Eritrea is one of the world's most violently repressive states and religious liberty continues to deteriorate. Pray that God will bring change to Eritrea.
Pray that even amidst their suffering, Eritrea’s Christian prisoners may experience the presence and love of Christ and be strengthened and enabled by the Spirit of God to both endure suffering and radiate grace. Pray that God would bless and comfort the Church in Eritrea.
Pray for Christian solidarity, empathy and brotherly love to take root in the Eritrean Church across denominational lines so that spiritual unity may be a fruit of this persecution.
Pray that God will awaken more European leaders to the great need for religious liberty advocacy in Eritrea.
Pray that there will a genuine end to the hostility between Eritrea and Ethiopia and humility and trust between the two countries’ leaders.
Government restrictions have stopped Christian organizations from bringing help and aid into Eritrea and made it hard for any Christians to go and live or work there. Pray that these restrictions would be lifted.
A third of the population are Tigre, who are almost entirely Muslim. Pray for the few Tigre who are Christians that they can be a powerful witness in their lives.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Wikipedia, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, Reuters, World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty.

Window Wednesday

Today we focus our thoughts on the area of the West Bank located in the Middle East in the 10/40 Window and request your prayers for the people of this region. As always, nothing political, just a request to lift up to God some prayers for some folks in need. Thanks for your help.

West Bank, Middle East

Population: 2,535,927
Political Leader: President Mahmoud Abbas
Religions: Islam 75%, Judaism 17%, Other 8%
Persecution Ranking: Not Ranked
Number of Known Terrorist Groups: 35 (Includes both Gaza Strip & West Bank)
Acts of Terrorism: 2,032; Casualties: 560 (Includes both Gaza Strip & West Bank)
Percent of People in Poverty: 45.7%

Location:
The West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, is a landlocked territory on the west bank of the Jordan River in the Middle East. Since 1967, most of the West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation. Most of the residents are Palestinians, although large numbers of Israeli settlements have also been built in the region.

Terrorism:
Israeli security sources expressed concern that Al Qaeda and other external Sunni extremists were attempting to infiltrate the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On March 21, 2006, an Israeli military court in the West Bank charged two Palestinians with conspiracy to cause death, active membership in Al Qaeda, illegal assembly, and other charges. According to the charges, the two men created an Al Qaeda cell in the West Bank city of Nablus, were recruiting to form other Al Qaeda cells in the West Bank, were preparing to carry out large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel, and were receiving funds and instructions from Al Qaeda in Jordan. One of the two men had also been a member of Hamas and Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

In response to continuing threat information, Israeli security forces have launched frequent arrest and detention raids throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, conducted targeted killings of suspected Palestinian terrorists, imposed strict and widespread closures and curfews in Palestinian areas, conducted aerial attacks on buildings affiliated with designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations in the Gaza Strip, and continued the construction of an extensive security fence in the West Bank. Israeli security forces arrested and held without trial or charges Hamas and other Palestinian lawmakers and Palestinian Authority ministers from the West Bank.

On numerous occasions in 2006, Israeli security forces raided the West Bank offices of Hamas' Dawaa organization, charging that the offices were providing financial support to families of suicide bombers and imprisoned terrorists under the guise of charity. Israeli security forces also raided foreign exchange bureaus in the West Bank, confiscating millions of counterfeit shekels that Israeli security sources suspected originated in Iran, were transferred by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizballah offices in Syria and Lebanon, and were earmarked for terrorist acts.

Religion:
75% Muslims and 17% Jewish. A small percentage are Christian.

Prayer Points:
Pray that God would defeat the work of terrorist groups Hamas, Al Qaeda, Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizballah in the West Bank.
Pray that the Lord will contend with those who contend with non-combatants Hizballah in the West Bank, and that the Lord will fight against those who fight against the innocent. (Exodus 14:21-31)
Ask the Lord to overrule decisions which may divide Israel. Pray that decisions may be taken out of man’s hands. (Proverbs 19:21)
Ask the Lord to give the “West Bank” (Judea and Samaria) settlers wisdom and strength to present their case to the nation, and give the rest of the nation a heart for the settlers.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, WorldNetDaily.com, Wall Street Journal, Intercessors for Israel.

Keep It Fresh - Sorry It's Long

If you have hit a snag in your life of prayer, try shaking things up during your personal time with the Lord a bit by altering your style. Here are just a couple very easy changes that might help you get a fresh perspective on your much needed prayer time.

Pray out loud. If your personality is to be quiet and you have a propensity to pray silently, forcing yourself to pray out loud will add a fresh dynamic to your prayer. Don't let the sound of your own voice in prayer intimidate you. There is nothing to fear. You have not been given a spirit of fear. Rather, you have a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. Nothing less!

Or, you may need to be quiet. "Be still and know that I am God." Let Him tell you that He is God. If you are inclined to talk to God more than you listen, be silent and allow God to speak back to you! [You know the old reminder – two ears and one mouth . . .] Sometimes silence is scary. Don’t be afraid to sit and listen.

Memorize the Scripture. Turn the Word over in your mind. Mull it over. This means to be deliberate about bringing it back into your mind during the day. The more the Word gets into your mind, the more it will be in your heart.

Take memorization of the Bible a step further and meditate on the Word. Moses told Joshua to meditate on the Law day and night. Get a portion of scripture and personalize it. Put your name [or someone else’s name] in there. Allow yourself to spend time thinking about each phrase and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Word.

Use a simple guide or a pattern like A-C-T-S in your prayer time – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Adore the Lord - Worship Him. Confession - Confess your sins, weaknesses, fears, short-comings, etc. Thanksgiving - in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you. Supplication - ask the Lord for those things that you might need. This is merely an often used idea. Make up your own acrostic and keep it fresh.

Youth Convention

My older two kids just returned home from Momentum Youth Convention. They went with 47 others from our church here in town. They also met up with several friends from where we pastored up in the suburbs.

I definitely like these kind of events as they allow the kids a venue to be with thousands of other Jesus loving teenagers. This helps to affirm their faith and encourage them as they walk the walk. My daughter was talking a mile a minute about the different friends she saw. Several kids from camp, a girl from PK retreat, another girl from convention last year, her counselor from camp, etc. She even ran into a boy from her algebra class.

There was great worship, solid seminars, and challenging preaching. I am looking forward to hearing their testimonies in church tomorrow PM. I am thankful.

If they'll give me a picture or two, I will post them here.

Keeping Christmas by Henry Van Dyke

Tonight we change our clocks - fall back. Christmas is seven weeks and two days away. That's not too early to begin to think about how you will keep Christmas. You will remember that Mr. Scrooge did not keep Christmas. The following is a quite old (1924?) writing by Henry Van Dyke about "keeping" Christmas.

Keeping Christmas

Are you willing...

to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you;

to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;

to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;

to see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy;

to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;

to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness.

Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;

to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old;

to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;

to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;

to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;

to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;

to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open—

Are you willing to do these things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—

stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—

and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

Just One Will Do

In the twenty-second chapter of Ezekiel, there is a serious accusation leveled against Israel for their sins. The religious leaders were guilty. The people were guilty. The prophets were using their position for personal gain.

God looked for an intercessor. If God could have found an intercessor, the situation would have been turned around. Things could have changed. God didn’t just glance out the window for a quick look. He sought for an intercessor. Nobody could be found.

The history of God’s people in the scriptures and up to the present day, including your history and mine, is the account of many individuals who have made a difference in the Kingdom. We are too slow to take hold of what one prayer can do for the cause of Christ. We live in a time when it seems polls and statistics and approval ratings are very important. Everyone wants to be in the majority. People don’t want to be seen as being against popular opinion.

God is not looking for celebrities, or stars. He is looking for just one man or one woman who is committed to Him. God wants the individual that will give himself or herself to the kind of intercessory prayer that will turn back the influences that are destroying our society. It is time to stand up.

Brothers, Pray For Me

It seems that the ministry of intercession is becoming a lost ministry in the church today. Maybe we are busy. Maybe we do not have time to spend in prayer. We should not and cannot allow admittedly busy schedules to keep us from this important act of kingdom work.

Intercession takes time but it is also rewarding. When we see God answer our prayers for others, we are encouraged all the more to pray and to go before the throne on behalf of another.

God calls and God equips intercessors. Daniel’s life shows us an example of intercessory prayer. Daniel’s example is extraordinary because he lived and prayed in a time that was not safe to be an intercessory pray-er.

He was surrounded by a heathen and pagan people, yet he never let up in his prayer. Intercessory prayer can be a struggle that requires deep commitment and persistence. I pray that we will all see the value of this ministry and allow the example of Daniel to impact us. Pray.

Window Wednesday

Today we focus our thoughts on the nation of Kazakhstan located in Central Asia in the 10/40 Window and request your prayers for the people of this nation. Again, nothing political, just an effort to lift up to God some prayers for some folks in need.

Population: 15,284,929 - Kazakhs, a Turkic-speaking people who are the region's original inhabitants, make up more than half of the population; Russians constitute nearly one-third, as do small minorities of Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans, and others.

Political Leader: President Nursultan Nazarbayev

Location: Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is drawn out over a enormous area of northern and central Eurasia. As the ninth largest state in the world, it is bordered by Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China. The country also borders on a significant part of Caspian Sea. Even though it is huge in size, much of the land is made up of semi-desert terrain.

Terrorism: Kazakhstan continued to face a growing problem with the Islamic extremist group Hizb’ut Tahrir, which remained outlawed as an “extremist” organization through the Law on Extremism and continued to be the only group so designated under this law.

Religion: Muslims comprise 60.5% of Kazakhstan’s population, while Christians make up 24.7%.

Prayer Points:
Pray that Kazakhstan will continue to aggressively combat terrorism and extremism locally.
Pray that members of terrorist organizations Hizb’ut Tahrir, the East Turkistan Liberation Organization and Aum Shinrikyo will be caught and properly dealt with for their continued violence against innocent people. (Mark 4:22)
Pray that the influence of Al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Taliban and other terrorist organizations will not spread to Kazakhstan. (2 Timothy 2:24–26)
Thank God that only several years ago there were hardly any Christians in Kazakhstan, but now there are more than 6,000 in over 40 congregations. Pray that the Church will continue to grow among young people.
In 2000, more than 20,000 Christians from across Central Asia gathered in Kazakhstan for a prayer event held in a stadium. Pray for continued blessing and unity for all those who were there.

Sources: 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors.

Get Outta Town

There are several very interesting points about the story of the blind man in Mark chapter eight. You know the story; it’s the one wherein Jesus spit on the blind man’s eyes. Probably not covered by too many HMO’s.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this story for me is that it seems our blind friend was in a place, the village of Bethsaida, where he did not belong.

When I was a young boy, the boundaries were set – Wood Street to the north; the grade school to the east, the empty lot to the south, and the park to the west. They were generous boundaries, but still boundaries. There were some places I did not belong and was not allowed to go.

Read this story starting in verse twenty-two. First, Jesus took him by the hand and led him outside the village. Do your own study on Bethsaida and you’ll see several possible reasons that Jesus did this.

Secondly, after Jesus healed the man (there is a lot in the healing itself that we’ll save for another day), He sent him home, telling him to not return to the village.

God has boundaries; there are places that His children do not belong.

Where are you? Not just physically, but spiritually. Where is your heart? What are you doing? Where is your focus? What are your hopes, desires, and expectations? If you are not totally centered on Jesus Christ, you must make a choice.

Leave the place where you are and go home to the place where you belong. Allow Him to take you by the hand and lead you away from where you are. Let Him touch you and restore your life to you. Then do not return to that former life. And everything will all be very clear to you.

Do You Have the Time?

I believe Albert Einstein said it like this, “God doesn’t play dice.”

What the Creator of the Universe does is exercise a providential oversight in our lives which infinitely surpasses our awareness and ability to understand.

God is never off in His timing. His timing is superlative. I believe that from time to time God allows us experiences that we would rather not share to permit us to see, as they say “the Big Picture.” He wants to remind us that His timing is always perfect, in every aspect of our lives.

As humans, we instinctively doubt the timing of God, and this failure to trust is the basis to much of our worry. If we were to take a close look at our experience, we truly would see how perfect His timing actually is. Thanks to the benefit of hindsight (which is often 20/20) we are able to see that His timing has always been right on the bulls-eye in the daily events of our lives.

To repeat Pastor Jerry from several posts earlier, “God always has the right man in the right place at the right time.”

Window Wednesday

Tonight I will begin Window Wednesday, whereby I will focus on one nation in the 10/40 Window (see below) and solicit your prayers for the people of said nation. Nothing political, just an attention to prayer for some folks in need. I’ll start with Chad as my friend Thomassin lives in Chad. Thomassin is a strong believer. Chad has many camels.

Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the “Dead Heart of Africa.” Chad is divided into three major geographical regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south.

Terrorism in Chad has been used by rebel groups a means of opposing the successive dictatorships since Chadian independence in 1960. Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno has said that his ongoing battle against rebels and Janjaweed militiamen based in Sudan is a war against Islamic extremists. In August 2004, United States troops were in Chad training some of the country’s elite forces in how to fight Al Qaeda or any of its allies in the region.

Religion: Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. French and Arabic are the official languages. Islam is the most widely practiced religion. Christians make up 27.8% of Chad’s population.

Challenges for Christians: Many Chadian Muslims have been recruited as mercenaries to attack and kill Christians in Nigeria. The country is almost equally divided between Muslim northerners, who are politically more powerful, and increasingly more marginalized Christian/ethnic religion southerners.

Pray for the government of Chad to continue to combat terrorism.
Pray that the country won’t become a breeding ground for terrorism.
Pray for God to thwart any work of Al Qaeda and Janjaweed militiamen in Chad.

With 200 people groups and 120 languages, Chad is one of the most unreached countries in Africa and presents a challenge to the Gospel. Pray for laborers to be sent to this harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38).

Chad is one of 10 poorest countries in the world. It lies in the heart of the African continent and suffers from low rainfall and severe droughts. Pray for Christian humanitarian groups to come and minister in Chad.

People from a Muslim background are starting to respond to the Gospel. Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to more and more Muslims.

Pray for continued peace and freedom in all ethnic and religious communities. Islam is growing in influence and numbers in Chad. More and more Muslim nations are sending missionaries to Chad and more mosques are being built.

Pray that Christians might be equipped to witness to this community. Pray that the churches in Chad would grow and mature in their faith and discipleship. Many congregations mix Christianity up with other ideas and beliefs and can be legalistic. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be working to bring true freedom in their lives.

There are more unreached peoples in Chad than anywhere else in Africa. Pray for ongoing support and protection for missionaries already working here. Pray also that God would call many to dedicate years to learning the languages and building the Kingdom in Chad.

Sources: Window International Network, 24-7 Prayer, Operation World, Wikipedia, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2007, Open Doors, BBC

The Biggest Loser

Be a part of the NBC phenomenon. Drop weight and change your life. I know a lady whose sister, Sharon, lost over 200 pounds. That’s what I weigh. Total. Our society is completely caught up in this – it really is a – phenomenon. So much effort is put into getting and staying in shape. Hey, round is a shape. Seriously, huge amounts of time and money are thrown into the fitness industry in an attempt to keep the physical man alive a little longer. What about the spiritual man? What would the church look like if we put the energy into our spirit man that we put into our physical man? We're talking some buff disciples.

From Hebrews chapter twelve: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Not too much in life is easy. We often have a rough road to travel. This is not complaining, it’s just the truth. I see two words in the above scripture that are important. First word: Endure. Suffer and continue and carry on. When was the last time you sweat it out spiritually?

Second word: Later. Afterward. In a while. Not right now. Not instantly. The harvest comes later. The reward comes later, after we have endured. Sometimes the reward comes much later.

Once again the challenge is keep it up. Don’t quit now. Today is a good day to not give up.

This Is Gonna’ Hurt (More Than) A Little

It is not likely any of us will pass through this life without getting hurt. After all most of us did come into this world screaming. Pain and disappointment are unavoidable as we travel on this ball of dirt. It is how we handle the inevitable setbacks that builds our character and prepares us for eternity. This is not about mind over matter, but our mindset and outlook will help to determine the level of our resistance to trouble.

In spite of of the hardships we face or the mistakes we make, the end of our lives can either be full of praise and thanksgiving to God for all we had – or full of moaning and complaining and griping about what might have been. In the final breakdown, what we have experienced in life can be as rich as the dreams we have seen fulfilled or as agonizing as the regrets we lament.

The painful disappointments in life have a way of never leaving us. I heard someone recently say that disappointments “enter our hearts like fire and then harden into our nature like lava.” Difficulties can leave us hesitant to take new risks and cause us to be suspicious of new friends. If we have been wounded, we are often less likely to be transparent in the next relationship. We are understandably fearful about being hurt again. Gradually, unless we learn to handle sorrow and sadness appropriately, we become resentful and skeptical, even cynical. We lose our joy.

We were made to praise God. Try to keep an attitude and a life-style of praise. Paul said to “Rejoice evermore.” He also said, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you.” There’s no promise of an easy road here. Let the joy of the Lord strengthen you and you will find the journey to be more bearable. Keep walking and looking up.

Ship of the Desert

Camels are able to travel immeasurable distances in the desert. They can drink from waterholes far too bitter or brackish for humans or other animals. They can and will eat almost anything. People have been known to survive on what is in a camel’s stomach. Camels provide milk. The animal’s dry dung can easily be burned as fuel. "Hey Ned, what's that on the barby?"

A camel has a extremely leathery mouth and tongue and very strong tooth enamel, enabling it to eat thorny desert plants. These beasts can drink 100 liters of water within 10 minutes and store it in its hump for future use. They can live without taking in water for several days.

Their hide allows excess body temperature to emanate out and protect them from cold night air. Camels also sweat to dissipate heat but the sweat is not seen. They will tolerate up to 25% weight loss (which is double the dehydration level in most mammals) without the thickening of the blood that would cause death in other mammals.

They have multiple tear glands and double rows of long, curled eyelashes to protect their eyes from blowing sand. They can close their noses during sandstorms. Their wide, padded toes are insulated to protect against the extreme heat of the sand. The tough yet flexible web of the toes prevents them from sinking into the sand.

The camel is an amazing animal. Awesome work by our God.

Location, Location, Location

In this Psalm of ascents, we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The City of David is such a critical location. It is in the Scriptural heart of what many prayer warriors call the 10/40 Window - that geographic area from north Africa east to Japan that is 10 degrees north to 40 degrees north of the Equator.

I say Scriptural heart of the Window because so much of what is happening in Jerusalem impacts the rest of the Window and the entire world.

There is a great need for prayer for Jerusalem. Pray for peace, for security, and for the true and living God of the Bible to be glorified in the City and out to every nation in the 10/40 Window.

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."

8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Pray Every Day - It Is Important

Jesus taught us the critical significance of regular daily prayer. He said, “Always pray, never lose heart” – Luke 18:1. He also said to talk with the Father day and night – Luke 18:7. When He taught His disciples to pray as recorded in Luke 11:3, He told them to ask God for their daily needs.

Jesus set an example of daily prayer by praying during virtually every kind of circumstance we might face:

He prayed at His baptism.

He prayed all night long before He chose His disciples.

He prayed when He broke bread and gave it to others.

He prayed during sad times such as while at the tomb of His friend Lazarus.

Jesus prayed while in deep agony.

He prayed as He neared His death by crucifixion.

He prayed while on the cross.

By His example, we see that Jesus undoubtedly made it a priority to pray. Luke 5:16 reads "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed". He sometimes sent the crowds off to their homes and “went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray” – Matthew 14:23. We also read in Mark 1:35 that Jesus got up and got out of the house "very early in the morning" and "went off to a solitary place where He prayed".

The meaning cannot and must not be lost. Prayer is important. Prayer was important to Jesus. We should have the same mind-set.

Do You Pray?

We should always pray and not get tired (faint) because prayer does make a difference in our world and in our own lives. God answers prayer. He works in our lives to bring answers to the needs and problems we experience. I can’t tell you exactly how He “works” but I do know that circumstances and situations change when people pray. God hears, listens, and responds. Difficult situations are reversed when people pray. Obstacles are removed when people pray. Diseases are healed, strength is received, guidance is given, hearts are softened, needs are met. I know that when I pray for others it helps them. But I also know that when I pray, I am changed.

Keep on praying. If you have nothing else to pray for, pray for me.

It's A Delight to Do

I wrote earlier that when we release our will to the Father we will be released from ourselves. In submitting, we are willingly (and rightly) yielding to Him and His Lordship.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart – Psalm 34:7.

Delight yourself also in the Lord – expect all your happiness from Him, and seek it in Him. Too many people are unhappy because of unrealistic expectations in life. He will give to you the desires of your heart. The godly man or woman never indulges a desire that he or she cannot speak as a prayer to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him – Colossians 3:17.

Whatever you do in word or deed – let your words be right, and your actions upright. It is not possible to sin while considering His name and all that it means. Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus – begin with Him, and end with Him; call upon His name, and pray for His direction and support, in all that you do; and then every work of your hand will be crowned with the success of heaven. Doing every thing in the name of the Lord, and submitting every thing to His glory, is as logical as it is righteous. In yielding to God, you will find forgiveness and freedom. And that, my friends, is a great thing.

I am looking forward to heading north to Industry this Sunday to preach for Pastor Jon. Thanks for your prayers.

In the Garden

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go off and pray over there.” – Matthew 26:36

To a place called Gethsemane. The word means “oil-press,” and would signify that a press for making oil out of the olives, which grew in abundance on the mountain, was built there. This was on the western slope of the Mount of Olives.

It was here in Gethsemane that Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”

His anguish and sorrow can be explained only in this way – He suffered, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.

The weight of grief and despair was literally crushing the life out of Jesus’ body. We see the depth of our Lord’s commitment. This prayer was preparation for the cross. We contrast this to the superficial religion of the Pharisees. They were hypocritical: excellent talk but pitiable walk. They were shallow and insincere. Will we persevere in our devotion?

“He found them asleep”

It is so easy to give in to the flesh – The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak – and their eyes were heavy.

Others will likely fail us. What will we do? What did Jesus do when His disciples failed? He went back and prayed a second time. He went back and prayed a third time. We must remain faithful to Him when others fail.

My Way - Amended

I think it was C. S. Lewis that said there were two kinds of people:

1) those that say to God "Thy will be done."
2) those to whom the Lord must say "Have it your way."

At Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”

To pray this requires a surrender of the soul. Four verses earlier in this John 19 passsage, Jesus said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death." He had given His soul over to the Father. Jesus had called the twelve to full surrender and today He calls you and me to full surrender.

What do you think?

To pray this requires a surrender of our will. Jesus prayed, “Not as I will, but your will be done”

We do have stubborn wills. We are born with stubborn wills. Paul struggled with his own will. Men and animals have stubborn wills. Have you ever tried to lead an animal where he didn’t want to go? James reminds us that we put bits in horses’ mouths to control their will.

Do men and women refuse to come to Christ because of their stubborn will? Have you refused to forgive because of your will? Yield to God and make His will your own. You will experience great relief and peace. When we release our will to the Father, we can expect release from ourselves. We are giving ourselves over to Him and His Lordship.

BTW, Sunday I was privileged to preach twice at Collinsville. Thanks to Pastor Jeff for his confidence.

Keeping It Real

Last night I drove over to St. Charles to see my brother. Mark was in a meeting so I went into the Bible study. Pastor Jerry was in the sanctuary teaching from and about Hosea. One of his opening remarks was "God always has the right man in the right place at the right time." Yeah, that was a good line the Pastor gave. And it's more than a line, it's true. God always knows what He is doing. And He always gets it right.

This, My Friends, Is A Picture of Persistence in Adversity

Luke was a sophomore percussionist in the marching band full of prima donnas who thought their efforts were like something out of the movie "Drum Line". Every day he battled. Then after the above pictured parade, the director handed him his varsity letter. "That, was worth it" said Luke.

James wrote: "Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Of course, a varsity band letter is not the crown of life. Yet the reward for endurance in the test cannot be lost. Keep moving toward the goal. You will be rewarded.

We're Having Fish Tonight!

This is what I actually saw today - live. Not a Discovery Channel Bird Show, but a Fish Hawk - an Osprey, diving for dinner. I was outside painting and woosh here comes this giant bird of prey swooping down into the lake and snatching a fish. And it was less that thirty yards away. It appeared that the bird actually dove into the water and struggled somewhat to reverse its thrusters to get airborne again. Amazing to me was how fast it dove and how hard it struggled to get back into the air with its catch. Very cool for sure.

Uh, obviously I did not take the above picture. I borrowed it from the BLM.

Google Map It!

There are probably several routes through your wilderness. The decision you make regarding the path you will take ultimately determines the amount of warfare you will experience. Sometimes the best route is not what seems to our mind as the “best” or shortest route (Exodus 13:17).

How we submit ourselves to God in the wilderness many times determines how long we will wander or stay in that wilderness.

Jesus is our best example of overcoming wilderness wanderings. When He entered into the wilderness He immediately submitted Himself to God. From this position of personal willing submission He was able to resist the enemy. He resisted presumption. He resisted pride. He resisted the lust of the eyes. He resisted the promise of greatness.

His resistance was rooted in a willingness to resist. He was able to move through His wilderness time in 40 days.

He resisted everything that we will ever have to resist. He entered the wilderness filled with the Spirit, but He came out full of power.

We will all at some point enter a wilderness season, but we have confidence we can overcome as our Lord did and we can move into a new level of power.

I preached yesterday at Maryville. Please pray for the congregation to remain faithful and to grow in strength and numbers.

How Long You Gonna Be In There?

We find in the Bible that a wilderness season had a specifically determined time.

The wilderness period when God’s covenant people – Jacob and his family – left Canaan and went to Egypt was 400 years. Yet, God had promised a release.

God’s covenant people wandered in the wilderness 40 years. However, God had a time of release.

When God’s people left His purpose to follow after idols, they went into a Babylonian wilderness for 70 years. Again, God promised a release.

Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and then entered into a 40-day wilderness period. Then the Father had a release. The wilderness wasn’t His ministry.

We help determine the length of time we stay in our wilderness. The wilderness is not your ministry. It can be a training time for ministry but not your ministry.

Wilderness wanderings are complex. Many times people cannot understand what you are going through. It is difficult to understand. Yet when we realize God is God in the wilderness as well as God in the green pastures, we will be strengthened for the work.

“I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice” Psalm 55:16-17.

Where The Wild Things Are (with respect to Maurice Sendak)

We all can be certain that we will have wilderness seasons. This is no doubt a Biblical principle.

We do see that Biblical wilderness seasons had a specifically defined time period. We usually think of the wilderness in the context of our word for desert. In Biblical times the wilderness was usually a rocky, dry wasteland. A place in which people did not desire to be.

We also find in the Bible that wildernesses included places of refuge or sanctuary – an oasis if you will. Even though we may at times find ourselves in a wilderness season, in the midst of this season we can usually find a time of revitalization and a refreshing cool drink from the Lord.

Biblically, the wilderness could also be a place of refuge. Remember, David was forced to flee Saul and then entered a wilderness time and place. Even though his promise (from God) was not fulfilled during this time in the wilderness, the call of God on his life was not removed. It was protected. Saul did not and could not define who was David was or was to be.

You may be facing the wilderness. Remember this, God has not removed His hand from your life.

Albert and Me

Last night I went to the Cardinals - Phillies game. The Cards lost 13-11. In the top of the fifth inning the Phillies scored their seventh run (zip for the Birds). Most of these were on homeruns - the Phils hit five on the night. Immediately after Philadelphia scored their seventh run, there was a mass exodus of Cardinal red from Boosch Stadium. I heard some of these fans groan and say "we're not really baseball fans anyway".

My point: the Cardinals will probably not play in the NLCS this year. But the fans bailed after only half the game. Half the game. Four and a half innings is only half a game. It really did get much worse in the top of the next inning. One fan said as he left: "they have a ten run rule in little league".

But the Cardinals started hitting back in the bottom of the sixth. They scored three in the sixth, six in the seventh, and two in the eighth. It actually became a ball game.

Question: Do we as Christians bail out in the fifth inning? If I could mix metaphors, I would say that this walk of faith is not a sprint. It is a marathon. Gordon MacDonald said it doesn't matter how fast you can run 100 meters if the race is 400 meters long.

Press on, keep it up, persevere, don't quit now.

BTW, the picture above is Albert Pujols and me in the bottom of the seventh inning. Albert is the guy in the red helmet toward the lower left.

Inquiring Minds

Today I had the honor of preaching the Word of God. My text was 2 Kings 3 - the story of the revolt of Moab against Israel and the subsequent attack mounted by the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom against Moab. In the desert of Edom, the three kings have found themselves stranded with no water for their troops or their animals.

Jehoshaphat wisely asks "Is there no prophet that we might inquire of the Lord?"

It is always the right thing to do to inquire of the Lord. See what God thinks about the situation. Ask Him if He has a specific perspective to give to you. Go ahead, ask the Lord.

Thanks to Pastor Rich for allowing me to share his pulpit today. He is building a great church.

Are You Standing?

In Ezekiel 22:30-31, the prophet warns us of what happens when God cannot find true men and women of broken-hearted prayer and obedience.

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one.”

“Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads, says the Lord God.”

Who among us will stand in the gap and pray, and then pray again until heaven comes down to earth?

Why Pray?

John Preston, the Puritan, spells it out very plainly:

"Prayer is a privilege purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ died for this end, it cost him the shedding of his blood, so that we, through him, might have entrance to the throne of grace. And will you let such a privilege as this lie still? If you do, so far as is in you, you cause his blood to be shed in vain. For if you neglect the privileges gotten by that blood, you neglect the blood that procured them." [The Puritans on Prayer p.17]

Painting by Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamin

Do You Know?

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him" 1 John 5:14-15.

Easy to Say and Hard to Do

It is easy to talk the talk and harder to walk the walk. Most of us want to have a fruitful prayer life. Yet sometimes it's really hard to pray. Here are some practical suggestions to help you see greater effeciveness in your prayers.

1) Set aside a specific time for prayer. Get up early. Block off a certain time. Find a quiet place. Give prayer a place of priority in your schedule.

2) Discuss your life with the Father. Too many times we say our prayers and then move on. We have taken care of our guilt but we have never really gone into the throne room. Make your prayer time personal. Talk honestly about your struggles, your fears, your days and weeks. And then listen carefully when He answers.

3) Start with the Bible - God's Word. Read through a portion of Scripture and then make an effort to apply that specific Scripture to your life. When you read a command to “forgive others” ask God to help you release the bitterness and the hurt that makes you resist that command. Forgive them. When you read about the importance of “thinking pure thoughts” confess the areas where your thinking is polluted and ask God for help to think better. This practice will help you focus on the deeper issues rather than the superficial.

4) Keep a prayer list. Write a list of the people for whom you pray (you can add me). Be specific. What needs do you want to help carry for your friend? When someone asks you to pray for them add them to your list. Then make it a point to connect with those people and tell them you are praying for them regularly. This is important because the next time you are tempted to skip your prayer time you will remember that you told someone you were praying for them and then hopefully in your desire to be faithful you will make time to pray.

5) Remember to notice God’s answers to prayer. God answers in many ways. Sometimes He gives us what we expected. Sometimes He answers in unexpected ways. Sometimes He removes a burden. Other times He gives strength to bear up under the burden. Sometimes He gives to us the things we want. Other times He changes our wants by teaching us to be content. Sometimes He answers right away. And then other times He waits until we are ready. Notice the answers and when you notice His answers take the time and energy to thank Him.

6) Read some books on prayer and the biographies of people who prayed Prayer Hyde or Hudson Taylor are good). I don't mean that you should do this instead of praying, do it as an encouragement to prayer. These books and resources remind us of the things the Devil hopes we forget. They will as Hebrews says, spur us on.

What I don't want to do is to make you feel guilty or condemn you about your lack of a prayer life, rather, I want you to feel hungry for a greater prayer life. I don’t want to beat you up spiritually, I want to spur you on. I want you to see prayer as a chore that you dutifully peform every day but as an awesome privilege to spend time with the Father.

Keep going, you can do it.