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.