Africa Part 3: Need Crutches?

I came back from Africa and realized that we here in our comfortable brand of Christianity depend way too much on various crutches. We often lean on money, buildings, and notoriety, just to name a few, to get our work done. The people that we served in Guinea truly depended on the hand of God to do His work. On more than one occasion I heard our lead missionary mention that the work they are a part of was not "their" work but "God's" work. I was impressed because I am often tempted to think of the work "I am doing" for God. I am selfish and these loving people were selfless. Their lives were alive with God and often I think we are simply dead men walking. I saw evidence of the Spirit at work in one of the most challenging places and often we claim that God is at work here in our context(and I know He is), but after being in the presence of God's work in Guinea I am beginning to revisit how I consider God's work in our world. Do we do our plans and stamp God on it? Do we figure out how to do what we want and then suddenly give God credit to look appropriately religious? I don't fully know the answers to these questions and I am not sure how this shakes out in our context, but I must say God spoke to me about leaning on Him and not just the "stuff" that I am used to propping myself up with.
So let me ask one final question. What are you praying for? What am I praying for? This past week I was challenged by this and I am not sure what the answer is for you, but I know that my prayers are often selfish and small. Our friends in Guinea are praying for a whole tribe of people to experience the Grace of God. They are praying that the Kingdom of God would advance - and it is - in an area of the World that many people consider untouched. But let me tell you the Kingdom of God is advancing here an around the world and we can either get on board or miss out. Let's pray big prayers that lean on the power of God and not just our ability. Let's believe that God can and wants to do something great in our day as He has in days past. Amen and Amen!!

Graduation Memories

Africa Part 2: African Adventure

Graduation - Grace Does Abound

Grace is truly amazing. God really is good to us and His love and faithfulness last a lifetime. I continue to be amazed at how God brings various blessings into our lives. Julie and I are blessed far more than we deserve. I am so grateful for the love that we share in our marriage. We are also blessed with a great heritage of family. Our families have always loved and supported us and for this we are a better couple. Our church family has also provided the needed the encouragement for us as a couple to minister in this community. All of this created a wonderful foundation for me to stand on as I began my doctoral work. I loved each step of the way and I am a better man because of it. I recieved a peace of paper saying that I had earned a degree but I must say that I was graced with much more during the past three years. God has truly done a work of grace. I am a different person. My marriage is stronger. I feel healthier and more equipped to do the work God has called me to be a part of. In short, Grace gifts abound in my life.

Psalm 117 puts it so well:

Praise the Lord, all you nations;

extol him, all you peoples.

For great is his love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

Africa Part 1: Who would Jesus hang out with in your world?

When you walk into a room who do you look for? When you find yourself in a conversation what topics do you bring up? Often I find myself looking for the people I know. Then I look for the people that may be the most important and most influential. How about you? Do you look for the people in the crowd that are the movers and shakers? Do you find a way to mention how important you are or maybe how important this other person is? If not then you are better than most of us. Most of us do this without even thinking about it. So it may take some time to consider your actions and to be truly honest with yourself about your daily conversations.

Why is this important? As I look at scripture, I see Jesus hanging out with those that are outcast and disconnected from the elite crowd of His day. Jesus did not center His attention on the most religious, actually Jesus considered the value of all people. Jesus soiled His personal reputation for the sake of others. Stop now and think about this. Our Savior and Lord had a reputation of being a drunkard and a glutton. Jesus hung out with drunkards, tax collectors (thieves), prostitutes, and a host of other sickly outcasts. I love that Jesus was a friend of sinners. No other religious leader of His day was. So what does this mean for you and me? What does this have to do with Africa.?

Most people would not see the people that we ministered with and to as important or influential but the thought came to me while walking through these remote villages, "This is where Jesus would be." How would Jesus treat these people? I saw believers in the land of the persecuted living by faith and shaped by the authentic love of God. I saw a sweet community of believers clinging to the precious word of the Gospel. I now see these wonderful people as modern day saints teaching me what it truly means to walk with Jesus. I was humbled and blessed to be in the presence of some of our greatest followers our our day. Followers who will most likely remain anonymous known only by there Father in heaven. They may not have a degree, write a book, or go to largest church but they are faithfully walking daily with our Lord. Oh, how much I have to learn about value in in the Kingdom. I must be honest, I need a daily perspective check. I thank the Lord for His grace to be a part of their lives, even for one brief week!!

Internal Impact

How long has it been since you have been impacted in a significant way? How does God get you attention? What does it take for you to be open to the work of God in this world? I am not sure how you answered these questions but I know that God got my attention last week in Africa. To be fair, we don't have the luxury of going to Africa each time we need a new perspective on life. Most of the time I believe that we are jaded and distracted from God's purposes. This past week God woke me up to some of the most amazing truths and took me to a new place in my own walk with Him.

All People Matter - Jesus Thinks So
The Ministry of Presence
God is Not A Drive-Thru
God's Kingdom is Advancing
The Necessity of Daily Obedience
A Spiritual Death Sentence - Growing Dead Churches
Poverty in The World
Getting off Our Crutches
Learning to be Dependant

These are just a few of the lessons that I took from last week and will write on over the next few days. I look forward to relating my trip to Africa as I write and hope that you will be encouraged and challenged.

Don't forget:
God is always trying to get our attention. Are you attentive to work of God in your life and to His perspective on this life? Let God do a deep in work in your life. I know it is hard. I put up a fight. Let's let God have His way with us. God will speak and will to take us to a new place of faith. Let's give Him the space He needs and respond obediently to His leading.

The Overflow

We often think our lives are lived in a vacuum and no one really notices how we live. But this is not the case at all. There is a strong impact our lives have in wake of our living day to day. How often do we stop to consider the way our lives are impacting others. Stop for a moment and consider this verse.

"For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Jesus

Whether we like it or not, our lives bubble over and touch others. Our actions are connected to what is deep within us. The truth is whatever we are putting into our lives will in fact be seen by those in our corner of the world.

We must care deeply about the interior of our lives. We must consider what we are taking in less we be surprised- or embarrassed- about what comes out.