Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit is the best gift the Father could give us (Luke 11:13, Matthew 7:11). If that is so, just how wonderful is He?
First, consider Who the gift-giver is. Not only is He the richest Being in the universe, but the most generous who said that He would spare nothing on our behalf (Romans 8:32). To think of it in human terms, what types of wonderful gifts do you think Bill Gates gives to his kids? Something from the dollar store? Not likely!
Second, consider what price this God was willing to pay for us to have such a gift. Nothing less than the blood of His Son. God did not have to "purchase" the Holy Spirit, but He had to purchase our redemption so that we would be vessels who could receive the Holy Spirit. That cost Him everything.
The Holy Spirit is God's fullness. Therefore, we have God's abilities and wisdom, His strategy and love and insight available to us 24/7. We need to stop doing things on our own -- He is there! He has freely been given to us.
No matter what else you receive for Christmas, you can have the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). And there is always more of Him available to fill up your life. What a wonderful gift!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Seeing 20/20
Matthew 20:20 begins an interesting account in the Gospels:
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.
It's interesting to me what Jesus did NOT say: "Shame on you all for being so selfish and wanting to have the highest places!" The other disciples thought this, but Jesus didn't. In fact, He didn't seem bothered by her request. He simply wanted to know -- do you know what you're asking?
True greatness in God's kingdom requires total humility, obedience and servanthood. It comes by way of suffering. If the disciples wanted to be great, they would have to drink the cup of suffering that Jesus was about to drink.
That would indeed happen later in their lives, but at Jesus' betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, all of the disciples would flee for their lives to avoid suffering.
I can only imagine how disgruntled and upset the other disciples were at James and John. I can also picture how defensive those two disciples got at the accusations ("Don't you talk about my momma like that!")
I love how Jesus handled the turmoil. He gathered the group together and got to the core of the issue, which was pride. He reminded them that they were servants, in fact, slaves of one another. You can get mad at somebody who wants to lord things over you and boss you around, but how can you get mad at someone who wants to be your servant?
Jesus defused the entire situation by taking the pride out of it -- so all of the strife had to go too. Jesus told them they could all be great, but it was going to come through serving one another, laying down their lives. They could go to the very top if they were willing to go to the lowest place.
And He was the example.
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.
It's interesting to me what Jesus did NOT say: "Shame on you all for being so selfish and wanting to have the highest places!" The other disciples thought this, but Jesus didn't. In fact, He didn't seem bothered by her request. He simply wanted to know -- do you know what you're asking?
True greatness in God's kingdom requires total humility, obedience and servanthood. It comes by way of suffering. If the disciples wanted to be great, they would have to drink the cup of suffering that Jesus was about to drink.
That would indeed happen later in their lives, but at Jesus' betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, all of the disciples would flee for their lives to avoid suffering.
I can only imagine how disgruntled and upset the other disciples were at James and John. I can also picture how defensive those two disciples got at the accusations ("Don't you talk about my momma like that!")
I love how Jesus handled the turmoil. He gathered the group together and got to the core of the issue, which was pride. He reminded them that they were servants, in fact, slaves of one another. You can get mad at somebody who wants to lord things over you and boss you around, but how can you get mad at someone who wants to be your servant?
Jesus defused the entire situation by taking the pride out of it -- so all of the strife had to go too. Jesus told them they could all be great, but it was going to come through serving one another, laying down their lives. They could go to the very top if they were willing to go to the lowest place.
And He was the example.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Drew in the Philippines
July 10, 2011
Jetlag and Parties
I have never travelled this much in my entire life. It felt like we were on a plane for an entire week. Everything went smoothly though. God protected us and Natalie's directions were spot-on. We finally arrived in Iloilo City around five o'clock and the weather was surprisingly pleasant (it had been raining earlier). We were received at the airport by a joyously weeping Natalie and the reunion was amazing. I can't express how cool it was to be with my sister in the place she calls home. Soon afterwards, we were brought to our welcoming party where we met Natalie's missionary friends. The party was mostly a blur because of jet lag, but the conversations and the people were incredible. I'm extremely excited about the coming week.
July 11, 2011
Old Fashioned Carpentry
Best night of sleep ever. The hotel is much better than I expected and the beds are as good as any in the States (probably better). If it weren't for the infrequent water pressure, the lizards, and brushing our teeth with water bottles I would have forgot we were in a foreign country. The certain "isolation" from electronics and modern conveniences has already been good. I've been able to spend more time with God and read His Word. Angel Edgar even made us daily scripture cards for each morning. They've been excellent.
That morning we got ready and then had breakfast and our devotional with Natalie. The focus of the devo was how we will find ourselves changing as God uses us to change other people's lives. It was really cool to hear that because it lined up perfectly with what I prayed for the previous night. After breakfast, Natalie took us to the Sonshine Center where we met Jolito, the carpenter. He speaks very little English and we don't speak any Ilonggo, but working with him has been awesome. He is very talented and we are all learning patience because there are no power tools! When Natalie told us Jolito thought it would take about four days to build four shelves for the library, we didn't believe her, but now we understand why. A cut that would take about 15 seconds with power tools can take up to 45 minutes by hand. It really has been an awesome experience though, and we're already starting on the second shelf. After a day of work, we played some basketball with the kids and then ate dinner (spaghetti and meat balls) at Natalie's house. That jet lag didn't give up though, and I was worn out. Another great night of sleep ahead.
July 12, 2011
Earthquakes and Testimonies
5:00 AM and the hotel was shaking. I thought someone was trying to wake me up, and my dad thought it was plane turbulence again, but we soon found out it was a 6.2 earthquake (lesser magnitude where we were). I'm fairly sure it was just God letting me know He was planning amazing things. We woke up an hour later and walked to JD's Restaurant for a true Filipino breakfast of garlic rice, pork strips, and orange juice. Devo today was about Paul's testimony in court to Agrippa and how we all have a testimony of our life before, the transformation, and our life now with Christ. We were all asked to prepare a five minute testimony for tomorrow's devo and I had been asked to share with some guys later that evening.
After breakfast we headed to the center and helped Jolito build shelves again. I spent all morning cutting "Satanis boards." Satanis is Ilonggo for Satan if you couldn't guess. Chris and I dubbed the boards as such because they're about 6 inches wide and 3 yards long and I took up the task of splitting each one of these boards down the middle for the full 3 yards with a simple handsaw. You have to sit on the board to hold it steady and then slide it forward a few inches every now and then while you cut, and just when you think you've made real headway, you look back and find that there are still miles of board left. My dad said these boards are in Dante's Purgatory. I don't doubt it. For lunch we had some sort of stew with rice, but my dad made the mistake of eating one of the peppers. He immediately keeled over and almost fell out of his chair. His face told volumes of the agony he was experiencing. I tried a small bit of the same pepper to see how hot it was, and... it was scorching. No doubt, the hottest pepper I've ever tasted. It burned your tongue as soon as the juice made contact. It all worked out though because my dad used it in his message for the bible study.
We worked some more and then I went up to prayer with the staff. They opened with some acoustic worship and then we had amazing prayer in smaller groups. I felt very slow and American when I was praying, but it was still awesome. After prayer, I headed back down to work with Chris and Jolito on the shelves. By that time, Chris and I were having a blast with the Satanis boards, Elijah's everlasting pot of glue, the bent nails, the flathead screws, and the air brooms. Jokes and laughter filled the evening and we decided that there were a lot of lessons and sermons to be found in our work. Nomil brought us bananaques, which are fried banana sugar fried sugar heaven-ness (emphasis on the fried sugar), and some Filipino coffee which is also loaded with sugar. It was terrific... though I'm not entirely sure if there really was a banana in there.
After good day of work, Natalie took us to Barrio Inasal which had the most amazing "chicken on a stick." We got it to go (without rice) and ate as we walked, which made us look very American according to Natalie. Everyone headed back to the hotel, but Natalie and I went back to the Center to meet up with Nomil, Zyross, Peter, Car Car, and a big group of Jr. High age kids to take a Jeepney over to a court and play basketball. I fumbled my way onto the Jeepney, stepping on a lot of toes, but thankfully Car Car made a spot for me. He immediately put his arm around me, grinned at me, and said "I'm glad you're here." I can't express how much that meant to me. We talked all the way to the courts. Once at the gym, Nomil asked if I would share before we started playing rather than in the middle so that we could play continuously. I was a little nervous, but I shared my testimony and a short word that God gave me as I spoke while Peter translated for me. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. The Spirit of the Lord was tangible and the guys were so receptive to what I had to say. It was simply incredible. God is so amazing. I love giving Him the glory because He deserves all the glory and all the honor and all the praise! Paul's account in court has come so alive to me now. We played after that and it was a blast! I had no idea what was going on most of the time because of the language, but I'm pretty sure we won every game. I headed back to the hotel after that and successfully yelled "Salamat!" (Thank you!) to all the guys before getting off the Jeepney and received a rousing "Salamat" in return. It was an amazing day.
Jetlag and Parties
I have never travelled this much in my entire life. It felt like we were on a plane for an entire week. Everything went smoothly though. God protected us and Natalie's directions were spot-on. We finally arrived in Iloilo City around five o'clock and the weather was surprisingly pleasant (it had been raining earlier). We were received at the airport by a joyously weeping Natalie and the reunion was amazing. I can't express how cool it was to be with my sister in the place she calls home. Soon afterwards, we were brought to our welcoming party where we met Natalie's missionary friends. The party was mostly a blur because of jet lag, but the conversations and the people were incredible. I'm extremely excited about the coming week.
July 11, 2011
Old Fashioned Carpentry
Best night of sleep ever. The hotel is much better than I expected and the beds are as good as any in the States (probably better). If it weren't for the infrequent water pressure, the lizards, and brushing our teeth with water bottles I would have forgot we were in a foreign country. The certain "isolation" from electronics and modern conveniences has already been good. I've been able to spend more time with God and read His Word. Angel Edgar even made us daily scripture cards for each morning. They've been excellent.
That morning we got ready and then had breakfast and our devotional with Natalie. The focus of the devo was how we will find ourselves changing as God uses us to change other people's lives. It was really cool to hear that because it lined up perfectly with what I prayed for the previous night. After breakfast, Natalie took us to the Sonshine Center where we met Jolito, the carpenter. He speaks very little English and we don't speak any Ilonggo, but working with him has been awesome. He is very talented and we are all learning patience because there are no power tools! When Natalie told us Jolito thought it would take about four days to build four shelves for the library, we didn't believe her, but now we understand why. A cut that would take about 15 seconds with power tools can take up to 45 minutes by hand. It really has been an awesome experience though, and we're already starting on the second shelf. After a day of work, we played some basketball with the kids and then ate dinner (spaghetti and meat balls) at Natalie's house. That jet lag didn't give up though, and I was worn out. Another great night of sleep ahead.
July 12, 2011
Earthquakes and Testimonies
5:00 AM and the hotel was shaking. I thought someone was trying to wake me up, and my dad thought it was plane turbulence again, but we soon found out it was a 6.2 earthquake (lesser magnitude where we were). I'm fairly sure it was just God letting me know He was planning amazing things. We woke up an hour later and walked to JD's Restaurant for a true Filipino breakfast of garlic rice, pork strips, and orange juice. Devo today was about Paul's testimony in court to Agrippa and how we all have a testimony of our life before, the transformation, and our life now with Christ. We were all asked to prepare a five minute testimony for tomorrow's devo and I had been asked to share with some guys later that evening.
After breakfast we headed to the center and helped Jolito build shelves again. I spent all morning cutting "Satanis boards." Satanis is Ilonggo for Satan if you couldn't guess. Chris and I dubbed the boards as such because they're about 6 inches wide and 3 yards long and I took up the task of splitting each one of these boards down the middle for the full 3 yards with a simple handsaw. You have to sit on the board to hold it steady and then slide it forward a few inches every now and then while you cut, and just when you think you've made real headway, you look back and find that there are still miles of board left. My dad said these boards are in Dante's Purgatory. I don't doubt it. For lunch we had some sort of stew with rice, but my dad made the mistake of eating one of the peppers. He immediately keeled over and almost fell out of his chair. His face told volumes of the agony he was experiencing. I tried a small bit of the same pepper to see how hot it was, and... it was scorching. No doubt, the hottest pepper I've ever tasted. It burned your tongue as soon as the juice made contact. It all worked out though because my dad used it in his message for the bible study.
We worked some more and then I went up to prayer with the staff. They opened with some acoustic worship and then we had amazing prayer in smaller groups. I felt very slow and American when I was praying, but it was still awesome. After prayer, I headed back down to work with Chris and Jolito on the shelves. By that time, Chris and I were having a blast with the Satanis boards, Elijah's everlasting pot of glue, the bent nails, the flathead screws, and the air brooms. Jokes and laughter filled the evening and we decided that there were a lot of lessons and sermons to be found in our work. Nomil brought us bananaques, which are fried banana sugar fried sugar heaven-ness (emphasis on the fried sugar), and some Filipino coffee which is also loaded with sugar. It was terrific... though I'm not entirely sure if there really was a banana in there.
After good day of work, Natalie took us to Barrio Inasal which had the most amazing "chicken on a stick." We got it to go (without rice) and ate as we walked, which made us look very American according to Natalie. Everyone headed back to the hotel, but Natalie and I went back to the Center to meet up with Nomil, Zyross, Peter, Car Car, and a big group of Jr. High age kids to take a Jeepney over to a court and play basketball. I fumbled my way onto the Jeepney, stepping on a lot of toes, but thankfully Car Car made a spot for me. He immediately put his arm around me, grinned at me, and said "I'm glad you're here." I can't express how much that meant to me. We talked all the way to the courts. Once at the gym, Nomil asked if I would share before we started playing rather than in the middle so that we could play continuously. I was a little nervous, but I shared my testimony and a short word that God gave me as I spoke while Peter translated for me. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. The Spirit of the Lord was tangible and the guys were so receptive to what I had to say. It was simply incredible. God is so amazing. I love giving Him the glory because He deserves all the glory and all the honor and all the praise! Paul's account in court has come so alive to me now. We played after that and it was a blast! I had no idea what was going on most of the time because of the language, but I'm pretty sure we won every game. I headed back to the hotel after that and successfully yelled "Salamat!" (Thank you!) to all the guys before getting off the Jeepney and received a rousing "Salamat" in return. It was an amazing day.
July 13, 2011
God Loves People!
We had lunch and devo at JD's as usual. Today we each shared our testimonies with each other. It was amazing to hear each other's stories. I even teared up thinking about Paul's account again and how God absolutely loves it when we're proud of Him. It's like children being proud of their daddy's strength. So beautiful...
The three of us worked on shelves again with Jolito and his apprentice, Leo. I spent most of the morning working and practicing my Ilonggo with Leo because he knows English as well and is a very encouraging teacher. Natalie and Jane (one of the teachers at the Center) were also very helpful when they were around.
The work and the heat started to wear on us though, and near mid-day my dad jokingly said, "I need a life-changing experience!" I promise you, it wasn't 30 seconds later when Mr. Mike, his wife, Jude, and a little Filipino boy named David, walked in the room. David was probably about nine or ten, but was tall for his age. He was thin and bony, but had large bright eyes. He was wearing a backwards baseball cap, and constant half-smile only partially hiding his buck teeth. They began to explain how David had a bad heart and wasn't even supposed to live this long. He is scheduled for surgery later this year, but they are all praying and believing for a new heart for David. We were all blown away by this, but then Miss Jude said, "Oh and Jolito is his father." I could hardly keep from tearing up. They continued to explain how Jolito's wife had died of the same heart condition and how he was finding work wherever he could and working extremely hard to pay the medical expenses for David and how the Sonshine Center provided him with a lot of work. It's difficult to not see God working in all of this. A life-changing experience no doubt.
That evening, the girls had a "girls-only" lesson together. Natalie told me that Car was outside playing his guitar, and I had nothing better to do, so I headed outside to join him. I find it funny how God will often show up when you least expect Him. He likes to reveal Himself in the little things. Picture for a moment a calm evening as night begins to fall on the city. Guitar chords strum, joining in with sounds of the city traffic a few feet a way. A beautifully sincere voice sings praises to Him and all that is left in your mind is God's love. I was halfway across the world and was having the most amazing worship experiences of my life with one boy and one guitar and the sounds of the city all giving glory to God. I cried when Car played a beautiful song in Ilonggo and then cried some more when he switched halfway through and translated the same song back to English. It was simply beautiful. God's love was tangible and I will never forget it. Soon Chris and other joined us and we sang together. I was just reminded of how much God just loves His people. Glory to God in the Highest!
July 14, 2011
A Cultural Experience
My dad, Chris, and I joined Peter in the morning to work out at the University. It was nice to do something kind of American, plus it always feels good to exercise. Chris was having difficulty not dancing with the moms for their class though.
We headed over to the Center around noon and continued constructing and staining the shelves. I practiced my Ilonggo with Chris, Leo, and Jane again. Natalie and I had somewhat of a communication break down, but we were able to work all of that out in due time. She mentioned earlier this week that mission trips are like a crucible as far as relationships are concerned. Everything heats up and a lot of the time it forces some ugly stuff to the surface. It's good to work things like that out though.
After some time at the Center, we walked to Jollibee's for lunch. It was somewhat American, though the food wasn't quite "home cooking."
Afterwards we went with Peter and Zyross to the basketball courts to play with some guys. It was a lot of fun, but I rolled my ankle a bit so I didn't risk anything with more playing. I went with Peter and stayed at his house for the night because Natalie thought it would be a good cultural experience. It ended up being a great experience and Peter was more than accommodating and hospitable. We even got to play Super Smash Bros.
July 15, 2011
Sunburnt Sermon
I took a bucket shower for the first time. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, and it definitely woke me up for the coming day. Peter and I met everyone at the hotel and then went to JD's to plan our day at Guimaras. We took a large boat across the ocean between the two islands and then took a Jeepney to our location. It was a beautiful private beach with and alcove and a place to cliff-jump and everything. We swam and jumped and ate and sang. It was a wonderful day all around. The only problem was, most of us got burned. Especially me...
We headed back around 3, after a long day of resting and got ready for service. We worshipped for a bit and then my dad preached a message about the power in Jesus' name while Pastor Chris translated. He did excellent, especially for the time given. The entire team went up at the end to pray for the moms and dads who needed healing. It was a powerful experience.
July 16, 2011
I Hate the Mall
Today was interesting. We went to the Center a bit later than usual and ate some leftover pineapple for breakfast. I went outside and played with some of the kids until I was thrown into a basketball game with them. Car Car's younger brother (Kenneth or Ken Ken) was there. He is a good player. After basketball, we headed upstairs for Kids' Club. The kids sang some worship songs in Ilonggo to begin with, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. It made me tear up to hear them sing and feel God's love pour out. After worship, Justine led them all in their dance to Catchafire by tobyMac. Somehow I got thrown on the stage as well to help with the dance. I had fun though. I sat with a small group of boys during the lesson and then went back to the hotel for some rest afterwards.
We all went to the mall that afternoon to eat and do some shopping. We chose McDonald's because it's American, but it was a nightmare. No tables available, no lines, no courtesy. It was difficult for me, and I was very close to throwing some elbows after the twelfth short person cut me off in line. I thought I hated malls in the States, but this was something else completely. After lunch, Chris and Krista left for the airport. The goodbyes were short, but sad, so we headed back to the hotel to watch a funny movie. That evening, Justine, Trisha, Natalie, and I went to Joey Pepperoni for dinner and then to Nat's house to make brownies, watch Youtube videos, and play cards. It was a lot of fun, and I slept well that night.
July 17, 2011
A Spontaneous God
July 14, 2011
A Cultural Experience
My dad, Chris, and I joined Peter in the morning to work out at the University. It was nice to do something kind of American, plus it always feels good to exercise. Chris was having difficulty not dancing with the moms for their class though.
We headed over to the Center around noon and continued constructing and staining the shelves. I practiced my Ilonggo with Chris, Leo, and Jane again. Natalie and I had somewhat of a communication break down, but we were able to work all of that out in due time. She mentioned earlier this week that mission trips are like a crucible as far as relationships are concerned. Everything heats up and a lot of the time it forces some ugly stuff to the surface. It's good to work things like that out though.
After some time at the Center, we walked to Jollibee's for lunch. It was somewhat American, though the food wasn't quite "home cooking."
Afterwards we went with Peter and Zyross to the basketball courts to play with some guys. It was a lot of fun, but I rolled my ankle a bit so I didn't risk anything with more playing. I went with Peter and stayed at his house for the night because Natalie thought it would be a good cultural experience. It ended up being a great experience and Peter was more than accommodating and hospitable. We even got to play Super Smash Bros.
July 15, 2011
Sunburnt Sermon
I took a bucket shower for the first time. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, and it definitely woke me up for the coming day. Peter and I met everyone at the hotel and then went to JD's to plan our day at Guimaras. We took a large boat across the ocean between the two islands and then took a Jeepney to our location. It was a beautiful private beach with and alcove and a place to cliff-jump and everything. We swam and jumped and ate and sang. It was a wonderful day all around. The only problem was, most of us got burned. Especially me...
We headed back around 3, after a long day of resting and got ready for service. We worshipped for a bit and then my dad preached a message about the power in Jesus' name while Pastor Chris translated. He did excellent, especially for the time given. The entire team went up at the end to pray for the moms and dads who needed healing. It was a powerful experience.
July 16, 2011
I Hate the Mall
Today was interesting. We went to the Center a bit later than usual and ate some leftover pineapple for breakfast. I went outside and played with some of the kids until I was thrown into a basketball game with them. Car Car's younger brother (Kenneth or Ken Ken) was there. He is a good player. After basketball, we headed upstairs for Kids' Club. The kids sang some worship songs in Ilonggo to begin with, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. It made me tear up to hear them sing and feel God's love pour out. After worship, Justine led them all in their dance to Catchafire by tobyMac. Somehow I got thrown on the stage as well to help with the dance. I had fun though. I sat with a small group of boys during the lesson and then went back to the hotel for some rest afterwards.
We all went to the mall that afternoon to eat and do some shopping. We chose McDonald's because it's American, but it was a nightmare. No tables available, no lines, no courtesy. It was difficult for me, and I was very close to throwing some elbows after the twelfth short person cut me off in line. I thought I hated malls in the States, but this was something else completely. After lunch, Chris and Krista left for the airport. The goodbyes were short, but sad, so we headed back to the hotel to watch a funny movie. That evening, Justine, Trisha, Natalie, and I went to Joey Pepperoni for dinner and then to Nat's house to make brownies, watch Youtube videos, and play cards. It was a lot of fun, and I slept well that night.
July 17, 2011
A Spontaneous God
At devotional today we talked about what we were learning or struggling with during the trip. The cultural inefficiencies were mentioned as well as learning to be flexible in every situation. For me personally, I mentioned how I was discovering God in unlikely places. He kept showing up when I was least expecting Him. He showed up in the playground that evening, sitting with me and Car Car as we worshipped. He was everywhere in that classroom when those marvelous kids sang from their hearts to Him. Back home we like to get in our schedules and set Sundays and Wednesdays and morning devotionals aside for God and leave it at that. We expect to meet Him in worship and learn about Him during sermons or quiet time. But as I'm writing this I'm realizing that that's not how our humanly friendships work. With true friends we hang out spontaneously and call or text on a whim or when we happen to be thinking about that person. Shouldn't it be like that with God? He is a spontaneous God. When we force Him into our rigid schedules we allow Him no room to move in our lives and in our hearts. I want my relationship with Him to be a deep rooted friendship where we can talk and hang out at any time. I want to experience him randomly and constantly and discover Him working in the little things and interactions of my life. I want to stop and thank Him and realize He is my God and He loves me and loves to reveal Himself in my life. When we begin to recognize these God inspired details we can begin to understand more of who God is and how much He loves us. God is so good!
After devo we went to Full Gospel for the Sunday service. It was hot and I was wearing long pants and a long sleeved shirt. It was rough. The bits I was able to catch from the sermon (it was in Ilonggo) were excellent though. It was about enduring trials and tests of life and coming out a better person. After service we went with Pastor Chris and his family to Perri Todd's where they serve hamburgers as big as your face. I had a chance to change into some cooler clothes thankfully. We went back to the hotel for a while and then back to Full Gospel to plan our day at San Isidro with Natalie and her team.
San Isidro is an area where the government relocated thousands of people after their homes were destroyed in the flood a few years ago. The living conditions aren't ideal and life there is even more difficult than other parts of Iloilo City. Natalie has a heart for the kids there, and ministers to them each Sunday by holding a Kids Camp for anyone willing to show up. Justine, Trisha, and I joined Natalie and three Filipino girls in a small room in the church to plan our day. It was hot once again and my attitude was heading rapidly downhill. We began with worship and prayer and then began working our way through the schedule. After we were prepared we took Mr. Mike's car out to the location. We walked around the houses there and the kids flocked to Natalie immediately. Right off the bat a bunch of the little boys ran up to me wanting to hold my hand and walk with me. That did more than enough to turn around my bad attitude and bring tears to my eyes. Most of their fathers aren't around and I guess they saw me as a real example of what a man is. How could I not feel the compassion of God flowing through me to them? His love is amazing. Once we rounded up the kids we held our Kids Camp for them, complete with games, memory verses, dancing, singing, object lessons, and snacks. Afterwards we hung out with the kids some more. They showed us all of their dancing and gymnastics abilities. We had to leave though and it was tough to drive off and wave goodbye to so many joyful and amazing kids. I love what Natalie is doing though. Even though we can't give them the opportunities or education or anything else they deserve, we can share with them the love of a Savior. It truly is the greatest gift we can give and it isn't cliché to me anymore. Presented with such an overwhelming problem like the poverty there, God's love is enough. More than enough. More than enough to change lives and transform cities. Although I left them that day, I hope I will see them again in heaven someday.
After devo we went to Full Gospel for the Sunday service. It was hot and I was wearing long pants and a long sleeved shirt. It was rough. The bits I was able to catch from the sermon (it was in Ilonggo) were excellent though. It was about enduring trials and tests of life and coming out a better person. After service we went with Pastor Chris and his family to Perri Todd's where they serve hamburgers as big as your face. I had a chance to change into some cooler clothes thankfully. We went back to the hotel for a while and then back to Full Gospel to plan our day at San Isidro with Natalie and her team.
San Isidro is an area where the government relocated thousands of people after their homes were destroyed in the flood a few years ago. The living conditions aren't ideal and life there is even more difficult than other parts of Iloilo City. Natalie has a heart for the kids there, and ministers to them each Sunday by holding a Kids Camp for anyone willing to show up. Justine, Trisha, and I joined Natalie and three Filipino girls in a small room in the church to plan our day. It was hot once again and my attitude was heading rapidly downhill. We began with worship and prayer and then began working our way through the schedule. After we were prepared we took Mr. Mike's car out to the location. We walked around the houses there and the kids flocked to Natalie immediately. Right off the bat a bunch of the little boys ran up to me wanting to hold my hand and walk with me. That did more than enough to turn around my bad attitude and bring tears to my eyes. Most of their fathers aren't around and I guess they saw me as a real example of what a man is. How could I not feel the compassion of God flowing through me to them? His love is amazing. Once we rounded up the kids we held our Kids Camp for them, complete with games, memory verses, dancing, singing, object lessons, and snacks. Afterwards we hung out with the kids some more. They showed us all of their dancing and gymnastics abilities. We had to leave though and it was tough to drive off and wave goodbye to so many joyful and amazing kids. I love what Natalie is doing though. Even though we can't give them the opportunities or education or anything else they deserve, we can share with them the love of a Savior. It truly is the greatest gift we can give and it isn't cliché to me anymore. Presented with such an overwhelming problem like the poverty there, God's love is enough. More than enough. More than enough to change lives and transform cities. Although I left them that day, I hope I will see them again in heaven someday.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Which Way to Go?
My 18-year-old son talked me into watching the extended version of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Now that he has gotten me started, he doesn’t have to prod me to continue. I am hooked, and I am sure I will be sad as I come to the end of the final disc.
While my husband and son enjoy watching the battles and rooting on the good guys, one of the early scenes that stands out in my mind occurs after the hobbit Frodo agrees to be the ring-bearer. He is one of the most insignificant and least likely characters to complete the task of taking the dreaded/coveted ring to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. Standing at the head of the procession of the “fellowship” -- the nine individuals who are sworn to help him accomplish the impossible -- Frodo leads the group outside the safety of Rivendell. Trying to appear confident, he whispers to his friend Gandalf, “Which way?”
I wonder how many of us feel exactly as Frodo did at that pivotal time in his life. We stand at the crossroads of a decision and wrestle with the direction we should go. Perhaps we are irritated at ourselves because we think we should be more certain about what to do. By this time, we should have a handle on this thing called life. We have others to lead, maybe a wife, maybe children, maybe those on our job or in ministry. But we really don’t know which way to go, while we are anxiously aware that people are depending upon us to lead them.
That’s when we need a friend like Gandalf, who didn’t laugh at Frodo or ridicule him, but whispered from just over his shoulder which direction to go so Frodo could strike out with confidence.
The key to this interchange is the friendship and trust that bound Frodo and Gandalf together. Without that trust, Frodo might have hesitated at Gandalf’s direction, perhaps deciding his ideas were better than Gandalf’s and leading everyone astray.
So it is with our lives. How much we need to have that friendship and trust relationship with God to keep us going in the right direction, to let us know we are not alone in life’s challenges. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21 NIV)
The greatest compliment we can pay God is to trust Him -- that is what pleases Him the most. The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. (Hebrews 11:1 Message)
Gandalf and Frodo enjoyed one another’s company for many years, learning to trust one another. We have the invitation to enjoy the company of God Almighty, our Creator, so we can learn to trust Him and recognize His voice, which will never lead us astray.
While my husband and son enjoy watching the battles and rooting on the good guys, one of the early scenes that stands out in my mind occurs after the hobbit Frodo agrees to be the ring-bearer. He is one of the most insignificant and least likely characters to complete the task of taking the dreaded/coveted ring to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. Standing at the head of the procession of the “fellowship” -- the nine individuals who are sworn to help him accomplish the impossible -- Frodo leads the group outside the safety of Rivendell. Trying to appear confident, he whispers to his friend Gandalf, “Which way?”
I wonder how many of us feel exactly as Frodo did at that pivotal time in his life. We stand at the crossroads of a decision and wrestle with the direction we should go. Perhaps we are irritated at ourselves because we think we should be more certain about what to do. By this time, we should have a handle on this thing called life. We have others to lead, maybe a wife, maybe children, maybe those on our job or in ministry. But we really don’t know which way to go, while we are anxiously aware that people are depending upon us to lead them.
That’s when we need a friend like Gandalf, who didn’t laugh at Frodo or ridicule him, but whispered from just over his shoulder which direction to go so Frodo could strike out with confidence.
The key to this interchange is the friendship and trust that bound Frodo and Gandalf together. Without that trust, Frodo might have hesitated at Gandalf’s direction, perhaps deciding his ideas were better than Gandalf’s and leading everyone astray.
So it is with our lives. How much we need to have that friendship and trust relationship with God to keep us going in the right direction, to let us know we are not alone in life’s challenges. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21 NIV)
The greatest compliment we can pay God is to trust Him -- that is what pleases Him the most. The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. (Hebrews 11:1 Message)
Gandalf and Frodo enjoyed one another’s company for many years, learning to trust one another. We have the invitation to enjoy the company of God Almighty, our Creator, so we can learn to trust Him and recognize His voice, which will never lead us astray.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
You Are Enough
In prayer recently, I heard these words: “Because of His grace, we are enough.”
We have enough.
We are enough.
We can do enough.
We are good enough … all because of His grace.
Remember Paul’s wonderful words, quoting what Father God said to him? “My grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Cor 12:9)
Grace = sufficiency. Sufficiency means enough. Although in ourselves we are not enough, in Him and in His grace, we are enough.
That means we can stop striving to be something we aren’t. We are enough.
We can stop feeling as though we fall short. We are good enough.
We can stop comparing ourselves with others. We can do enough.
We can stop being frustrated in trying to attain more. We have enough.
Isn’t God’s grace the most freeing thing in existence?
The second part of Paul’s quote goes on to say, “…for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
God already has perfect strength, so what does this mean? God’s strength especially shines, finds it ultimate expression, when it flows through our inabilities and weaknesses.
When can it flow? When we give up trying to be strong in ourselves. When we are OK with having weaknesses and we stop trying to cover them up. When we allow these inabilities to be doorways that God’s strength gains entrance into our lives and the lives of others.
By God’s grace, we are enough, we have enough, we can do enough and we’re good enough when we embrace our weaknesses and open the door for God's strength to come in.
We have enough.
We are enough.
We can do enough.
We are good enough … all because of His grace.
Remember Paul’s wonderful words, quoting what Father God said to him? “My grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Cor 12:9)
Grace = sufficiency. Sufficiency means enough. Although in ourselves we are not enough, in Him and in His grace, we are enough.
That means we can stop striving to be something we aren’t. We are enough.
We can stop feeling as though we fall short. We are good enough.
We can stop comparing ourselves with others. We can do enough.
We can stop being frustrated in trying to attain more. We have enough.
Isn’t God’s grace the most freeing thing in existence?
The second part of Paul’s quote goes on to say, “…for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
God already has perfect strength, so what does this mean? God’s strength especially shines, finds it ultimate expression, when it flows through our inabilities and weaknesses.
When can it flow? When we give up trying to be strong in ourselves. When we are OK with having weaknesses and we stop trying to cover them up. When we allow these inabilities to be doorways that God’s strength gains entrance into our lives and the lives of others.
By God’s grace, we are enough, we have enough, we can do enough and we’re good enough when we embrace our weaknesses and open the door for God's strength to come in.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
What's in your future?
Ben Franklin died on April 17, 1790. Five years prior, at age 79, Franklin gave about $4,400 at the time, or about $55,000 in 2011 dollars each to his native Boston and his adopted Philadelphia
200 years later in 1990, more than $2,000,000 had accumulated inFranklin 's Philadelphia Philadelphia
Franklin 's Boston
200 years later in 1990, more than $2,000,000 had accumulated in
Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 25, reserved some of his most severe criticism for people who, through fear, would not look responsibly into the future. One of the servants in this parable would not even put the extra money he was given in the bank to earn nominal interest. Yet, Jesus commended the other two for acting in faith and doubling their money through wise investment. He rewarded them by giving them more.
I am inspired and challenged by Franklin Providence
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Passing the Garden Test
It's a strange time to talk about gardens when you've just experienced a winter blizzard like we have in the Midwest, but two gardens in particular are on my mind today.
Just as the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Gethsemane was a test of human will vs. God’s will. We see Jesus’ humanity there like nowhere else in the Scriptures.
Jesus knew what had to happen as He grew closer to the time of His death, and yet His humanity was repulsed by it, wanting instead to go in a different direction. We shouldn’t get down on ourselves when our will shrinks back from what God wants. It is part of being human. That's the time to draw upon God’s resources to strengthen us to do His will.
That was the purpose of Jesus’ prayers in the garden. He needed the resources of God to set Himself in the right direction and be able to carry it through. That is very important. He foresaw the difficulty that He would face. He knew He had to make a fully aware decision that there was no going back on. Once He made it, He would see it through until the end. He didn’t leave Himself a way out. It was all or nothing.
That is the kind of consecration that God can bless. This is what will get us to God’s best for our lives. We don’t want to faint in our minds halfway through and start wondering if we can finish the course, or allow doubts and fears to stop us. What is the key? Praying it through ahead of time.
The reason the disciples said one thing ("We'll never leave you, Jesus") and did another (they all fled when He was arrested) is that they didn’t take the opportunity to pray when they had the chance. Jesus was trying to get them to see the importance of it. There was but a brief window of opportunity for them to get the victory in prayer, but they passed it up. It wasn’t as though God couldn’t help them after that, but they went through a lot of heartache, condemnation and difficulty that they could have avoided.
What if they would have prayed? Maybe God could have showed them what was coming so they could steel themselves for it. Maybe they would have been able to stick with Jesus when the hard times came. Maybe they would have had hope when everything looked so hopeless and their world fell apart. What a terrible time they went through, and Jesus was trying to spare them.
But God is faithful! Jesus prayed for them even when they didn’t pray for themselves. Ultimately, they were restored to faith and did great things for God. But it wasn’t an easy road.
God’s will may not seem like the easy road, but actually it is compared to going our own way. To stay on that path, we will have to be determined to see His plan through until the end, no matter what the cost.
Just as the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Gethsemane was a test of human will vs. God’s will. We see Jesus’ humanity there like nowhere else in the Scriptures.
Jesus knew what had to happen as He grew closer to the time of His death, and yet His humanity was repulsed by it, wanting instead to go in a different direction. We shouldn’t get down on ourselves when our will shrinks back from what God wants. It is part of being human. That's the time to draw upon God’s resources to strengthen us to do His will.
That was the purpose of Jesus’ prayers in the garden. He needed the resources of God to set Himself in the right direction and be able to carry it through. That is very important. He foresaw the difficulty that He would face. He knew He had to make a fully aware decision that there was no going back on. Once He made it, He would see it through until the end. He didn’t leave Himself a way out. It was all or nothing.
That is the kind of consecration that God can bless. This is what will get us to God’s best for our lives. We don’t want to faint in our minds halfway through and start wondering if we can finish the course, or allow doubts and fears to stop us. What is the key? Praying it through ahead of time.
The reason the disciples said one thing ("We'll never leave you, Jesus") and did another (they all fled when He was arrested) is that they didn’t take the opportunity to pray when they had the chance. Jesus was trying to get them to see the importance of it. There was but a brief window of opportunity for them to get the victory in prayer, but they passed it up. It wasn’t as though God couldn’t help them after that, but they went through a lot of heartache, condemnation and difficulty that they could have avoided.
What if they would have prayed? Maybe God could have showed them what was coming so they could steel themselves for it. Maybe they would have been able to stick with Jesus when the hard times came. Maybe they would have had hope when everything looked so hopeless and their world fell apart. What a terrible time they went through, and Jesus was trying to spare them.
But God is faithful! Jesus prayed for them even when they didn’t pray for themselves. Ultimately, they were restored to faith and did great things for God. But it wasn’t an easy road.
God’s will may not seem like the easy road, but actually it is compared to going our own way. To stay on that path, we will have to be determined to see His plan through until the end, no matter what the cost.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Personal favorite faith classics
There are a few books that have passed the test of time as being extremely helpful in building personal faith. Certainly, there are other very important books such as the Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan but this list is a personal one and these are the books that have touched me the most and continue to do so. In this list I am not including books that were first written in the last 30 years. Although there are several I value very highly I want to offer my suggestions for books that have proven over time (1955 and before) to be tremendous help alongside the best help of all - the Bible - to build a person's faith in God regardless of the circumstances they face. I know when others suggest books it has a tendency to create a hunger in me to read them. Here are seven of them in no particular order and all of these are in print...
- Answers to Prayer by George Mueller (1895)
- Christ the Healer by FF Bosworth (1924)
- Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ by Jeanne Guyon (1685)
- The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith (1875)
- The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale (1952)
- Every Increasing Faith by Smith Wigglesworth (1924)
- Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (1940)
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Be It Resolved for 2011 ...
When I was growing up, my little cousin would say "Happy New You!" to everyone he saw after the Christmas holidays, instead of "Happy New Year!" We all laughed because his rendition of the phrase was so cute, but, come to think of it, it was also pretty valid. We typically begin a new year with that liberating sense of a fresh start for ourselves, a clean slate, the past behind us.
We soon find that our hopeful intentions for new and improved lives stall out pretty quickly. Maybe you've given up the whole experience of New Year's resolutions as a bad deal.
While resolutions made under our own steam don't get us very far, the beginning of the year is a great time to create a "wish list" of what you want to see God do for you and through you in the coming year. It's a perfect time to dream big about the future -- and then write it down. There is amazing power in writing down your goals. (Don't let the word "goals" intimidate you; it simply means your hopes for a better future.)
Here are some things on my spiritual wish list for 2011:
*Learn more about what real love is and let it change me
*Follow the Holy Spirit's guidance daily (in the little things as well as the big ones)
*Regularly find rest and peace in the midst of problems and challenges
*Recognize when I am depending on my own understanding, and switch over to trusting God
*Remember that Christ lives in me and through me every day
I have wish lists for material things and natural things, as well, so don't think I'm only talking about the spiritual parts of our lives. I have found, though, that prioritizing the internal helps everything else in my life fall into place.
The great part of this approach is that God will get involved in seeing my wish list come to pass, and it won't be me trying to accomplish the impossible on my own. When I fail at times, I can know there is no guilt or frustration coming my way, just my patient Father ready to pick me up again and help me again on my journey.
Happy New Year!
Lifestyles of the Rich (and Now Famous) Young Ruler
Young and rich sounds like you have it made.. But the guy who came to Jesus in Luke 18 had a problem.
He wanted to know what he needed to do to deserve making it into heaven. After Jesus rattled off several of the commandments, the man confidently replied that he had kept all of them since childhood.
At that point, he probably wanted Jesus to pat him on the back and say, "Wow! You are some dude! Here's your all-expense paid ticket to heaven."
Then he could go off in his self-satisfied way and feel good about himself with no worries about his eternal destiny.
But Jesus wanted to get him off his works trip -- jar his thinking so that he would never be self-satisfied again. Jesus said he lacked only one thing to be perfect: He told him to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, and become a Christ follower.
The young rich guy was flabbergasted. He never expected in a hundred years to hear that.
Jesus deliberately chose something that was impossible for him to do (in his present spiritual condition), so he could quit trusting in his own works and surrender himself to the God who could help him.
So what about you and me? Do we get self-satisfied sometimes in our own spirituality? Maybe God is challenging us with something that is impossible for us to do in our present spiritual condition. Maybe He wants us to surrender everything to Him in humble obedience so He can work the impossible through us.
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