Have a Seat

"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night."

(Piper, John. A Hunger for God. Crossway, 1997.)

Costa Rica - Day 3

Would you buy a battery here?

Day 3 had an interesting start. Our first stop of the day was Super Baterias| Los Especialistas en Baterias. Our wonderful driver, Tony, has been having car problems and only got his Mazda MPV back Friday morning. The alternator was just fixed but the battery was still bad and needed to be replaced. So, Tony had a "battery specialist" replace the battery. Battery number one must not have had enough amps because the car still wouldn't start. The battery specialist then used two aluminum pipes to connect the +/- terminals of the battery installed in the car to a second battery that his helper held up next to the installed battery. Still not enough power. Instead of going to a catalog of batteries to match the car to the right size battery the "specialist" proceeded to take batteries off the shelf and try them one by one. Trial and error. He finally found a battery that could start the MPV. Yippee! Then he proceeded to tell Tony the cost was $200. That's a LOT for a battery, double what a reasonable battery should cost. Tony was able to talk him down some.

Tony

The unscheduled stop made us a little late to our first appointment of the day but todo bien (it's all good) because we're on tico time. After the battery adventure we went to the home of Brian and Cathi Duggan. Brian is the International Leader for ReachGlobal in Latin America. The gentlemen on the team from Indianapolis are not from an Evangelical Free church so Brian gave a quick history of the EFCA then dove in deep to his team's goals for Latin America in the next 10 years. The focus is on discipleship and training locals to spread the gospel. There are a lot of new, energized evangelical Christians but they don't have any training. The culture is that of the Catholic Church and complete obedience to the church's hierarchy. This is not the case with evangelicals. The senior pastor does not have absolute power over his congregation. Josue, and other church leaders in Latin America, need church attenders to help co-lead the church. Contact Brian if you'd like to help out. They need experienced church leaders and Christians to come alongside these new believers and disciple them. It's all about relationships.

Meeting with Brian on the Duggan's Veranda

I think we might have had our first fail of the trip today as well. We had an open house at the church for participants of the seminars to come and ask questions one-on-one. No one showed up. It is a Friday though and most participants were at work or school. We are doing the same thing Saturday afternoon and many have indicated they plan to attend. The time was not a complete waste though. The team was able to share with Dan and Josue what was working and what was not working on the trip so far. We were also able to discuss some specific questions that participants had brought up the night before. It was good to come up with some culturally-relevant responses. We were also able to spend some time in the city center of Tres Rio relationship building with Josue, Tony and one of the interpreters (Johan).

View of the school we are using for our sessions from the city square.

Catholic Church in Tres Rio from the city square.

Class time this evening was great. The "kids" in my class really started opening up and I shared a bit more of my testimony. I shared with them how Rebecca and I daily raise our kids up to God and commit our family to serving Him. I told them the story of Joshua when they enter the promised land and he asks the Israelites who they're going to serve: Yahweh or the gods of the Canaanites. Then quoted one of my favorite verses, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:15) We spent a good deal of time scouring a couple of my favorite websites for ideas on how their church can start a web presence: Mars Hill, The Resurgence, and Desiring God. I shared with the class, and those of you who know me will laugh at this, that I frequently refer to these blogs when discussing spiritual matters on a day-to-day basis. A popular website for them is Hillsong. I was able to encourage my interpreter, Ricardo, to learn more about Christian hedonism as well.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up." - James 4:10 

Take particular notice of the word "will." It's not "might" or "maybe." "He will lift you up." I challenge you, if you haven't already, to fall to your knees and give everything over to Jesus. Humble yourself in His presence by bowing and letting it all out.

Strategy

"Strategic" has become one of those business buzz words that most people in the office are guilty of using on a too frequent basis: "If we want to strategically position our strategy in our strategic market, we need to align our strategists to support the strategy." We identify strategic partners, strategic accounts, strategic markets, strategic investments, strategic acquisitions, strategic blah, blah, blah. When it comes to business strategy most people just hear "blah, blah, blah."

But what about God's strategy? I know, "strategy," right? I recently finished a study on a book called The Monday Morning Church in which the author tries to help the readers see their current circumstances as God's strategic positioning for them. Huh. You mean I have this job in this city with these people for a reason other than making money and the reason isn't so I can be happy? A perspective the world doesn't understand? Yep. A perspective that was a mere concept until recently for yours truly? Yes, ma'am.

Although some people may think I'm radical (okay, only one person has ever called me radical and I happen to think that person is wrong since I'm about as radical as George Washington), it may surprise you to find out that I'm really rather reserved. Especially about my faith. Especially at work. So when someone came to my office looking for some practical help (a "luxury" I'm often afforded in HR) and I felt prompted to pray for the person right then and there, you can imagine my response:

Seriously, God? You want me to cry with this person right now? You want me to offer to pray for this person? Don't you know I'm at work? Don't you know I'm supposed to remain professional at all times?

And then I remembered that God put me in this job in this city so I could respond with His love to this person right then and there. So I did. And it wasn't the "big bad scary thing" I thought it would be. And the next time it happens, maybe my response won't be: Seriously, God?

Peace

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

and He guided them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107:28-30

Ahh, summer in Minnesota. Little is more peaceful than sitting in a small fishing boat in the middle of a calm lake somewhere "up north" just waiting for the fish to bite. Or not bite. Whichever you prefer. Beautiful.

The funny thing is that I took this picture in the middle of the afternoon on the 4th of July while a boat parade was driving by and a rowdy water baloon fight was going on overhead. But you'd never know from this perspective.

It's that way in life too. If I start to pay attention to the "rowdiness" of life, I miss out on the peace God has to offer. If we cry out to Him, He will "calm the storm to a whisper" and what we'll be left with is a life focused on Him. A life in which we can submit to His will as He guides us to our "desired haven."

The Rock of My Salvation

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted

be the God of the rock of my salvation.

2 Samuel 22:47

No graver danger threatens the believer than that of forgetting that he was redeemed - forgetting even in the joy of realized life what our salvation cost, and what is the rock foundation of our faith. To meet this need our Savior pictures Himself not merely as the Rock of Ages, and our Strong Rock of Refuge, but the Rock of our Salvation. Here, in Him and upon His merit and atoning grace, we were saved from among the lost. Let us glory in this precious name and never forget that He was "wounded for our transgressions" and "that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree."

A couple years ago our Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) studied Ray Comfort's Revival's Golden Key. Comfort's point was that the modern church is missing the mark on evangelizing by promising peace, joy and a happy life. He contended that the key in evangelizing is to focus on the fact that people need salvation and stop promising things that may or may not happen after accepting Christ. I look at the apostle Paul and would argue that it wasn't a happy life that kept him "fighting the good fight." However, Comfort's approach is a little on the "fire and brimstone" extreme (ironic that a man with the name Comfort could be labeled as someone who scares people into Christianity...I digress) and I do think there is room for the "softer" side of evangelism in some cases. Sean actually just read a book called They Like Jesus But Not the Church (I don't know the author) that contradicted Comfort's approach and argued that people in our generation are turned off from the church because of the judgment they think exists - kind of hard to make people believe they need to be saved if we don't tell them why they deserve hell, which gets interpreted as passing judgment. Disclaimer: I have not actually read this book and am writing based on discussions I had with Sean. Maybe he will post a comment with a better summary. I think it's an interesting dichotomy of views and I'm not quite sure where I stand on either one. I would be interested in hearing what other people think and/or personal experience with one approach over the other. My second disclaimer is that the comments about the books above are meant to point out the extreme nature that both of these approaches can take and don't necessarily represent the complete thoughts of the authors (that's why they wrote books instead of white papers...to expand on their positions).

The Meat (Meal) Offering

And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord,

his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil

upon it, and put frankincense thereon.

Leviticus 2:1

Perfect communion with our God as shown in the "Meat Offering" was in many senses the highest pattern which our Savior set for men. Shall we not make it the chiefest plan of every day to have a time when we enter into such worship with Him that we may truly say, "There is nothing between Thee and me, dear Lord," and then carry the sweetness of that deep communion unmarred and uninterrupted through all the hours. Most Holy Meal Offering, El Elyon, as Thou didst pour upon the fine meal of Thy perfect life the Holy Oil of Thy most Holy Spirit, and the frankincense of Thy perfect adoration, and offer all for me, so I, accepting Thine which only hallows mine, pour forth my soul, my blood-cleansed soul, in worship. Holy! Holy! Holy! is the Lord. Amen.

Daily communion. Bread that feeds us, blood that saves us. Doesn't God deserve our daily worship and adoration? He is willing to feed us each day (when we seek Him) and He saves us each day. But He doesn't want our leftovers. He wants - deserves - the finest we have to offer. In return, think of the relationship that could be, a place where you could honestly say "There is nothing between Thee and me, dear Lord," anytime of the day or night.

With Sean out of town, I definitely miss our daily "communion." We talk on the phone once a day and we can email for the short time we're both working (time zone difference), but it isn't the same as having him here acutely involved in the details of daily life. The same is true of my relationship with the Lord: I can talk to Him once a day, send quick prayers/thoughts while I'm doing something else, but it isn't the same as having Him acutely involved in the details of my daily life. For me, this depth of relationship only comes through uninterrupted daily time with God. I admit that it has been hard for me to make time for this and it's something I struggle with every week.

I would love to hear how other people experience daily quiet time with the Lord. I would especially like to hear from other moms and dads who manage to schedule kids and other household responsibilities around their daily "communion."

A Sceptre

A Sceptre shall rise out of Israel.

Numbers 24:17

There is a view of Jeses which men are slow to see, but some day all the world shall know that "A Sceptre" shall rise out of Israel, and evil will be destroyed before His righteousness more swiftly than ice must melt before the glowing sun. It is in the very nature of things that sin must be consumed before His glorious holiness. Can it be other than the love of sin that blinds the eyes of men to His consuming righteousness? "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Amen.

I am often apprehensive to ask God to search my heart because of the sin that lives there. It's comforting to know that the Lord has authority over all my sin and by His power I can overcome it.

A Star

I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near.

A star will come out of Jacob;

a scepter will rise out of Israel.

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,

the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.

"What could be more beautiful or more fitting than that our Lord should be called of God 'a Star'? Those who know Him best may say, 'I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh." From far beyond our world of trouble and care and change, He shines with undimmed light a radiant, guiding Star to all who follow Him - a morning Star, promise of a better day."

How is God guiding you this week?

The Peace Offering

Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings...

he shall offer it without defect before the Lord.

Leviticus 3:1

"Is there any point of dispute between thy Lord and thee? One little thing which thou dost not surrender? He is right He cannot change. It is thy heart which must surrender. Then canst thou receive the peace which passeth knowledge. He has made the offering which atones for all thy past, but thou must yield thy will to Him. Shall it be now?"

Manna

The people of Israel called the bread Manna. Exodus 16:31

"There is an art, not known to all who travel, by which a wearied and exhausted life may gather, in a way which seems to those who do not understand almost miraculous, new strength, new vigor, new physical power, for an onward march. So does the Master feed the souls of His children Himself a spiritual 'Manna' as real and more wonderful than that strange, mysterious food with which He fed the House of Israel. To 'feed upon the Lord' may sound like empty mysticism, but may be a fact to every trusting soul. For unto us are given 'exceeding great and precious promises, that by him we might be partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4)."

This makes me think of life's physical trials that require lasting endurance above and beyond what seems humanly possible; child birth, marathons, enduring a long and difficult fight against cancer... And while it seems "easier" to endure spiritual trials, I would argue that these are the trials that carry more significance. We spend endless amounts of energy fighting for our physical health, which we all know is limited because there is an end, but when it comes to fighting for our spiritual health and strengthening our relationship with the Lord, which carries eternal consequence, we often come up short on energy. We're too tired to get up 30 minute earlier or stay up 30 minutes later to spend time in prayer or studying God's word. Isn't it wonderful that God is never short on energy when it comes to relationship with His children? When we feel stretched, physically or spiritually, we can rely on His strength and energy to get us through. Lately, I have been very apathetic about my walk with God and have since asked Him to revive me. As always, when we are praying God's will in the name of Jesus, He is faithful to answer.

What sustaining "Manna' is the Lord giving you this week?

The Rock of Israel

But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel. Genesis 49:24

"Oh Stone of Israel, chief Cornerstone, rejected by the builders, Stone of Stumbling, Rock of Offense, Foundation Stone, on which alone we build aught that shall stand, make me a polished, living stone; built in with other stones; perchance a pillar to go out no more, but always a part of Thy temple, for Thine own indwelling. Thrice Holy Lord, self-offered for my peace, through death that I might live, through fire that I might become indestructible; consumed that I might feed on Thee in holiest communion - enlighten me today till I perceive Thy peace that passeth understanding. Amen."

What part of God's church are we supposed to be? He has gifted all of us and He desires for us to use those gifts to further His kingdom. In this way, we make up God's church with our faith in Christ as the unifying element.

God's Character

For a long time I have been amazed by the vastness of God's character. I recently purchased a small devotional called "Wonderful Names of our Wonderful Lord" that has descriptions of the names used for God in the bible. My intention is to post one per week with the hope that others will comment on how God is demonstrating that particular trait in their lives. I think we're all inspired to see the many ways God is working in our friends and family.

Shiloh (Peacemaker)
"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." Genesis 49:10

Israel must walk in darkness under the law, until the years may seem eternity, but "Shiloh" comes at last and peace. Has Shiloh come to thee? And has the peace which passeth understanding, the peace He made entered into thy soul? For Shiloh came and conquered every foe that could harass thee, and stands today offering the peace He made "that passeth knowledge." Hast thou received it? Has Shiloh come in vain for thee? Begin today and "in everything by prayer and supplication make thy requests known to him," and Shiloh's peace shall "keep thy heart."