Ministry to India

Presently I am in India with a ministry team. We have been here for seven days conducting crusades, conferences, and prison ministry. I have been unable to access the Internet until today. But I am happy to report that God has been gracious to us. We have seen hundreds touched by His power. This has transpired amidst a nation that is predominantly Hindu and Muslim. Christians represent less than 5% of the population. But in spite of this, God continues to show forth his power. I am so thankful that in the midst of darkness the light of Christ continues to shine through. Although the religious leaders are in a state of resistance, the people are hungry to hear the word and to see the work of God. They rush to the front to be prayed for. Tears fill their eyes and the look of desperation lets you know that their need far exceeds their ability. Looking at them reminds me of the passage where Hezekiah prayed and said, "Lord we can't handle this on our own, so our eyes are upon you." It is my prayer as they look in His direction, God will perform the miraculous by providing for their needs. I ask that your prayer be the same.

The Power of a Touch

The gift of a touch is a powerful thing. I conducted the funeral today of a parishioner. One of the last conversations I had with him was about this very subject. Someone had told him that he had been touched by God and he wanted to know what that meant. With my limited ability in the area of interpretation I tried to give him an adequate explanation. I reflected upon the touches we read about in Scripture in order to choose the appropriate one that would fit his situation. I thought about the healing touch in Matthew 8:1-3. Since it was apparent that he was still battling his illness I knew this one did not fit. Going further I thought about the resurrection touch in Luke 7:12-15. Obviously death had not occurred so this one would not apply either. Next, I thought about the testing touch in Job 19:17-21. While this man would have been open to life’s test this one just didn’t seem applicable either. Then I thought about the disabling touch in Genesis 32:24-32. Would he have been up to a wrestling match? Although weak in body I suppose he would have tried. Last of all I considered the sustaining touch in Daniel 10:15-19. This seemed to be the one that made the most sense to me. God in all of our weaknesses shows up with His presence and sustains us so that we are able to endure whatever comes our way. Cecil, being so weak in body needed God’s sustaining touch. I said to him, “being touched of the Lord means that God’s presence has been given to you so that you can feel His nearness as you battle this sickness. God works in different ways. Sometimes He heals us. Other times He gives us His touch in the form of His presence so that we can know He is close by.” Indeed God was near as His sustaining touch became a transitioning touch into eternity. Which leads me to conclude by asking, “What does God’s touch mean to you?”

His Workmanship

My wife and I are in the process of refurbishing a second home we own. Needless to say it has been a challenge. The bathrooms and kitchen have been gutted and completely redone; the floors sanded and refinished. While there is work yet to be done the project is near completion. When comparing this to our spiritual lives I am reminded of Paul's words in Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." As we remodel the earthly, so does God the spiritual. The interesting thing is that both works contain similarities. I see three in particular that merit consideration. First, the project always cost more than you expect. We have spent far more than we intended on this house. The same holds true when God chooses to do a new work within us. We often find ourselves saying, "Lord are you sure this is what you want, the request seems incredibly expensive." Second, the project always takes longer than expected. We want it done yesterday, but reality sets in letting us know that the task is a process. So it is with God. He rarely finishes a work overnight. Normally, the job involves days, months, and even sometimes years to complete. Third, when finished you will always see things you wish you had done differently. If you were doing it over you might choose a different size room, color, or cabinet. The same can be said of God's work. After its all said and done we wish we had let God do more in us and through us. We realize the changes he wanted to make but did not force upon us would have resulted in our lives being much more attractive and worthwhile. Yet in spite of this, amidst all the disarray, inconvenience, and time consumption when we look back over what has been accomplished we realize the experience was worth it. Let me encourage you to always yield to God's hand allowing Him to fulfill his workmanship within you. Beleive me it will be worth it.

It came to pass

This past weekend a friend and I took a trip to Johnstown Pennsyvania. While making this journey there were several times we gave into frustration because people would get in the passing lane and just meander along slowing down the traffic. Now when this happens you find yourself saying, "will they ever speed ahead and move into the appropraite lane so the rest of the traffic can pass through?" Sometimes we feel like this spiritually. There are times when the storms of life seem to linger and we find ourselves being bogged down in our journey. When this happens we start asking, "will I ever get through this?" Well, there is a phrase in Scripture that I find very consoling. It is "and it came to pass." We all like it when things pass. But sometimes they just don't pass by quickly enough. Normally when we experience this it results in a bad attitude. Paul expecting that we would have this happen admonished us to "Have the attitude of Christ." But how do you maintain that kind of attitude? One, you don't let the reality of the storm blot out the revelation of the Savior. You keep your eyes on Him. Second, you realize that storms don't last forever. Third, you focus on the fact that it is not what happens to you but in you that makes the difference. Every storm is intended to bring spiritual development within us. As with every traffic jam you don't force but you flow your way through. The same holds true in the spirutal realm. Flow with God and He will see that you pass through.

Where's The Action?

I like the word action. It depicts aggressive movement and energy which is what I experienced as Nascar rolled into Bristol this past weekend. People came by the thousands to watch their favorite driver chase after the checkered flag. The cars were fast and furious; the crowd loud and boisterous. It was an experience to remember as a sole driver was able to achieve the feat of winning the triple crown. However, with any race the action can be seen from different viewpoints. One can sit high in the air or down low near the track. It just so happened that I was blessed to watch the race perched in a suite. While this offers the advantage of air conditioning and the absence of noise there is one disadvantage, you do not feel the intensity of the action. Because of this I always like to leave my coveted space with all the comforts and make my way down to the bottom of the stands near the track. Standing there I suddenly feel the wind from the car and the rubber from the tires whipping against my body. It is there that you realize the true speed and the danger of the sport. To be frank it's quite scary especially if you stand where the cars negotiate the steep turns. I always find myself saying, "wow this is intense." This seems to be the point Paul was trying to make in Ephesians 6:12 when he states "we fight not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places." He was declaring that there is a serious battle transpiring in the upper stands. Many times we find comfort watching from ground level. But the closer we get to God and the more focused we are on heavenly things the more intense we will find the battle. It is only when we get near the competing forces that we sense the seriousness of our need and the sufficiency of God's grace. So if you find yourself saying "this is intense" just realize that you have moved to where the action is. And lest you forget, remember that although intense this is also where the checkered flag of victory is.

The Light

I returned home this evening from a long day to a house filled with darkness. Our power is off. It's amazing how accustomed we become to the blessing of light. Little do we assess its importance until we find ourselves without it. Once you get accustomed to the brightness of hundred watt bulbs, the flicker of candle light just doesn't suffice. As I roam around the house walking is difficult, eating is an even bigger challenge and reading is just out of the question. "What do I do in this darkness?" It is at this point that I am struck with the truth that light is just as important to us spiritually. Wasn't this the point Jesus was trying to make when he stated, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Everything about us depends upon our being exposed to Jesus the light of life. Our walk, diet, and perception are all dependent upon it. With this in mind, suddenly I hear a sound, and witness a flash. Darkness is expelled and once again light fills our home. I can see. This experience leaves me with a greater appreciation for electricity but more importantly Jesus. I just wonder "has the light come on for you?"

Running The Race

I enjoy running. Although I do it most every day there are those times when I choose not to. It dawned on me recently that I can do this because my running is done out of convenience rather than necessity. When I am busy, tired, or just lazy I can say not today. However, when it comes to the spiritual race there is no such latitude. Paul in Hebrews 12:1 states "Since we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight that so easily besets us and run with patience the race that is set before us." When I think about this it is necessary that I keep running for three reasons. First, because of those who are ahead of me. I want to assure that great cloud of witnesses that their work has not been in vain. Secondly, I must run because of those who are behind me. They need a legacy to show them the right path to follow. Third, I must run because of those around me. They need my encouragement to stay in the race. So to run or not to run is not an option. I heard something recently that helped put it all in perspective. It goes like this--Every day in Africa the gazelle awakens to the fact that it must run faster than the fastest lion if it is to survive. And every morning the lion awakens to the fact that he must run faster than the gazelle if he is to keep living. So it doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle when morning comes you better be ready to run. That's the way it is with us. When morning comes we must run and run hard that we might finish the race. Our spiritual life and the life of others depend on it!