Friday, April 23, 2010

Thanks Where Thanks is Due


Location: Parents' living room, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (about 5:00pm on the 23rd of April)

If you have not yet read my previous post, take a look at it--at least at the photos!

However, I wanted to go ahead and post again, because I want to thank you. Yes, I love to write, but more than that, I must give thanks.

You see, I have MANY things to be thankful for, and I try to remain thankful always. For example, today I had the privilege of visiting my high school French teacher, whose efforts over the course of four years in French and Russian laid the groundwork for my language learning not only as I pursued French, but as I studied Spanish and Romanian, and as I dabbled in other languages like Zulu. Alors, merci beaucoup, Mr. C.! (By the way, for those of you who know that adventure follows me, you will not be surprised that when I arrived for the visit I found the high school on "perimeter lock-down" due to an area bank robbery with the suspect at large and on foot!)

As I said, I am thankful for many things, but I want to take a moment to address the question of finances. I am often asked, in one way or another, how I finance my travels and my work. The simple answer is that I do not. No, I am not independently wealthy. No, I am not paid by a church or organization of any kind. No, I do not currently have a paying job.

Whence come my funds? Well, they come from the same place as the rest of my provision: the LORD. You see, God provides for His people, reminding us that if the sparrows and the lilies do not worry about provision, then neither should we. Moreover, I believe that when the Lord specifically calls someone to a certain task, He specifically provides for His purposes to be fulfilled. He has never let me down.

Actually, this is none of your business; the only reason I write this is to encourage you to trust the Lord in any and every situation. More importantly, if the Lord is calling you to something, follow Him obediently. He will provide for and protect you. However, I want to get more detailed in this description so that I can give thanks where thanks is due.

Last year, I read the biography of George Mueller (his last name is spelled different was depending on the translation from the German). He was a German man who lived in England more than a century ago. He cared for more than two thousand orphans, yet he never solicited anyone except God for his funds, nor did he publicize his needs. Yet God always provided, often in miraculous ways.

I had heard of Mueller before, and when I read his biography, that cinched it. I decided to live the same way. God knows my needs better than anyone else, even me! So why not trust Him to provide for them? In this way, I do not put my faith in a job, nor do I put my faith in a charitable group of people; my faith is only in the Lord Most High.

As if to confirm my decision, four persons in the month of December--while I was in Romania--unexpectedly walked up to me and discreetly put money in my hand. This was something new for me. Occasionally good friends who wanted to encourage me would give me a gift, but never had I so abruptly and directly received funds. Since December, this has happened to me on what I would consider a fairly regular basis.

But if you ask God to provide, you must humbly receive what He provides. It may not be the way you expect. For example, when I quit my job a couple of years ago to pursue a study of prayer, I purposely did not seek a new job, trusting the Lord to provide. He did! He dropped a part-time job in my lap, a job perfectly flexible for what I needed, with a paycheck that met my needs. Another way He provided recently was by calling me to report for federal jury duty, ironically during this short time I was in the United States. Though I was dismissed after the first day, I was paid for reporting. When I was in Romania last year, I received hand-me-down clothes since I had not come to Europe expecting to be there during the winter season. Other ways the Lord has provided for me is by providing meals, places to stay, and work I can do to receive a wage.

Often I am asked, "You don't work?" Yes, I work! I work very hard, and I enjoy working hard. However, I do not report to a human boss, nor am I paid by a human agency.

Why do I tell you all of this personal information? I DO NOT tell you this to express a need; I tell you this to express God's faithfulness. I want to thank you, though many of you are anonymous. Thanks to my parents and to the Church, who have blessed me in many ways. If you are someone the Lord used to bless me with a meal or a bed or clothes or funds, I want to make sure you know that I appreciate your obedience; I want to thank you. If you recently pressed a gift into my hand; thank you. I am very conservative with my resources, and I promise you that I am using it as wisely as I can for the glory of God. I also try to be as generous with what I receive as the Lord has been to me. More importantly, however, I want to boast in the Lord; I want to thank my God. You see, He provides for me for your benefit and mine. I benefit by having my immediate needs me, and often you benefit because I am then able to intercede for you in prayer, to minister to you, to encourage you, or even to provide for your needs.

To boast in the Lord's faithfulness, I can boast that I never ask anyone for money, nor do I advertise my needs. As best I can, I try to keep them hidden when I have needs. I do not collect unemployment; I pay my taxes faithfully. I do not enter into debt, except to use my credit card as a debit card, withdrawing funds I have. I do not ask my parents, my church, or any other friends or family to support me in any way except through prayer. God is greater, and I trust that if He wants someone to support me in other ways, He will encourage them to do so.

Boast with me in the Lord! Glory to God! Thanks be to God! Father, thank You for meeting my needs! Thank You for giving me a life that You use to encourage those around me! Thank You for giving me Your Word in the Bible when I need encouragement! Thank You for calling so many people to pray for me! Thank You for giving me opportunities to join in Your work! May I never be distracted by my needs or by my provision and let my eyes or my heart lose their focus on You! You are everything I need! Please give me the faith I need to be faithful to You! Please give me the grace I need to be thankful to You for Your faithfulness! Your love endures forever!
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A Rose From Home

A Rose From Home

My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)


I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…

I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.

Have you ever been hurt by the Church?

After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”

Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?

So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.

Have you ever felt like a fake?

Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.

Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?

Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.

In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”

Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?

I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.

It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!

If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!

Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?

If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!

My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.

Now, what is your story?