Counting it ALL Joy

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." {James 1:2} The International Standard Version says to "Consider it pure joy..." While most of us typically don't enter into a trial and say "Yahoo!", I think it's high time we consider what we can carry into every situation.

This thought came into even more clarity as I watched videos concerning the persecuted church in the world. The reality is that the joy, steadfastness, and hope that they carry in their life challenges me to my core. To be quite honest...and I mean this in all sincerity...when I hear their stories - I long to possess that type of faith because I'm realizing that it is one that has been tried by fire. It's pure, it's precious, and it is real.

Growing up in a country where we are free to worship however we choose isn't a bad thing. It just changes things. The followers of Jesus understood what it meant to be a "witness" unto Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The Greek word translated "witness" can also be translated as martyr. I am pretty sure that the disciples knew full well that the faith they were carrying could very well mean giving their lives. But they were willing to give everything.

I'm discovering more and more that the "quality" of faith we carry is different from theirs. Their faith is often forged in the fire while ours becomes a choice between so many others. Their faith becomes their life while ours becomes a part of our lives. I hope you understand that I'm grateful for the freedom we have - and I'm not trying to disregard the quality of your faith - I'm simply saying that they are challenged with dying for their faith while many of us are struggling to live out our faith.

Counting it ALL joy...
Consider the words with me. The trying of their faith produces steadfastness. Although we cringe at the thoughts of what so many of them go through, look at what they possess. They possess a mindset that says regardless of what we go through we can be joyful. Regardless of the difficulty they do not deny Christ. They own something that is real, that is valid, and that has truly changed their lives.

I was reminded of the writings of Richard Wurmbrand during this process. I was thinking about the quality of faith that he carried even though he spent 14 years in a Communist prison. Even though he endured horrible torture, humiliation, sickness, starvation, and was even left for dead - he came out victorious, steadfast in His love for God, and bold in his advancement of the Kingdom of God. It was a difficult trial. It wasn't pretty. But what was produced in his life was a precious treasure. He is quoted as saying, "I have found truly joyful Christians only in the Bible, in the Underground Church, and in prison."

What we may not realize is that the quality of faith that comes out of persecution is a result of the joy that is carried through the trials. What a word for us in the free world: "Count it all JOY..."
Count it all joy when people misunderstand you.
Count It all joy when people disregard you.
Count it All joy when people laugh at you.
Count it all Joy when people think you are foolish to believe what you believe.
Your joyfulness through these difficult experiences will produce a faith that is to be treasured above anything this world can give.

Pray for our brothers and sisters who are going through the trials of persecution. They need hope. They need encouragement. They need our intercession.
Pray for those of us who are experiencing our faith in the midst of freedom as well. Our challenges are quite different but we need to possess the same quality of faith.

I remember hearing of a pastor who was sharing with another pastor from a persecuted country. He said, "We pray for you in your persecution." The persecuted pastor said "No...you don't understand...we pray for YOU in your freedom." This man understood, as David Platt said in his book "Radical": "Wake up. Wake up and realize that there are infinitely more important things in your life than football and a 401(k). Wake up and realize there are real battles to be fought, so different from the superficial, meaningless 'battles' you focus on. Wake up to the countless multitudes who are currently destined for a Christless eternity."

Moving from Knowledge into Knowing

It's a topic that has been around since God Himself. It's debated, studied, challenged, embraced, misunderstood, and encountered. Yes...I'm talking about the love of God. It's the area where I feel the Lord constantly pursues me. The question will always be: Will I always be able to encounter the love of God?

When Paul wrote the church in Ephesus, he prayed that they would "know" the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge - filled with all the fullness of God. This isn't a new topic for this blog but I continue to be taken deeper in my understanding. The word translated as "know" is used as a Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. The word translated as "knowledge" refers to an acquired knowledge (like science). One comes through study while the other comes through experience. Don't you know that it's one thing to study about intimate love and quite another to experience it? What Paul is telling us is that we will never fully comprehend the love of God because it surpasses anything we could ever learn. However, we can fully experience it. And as we continue to come into these intimate encounters with the love of God then we are able to step into the fullness of God.


This whole idea captures my attention because Paul is trying to move the church toward an experience rather than simply being satisfied with a head knowledge. Our churches today are filled with people who have a head knowledge of the love of God but are lacking in the intimate experiences of His love. Depending on your church background you may have been told to go after the knowledge more than the experience. According to Paul - that would be backwards. Once you come into an experiential knowledge then you will be able to come into an understanding. It is my opinion that you cannot come into a full understanding until you experience something. For example: Before I had children I never fully understood the dynamics of being a parent. The same could be said of marriage. Before I was married, all I had were theories, head knowledge, and a limited understanding of what it meant to be a husband. Now...as a husband and a father...I am coming into a greater understanding. What makes the difference? EXPERIENCE!!!

God wants you to know His love in the most intimate way. This requires more than being able to memorize Scripture or teach a lesson. It requires that I experience for myself the absolute, incredible, and unconditional love of God. It means that I come into an encounter.

It is my prayer for you that you may know the intimate and experiential love of God so that you would be filled with all the fullness of God. Remember - His fullness is discovered in the experiential knowledge of His love. Don't sell yourself short. Keep pressing in. Keep going hard after God. It's my belief that He wants you to encounter His love more than you may want to encounter it. He wants your life to be completely wrecked for anything else. He wants you to be consumed with His love for you.

Enjoy the journey!!!

Here Goes...

This blog entry should have been done an hour ago. You just wouldn't believe how difficult it was to find the material that I was looking for. So...since I didn't really find anything...you will have to sort through my rambling.

I was thinking about 1 John 2:16 today: All that is in the world - lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. John says that these things are not from the Father but of this world. Peter also encourages the church by urging them as aliens and strangers in this world to abstain from sinful desires which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). Jesus told His disciples that they did not belong to the world because He had called them out. What's my point? You are not of this world. And as a people who are not of this world, we need to learn how to live from a different reality.

Hebrews 5:14 talks about mature believers who have trained their senses to discern good and evil. The frustrating part of preparing for this blog was the lack of material in Christian circles regarding this very thing. There is plenty of info about training the mind and discipline for the body but very little about training the senses. I have to wonder if it's due to fear - fear that we would sound "New Age" or like "Mysticism". Regardless of the reason, for those who are mature in Christ, there is a need to recognize the spiritual reality of our lives and tap into everything that is of God.

Romans 12:2 teaches us that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The interesting part of the word translated "transformed" is that it's the same word that is translated "transfigured" as relating to Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. What do we know about Christ's transfiguration? We know that He was changed. What do we know about those who are in Christ? They have changed as well. The challenge is living as one who has been transformed.

Can you even imagine using your senses to discern good and evil? But this is what transformed people do.
Can you fathom the idea of living in such a way that all of your actions are based upon a spiritual reality rather than a physical one? But this is how transformed people live.
I don't think we fully realize ALL that is available to us because our minds are still grounded in this world rather than fixed upon the reality of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is within you. You continually have access to reality that is greater than the one you are experiencing. There are depths of communion with God that can literally change our lives. The reason we struggle in the areas that John lists is because we are stuck in a 1st Adam mindset rather than the last Adam. Adam & Eve fell to these things while Christ overcame them. That is why we must renew our minds!

I'm ready for a greater experience. I'm ready to live a life where every fiber of my being is in tune with God. I'm excited about the possibilities that await every believer as they step into the fullness of God. I honestly don't believe that we really believe John 4:17 "as He is so are we in this world." If we REALLY believed it then we would do everything possible to tap into that reality.

The world needs to experience Christ. But before they can every truly experience Him, we must experience Him for ourselves. We must move past the point of confession and into the experiential knowledge of Him. We are His image bearers in the earth. We have His Spirit dwelling inside of us. Is there anything that we cannot do in Him? Is there any experience in Him that we cannot obtain for ourselves? I realize that I may be pushing the envelope of your thinking but just realize that we are being pushed together. It's time!!!

Enjoy the journey.

Living With Thanksgiving

As we draw closer to my favorite holiday I'm reminded of the power of thankfulness. Being thankful allows us to focus on the positives in life. It continually brings us to a place of remembrance that creates a platform for worship. The challenge for each of us is learning how to live with thanksgiving rather than simply encountering moments of giving thanks.

Allow me to illustrate my point:
- Moments of thankfulness are typically what I term as "spark moments" - in other words, we have become reflective or something has just taken place that prompts our thankfulness to God.
- On the other hand, a lifestyle of thanksgiving creates a mindset where we are continually thankful - where we take nothing for granted - and our hearts are always in tune with the Giver of the gifts rather than the gift itself.

A lifestyle of thanksgiving reminds us that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." {James 1:17}. It allows us to be focused upon the God who always gives His children good and perfect gifts. We are aware of the fact that in His nature there is no variation or shadow of turning. A lifestyle of thanksgiving never needs reminding of the goodness of God but is always mindful of God's blessings.

While I'm appreciative of the holiday that we celebrate in America, it's just my belief that one day a year isn't enough. I'm grateful for the fellowship it creates within the family, the food that we are allowed to partake of, and the mindset that many carry into the celebration. My question is, as a follower of Christ, why is this not the norm? Are we not encouraged through Scripture to give thanks in everything? Isn't thanksgiving supposed to accompany every request and every prayer? If the answer to these questions is "Yes" then should we not understand why?

I stated earlier that I believe living with thanksgiving keeps us from focusing on the negatives in life. The reason this is true is because when your are constantly aware of the positives then you don't have time for the negatives. Thanksgiving will actually allow you to change the emotions inside of you and the atmosphere around you. If you want to give it a shot, the next time you become focused on negatives - stop and begin giving thanks for all of the good things in your life. Make it a time of worship unto God and you will discover that your heart is changed, the heaviness is lifted, and everything around you feels different.

I'm always amazed at the power of thanksgiving. I love to hear people pray from a thankful heart. While I may not be as moved as they are about the things they are thankful for, I'm always moved by their heart of gratitude. And you see...that is the key: An Attitude of Gratitude. A pre-disposition of thankfulness to our Heavenly Father. It can happen. You can be that person. It's simply a matter of the heart.

Thankful (by definition) is:
1. Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful.
2. Expressive of gratitude
Allow this word to describe you. Allow this word to represent the mindset that you carry with you every day. I realize that in this world we will encounter tribulation but Jesus says, "Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."

May the Lord continually bless you and your family. I pray that your thanksgiving holiday will be a beginning to a greater lifestyle. May you know God's love, goodness, and provision in your life. And I pray that your family experiences the blessings of God through your thankfulness.

*Talk to you again next week.

Impacting Africa

The day is finally here. I'm finally going to share with you about our experiences in South Africa. While I do not plan on giving you a detailed listing of all that we did, I do plan on stirring your heart.

Much of our South Africa trip was spent walking through Squatter Camps and encountering people. We shared with them, loved them, prayed for them, and encouraged them. I was amazed at the openness of the various people we met. They were willing to listen, to talk, to be prayed over, and to hear of God's unconditional love for them. While we may not have seen every person confess Jesus as Lord, we were able to bring them into tangible contact with His goodness.

The picture that I have shared with you today is one of my favorites from the trip. You will see my lovely wife sharing the gospel with a group of women. It was an amazing time and a great opportunity to impart life. I'm not pictured with her because I was playing with a couple of boys in the background. Laughing, having a good time, and giving her the setting she needed to communicate with these ladies. This may sound odd to some people but I believe that by playing with those boys - when they meet Jesus later in life that He will seem familiar.

Mission work isn't just about verbally sharing the gospel. It's also not just simply giving food or providing a service. Missions is about a gospel lifestyle. It's about re-presenting Christ to the world through every possible means. It's about using relationships to springboard the gospel, providing for needs with no strings attached, or just providing the encouragement someone may need to make it through another day. Wherever we are and whatever we do becomes a part of God's eternal purpose of establishing His rule and reign in the earth.

We were able to do just that:
Walking through a Hospice facility - praying for people with HIV, touching them, sharing with them, and feeding them.
Showing up at a Daycare facility - playing with the kids, washing dishes in the kitchen, taking pictures, and giving hugs.
Going to the Squatter Camps - embracing people who live in extremely poor conditions, talking with them about life, loving their kids, and telling them of God's amazing love.
Working in the medical clinics - trying to ensure people are taken care of, crying with them, praying for them, and sometimes just being there.
Ministering in the local churches - sharing from the Word of God, speaking encouragement to the believers, praying over the pastors, and worshiping together.

All of these experiences - big and small - are a part of a much larger picture. That picture of course is the one that God began painting in the garden. It's a picture of His image bearers in the earth, being fruitful, multiplying, and enlarging the borders of His government. Within this picture are individuals who were willing to sacrifice, willing to leave the comforts of this world, willing to give of themselves, and willing to love God with all of their heart. And when you and I learn to step back from the picture to get a broader view, we discover that the individuals are tied together to form a picture of Christ in the earth. This picture is realized in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

Did my visit to South Africa impact my life? YES!
Did my visit to South Africa impact them as well? I believe so. And it is my prayer that the impact will be much greater than what I saw with my own eyes.

It Couldn't Wait...

Devern Fromke says, "For the Father from eternity has a wonderful purpose for Himself which of course included man. Redemption is not the end, but only a recovery program. It is but a parenthesis incorporated into the main theme."

I got so stirred up within myself this morning that I just COULDN'T WAIT to share with you. The quote I just posted will be offensive to a lot of people because we tend to view everything (including redemption) from our point of view rather than God's. In our minds, redemption is the big thing. It is, in our minds, the reason we exist. However, we fail to recognize the fact that God did not create man with a need for salvation. The need for salvation came after Genesis 1 & 2. In other words, before Genesis 3, man lived in unbroken fellowship and relationship with God. Heaven continually invaded the earth. There was no sin, no sickness, and no death. Man was placed in full authority over what God created. The purpose of humanity was set forth - we were to be fruitful, multiply, and expand the borders of God's reign. What happened next has been well documented: Adam & Eve fell, man was thrust from the Garden, and humanity was placed under a curse.

INSERT REDEMPTION: Jesus came to earth as a man. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He gave His life as a ransom for all humanity. He was resurrected - received full authority in heaven and on earth - and redeemed mankind from the curse.

So where are we now? The reality of the Bible is this: God has done everything that needed to be done to restore humanity to His original design. The main theme of God's creative purpose has been re-established (not that it had ever been lost). God has a people upon the earth that are to be fruitful, multiply, and expand the borders of His reign. And God will not be satisfied until the WHOLE earth is filled with His glory.

This is where religion has dulled our understanding. As long as we see the world in need of redemption then we will never fully fulfill the purpose of God. I'm not saying that the world is not in need of salvation. I'm simply saying that redemption has been purchased. The illustration that I thought of this morning involved prisoners of war. The battle has been fought, the war is over, and yet there are still millions of people trapped in prison. As Christ's ambassadors in the world, we have the opportunity to go into these prison camps and deliver the captives. We get to walk in the same anointing, same authority, and same calling of Jesus where we say "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed..." {Luke 4:18}

Please understand that I am not belittling the redemption of man. It is a BIG DEAL. We will continually celebrate (I believe) for all of eternity what was accomplished in the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. I just want you to see things from God's perspective. God's purpose was never lost in the fall of man. Jesus' death on the Cross was not a part of some contingency plan. It was/is a part of God's purpose in creating a people for Himself that would establish His rule and reign in the earth.

Take some time to read Genesis 1 & 2. Then read Revelation 21 & 22. What do will you find? You will find that what God started in those first two chapters of the Bible come into a full realization in the last two. How is this possible? It's possible because of the eternal purpose of God. You and I get to be a part of that purpose. We get to be a part of the fulfillment of the dream of God. But the only way this will happen is when we begin to see ourselves along with the rest of humanity in Christ. We have to come to an understanding of all that was accomplished in Jesus. Then and only then will we fully realize our part in God's plan.

What an amazing God we serve! What an incredible journey that our lives become when we begin to see things from God's perspective! Oh...that the church would wake up to what God has done, is doing, and will do through us for His glory!

Resting from the Trip - Be Back Soon!!!

Happy Wednesday Everyone! It's good to be back with you. I have plans to officially return to the blog next week. I've taken a few days to rest and recuperate from the mission trip.

I pray that the remainder of your week is blessed and filled with the goodness of God.