IS GOD INTERESTED STILL IN THE LOST?

On Tuesday I shared a little from the book "Bruckno." I've finished the book and you'll be happy to know that yes indeed Jesus did become a Motilone just as Mr. Olsen had pleaded. It was amazing to see just how much God was willing to reveal Himself to this people group. Since that post I've really been thinking over in my mind the power of God to save and His desire to see us save.

Last night at Prayer Meeting we spread out all of the registration sheets from our Community Day event on the alter and we prayed over them. Seeing the alter covered in all of those sheets of paper was one thing but then to realize that every paper had a name, a family, a story that all had needs was a bit overwhelming. There were people who openly said they were not a Christian, they didn't want information on "church," they didn't want people praying for they. To see so much lostness represented by these white pieces of paper made me think how massive it is on a global scale. What must it look like to God for Him to look down from His throne and see a sea of the lost? Oh how it must break His heart.

In Ukraine it's just as overwhelming to walk through the market place and realize that more than likely ever person you pass do NOT know who Jesus is or why He came to die for them? Can you imagine walking through the mall at looking at every store clerk or every walker or shopper and realize that they were lost? It would have to shake you up a little.

So much lostness all over the place, even in our own community, yet people that hear still don't listen. Why is it that hearts are still so hard? The Bible teaches us that God is not willing that anyone should perish but that all will have eternal life, yet I must confess sometimes it just doesn't seem that way in places like Ukraine. Why is it that hearts are still so hard and resistant? Why is it that they are a people that is satisfied with going to hell when you outright ask them? Why do they continue to die and slip into an eternity of hell? Is God not interested in saving Ukrainians?

I'm glad that God has broken my heart over the lostness I see but WHY GOD WHY are they still so hard and resistant? Of course the parable of the seed reminds us that it's usually an issue of heart...meaning hearts haven't been properly prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word. Why aren't hearts being prepared? Could it be that we are asking and praying enough? Only the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts but it is our job to be asking the Lord to open their hearts up to RECEIVE the good Word that is sown.

The more I think about it the more questions I ask myself and ask God. This morning I found this Scripture in my quiet time...Isa 59:1 Look! Listen! GOD's arm is not amputated--he can still save. GOD's ears are not stopped up--he can still hear.
Isa 59:2 There's nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.

OUCH! Matthew Henry Concise Commentary says this...If our prayers are not answered, and the salvation we wait for is not wrought for us, it is not because God is weary of hearing prayer, but because we are weary of praying.

God says in Isa 50:2 that He's willing to deliver..."So why didn't anyone come when I [The Lord] knocked? Why didn't anyone answer when I called? Do you think I've forgotten how to help? Am I so decrepit that I can't deliver? I'm as powerful as ever, and can reverse what I once did: I can dry up the sea with a word, turn river water into desert sand, And leave the fish stinking in the sun, stranded on dry land . . .

I think God has challenged me, hopefully all of us to look at the sin in our lives and confess it before Him, then be diligent in our prayer time for the lost to hear the Word as it is given. God has NOT FORGOTTEN TO HELP AS IT SAYS ABOVE! Whether it's Bruce or Brad/Paige or Rich and Michelle or our short-term mission teams, they CANNOT be successful in seeing their efforts change the world if we are not praying for the Holy Spirit to flow like a stream of living water out of them while at the same time convicting the lost of their need for a Savior. Our own efforts only lead to frustration and failure...God's efforts lead to new life and new beginnings. We need HIM! Let Him know that today and confess it to Him as you pray!

"O JESUS, become a UKRAINIAN!"

Too often missionaries that live in a foreign country try to Amercianize new church starts in the local areas in which they are working. Time and time again this approach falls flat on its face. Statistics show that for church plants to succeed, they must be led and maintained by people that are native, not by short-term mission teams from the US or US-based pastors. It's arrogant for us to believe that God has placed a stamp of approval on "our way" of worship and that that way can be a cookie-cutter approach to how all other churches in the world should look.

I'm reading a great book called "Bruchko" and Bruce Olsen is a missionary to the Motilone Indians in South America. Bruce has managed to be accepted by the tribe and has been living with them for 3 years, but has yet to find a way to get them to understand the gospel. After much frustration he finally cries out to the Lord..." But I still could not see how to do it [let them see and experience the love of God]. I knew too much about Motilone beliefs. Noting I could say about Jesus Christ would make sense to them. It would be 'the white man's way.' It would never be the Motilone way. What if some committed their lives to Jesus? Would they end up like the Orinoco Indians, bringing divisions among the Motilones, destroying their social structures [which happened to the Orinocos because the white man forced their method of Christianity upon them]."

He goes on..."But they needed Jesus. How could I introduce them to Him for who He really was, independent of my own personality and culture? Jesus would have to do it for me. There was no other way. Nothing I could say would have the right message, the right force. But Jesus could speak through me, and He could show me the right time to speak.

I bowed my head. The sun was hot on the back of my neck. 'Oh Jesus, these people need You. Show Yourself to them. Take ME out of the way and speak to them in their own language, so they can see You for who You are.

O Jesus, become a Motilone."

WOW. I read that and I haven't gotten over it yet..."Jesus, become a Motilone." As a frequent go-er of short term mission trips, I often labor over how to plead with God for His mercy over the Ukrainian people. They are a hard people. They may have the same skin color, but their outlooks and attitudes are so very different than ours. We share the gospel year-after-year and yet it's as though there is no real life-changing conversions taking place. The local churches that exist are indigenous but struggling to survive. We try all of these outreaches and events and see professions of faith, but where is the change of heart and life that we know that should follow such a profound experience with personal and real God?!!

In exactly one month from today, our mission team will be leaving for Ukraine. We have 2 eye glass clinics scheduled along with a VBS-style outreach for the kids and a large evangelistic service scheduled for the popular town square area...all of these events are useless and fruitless without the power of the Holy Spirit working and moving in the hearts of the hearers! My one request is this as we go and minister...I ask you to intercede for them and ask, "Oh Jesus, become a Ukrainian."

Ukraine is on the threshold of a great spiritual awakening but the doors will be closing very soon as Russia reorganizes herself and will ultimately try to win back Ukraine as Russian territory. The time is short. The need for a Savior is more pressing than ever before...we need Him NOW!!! Oh Jesus become a Ukrainian!

THE GREAT BANQUET Luke 14:15-25

I read a book called "Always Enough." This is an incredible read about two missionaries that the Lord has used in amazing ways to bring His message of Grace to Mozambique. The author said something that has really stirred my thinking and my heart.

READ THIS FIRST THEN LISTEN...Luk 14:15-24 NLT Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, "What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!" (16) Jesus replied with this story: "A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. (17) When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, the banquet is ready.' (18) But they all began making excuses. One said, 'I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.' (19) Another said, 'I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.' (20) Another said, 'I now have a wife, so I can't come.' (21) "The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' (22) After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There is still room for more.' (23) So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. (24) For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.'"

The author says..."' Many people in the Church are frustrated because they don't see a harvest. They're frustrated because they have so little fruit and they wonder why. They keep going to the same people. In the parable above, the rich didn't want to come. They were busy enjoying their money, possessions, and they made excuses. The poor can't do these things, and they are EAGER to come to the banquet when they are invited. god says there are no excuses, but the Church keeps going to the wealthy and the well-fed and then it wonder's why they DON'T respond. God is saying, "Wake Up Church. The Church isn't ready for the wedding feast.. The poor need to be called,." The Lord is looking for servant-lovers who are passionate for Him, who are filled with love for Him, who are longing for the Bridegroom's return, who can taste the feast and know it's about to begin. They can't stand anymore to stay in their comfort, to wait around for someone to be saved. They will literally run out an call in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. If we will go, THEY WILL COME.'

WOW...she pretty much nailed the Church to the wall. I believe there are many things we can look at in this parable and learn from. To me it's clear that our call is to GO (according to Acts 1:8) and then our call is to run to the poor and outcast and invite them in to this great banquet that He has prepared. Missions work whether it's global or local in Max Meadows must be targeted to these. We waste so much time trying to get to those that look like us or sound like us or smell like us that we forget and gladly ignore those that don't. Remember it says in Matthew that Jesus didn't come to save those that THINK they are good enough but to save the lost!

This weekend we will be conducting our 2nd Local Outreach Mission through our Community/Park Day event. During this event we invite the entire town of Max Meadows to come out as a family and enjoy a free meal, free music and free rock climbing walls, and hoppers etc. While there we give away gas and grocery gas cards and most importantly share the Gospel with them! Please pray as we reach our arms outside our church walls that God will draw people into this event...people that have never been "invited" to a banquet of any kind and they will join us for a great "feast."

SINCERELY YOURS...RELATIONSHIPS DO MATTER!

Have you ever noticed just how insincere people seem these days? How many times have you had your conversation interrupted by someone who wanted to talk about themselves? How many times have you been pouring your heart out to someone only to have them check their e-mail or their text messages right in the middle of your meltdown? I have a friend that I see rather frequently yet when I talk to them face to face it's almost as if I'm not even in the room. Now if I CALL them then we may talk for an hour. Why is it that face-to-face conversation has lost its appeal to a phone? it seems that our society has gotten a little off course in this upcoming generation, yes even my generation. We are a group of young people who must be careful not to get ourselves so wrapped up in our technologies that we bypass PEOPLE that are right in front of us.

At our church we use the slogan "Where Relationships Matter" and I'm glad that's our motto because we all need to be reminded that our relationships and friendships DO REALLY MATTER. Some things can't be resolved with a text or e-mail. Sometimes it takes us sitting down with someone and listening. We want to have our relationships at the same level as we "want" everything else in our fast-food society...with as little as work as possible. Being sincere seems to be a lost art these days and i pray that our society catches ourselves in this area before we are all living like hermits on a mountain...never going out...ordering everything via the Internet, texting our friends, twittering, and yet ignoring the all important face-to-face interaction that is so important in growing our relationships.

I write this today because I catch me doing these exact things. It's so easy for me to get caught up in my activities, my life that I forget that as a friend and as a pastor that my role is all to BUILD and GROW relationships. I value relationships not because I'm paid to do so as a pastor and people expect it but because I care about people. Unfortunately sometimes it may not seem that way so if there' anyone out there that I've cut short or passed over I'm sorry.

HERE'S CHLOE

WAITING FOR CHLOE TO BLOOM!

There is a long row of white, pink, and dark purple peonies that have always been on this property for as long as I can remember. My grandparents always loved flowers and some of my great summer memories of being here was of their beautiful flower beds. My grandfather loved impatients and always planted them in a nice shaded spot on the north side of the house. My grandmother loved lilies and they strategically placed throughout the yard and along the drive. I don't' know who planted the peonies but they were always my favorite. Stay with me here as this is not just a blog about flowers.

Have you ever smelled one? The aroma is amazing...they are strong but not strong like that horrid smell that comes out of Bath and Body Works at the mall. The aroma is soothing to me and refreshing. One thing that I've always found interesting is the number of black ants that crawl all over the buds. Knowing that everything has a purpose and a function in nature I'm curious as to why you see black ants on peonies but rarely see them on other flowers. I mean think about it...when was the last time you picked a tulip and had to shake off the ants before you put it in the vase?

So here's what I've found. Peonies have a very tight waxy bud on them that secrets a sweet nectar. The ants crawl all over the buds to eat the nectar which loosens the wax and allows the peony to blossom and bloom all at once in one grand display. Isn't' it neat that God created such a co-op in nature!

Sarah and I both love flowers and both happen to love the peony. We cleared out the overgrown grapevine this past fall so that that long row would have new air and space to grow and breath. We've watched them slowly sprout up throughout the late winter and early spring and we've just been waiting with expectation for the first one to open. Then we'll quickly pick it and enjoy the great smell in our living room!

I realized tonight that it's pretty neat that Chloe's name means blossoming or blooming...and like the flowers that we both love so much it is our co-op if you will to help her bloom and be all she can be. That means we need to give her space to grow and be who she was created to be in the eyes of God. We have been so anxious for our little Chloe to show up that I've finally figured that perhaps she's waiting on the flowers to "bloom" as well!

The suns coming out tomorrow...there better be some blooming peonies out there...then maybe, just maybe we'll see our sweet little girl's face!

The $6 DIFFERENCE!

Below is a post from Rich and Michelle Franzen in South Africa. Please consider the need as listed below. Winter is quickly approaching in this country and the need for a warm blanket is urgent.

More about this endeavor....
The weather is quickly changing here in the southern hemisphere and soon bone-chilling winter temps will roll in.

For the past two years, May has been an extremely cold month kicking off the winter season. With this in mind we want to share with you an inexpensive yet tangible opportunity to help many during our winter months.

For those we minister to living in the squatter camps, housed in metal and cardboard shacks, the winters bring harsh realities. Last year numbers soared into the hundreds of people freezing to death. Men dressed in shorts huddled around an outdoor fire and children snuggled close in an attempt to keep warm are common sights during these next few months.

The past two years in an effort to combat these realities and help bring some warmth we passed out thick, wool blankets with the overseas teams canvassing the squatter camps. Last year we were able to warm more than 1,000 women, children, the sick and elderly with such blankets.

During the months of June-August, we will have 150 short-term participants ministering with us in these poverty stricken areas. In addition to sharing the Message of hope with them, we would like to utilize the groups to hand out blankets similar to those we have purchased in the past.

One wool blanket costs approximately $6.00 and our goal is to pass out 1,000 beginning in June! Would you please consider partnering in this opportunity and share it with others?

We understand times are tough right now but most can give $6, $12, or $24! 350 Blankets have been purchased
650 More People to be Blanketed

If you would like to contribute toward our goal of blanketing 1000 people by June 1, you can do so by clicking here and remember to enter the code "blankets" so we can track our progress. $6 will purchase one warm, wool blanket.

Check back to track the blanketing progress.
Help us share God’s love with the African people in a very tangible (and perhaps life-saving) way. Give securely online at http://www.impactafrica.org/. Please use the code: ‘blankets’ when giving so we can track our progress.

TOTALLY DISTRACTED

Okay so I confess that I'm a little distracted. Several of you that follow my blog have called to check on Sarah because I haven't posted in a few days... I have 2 words...NO BABY! After the doctor told us 10 days ago that it would be "any day" we are STILL waiting on that "any day" to happen.

A few days back I posted about the garden and how the ground was so freshly prepared at one time but now it's not...well I've still been thinking about that analogy with spiritual things and I've got a little more to say.

Isn't it funny how we just WISH the seeds and plants would plant themselves. I have high hopes for a garden but it's going to take some TIME investment on my part if I want to see any harvest. As I said I did manage to squeeze in some time to plant some sunflowers and wildflowers before the rain came, but that large rectangle still stares me in the face every time I drive up and down my driveway.

Our Christian walk is sometimes like that unplanted garden. We have grand and high expectations about seeing a garden full of beans and corn and tomatoes and yet we don't really want to work towards that end. I've noticed that sometimes in our Christian walk we expect God to just drop things in our lives without any effort or labor on our behalf.

I must confess I can see God using me and Sarah in some pretty exciting ways but I know that my spiritual "fields" are still being prepared. I have so many things that I want to do in my walk and in my time of study and prayer with God but there's always something that tries to either compete for that time or take me out of that time altogether. Yet I walk around in arrogance and still expect God just to bless me or my ministries just because it's me? That hurts a bit I must say.

Just like with my garden, I can't expect seed just to sow itself and sprout up and yield results. To see results I have to go to the store, choose the seed, plant them, water, weed, and care for them and then and only then would I be able to see the results of my labor. In my spiritual life I cannot expect to see God work and move in amazing ways if all I'm ever doing is thinking about the harvest instead of actually investing the efforts into the harvest.

I want to see the nation of Ukraine turned upside down for Christ. It won't get done if I stay at home will it? No I must go in order to be apart of what God is doing there and join Him in His work. If I stay home, then I'm silent. If I'm silent then the Ukrainians don't hear and if they don't hear then they don't believe! If I sow silence then I reap silence. If I sow the Word then the Lord will do the reaping!

I want to challenge you today to get out there and start planting and working your spiritual garden...start praying like your very life depended on it...start reading the Word as if it would be permanently be taken away from you tomorrow...start believing God for a mighty move of His Spirit and be willing to be used by Him...no matter where the fields are or what they may look like.

SEED SOWING

A couple of weekends ago my brother-in-law plowed and tilled a spot in the place that my grandparents used to use for their garden. We didn't have him plow the entire area because we will have our hands full this summer with a new baby; it's also the first garden I've ever done so I will have a learning curve to go on.

As I looked at the freshly tilled soil I marveled at how great it looked. I put my bare feet into that warm dirt and just felt it cushion in around my toes. It was just a great feeling to be honest. I almost felt like walking in the sand when you visit the beach. Oh this soil has been well tested over the years and has produced many many servings of beans, corn, cucumbers, potatoes and tomatoes. Now it's our turn to see what we can do with this great-looking, well-prepared soil.

Well that was two weeks ago. Two weeks ago the ground was ready. Two weeks ago we could have dropped seed in there and by now we would have seen some germination taking place. Well I'm sorry but I've been a bit preoccupied and time has slipped by me. Tonight Sarah and I walked down to the garden and decided to plant some sunflowers and wildflowers in part of it. I was amazed, but not necessarily surprised, at how quickly the soil had hardened. I also found it shocking that so many weeds and clumps of old crab grass had already started the process of trying to claim back this ground that I had once claimed for my own purposes. I won't even the numerous and hurtful thistles that were now growing and spreading like wild fire in the part of the garden that wasn't tilled.

As I spent some time re-preparing the soil to take the flower seed that we were going to scatter a spiritual parallel occurred to me. How many times does God go before us and prepare the spiritual soil for His good seed only to never have anyone willing to step forward and sow on the fresh dirt. His Holy Spirit goes out to convict the lost of their sin and then the Holy Spirit uses God's people to walk in obedience with Him in sharing His love and grace with these same people. The question is though... where are the Laborers? In a time when it seems harder and harder to find church bodies that focus more on missions than prosperity and feel good garbage I have to wonder where are the laborers in the spiritual fields? Where are those that are willing to say, "Here I am, Lord send me."

We pray and ask all of the time in prayer that God would plow and till up the hardened soil of a lost person's heart to be able to receive the good soil of the gospel when we go. So what does happen when God prepares the soil that is so rich and so ready and then no one responds to the call? I would imagine it look and feel a lot like my garden....soil that is no longer loose but is getting compacted again, filling up with weeds and thistles. How quickly the world would come in against those prepared hearts, those freshly prepared souls/soils that are freshly tilled by His Holy Spirit. Something will occupy that spot...either more unbelief, more worldly ways or something new and life-changing...yes something that would feed them for eternity!

We sit around and say we don't have to go or think that God will provide some other way for the lost to hear the message and yet I say to you that what if YOU are the "way" for others to hear the message. Clearly the seed can't plant itself. God's asking for laborers to be in the field planting. His Holy Spirit has prepared the way and we're still sitting on our duffs at home...maybe we are going to classes on what type of seed to look for or how to best spread the seed...Sometimes we have to stop talking about and training ourselves to death and go out there and do it...He's waiting on you and me! The lost are waiting on you and me! Step up, grab the Word of God, trust the Holy Spirit and get into those ripe fields!

Baby Update

Well blog friends, there's still no baby! Sarah had a weekend of contractions but they were so sporadic that they were just frustrating more than anything. Our hopes have been high since last Tuesday that Chloe would get to us sooner rather than later but now it looks like she'll be here later rather than sooner.

Oh well, I guess we'll just have to trust God's timing here and yield to him. All of the walks and spicey foods and such have nothing to do with the sovereignty of God's plan! We will wait...and while we wait we will praise Him and continue to prepare ourselves for this exciting new mission ahead!