Discipleship Network Forum

What I learned from the worst prison in Mexico:

My dear Mexican pastor friend Emilio Beltran (who has lived in the most notorious prison in Mexico for the past 6 years) handed me two Mustard Seed Foundation grant applications while we were meeting together in Reclusorio Oriente prison last month. I work for this Foundation, seeking out projects that we can fund to help new evangelism, discipleship, and economic development projects in the world’s megacities.

One application is from the church planted outside the prison walls last December, and another is from the collective of 11 congregations (one in each of the massive cell blocks in the prison) Emilio has planted inside the prison since last February.

Since my visit into the prison with Emilio I have had a month of back and forth with the lead pastor of the new church on the outside, who has taken my questions back to Emilio inside the prison for answers, and sent the answers back to me by email.

The MSF Board will decide on these two grant applications: Adulam Reclusorio (prison) and Adulam Contreras (outside the prison) at the next Board Meeting in April. The grant application from inside Reclusorio Oriente is the first grant application MSF has ever received which were written from inside a prison by inmates.

You would love the listing of the Adulam Reclusorio’s elder board called “ Men of the Table”:

• Oscar has served 8 months of a 6 year sentence for aggravated domestic violence with injury 
• Juan has served 8 years of a 40 year sentence for kidnapping
• David has served 1.5 years of a 9 year sentence for attempted murder
• Moises has served 6 years of a 37 year sentence for murder 
• Juan Carlos Fortin Moreno has served 2 years of a 9 year sentence for sexual assault of children and trafficking
• Carlos has served 5 years of a 7.5 sentence for kidnapping and extortion
• Jorge has served 2 years of an 8 year sentence for grand theft
• Luis has served 5 years of a 20 year sentence for attempted murder

And my dear brother Emilio. He has served 5 years of a 137 year sentence (reduced to 23 years) on three charges: Corruption of minors (sexually assaulting children); Child slavery (using children as workers for personal profit); and Organized crime (conspiracy by all the Adulam Casa de Refugio orphanage staff). Emilio is in prison because of a conspiracy between corrupt pastors, Congressmen, Judges, and the Attorney General (now the Mayor of Mexico City).

The first grant application is asking for a one-time grant to help establish the new church in the Contreras District of Mexico City. This church was started last December. The congregation is made up of recovering addicts, homeless, orphans and ex-convicts that found Christ and were mentored by Emilio while incarcerated. It meets under a tarp in the outdoor ‘garden area' of a rented social/nightclub on Sunday mornings.

The second application is from the prison church and asks for a one-time award to help establish a creative workshop in the prison so that the men with a natural gift in art can begin making crafts for sale inside and outside the prison. This workshop will fully employ more than 25 men by the end of this calendar year, provide for the ‘taxes’ required by the church to hold services in the prison, and buy more materials to expand the workshop.

The Mustard Seed Foundation requires a match of money given by a local congregation in the neighborhood of ministry in order to receive our funding.

These two grant applications do not ask the MSF to match the giving of wealthy donors or megachurches from the USA.

Instead the Foundation will be asked to match the giving from the tithes and offerings of the congregation itself: the men trapped inside one of the worst prisons in Latin America for the craft project; and ex-convicts, mentally ill, addicts, and their families on the outside for the first new church outside the prison.

At first glance one might think this to be impossible or even stupid.

But the truth is the men inside this prison tithe and give offerings each day for the work of the Gospel in the prison. They have come to live with the understanding that nothing they own belongs to them.

Whatever they do have is freely shared with the rest of the brothers so that those that do not have anything to give can survive for that very day. As in other prison churches I have visited in Latin America, the members of this church tithe above 50% of all they have. If this sounds familiar in some remote way it is because it mirrors the way the first church tithed as recorded in the New Testament record in Acts Chapter 2, verses 42 - 47.

Some of the men in this church have family members close by who come to visit and give gifts for the men to sell inside the prison. These fortunate enough for such gifts been able to start a small business inside the prison selling socks, pencils, gum, or other trinkets, so they can afford food, clothing, and the 'street taxes' (bribes) required just to exist in this hell hole.

Now imagine a church that meets in this hell that has 12 worship services each day, while surrounded by drug dealing, prostitution, and violent assault happening just a few feet from the tarp under which the Adulam Reclusorio congregation gathers.

• Imagine an entire congregation in Bible study, discipleship, and worship every day.
• Imagine prayer vigils that last the night in bug and rat infested cells where 26 men are pushed into a space designed for 6.
  
• Imagine convicted murders and rapists sharing their food with each other as they eat together as a new family. 
• Try to imagine a baptism service, where the men being baptized hop into a repurposed oil drum and are dunked straight down into really cold brackish water.
• Imagine the men accepting their prison sentence as an opportunity to focus on the important things of life, how to honor God.
• Imagine men who from the margins of society entering into a 5, 10, 15 year discipleship training course under the leadership of one of this world’s greatest pastors who just happens to be an inmate suffering right along with the other church members.
• Imagine the leaders being formed in this prison that have the attitude of “If I can be reborn and thrive in a hell hole like this, watch what happens when I am released from prison!”
• Imagine each released inmate being sent to Adulam Contreras Church as a church planting intern. He will submit to the leaders of Contreras (90% of whom are former inmates themselves) as he serves the homeless, mentally ill and addicted people in the congregation.
• Imagine when these ex-cons are deemed ready to set out and plant another new church, not being sent out alone as often happens in the US, but with a team of likewise broken and crushed men who have been rebuilt into fearless and bold new leaders.
• Imagine an imprisoned pastor being held illegally by corrupt government officials tell you with a straight face, “This is how we will plant 50 new churches by the end of 2017. And by the end of 2020 we will have planted 200 new churches all over Mexico City. And our churches will welcome the mentally ill, homeless, orphan, widow, addicted, and ex-felons….And our churches will be filled with people that know how to tithe!” The plan is that all of these new churches will have the DNA of the Contreras Church.
• Imagine visiting these men in prison and receiving bone crushing hugs and tearful kisses that are so intense that the non-church member inmates watching this shameless display of affection start shouting “Hey get a room!”
• Imagine each Adulam church filled with poor broken people who tithe, not out of their excess like we do (if we even bother to tithe) here in the US, but out of deep poverty, like the early Churches did as recorded in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4

Tragically I cannot imagine a Bible believing church in the US that comes anywhere near the tithing like these convicts who freely tithe more than half of all they own with great joy.

I cannot imagine a church planting movement that is not asking for millions of USD as church planting movements in the US are asking for. These two grant applications are asking for one-time donations totaling less than $15,000 

I cannot imagine more than a handful of churches in the US that have an open heart for those on the margins of society.

If God can do wonders through a group of broken men like this, imagine what God could do through a broken mess like you and me.

Happy Easter 

Brian Bakke 

All of our lives, when lived rightly, are a journey into trust. A few days ago, I mentioned one prayer I’ve been repeatedly lifting up to God. In fact, there’s another particular prayer I’ve been praying for quite a while, and I think (and hope) that the development of this prayer has been reflected in these pages.

At first, and for a long time, it went like this: “Lord, help me to learn to trust you more deeply.” However, over the last several weeks, I’ve felt the need to add this: “…and to become more worthy of your trust.”

This is not about theology, so don’t go there. This is about relationship. I want to know God more deeply, but I have to allow him to know me more deeply. Again, suspend the theology; I know God knows me. And yet, I try to hide.

This journey into trust, however, requires me to stop hiding. It requires me to put my sin and my agenda and my fear away, so I can truly experience God’s knowing of me—that my relationship with God might be truly intimate and not just “all in order.”

The fact is, both parts of this prayer are flip sides of the same problem—there’s only one person in this equation who can’t be trusted. However, my own untrustworthiness feeds my inability to trust God. Only as I begin to obediently walk out what God’s commanded do I begin to, in turn, feel as if I can trust God with every part of my life. God doesn’t condemn me; he forgives me and wants me to be better.

This isn’t just for me. At the same time that I need to receive his grace, I need to extend it to others. I need to show genuine pity—not in the sense of “I feel sorry for you,” but in the sense of “I ache for you and want to help you.” Because that’s the kind of pity Jesus has shown to me.

As we’ve observed repeatedly this week, we know the way to where Jesus is going. It’s time to walk it out.

We are called to be a blessing to every person we meet, whether they realize it or not. The only way to become that blessing is to be emptied of our own stuff, so that God can fill and transform us into the individuals he has created us to be. Each of our lives need to move from being of Christ to being in Christ—and finally to the point where our life “is Christ” (Philippians 1:21, et al.).

Love is union—with Jesus and with those he’s called us to love. We as Christians—or, as C.S. Lewis put it, “little Christs”—are called to reconcile the world to God. We’re not just here waiting to be taken from the world, but to begin bringing a foretaste of the kingdom of heaven to the world now, even as we are “in the world but not of it” (see John 17:15–16).

We cannot change the things, or the opportunities, that we’ve lost, but we can be prepared to receive and walk in the new things God has created us to do. We are new creations. God is still creating something new within us. God wants to bring us into something new. But we must want what God wants—not just something new.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted…. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:1–3, 12–14).

One last thing to remember about walking: It’s not always exciting. Sometimes there are breathtaking vistas, and that great feeling of “a second wind.” Sometimes it’s monotonous. Sometimes it’s difficult. Often, it’s just plain tiring. But walking gets you somewhere. If we’re following Jesus, it’s somewhere better.

We can walk in the knowledge that tomorrow will be a good day—and that even if it’s not a good day, experientially speaking, God is working out the events of the day for our good (Romans 8:28). Because his good is our good.

The time to walk out our new lives in Christ is today. So let’s do it. And may God continue to bless you as you lay it all down again each day, for the sake of the One who laid down his life for us.

Lay It Down Today

We’ve approached your next steps from a variety of angles this week. Hopefully, at least one of these approaches has resonated with you. So now, it’s your turn.

If you sense what God is leading you into next, or know you’re already in the midst of it, spend time thanking God for the desire he’s given you, how he’s fulfilling it, and for the desire to keep moving forward. If not, spend time pursuing things with God. “[H]ow much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Finally, spend some time thanking God for this journey into trust he’s taken you on over the last few months; and ask him to take you far beyond even where you are now—and into eternity with him.

Whatever we truly do for God, it is Christ in us. Whatever holiness we have is not ours to take credit for, but Christ’s to be glorified with. Even then, it is not what Christ does, but who Christ is—and how he is being formed in us.

Slowly, we are becoming the people God created us to be. Slowly, the new life Christ has in us is growing outward. However, it’s not all about waiting for things to happen. We can begin, even now, to put on our new identities in Christ, even as we wait to mature enough to “fill out the suit.”

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going (John 14:2–4).

When we look to Jesus, we “know the way to where [he] is going,” and consciously turn ourselves in that direction. As we look to Jesus, we see One who “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7), but who nonetheless was in constant communion with God. It is simultaneously putting the flesh to death and living entirely for the Father. This can become our increasing reality—not perfectly, but intentionally, and progressively better. We position ourselves, we put on the new self that’s already ours—and as we do, the Spirit empowers us.

Because he is the New Man, Jesus looks at even the most common things in godly terms, and by doing so transforms them into lessons, parables, teaching instruments… temporal things capable of conveying eternal life. In doing so—and because we remain connected with him—he continually shows us how to follow him as human beings. We become people capable of conveying eternal life.

We are no longer—check that: never were—self-appointed experts, no matter what the world tells us. We are God’s children, whom God increasingly entrusts with the fullness of his life so that the other kids can see it. In the words of Thomas Merton, “We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!”

There is so much God has for us next, and our perspective and our actions need to change to reflect that. We need to take those steps of faith that will allow the Spirit to change our perceptions and our actions—so that we faithfully and intentionally put ourselves in places where only God can work.

We have not been left alone to figure out how to follow him. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:26–27).

It’s a common misconception that walking in the Spirit invites abuse. The fact is: It’s the counterfeits of walking in the Spirit that invite the abuse, not the real thing. If we are truly in Christ, it will be impossible to go out into left field. Christ takes care of us, and the Spirit “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

When in doubt, give yourself this test: Is what I’m experiencing helping me love God more, and love others more—or just helping me to love myself and my experiences more?

Our new lives in Christ bear fruit by abiding, not merely by doing (John 15:4–10). We are to pass along the life God’s given us, in the ways he’s given it to us, not manufacture something “to please God”—which doesn’t. It’s possible that God will honor our intent, and yet the works themselves will be “wood, hay, straw… and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done” (1 Corinthians 3:12–13). Isn’t it better to pass on the things you know God’s given you?

Receive the new identity you’ve been given in Christ, and cover yourself in it like it’s armor—because it is. Then, get ready to walk forward.

Lay It Down Today

Take as long as you need for this one—it could be a minute; it could be an hour. But get somewhere quiet and repeat the following to yourself: “I am in Christ, and Christ is in me.” Allow some silence between each repetition, but keep repeating this truth until it sinks in.

Then, once you’re “there,” ask yourself: “If Christ is in me, what does Christ want to do through me?” This is not asking, “What would Jesus do?” This is discovering how we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). If you settled on an answer during your activity in “Pick Up Your Cross,” dwell and pray more on it now. If not, dwell and pray anyway; earnestly seek an answer from God, and discover your first steps in making that answer a reality.

“Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.

He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us.”

(Ephesians 5:2 NLT)

Unrung bells have not shown their purpose. Unsung songs have not blessed human ears. Love hoarded within a human heart has not proved its authenticity. Love is not really love until we give it away.

Not just once in a while or when the mood strikes us, but every day we should give ourselves away. Our entire life—hopes, possessions, attitudes, personality, and dreams—can become an offering honoring our Creator. The best way to begin every day is to surrender to God the most important gift we can ever give—our heart.

When we remember Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” we’ll be prompted to mirror His generous nature. Love will motivate us to give our best effort, deepest thoughts, kindest deeds, and greatest wealth. In Christ’s name we’ll love unselfishly, as He did.

Being a giving person exhibits our dedication to the Master of our heart. God loved the world so much He gave His Son. God is Love—the Giver of life, breath, and every perfect present. It is God’s nature to love—to the degree we are like God, it will be ours too.

What has God given us? He paid our ransom price from sin’s penalty with Christ’s precious blood. He gave us His Holy Spirit as our Coach. He is the Bread satisfying our soul’s deepest hunger. He paves boulevards of heaven with gold. He answers prayers sincerely directed to His throne. His Son suffered excruciating pain so we could be friends with our Father. The Lover of our soul continually gives us everything we need.

When we give more, we live more.  If we are not giving, we are not living.

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

This devotion based on Day 80 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Fear is a major part of life. It is both bad and good, sometimes crippling us, other times protecting us. Not even the bravest among us is exempt from fear. We fear everything from what others do to us, to what we might do to ourselves. We fear words, feelings, impressions, reactions, the unknown, the uncomfortable, and the unsure. According to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt we even have a fear of fear itself. This is not new. In biblical times God reminded Israel, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10). The angels said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). The resurrected Lord said to His disciples, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:5). Paul reminded Timothy, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). So what do we do with fear? Max Lucado asked, “Can you imagine a life with no fear? What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?” Faith vs. fear! Now there’s a solution. If only I could have faith in the face of fear. I’ll work on that this week.

"By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." (Hebrews 11:3 NLT)

University of Cambridge theoretical physicists recently simulated how a  ring-shaped black hole could cause Einstein’s theory of relativity to break down. Ring-shaped black holes were “discovered” in 2002.  Now their dynamics have been successfully simulated using supercomputers. Should this type of black hole form, they say it would lead to a“naked singularity", causing equations behind general relativity to break down.

Einstein’s theory—the foundation of modern physics—tells us that matter warps its surrounding spacetime. Gravity is the name we give to the effect of that warp. Understanding of gravity forms the basis of the estimation of the age of the stars and GPS signals we rely on to help us navigate.

Relativity theory has been accepted as absolutely true for the last century. But now physicists admit one of its limitations is the existence of singularities--points in space and time where gravity is so intense that the laws of physics do not apply.

General relativity predicts that singularities exist at the center of black holes. Those black holes are surrounded by an event horizon--the "point of no return" where gravitational pull is so strong that escape is impossible (meaning they cannot be observed from the outside). A Cambridge researcher stated that as long as singularities stay hidden behind an event horizon, general relativity holds. Theoretical physicists believe this is always the case, because of what they name "cosmic censorship conjecture.”

But what if a singularity existed outside an event horizon? It would be visible from the outside and would represent an object that has collapsed to an infinite density, a state causing laws of physics to break down. Theoretical physicists hypothesize that such a thing, called a naked singularity, might exist in higher dimensions. We think of the universe as existing in 3 dimensions, plus a fourth dimension of time, together referred to as spacetime. But in some branches of theoretical physics, the universe could be made up of as many as 11 dimensions, which are inferred in high energy experiments.

If naked singularities exist, physicists admit that the theory of general relativity breaks down. If general relativity breaks down, it would throw everything upside down, because it would no longer have any predictive power and would no longer be considered a standalone theory to explain the universe.

It is evident that Christians are not the only ones who live by faith. Theoretical physicists research on the basis of theories, prediction, and conjecture. Supercomputers simulate theories. Einstein’s equations are based on theory. Einstein said, "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."

Here are a few questions for the researchers. If singularities and event horizons cannot be observed from the outside, how can we know for sure they actually exist? What force designed “cosmic censorship”? Does the predictability of the universe not lend credence to the existence of God? Why do some scientists ridicule Christians who believe in the unseen God, while they conduct research on the basis of what cannot be observed? Since no one can demystify the cosmos, is it not wise to worship its Creator? Does the fundamental principle of quantum physics ("First you believe, then you see") not indicate scientists also operate by faith?

In our humanity, we should be humble to the point of admitting our ignorance before the omnipotent and omniscient Creator. Einstein said, "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. That deep emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God."

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together." (Colossians 1:15-17 NLT)

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

The Beatles weren’t far from mark when they declared, “All You Need Is Love.” The apostle Paul said practically the same thing in Romans 13:10, saying that “love is the fulfillment of the law.”

So, are YOU in love? That’s an important question, and not just in the days surrounding Valentine’s Day. If you’re married, I certainly hope you can say yes to this question, but I’m referring to a love that goes even beyond that—an “in love” state of mind that every follower of Jesus is supposed to experience, whether married or single.

So how can we go deeper than the world’s superficial concept of being “in love”—typically a phrase used just in the context of romantic or emotional love?

I decided to do a search on BibleGateway.com and found some fantastic “in love” passages. Here’s a small sample, including my observations about how the principles apply to our lives today:

  (Ephesians 5:2).

• Love is not just a feeling or even just a matter of words—it’s something we’re called to walk in and live out. When we do this, our lives will emit the sweet fragrance of Christ instead of less-appealing odors.

  (1 John 4:16).

• Since God is love, there’s no way to maintain an intimate relationship with Him without abiding in love. And the word “abide” means that love is not meant to be a sporadic series of emotional, spiritual, or physical encounters, but rather a continual, unending connection.

  (1 John 4:18).

• Fear and love are mortal enemies. Fear tries to undercut love, but God’s love can destroy our fears. Let’s not allow fear to hold us back from reaching out in love to others.

  (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

• Our love is not supposed to diminish over time—it’s supposed to “increase and abound.” Is that happening with your love?

Of course, there are many other Bible passages about love. I even noticed this verse saying that “older men” (like me!) are supposed to be in love: “…  (Titus 2:2).

So let me ask you again…

Are you in love? If you still aren’t sure how to answer, I encourage you to take the LOVE TEST in 1 Corinthians 13 (MSG paraphrase). From what we read in the book of Acts, walking “in love” doesn’t seem to have been easy for the apostle Paul. But he realized its importance nevertheless: “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love” (v. 3).

What an incredible statement: Without love, our lives are surely “bankrupt.”

Paul goes on to give us a very detailed description of love’s characteristics:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies (vs. 4-8).

How did you do on this LOVE TEST? If you’re like me, you still fall short in many ways. But that’s another thing I like about the song from Brigadoon. Instead of saying we’ve fully mastered this thing called love, it only describes our experience as “almost” like being in love.

The LOVE TEST ends with Paul’s conclusion at the beginning of the next chapter: “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” So true, Paul. So true.  

In the name above all other names we are blessed beyond words with lavish provision—life, health, spouse, children, friends, and heaven. The Lord spangles our nights with constellations, not just single stars. He fills our life with blessing after blessing, not just an occasional token. He designs our days with hours for celebration, not merely a moment of joy once in a while. Enjoying God’s gifts, we experience true prosperity—so we live thankfully.

In the name above all other names we are blessed with round-the-clock protection. Our Savior watches over us 24/7 and holds us in omnipotent hands. Overshadowing us with wings of unfailing love, Christ guards us from dark forces intent on our destruction—so we live trustingly.  

In the name above all other names we are blessed with God’s pleasure. Our Heavenly Father blesses us by his friendly smile, always looking favorably on us; He blesses us by his encouraging smile, shining graciously on us; He blesses us by his smile of approval, rewarding us at mile markers of progress—so we live triumphantly.

In the name above all other names we are blessed with the Lord’s pardon. Through Jesus’ death in our place, we have mercy and eternal significance. We could not live without him; we are glad we do not have to. Honest to God, we are forgiven—so we live transparently.

In the name above all other names we are blessed with dependable promises. Pessimists size up the world situation as hopeless; but with eyes of the heart we detect faint rays of the dawning of heaven’s bright future. When paradise is restored, we will realize peace was not achieved because of military or political strategies, but because God kept his Word. We trust the God who cannot lie—so we live tenaciously.

In the name above all other names we are blessed with perfect peace—heaven’s enduring gift, not the world’s temporary high. This peace of mind defies explanation and definition, but we experience it as we focus our thoughts on the Prince of peace. Because of Jehovah’s benediction, we are at ease—so we live tranquilly.

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

This devotion based on Day 79 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Have you ever had that lost feeling, the feeling of drifting along lost at sea disconnected from any kind of great community? Sometimes I feel like I am wandering, figuring this life out on my own. There are signposts for sure, books I read or teachers I learn from, but when I put the book down or finish the podcast I am left alone once again.

I love the United States. I am grateful for all it has given me, but our lack of deep traditions can frustrate me. And what traditions we do have tend to be shallow. They lack the weight of a practice observed by a community over a long period of time. It seems being a “melting pot” has left us lacking a unified cultural identity. Or does our fierce individualism buck against the idea of sharing a common identity?

When I see a Mexican family celebrating a Quinceañera or a Jewish boy preparing for his bar mitzvah, I can’t help but feel I am missing out. Have you ever felt that, a feeling of being lost or disconnected from a great community?

I long for a deeper connection to my roots. I want to feel more connected to those who came before me, and I want to be more connected to the rest of the world. I want to belong to a community greater than myself. Can you relate?

Last week I began reading a book that caused me to feel this more acutely, and then left me feeling silly for not realizing the answer has been in front of me all along.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine nun. She is has written a number of fantastic books, but recently have I discovered one that is quickly becoming my favorite, The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life. Chittister reminds me that I am connected to a deep tradition, a group of people stretching back thousands of years.

“A good spiritual life connects us to where we come from, even in the midst of where we are now. It gives us roots. It carries a tradition on its back. It ties us to the past in a way that enables us to know who we are in the present. It is the place we never really leave because being there together is what makes us who we are today.”

This just happens to come from the section of the book about Lent, the time on the Christian calendar we are entering now. Lent is a season that connects us to who we are. On Ash Wednesday we are reminded of the truth from Genesis that we were formed from dust, and we are reminded of our humanity, that to dust we will return.

Though we enter this season in mourning, the root of the word Lent is “spring.” Lent is ultimately a season of renewal. It reminds us that just as the seed falls to the ground to die (Could it fall any farther?), it is in dying that new life is born.

“Lent is one of those elements of Christian practice that binds the Christian community to one another and to its beginnings. It ties us to the core of us that is not transient, that is not changing, that does not fail us. Lent gives the lie to isolation. We are not alone. We walk with the church throughout the world on this journey to renewal. We walk, too, with the One who has gone before us to bring us home again… Every year the Sundays of Lent plunge us into the center of the faith, reminding us of who we are and who we must become.”

I don’t know about you, but this is a vision of Lent I want to be a part of. I wonder if you would join me. Will you join the community of disciples around the world from different Christian traditions that will be engaging this ancient practice?

I am the National Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network and I have a dream to form a movement of A Million Praying Grandparents who will commit to pray intentionally and regularly for their grandchildren and their parents. I want to share my dream/passion with you because I believe you too, share my concern for our grandchildren growing up in the broken world we live in today.

The mission of Christian Grand parenting Network is to mobilize grandparents throughout the world to commit to pray daily for their grandchildren and their grandchildren’s parents. In Christian Living Today, a magazine for senior adults, Editor, Randy Swanson, wrote a few years ago  “The role of grandparenting is becoming more important than anyone would ever have imagined. The rescue of our culture may well rest on the shoulders of today’s grandparents.”1

Our Grandchildren are our primary mission field. Can you imagine the impact o a MILLION or more Praying Grandparents committed to Intentionally pray for their grandchildren can have on their grandchildren and the world.

If you grasp the urgency of our time, then I urge you to signup for the Million Praying Grandparents, linking arms in prayer for the next generation. As a way of saying thanks for that commitment, you will receive free printable copy of a Million Praying Grandparents Prayer Resource to help you intentionally pray for your grandchildren using God’s Word.

I will appreciate it if you will share my vision of a Million Praying Grandparents uniting in prayer for their grandchildren with your friends. Will you encourage your friends to become a part of the Million Praying Grandparents movement to impact the next generation to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly?

Perhaps at no time in history is a call for intentional prayer more urgently needed than today. 

Will you go to the Million Praying Grandparents website http://www.millionprayinggrandparents.com and follow the instructions to sign up to be a part of the Million Praying Grandparents movement?

Lillian Penner

National Prayer Director

Christian Grandparenting Network

lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

A new year typically is a time of “out with the old, and in with the new.” Inevitably, there are some things we must let go of, while reaching out toward new things ahead.

I recently found myself humming an old tune, which is an apt prophetic picture of where many of us presently find ourselves as a new year begins:

He flies through the air with the greatest of ease,

The daring young man on the flying trapeze.

Just as a circus trapeze artist must let go of one trapeze and fly through the air until grabbing the next one, I often have found myself in a similar position—flying through the air in transition between the trapeze left behind and the one still to come. We know we aren’t where we used to be, but we’re not where we’re going to be either.

It must be an exhilarating experience for a trapeze artist to fly through the air like that. But I’m sure it’s also a bit terrifying to know that the force of gravity will take its effect if the next trapeze doesn’t come within reach soon.

Much of the church is in a similar place, it seems. We have been propelled by many wonderful trapezes, past revivals and moves of God. But now many of us are flying swiftly through the air, on our way to a coming trapeze that is not yet altogether visible.

If we recognize that God’s plan is to take us “from one degree of glory to another” in this process (2 Corinthians 3:18), this can be an exhilarating experience. However, it’s easy to feel apprehensive as well, with nothing to hang onto except the Lord Himself.

Experienced trapeze artists realize they dare not look down or they will surely miss the next trapeze. Big mistake! Instead, the Lord’s intention is not only to keep us from falling (Jude 1:24), but to enable us to soar on eagles’ wings (Isaiah 40:31).

Despite the dangers, this is no time to play it safe. If we insist on clinging for dear life to our original trapeze, we are certain to make no progress at all. We’ll never go any higher unless we exhibit the courage of “the daring young man” who was willing to defy gravity and fly.

Be bold and courageous, my friend. As you let go of the past and press forward, I pray you will be strengthened for exciting new transitions on God’s flying trapeze. 

Some jokingly say there were actually four wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus, but the forth was rejected because his gift was a fruitcake.  Have you ever had a Christmas gift rejected?  The expression on the face of the recipient tells you the gift is not what they wanted, or needed.  Maybe it was the wrong color, incorrect size, or unacceptable model.  Perhaps they tried to cover their disappointment, but you knew. If so, you have some small idea of how God must have felt when Jesus was sent to earth, and then rejected by many. John observed about Jesus that “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11).  Furthermore, if you ever gave a gift that appeared to be unwanted, you have an idea how God feels today, when someone rejects the gift of salvation, personified in Jesus.  I think this Christmas I’m going to try to be more appreciative of the gifts I receive, whether from God or others.  I’m going to even try hard to be appreciative of the fruitcake gift that invariably shows up at our house. And I’m going to make an extra effort to give God that which would be pleasing to Him.  How about you?

We’ve all met people who seem to live their entire lives focused on the past. Within minutes of starting any conversation, they’re talking about some childhood trauma…their ex-spouse…their past health challenges…a loved one who has died…or a job they lost decades ago.

And then there are people like me, who tend to have the opposite problem. We continually tell you about our dreams for the future…our goals for the coming year…or the bucket list we want to accomplish before we die. This imbalanced tendency becomes even more extreme as New Year ’s Day approaches every December, when we become obsessed with putting our plans together for the coming year.

Of course, I would argue that my imbalance is better than the alternative. Isn’t it better to live in the future than to live in the past? It surely seems that way to me. I would much rather be a futurist than live my life looking in the rearview mirror.

One great thing about being a Christian is that we usually can find a Bible verse to justify our imbalances. For example, futurists like me love to quote verses like Proverbs 29:18 about people perishing if they don’t have a vision. And what about the apostle Paul’s famous statement in Philippians 3:13 that he was “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead”?

But lately several of my friends have challenged me to “enjoy the moment” and “live in the now.” They’ve pointed out that most of my days are spent thinking about what I’ll be doing in some future day. And rather than enjoy the meeting or conversation I’m in at the moment, I’m usually looking ahead toward some future meeting or conversation.

I’ve concluded that these friends have a valid point. As a result of my obsessive futurism, I often miss out on the cool things happening in the moment…in the NOW. Part of this could be blamed on my optimism, I suppose. It’s good that I’m expecting the future to be better than my past or the present. However, the problem for a futurist is that the present never actually comes—we’re always focused on a time still ahead.

What about you? Are you missing out on the blessings of the present because your mind is stuck on events in the past? Or do you suffer from the same malady as I do, allowing your thoughts of the future to rob you of the joys you could be experiencing right now?

While it’s true that the Bible recommends spending some time planning and preparing for the future (e.g., Proverbs 6:6-8), that shouldn’t cause us to overlook our need to live in the NOW:

“NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

 (2 Corinthians 6:2).

“TODAY, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7).

I’m coming to see that although the past and future can have a powerful influence on our lives, neither of them should be more powerful than the NOW. That’s why it’s always better to start a new diet or exercise program today instead of tomorrow. None of us really knows what will happen tomorrow, so we better get started now if we sincerely want to change our lives in some meaningful way.

We need to help each other on this. If you catch me obsessing about the past or the future, please remind me that the only way to change anything about my life is to encounter the presence of God and the love of my friends and family today…NOW.

There is a story about a group of tourists visiting the Vatican. Their tour guide had told them about the famed Sistine Chapel—the place where the College of Cardinals meets to choose a new pope, the room whose ornate painted ceiling is Michelangelo's masterpiece.

One aspect of the Sistine Chapel surprises most first-time visitors: its size. It's a rather small room.

One young man was so eager to see Michelangelo's painted ceiling, he dashed in one end of the Sistine Chapel and out the other. He mistook the Chapel for some kind of antechamber. The tour guide had to chase after him, saying: "Come back, you missed it -- and this time, remember to look up!"

It's the kind of mistake that's so easy to make during Advent. It's so easy to confuse Advent with a waiting room: to dash through these four short weeks, arms filled with packages, eyes cast downward. We forgert that Advent is a destination in its own right.

May heaven help us, as we find ourselves worn out getting ready for Christmas American-style, not to miss the beautiful meaning of Advent. Let’s take time to soak in the wonder and mystery of the Incarnation. Let’s pray that we’ll be drawn into the story of Jesus' coming and overcome with joy by the birth of this tiny King born to save us. To be overwhelmed by God’s goodness and love, we must remember to look up.

“And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low,

Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow,

Look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.

O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing!”

(Edmund Sears)

       
                                                                      Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

                                Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

By any measure, his accomplishments were astounding and unparalleled:

• With virtually no start-up funds and only a handful of staff, he established an organization that has seen annual growth for 2,000 years.
• He led the organization for just three years before leaving it in the hands of his handpicked successors.
• Without any of the benefits of modern technology, his product was marketed in every known nation on earth in less than a century.
• From its humble beginnings, the organization founded by this leader has grown to billions of adherents around the world, some of whom are willing to die rather than give up the life-changing product he introduced.

The “CEO” I’m referring to, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth. I’ve recently been thinking about 5 of his success secrets we all can profit from:

1.      Put as much emphasis on preparation as on implementation. Jesus spent 30 years in preparation for a 3-year ministry. In contrast, many pastors today spend 3 years at seminary in hopes of having 30 years or so of fruitful service. In our impatient, microwave society, we nearly always undervalue the importance of careful preparation.

Jesus urged his disciples to take time to lay a firm foundation before trying to build anything. On a sunny day, it may be tempting to build a house on sand, but storms will surely come to every life (Matthew 7:24-27). Instead of being overeager to start the building process, Jesus said we should first “count the cost” and see if we have what it takes to finish the job (Luke 14:28-29).  

Every successful sports team understands this principle. The key to victory is in painstaking preparation, not just showing up for the game.

2.      Carefully select your inner circle. Few things will impact your life more than the entourage of friends you choose to live your life with. On the positive side, the Bible says if you walk with wise people, you will become wise (Proverbs 13:20). But it also warns, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Jesus was very deliberate and purposeful in selecting his inner circle. In addition to spending time getting to know each of the men who ultimately would become his disciples, he spent an entire night in prayer before the final selection was made (Luke 6:12-16). How much time, attention, and prayer do YOU give toward selecting the main people you spend time with?

Notice that Jesus’ selection process wasn’t based on people’s resume or their outward qualifications. If you were going to choose a team to take your message and product to the ends of the earth, would you pick theologically inept fishermen and tax collectors?  However, guided by prayer and discernment, Jesus saw the great potential of these men, even though they seemed to be unlikely candidates for success.

Despite his careful vetting process, Jesus frequently had to confront those in his inner circle when they got off track. For example, Peter wanted to block Jesus’ pathway to the cross and was sternly told, “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:21-23). Are you willing to stand against your friends when they try to hinder God’s will for your life?

3.      Remain focused on the mission instead of the numbers. Those of us in ministry can be especially prone to place an undue importance on statistics. How many people attend our services…the size of the budget and staff…how many seats in our sanctuary…etc.

And often the numbers are truly a significant indicator of God’s blessing on our endeavors. For example, I work at Inspiration Ministries, and in 2015 more than 125,000 people will have clicked the “I prayed the prayer” button on our salvation website. Every four minutes or less, someone is indicating a decision to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! I thank God for this tangible fruit from our outreaches.

Throughout the Bible, we’re frequently told about the number of people involved in one story or another, so it’s fair to conclude that numbers matter to God. However, Jesus also realized how fickle and misleading numbers can be. His ministry rapidly grew to more than 5,000 people, only to fall back to the original 12 disciples when he preached an unpopular message one day (John 6). On another occasion, he experienced a crowd cheering “Hosanna,” followed just days later by some of the same people shouting, “Crucify Him.”  And then all of his disciples scattered at the cross except John. So much for “numbers” as a sign of success.

These illustrations in the life of Jesus also are a reminder that our mission is to make DISCIPLES, not just CONVERTS or fair-weather followers (Matthew 28:19-20). The next time a friend boasts of the Sunday attendance at his church, ask him how many of those people are truly becoming dedicated disciples of Jesus instead of spectators in the crowd.

4.      Have a clear succession plan. Even if you build a very successful organization, the real test will come when you die, retire, or leave. Will your successors have the skills they need to continue and even expand the mission?

Entire books could be written on this, but let me just quote two mind-blowing statements by Jesus about his succession plan. In John 16:7, he assured his disciples that it was actually to their advantage for him to leave them, because then they could be empowered by the Spirit. And he was so confident in the outcome of this empowerment that he promised they would be able to do even greater works then he had done (John 14:12).

So, who are you empowering in the next generation to follow in your footsteps and expand the mission you’ve started?

5.      Understand who you must please in order to be successful. Modern-day CEOs have lots of “bosses” that they must keep happy. For example, they must have the support of the board, the stockholders, and their management team, and it’s incredibly hard to please all of these people. You may not be a CEO today, but there’s a good chance you have many bosses you’re trying to keep happy: spouse, kids, friends, boss at work, pastor, etc.

In contrast, Jesus only had one person he was trying to please. And even before Jesus’s ministry had begun, his Heavenly Father had declared his great pleasure: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).  

When you recognize that you ultimately have just one Boss (2 Corinthians 5:9), all of life becomes simpler and more peaceful (Psalm 46:10).

My friend, whether you have any aspirations to be a CEO or not, I encourage you to put these 5 success secrets into practice. Your life will surely change for the better. 

Seems like everyone is wishing each other a Happy Thanksgiving, but few people stop their hustle and bustle long enough to consider what a happy holiday entails. We pull out our recipes for pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, holiday Jell-O, and eggnog, sure enough. But seldom do we take a similar look at the indispensable ingredients for positive time with our loved ones.

You may want to add some additional items to this recipe, but here are 4 ingredients I believe are vital to holiday happiness:

     LOVE. People have many different definitions of love, of course. One of the most accurate definitions is “seeking the highest good of other people, even at your own expense.” This sets the standard pretty high, doesn’t it? Love isn’t just a warm feeling, but rather a choice to give away part of your life to others.

The holidays usually provide a real test of whether your love is unconditional or merely reciprocal. Reciprocal love means loving someone back who has already shown love to you. That should be pretty easy! Someone send you a greeting card, so you send them one back.

However, the test of unconditional loves comes when some of the people you’re celebrating the holidays with have hurt you during the year. Can you forgive and keep loving them? Or will your attitude be icy and callous when you get together?

     JOY. I am well aware of all the WORK involved in putting together a Thanksgiving meal—both in the preparation and in the cleanup. But hopefully the work can be joy-filled work, complete with some frivolity and outbursts and laughter. The Bible says a “merry heart” is like medicine for the soul (Proverbs 17:22). A person who cultivates that kind of joyful heart will have a “continual feast”—never needing to wait for a special holiday to celebrate (Proverbs 15:15).

But let’s be honest: Sometimes the holidays give us special reasons to be sad rather than joyful: the death of a loved one, a marriage breakup, medical concerns, or family members who now live far away. However, that is even MORE reason why it’s so important to tap into God’s supernatural joy, enabling us to dispel any grief or sorrow with a spirit of gratitude and praise.

     PEACE. Who wouldn’t like drama-free holidays this year? Yet, since people are involved, you can pretty much bet there will be some measure of drama. The question, then, isn’t whether you’ll be surrounded by some drama at times (you surely WILL be!). The question is whether you will be able to maintain your own peaceful heart, even while many things are swirling frantically around you. If you’re struggling with this, I recommend the prescription found in Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Keep your heart set on Jesus!

     PATIENCE. Lots of things can conspire to test your patience during the holidays. Kids misbehave. People show up late. Turkeys take longer than expected to bake. Husbands seem more intent on watching the football games than helping with the preparations and cleanup.

Since there’s a high probably that your patience will be tested, you might as well take a deep breath and realize there’s no big hurry, after all. And it’s not worth losing your cool just to put someone else in their place (see Luke 10:38:42 if you don’t believe me).

Perhaps you’ve noticed that these 4 vital ingredients are also the first 4 components of “the fruit of the Spirit” described by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23. I point this out as a word of encouragement. For even if you aren’t feeling much love, joy, peace, and patience so far, God offers you an infinite source for finding more. The Christian life is meant to be a supernatural life, and God’s Spirit can fill you will all the missing ingredients you need for a happy holiday season.

Let me leave you with this paraphrase of Galatians 5:22-23 in The Message:

     What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Friend, I pray you have a Spirit-filled Thanksgiving this year. When that happens, your day will be full of love, joy, peace, and patience. What a great new holiday tradition!

Rather than attacking today’s idea from the front—and our previous rumination on goals and plans hit on many of the ideas inherent in this next idea already—I’d like to approach today’s meditation from a different angle.

Over the last several years, and from multiple sources, God has reinforced the importance of expectancy in my life. Meaning: When we lay down our time, our possessions, our attitudes, whatever, to actually give God something to work with in our lives, do we truly expect that God will show up?

At the same time, I’ve realized how little expectancy bears resemblance to expectation. If I bring my own agenda to the table, even with the best of intentions, about the only thing I can expect is disappointment—and I’m likely to do more damage than good, not least of all to myself. That’s not only true about my relationship with God, but about every part of the life he’s given me.

Conversely, when I turn to God and say, “This is your gig; do what you will” (or the old-fashioned but still effective “not my will, but thine”), things tend to fall into line much more easily—because they’ve been left in the hands of Someone who can draw a line correctly.

Hopefully, it’s obvious that being expectant doesn’t translate to “do nothing.” It means: Go about the business God’s called you to, and let the results take care of themselves. The parable of the talents nicely illustrates this:

“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Luke 19:12b–26).

In re-reading this recently, something hit me that I hadn’t previously noticed. There’s a bit of conjecture to it, but it makes sense: The king comes back after receiving his kingdom, and upon seeing the faithfulness of the first two stewards gives each of them authority over several cities. Where do you think those cities came from? My bet’s on the kingdom that the nobleman just received. Someone’s got to watch over those cities, after all.

Likewise, God wants to create new things through us, not just give us control over things (and kingdoms) we already know. We can only prepare to receive those things by remaining obedient to the King, and by remaining faithful to his kingdom and the things he’s already entrusted to us. Expecting God’s goodness (or in the third steward’s case, his “badness”) to look a certain way is usually a futile exercise. God will show us what we need when we need it. Sometimes we get a glimpse into what God’s fulfilled vision in our lives will look like, but more often he’ll let us know when it’s time to move forward, and into what new kingdom.

So stop expecting too much from yourself spiritually, or otherwise. Stop expecting instant regeneration, or instant success. Trust God as you once did. Don’t try to anticipate his moves before he’s made them. Allow him to grow you at his pace, instead of thinking you can run out ahead.

At the same time, don’t underestimate what God can do. Be faithful with what God has already entrusted to you, and live in the expectancy that the good things he’s already entrusted to you will produce even better things beyond your expectations. 

Lay It Down Today

We’re going to try a little parallel Bible study today, reading both versions of the parable of the talents—Matthew 25:14–30 and Luke 19:11–27. Note the similarities and the differences between each account. More importantly, note what God’s saying to you through each version.

Then, reflect on this: What can you identify as things God has already entrusted to you—things you know God wants you to do? It could be a specific calling or impression of the Spirit, or something as profoundly “mundane” as being a better parent or spouse. Whatever those things are, list them out now. Then, pray over your list. Ask God to help you “[be] faithful in [the] very little” he’s already given you, so that you may be ready to receive the authority you need for the new works he has in store for you—both here and beyond.

Fear and faith. Two primal forces that significantly shape our actions, attitudes, emotions, and relationships.

Like oil and water, the two don’t mix.

Throughout the Bible, God tells people, “Fear not, for I am with you!” (Isaiah 41:10, etc.)

But here’s the funny thing about it:

I’m convinced God intentionally puts us into situations that expose the fears we’ve harbored in our heart. And once we’re in one of those terrifying situations, He then tells us, “Fear not!”

When you see this pattern, you might be tempted to think God is sadistic and cruel. Why else would He be so intent on revealing our deepest fears—just so He can comfort us and tell us not to fear?

The answer is that the Lord does this as part of our healing process. Unless our fears come to the surface, we’ll never confront them and allow Him to heal us.

The Biblical examples of this strange process are too numerous to list, but here are a few of my favorites:

• At a time when Jacob was terrified of his future and on the run from his brother Esau, God took him to a dark desert where he had a stunning revelation of a ladder between heaven and earth. His fears melted away as he recognized the Lord’s awesome presence with him.
• When Moses was 40, the Israelites rejected his effort to help them during their captivity in Egypt. As a result, he had to escape to the wilderness, where he took care of sheep for 40 years. Eventually the Lord spoke to Moses from a burning bush and sent him right back to Egypt, the scene of his previous trauma and rejection.
• The most traumatic experience of Joshua’s life occurred when more than a million Israelites rejected his counsel and chose not to enter the Promised Land. When Moses died 40 years later, what did God do? He brought Joshua full circle to the very scene of his deepest fears—and commissioned Joshua to courageously lead the Israelites on the same mission that had miserably failed 40 years earlier.
• Peter denied Jesus three times around a fire in the courtyard of the high priest. After the resurrection, God arranged the circumstances for Peter to again be around a fire—where Jesus told him three times, “Feed my sheep.” Three failures were erased by three statements of affirmation from Jesus.

So what are YOU afraid of? Years ago, I might have answered, “Nothing! I’m fearless and full of faith!”

Yet God has found ways to expose fears I didn’t even know I had. Fears of intimacy…failure…abandonment…loss…loneliness…financial lack…and countless other things.

As I look back on the difficult experiences I’ve faced along the way, I’ve come to realize an amazing thing about this process: I’m not nearly as afraid of those things anymore! Hey, the devil took his best shot, and I’m still standing!

If you are in a situation today that is revealing some kind of fear in the depths of your heart, I have good news: Faith can overcome your fears. And the healing balm of the Holy Spirit can cleanse every wound and calm every anxious thought.

So fear not, my friend. He is with you. And if you let Him, He’s going to work everything for your good (Romans 8:28).

But getting set free from your fears is a funny process, isn’t it?

I'm still pretty new to posting blogs on Discipleship.Network - but have been really eating up (feasting is more like it!) on the fantastic information available here - and am impressed with the responses I've had from the community members ... so in the spirit of sharing that I've been blessed with here already - I'd love to toss another question out to you.  Thank you in advance for your patience with me as I get the hang of things around here.

What are your go-to, memorable, or just all around helpful books on discipleship?  I've read a few myself - more than I can list here ... but this is one area where I feel like my library always has more room.

Some of my favorites have been

The Complete Book of Discipleship by Bill Hull

Every Disciple's Journey by Thomas Steagald

Multiply by Chan/Beauving

and Celebration of Discipline - which isn't strictly about discipleship - but is nonetheless good

thanks so much!

Peace & blessings

aj

While preparing to fly to New Zealand next week, I've reflected on my visit last year to a local flea market in search of new luggage. Perhaps that sounds like an insignificant event, but it was an exhilarating experience for me. Why? Because new luggage was a declaration of my intention to go someplace!

You see, if you’re stuck and immobilized, there’s no need for luggage. The only reason you need luggage is if you have a vision to travel and advance!

When I was shopping for new luggage, I didn't really know where I would be going. But the exact destination wasn't the issue at the time. It’s all about mobility, fresh vision, and getting unstuck.

I was beginning to sense God stirring a vision I first had in my mid-twenties—to play a role in filling the earth with the glory of the Lord (Habakkuk 2:14). Pursuant to that vision, purchasing new luggage was a step of faith and a prophetic declaration. It was a statement of my renewed desire to fulfill God’s purposes in my life.

However, I’ve also been thinking of another word, baggage, which often is used as a synonym for luggage. Although the two words can mean the same, baggage has some very negative connotations: “things that impede or encumber one’s freedom, progress, development, or adaptability.”

While luggage is all about vision for the future, baggage is focused on our failures and frustrations in the past. We’ve all been encumbered by unwanted baggage at one time or another. The baggage may be from past sins or failures, broken relationships or shattered dreams—or anything else we allow to weigh us down and impede or progress.

Luggage is symbol of our availability to go where God sends us. Baggage, in contrast, involves whatever “stuff” is slowing us down from running the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1-2).

If you’re like me, you probably have some baggage you’re not even aware of. Ask God to search your heart, my friend. Lay aside the baggage, and go shopping for some new luggage.