Discipleship Network Forum

Saturday, I attended a family reunion with members of my dad's side of the family. My dad died in 1982 at the age of 55. When his mom died a few years later, we lost contact with that side of the family. It may be something about aging, but the older I get, the more I desire to reconnect with family members from my past. Saturday was one of those days.

Several family members, including my sister, have been doing a lot of research on our ancestral lineage. You know the saying, "Be careful what you seek because you might not like what you find." It came up Saturday that our part of the family tree might not be as we thought. If the research was accurate, it would mean that our grandfather had a different father than what we thought. It would also mean that there was a huge part of my background that was now missing. I began to have an identity crisis, because part of my identity had suddenly put in question.

Now, this is in no way a comment or a criticism of adoption. It just means that everything I thought I knew about myself, and especially my grandfather, was called into question.

It was a tough place to be in, but as always, God used it to remind me of something much more important: My identity and my inheritance is found through Jesus Christ.

The other stuff––my family background, where the family came from, what the family experienced throughout the years––is interesting to discover and helps inform me about why my family has morphed into the body that it is. But, that's all it is: interesting. All that really matters in that I'm a part of the body of Christ, a daughter of the King, and destined to spend eternity in heaven with Him.

By Sunday afternoon, my sister had studied the census of 1900, birth dates, and marriage dates, and determined that we really are a part of that family.

By then, I didn't care near as much. Amazing how God uses even the smallest moments to teach us huge lessons!

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

Any thoughts on what might be the best computer tablet for ministry work?

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters….if you are led by the SPIRIT…” (Gal 5:13, 18)

                Where the SPIRIT is, there is freedom!  The LORD YESHUA himself said, “You will recognize them by their fruit” (Matt 7:16).  The free man does things that are godly while the unborn does things that are worldly; things that appeal to the flesh.  For the free man bears the fruit of the SPIRIT, that which is of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and of self-control.  The only trouble is, each believer has two natures resident in them – the old carnal nature and the new divine nature.

                The unborn cannot discern the things of the SPIRIT and all of his decisions are made based on his own carnal way of thinking.  This is why many people who express their views and insist on their rights can many times be wrong and act, not according to freedom, but according to their ‘self’ consciousness.  Many times, people think that just because they can gather a lot of people of the same persuasion, that they can coerce others to their way of thinking.  In a democracy, majority rules, even when they are morally wrong but politically correct.  Being politically correct could never make what is wrong, morally acceptable.  Simply put, whatever is against the will of GOD according to the Scriptures is SIN!

                Every moment of everyday, therefore, the believer has to make a choice, a choice to do the will of GOD.  We may not know the minutest detail of every choice but it is enough that we are guided by GOD’s word and the witness of the HOLY SPIRIT.  The surest guide is the way of love – do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt 7:12).  When we continually dwell in the presence of YESHUA, we have a GOD consciousness that will never leave us.  We see through GOD’s eyes, we feel through GOD’s heart, we think with the mind of CHRIST, we utter GOD’s word and we act with GOD’s love.  This is how GOD’s will in heaven is done on earth!  This is true freedom in the SPIRIT!

                Many times, doing the right thing is like eating exotic fruit like durian.  You may not like how it smells (terrible and rotten) and you may not like its taste; but one thing is sure, it is really good for your health!  You will only really know the effect after your body has digested it.  Some people can only eat it when they make it into ice cream.  Some Christians are like that also.  They mix GOD’s word with shadowy things to make it look acceptable to the world but it comes out adulterated and ineffective.

                There is only one way for us to be truly free – live by GOD’s word.  Because when you know and experience the Truth, the Truth shall make you truly free!

מלאך

I fell in love with the game of golf in 1992 when Fred Couples' ball hung up in the hill between the bunker and the water on the par 3 4th at Augusta National. As I remember, he holed the ball from the bank for a birdie and went on to win the tournament. I was amazed. He was even older than I was at the time. I thought if someone that old could do something so amazing, I could learn to play the game. I did and I'll forever be a fan of Couples for being the one who encouraged me, unknowingly, to step out of my comfort zone to learn the game. (He's back. His game looks great and I can't wait to see what he can pull off over the weekend!)

In 1999, I had tickets to a practice round to the Masters for the first time. We followed Payne Stewart and two other greats around the course for most of the front nine. On the par 3 3rd, Payne's ball was in the front, right bunker, probably 10 feet below the elevated green. As he stood in the bunker, trying to jump high enough to even see the green, one of the other golfers, as I remember it was Tom Watson, walked to the edge of the green, looked down on Payne, and said, "$10 says you can't hole that from there." Payne's demeanor changed, he looked the shot over a little more closely, and holed the ball. The crowd went wild, something that doesn't often happen in the practice round, and I was caught up with how these golfers could turn up their games when they wanted. That year, Payne barely made it through the tournament, taking home just over $9,000 in winnings. He went on to win the US Open that year in some of the most amazing golf I can remember and then died in an airplane crash in October. I'm thrilled I got to be there to see Payne in person, and I couldn't help but take away from that year two reminders. One, there's always an opportunity to do your best, even when it doesn't seem to matter, and two, you never know what the future holds for us.

This year, I tuned in to watch my favorites, Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples (you know, the old guys) and fell in love with some young players who set the course on fire––Rory McIlroy, Ricky Fowler, and Jason Day. McIlroy has probably the most beautiful, natural swing I've ever seen. Fowler has discovered the importance of matching his shoes to his belt (day 2 they were bright blue)––what we women refer to as accessorizing correctly. But Jason Day and his caddie Col Swatton most made me think. Swatton was described as Day's "caddie, coach, and life-long friend and mentor." Watching them, I could see the relationship that had developed over the year. One announcer said that Swatton had helped raise Day after his father died.

Coach, caddie, life-long friend and mentor. Can there be any better description of a discipler? As his coach, Swatton has spent untold hours at Day's side, teaching him, refining his moves, encouraging him in the tough times, and celebrating the victories. As his caddie, Swatton walks beside him every step of the way, providing advice, encouragement, keeping him calm, charging him up, investing in him, but carrying his baggage and knowing when to back up and get out of the way when it's time for Day to do his thing. 

Imagine how much of a difference we could make as disciplers if we could invest our knowledge and experience, our time, and our energy to someone who wants nothing more than to learn from us as they join us on the journey of discipleship. Is there anything that feels better or brings more true joy in life than to have that kind of relationship with another believer? I can't imagine what it would be . . . 

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

I have heard the creation story so many times I have lost the sheer wonder of everything springing from nothing at the WORD of God.  So, I am going all the way back to the dark, watery sphere of earth before....anything we know.  From The Message Bible: First this: God created the Heavens and the Earth-all you see, all you don't see.  Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness.  God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss. 

Nothingness...darkness, water, emptiness, inky blackness.  I cannot even begin to picture this, because every image I conjure presupposes something.  My concept of nothing is a lack of something, but there is not anything here.  I understand water in relation to its wetness, but there is no one  to feel it.  I know what water looks like based on how light reflects and refracts from it, but there is no light, so the water mirrors the dark around it.  Even saying "inky blackness"  implies an intellect that knows what ink is, and all the language that flows from it.  To say black, you must understand that true black is an absence of color and light.  So, I have no concept of this, no matter how hard I try to wrap my mind around it.

But wait...there is something.  God.  God The Spirit knows that this nothingness, beneath its watery shell, has the potential for life.  Any bird knows an egg from a rock, even if the uninitiated would see them as the same in shape, color, and potential for life.  The Holy Spirit did what any wise "bird" would do when confronted with a seemingly lifeless spheroid, He brooded it.  I do not know how long.  No time length is given between verse 2 and verse 3.  For an unknown time there was only the embryonic earth in its watery shell, suspended in the pitch black nothingness of space with the Holy Spirit patiently brooding it, waiting for signs of life.  How can I help but be amazed at all this incomprehensible nothingness and the bold audacity of God to believe in the possibility of life.  Perhaps the earth was more stone than egg and it would have been pure foolishness for any Being but God to hope for life from it.

As my to-do list was screaming at me for attention this morning I got to thinking about how and why its voice has gotten so loud in my life. No, no, I know that at my age I should be doing a little less and shouldn't have a to-do list. But, I'm not slowing down and it often seems more gets added to the list than gets cleared from it.

None of that changes the fact that the thing was screaming for attention. Then I noticed a mind-map I'd been doodling the other week and saw that I'd written down TO-BE LIST. I don't even remember thinking about that at the time I was mapping, no idea why or where that idea came from. Well, of course I know, if I didn't you wouldn't be seeing this post here now would you? But, I had just jotted it down and hadn't done anything with it. Until this morning...

Suddenly my screaming to-do list got real quite, kind of a 'if I just shut up for a while he'll move off that idea and we can get back to work" type of quite. Like a rabbit beside the trail, waiting, silent and still to see which way you're going to move. Poor to-do list, I've moved the wrong way and trapped it. Now it's squirming and fighting to get loose so it can run its merry course. Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to kill or harm it - it is after all full of important and worthwhile things that need to get done. It just needs a little taming and the TO-BE list is just the one to do it. So now the to-do must serve the to-be's and I'll be leaving the blotter with the mind-map on top of the desk to remind me that the priority is to-be and the to-do's must serve that purpose. There's another great day ahead!

As we approach another celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, the  timing of the death of Christ always kind of bothered me.

Matthew 12:40 states:

^“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” 

Even a casual student of scripture then should [must?] contrast the statement in Matt 12:40 with our remembrance of “Good Friday”. How exactly would death on Friday afternoon, and resurrection on Sunday morning equate to 3 days – let alone 3 nights?

How did we come to commemorate Good Friday at all?

I believe Friday was arbitrarily selected at the day of crucifixion centuries ago by a church leader who, knowing the next day was the Sabbath, reasoned the death had to have been on a  Friday. WRONG.

Several years ago, I decided to research this in Scripture to see really what was said. What I found was amazing – and not surprisingly- completely accurate to both the 3  day/3 night timeline, and the recording of Christ’s last day on earth. [at least as a mortal] The link below explains this in great detail on a visual chart. To understand it, you should have at least a basic understanding of two things:

1.       Jewish Festivals as detailed in the Old Testament

2.      The Jewish Calendar

3.      The Jewish day

One last note. The real key to all of this is John 19:31. In it we learn Christ was crucified the day before a Special Sabbath – i.e. not the weekly Sabbath. Intrigued? Read on and enjoy.

www.tcompedge.com/resurrection.pdf

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Freedom is a divine prerogative.  Freedom comes from GOD and it was given by GOD to Adam.  When Adam sinned, he lost his freedom.  Adam became a slave of sin.  For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved (2 Peter 2:19b).  So, starting from Adam and through all of man’s generations, they all became slaves of sin. 

Since Adam lost his divine nature, he could not by his carnal nature ever conquer sin.  In effect, he abdicated his rulership over all the earth and all of its creatures and plants.  He abdicated control over his complete “self”.  By succumbing to the devil, Adam transgressed his right to be a “son” in GOD’s kingdom; and hence, all of his kingdom rights.  Adam lost the image of GOD!

As early as the 1950s, microbiologists have discovered that the human cell is more complex than what many thought it was.  As man advanced in technology, microbiologists were able to observe the human cell at more than 10,000x magnification.  They became aware of the role of DNA in the heart of a cell; specifically, how it determines the behavior of a human person.  Each DNA has a source code that determines the specific function of every protein that the body produces (and there are more than a thousand types of proteins).  Each protein that the body produces is created robotlike and functions specifically in tandem with other proteins.  To put it simply, these complex coordination determines the actions of a person; and these all came from a source code (akin to a program) that until today, scientists have not determined its origin.  Each human has at least 2 billion DNA, each with a chain of characters written in a long string that describes the personality of the person.  Scientists do not know who wrote these characters or its origin.

       But the Scriptures tell us. “Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother's womb…” (Ps. 139:13).  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was fully GOD.  All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.  In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind (Jn 1:1,3,4).  We know that GOD created all things by His word.  As believers, we are not surprised that the DNA has a string of characters that determine a man’s behavior.    has written destiny in our hearts; even in the heart of every cell in our body.  But this destiny will never be realized unless energized by the creative word of GOD.

      The believer is born by the imperishable seed of GOD’s word (1 Pet 1:23).  By the blood of His only SON, the FATHER created a new race of men (Eph 2:15b).  God has made us what we are. He has created us in YESHUA the Messiah to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do (Eph 2:10).  We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to ADONAI.  We were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of ADONAI, who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9).

      So, let us live as free people, and let us not hide behind our freedom to do evil. Instead, let us use our freedom to serve God!  For sure, the operative grace of YESHUA is only effective when we act in love.  Every believer has a divine nature and he is seated in the heavenly places in union with YESHUA.  Let us stop living like we’re walking with our hands and seeing the world upside down.  If we are truly seated with YESHUA, then we must exercise our divine perception and the grace that ADONAI has abundantly provided for the building of His kingdom. 

      Remember, your spirit is far bigger that your physical nature because He who dwells in you is greater that he who is in the world!  We are victors in YESHUA!

The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves.

-          Hebrews 10:1

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

                The LORD commanded all Israel to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread from Passover which was the fourteenth day of the first month, Abib, until the 21^st, (seven days).  On the first day, they were to remove all the yeast from the houses.  They were to bake and eat bread without yeast throughout the Feast.  Passover celebrates their deliverance from Egypt and the removal of yeast signifies their deliverance from the bondage of slavery.  This was to be a sign on their hand and a reminder on their foreheads and is to be celebrated year after year so that their children will know that the LORD delivered Israel with a mighty hand from their bondage in Egypt (Ex 12:18-20; 13:6-10).

                Two days after Passover, they were also commanded to celebrate the Day of Firstfruits and the first part of their harvest was to be given as a wave offering to the LORD which signifies that the rest of the harvest will follow.

                YESHUA was born in Bethlehem, meaning House of Bread.  YESHUA is the Unleavened Bread that came down from heaven (Jn 6:38).  YESHUA said, “Anyone who eats this bread will live forever!”(Jn 6:51).  Yeast represents sin in our lives and YESHUA came to take away the sins that kill us.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread is celebrated for seven days.  Seven is a number of completion, just as ADONAI ELOHIM created the world in seven days, YESHUA completed the cleansing of sin from our lives.  All believers are made complete in YESHUA alone, our Unleavend Bread. 

                Two days after Passover, YESHUA rose from the grave and became the firstfruit among all the children of ADONAI.  The grave could not hold Him.  YESHUA had the power to conquer death and he will resurrect all of ADONAI’s children when that Day comes.  In effect, all believers have given all their graves to YESHUA!

מלאך

This is the second part of the discussion on adopting and the theological basis for it:

In your book, you talk about the call to care for orphans going hand in hand with the Great Commission. Tell us a bit about how orphan care is part of God’s call to reach the world.

Paul says that as Christians we are adopted into the family of God. We were once orphans who were estranged and without hope, but God redeemed us and provided for us. When we care for orphans, we are giving a living illustration of the gospel to the world. Very few of the world’s 200 million + fatherless children live in America. Many of them live in places where they are marginalized and forgotten and where a gospel presence is rare. By caring for orphans in these places in particular, we are able to show how Christ transforms.

In your book, you mention some practical ways that church leaders can lead their churches to be more involved in orphan ministry. What are some of those?

I think when we talk about the scope of the orphan crisis in the world; many people are frightened away from action. In reality, some of the simplest ideas for ministry can be the best. We have seen people become involved in our local foster care system by becoming respite care providers. Essentially, they get training so they can babysit for a foster family. Others volunteered to hold a Christmas party for local foster kids and their families. We have a preschool choir who take up shoes and send them with every mission team that travels from our church to be given to an orphanage or local ministry to fatherless kids. We have seen everything from that to the founding of Promise 139, an international orphan hosting ministry. It really runs the gambit.

If someone wanted to preach a sermon or series of sermons on the subject, where would they start? What resources are available?

As I said in my portion of the introduction to Orphanology, when I finally began to study the subject of adoption and ministry to the fatherless in the Scriptures, I was amazed about how much was there. There is a thread throughout the Old Testament of God’s concern for the fatherless that extends from Exodus through Deuteronomy into the Psalms and Proverbs and into the Prophets. God undoubtedly wanted His character as a compassionate redeemer to be put on display in His people to the praise of His glorious grace. In the New Testament, James carries that theme forward with his instruction to care for orphans and widows in their distress. That care is literally to be “pastoral” in nature. We are to shepherd orphans as a pastor would care for his church. In Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, Paul draws on the theme of adoption as a way of communicating how believers are brought into the family of God. When Christians show compassion in earthly adoption, we give a living illustration of the love that God has for us. Our picture is imperfect but illustrative. All of these would be good places to start for sermon ideas.

As for resources, other than chapters 1 & 3 of Orphanology, which give great places to start with a short practical theology of orphan ministry, I would recommend two books in particular: Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis and Adopted for Life by Russell Moore. Both of these book do a great job of dealing with the relevant Old and New Testament passages regarding both care for the fatherless and adoption.

How do you begin an orphan ministry in the local church? Where do you start?

I think our message in Orphanology is most of all just start somewhere. What we have attempted to do is give a host of ideas and examples of ways that ordinary Christians and churches are ministering to orphans. In most cases, churches with well-organized, well-functioning orphan ministries did not start that way all at once. Instead, they began with one ministry and grew from there. At last year’s Christian Alliance for Orphan’s Summit, I had a conversation with Matt Donovan from The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. They have quite an impressive Foster and Adoption Ministry (FAM). As we were comparing notes, it became obvious that their church and ours began our ministries in two totally separate ways. They began with a strong local connection to domestic adoptions and local foster care. Ours began with a strong tie to international missions and international adoption. They are growing in international ministry, and we are growing connections in our own community. In any case, the main ingredients are God called, passionate people to begin the ministry and a pastor who will champion it. If you have a pastor who buys into the biblical and theological rationale for caring for the fatherless and is willing to make this ministry a part of the core identity of the church’s mission, then it will succeed. If you have a team of people who are willing to take on a project and passionately pursue it for God’s glory, then it will flourish. As more people come to the work with their gifts, talents, and resources, the opportunities to expand your focus will increase.

Your book talks about the concept of an orphan-hosting ministry. Can you tell us about that, and some of the logistics of bringing that about?

That is a difficult question to answer in a short space. Orphanology contains the story of the founding of Promise 139, our orphan-hosting ministry, and I would invite you to look there for a more detailed answer. In short, to host orphans from another country, you must:

1.   Create an organization that will manage the hosting effort. (A board or committee that will be responsible for finances, schedule, child safety, government interaction, legal work, etc.)

2.   Find a country that allows orphans to travel internationally for hosting opportunities that has a reciprocal visa regime with the US that will permit such a visit.

3.   Find an orphanage that will agree to engage in such an exchange program with your organization.

4.   Prepare and submit all of the proper documentation to secure travel permissions and visas.

5.   Secure a host home or other venue for the hosting

6.   Secure funding for the program (travel, food, etc…)

7.   Establish a plan for the hosting program. (Most foreign governments allow children to travel based upon evidence of some cultural exchange and/or health benefit for the children. You must demonstrate in advance how those objectives will be fulfilled.)

8.   Recruit volunteers to interact with the orphan guests. (In our first year, over 200 volunteers participated in our hosting effort.)

This is really just the beginning. Our orphan-hosting program has become a year-round effort that requires the attention of many people. It is a fantastic ministry that has borne much fruit, but it is not easy. I would advocate others replicating this model of ministry, but it is not something to be rushed into unadvisedly. Orphan-hosting takes a team of diverse and committed people who are willing to stay at the task for the long haul.

How can we get this discussion going in our churches?

Margie Williamson

Community Manager 

Last week I helped edit a friend's novel, and the story kept me in suspense all the way through 300+ pages. But the ending wobbled. He avoided the "everyone-lives-happily-ever" ending, which often seems fake. Yet, I wanted more than what he gave me. As we all do, he's struggling with the finale. Closure in relationships, in stories, and in life often generates angst. Because this is a Christian-based novel, my friend's ending must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading, neither too vanilla nor too dark.

If you're like me, I can start things with lots of enthusiasm and, on a good day, with a ton of creativity. But when the novelty fades and the hours accumulate, I often lose interest. Aren't we glad God's not like that? He never tires of our countless requests, failures, and concerns.  His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

So how do we end a story? My best advice is to ask God for a strong finish. In fact, expand that to include your life’s story. That’s what I want!

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

2 Timothy 4:7, ESV [The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001]

Writing Strong Endings

Writing Strong Endings 

A Season of Sowing

http://deannadavis.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/a-season-of-sowing/

Pt. 1 of the Season series)

Pr. 20:4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

Gal. 6:7b A man reaps what he sows

After reading this Sunday’s blog, my eye was drawn back to Pr. 20:4, which I put at the top of this page. The idea I wanted to discuss in that previous entry had to do with slothfulness – when we let our flesh or our laziness dictate how we live our lives. Upon this reading however, I was drawn to the idea of seasons.

I’m pretty sure the author wasn’t only addressing farming technique with this verse. He was saying something about how our lives work. Just like the earth moves through different seasons, with very different things happening at different times of the year, so my life works also. Spring is about planting for what we want to harvest in the fall. And there are times and seasons in my life that are very spring-like, where I need to be about sowing things that I want to reap in the future. What do I want to see and experience in the coming years?

I want my marriage to grow in trust, intimacy and joy as Jeff and I age together. What do I need to do sow into our relationship now in order to see that outcome in the future? (I need to be at home, spending time with him face to face, actually talking about the things that build trust, intimacy and joy.)

I want my children to love Jesus and have lives that bear the fruit of walking well with Him. What can I sow into their lives right now in order to set them up for success later? (Deut. 6:5-8 Live it out myself in front of them, talk about scripture and the things of God throughout all of our life experiences. Teach them what this looks like in their own lives. )

Aaahh...azaleas. A sure sign that it is springtime around here. Time to plant for the fall.

I want to do and accomplish great things for the kingdom of God, being a part of working with Him to push back the darkness in people’s lives and across the globe. What are some things I need to sow into my own life to prepare and to become more useable so that when God looks at me, He has lots of options in how He chooses to use me? (Read and ingest scripture in such a way that it becomes a part of my very being. Gain skills, experiences, strategic relationships and godly character, becoming an effective tool in His hands.)

Every person goes through seasons where there is intentional sowing and preparation for what is coming. Sometimes, it is spring. What is the future I want to see happen in my life? What is one thing that needs to happen today in order to make that future possible?

Ready for the Road Ahead

          March 20, 2011, was the beginning of Purim.  The Book of Esther explains the origins of Purim and why it is celebrated.   Esther's story begins with Queen Vashti's fall from grace.  Persia was known for its opulent and excessive wealth.  The royal city of Susa was often host to endless banquets and celebrations.  Many times the entertainment at these affairs was "R" rated.  Vashti's refusal to take part in this debauchery seems understandable, but an inebriated king is not one to be crossed.  With the encouragement of his officials, King Ahasuerus deposes Vashti.  It seems a bit unfair, but Vashti's departure is a prelude to a bigger story.

            Since Vashti has been removed it is decided that a "Miss Persia" contest should be held. The winner gets an all expense paid year at the Palace Spa and the prestige of being the next Mrs. Ahasuerus.  Whether they want to enter or not, all the young maidens in Persia are rounded up, put through a beauty regime and paraded before the king.  A beautiful, young Jewish girl, named Hadassah (Esther in Persian) is chosen to be the next queen.

            The plot thickens as Esther's cousin, Mordecai, thwarts an assassination attempt on the king, and a man named Haman is promoted to a high position in the king's court.  Haman has a deep-seated hatred for Mordecai.  Earlier in Israel's history Haman and Mordecai's ancestors had bad blood between them (Ex. 17:8-16; Dt. 25:17-19; 1 Sam. 15:8).   Haman uses his rise to power as a means to take revenge on Mordecai and his people.  He casts lots (pur) to determine a date to exterminate the Jews, and that is how this festival gets its name.  If you want to know the rest of the story, read Esther!

            The Book of Esther raised some eyebrows when it was included in the Scriptures.  Its message was clearly in line with all the other sacred writings, but it had one, obvious omission, the name of God!  Although God's name is never spoken or written, God is clearly at work across its pages.  His hand is guiding the events within each chapter.  And His Covenant promises are still in tact as the Jews come out victorious in the end.

            It would be easy to read through this book and think that it has nothing to do with us here in the 21st century, but we would be wrong!  At a critical point in the story, Mordecai challenges Esther (Est. 4:14) saying she will not be spared just because she lives in the palace.  "If you do not step forward to help," Mordecai warns, "Help will come from another place."  That little phrase, "another place" reminds Esther of God's sovereignty.  God has placed Esther where she can make a difference.  The same is true about us. 

            Have events in your life seemed to spin out of control?  Does it seem like God is removed from your situation?  The Apostle Paul, like Esther, could have felt the same.  Locked in prison and separated from his beloved Philippian church, Paul learned that some people had begun to spread the Gospel, not for God's glory, but to spite Paul.  Paul, however, could see God's hand at work in the situation.  First and foremost, the Gospel was being shared, and for Paul, that was the most important thing (Phil. 1:12-18).

            Although we do not face a life or death situation as Esther did, sometimes we have trouble seeing God at work in our lives.  Perhaps, in those times, we would do better by changing our perspective.  Maybe there is an opportunity God has placed in your path where you can make a difference.  Like Esther and Paul, you will need courage to take hold of that opportunity, for who knows, maybe God has brought you there "for such a time as this".

Ann LeFevre                                                                                                            3/20/2011

Ready for the Road Ahead

            I was in one of the moods- bored, tired, and not in the mood to do anything.  Exasperated with myself for not wanting to do something healthy or good for my soul, I turned on the television, flip-flopped around a few stations and landed on "The Amazing Race".  I'm not really into "reality" TV, but I was curious to see where they would be going, so I stayed with it.  On this particular episode, the convoluted goal was to decipher a phrase out of nautical flags, using the code from a compass submerged in a shark tank.  As the teams approached the "judge" (the commandant from a local marina), they breathlessly stated the phrase, hoping that they had correctly identified each flag with its matching letter.  If they did not get the words exactly, they were denied access to the next clue.  Sadly, one team failed miserably at their translation and was sent back to the flags to try again.

            In the early 80's, an educational theory called "Out-come Based Education" would have solved this poor team's problem immediately.  It proposed that if a student showed any attempt at doing work, even if it just meant showing up to class, that student should be given a passing grade for their effort.  It was a ludicrous idea, but it had some staunch supporters.  Unfortunately, the commandant did not believe that if a team got part of the phrase correct, they should receive the next clue.  Until they figured it out precisely, they were not allowed to proceed.  No out-come based education here!

            A similar idea appears among the world's religions.  It's called Universalism.  This concept accepts the belief that if a person recognizes God, in any way, shape or form, and does his or her best to please Him, that person will land in heaven once their earthly existence is over.   In this sense heaven is an inclusive place which accepts any religious practice as long as the person is sincere.

            In John 10:1-10, Jesus likens heaven to a sheepfold.  The sheepfold was an enclosure surrounded by a stone wall, about waist high, with only one opening.  The opening was just wide enough for the shepherd to lie down across it at night.  This prevented the sheep from wandering and predators from attacking the sheep.  The door was the only legitimate way in and one had to gain access through the shepherd; there was no other legal way.  Jesus said that those who entered any other way were thieves and robbers.   The way in to the sheepfold was not inclusive; it was exclusive. 

            Jesus claimed He was the door to the sheepfold.  He was the access to heaven that people were seeking.  Any other entry way was designed to "harm the sheep" rather than help them.  He adds an interesting fact about shepherding.  Shepherds lead their flocks in two ways.  They call out to the sheep as they walk.  The sheep hear their voice and follow by watching where the shepherd walks.  Jesus says that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.  Sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger.  They only follow their shepherd because they know he looks out for them.

            It is clear that Jesus did not see heaven as inclusive.  No matter how sincere someone might be, if they have not come through Jesus, they have not come through a legitimate entrance.   It is our responsibility to show people the way to the Shepherd.  Knowing this passage can help us to clearly show His love for all sheep if they will heed His voice (verse 11).

Ann LeFevre                                                                                                     3/13/2011

Ready for the Road Ahead

            Our tour group walked into the ancient city of Philippi on a beautiful day.  The sky was a pleasant blue filled with puffy white clouds.  But we recognized it only as a good back drop for the pictures we were taking.  Underneath our feet was the weathered Roman road, the Via Egnatia (Vee-ah Egg-nay-she-uh), one of the key elements in the spread of the Gospel.  It was especially moving for me.  Not only did Paul, Silas, Timothy and Lydia walk along this road, but countless "no names"; the people who were touched by the Gospel, but whose names were never recorded across the pages of Scripture.   They were my "spiritual" ancestors who first spread the Good News on this very road.

            When most disciples think about sharing their faith, they think in terms of Billy Graham Crusades, missionaries like Jim Elliot, and people they know who "have the gift of evangelism".  But these are more the exception than the rule.  The Via Egnatia is certainly proof of that.  While the activities of Philip, Peter and Paul are featured in the Book Acts, the unsung heroes are all the others who responded initially to their proclamation and then went on to share it with those they knew.  The spread of the Gospel was like the old commercial where an "average person" held up a bottle of shampoo and declared, "I was so pleased with this product, I told my friend!"  The screen continues to divide as friend after friend spreads the word about this fabulous product.  It was the same with the Gospel.  It was passed on to friend, after friend, after friend.

            We often think that we must know at least 100 Scripture verses by memory, and have all the points of the Four Spiritual Laws memorized in order to adequately share our faith with others.  We think that God demands this, but we are wrong.  The model for sharing our faith is actually set in the Old Testament in the Book of Deuteronomy.  In chapter 6 the Lord admonishes the people of Israel to teach their children diligently to follow God's commands.  They are to make it a part of their daily routine: while at home, while walking along the road, while resting, and while they prepare to work.  In other words, it's a natural part of the conversation.

            Sharing our faith is as simple as that.  It's part of our natural conversation, because it is who we are as a disciple of Christ.  We can't help but tell others about what we've discovered.  When Andrew met Jesus, he was so glad to have found the Messiah, he went and got Peter (Jn. 1:41).  Philip sought out Nathaniel in the same way (Jn. 1:45).  If you're hesitant about sharing your faith with others, remember you do not need to be a Bible scholar or debate team captain to share about your experiences as Jesus' disciple.  Many times you will be surprised at how receptive people can be.   Even Paul, whom we like to label as the greatest evangelist of all time, let the Gospel speak for itself (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

            I can honestly say that I am not bold when it comes to sharing what I believe with others.  I am constantly asking the Lord to step in and take over when I feel timid.  But I am never disappointed when I surrender those fears.  That trip to Greece during my seminary days proved to be a valuable lesson on this.  For later on, I stood with a classmate at Mars Hill in Athens, and as we discussed how the Gospel had spread along the Roman road system, a young woman from England overheard us.  She asked me to repeat it.  I was happy to oblige.  And while I recounted how the Gospel traveled along those ancient roads, I included its message and how it eventually came to me.  Who knows what seeds were planted that day!

Ann LeFevre                                                                                                             3/6/2011

Ready for the Road Ahead

            Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!  That little ditty ran through my head several times during the first full week of March 2011.   Not only did we see record rainfall here in the Northeast, but an earthquake in Japan set off a tsunami which destroyed property and beaches in the Northwest.  The rainfall coupled with melting snow caused rivers and creeks to overflow their banks and commuters to detour around the more troublesome areas of flooding.  Thanks to the fact that I had to drive up Route 209 more than once that week, I was able to see the rising waters first hand.  One Saturday afternoon found me stopping at the Bushkill Access on the Delaware River to take a rather comical picture of the Stop sign submerged in four feet of water with debris caught on the One Way sign below it.   There was lots of water, but not much of it was worthy to drink.

            Sometimes I marvel at people who build houses along the coast or next to a river.  They must know about the risks, but the setting is so appealing, it's worth the risk I suppose.  I have to confess I've daydreamed about living near the ocean.  I love the vast horizon, the sound of the waves, and the shells!  There are appealing places like this in Israel too.   One such place is mentioned in Psalm 23:2.  We often translate the word as "green pastures", but this Hebrew word actually relates to the well-watered and green area at the bottom of a wadi.

            "What's a wadi?" you ask.  Wadiis are like gorges, but not as wide.  They were carved out of the limestone in the wilderness area in the same way the Colorado River carved out the Grand Canyon.  Shepherds who raise their flocks in these areas of Israel must know the layout of a wadi inside and out, because although they are a great water source, they are also dangerous.  Rain can cause flash flooding in a wadi, so it is wiser to get your water and leave, rather than make yourself comfortable and stay.

            Jesus had this geographical characteristic in mind in Luke 6:46-49.  Maybe you remember singing this as a child:  "The wise man built his house upon the rock...".  It's not necessarily convenient to build on the top of those rock walls.  It would be far more pleasant to build down in the gorge, next to the water source.   When you build next to the water, you don't have to lug those big water urns up and down the path.  It's easy.  It's comfortable.  But, Jesus warns, building in the sand, is unsafe!  When the rains come down, and they will, your house will wash away.

            It's tempting for us to "build our lives" in the conveniences of the world.  We think life should be easy, comfortable. The trouble is, putting trust in the comforts of this world, is like building a house in the bottom of a wadi.   So, when storms come rushing into our little world, its sandy foundation is washed away with the water.

            What should disciples build on?  Jesus says in verse 47 that those who come to Him, hear His words, and act on them have built their life on the rock.  If we are letting the Bible guide us in the way we live and what we believe, when the storms of life come (and they will come), we will be able to withstand the tempest.  It is certainly more popular to build on worldly things.  It's easier, more comfortable.  But it's unstable.  Today's fads are tomorrow's history lessons.  The latest trends are forgotten tomorrow when the "next big thing" becomes news.  So, why build on this shifting sand?  Build your life on God's Word so that you will stand firm when storms come your way (Proverbs 3:1-8; Colossians 3:2).

Ann LeFevre                                                                                                            3/27/2011

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

-         Phil 3:13, 14

       While in the womb, a baby strives in an atmosphere of water and is nurtured through the umbilical cord connected to the body of its mother.  The baby grows and is comfortable in water, but in the fullness of time, it must breach a new frontier and must learn to live in an atmosphere filled with air. 

        And so it is in the spirit.  Every human becomes comfortable with the environment he is used to.  To him, the old is good enough.  Man develops traditions and even if it does not make much sense, he will insist on living by his traditions.  The man of the world is used to listening to the voice of the world and his frequency is always tuned in to its channel.  To him, the reasoning and theories of the world are facts and truth.  Listen to what the people of Thessalonica said about Paul and Silas:

“These people who have turned the world upside down have come here too!”

-         Acts 17:6b

The worldly Jews and Thessalonians were screaming in a riot because Paul and Silas had upset their belief system.  They were not willing to investigate but would rather jump to an erroneous conclusion.

          YESHUA said, “Unless you are born from above, you cannot see the Kingdom of GOD.” (Jn 3:3)  Unless we trust in GOD, we cannot even see, much less, enter the Kingdom of GOD.  To be born from above means to be born by GOD’s SPIRIT in GOD’s way.  A baby does not choose when he is born but GOD does.  In the same way, a man does not choose how he is born from above but have to submit to GOD’s will and GOD’s way.  When asked by the Jews, “What is the work of the FATHER”, YESHUA answered, “This is the work of the FATHER, that you believe in the One whom He has sent.” 

          GOD’s will is that every man must be born from above.  GOD’s way is that we believe in His One and only SON, YESHUA the Messiah!  As it is in the womb of the mother, so it is with the world.  Man cannot remain in it and live; otherwise, he is stillborn or shall we say, unborn (i.e. to the Kingdom and dimension of GOD).

          The revelation of GOD is progressive.  So is man’s life.  There is a progression in everything around us.   History is a witness to the events that is leading to a culmination of GOD’s purpose for all creation.  YESHUA came to lay down the foundation of a new race – GOD’s kind.  A race of priests and kings who will serve GOD in excellence.  A new race of man who take after their real FATHER.

          Are you GOD’s kind? Who is your father?

מלאך

I've known Dr. Rick Morton as a fellow student (we did much of our Ph.D. studies together) and a fellow colleague from my seminary days. Later, I prayed as he and his wife Denise moved through the process of adopting a child from the Ukraine. Rick and Dr. Tony Merida have written a book that explores the theology of adoption and the Christian response to it. I've been thrilled to work on the study curriculum that NavPress will debut on April 4th that goes with their book, Orphanology. As a part of that, Rick agreed to an interview to introduce the book to our DiscipleshipNetwork members.

As you read this first part of the interview which deals with the social and global issues of adoption, please pray for those who will be reading the book and using the curriculum that God will use this work to help Christians and churches consider how they can respond to this tremendous need.

After you've read it, let me know what you think. How can the church make a difference in the lives of the orphans of the world?

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

What is the problem of orphans in the world? Approximately how many orphans are there around the globe; and if unadopted, how is their life experience, generally?

The statistics regarding the number of orphans in today’s world are staggering. UNICEF estimates that there are between 143 and 210 million orphans worldwide. Most likely, these estimates are low. UNICEF defines an orphan as a child who has lost one or both parents to the death but fails to account for “social orphans” who are abandoned as a result of causes like addiction, poverty, or neglect. The UNICEF figures also fail to account for nations who fail to report their orphan populations such as many Middle Eastern nations.

Only a small fraction of the world’s orphans actually live in orphanages (approximately 10 million). The rest live with extended family or many are relegated to life on the streets. In all, these children are a voiceless mass. They are defenseless, and in most societies, they are seen as no more than a social problem. Most of these children live life without hope of a future that ends well. They are vulnerable to those who would prey on them for profit or those who would try to hurt them or rid society of them as a nuisance. These are the children for whom Robert Raikes began the Sunday School almost two centuries ago. In the forgotten street children who were a social blight to most of the world, Raikes saw value because he recognized that they were created in the image of God and made to know the gospel.

What do many orphans experience going from an orphanage into the wider world. What does life look like for them after the orphanage?

In general, the institutional environment poorly serves children. Research has demonstrated that orphans who graduate from orphanages are more likely to become engaged in antisocial behavior in later life. They are more susceptible to suicide, drugs, and falling into a life of crime. Many of them are vulnerable to falling pray to human trafficking, particularly sex slavery.  While the orphanage may meet the basic needs of a child’s life (food, clothing, and shelter), often the institution fails to nurture and prepare the child to be ready to live independently. In Orphanololgy, we deal with how the church can be involved in changing this trend. We highlight ministries that people and churches can engage that will make a real difference in the lives of institutionalized kids. Certainly, we believe that every child would best be served by having a family, but that is not always possible. In lieu of that, we must actively engage in ministries to orphanages and workers who care for children in orphanages.

What is the tie between orphans and child trafficking?

As I stated earlier, orphans are among the most marginalized and voiceless people on the planet. Often, when they run away, no one goes to find them. When they graduate from the orphanage and go missing, no one notices. They are easy prey for those who would traffic children. Some are abducted to serve as slaves in factories working long hours for little or no pay. Others are lured with the promise of modeling jobs or au pair positions in foreign positions only to discover that they are being taken to become sex slaves. Regardless, they have no one to call for help, so they are defenseless. Approximately 300,000 to 400,000 children are trafficked across international boarders each year, and a significant percentage of them are orphaned children. If the church is to live out James 1;27, we must become active in the war against human trafficking.

If there can be strange fire in worship, then what about discipleship?

There is a principle in certain denominations called the "Regulative Principle," and it mostly applies to how we worship God. In a nut shell, the regulative principle states:

"The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men." We are to worship God in the way he has commanded, and not according to our own desires. Westminster Confession of Faith (XXI:1)

Restated in simpler terms, true worship is only commanded by God; false worship is anything not commanded. Any thing outside of what is commanded in scripture for worship is considered "strange fire," taken from Leviticus:

Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

I will reserve my thoughts on the regulative principle for another time, but move directly to whether or not such a principle applies to discipleship.

If this principle is valid for worship, then wouldn't it be valid for discipleship? Jesus command to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you... " (Matthew 28:19,20) seems simple enough. There is a command, the command has clearly delineated instructional points, and there is a clear objective.

Today, there no shortage of manners, methods, and motives, for making disciples, of which few resemble the criteria that Jesus himself laid out.

Should tactics that originate from man's imaginations and devices be used in fulfilling the Great Commission?

See original post here.

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