The Glory of the Advent

        Today is the start of the Advent season when Christians all over the world spend the four weeks leading up to Christmas day to reflect, ponder, and long for the coming of the Christ.  Advent is a time  meant for both considering the purpose and wonder of the first coming and of longing for the second coming.  But today I want to focus on the Glory of the first coming of the Christ and his purpose.

        Jesus the Christ came to this earth as Emmanuel (God with man) for several reasons.  The ones we are probably most familiar with being to forgive men their sins and to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.  One reason we often over look however is the purpose of winning back our birthright as the carriers of God's Glory, His image.  Mankind was created to be those would who bear the image of God himself.  The reflection of His Glory to all Creation, to each other, and back to Him in worship.  However, our ability to image the Glory of God was distorted and diminished by the rebellion of mankind.  When God came to earth as man, in the Son, Jesus; His plan was also to create a way for the birthright of mankind to image God's Glory to be restored once again.

      So what does "Glory" mean anyway?  The definition I have often heard and used is "God's attributes, nature, character or deeds on display."  His plan was that ALL of His Creation would display His attributes, nature, character and deeds; including mankind.  But we sold that birthright at the dawn of creation for a lie of superior knowledge, divinity, and independence from God.  However, the coming of the Son has won back this birthright for us!  Jesus, the Son, the second person of the Trinity; came to earth fully man (and of course fully God) and lived his life as a man filled with Holy Spirit in submission to the Father just as we were and are meant to live.  In doing this we are then able, just as Jesus did, to put God's Glory on display to all Creation, to each other, and back to God in worship!  The ancient follower of "The Way", Irenaeus (140 AD - 202 AD) once said, 

"The Glory of God is man(kind) fully alive (as God intended),

the vision of man is God."

     So as we spend the coming weeks reflecting on the first coming of the Christ and all that His coming has meant for mankind, may you also reflect on the Glory of God in you as one of his reasons and accomplishments in coming.  As Paul once said, 

"...Christ in you, the hope of glory."

 Colossians 1:27

 

Being a Barnabas for Others

     Yesterday I was doing some staff training for some Indian young people who will be staffing a 5 month discipleship training course here in India.  As I was sharing from my experiences in discipling others, I found myself sharing a story from my own life that highlighted how we can be a 'Barnabas' in others lives at crucial times in their discipleship journey.  In Acts we are introduced to a follower of Jesus named 'Barnabas'.  In Acts 9 Saul (soon to become Paul) attempts to join up with the disciples in Jerusalem after having his encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus, the disciples were all afraid of him.  But is was Barnabas who convinced them to accept Saul (Paul).  Some years later when Paul and Barnabas have a dispute about John Mark, Paul seems to give up on Mark but Barnabas takes him under his wings and continues to journey with Mark.  Later we see that whatever the problem was with Mark, it is resolved and he is much matured in Christ.  Barnabas was one who had a gift to see below the surface of a person's actions and call out the God given destiny of a person.  He was willing to go the extra mile even for those who didn't seem to deserve it, he just wouldn't give up on people.

  Almost 14 years ago I went to do some training in Hawaii that would prepare me for working in full time work overseas for the Lord.  The first few months of the training we were in a classroom hearing lectures and being discipled.  Then for the last two months we would go on an outreach trip and put into practice what we had learned about God and ourselves as followers of Jesus.  When I came to this training, I was still a little 'rough around the edges'.  I had only been walking with Jesus again for about 4 years.  Previously I had led a very rebellious life and become an alcoholic.  By the time I got to Hawaii I had been sober for about 2 1/2 years or so.  But two days before the outreach trip was completed, suffering from the worst craving for alcohol I had ever encountered, I relapsed.  I drank, a lot, for a whole night and my outreach team had no idea where I was. 

     I showed up the next morning still drunk and belligerent.  My outreach leaders called the leadership of our training back in Hawaii to find out what they should do with me.  Usually this kind of behavior would mean that the student would be kicked out of the program and sent home immediately.  Especially if the student was not repentant for their behavior.  At first I wasn't.  But after a little while, once I began to sober up and realize what I had done, I was horrified at myself.  I couldn't believe what I had done.  I remember sitting in the shower weeping before the Lord.  I thought I had ruined any chance I might have had to serve the Lord.  But I remembered the Lord telling me "a bruised reed I will not break" (Matt. 12:20) and "a broken and contrite spirit I will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).  He also said to me, "Get up.  Do not let this keep you down."

   After showing my repentant spirit to my outreach leaders, they phoned back to Hawaii leadership and the decision was made for me to return with the team to Hawaii for the debrief.  Once I got there I met with leadership and discussed what happened.  They were so kind and truly desired only that I would grow from the situation.  Finally the decision was made that I would be allowed to graduate with the condition that after the training I would go somewhere where there would be people to help me continue to find freedom and healing from these destructive addictions. 

   So I graduated without any issue.  I immediately went to join up with my mentors where we discerned together what the right next steps would be for me.  I ended up spending six months in a time of restoration and growth.  But finally a year later I showed up in Hawaii again and joined on the staff with the same organization that had trained me.  Eventually I went on to serve in several countries and still continue to serve the Lord today.

   I am so thankful for the many, many 'Barnabas' in my life's journey and I am pray there will be more as I am sure to make mistakes still yet.  Have you had a 'Barnabas' in your life's journey?  Have you been a 'Barnabas' for others along the way?  Feel free to share in the comments below about your experiences.

And It Was Night - John 13:30

      I was reading John 13:21-30 today when Jesus identifies Judas as the one who will betray him.  But what caught my attention were John's last words in vs. 30  "So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out.  And it was night."

     Interesting choice of words.  Just as Judas heads out for the final stage of Jesus' betrayal, John states it was night.  Was he just giving us an update for the timeline of events.  Perhaps.  But I think it also speaks of the darkness that was beginning at that moment.  Up to that point they had been merry and enjoying a feast despite Jesus' warnings of what was ahead (John 10:11,17-18, 12:27-33).  But now, one of them has left and gone to betray Jesus.  It seems that John was the only one who knew it (13:25-26).  A darkness and nervousness must have fallen on them in that moment.  What would happen?  Although the darkness had descended and the coming days would be horrible for Jesus, in fact the whole trinity and for the disciples, it wouldn't last long.  With the Resurrection just three days later, Ascension and the coming of Holy Spirit, Light would be returned to the world once again as the Spirit of Jesus filled all those who believed.  His works would continue, still continue today.  His work to bring His Kingdom to the earth "as it is in Heaven".  

     We have the awesome privilege to be part of his 'Heaven to Earth' project.  It was always his plan for us to be given His Spirit in order to do just that.  To be brought into Trinitarian Fellowship and catch the vision for God's Mission!  Every time we love, every time we bring justice to an unjust situation, every time we show compassion and tenderness to those hard to love, every time we share a word of hope and encouragement to the down and out; we are joining in His plan to bring Heaven to Earth.  A place that would be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

     Perhaps your recent days have been filled with darkness. Hear the good news, Jesus is Risen!  His Spirit is available to you to chase away that darkness!  The Light of the World is shining brightly in the earth today!  Look up to Heaven from where your help comes from!  And turn to your brother or sister in Christ and share your burdens that you may once again see the Light of Christ active in your heart and mind!!  We all need some one else sometimes to lift off the blinders of darkness and reveal again the Light of the World to us!  Don't stay isolated in your darkness, Christ died and raised again for your freedom that you may walk in the Light!!!  He did it for YOU!  

"...the people dwelling in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those dwelling in the region

and shadow of death,

on them a light has dawned." Matt. 4:16

God Uses Our Mistakes and Our Conflicts

          If you’re like me, you might like to run away, cover up, ignore, or fret over your mistakes and conflicts with others.  Let’s take a look at both of these categories; mistakes and conflicts.  We will look at our typical responses to them, possibilities for different ways of responding, and what God might be doing in the midst of them!

     First, mistakes.  No one loves to own up to their mistakes.  It’s embarrassing. We scold ourselves saying we ‘should have known better’, or ‘should have paid closer attention to what we were doing’ or my favorite and most common, ‘why did I say that?’!  Then we do whatever we can to make sure that no one else finds out about the mistake.  We hide.  Just like Adam and Eve in the garden.  What are we so afraid of?  That someone will find out that we are not perfect?  Guess what, the secret is already out!  Or perhaps we fear that people will think we are incompetent. 

    Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, God comes seeking for us in the midst of our mistakes.  He comes offering us an opportunity to own up to what we have done and not be bound by the fear to makes us hide.  He desires to make something beautiful out of our messes.  But the decision lies with us.  Will we continue to hide with our mistakes, bound by fear?  Our will we come out of hiding, own up to our mistakes and watch God do something amazing with them? In his book “Difference Makers”, Scott Boren says, “God is working through the messes we create along the way to reveal his love.”

     When we come out of hiding and own up to our shortfalls, amazing things can happen.  Often times trust is won with the people around us and our leadership because of our honesty and determination to do it right.  God also now has room to give you guidance and direction to fix the issue or do it better next time.  WE also start to learn that God’s love and acceptance is not conditioned on us ‘getting it right’ all the time.  We only learn and grow from our mistakes if we are willing to acknowledge them and examine them with the help of Holy Spirit.  If we are too busy hiding from them, acting like they never happened; learning and growth are nearly impossible.

     And then conflicts.  It has been said the only impossible thing about ministry is the people.  We’ve all heard that the number one reason that missionaries leave the field is due to conflicts with people.  And yet the Scriptures tell us “by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35 NAS)  Some would prefer to work alone in order to avoid conflicts with others or to avoid having to make compromises in order to work with a team.  However, we have the greatest impact when we work together!  Jesus invites us into a family, one body, unity; not a group of fully self-sustained individuals. Why?  Because we learn best from each other.  And that learning happens when we disagree. Again in “Difference Makers” Scott Boren says, “…when we encounter differences, we work through them, find God together, and see what God is doing in the midst of them.  The way we handle our conflicts may be the way we show our neighbors what God’s love looks like.” 

     There are no perfect churches, no perfect small groups, and no perfect teams.  There will always be someone you don’t agree with or don’t get along with easily.  And God is not waiting for you to find that ‘perfect’ people to work with before He makes a difference in the world!  He is working through imperfect people and conflicts to accomplish his goals in the earth.  He always has. 

     So rather than avoiding our mistakes, let’s own them.  Rather than avoiding the conflicts, embrace each other in the midst of the conflict and watch God do something amazing.  Let’s choose not to hide from our mistakes or from each other in fear, but rather face them and see what beautiful thing God will do with them.  Let’s forget about trying to wait to find the ‘perfect’ group or situation before we go out and get busy building the Kingdom.  But rather watch God take our broken attempts to partner with him (and each other) and make it something grand!

         

In Your Distress EARNESTLY seek Him!

Hosea 5:15  "I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me."  Here we see that the Lord, at least in the OT, did bring distress into a persons life in order that they might seek Him "earnestly".  Important to note is that Israel was already in a place of great sin.  It seems that the LORD simply added to their misery in certain areas in order to bring them to deeper places of distress that they might call on Him.  But even then, He seeks those who would go after Him with a sincere heart acknowledging their guilt before him.  Those who would come in humility.  Lord, I say, that in all things the work of your hands bring Justice, Love, Mercy and Discipline in their right proportions to work for your purposes.  I say that those purposes are for our good.  Even when it seems that your hand is heavy or that you are afar off, I choose to believe that in all situations you are Just and Good.  I thank you Father that I can lean on these truths even when I look at a world that is languishing in deep sorrow and sin.  All things will work together to the good for those who love you and are called according to your purposes!!  Amen!

Truth and Deception

  Have you ever noticed that when Paul describes the armor of God that the very first thing mentioned as our defense is the "belt of truth" (Eph. 6:14)?  Why is this so important as a1st defense?  In every counseling type situation I have ever found myself in, either when I was counseling another or I myself was being counseled, the root issue was a lie that had been picked up somewhere along the way and believed giving birth to deception.  Deception is the enemies one and only weapon.

  We all know how Eve was "tempted" in the garden and we often speak of "temptation" as being the weapon of the enemy.  But actually the first thing the enemy did was lie to Eve.  He gave forth a deception from his mouth that spoke of God withholding something from Eve that was desirable to have.  Once Eve gave this deception entry into her heart and mind, then there was temptation.  What if she had said "No" to Satan's lie that day and believed Truth over Deception?  Could it be then that temptation would never have awakened in her desires.

  So, if then the very nature of deception is that the one being deceived does not know it, how can we fight such a thing?  By being rooted in Truth, the source of Truth, we stand a better chance of recognizing the deception from the first moment of conception in our thoughts.  And then, because Jesus has lent us His authority here on earth, we can then take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him. (II Cor. 10:5)

  When we let our minds roam freely from thought to thought without care, we become easy and willing prey for the deceptions the enemy would plant in us.  Once planted, those deceptions easily take the form of temptation which unchecked, leads to unbridled sin.  When those deceptions are planted deep and are allowed a more permanent place in our thinking, strongholds are created that become part of everything we do; every decision we make; every thought that comes after.  These deep rooted deceptions then become well camouflaged and hard to discover.

  Thanks to the Lord His light shines upon even the darkest corners of our minds revealing such deceptions long ago welcomed into our thoughts.  Thanks to the Lord, the adoption afforded to us as His very own children, thus there is authority given to us to root out strongholds of wrong thinking setting us free to live as He destined before time began!

  I encourage you my friends, live freely in body, mind and spirit!  Let the light of the Father reign in you.  Even in your thoughts, that the strongholds of the enemy maybe brought down and the Truth built up within you!  For the Truth will set you free and those who are free in Christ are free INDEED!


FREEDOM!!!!

Church and Marijuana

  Tonight I went to church.  We meet in a little wooden shack in a community called Masiphumele. Masiphumele means, "We will overcome".  Masi is a poor community.  Most people live in tiny shacks made up of scrap metal and other bits of building materials haphazardly put together.  We were a mixed group of two white ladies, a couple of Malawians, a Zulu, a Xhosa (both South African people groups), a Kenyan and others.  We sang.  We shared what we were most thankful for this past week.  We spent a time in silence listening for scriptures and words of encouragement for some brothers and a sister being sent from our group to reach out to a Muslim people group in Malawi.  We shared our greatest needs.  We prayed for each other.  We saw a man healed of pain in his middle body!  Praise God.  Then we broke into smaller groups and studied a passage in Revelation together.

  All the time these things were taking place, there was so much happening around us.  The door and the windows of our tiny little shack had to be open due to the heat.  Children ran in and out.  They were playing just outside the door.  The shack across the way had loud music going and people talking loudly.  Cars went by with booming base.  There was a constant smell with us as well.  The smell of marijuana.  The two shacks across from our "ministry" shack house two Rastafarians.  They are just 6 steps away from us, door to door.  They also had music going and the constant whiff of marijuana would enter our meeting place.

  But even with all of these other things happening around us, God was in our midst!  He was being worshipped.  His Truth was being studied.  Revelation was being given by the Holy Spirit.  Surrounded by the distractions of this world, God's love conquered and ruled in our lives.  One person shared a vision they had received during one of the prayer times.

 " In the old days a light bulb had a wire filament on the inside.  When the bulb was connected to electricity that filament would then illuminate the whole bulb.  God said, when you are all connected like this in love, you are like that filament.  And when you get plugged into me by my Holy Spirit, you become illuminated. "  We all reached for each others hands and simply agreed in silence that we were the light of God in Masi.

  I am so thankful for my little house church here in South Africa in a poor little shack on a back road in Masiphumele - We shall overcome!!!

Breaking down barriers

  Today I went to a women's house church in a community called Masiphumalele here in South Africa.  I was one of two white women in a room of Africans and one Trinidadian.   I was so excited to be with them and begin to get to know them all.  I knew a couple of the women in the room but most of them were new faces to me.  


  As we ate our meal together and talked and shared, there was one woman across the room who just stared at me constantly.  I tried smiling a bit to her but her appearance did not change.  No smile in return.  We all opened our Bibles and began to discuss the Word of God together and still there was no change in her demeanor.  I wondered what she was thinking.  Did she not like me?  Why doesn't she return my smiles?  I felt a little afraid that maybe she was offended at my presence there. 


   As our church time was coming to an end, the women began to sing a song in the Chichewa language of Malawi.  They began to teach the song to me and I began to sing a nice harmony with them.  There we were, two white women from the U.S., a couple of Malawians, and a bunch of South Africans all singing and worshiping God together!  Then, finally I saw the faintest of smiles on the woman's face.  


  After church was over, some of us went to another location to practice some worship for a large celebration gathering that would take place later that weekend.  The woman who would not smile back at me was coming with us to the rehearsal.   As it turned out, we were riding to the other location in the same car.  I figured since we were going to be sharing the back seat of a car together I should learn her name.  So I asked her.  She timidly answered me that her name was Sheila.  


  On the way to the rehearsal there were four of us women sitting in the back seat of the car.  Each of us had one leg almost in the air and half way resting on the person behind us and one leg actually on the seat.  It was a very intimate situation!  Sheila was next to me and I could tell she felt quite awkward.  We did have a laugh or two on the way but I discerned from her that she still wasn't quite sure what to make of me.


  Once we arrived to the rehearsal the singing began almost immediately.  I was one of only three white people in the room, the rest all black Africans.  They were teaching us more songs in African languages.  One thing I love about African Praise is that it is always a celebration.  Full of life, sound, movement and rich harmonies.  


  After singing the first few songs (one song can go for half an hour some times!!) along with the dancing and laughing; I looked over at Sheila and she was laughing and smiling too!  I told her I loved learning songs in her language.  Somehow we got on the subject of families and she was surprised to learn that I had no husband or children, only Jesus.  She told me that she needed me to help her to learn to love Jesus more.  She told me she was a new believer and that she really wanted to love Jesus.  


  I was so surprised that she opened up to me like that.  This was the same woman that just two hours before would not even smile back at me from across the room!  What had changed in that short time to cause her to open up to me like that?  I assured her that Jesus wanted to be the lover of her heart.  Her hero and protector.  I told her I looked forward to walking a journey with her and getting to know her more.


  But again I ask, what changed in those 2 hours?  I think what broke down the barriers was my willingness to be real, to relax, to have fun with them.  To learn their songs and their language.  I didn't try to make myself above them but was just who I am; a woman who loves the Lord, loves people, loves languages, loves to sing and dance.  Just a woman who loves!!!


  That love broke down the barriers as Sheila watched me through out the night.  And in the end a new relationship has been born that I am so excited about.  I can't wait to see why God has allowed our journeys to coincide with each other.  What is in store for Sheila and I?  Only God knows!!