In Psalm 8 , David asks of God, 'Who am I that You are mindful of me?' If you see me and I look puzzled, it's because this same question often keeps me distracted...
This weekend at church, I taught about how we are free to serve Jesus because we don't have to.
...yeah, just take a second and think about that. My texts were Galatians 5 and 1 Peter 2.
I got on a social justice soap-box for just a minute.
According to Compassion International, 19 billion dollars a year could provide for the basic needs of all the poorest children in the world. To put that figure in perspective, this is about half of what Americans spend on dieting programs every year.
I told folks at the church about various opportunities to invest eternally, and this morning I began a list on the website.
I have a friend who I spent a good chunk of time with when I was in Central Asia. His name is...
Well, let's call him 'Bob' just to be safe (in the picture above, 'bob' is on the right, and yes, believe it or not, I am on the left).
'Bob' was faithfully discipled for over a year after he gave his life to Christ, and for a while, he was bearing all kinds of fruit.
But when pressure from the oppressive government of his country started to cramp down, he really backed off. He started dating a non-believer, and recently he sent me an email and said that he is now married to her.
Here is the response I received ('Dad' is how we write about God):
Do you remember Manzura?! Is this she whom I got married .
I will send you pics. I am still in '_______'.
I work at Tour Agency. I'm doing well.
Walk with Dad not so well man, ask Him to be better.
I don't know if you've read this anywhere, but a couple dozen Korean missionaries to Afghanistan have been held hostage for several days now, and at least two of them have been killed.
The deadline that their kidnappers gave has come and gone, which leaves their fate uncertain (from a worldly perspective).
When Sherzod, who recently graduated from Jacksonville (Ark.) High School, telephoned his Muslim parents in Uzbekistan to tell them of his newfound faith, his father disowned him, making it clear he was no longer welcome in his home and was never again to speak to his mother or his siblings. He withdrew all funds from Sherzod's U.S. bank account, arranged to cancel his son's U.S. sponsorship and college scholarship and even drew up legal papers declaring Sherzod is no longer his son.
As devastating as that must be for an 18-year-old, Sherzod remains strong in his commitment to Christ.
"I am not sorry I accepted Christ," he said. "I am not sorry for getting baptized. Even though my parents did that, I am not sorry for anything that happened."
Here's yet another article about how oppressive things are becoming in Central Asia. I also read that reporters from two of the best news sources for the truth about what's going on there were recently arrested and taken to a military prison.
I am consistently challenged, equipped and encouraged by pastor J.D. Greear's blog. This post is particularly of interest to me, as someone passionate about the Church. He talks about sitting down with Bill Hybels.
A highlight:
"A church ought to be diverse IN EVERY WAY that its community is diverse if it is to properly be called an Acts 2 church."
Check out this blog post from pastor Steven Furtick. It lights me up!
Key quotes:
Because of the perception of Pastoral ministry we’ve perpetuated, the sharpest and highest potential young leaders in our country go on to do other things with their lives. After all, who wants to give the best years of their lives to keeping a committee of angry white deacons happy about the carpet color and the type of flowers in the vestibule?
Nevertheless, I’m encouraged. Currently in the body of Christ there is a new generation of Joshua pastors rising up. They often look more like youth pastors than pastors. They say words like sucks and crap, and they probably shouldn’t. They are rough around the edges, they don’t always get it right, but they’d rather fail aggressively than simply exist passively. They might not have the best bedside manner, but they have a fire in their bones to preach God’s Word with no apologies.
Here's a story that gives a little bit of clarity to why the U.N. calls Uzbekistan's government the 5th most corrupt in the world.
Abstract:
Farmers and officials in eastern Uzbekistan are likely to face criminal charges for growing crops that they can sell, instead of the cotton and wheat demanded by the state.
The case highlights the problems facing farmers in Uzbekistan, who in theory belong to the private sector but in practice are tied into Soviet-style rules under which they are bound to grow cotton and grain and sell it to the state at artificially low prices.
This is reality. In fact, all college and university students are FORCED to live out in the cotton fields for 5-10 weeks and pick a required yield of cotton every day in order to remain enrolled in school!
This is the type of persecution that believers there face. They are not always physically hurt (although it certainly happens... and WAY to often), but bullied by manipulation of the rules. For example:
“Last year, I was prevented from transferring money from my account to pay the institute where my son is studying,” he said. “Even though I had enough money in the account, I was forced to take out a loan at a high rate of interest.”
Take 10 minutes. Read the story. Pray for Central Asia. Thank God you were born in America...
This article about what the past few weeks have been like for people in Uzbekistan is real reality check. This is what people around the world experience every day just for trying to follow Jesus. I encourage you to subscribe to the blog at www.Registan.net for perspective served up every day. It's usually more political than anything, but I benefit a lot from it. Here's how the article begins:
Following a January raid on a private home in Nukus in north-western Uzbekistan where 18 Protestants had gathered, one of those present, SalauatSerikbayev, faces criminal trial for teaching religion illegally, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. There is a three year maximum sentence if convicted and the hearing is set for 24 April. The host of the meeting, Grigory Ten, was fined more than many local people earn in a year on 9 April, and his hymnbook was ordered to be confiscated. In the eastern city of Andijan, three members of the embattled church led by DmitryShestakov – imprisoned on 9 March – are also facing possible prosecution. In Samarkand police swooped on an outdoor Protestant Easter service. Several prominent Protestants are facing death threats and the daughter of one pastor was traumatised after being kidnapped by unknown young men.
I recently learned about this website, blurb.com, where you can use your own photos and ideas and put together a book that people can order online for reasonable prices.
Has anybody tried this? I think I would like to make a 'Perspective From Central Asia' book... Would anybody be interested if I did?
I saw a special on 60 minutes that really intrigued me. In a nutshell, they provide a web interface that enables regular old folks like you and me to provide small loans to people in developing countries who want to start a business.
For example, you can provide a loan to a guy in Kenya who wants to advance his sheep farm. The web site connects you and enables you to negotiate the details, then you put up the money, and amazingly, people usually pay it back with interest. And you get the joy of helping someone fulfill a dream!
Most of these people are only looking for less than $2000. I'm really interested... but has anyone out there done this before?
Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov has today (9 March) been sentenced to four years' exile within Uzbekistan for his religious activity, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Shestakov maintained his innocence throughout the trial. During his final speech, Forum 18 learnt, he told the court that despite the tears of his wife and children he forgives those who have taken action against him. Shestakov's friends have stated that there were numerous irregularities in the trial, including: an expert analysis of his sermons being illegally conducted by an Andijan University professor; forgery of documents by the Prosecutor's Office; false prosecution claims of religious services being conducted in a property not belonging to a registered religious organisation; and Pastor Shestakov being illegally charged under a Criminal Code article that was not in force when the criminal case against Shestakov was launched. Before the trial, Uzbek state-run media tried to smear Shestakov and his church.
Read this post about religious persecution in Central Asia.
Then read the one after it about how ANOTHER NGO (non-government organization), in this case, World Stinking Vision is being kicked out of Central Asia for helping the people in Jesus name.
Check out this article that explains how the president of Uzbekistan officially expired his term of duty two days ago and most of the people in his country don't even know that.
