Have a look here.

What do you think?

Labels: god, pray, Spiritual Thought Of The Day, stewardship

Hey folks,

I just received this email from a leader in our church. Please don't get distracted by how long it looks. It took me 2 minutes to read it.

Please stop and take 5 minutes to lift this guy up in prayer:

Please pray that he will live long enough for me to see him in the hospital. Pray that he will live long enough to make that trip to our home. Pray that salvation will over take him when I share with him. Pray for Delores, too.

Labels: god, perspective, pray, stewardship, worship

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.

With his love, love you.

Labels: god, introspective, missions, perspective, pray

Have you heard about Ben Stein's new movie coming out next year? It's called 'Expelled'.

If you go to the website, the flash intro has this quote:

If people think God is interesting, the onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about. Otherwise they should just shut up about it.

So I'm sure the first thought through your head is, "Great, another movie bashing the intelligence of those who believe in God."

But it's actually just the opposite.

It's about how people in scientific community who question Darwinism are immediately 'expelled'. Noone is allowed to consider Darwinism.

I'm really excited about it!

There's also a blog devoted to it here

Labels: creation, god, news, perspective, pray

That's a quote from Piper in his sermon "Where Is God", which is a response to catastrophic occurrences like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina.

Piper is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota. They are so close to the bridge that collapsed that you can see the lights of rescue crews from the church.

They sent their video crews out to capture some of what's going on out there, with some audio from the 'Where Is God' sermon spliced in. Here's an excerpt:

Famines, pestilence, persecution -- these happen so that the world will see that followers of Jesus count Christ more precious than everything they've lost -- and discover that He can be that for them, because one day they're going to lose everything. Everybody loses everything on earth, some day.

Labels: god, introspective, news, perspective, piper, pray, stewardship

Read this

Labels: news, perspective, piper, pray

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).

Please keep them in prayer:

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200708/200708010038.html

Labels: god, missions, news, perspective, pray

Check out this awesome article. It really highlights what's involved and at stake for many Central Asians.

Here's an excerpt:

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."

Labels: god, missions, news, perspective, pray

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.

Praise God for our freedom, and pray for theirs!

Labels: missions, news, perspective, pray

Have a look and then stop and thank God for everything you have :0)

Labels: missions, news, perspective, pray

It’s 7:37 at Starbucks. The music isn’t very nice, and it’s freezing cold in here, but the coffee’s good, and I need to hear what You have to say about some things...

Father, I have never been more certain that I have no idea what I’m doing -- at anything. I don’t know how to be a good husband, son, friend, brother... My spirit’s drying up. You’ve been trying to point that out to me. I know, I’m stubborn. By the way, is that a sinful side-effect of something good You wove into me? I’d sure like to know what’s up with my pride.

Anyways, I need some advice, Daddy. This life You’ve given me -- this whole concept of life that You’ve written -- it’s so fragile... and beautiful. But really fragile. I’m 24 Lord. A good third of my life is probably passed. And, as is usually the case when my focus gets off You and on me, I feel so torn.

I drive past dozens of hopeless people on the way to work every day. I read suicidal posts from almost hopelessly insecure teenagers. I see people spending a year’s income on a car they don’t want, just because they can’t see outside of their culture. The 20th century was the bloodiest ever. There’s war on every side. The American Church is bleeding.

The cost of the coffee I’m drinking could feed three starving Sudanees brothers in Christ for a day or more....

And I’m so afraid of being ashamed in heaven. I don’t want to have tears for Jesus to wipe away from my eyes. (Is that wrong?)
And here’s what I just don’t understand: I think You’ve been trying to show me that that’s stubborn and prideful. It’s impatient. It’s a good impatience though, isn’t it? I want You to make all things new right now! Today! I want Your purposes in my life accomplished to their climax right now!

God! How can I feel good about spending 50 hours a week writing a property tax database system? How can I be fully alive without a circle of brothers? How can my wife be fully alive without a circle of sisters? Is it healthy to be so poured out with nothing pouring in? Is this fire in my bones a call to full-time ministry? Isn’t it more manly and soldier-like to be all things to all men? Doesn’t Your Holy Spirit in me make me a superman? Would You could you call us to a place in life where we are anything less than thriving? I think the answer is no. But if that’s true, then why does it feel so uncomfortable to wrestle with this stuff? And why is the thought of letting someone down so painful to me?


You made clear to me last year that You don’t need me for anything. You don’t need me for the purposes You have planned in my wife, my church fellowship, or my family. So why do I feel so burdened? What’s the balance? Is it possible that I’m trying so hard to help that I’m in the way?
If that’s the case, then what’s next? Isn’t it selfish to want to go spend 4 more years learning when there’s already so much waiting to explode out of me? Is it prideful to try to avoid it?
My vision hasn’t been clear in so long Lord.
What are the steps to go from here to fully alive?

Labels: god, introspective, musings, perspective, pray

At least, that's what one woman did at a Golden Corral in Ohio. She attacked a 56-year-old woman for yelling at her baby.

When all was said and done, 15 people were involved, several were hospitalized, and 5 went to jail.

Ah, memories...

I have just two thoughts:

1 - The only hope for our culture is Jesus

2 - I hope my wife throws down to stand up for my baby one day :0)

Labels: musings, news, pray

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...

Labels: missions, news, perspective, pray, stewardship

A couple months ago, there was some controversy over a group of atheists who challenged people to film themselves denying the Holy Spirit and post it on YouTube in order to prove that they do not believe the teachings of the Bible.
In response, Ray Comfort called ABC and on May 5th, he and Kirk Cameron will debate with the people behind the 'Blasphemy Challenge' on national television about the existence of God.
Further, he promises not to speak use faith or the Bible in his argument .

You can read more about it here.

If you don't know who Ray Comfort is, he is pretty sharp and a great apologeticist (what word would I use there?). He hosts a cable show with Kirk Cameron called 'The Way of the Master', which is intended to educate and encourage believers to share their faith.
He does seem to fall into the trap of being fairly haughty about his experience. Sometimes I feel like his evangelism is prideful and misrepresents the love of Christ. He also is outspoken against 'The 4 Spiritual Laws' Gospel tracts that Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade For Christ) made famous, because he says that it is confusing, if not wrong, to tell someone that God has a wonderful plan for their life when there is so much pain and suffering in the world. I think this does more harm than good, and is probably not the best use of his time or skills... but overall he is doing awesome things for the kingdom. I have a good book he wrote called 'God Doesn't Believe in Atheists'.

So let's pray that he represents Christ well and that this debate is something that God will use to gain glory -- through the actual debate as well as all the water cooler conversations that will likely follow...

Oh, and here he explains some of the reasons why bananas are my favorite food :0)

Labels: creation, god, news, pray

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, Salauat Serikbayev, 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 Dmitry Shestakov – 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.

Labels: missions, news, perspective, pray

An update from Voice of the Martyrs about pastor Dimitri, who you've seen here before:

http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article7588

Labels: god, missions, news, perspective, pray

Read this about a pastor who was illegally arrested, falsely accused, and sentenced by his enemies... Gospel enemies

http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=928

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.

Labels: missions, news, perspective, pray