Fashioning Crosses

I did some reading on a few days I had skipped in my Common Prayer book because I've been so involved in the Believing God study I'm doing. I came across this in September 30th's entry:

"Lord, keep us from making crosses out of the splinters of discomfort in our lives. Help us recognize the true crosses you call us to bear, those whose weight lends to the freedom and provision of others. Amen."

Yes, my "crosses" are pretty puny compared to what so many others have to endure. I remember reading an interview with Francis Chan after he spent time with Jesus followers in China. The people just naturally assumed that we in the West endured persecution just like they do. After all, if you only had a Bible to learn what Christianity looked like, and you lived on a deserted island (another Chan point from one of his books), what would you think the Church would look like? Are we really so deceived as to believe it would look like our version in the U.S.?

The Chinese Christians actually laughed at the suggestion that we over here leave churches because of programs, music or people we don't like. Very telling indeed.

So this small quote today hit me just where I needed it to. Yes, I need community and it needs to be with others that are seeking Him first, foremost and sacrificially...but...the little splinters of discomfort like style of worship, dynamic vs. bland preaching, Lifegroup vs. small group vs. Sunday school class...honestly, just don't matter. The cross that I should be picking up is the one that provides and frees. That's what Jesus did...and so should I.

"Why are you persecuting ME?"

You don't have to be a Jesus follower long to know there is a history of persecuting His disciples. The New Testament is replete with examples of followers of "the Way" who were being flogged, jailed, and stoned because of their refusal to deny that Jesus was the one, true Messiah...God in human flesh who lived, died and rose again. But there's only one story that I know of in the Bible that gives you the perspective of a persecutor...the story of Saul.

As I've begun to study the life of this man, later known as Paul, a few things have struck me differently than I'd originally remembered. God's Word (the Bible) is alive (see Hebrews 4:12) and one reading to the next, God's Spirit will use it to teach me new things. Today in (Acts 9:1-19), it wasn't exactly a new idea...just one word that stabbed through me into a place I don't journey often...the persecution of Christians.

I've lived my whole life in mid-America, sometimes called the upper part of "the Bible belt". My small town upbringing didn't lend itself toward opposition, let alone persecution, for being a Christian. Today, some Americans are overly concerned that taking prayer out of public schools or the Ten Commandments off the courthouse walls is the beginning to the end of our religious freedom...a freedom on which this country was founded. And their concern may be warranted.

But whenever Christians here get all bent out of shape over what may or may not happen...in my mind I always think..."Well, at least you're not being shot for your faith...yet." It's a very real possibility in many nations around the world...today. All I had to do was google "countries that persecute Christians" and 537,000 sites popped up in 0.32 seconds. The one I clicked on persecution.org even has a map that shows exactly where this occurs.

So today, when I read this passage I was thankful God's Spirit spoke this little word to my heart...ME. I'm not certain of the exact timing of Saul/Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus, but we do know that Jesus died, was buried, was resurrected and was seen by hundreds of followers for 40 days. Many other details are related in Acts before the Damascus Road encounter between Jesus and Saul/Paul, so I think it's safe to assume this could be many months after Jesus had ascended to Heaven and the Holy Spirit had begun to dwell in His followers. But note what Jesus says: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

Not...My followers...My disciples...My friends...My loved ones...no, it was Me. When I read the passage this morning, probably for the fiftieth time or more, Holy Spirit put one of those ideas in my head that was instantly complete...but very difficult to put into words...human words. Bear with me, I'll do my best (with His help, of course!)

You see, Jesus told us if you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick or imprisoned that it's the same as doing it to Him. He also told us that if you don't do any of these it's the same as neglecting service to Him. (see Matthew 25:34-41) Based on the encounter with Saul/Paul, is it safe to assume or is it too big of a leap to infer that when our Christian brothers and sisters are left hungry, naked, sick or imprisoned because of their faith in Him there is some sort of "spiritual transference" where Jesus actually takes upon Himself their persecution? What comes to mind instantly is that He did take upon all of the sin ever to exist in the world when He died on the cross. But in that way that I can't exactly wrap my brain around...He is still taking it upon Himself as it happens. I'm sure there's probably a Biblical reference or commentary somewhere that would explain this better...but I can almost visualize the tortured prisoner with the faint outline of Jesus (the same as an artist might depict an angel or spirit) hovering over His child and shielding him or her from the full onslaught of evil all around them.

Can this be why the apostles "rejoiced that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name." (see Acts 5:40-42) Is this how thousands of Jesus followers throughout history have gone singing to their deaths. Is this the reason why even today in China...despite sometimes brutal persecution...hundreds of people are turning to Jesus every single day?

When Jesus is the one taking the persecution onto Himself, yes, of course the physical ramifications are borne out on the human flesh...but are we not taught in scripture that this is just a temporary shell that we occupy until the New Earth and our bodies are completely perfected? Paul...yes, the same Saul/Paul that used to persecute Christians...later calls the persecutions that happen to him "light and momentary troubles". Unfortunately, we only see with human eyes. What I had the pleasure of being reminded of today is that what really matters...our spiritual souls...remain untouched. Jesus personally sees to it that the persecuted soul is unblemished. He is the one that bears the scars. The bodies we leave behind may show some scars...but the soul will be refined and perfected just like gold in the fire.

Does that get your heart pumping? It did mine! I do not currently live in a place or time when I have to face persecution...but some day I may. It could be a very real reality for my children or grandchildren. Whether it is or not, this I know...no matter what the forces of evil concoct for our mortal frames...Jesus will see to it that the soul of His beloved is safe. Amen!

I'm going to add just one more thing. Because this blog goes out to "the great unknown" and because I see daily that it is read by people all over the world and because sometimes the countries listed are ones where persecution is active and even rampant...I feel obligated to the one that may read this that knows all too well about what I write, it is my desire to share in your sufferings through prayer and petition on behalf of the Abba who knows you by name. You are not anonymous to Him! You are not forgotten! You are loved with a passionate, furious, boundless love that seals you and jealously keeps you for His own! And one day you will stand before Him and He will tell the story of how you remained faithful throughout and even despite your pain. That is a story I can't wait to hear! Until then, my hope is that I will be more attuned to God's Spirit so I will be reminded more frequently to pray for you and my brothers and sisters around the world who need to know the encouragement, the comfort and feel the close Presence of the One in whose Name they suffer.

Amen!

The Joy of Unfulfilled Dreams

No...I've not gone off the deep end. Rather, God is giving me peace about the things I've always longed to do, the places I've always wanted to visit, the hobbies and projects I've always wanted to finish and yes...even the dreams I've always dreamed but never seen fulfilled.

We all have them don't we? Whether as kids we dreamed of being a fireman, a cowboy, a princess or a movie star...we all have at least one dream...and probably many, many more that we gave up on too long ago to recall. But what if you didn't have to give it up? What if you knew that someday, somewhere, somehow...the hopes, dreams, plans, goals that you'd long ago set aside could amazingly be dusted off and actually see the light of day? Wouldn't that be worth every single sacrifice or abandoned hope you'd made along the way? Maybe the more appropriate question is: Doesn't that sound like Heaven?

Randy Alcorn thinks so...and his book, entitled just that, Heaven, is a scripturally supported work that challenges us to hope for the day (or rather, the eternity) on which we'll see our God-given dreams fulfilled. After all, we're told that every "good and perfect thing" is a gift from the Father, (see James 1:17) so isn't it safe to assume that these hopes and dreams came from Him? I mean, is there truly anything wrong with dreaming of travel to Africa, Australia or Asia? Isn't it good to want to run a marathon? Isn't there good to be found in the dream of singing praise, glory and honor to our Savior? Isn't it more than just good to want to have perfect relationships where there is no bias, no angst, no miscommunication, no doubt, no guilt and no pain? So if God is the giver of all good things, why would those dreams end just because this life under the Curse ends? Thanks to Alcorn, I'm realizing for the first time that they won't!

So yes, I am finding "The Joy of Unfulfilled Dreams". God is releasing me from the regret of missed opportunities. He's weeding out the bitterness that results from lost hopes. He's healing the hurt and insecurity of not having the resources to do all that I want to do for Him. He's helping me get beyond the questioning of "Where did I go wrong?" and "At what turn did I miss His leading?" He's showing me that someday there will be a New Earth and the sights, sounds, cultures and pleasures I've longed to enjoy now...are just being delayed for 40 or so (or fewer!) years...and I'm becoming okay with that.

But He's also opening my heart and mind wider to another realization: There is ONE thing I'll never again be able to do once I've shed this decaying form that is just a shadow of the perfected me yet to come...I'll never again have the opportunity to bring more people into His Kingdom along with me. Maybe that's why Jesus said over and over again that the "time is now" and that "the Kingdom of God is at hand". (see Mark 1:15 and (Matthew 4:17) He knew better than anyone that short-term sacrifice is long-term gain...like eternity-type long-term!

Do I still long to see the Australian Outback, the Great Wall of China, and just to step foot on Africa...anywhere in Africa? Absolutely! But knowing that someday I will not only see them...but I'll see the renewed, perfected, non-decaying versions of them, makes it a less bitter pill to swallow. The cool thing? Because I'm willing to make the sacrifices in the here and now of giving to the needy when we don't have enough, spending time with single moms and their kids when no one else wants to or doing without the fancy vacations, fancy food, fancy clothes, fancy cars, fancy "whatever" so that even more people I know (or have yet to meet) will be able to go see all of those things with me...THAT, my Friend...is "The Joy of Fulfilled Dreams!"

Mentioned in this post:

"So Many Books, So Little Time"

I'm sitting here in my chair wearing a $2 shirt I found once that says the exact phrase above. I bought it not only because I love books and reading...but also, because it reminds me of the old Michael Card song of the same name. His song is basically about Bible smuggling into China and how people would just pour over mere pages from God's Word. Just a page or two from a book we take for granted means so much to believers that do not have access to such a great treasure!

But today, while speaking to the ladies in our homeschool co-op, I said something like this: "I could give you a list of books, Scriptures, books of the Bible, music, etc. that God has used to change my life...and it may mean nothing to you...because we all have different 'stuff'." And actually this has got me thinking...whether it ever means something to anyone or not, why don't I come up with a list of books that God has used to change my life...and how?

So here goes:

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey- I think of this book as the one that "started it all". Here's where I first learned that it's okay to ask questions...in fact, God delights in our questions...because then we are at least actively engaged...not just swallowing the party line that we've been handed.

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning- probably the best book I have ever read about God's amazing grace and just exactly how desperate we all are for it! A book about radical grace.

The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning- a book about radical discipleship. When I first read this one, I was ready to sell everything and move wherever God called!

Crazy Love by Francis Chan- The title says it all. What is this Crazy Love that God pours out on us...and why?

Forgotten God by Francis Chan- the book that opened my eyes to what the possibilities could be when living a life totally surrendered to the power of the Holy Spirit

Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey- if you've ever experienced a brutal church existence, either first-hand or have watched someone else be torn apart by the church...then this book is for you.

A Sacred Sorrow by Michael Card- an opportunity to rediscover the lost art of how to grieve...with God's Presence beside you.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt- are you tired of chasing the American Dream only to feel unfulfilled and pointless? God's dream is for you to live a Radical life...one absolutely committed to serving others in deep poverty financially and deep poverty of the soul. We are called to a lost and dying world!

Radical Together by David Platt- what if your church would all live Radical lives together? The possibilities are endless!

The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns- Somewhere along the way, we've believed the lie that it's okay to sit in comfort in our churches while we build more programs to entertain us at the same time one child dies every 6 seconds from the effects of starvation. Stearns the CEO of World Vision contends that this is not in fact, okay with God.

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson- Ready to chase lions in the name of God? Holy Spirit is ready to help you do it!

The Patriarchs by Beth Moore- the first Beth Moore study I ever did. God led me to this at a time when my earthly father had failed me and our entire family and had succumbed to grievous sin. To learn how God was my true Patriarch was a saving grace for which words fail!

Breaking Free by Beth Moore- Every single one of us has a sin, habit or thing that ensnares us and keeps us shackled from becoming the person God first created us to be. Sometimes these are generational...and those are often the hardest to break. But Moore says, 'Each generation is given the opportunity to break the cycle of sin in their family.' The question is, who will do the work?

Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore- By examining the fruit of the Spirit, living the crucified life and every day abdicating the throne of your heart in place of the Holy Spirit's rule...you will learn to let Him lead you to Live Beyond Yourself and do things for Him that you never dreamed imaginable.

Repenting of Religion by Gregory Boyd- Did you know that according to Scripture, the only sin we are ever to confront is the sin of self-righteousness? Remember the Pharisees? Jesus' harshest words were always reserved for them...while He embraced sinners, ate at the same table and partied with them.

Summoned to Lead by Leonard Sweet- Don't think you're a leader? Well, you would be wrong. Everyone leads someone in some way. Sweet asks, 'What if we quit training people how to become leaders and instead taught them to listen.'

Books of the Bible and how they have challenged/changed me:
Philippians- learning to live in an attitude of joy no matter the circumstances is HUGE when you are solely dependent upon God's provision.

James- God led me to James when I needed to have my heart broken for the things that break God's. The deeply impoverished, widows (single women are the widows of our society) and orphans hold a special place in God's heart...so why don't they in ours? This is the book that broke wide open my call to reach out to single moms and to do whatever God calls me to regarding issues of poverty.

John- Want to know who Jesus really is? Read this book of the Bible. I think the 7 of the most profound words of the Bible are found in this book and are actually uttered by John the Baptist: "He (Jesus) must increase and I must decrease." There my friends, is the answer for anyone's life.

Romans- Maybe I'm just a little thick, but this is a very cerebral analysis of sin and redemption for me. Honestly, I have to take this one in small portions to better understand it.


This is probably a list that will grow as I remember more books or come across new ones. Enjoy!

Mentioned in this post:

Today We Prayed for China

As part of the Radical challenge by David Platt, we have been praying for a different country each day when we sit down to do school. Today was The People's Republic of China. I have always loved learning, reading, watching movies or documentaries, anything about China. I know several people who have adopted from China and I enjoy hearing their stories  about visiting there. I've even been blessed to follow the progress of two different friends as they have adopted and one of them currently adopting for a second time (see The Miller Family Chronicle) I know one family that lives in China because of a desire laid upon their hearts many years ago to serve God in this country.

One of my favorite movies as a child was "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" and later as an adult I enjoyed reading the biography of Gladys Aylward whom Ingrid Bergman plays in this 1958 movie. Now as a parent I was thrilled when I watched it recently to have Leah watch with me and later have her ask to watch it again. [By the way...I'm convinced someday Leah will serve God overseas somewhere!]

Something within me just beats a little faster when I hear stories of house churches, smuggling Bibles and the persecution that believers in China face. We are blessed to live in a time of unprecedented growth in God's church...mostly because of the rapid, explosive growth in China. In 1975, there were about 2.7 million evangelical Christians in China. In 2010, there are reportedly well over 75 million (potentially a conservative estimate)...all in a country where to be a radical Christian runs a huge risk of imprisonment, torture or even death.

Francis Chan recently, intentionally travelled to parts of the world where Christians are persecuted for their faith. While in China, the believers just assumed that every Christian in the world suffers for Jesus...because of their experience and the precedent for this set in the Bible. He said they laughed when he explained that 'no...some Christians in my country will even leave a church just because they don't like the music.' He said they could not comprehend this at all.

Suffice it to say, I love China. God has given me the desire to see the country and her people someday and I pray it comes to fruition! In the meantime...we were blessed today to have an opportunity to pray for them. Here's a prayer video to watch if you'd like to share in this blessing.

Also mentioned in the post:
Operation World pray for China

Three North Korean Documentaries

Actually, it's four North Korean documentaries, but one of them I watched a long time ago. Yet each of them opened my eyes to the plight of a people that are so secluded from the world, that we really know very little about them. One nickname for this place dubbed as the "largest prison in the world" is "The Hermit Kingdom",

The North Korean version of life (whether spoken out of fear or brainwashing or both) would be very contradictory to what our observations would be. But one thing is true, everything about their lives is controlled...where they work, where they can travel, what class they are in (working, intellectual or peasant), what is on TV, government radio piped into their kitchens that cannot be turned off and the absolutely forbidden possibility of leaving the country...even when over 3 million people died from famine in the 1990s and many are still starving today.

If you attempt escape, which is the subject of Seoul Train, and are caught, you are either sent to a concentration camp and worked to death, tortured or killed on the spot. But if you escape and leave family behind, this is the fate you have left them to. Also, China is violating human rights treaties that they have signed, repatriating refugees back to this fate that awaits them in North Korea. China will not simply let them pass through to Mongolia or South Korea where the refugees would be welcomed...no, they return them with full knowledge of what the refugees will receive...thus, they are not economic refugees, but rather political. By denying asylum China is violating their basic human rights. Seoul Train even captures video of the "MoFA 7" attempting to follow the legal procedure with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by filing paperwork to begin the process of being granted asylum. The seven people show the guards their paperwork at the gate, are forcibly and brutally arrested and later sent back to North Korea never to be heard from again.

Another documentary is National Geographic: Inside North Korea


I've liked Lisa Ling's work in the past, and this is a well done segment from the National Geographic Channel program. They did have to do most of their filming undercover though. And even while taking photos of The Great Leader's (Kim Jong-Il) statue, the photographer is chastised by the government "handler" for lying down on the ground to get the whole statue in the photo. Let's just say, the fanaticism for the dictator shown in these films is very disturbing. Ling points out that while watching this in person it hits her that for about 60 years this is the life these people have known and the utter godlike devotion to Kim Jong-Il may not come from just fear or praise...but having never known another way of life...it may be both. When Ling asks if The Great Leader ever does anything wrong, the family she is visiting genuinely look like they don't understand the question.


A State of Mind is the one I watched last night, and once again the sheer, unquestioning devotion to Kim Jong-Il is unnerving at best. This documentary follows two girls who perform in The Mass Games. I don't quite understand the purpose of these other than to stamp out individualism and celebrate the work of a collective group (thousands of people actually) performing together. Also, they commemorate great wars won, historical holidays, etc. If there is one misstep...it is obvious...so these performers (mostly gymnasts) spend hours everyday perfecting their routines. Again, all to the worship of Kim Jong-Il.

I intentionally don't watch the news very often, because I don't agree with the philosophy "If it bleeds, it leads". That's why I prefer to watch documentaries. [Also, they are not selective news stories controlled by ratings, government agendas , politics or advertising!] There are valiant people all over the world who are the unsung heroes that sacrificially lay down their lives for the hope and rescue of complete strangers.  Seoul Train and Inside North Korea follow the work of a few.Would I be willing to pick up and go to China to help a brutalized people escape through an Underground Railroad? Would I risk my life and possible my family's in order to work against such an injustice? Seems like these people are closer to living out the call of Jesus better than I ever will. Pray for people such as these. One soldier escapee described an "Unseen Hand" that helped him escape even though his fellow escapee died. Pray that the "Unseen Hand" will continue to give courage, hope and protection to those who seek what we take for granted...freedom!

Another documentary about North Korea:

Two More Documentaries

Stayed up way too late last night watching two more documentaries. One entitled Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead was about a topic near and dear to me...better food and better health, particularly how two men completely reversed the effects of poor health choices by starting with a 60 day juice fast.

The second one, I've had in my Netflix cue for a long time, but my friend Jennifer watched it in her class recently and recommended it. Be prepared, if you love animals or animal rights (which honestly is NOT a top priority for me even though I think all of God's creatures...including humans!...should be treated humanely!) you will be disgusted.

Did you know that all of those cute little dolphins at Sea World or (yikes!) the Indianapolis Zoo were most likely herded in from their wild migratory paths off the coast of Japan along with thousands of others? Then dolphin trainers from all over the world come and select the ones they want, paying as much as $150,000 a piece for them? Then the ones that are not selected are shoved into "the cove" and killed by repeated stabbings until the water runs red?

Yep! That's what I thought too! Oh, and add to it that then the dolphin meat is sometimes mislabeled and sold as whale meat but containing much higher mercury levels than should be ingested by man. And yes, when you can't get rid of all of the dolphin meat from about 23,000 dolphins that are killed each year, let's sell it to the Japanese schools to put in their compulsory lunches that the children are made to finish each day.

Now I know that our factory farming in the U.S. is also riddled with corruption and disgusting practices and that the run-off from all of that ammonia in the manure, etc. is contaminating our water supplies and running into the oceans where it kills the natural habitats. And I know our food supply is tainted beyond what any of us really want to admit...but at least these cows, pigs and chickens are specifically raised for food. I mean their birthed, fed, maintained and killed all for the sole purpose of providing food. Since when is it okay to herd thousands of wild animals into a small confined area and just because they don't show promise for learning how to obey commands decide to kill them?

I guess you get where I stand on this one don't you? I'm not an animal rights activist and I'm not going to run out and take up the cause at the expense of my family, career, etc. But kudos to the one that feels called to do so. My reason for this rant? Both of these documentaries are essentially about where we have gone completely wrong in the care of two of God's priceless, precious gifts to us...His creation and His temple that He desires to inhabit, which is our bodies.

How long do we think He's going to allow us to continue treating both ourselves and His creation with malicious contempt? You know, it just occured to me this week that the Israelites cried out to God in slavery for over 400 years. After that look what He did to the Egyptians to rectify the situation. Ugh! we've only been a nation for about 235 years right? And look in how such a short time (about 30-50 years) our farming practices, environment, food supply, etc. have become so abominable. Hmmm???

We are told that God is not slow in keeping His promises (II Peter 3:9 ) This passage is specifically talking about repentance. But shouldn't we repent from our wicked way of treating ourselves and God's world? After all, He commanded us to be faithful stewards (caretakers) of all that we see. He even tells us in Romans 8:19 that "Creation waits in eager anticipation for the children of God to be revealed." (see context )

I don't want to misinterpret this passage, but maybe part of God's creation where you live is just waiting in eager anticipation for God's child to stand up and be revealed. It could be a simple as starting to recycle, reduce the plastics you use, reuse glass, metal and plastic containers or buying dishwasher detergent that contains no phosphorus that pollutes the waterways. Did you know that JUST the air conditioners in the United States use up as much electricity as ALL of China? And if everyone were to just raise their A/C to 74 or 75 degrees that billions of dollars a year would be saved in electricity?

And yes, it may be as simple as taking one of these little steps and sticking to it. But He also might be calling you to a bigger change. All I can say is no matter the cost, heed the call! After all, you just may be the one for whom Creation has been eagerly waiting!