3 Things

Thing #1: The Least of These

On Monday I heard a talk on Matthew 25. Note verse 40, NIV, boldness added:

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Note the bold part. Interesting, eh?

Thing #2: Preaching the Gospel to Yourself

Ashleigh recommended the following links in a comment on the Fresh Brew blog:

Preach the Gospel to Yourself
How to Preach the Gospel to Yourself
A Gospel Primer

Thing #3: Claiming God's Promises

Patrick noted the following in a comment on the Talking Out of Turn blog:

I remember Charles Spurgeon telling the story of an older Christian woman who had written the letter “T” next to every Bible verse she’d had to “claim” (as you put it) for a particular situation in her life. And when the Lord kept his promise and brought it to pass in her life, she’d write the letter “P.” Spurgeon tells us that the “T” was for tried and the “P” was for proven, and that she had many Ts and Ps in her Bible. What a faithful God we serve!

Neat, huh? Reminds of me of something Elisabeth Elliot wrote (you can see the blurb here).

Do Hard Things

Skim the whole thing but let the following blurbs from Do Hard Things, by Alex and Brett Harris whet your appetite...

This world would have you think that your best life would be a life in which you were able to completely avoid responsibility and effort. But a life like that could be compared to the strange fish that live in the complete darkness of the deepest parts of the ocean, who never come in contact with a hard object their entire lives, and whose flesh has become completely translucent. That is a picture of what we're asking for when we desire a life of ease.

and

If you can take only one thing from this article, take this: Our greatest joy and satisfaction comes not from avoiding hard things but from joyfully embracing them.

This is how the same Jesus who said, "If anyone would come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me," could also say, "for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

and

— knowing that the loving God who would never leave us as we are and who desires our growth, will also delight with the first feeble, stumbling effort you make tomorrow to do the simplest hard thing for His glory.

Everyone's Needy...

On the blog Reformation Theology, there is a post called "Did Christianity Spread Due of the Promise of Power?", in which a response is given to someone's critique of missions and power. In the last part of the paragraph of the "Question from Visitor" section the following is written:

Missionaries just don't go into areas where people are rich, white, and not in need of social assistance. Why? Because if they do they are more likely to have doors shut in their face, be asked to leave, or be regarded as an annoyance. And that's because those richer people don't need the social services that the missionaries use to attract those poorer converts mentioned earlier.

Sure it might be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. But check out this poem by Karsten Piper:

Luke 18.25
by Karsten Piper

He spread his blanket on the sand,
kneeled and arranged his bowls and tools:
hook, mallet, clamp, chisel, rasp, razor.

His smile glinted in the rongeur’s claws,
and upside down in the curette’s spoon.
Light shone out of the needle’s eye.

“Hoosh,” he said and began plucking hairs,
paring calluses, shearing wool, shaving
to the follicles, cutting to the quick.

He sorted these, trimming skin with skin,
hair with hair, into rows of clay bowls,
and set a large basin to catch each sour drip

as he sliced the hide and used both fists
to yank back the whole stubbled, gray pelt,
as wet and red on its underside as afterbirth.

He piled this heavily away, draping it
in clean linen, and turned to the meat and bone
heaving under sheer, tight membrane.

Sawteeth chewed into femur, rib and shoulder.
Pliers twisted and wrenched away tendons
until everything softened, canted, and collapsed—

yet not one sliver dies. Each ribbon and shard
bawls for the horror and hurt of their missing,
wishing for the old braying wholeness.

Pain bloodies evening and morning,
stabbing day after day from even the first cuts,
like the slow light of far stars.

Eyeballs and heart float alone in the last bowl,
dark and defenseless, quavering when he leans down
and they recognize in his eyes how little is left.

“Easy now, Camel,” he says and lifts me
in his fingertips, one quivering strand at a time,
through the eye of the needle.

Aren't we like the camels, in comparison with perhaps most of the world? If God chose to save us, might He not have chosen some others who are not living in complete poverty as well...?

Also from the Piper world is a post called "Overcome Contradictory Compassion", posted just today on the Desiring God blog. Here is a snippet from this post:

That there are conservatives who talk compassion for unborn persons, but feel little interest or compassion for their own neighbors, let alone the sorrows of the countless poor, does not make inattentive heartlessness less evil.

Isn't it interesting how we can feel compassion for different types of people? My heart tends to gravitate toward people who would on a societal level considered to be needy or people who in or victims of horrific social conflicts...but aren't we all in need? In need of Christ, that is...

Compassion passions toward particular people groups such as the 'poor' or otherwise 'marginalized' can act as compelling motivations to propel people to act in love. But what about the 'rich' people group who might live nearby? Both groups of people are equally 'needy' of Christ. It would do us well to keep the all part of Galatians 6:10 in mind:

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

"What the Needy Need"

A blurb from "What the Needy Need", from Tabletalk April 2008:

But beyond this is the simple modeling of ordinary mercy. Do we notice the disabled in our midst and make provision for their participation? Do we care about the problems the elderly have in getting to church? Are we involved in ministry to the shut-ins? The church should not be a compartment in life where one participates in mercy ministry. Rather, the church should be a community in which the practice and habits of mercy are learned and trained.

Thirdly, we must always remember that the greatest mercy is that which brings the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost. Are we inspiring church members to personal evangelism? Many people think that the Reformed faith de-motivates Christians from sharing the Gospel. But when we realize the costly mercy by which God has saved us, the natural result is that we would look with mercy on the world. The Bible says that we love because God loved us, we forgive because God has forgiven us, and we give because of what God has given to us. If we understand the sovereign mercy that has saved our souls, we will be merciful to others by presenting a living and loving witness to the Gospel of Christ.

Stepping down...

God may have given me wisdom; I hope so. I poured out my heart to Him tonight. I asked God to fill me with wisdom. What may have been after the prayer, I talked with my mom on the phone and from her was given the advice to quit a particular ministry...

So...

I'm planning to quit, greatly minimize my involvement, or take a break. Will people be inconvenienced because of this decision? Perhaps. Will some people wonder or/and internally judge me negatively? Perhaps. Some might not.

I poured a lot of my heart into this ministry. Stepping back is probably the right thing for me to do, though, at this point in time. If my heart and uncomfortability don't change with my continued involvement, perhaps the external decision of my removal or partial removal will help heal my heart and help the sanctification process.

God knows my heart...God knows my heart....to Him be the glory, hopefully even through this decision....Hopefully it was made through His wisdom.

Stepping down...which will hopefully be a step Up...

At Your service, 24-7...

well...that would be a wonderful attitude goal to have, would it not?

Here are a couple of interesting quotes by Elisabeth Elliot from her book Discipline: The Glad Surrender:

There is no such thing as Christian work. That is, there is no work in the world which is, in and of itself, Christian. Christian work is any kind of work, from cleaning a sewer to preaching a sermon, that is done by a Christian and offered to God. (p. 118)

The work assigned to me includes writing and speaking, forms of service often labeled "full-time Christian," but my service to God also includes housework and correspondence and being available to help family and friends do things that need doing. If my husband needs a haircut or a letter typed, I'm available. (p.120-121)

On following Christ...

Today's sermon was on following Christ, centered on Mark 1:9-20 and Mark 2:13-17. In my notes I wrote the following, which is likely what the pastor said verbatim: "You can do a lot of 'following' Jesus without really following Him." He talked about following as being different from just hanging around at a distance. I think he gave an example of a child getting as far away as possible, yet still within eyesight, from the parent. In my own world, I think of my cat...she's frequently 'hanging around' me, often in the same room as me (granted...there aren't many room options :) ), but she's not constantly sidling up to me (although that is a common behavior, it's not constant). Another point the pastor made was that "if you haven't 'left', you haven't 'followed'." Mark 1:18 talks about Simon and Andrew immediately leaving their nets to follow...

Currently I'm reading the book Discipline: The glad surrender, by Elisabeth Elliot. The following is an excerpt from this book (p. 23):

Riding on a New York bus recently, I saw a woman reach over and slide open a small section of a window. The bus was very crowded, and I was glad for a little fresh air. The window was angrily slammed shut by another woman.
"It's not really cold out," said the first. "Can't we have a little air?"
"Not on my back you can't," came the reply, a perfectly natural one.
The disciple, however, lives by a different rule, a rule not natural to anyone who is a sinner. He will let himself be "lost." It is the great principle of the cross that he takes up--out of his own loss comes another's gain, out of his discomfort another's comfort. How easily we profess a willingness to follow, imagining some notable work for God, some great martyrdom--but forget the first condition the minute there is a little cold air on the back of the neck.

(Earlier she mentions the first condition as being that "he must leave self behind" (p.23)

Secret Service 101

I recently learned of this quote by Ronald Reagan:"There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

We don't need to be "leaders" to lead...official roles, titles, and designated tasks need not always be precursors to accomplishment.

And from my sermon notes today, which was probably a direct quote from the person who spoke: "Do you rejoice when God works in the lives of others, even when it hurts you personally?"

Interesting.

May we echo John the Baptist's line: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

Role of Worship in Missions

From Piper's "Let the nations be glad!: the supremacy of God in missions":

But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can't commend what you don't cherish. Missionaries will never call out, 'Let the nations be glad!", who cannot say from the heart, "I rejoice in the Lord....I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High" (Psalm 104:34; 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.

***

Even outsiders feel the disparity between the boldness of our claim upon the nations and the blandness of our engagement with God.

Though I'm not sure non-believers would be able to see the disparity between a passion for missions vs. a passion in a believer's own walk, they would probably be able to detect hypocrisy and disparity between one's beliefs and actions in at least local contexts.

It is possible to be distracted from God in trying to serve God. Martha-like, we neglect the one thing needful [...]

Yes, our attempts in and of themselves are just that...attempts. There needs to be some fuel to spark the fire.

Blessed Obedience

In the moment of obedience, the fruitful end cannot always be seen. Abram left Haran to follow God out of faith in Him. As God promised Abram blessing, so He promises us blessings. But faithful obedience can be tough. Yet the beauty in trials is that through them faith "may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7b). If our faith leads to qualities of obedience, we will not be entirely ineffective.

From 2 Peter 1:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

Choose Whom You Will Serve

Joshua 24:13-15:

I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'

"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Making a choice...Wish the choice was always easy...

Luke 14:27 says this about being a disciple:

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Thankfully, the powerful Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us believers. Check out Romans 8:10-11:

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

"Us vs. Them": Friendship & Love

In regard to the idea of the "us vs. them" mentality in service, I found the following written here:

I believe the best remedy for "us vs. them" is in Jesus' words from John 15 in The Book: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you".

"Us vs. Them" employs hierarchal boundaries of master/servant, daddy/son, king/subject, etc. These are all necessary relationships in one aspect of society or another. But being friends eliminates hierarchies. If two people are truly friends, than one is not higher than the other. [...]

I have found that friendship (ie: relational model) with the poor is the best means of ministry. It not only brings a greater trust between us and them, but those expected to "minister" can also be "ministered to". We're all sinners and ain't none of us got it all figured out in life.

I have learned far more lessons from my "poor" friends and have received from them far more than anything I have given them.

I totally agree that when we attempt to minister, we can also be ministered to in the process. I like the idea of friendship being used to bridge the divide. In the case of Jesus' semantic transformation of His servants into friends, although it would seem to draw the people closer to Him, they are definitely NOT at His level. With Jesus, it is US vs. HIM, yet He became one of us, while maintaining His Him identity. Likewise (but very different :) ), if we pretend there is no class difference, we are ignoring reality. However, the classes should feel free to love, respect, and learn from one another. The us-es are full of sin just as the them-s. However, those who are saved have a responsibility to share God's love with the them-s...and not only the them-s, but with the us-es as well...

Because God loves us and has filled us with His love, why not share a little with all of us and them?

John 13:34-35 - "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Service with a capital S.

(Well actually I think my mom had said "Service with a capital service," but anyway...technicalities...)

My mom was was telling me about her thoughts about service and love, and how she could notice the difference in the way people serve in preparing food for memorial services. She could clearly see the love one woman felt in even laying out the cheese on a plate - in thoughtfully adding a clump of grapes as a special touch. Even in adding a clump of grapes! Indeed, no deed is too small that we can't do it out of love. Even if we can't feel love for others in doing things such as adding grapes to plates, we can think of doing it for God. He sees even when no one else does. And He's all who matters.

BE the change...

I googled a certain idea to see if it was said by someone before (perhaps I'd come across the quote/idea at some earlier point in time), and found that "be the change you want to see in the world" is attributed to Gandhi.

Perhaps it would be beneficial if I consciously put that idea into practice.

Gandhi isn't the only one who thought along these lines. St. Francis also appears to have thought along these lines. Here is much of his prayer, which I found in the bulletin of the church I tried today:

"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, [...], and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

And there are "The Paradoxical Commandments" written by Kent Keith. A version which may be based on that, and which might be credited to Mother Teresa is:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. [...]If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. [...] The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

And then there's Matthew 5:44: "[...] Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

"mastering the mundane matters"

I found these words in the following blog entry: http://www.boundlessline.org/2007/10/doing-boring-st.html , in which the author comments on information found on Lifehacker.com . Here's another blurb from this entry:

"Everybody always wants to do the fun stuff, but it's the menial stuff that defines you, especially Christians. It's sort of like that saying about what you do when nobody's looking. Anyway, Lifehacker has some tips on how to do it and like it.

1. Look at the long-term benefit
2. Find what you can learn from it
3. Think of doing it for someone you love
4. Enjoy the interaction with the people
5. Think and say something positive
6. Gather with passionate people

It seems that number three fits perfectly with Paul's command in Colossians to work 'as working for the Lord.' All the others could become a natural outflow from it if you get that one right."

Conversation with "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"

Well, it would be nice if someone I knew were simultaneously reading the same book, so I could have an actual conversation(s) about some of the topics in the book, but, hey, ... anyway...

Okay so for now I want to talk about the idea of the 'romance' or sensationalistic element of missions or helping those in need. I will begin with a couple of quotes from the book -

Were the Scraps accomplishing anything? Amy wondered. 'Do not say, 'Oh, they interest us.' I do not care about 'interesting' you.
(p.164)

Because missionary reports generally included more about successes than about failures, Amy tried to shift the weight to the other side. 'It is more important that you should know about the reverses than about the successes of the war. We shall have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but we have only the few hours before sunset in which to win them. We are not winning them as we should, because the fact of the reverses is so little realized, and the needed reinforcements are not forthcoming, as they would be if the position were thoroughly understood. . . . So we have tried to tell you the truth - the uninteresting, unromantic truth.'
(p.161-162)

From the book, though, I do get the sense that Amy did long for adventure and thrill in the missionary life, where she could see God work. I think that's cool that Amy wanted to focus more on the truth of what actually happens, rather than romanticizing her work.

I wonder if for me part of my interest in missions (even if it is a somewhat distant interest) and helping those in need is sensationalistic. I'm attracted to photography and videos and ministry fairs and learning about the stories and plight of those in need. But then...I think even when I was a child I was attracted to missions, so, probably the seed of interest was planted by God. Yet still I wonder if part of my interest is fueled in part by external factors...

Couple of quotes

Recent quote finds:

"It's not about 'us' going and saving 'them,' but it is very much neighbors extending hands to neighbors, helping to bear one another's burdens." ~ Darrah (an Invisible Children 'roadie')

"Be of good cheer, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." ~ Ridley's (I think a martyr) last words

"Homeless Seattle" videoclip

Homelessness Clip