Favor With God and Man

So we’re moving.  Uhuh.  Don’t worry, we’re staying nearby, but we’re getting a place that’s not so expensive to pay for and keep up. 

But that’s not the point of this post.  Because we’re downsizing, we have given truck loads of stuff away.  Today I filled up a U-Haul truck with bookcases, a king water bed, a twin water bed, a huge entertainment center, and lots of other furniture items.  I took them to a charitable organization (that I won’t name here), because when I called them I was told that they DO accept furniture.

When I backed into their donation area, a guy who works there told me they only take furniture upon “inspection.”  When he saw what I had, he went and got his supervisor.  While he was gone, the thought came to me to pray for favor with these guys.  So that’s what I did.  I just had a moment with Jesus right there at the donation center lot, and asked Him to give me favor with these two dudes.  They came out, and the supervisor asked me what I had to give them.  When I got to the king waterbed, he said they couldn’t take it….it was too big for them.  After a minute or so of conversation on this topic, the supervisor suddenly told me he would take the waterbed.  Why he changed his mind, I have no idea.  Except that I had asked God for favor with him.

And then another worker showed up, and he saw a “Fireproof” sticker I had placed on a cabinet and he commented about what a great movie that was.  So now I was talking with a brother.  And he jumped in the U-Haul and helped me unload, after the other two had disappeared.

God is for us.  Be willing to ask for what you need.  (Psalm 56:9; John 16:23,24)

Erasing Hell

Whether or not you agree with his book  Love Wins, Rob Bell has done us a service by re-starting a most important discussion on a topic that affects everyone….Hell.  Rob has turned a corner in the world of faith towards a belief that a good God would not send someone to Hell for eternal punishment….that we are all going to get a second chance even after we die.

I just finished reading Francis Chan’s response to Rob Bell’s book titled Erasing Hell.  Now, let’s face it.  Hell is a very unpopular subject.  You rarely even hear the word in church on Sunday mornings, and us Christians act like we don’t believe it’s a reality.  Come on.  Don’t we?

I mean, if you really believed that those without Jesus go to Hell, what sort of behavioral change might there be in your life?  Would your conversations change?  Or would things just stay status quo?

Francis Chan’s book is nothing less than a gift to the body of Christ, and should be read by everybody.  There are probably less than five books that I have ever said that about.  His book is well researched, well thought out….and thoroughly Scriptural.  That doesn’t mean that I agree with every statement he makes, but I see the basic premise of the book as essential to be understood by every living and breathing person.

When you have ten minutes, go to www.erasinghell.com and watch Francis talk about this new book.  It may be the most important online video you have ever watched.

Where Were You On September 11, 2001?

I can remember exactly where I was when the Twin Towers in New York went down on 9/11/2001, and I bet you can remember where you were too. 

I was walking down the street in St. Petersburg, Russia at the time it happened.  Unknown to me and my two companions, the news of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon had been broadcast by radio and television as we were sightseeing around the area of our hotel.  As we were returning to our hotel, a car with four men slowed down near us and said something like “God Bless America!” (in English).  I have never figured out how people there knew that we were Americans by just looking at us for just a moment. 

Our lives were changed because of 9/11, in ways that our friends and loved one’s at home were not.  My traveling companions were Kep & Carolyn Stone, Jenni Bales, Don Clendenin, and Jim and Priscilla Kankel.  Initially, it was terrifying to be away from home in a foreign country (especially Russia!) when we heard about the terrorist attack upon our country.  When we all gathered in Kep and Carolyn’s hotel room and watched in disbelief as the Towers crumbled on the TV screen (even though we didn’t  understand the Russian commentator) we cried and prayed for our families at home and for our country, and as we did a peace that passes understanding came. 

The life changing impact for us came as a result of the compassion and sorrow that was displayed by the people we met in Russia, not only for us as Americans who had experienced a horrible attack upon our country (which they had endured for years), but for our country.  A number of times men and women personally spoke to me, with tears in their eyes, about how sorry they were for the loss of life and property in our country.

One man particularly stands out in my memory.  I don’t remember his name, but I remember the Soviet uniform that he wore, his chest adorned with medals awarded in another era, and I remember that he told me (through a translator) that he was in the army that had fought Hitler and held his army back from invading Moscow…and he told me that he was praying for my country, that God would grant us peace, and protection….and I remember the tears in both our eyes as we looked into each other’s souls.

The change that occurred in me because of 9/11 might not be the same that occurred in you, because of where I was, and the people who surrounded me.  I had grown up being taught to fear the Soviets, now called Russians.  But I saw that not only are they people with passions much like ours, but those I met (and I met many) were very kind and very gentle, and very giving to the point of hurt.  We had been there to minister to them on a missions trip, but we were the ones ministered to.

Ground Zero

What About The Muslim?

All day long Saturday I sat in a seminar listening to a Lebanese born man talking about something that many may find quite controversial.  His subject was Christian, but it is something that the tiniest percentages of Christians ever consider engaging….much less actually moving out into…and that is making an effort to bridge a friendship to Muslims so that they might hear the gospel of salvation according to the Bible. 

I loved this seminar.  If you had been there you would have loved it too.  I could have listened to the speaker for days, but the day-long seminar was over much too quickly.  Here’s a few things I learned:

·         Most of us Christians are afraid to engage a Muslim in conversation about God.

·         Most Muslim people are open to a conversation with us about God, and would welcome it.

·         Many Muslim people are searching for God, and desire a personal relationship with Him.

·         Muslim people believe in the Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, and believe Jesus is the Word of God.  (therefore, the opportunity to build a bridge to them)

·         Muslim people are not hard to engage in conversation and welcome friendship with Americans, even Christians.

·         There are approximately 7 million Muslims in the United States.

·         Most Muslims have never read the New Testament or heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

·         Muslims are making decisions to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord in record numbers.

So what does it take for you to be equipped to engage a Muslim in a friendship that would potentially allow you to share Christ with him/her?  The first thing is a genuine heart for the lost.  Do you have that?  If not, ask God, and He will give it to you.   I guarantee it!

Then, you need training.  If you have a heart for the lost, you will want to be trained.   If you are going to a church that doesn’t offer training that equips people to be an effective witness, I might ask, why are you going to that church?

Come on.  Get on God’s program, and let’s be about what’s on His heart:  people who need to be reconciled to the Father God.  (1 Timothy 2:4)

At 10,000 Ft. Elevation

Last weekend my son-in-law, Cody, and I took a back-pack trip in the Twenty Lakes Wilderness area, way over on the other side of the Sierras, just twenty minutes West of Highway 395.  We drove over on Friday, moteled it in Lee Vining, and then drove back up to Saddlebag Lake Saturday morning.  We took the water taxi to the far end of the lake and then began our hike into the Inyo Wilderness Area.  (They should have called it the Mosquito Wilderness Area.) 

We had no destination in mind…we were simply looking for trout.  We had our fly-rods with us, along with plenty of food, some clothing, and our sleeping bags and tents.  What we found up there at 10,000 feet is what I mentioned to Cody as being what the Garden of Eden must have looked like.  I took lots of pictures, and I’ve shown a couple here, but a one-dimensional photo barely gives a glimpse of the awesome beauty of God’s creation in this mountainous lake-filled terrain.

We found lots of fish, and we could tell that they weren’t pressured by lots of fishermen.  (That’s what you get when you are willing to hike for the fish.)  They were actually pretty easy to catch, and the breath-taking color of these brook trout is only found in wild fish…along with their fight.  Hatchery fish are dull in color by comparison, and they lack the fight.  There were times that I was sure I had a twelve-inch brookie on, and I pulled in a 3-incher!  We caught and released over 50 fish on Saturday.

But the highlight of the trip was really the stars.  Have you ever seen the stars on a moonless night, from 10,000 feet elevation?  The word “breathless” is simply too trite to use for the magnificence of the glory of the heavenlies that were shown above.  It seemed that I could simply reach up to touch them; they were so close….and so many!  If only my little camera could have taken a worthwhile picture!

A Healing Miracle Thursday Night

I just got an email from one of the men in our Thursday night men’s group, where we’ve been on a track of studying and experiencing the Holy Spirit for 16 weeks now.  This is a great group of guys who are pressing in to the Lord, and want everything He has for them.  It’s a dangerous group!

The email I received testifies of a healing/deliverance (not sure which. Does it matter?) that one of the guys received from the Lord.  He wrote that he had a “catch in his throat” that made swallowing difficult since the previous Saturday.  He asked for prayer Thursday night, and we all gathered around him and prayed.  That evening his throat opened up, and has remained open.  Thank you Lord!  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  (Hebrews 13:8)

He Still Heals

I talked to my dad on the phone today, and he told me an interesting story that came from a friend of many years, George Thompson of Bakersfield, CA.  These two are old cronies from the days when George managed the Dunlaps Department Store in Bakersfield, and my dad leased the shoe department as a concession.  They became close friends, and I think George had a hand in my dad coming back to the Lord.  Now both of these guys are in their 80’s and they stay in touch, though miles apart.  They actually write handwritten letters back and forth.  Imagine that.

George’s 15 year old granddaughter was on vacation with her family in small town Nevada…when she went into a diabetic coma.  She was rushed to the hospital, but was transferred to Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas.  Apparently the medical team was unable to get her to respond to medical treatment, and her vitals worsened over a three day period as she remained in a coma. 

Well, old George got on the phone and called every praying Christian he knew, and got them to praying for his granddaughter.

Do you believe God heals today?  If you’re a Christ-follower, you should.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)  These signs shall follow those who believe. (Mark 16)  Healing is the children’s bread.

The prayers of the faithful were heard that day, and the granddaughter woke up, asked for a meal, and left the hospital that morning.  For those who were praying, the faithless word “coincidence” is only  found in the dictionary…but not in the Word of Faith.  (Romans 10:8,9)