Archive - May, 2008

Overcoming the Fear of Death

May 29, 2008 in Development with 0 Comments

To the Christian, death is not something to be feared.  It has been conquered by the cross of Christ.  One verse that has been rolling over in my mind lately is

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15)

What a liberating verse!  What’s even more liberating is when you actually experience deliverance from that fear!  I will try to develop these thoughts more in the future, but until then, if you have been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3, Rom 10:9-10), BE FREE!

Our Recent Visit to a Local Lao/Thai Church

May 27, 2008 in Thailand with 4 Comments

My wife and I had the great blessing of spending Sunday at a local Laotian and Thai church here in Charlotte.  We made this connection from a Thai Christian lady that I met through a friend.  It was a God thing!  See my post below on “Divine Appointments.”

During the service, we listened to a Laotian evangelist speak about the plight of the Khmu people of Laos.  We looked at real pictures and heard real stories of government persecution of Christians in Laos.  One man in particular stood out to me.  He was an officer in the Lao army and came to Christ through the witness of some fellow Laotians.  He eventually paid for that decision with his life.  It was heartbreaking to see him in a hand made coffin knowing that his life was cut short because of his faith in Jesus. 

We also saw pictures of believers sitting in the midst of churches that had been burned to the ground holding the cross which was the only thing that survived the fire.  There were pictures of Laotian believers desperately needing surgeries of different kinds and the remarkable before and after photos of these same believers once they received those surgeries.  They were able to get them because of the generous gifts of people back in the States.

The theme of the whole service was how we must “through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.”  This is not something you hear very often in Western churches on Sunday morning.  The weight of the potential cost of following Jesus in many places of the world hit me even harder as I considered our decision to leave America and follow Jesus to SE Asia.

Many of the church members were refugees who fled persecution in Laos.  Most of them had not seen their family in decades.  The local Laotian Pastor, who works a full time job as a fabricator, is dedicated to his people and spends his nights and weekends ministering to them.  He has a son who has served in the Marines for 5 years with two tours in Iraq.  His daughter is in college at NC state.  All in all, I was very impressed with this tiny band of Asian believers living in our own back yard of Charlotte.

Their little church building is a renovated home.  You could hear the kids in the room right next to the main sanctuary shouting out the books of the New Testament by memory.  After the service, we stayed and ate with these precious brothers and sisters.  We had our fill of sticky rice, Asian sausage, and Thai Som Tom.   

I was glad to make this precious connection so near to home.  Many think of missions work as strictly being overseas work, but when we think like that exclusively, we miss many opportunities to reach out cross culturally in our own backyards.

We have been invited to come back anytime and we plan on making regular visits as we are able.  The church is currently raising money to expand their tiny sanctuary and need approx $20k more to do it.  If you would like to help, let me know and I will work out a way to get the finances to them.  More than anything, remember to pray for these brothers and sisters and their families who are left behind in SE Asia.

The Chapman’s Tragic Loss

May 22, 2008 in Commentary with 1 Comment

If you have been a Christian in America for any length of time, you have heard of Steven Curtis Chapman.  His music has touched multitudes throughout the last few decades.  He has a strong family and has adopted three beautiful girls from China.  The family has a ministry called Shaohannah’s Hope that helps Christian couples through the adoption process and assists orphans that have not yet been adopted. 

One of those girls died tragically yesterday in a horrible accident at the family’s home.  Here is the story: Continue Reading…

Frequently Asked Questions About Thailand and Missions

May 19, 2008 in Thailand with 0 Comments

Hi everyone,  If you have been following our progress towards going overseas, I just posted a page that you may be interested in.  It contains Frequently Asked Questions that I’ve been asked and have worked through concerning our upcoming work in SE Asia.  Take a look at the page and let me know what you think!  CLICK HERE

Judson’s Proclamation over Burma/Myanmar

May 18, 2008 in Missions, Thailand with 2 Comments

The news of the recent cyclone Nargis and subsequent humanitarian disaster has brought the world’s attention to the country of Myanmar (Burma).  Many Americans who could have never found Myanmar on a map, much less pronounced the name of the country correctly in conversation, are coming face to face with the reality of thousands of dead and hundreds of thousands on the brink of disaster.  International pressure is increasing on the ruling military junta and voices are continually crying out for democracy and freedom in the region.

What many who watch today’s news may not know about this country is the fact that it was the first country to receive a Protestant American missionary.  In 1812, Adoniram Judson left the comfortable shores of America and began to pour out his life for the people of Burma.  His story is an amazing tale of sacrifice, tenacity, and obedience to the call of Christ.  If you have never read his story, do yourself a favor and read it.  

Here is just a snapshot of the sacrifices he made to leave America to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the nation of Burma:

He lost 5 children and two wives to disease and death. 6 children survived.

Even though he already knew Latin, Hebrew, and Greek, it took him three years of studying 12 hours a day to get the language.

He endured a horrible imprisonment for 17 months where his feet were bound to a large bamboo pole, his hands to another, and at night his feet were lifted higher than his head.  What was Judson doing during these days in prison? Translating the Bible.

He waited 6 years for his first convert and it took him 12 years to get just 18 Burmese believers, but once he died, he left 100 churches, 8000 believers, a Burmese Bible that he translated, and a Burmese-English dictionary which is still the standard used today. Tens of thousands call him a father in the faith today. 

While at the Burmese city of Ava, he gazed at the temple of Buddha and boldly challenged saying,”

“A voice mightier than mine, a still small voice, will ere long sweep away every vestige of thy dominion. The churches of Jesus Christ will soon supplant these idolatrous monuments and the chanting devotees of Buddha will die away before the Christian’s hymns of praise.”

Knowing what is going on in Burma today, I sit wondering when the challenge and prayer of God’s servant, Adoniram Judson, will be fully answered? 

Honest Questions About Lakeland “Revival”

May 16, 2008 in Commentary with 2 Comments

There are multitudes of God’s people all over the Earth that are hungry for God to move in power in our generation; saving, healing, and delivering people, confirming his word with signs and wonders following.  This is all Bible.  You can’t read it and throw out the supernatural parts. 

You would be foolish to deny the gifts that Jesus died to give to his church.  They are not arbitrary gifts or simply for thrill seekers.  They are tools that God uses to build His church and reach people who are outside of the family of God.  Who are we to say that they are no longer needed?  We need them more now than ever!

That being said, we don’t need to bite into everything that looks like real food, even though it may be rotten, simply because we are “hungry.”  We can’t start gulping salt water simply because we are “thirsty.”  We need to “test all things and hold on to the good.”  That also means that we don’t throw the “baby out with the bath water” and overreact when we see things that we don’t understand or maybe can’t totally relate with.  For instance, those who have never experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit (a Bible doctrine backed by many scriptures), shouldn’t act as if it no longer for today simply because they haven’t experienced it.  We are also told to not “despise prophecy” as well as many other legitimate “charismatic” Bible teachings such as the laying on of hands, exuberant worship, gifts of healings, etc.

Concerning these things, I found a well written article from a fellow Charismatic believer, J. Lee Grady, asking some serious questions about the current happenings in Lakeland.  I found it to be fair and well balanced.  If you are interested in the discussion, CLICK HERE to read it.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you may still want to read it.  I believe we are living in the last of the last days.  We are experiencing the birth pangs Jesus spoke of in Matt 24.  There are many other signs of the times, and one of them is “lying signs and wonders.”  We don’t have to be fearful, but we do need to be seeking God continually for wisdom and discernment all the while not getting bogged down in side issues when we should be “putting our hand to the plow” and getting the Gospel to all of the peoples of the Earth (Matt 24:14).

CS Lewis & the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

May 15, 2008 in Commentary with 1 Comment

Prince Caspian comes out this week (May 16th), but do you know much about the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series?  CS Lewis, one of the greatest Christian thinkers of our time, is the man who created these masterpieces.  The atheist turned conservative Christian, writes from the point of view of skepticism and has been called the “Apostle to the Skeptics” by many.  It’s from a strong faith and Christian world view that he wrote the Chronicles books. 

Although, I have never read the chronicles books myself, I personally love Lewis’ apologetic book, “Mere Christianity“.  It is one of the best books I’ve ever read on who Jesus is and the implications of the Gospel message.  One of Lewis’ most famous quotes from the book about the Lord Jesus has been quoted in one form or another by many different apologists and is one of the most famous defenses of what Jesus said of himself in reference to being the Son of God.  He writes,

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” (Lewis 1952, p. 43)

As people flock to the theatres to see Prince Caspian, my hope is that many of them would become acquainted with the author who has influenced so many peoples lives in the 20th century, including my own, the late great CS Lewis.

PS: In a coming post, I will talk about why I named my second son, Aslan, and what the symbol of Aslan means to me.

China Needs Your Life

May 14, 2008 in Missions with 2 Comments

The deathtoll/missing in China from the recent earthquake continues to sore to over 40,000 or more. (see here)

Many Chinese are fearful of what may come next, but many Christians are lifting up their eyes to the Lord and asking for Him to move in hearts of their people through these tragedies.

Here is a recent email from an American friend of mine that works in a Chinese University:

“Monday afternoon, I was in the middle of teaching my class of 26 students, when suddenly I heard screams from behind me.  Wheeling around I saw them pointing out the window and saying “Huang le- Lou Huang le”  which means “The building is shaking.

 

Feeling a sense of helplessness in such a big manifestation of what could be a fatal disaster, I cried out for them to leave their stuff and run out of the building.

 

Heart racing, while thousands of students poured out of the classrooms to head for the hills, I searched for my wife who was teaching in another room.

 

In short, PTL there was no known damage done to our buildings in our city so no one was hurt.  But apparently there were 2 earthquakes on either side of our province.  An earthquake which was felt in Thailand and Taiwan thousands of miles away.

 

Given that there was a suicide on campus the day before, there are those who are beginning to  look at life in a more serious way.

 

We are not concerned, as all is well here.  But please pray that we me have a timely word to give during this time.

 

China is going through some intense shiftings at this time in many ways.  We really need to call those who have a heart for this place, to do some serious thinking.  2008 is a big year that refuses to relent. We need to know why.”

If you have a heart for China, why would you need to do some serious thinking about this time we live in? The need is great, the volunteers are few.

Divine Appointments

May 13, 2008 in Commentary with 1 Comment

Do you believe in divine appointments?  You know those “God kind of” relational set ups where this circumstance leads to another to another to a “God moment” where you see His hand involved? 

I love them and have had many since becoming a follower of Jesus.  To me, they are always signs of God’s providence in our lives and care for us as his children.  When you are planning to move half way around the world, they certainly help to strengthen your faith and help you to press on.  Since Jacq and I have set our sights on heading to Thailand, the Lord has done some really cool things to encourage us. 

Just today, I had lunch with a Thai lady here in Charlotte who is a believer.  The way we met was the coolest part of the story.  Continue Reading…

Fighting the Dark Night of the Soul

May 11, 2008 in Development with 4 Comments

It’s inevitable that we will walk through some tough times in our lives, even as believers.  I recently went through one of these times in my life and as I was looking through some old notes and I found a wild scribble on a piece of paper where I encouraged myself in the Lord. 

You know, the Bible tells us that King David did the same thing (I Sam 30:6). So, I hope this will encourage you to “fight the good fight of faith” (I Tim 6:12)in your life and come through on top! 

Here’s what I wrote: Continue Reading…

Myanmar’s Sicko Government

May 10, 2008 in Commentary with 0 Comments

News just came out that Myanmar (Burma)’s government has been confiscating international aid shipments once they enter the country and relabeling the boxes with the names of their top generals in an effort to solidify their grip of power in the country. 

Meanwhile aid workers are still waiting on visas to enter the country in order to access the damage and provide further help.  Many are waiting on the borders of neighboring Thailand, including one my friends who has been waiting for over a week.  Two US ships are sitting off the coast waiting to help with helicopter lifts to the needy delta region, but they still have not been granted permission to help.

This is unprecedented and simply crazy!  Tens of thousands of people are dead, tens of thousands are “missing” and over a million people are homeless.  And the government (if you can call it that) is playing games with the lives of it’s people.  They don’t have the means or experience to help their own people, and yet they are too prideful to allow outside help to come in.  Ah, the beauty of military dictatorship!

Pray for the Burmese people.  Pray that Almighty God will bring justice and relief from their Godless government.  Pray that relief workers would get the visas they need and that relief would get to the neediest places soon.

Full Story Here

The Beauty of Acts 17:22-31

May 9, 2008 in Commentary with 0 Comments

In this one passage the missionary Paul refutes: Idolatry, Deism, Universalism, Agnosticism, Pantheism, Religiosity, Polytheism, Racism, Gnosticism, Nihilism, Dualism, Existentialism, Kantianism, Humanism, Hedonism, Determinism, and Athesim.

BRILLIANT!

Paul Cain, Lakeland, & Bentley

May 6, 2008 in Commentary with 6 Comments

I have received alot of traffic on this subject recently so I know manyof you are out there are weighing everything you have heard about Paul Cain and his appearance at the Lakeland Revival a couple of nights ago.  Here is what I heard and saw the other day and a few of my thoughts on it. Continue Reading…

Ministry in SE Asia

May 5, 2008 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I just read this blog from some aquaitances that I went to school with that are serving in SE Asia as missionaries.  thought you might enjoy their pictures and stories.  Click Here.

Pray For Myanmar (Burma)-Tens of Thousands Dead, Hundreds of Thousands in Need

May 5, 2008 in Commentary with 0 Comments

A cyclone recently blew through the country of Myanmar (Burma) killing over 20,000 people.  Several hundred thousands are in desperate need of shelter and clean drinking water.  This has been called the worst disaster to hit the area since the tsunami hit the coast awhile back.

As many of you may know, Myanmar has been ruled by a military junta that has closed the country off from the outside world in order to maintian its grip of power.  Economic mismanagement has driven the country deeper into poverty and many people are still dying under the hands of this ungodly regime.  The now have the lowest per capita income of any SE Asian country. Continue Reading…

Thank You Friends and Partners

May 4, 2008 in Commentary with 0 Comments

This morning I will be sharing about our recent Thailand trip at our home church, Freedom House, so I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who made a way for us to go and who prayed for us before, during, and after our journey.  We have been overwhelmed by your confidence and support of us.  Continue Reading…

Thailand: One Month Later

May 3, 2008 in Thailand with 0 Comments

Tomorrow will be exactly one month since we returned from our exploratory trip to Thailand.  I can honestly say that it has all been sort of a blur since then.  For the last five years, I have been on four different overseas trips, all the while holding down a straight commission job in a one income family.  Each time I have worked up until the day I left and had to go back to work a day or so right after returning so you think I would have been used to it by now.  This time seemed a little harder than the others.  Maybe it was the 30+ hours of travel with two children and the resulting jet lag and exhaustion that followed.  Continue Reading…