The Key Word Is Boldness:

I have been studying in my quiet time the Book of Acts. I have been examining they way the apostles presented the Gospel. I believe contrary to popular opinion, God has done more than give us good news He wants to get out. He has given us a manner that must accompany every method and a rationale for that manner.

The single term that best describes the way God wants His gospel given is boldness. And because it's translated various ways, even faithful students of Scripture might overlook its frequency. Boldness (parrhesia) is used forty-two times in the New Testament. It is translated "openly", "freely", "plainly", "with confidence" but most commonly some form of the word "bold". A bold witness is not a pushy witness. A bold witness is not a loud witness, unless it needs to be. Boldness is not obnoxiousness. It's not rude or demanding. Boldness is the furthest thing from some wild-eyed preacher screeching in the streets, "You're going to hell!" Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. According to Proverbs 28:1, it is a characteristic of God's children: "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Are you bold for Christ? Let us look at the Book of Acts and examine their boldness:

Acts 2:29, Peter: "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence..." Convinced that Jesus Christ is the only hope for a fallen humanity, why wouldn't Peter be confident in his words of witness about Jesus? It's time to stop with the "aw-shucks" approach to speaking about Jesus and open our mouths boldly. When Peter gave the message with boldness on the day of Pentecost, three thousand were added to the church.

Acts 4, the pattern of bold gospel work is repeated. The religious leaders were "greatly annoyed" at the apostles for "proclaiming...Jesus," so they threw them in prison, but their boldness was blessed because, "the number of the saved men came to five thousand." Retaliating with restrictions and threats, they demanded of Peter and John, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Interesting that Peter responded, not with a softer tone, but with another sermon holding them responsible for the death of Jesus and pressing on their points of sensitivity eight times in three verses. The apostles' boldness concluded with the singularity of Christ's salvation offer: "No one else... no other name... must be saved." 

Just weeks before Peter had been fearful before a servant girl, denying Jesus to save face with some fireside strangers; but now with the Holy Spirit controlling his words, he would not be silenced before the Jewish Supreme Court. In a few sentences he took their accusation and turned it around. Don't miss the response of those who heard, because it wasn't about Peter's message or Peter's miracle; it was about Peter's manner of speaking. "Now when they say the boldness of Peter...they were astonished." 

At this point the religious leaders retired to executive session to come up with a strategy. "What shall we do with these men?" Unable to deny what was happening, "they...charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." Good luck! Peter and John left them with just one question: Should we obey you or God? Saying in effect, "You're asking the impossible!" You might as well ask the sun to stop shinning the earth to stop turning because "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." That's boldness-I simply cannot stop speaking about what Jesus Christ has done for me.

Back at the ranch, they all got with all the other outlaw Christians and started to pray. Did they pray for the church members who were sick? Did they pray for a facility to house the growing congregation? Surely they petitioned God's protection from the religious bullies? No, they asked the Lord to "grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness." Wow, how determined they were not to be silenced about Jesus no matter the threat. And how easily the threat of negative response muzzles our witness today.

In conclusion, God has called us to be bold with the Gospel. We are to boldly go into the world and make disciples of all Nations. We are to boldly go across the street, over the hedge, across the office, to other parents and boldly share the life-giving message of the Gospel. Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. Are you bold for Christ?

Is Worship More Than Singing?

The Hebrew word translated worship means, literally, "to fall or to prostrate yourself before someone on the ground, touching your forehead to earth."Physically or figuratively, worship involves bowing or prostrating yourself before someone in humility and is actually a picture of subservience. When you worship you are saying, "This one is worth more." At the same time you are implying, "I am worth less." Worship is the magnification of God and the minimization of self.

I often read or hear a servant of Christ insist that worship is "more than singing." We are frequently told that making a meal for your family or cleaning your car or helping your neighbor are all acts of worship. When these acts are the outgrowth of our love for God and are done to demonstrate that love, I would agree that they are "worshipful," but technically they are not worship. I'm not seeking to parse meaning with undue rigor, but we need to be precise in our definitions if we want to accurately embrace the very purpose of our existence. Worship is the actual act of ascribing worth directly to God. Worshipful actions may do this indirectly, but when the Bible commands and commends worship as our highest expression, it is not talking about anything other than direct, intentional, vertical outpouring of adoration. While that does not have to be put to music, it does have to be direct and not indirect to rise above the "worshipful" and actually ascribe worth to God. First Chronicles 16, Psalm 29, and Psalm 96 define worship with surgical precision: "Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Worship is  mind, emotions, and will engaged in whole person ascription of worth.

Nothing brings glory down in church as quickly and as powerfully as when God's people unashamedly adore God's great Son, Jesus Christ. Not just a few enthusiasts in the front row when the service starts but a room packed to the walls with fired-up Christians. Not simply testimony to personal benefit resulting from gospel belief but passionate ascription of worth to the God of the gospel. When that happens, an unbeliever coming in will "worship God and declare that God is really among you."

In conclusion, making a meal for your family, cleaning your car, or helping a neighbor are worshipful acts but they are not worship. Worship is the magnification of God and the minimization of self. A whole body of believers worshiping with their whole beings can expect to get the only thing we have to offer this world. 

How To Study Your Bible:

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.-2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Bible is God's Word. So we give ourselves to know what God has revealed about Himself and us. And, since God inspired it, it follows that Christians would ask God for His help in understanding it. That's actually the first step in studying the Bible. Pray for God to give you wisdom and that He would help you to understand even those parts of the Bible that you find more difficult. By and large, Scripture is plain and its message is clear. The whole point of God's revealing Himself in His Word is for us to be able to read and understand it. That's why we study

Once we've prayed, we simply need to read the Bible. We need to inwardly digest God's Word because "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." No plan to study every works if we fail to commit the time to read.

We should not only read our favorite parts, but we should read all of the Bible, the whole thing, every word. We want to grasp the passage we're reading in its immediate context and in the flow of the story of the whole Bible. Knowing that a verse is in Deuteronomy will help us to understand it. God promising His people that He will drive out particular tribes before them makes sense in Deuteronomy in a way that wouldn't in 1 or 2 Timothy! So we want to read all of Scripture, for our understanding and edification.

Seasons of more intense study are also useful. Sometimes giving time to memorizing verses or whole passages helps us to meditate, consider, inspect, and notice what God has revealed. Even if our memories aren't perfect, they can sometimes last a lifetime. Other times, we should read larger portions of Scripture. Reading a whole book in one sitting can help us grasp the whole message of Joshua, or to understand the main emphasis of Paul's letter to Titus.

If you're reading the Old Testament, consider how your passage point to or is fulfilled in Christ. Christ is the key to understanding what God is doing in the whole Bible-the OT as well as the NT. The futility of this life that Ecclesiastes depicts is true- "under the sun.". But all of that changes when we begin to live "under the Son!" The trials of Job, the history of David's life, the parables of God's judgment on Israel in Ezekiel-all of these point in various ways to Christ.

Study the Bible regularly. God's Word is more vital than even our physical bread, Christ's prayer in Matthew 6:11 for daily bread encourages us to peruse God's Word every day. Find a good time and place where you can read God's Word, giving it the prayerful and careful attention it deserves. Read it when you feel like it and when you don't. Make it a discipline, a habit, a form of your life.

Read God's Word carefully. Ask yourself these questions and in this order: What does it say? What does it mean? What does it mean to me? We sometimes are so eager to get to that third question that we don't consider carefully enough what the passage actually means. And sometimes, we are so interested in one particular part of a verse that we don't give enough attention to the whole thing. That's why it's important that we begin with the most obvious questions, "What does it say?" Here we note carefully which words God has placed in a particular portion of Scripture.

Finally, we should study God's Word devotionally. When we come to God's Word we want to know how it will apply to our own life and to our understanding of God. We want to have our minds better informed of God and the gospel. We want to have the blindness to our own sins ended and our hearts stirred up to better love God and others. We want to revere God and follow Him. We want to change what we need to change.

In conclusion, as Martin Luther said to his young disciple, "you cannot read too much in scripture; and what you read you cannot read too carefully, and what you read carefully you cannot understand too well, and what you understand well you cannot teach too well, and what you teach well you cannot live too well." Let us go to God's Word and learn more of Him, and be changed to His glory and for our everlasting glory.

How will you use your one life?:

Only one life twill soon be past,

Only what's done for Christ will last.-John Piper

"Only one life twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last." Each of us is given one life. At the end of our life we will stand before our Creator and give an account for how we used our life. Will we use our one life glorifying God or will we waste it? How will you use your one life?

Ecclesiastes 12 is a chapter in the Bible written by King Solomon which allegories the shortness of life...

Vs. 3: keepers of the house tremble; Solomon is using an allegory to refer to the arms.  We are reminded that there will come a day when our arms will shake and become frail.  Opening and closing our fist will become next to impossible. 

Vs. 3: strong men are bent; this is referring to the legs, in reference to the fact that there will come a day when we will walk hunched over with knees bent.  One day we will wake up and never again be able to run, hike mountains, go for long walks, etc.

Vs. 3: grinders cease because they are few; One day our teeth will fall out and we will have to wear dentures.  We will no longer be able to enjoy a juicy, delicious steak or other amazing foods.

V 3: those who look through the windows are dimmed; One day our eyes will fail us and we will be unable to see.

Vs. 4: rises at the sound of a bird; One day we will have trouble sleeping. We will arise before the sun and  and go to bed shortly after dinner, and we will spend all of the time in between complaining about the noise.

Vs. 6-7; before the silver cord is snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it; One day every one of us will die!  

Ecclesiastes 12 allegories reality for all of us. One day we will grow old and die. This life is fleeting and passing away. Our life is but a vapor. We are like the steam which rises from a coffee cup on a cold day; here one minute and gone the next.

"Only one life twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." How will you use your one life?

Will you use your life playing church like so many people in the South or will you serve others and live in community? Will you use your life entertaining yourself to death or will you shut off the television, put down the smart phone and serve others? Will you graduate from college, get married, have 2.5 kids, move into the city, work 40 hrs a week, vacation once a year to the beach, and collect shells or will you live on mission, radically serving others? Will you protect and insulate your children or will you view them as arrows to be launched into battle?

"Only one life twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." How will use your one life?

We need men to step up and lead in Christian obedience. Where are the men who will be like Joshua and Caleb who returned from spying out Canaan and though ten of the spies said the Israleites could not take the land, they urged everyone to trust God, play the man and take the land? Where are the men who will be like Shadrach, Meschach, and Abendago who event though they were to be thrown into the furnace would not bow their knee to an idol? Where are the men?

We need women to step out in faith and follow the Lord. Where are the women who will have the faith like Ruth and say, "your God is my God, where you go, I will go"? Where are the women who will be like Esther who told Mordecai, "tell the people to go and fast, for I will go into the king, and if I perish, I perish"? Where are the women?

Where are the men and women who will count their lives as lost and give their lives in service to the King? Where are the men and women who will push against culture and take a stand for Christ no matter the cost? Where are the men and women who will give sacrificially to support the work of missions? Where are the men and women who will view their workplace, schools, and communities as mission fields? Where are the men and women? 

"Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." How will you use your one life?

Are there modern day Apostles?:

Proponents of modern-day apostleship often point to Ephesians 4:11-13 to defend their position. It is important, therefore, that we examine that passage carefully. After describing Christ's ascension, Paul wrote:

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Advocates of modern-day apostleship make two incorrect assumptions about this passage. First, they assert that the unity, knowledge, and maturity described in verse 13 refer to the second coming of Christ. Second, they contend that all five of the offices listed in verse 11 (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) must continue until the Second Coming. But neither of these assumptions is warranted by the text itself.

Let's look at the second assumption first. Does this passage indicate that the offices listed in verse 11 will last until the conditions described in verse 13 are met? That interpretation might be possible if verse 12 were omitted from the text. Grammatically, however, the word "until" in verse 13 points back to the nearest participle in verse 12 ("building up"), and not to the distant verb "gave" in verse 11. Thus, Paul's point is that those offices listed in verse 11 were given by Christ so that, according to verse 12, the saints might be equipped to build up the body of Christ (v.12).

It is the building up of the body of Christ by the saints, then, that continues until the conditions in verse 13 are realized. Nothing in the text indicates that apostles and prophets will be present throughout the entire church age, but only that the work they began (equipping the saints to build up the body of Christ) will continue. This grammatical conclusion is strengthened by the context of Ephesians, since Paul has already explained that apostles and prophets were limited to the foundation age of the church (Eph. 2:20).

We can now consider the unity and knowledge described in verse 13. Some scholars insist that such an ultimate objective is not attainable this side of glory. Thus, they contend, Paul must be describing the church's heavenly unity and knowledge-attributes that will only be realized in the glory of heaven. But that idea does not fit the flow of Paul's thought; he is describing the results produced as the saints build up the church. His focus is not on God's final work of glorification in heaven, but on the work of faithful believers in the church here on earth. Within the church, it is possible for believers to possess a profound unity based on a shared commitment to biblical truth, an intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a deep level of spiritual maturity. Paul adds sound doctrine (v. 14) and growth in Christlikeness (v.15) as additional benefits that result from the saints being properly equipped to build up the body of Christ (v.12).

In conclusion, rightly understood, Ephesians 4:11-13 does not teach a fivefold pattern of ministry (including apostles and prophets) will continue throughout all church history until the second coming of Christ. Rather, this passage demonstrates that the purpose for which the Lord Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the church was to equip the saints. When properly equipped, the saints are enabled to build up one another within the body of Christ. And the result is that the church is strengthened-growing in unity, knowledge, maturity, sound doctrine, and sanctification.

Because Paul had already indicated that the apostles and prophets were for the foundation only, he did not need to reiterate that those offices were temporary. Though those two offices did not last beyond the first century of church history, the apostles and prophets still equip the saints through the Spirit-inspired writings they left for us (i.e. the Bible). The other three offices-evangelist, pastor, and teacher-have continued throughout church history. As such, they continue to equip the saints in every generation for the purpose of building up the church.

When Helping Hurts:

Julia and I have spent the past two years working with the poor in Ghana. We have had to think through several ways to effectively minister to the poor. Below is an excerpt from "When Helping Hurts" by Steve Corbett and Brian Finkkert which has helped us think through ministry to the poor. These principles are applicable both at home and abroad. I highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to work with the least of these either at home or abroad.

A helpful first step in thinking about working with the poor in any context is to discern whether the situation calls for relief, rehabilitation, or development. In fact, the failure to distinguish among these situations is one of the most common reasons that poverty-alleviation efforts often do harm.

1. Relief: can be defined as the urgent and temporary provision of emergency aid to reduce immediate suffering from a natural or man-made crisis.
2. Rehabilitation: begins as soon as the bleeding stops; it seeks to restore people and their communities to the positive elements of their precrisis conditions. Rehabilitation requires working with the people as they participate in their own recovery. 
3. Development: is a process of ongoing change that moves all the people involved-both the "helper" and the "helped"- closer to being in right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of creation. Development is not done to people or for people but with people.

One of the biggest mistakes North American missionaries/churches make-by far-is in applying relief in situation in which rehabilitation or development is the appropriate intervention.

Many of the people who came to Julia and I's house or who come to your church for help will state that they are in a crisis, needing emergency financial help for utility bills, rent, food, or transportation. In other words, they will state they are at point 1. Is relief the appropriate intervention for such a person? Maybe, but maybe not. There are several things to consider.

First, is there really a crisis at hand? If you fail to provide immediate help, will there really be serious, negative consequences? If not, then relief is not the appropriate intervention, for there is time for the person to take actions on his own behalf.

Second, to what degree was the individual personally responsible for the crisis? Of course, compassion and understanding are in order here, especially when one remembers the systemic factors that can play a role in poverty. But it is still important to consider the person's own culpability in the situation, as allowing people to feel some of the pain resulting from any irresponsible behavior on their part can be part of the "tough love" needed to facilitate the reconciliation of poverty alleviation. The point is not to punish the person for any mistakes or sins he has committed but to ensure that the appropriate lessons are being learned in the situation.

Third, can the person help himself? If so, then a pure handout is almost never appropriate, as it undermines the person's capacity to be a steward of his own resources and abilities.

Fourth, to what extent has this person already been receiving relief from you or others in the past? How likely is he to be receiving such help in the future? As special as your church or you are, it might not be the first stop on the train! This person may be obtaining "emergency" assistance from one church or organization after another, so that your "just-this-one-time gift" might be the tenth such gift the person has recently received.

In conclusion, who is #1? It is unlikely that you know many people in this category, for the reality is that only a small percentage of the poor in your community or around the world require relief. These would include the severely disabled; some of the elderly; very young, orphaned children; the mentally ill homeless population; and victims of natural disaster. People in these categories are often unable to do anything to help themselves and need the handouts of relief. However, for most people, the bleeding has stopped, and they are not destitute. Acting as though they are destitute does more harm than good, both to them and to ourselves. This does not mean that we should do nothing to help them. It just means that rehabilitation and development- not relief- is the appropriate way of helping such people. This help could very well include providing them with financial assistance, but such assistance would be conditional upon and supportive of their being productive.

"When Helping Hurts" by Steve Corbett and Brian Finkkert 

Passion for Evangelism

All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar's household.-Philippians 4:22

Paul had a passion for evangelism. Wherever Paul went and whoever Paul met he would open his mouth and share the story of Jesus with them. Even when he was in jail Paul would share the Gospel with his jailers and anyone in Caesar's household. Paul models for us lifestyle evangelism which should be evident in every Christian.

During my undergrad I attended Liberty University. Every student regardless of their major has to take a few basic Bible classes. One of the classes which I had to take was Evangelism and the Christian Life. This class taught the basics of living out your Christian faith. The class focused on Bible study, prayer, scripture memory, and other spiritual disciplines. One of the spiritual disciplines the class focused on was evangelism. Every student in the class had to share their faith with at least one person before the class was finished. I was terrified of this assignment. I had never shared my faith with anyone and did not know what to do or say. I did not want to do the assignment and kept putting it off. One day a friend who was in the class said he was going to the mall to do his evangelism project and asked if I wanted to come. I decided to bite the bullet. On the way to the mall I was terrified; I might not have been visibly shaking in my seat but inside I was petrified.

Once at the mall my friend was a natural at evangelism. He could turn every conversation into a Gospel conversation. "How do you like that Chick fil a sandwich? Would you like to know about the God who created the chicken." His natural ability at evangelism made me more nervous. I broke away from him and began to walk around the mall. I kept seeing people I knew I should talk with but I couldn't gather enough courage to go up and talk. I walked around the mall paralyzed with fear for about an hour. I eventually found myself inside "Hat World" where I was the only one in the store. I began talking with the man behind the counter about sports. Our casual conversation helped to get rid of my fears. I figured this guy would not kill me if I talked about the Gospel. Inside my pocket was a Gospel track and while I did not have the courage to have a Gospel conversation I thought I could at least give a track. I casually pulled the track out of my pocket and asked, "Hhhhhaaaavvveee you evvveerrr seeeeennnn a million dollars" and shoved the track into his hand. He said, "no." I turned to leave and shouted over my shoulder, "It has a Gospel message on the back." Out of the store I breathed a huge sigh of relief. After walking away I turned around and could see the young man reading the track. To this day, while typing this, I can picture the man with his backwards Yankees cap reading my Gospel track. I had succeeded in sharing my faith and lived to tell about it.

God used that encounter to light a fire underneath me. That day God lit the pilot light on my passion for evangelism. I began reading anything and everything on evangelism. I was introduced to Ray Comfort by a few friends on my dorm and God continued to fan the flame of evangelism. I eventually began to go out witnessing every Friday night. My favorite place to share the Gospel was Lynchburg College. LC is located in Lynchburg, Virginia about thirty minutes from Liberty University. I would go to LC on a Friday night and talk with students while they sat outside and smoked cigarettes. At first I would share my testimony but as I had more practice I began to be able to share the Gospel. They would attempt to stump me with questions, "why is there evil? what is truth? was Jesus a real person?" at first I would not know the answers and they would be surprised when I would say, "I don't know; let me go home and look up the answer." I would go home, look up the answers, and the next week I would find the guy and answer his questions. I grew in my walk with Christ through evangelism. The young men outside the dorms who were attempting to discredit Christianity were actually making it stronger in my life. 

God reminded me that my two best friends from high school went to LC and God began to burden me to share the Gospel with them. I called them one Friday night and went into their dorm room to share the Gospel. When I arrived to their dorm, knowing I was going to share my faith, they pulled out an old cell phone and had me listen to a drunk call I had made while in high school. I was embarrassed and wanted to crawl under the bed but I swallowed my fear and was able to use it as an opportunity to transition to the Gospel. They politely listened and than asked me to leave. 

I dusted my shoes off and continued to go back to LC. My two best friends from high school would become increasingly antagonistic every time they would see me on campus. They would call LC police and have me escorted off campus. They would come behind me and attempt to pepper me with questions while I was having a conversation with someone else. One night they shoved me up against the side of a dorm and told me that if they ever saw me on campus again they would physically hurt me. Taking the hint and seeing the look in their eyes, I left. Later that night I received a phone call from the Lynchburg police department informing me that they were calling as a courtesy and said they could not tell me what to do but if I went back to LC they were not sure if the LC police or city police could protect me. Needless to say I decided to avoid LC. 

After two month away from LC I received a phone call from one of my friends at LC and he informed me that he was filming a documentary about religious dialogue and wanted me to come to LC and take part in a religious panel. Since we had been best friends I thought nothing bad would happen and I agreed to go. When I arrived at the student center I was led to a group of five guys. The young men appeared polite and cordial while the cameras were off but as soon as the cameras began rolling, the five guys turned on me and began to attack me with questions. Before I could answer one question, another was fired at me and on it went for about twenty minutes. These men were not open for a dialogue but only wanted to attack Christianity. I have never seen the documentary but I can only imagine I look like a complete idiot. I was amazed that my best friend had betrayed me. 

I had been mocked, threatened, and made to look like a fool by my best friends growing up. I learned an important lesson during this situation. I learned that taking a stand for the Gospel will cost you. It will cost you everything; however, in the end it will be worth it. It is hard and scary to step out of your comfort zone and share your faith. It takes courage to share the Gospel with our loved ones; however, we must have the courage to open our mouth and share. We share because we know that every second two people die, and every day 120,000 people pass into eternity and we do not want them to go into eternity unwarned and unprayed for. We share our faith because we know that Christ is the only one who will protect our friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members from the wrath to come. 

May we have courage to go and share our faith while there is still time.

America: A Magical Place

In June, Julia and I took our last trip into the city to purchase supplies. Every month during our time overseas we had to drive three hours over bad roads into the city to purchase groceries. Our last trip to the city was a horrible trip. The grocery store had forgotten to pay their electricity bill; therefore, there was no electricity in the store. None of the stores were open on time and we had to wait outside in the hot sun for at least an hour for someone to come and open the store. Our order which I placed the night before was not ready and we subsequently had to wait longer for our supplies. All of the prices had been raised and to make the day even better I received a "boot" on my truck for parking in an "illegal" space (every other time in the city I had parked there but for some reason that day it was illegal), after yelling at the police I eventually gave in and paid the ticket. It was a long day.

At the end of the day we stopped at the butcher to purchase beef for the hospital. While waiting for the butcher to cut off our meat from the cow he told me he wanted to come with me to America. This is a very common request and usually I give a sarcastic answer but today I was tired and just asked, "why do you want to come with me to America?" He replied, "I hear America is a magical place." His answer almost knocked me over with how profound it was. As I looked over the butcher market at men who were doing hard physical labor for less than $2 per day, and looked out the window at Julia while she talked with street children who would spend the night passed out on the side of the road after huffing paint fumes; I couldn't help but realize that yes, America is a magical place.

America is a country where there is water always in the pipes. We are able to go to the sink turn the facet and have clear, clean drinking water. We have paved roads and the States even pay people to fill our potholes. We have constant and consistent power. We have drivers who follow the rules of the road. We do not have to pick up our groceries from the floor and are able to have multiple selections of cereal and bread. We have noise ordinances which prevent our neighbors from playing music at ungodly hours of the night or at ungodly levels. We have McDonald. We have property laws. We have welfare to provide for the less fortunate. We have one of the best health care systems in the world. We have Capitalism. We have a very high minimum wage. We have a government who looks out for the less fortunate. We have free, public education. We have an African-American President and women are able to run for office. We have freedom of speech, the press, freedom to assemble, and every other freedom which is given to us by the Constitution. We have the power to dream. Women have the right to vote and to go to work. We have the power to be anything we want to be. We have the power to go to school and make a better life for ourselves. We have soldiers who defend our freedoms across the globe. We have soldiers who have been and are willing to die to allow us to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

We live in a great country. America is a magical place! I have spent two years overseas and have come to the conclusion that there is no country like America. This Fourth of July when Lee Greenwood comes on the radio with his ode to America. I will be singing at the top of my lungs. I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free and I wont forget the men who died who gave this right to me, and I gladly stand up next to you, and defend her still today, because there ain't no place, I'd rather be, God bless the USA.

In conclusion, we are blessed to live in America. We live in a magical place. My prayer for America is that we never take for granted our freedoms and America understands that we have been blessed by God to be a blessing to others.

Never allowed to quit tee-ball

Julia and I are coming to the end of our time in Ghana. We will be leaving Nalerigu on June 30^th and will arrive home on July 2^nd. We are excited to finish our time overseas! On most days our prayer is that we would finish strong while other days our prayer is simply to finish. 

There is something to be said for completing a task which you started. Two years ago we prepared to deploy with sixty other people who loved the Lord, felt His calling to serve overseas, and all of us thought we would complete our terms on the field. We have attempted to stay in contact with everyone via newsletters, Facebook, and Twitter. Over the course of our two years we have heard stories/received newsletters from friends who left the field before their time was finished. We have been shocked over the number of people who have left the field before their term of service was completed. Some of our friends left the field for genuine reasons (health, children); however, some left the field simply because they could not handle the pressures of living overseas.

Occasionally, Julia and I will be asked what sustained us overseas. Individuals want to know what kept us on the field and will in turn keep someone else on the field. Was it a clear understanding of our call from God? Was it a daily quiet time? Was it pride and stubbornness? Was it our love for the Lord and love for the Maumprusi people? While all of these factors contributed to us staying overseas the number one reason why we did not leave the field in our two years is because as a child I was not allowed to quit tee-ball.

Growing up I was like most children when it came to extra-curricular activities. I would be very excited to play a sport at the beginning of the season when everything was new and fun; however, halfway through the season when practices were every week and followed by a game I would want to quit. I wouldn't want to play anymore. I would attempt to explain to my parents why they should let me quit. Every season we would go through this routine and my dad would inevitably look me in the eye and tell me I couldn't quit. I didn't have to play next season but I did have to finish the current season. My dad taught me growing up that quitting was never an option. 

I can remember in high school when my dad came home with a truck for me. At first I did not care that the truck was standard; I knew I was going to master driving. Halfway, through the summer when my friends were busy driving an hour to the beach and I was still struggling to make it around my neighborhood I decided I wanted to quit learning how to drive standard. I even found an automatic truck and told my parents I would pay half if they would let me quit learning how to drive standard. My dad would not let me quit. I eventually learned how to drive and to this day I am thankful my dad never let me quit.

My dad taught me to never quit. He taught me how to hold my head high, not give up, and stick it out. Quitting was never an option in our house; therefore, quitting was never an option during our time overseas. No matter what happened (exposure to tuberculosis, power cuts, no water, sheer boredom, language learning, and culture shock) we were not going to quit. Quitting was not an option.

In conclusion, Julia and I remained on the field during our two years not primarily because of our understanding of our call from God or pride or stubbornness or a daily quiet time; rather, we never left the field because growing up I was never allowed to quit tee-ball.

The Secret of Contentment

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I’ve learned the secret of being content-whether well fed or hungry, abundance or need. I’m able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.- Philippians 4:11-13

What is your pet peeve? What is it that other people do which gets under your skin and makes you want to scream? Is it people taking in movies, men with facial hair, teeth grinding on a fork, saying "um" before beginning to speak, or someone who posts too much on Facebook or Twitter?

 One of my biggest pet peeves is when people pull verses out of context and attempt to market these verses to others. If you are not sure what I am talking about visit your local Christian bookstore, walk to the merchandise section and notice the entire out of context verses on various objects. For example, consider the verse, “as the deer pants for the water so my soul longs for you” who decided to put that verse on a coffee cup? How about Jeremiah 29:11 in a graduation card? Congratulation graduate you are about to have a horrible 40 years but don’t worry God has a plan for you. Perhaps, the most misapplied Bible verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse is placed on every sports t-shirt in the store. It’s as if they are saying, “are you fat and overweight? Don’t worry you too can play baseball because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” There is even an entire Christian football movie dedicated to misapplying this verse. Is there a more misquoted verse in the Bible than Philippians 4:13? I don’t think there is. I think people want to apply that to everything. A Christian businessman might say, “I’m going to be a CEO. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Well, that’s kind of a swing and a miss. That’s really out of context.

Philippians 4:13 isn’t evidence that I can do whatever I want. This text isn’t saying that you can be a major league ball player or CEO through Christ. This is not what Paul’s saying at all. He’s saying that if you are in the big leagues, then praise His name, and if you’re too weak to even lift the jug to be the team’s water boy, praise His name. You can’t take Philippians 4:13 and make it mean you can do anything you want. That’s not what Paul is saying. In context, he is saying, “I’ve learned to be content when I received everything I want; I learned to be content when I got nothing I wanted. I can do either one by the power of Christ.” Philippians 4:13 is the testimony of all those who have Christ and found Him supremely valuable, joyous, and satisfying. In a life marked by extreme highs and lows Paul had found the great constant security, the great centering hope; Jesus Christ, Himself.

We must come to the place like Paul, where we can recognize that no matter what comes our way we will be content by the power of Christ. We are content when our family is healthy and when we receive news from the doctor of cancer. We are content when our family is with us on the holidays and when they are not. We are content when we are employed and when we are not. We are content when our house sells right away and when the deal falls through at the last minute. We are content when we are pregnant and when we are infertile. We must learn that we can do all things (good or bad) through Christ who strengthens us.

In conclusion, Philippians 4:13 is not about chasing dreams or playing sports but is the testimony of all those who have found Christ supremely valuable joyous and satisfying. We are able to be content in all circumstances because we have Christ and He is all we need and want. We know that Jesus + nothing = everything! We know that Christ is there, He walks with us, comforts us, encourages us, equips us, motivates us and will never leave us or forsake us; therefore, we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Easy to Read, Hard to Live

Do NOT worry about anything but in everything through prayer and supplication make your requests known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.-Philippians 4:6-7

There are passages in the Bible which require serious meditation and contemplation. There are also passages which are straight forward and as soon as you read the passage you know exactly what God is telling you to do. Usually, though, the passages which are easy to read and understand are the hardest to live out. Philippians 4:6-7 is one such passage which is easy to understand but hard to implement. 

Paul commands us not to worry about anything. We have a clear command in Scripture written by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit commanding us not to worry; therefore, any time we worry we are sinning. Let me repeat: any time we worry we are sinning. In essence we are telling God, He can redeem us, break the shackles of Satan, take us from Hell to Heaven, put us into His Kingdom and give us eternal life, but we just don't think He can get us through the next couple of days. When we worry we doubt God's character and to doubt God's character is to live in sin. Thankfully, we have another command in Scripture. 1 John commands us to confess our sins to God and tells us if we do He is faithful and just to cleanse us from our sin and remove all unrighteousness. Before reading on please take a minute and confess your sin of worry. 

Let us examine the verse again. Do NOT worry about anything but in everything through prayer and supplication make your requests known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to take all our worry, discontent, discouragement, despair, questioning, pain and suffering and toss it all onto God. We trade our worry in for trust in God; a trust in God who really cares about you. 

As Christians living in a fallen world we must fight against worry. Below are two principles to help fight against worry and fight for trust in God.

1) Be a Bird Watcher: Jesus says, "consider the birds of the air, do they worry where they will find food? Look how God provides for them. If God provides for them wont He provide for you? Are you not more important than a bird?" Every time we see a bird it should serve as a reminder of God's abundant provision. Every time we hear a bird sing in the morning it should stop cold any worry we may have. If God provides for the birds He will provide for us.

2) Go Back to the Future: In the Old Testament whenever God would rescue the Israelites He would have them build a small monument with rocks to remember the occasion. The Israelities were to teach their children about God's provision in the past and if their children doubted the stories they could return to the site of God's provision and see a small monument of rocks dedicated to God. There is a principle to be learned from these actions in the Old Testament and that is to go back to the future whenever fighting against worry. If we have any questions about the future we are to look to the past. Did God sustain us then? If so, we can trust He will sustain us in the future.

In conclusion, do not worry about anything but in everything through prayer and supplication make your requests known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Whenever we are tempted to worry we must remember to be bird watchers and to go back to the future.