He must Increase, Part 1

Where do I begin in capturing the triumphant, Christ exalting spirit of the VOM weekend? The conference was a medley of captivating testimony from individual VOM partners in restricted regions of the world like China, Columbia, Egypt, Iran, India, Nigeria, etc… These reports were combined with prayer and praise on behalf of these brothers and sisters for a full schedule, yet one with a perfect balance of intensity. In the evenings, conference attendees could spread around the beautiful Oklahoma Wesleyan campus for Q&A sessions with individual speakers.

The conference sold out with 1,000 attendees, besides children that were registered for the Kids of Courage program going on simultaneously. I wish to have had the opportunity to stick my head over in the children’s program; it would have been interesting to listen in on.

Let me share from my heart the three big fires this weekend flamed.

First, this weekend was all about making much of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

There is a common temptation when reading or hearing stirring testimonies of faithful Believers, and of their endurance through horrific or extreme difficulty, to elevate that person to some super-hero level. In the long run, this sort of idealizing is disappointing (because people are sinful) and frustrating (because I too am sinful) to say the least. That's not what this conference was about. With a spirit of grace and humilty the praises and sufferings of courageous Christians pointed to God.

I was reminded of the Old Testament law concerning servants found in Exodus 21:2-6
A faithful a servant was free to leave the house of his Jewish master after fulfilling his six year of indentured service. However, at that time, “If the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free; Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.” (v 5,6)

In the Jewish community, a pierced and scared ear was not an attribute of the greatness of the servant, but of the goodness of a Master, who had won the heart of his servant for a life of service. Isn’t that an incredible allegory?

That’s how I felt about the speakers at this conference. Their “scars” and steadfastness under persecution for the sake of Jesus Christ only magnified the greatness of our Heavenly Father—how constant His strength, how sure His presence, how desirable His fellowship, how ready His ear to hear our prayers.

When we hear or read testimonies of faith, that is what should burn in our hearts.

“He must increase, I must decrease.” John 3:30

More thoughts tomorrow…

Part of the Body

INCREDIBLE! That's my one word summary. There is so much in my heart to share from the Voice of the Martyrs mission conference this past weekend. I know it is going to take time for everything to peculate through my heart and mind, but I wanted to post something as soon as possible. I keep praying that the testimonies I heard won't merely impress me, but that they would change and compel me to go beyond where I am now in my own walk with the LORD. And I'm convinced that faithful is He who begun the good work, Who will also complete it. I only have a minute more to blog this evening so let me share the Friday evening opening illustration that I loved, and then save the rest for other posts this week.

Hold out your hand in front of you and slap it hard with your other hand. Go ahead.
Did you feel any pain? Hopefully so. If not, something might be wrong. Either 1) you slapped somebody else's hand or 2) you have leprosy and the characteristic loss of feeling in your limbs.

Analogy: When the body of Christ suffers, do I feel their pain? Are am weeping with them? Am I rejoicing with them? If I'm the fingers, do only care about the hand or the arm (which is in close proximity) or all the parts of the body, which function together.

But if I'm not feeling that pain...wow...
Am I even part of the Body?
Or am I suffering from spiritual leprosy and deadened senses?

Lots to think about.
I'll post a whole lot more tomorrow. God be with you.

Wear the Crown this Weekend

I can't believe this weekend is already here. Tomorrow the Voice of the Marytrs "Wear the Crown" missions conference begins in OK and I'm really excited to be attending.

One of the neat things I looking forward to is a special fellowship time in the evening when we will have opportunity to personally "meet our family," i.e. our persecuted brothers and sisters, face to face. So for weeks I've been asking family and friends, "What type of questions would you ask a persecuted Christian if you had 5 minutes with them?" I've been given some great ideas and I pray I have opportunity to ask some of them to the "family" I'll meet.

Next week I'll be sure to post pictures and highlights from the weekend. When God brings it to mind, pray for each of the people sharing at the conference, that God will be glorified in the things they share and that each person listening will have a heart prepared to receive and respond.

Act

"Sympathy is no substitute for action."

-- David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

1813-1873

Interested in learning more about David Livingston?

Check out Christian Biolgraphy Resources online.

Family Mission International

Here's a link worth sharing, especially for families interesting in ministering together as a family in a foreign culture. To my knowledge, Family Mission International is unique among organizations that focus on family missions. I've being following FMI's ministry for several years now and am uplifted with the vision, training and opportunities they are facilitating.

Part of FMI's vision statement is being, "engaged in mobilizing and equipping churches and families to share the message of Biblical family, family discipleship, and home education worldwide." They are investing in making it possible for families to take short term mission trips together. They are also raising up a network of American families to host and disciple visiting foreign families who are hungry to observe Biblical discipleship.

Take a moment to read through some of the rich articles and testimonies on this sight. You will be enriched.

Restored!

I am trusting God thought I needed a week away from the world and in my bed, because that's just where He put me last week. From Sunday evening until Friday I was down under with a nasty virus that completely knocked me out. Praise the Lord for His healing mercies. All those hours in bed last week gave me lots of time to think. For one, the LORD gave me a new compassion for those who are sick or in pain. I also began to think how easily I start thinking that I am in control of my own health by eating right, exercising, taking my vitamins, when really, all that time, God's the one who holds the strings.

And then I had to chuckle at how ironic is all was. My brother Matthew is on a mission trip in Ukraine pushing his immune system to the extreme with lots of activity and late nights of work, constantly exposed to sick people, and yet God miraculously has sustained him with robust health thus far. And here I was, in America, eating "safe" food and in "safe" conditions, laid flat on my back with pain from a nasty virus.

I've talked with so many people who mention one of their major hesitations for taking a mission trip is health concerns. They are afraid of sickness, poor sanitation, having a weak stomach for that particular culture's food, etc... So how should a Christian think Biblically about missions and health? How does one find the balance? I've asked the LORD a lot about this. I've also asked other missionaries about this. I'm still asking.

In one of my next few posts I'll put up a few ponderings that have crossed my mind or that I've gleaned from others on this topic, and I'd love to hear any feedback you might have as well.

Take Note

I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds." Ps 57:9,10

What a spectacular purpose statement by King David. Psalms is overflowing with references to the mission mandate of our God for ALL people, ALL nations, ALL languages. Have you taken opportunity to mark them in your Bible? This month in my Bible reading I made it my goal to work my way through Psalms, focusing in on these references to God's missionary heart and His provision for those testifying of Him amidst hostile circumstances. I'm overcome with His promises. What a privilege to be owned and loved by such a God.

Tears of Purpose

"When I quit crying for my people, send me home."

I hastily scribbled down this quote from a spontaneous testimony I heard last fall while attending a Chronological Bible Teaching seminar. I don't even remember the last name of the missionary now, it's somewhere in my notebook; Kerry and his wife work with a tribe in Mexico. He shared very passionately, and even with tears, about his joy and purpose to disciple the baby Christians in that particular tribe in Biblical truth, and see them be able to reproduce.

He didn't apologize for his tears. "When I quit crying for my people, send me home," he said. When they become more of a project than a people, when they become "something to do" instead of a God-glorifying purpose for living, send me home.

That's when I got all misty-eyed. That's the type of God centered passion and purposeful living I want permeating my life until my dying day.

So does it? Do I have a life purpose that brings me to tears? Do you? Although discipling the world is part of every Christian's purpose, maybe your particular ministry group is children, or government leaders, or unwed mothers. What matters is that whatever God has called you to, you give your whole heart to, as a faithful steward of that calling and one who will give account.

Kerry's remarkable testimony reminded me to steadfastly guard the particular purposes God has given me. If my love relationship with God wanes from busyness along the way, if I lose the "why" behind what I am doing, if I forget to be in effectual prayer about it, then I shutter to think that in essence I become nothing more than "sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, I Cor 13:1." I can't get that statement out of my mind. "When I quit crying for my people, send me home."

It's a prayer worth pondering.