Having Financial Peace, the Flu, Termites, and a New Outlook on Prayer

I thought I was going to sail through the flu season this year with no problems.  Be one of those lucky (or blessed) few who in the middle of March start bragging that I didn’t catch “the bug,” as though I had something to do with it.  About half the people I come in contact with on a daily basis has had this stuff at one time or another over the past month and I was feeling pretty good, until it hit me 2 nights ago.  Now it’s all I can do to stay out of the bathroom today, though the chills have finally left me.  Hopefully my body is just flushing out the sick from my body.  Despite my sickness, I’m happy to announce Karen and I have met one of our financial goals in paying off the first bill of our “debt snowball.”  A doctor bill that I incurred at the emergency room 4 or 5 months ago, next is the student loan, which has been hanging around so long it’s like a pet.  If the government isn’t lying to us about the “stimulus package” check that we should be getting around the end of May, that nasty thing will be paid off as well; freeing up enough money to hopefully have our truck paid off two years early.  Once all this happens, we will finally be able to start saving up for a real house, while repairing this one at the same time.  Speaking of, we’ve started painting!  Those of you have been here know that’s a huge step for us.  With all the repairs we’re doing, we have had to call a couple of exterminators, lest the termites eat away all our new work, who have quoted us anywhere from $1500 to $1700.  They’ve offered to finance us but we have promised ourselves never to borrow money again unless it’s for a house, so I guess a new envelope will have to be made called “Death to Termites.”  It may take another year to save up enough money, but we will not be saddled with another monthly payment right now.  Orchin Man thought I was nuts, maybe I am. I’ve been studying a lot on prayer lately.  I realize I am missing a lot when I’ve prayed before.  Using God’s name as “Lord” about 50 times in one prayer, but not really praying to anybody.  I’m almost convinced that teenagers pray better than adults every time they bow their head.  For some reason, once we reach adult hood, a lot of us, especially men, stop being personal.  We start putting on the tough guy facade, and pray in the same way.  We are very vague when we pray, “bless this, and bless that,” “bless preacher and his family, bless our church family,” “take care of the sick,” “bless those that are faithful,” and don’t forget the magic phrase we use just to remind God He has to answer our prayers we say, “in Jesus name, Amen.”  I’m convinced that prayer is more than that, and have been learning that as well.  I’m hoping to teach what I learn in our church to a group of men, but am nervous about it.  I’m so much younger than the men who I think would take this seriously.  Nevertheless, today in my devotions I read Jeremiah chapter 1 as this “fear of man” was on my mind.  In it Jeremiah quotes God as saying,    ” Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’       For you shall go to all to whom I send you,       And whatever I command you, you shall speak.        Do not be afraid of their faces,       For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD. So, I am going to teach, humbly, but also enthusiastically I hope, enough that God inspires and we start praying and leading our church and community and even more into revival.

Banjara For Christ 2007-2008 (Day 9)

This morning started as a typical morning for us.  We woke up early – not because we wanted to, but because we were all awake, again.  We were showered in record time as the water was extremely cold this morning.  Breakfast was at 9, the atmosphere was a bit more relaxed for the team because they knew there was nothing they personally had to preach or teach today.  Though Jana got sick last night and didn’t feel much like eating.  Sush has been getting sick too…

After breakfast we all went to our rooms where we were donned with another fancy Indian outfit. This was much nicer than the ones they bought us last year.  However, they were all too small.  Only I could get the shirt buttoned all the way down, but I was uncomfortable with that.  Steve and Richard were in the same boat.  Sush asked that we instead wear then more like sport coats and that worked out fine.

Pastor Steve baptized about 20 believers and then the fan fare began.  There was a huge procession for the six of us.  It was complete with “stick dancers” and traditional Banjara tribal dancers.  There were so many of them.  We walked through a huge parade of people dancing and singing.  Flowers were being thrown in the air on us and all around us.  They gave us more flowers to place around our necks.  I’ve never seen so many colors and heard so much noise as these humble village people escorted us to the front of a huge tent.  There we heard more music and were entertained by the best of the stick dancers.  They danced and sang to music as each one of them had two wooden sticks in each hand which they clicked and clacked together as they weaved past each other in dance.  Each on wore a red bandana as a headband; signifying the type of entertainer they were.  Most of these dancers were young men, no older than 21, but there were 3 ladies there who were just as skilled as the men.  Banjara dancers were next, three women who danced and balanced big liter sized bottles of water on their heads.  One of these women we’ve been watching all week.  She has this look of absolute confidence on her face when she dances; almost a look of smugness.  She never has this look any other time except when she dances.  It’s pretty amusing.

Pastor Steve gave a message and brought the gospel to a lot of people who have come from the thandas.  Some we preached to in the village, some are church members who came and wanted to say goodbye to us.  Still others were just people who had heard the noise and came to see what the commotion was all about.  Steve gave an invitation, though it was not clear as to whether people heard the gospel and were responding to the Holy Spirit working conviction of their sins, or if everybody simply was coming to receive prayer for healing and blessing.  The Banjara are a very superstitious people, and it would be easy to see how they would think “white people” could pray for them and all would be well.  The whole group prayed for those who came, believing and hoping they were coming for salvation.

After those services we had lunch.  EVERYONE had lunch.  There was a huge amount of food being served to a huge amount of people.  Rice and chicken were on the menu as usual.  Though I learned most of these people don’t get the chicken on a daily basis, all they ever have any abundance of is rice.  I couldn’t imagine it.  Sush called it a “chicken feast,” and that it was.  There were so many Banjara people; I hope our visit did them well and that Christ’s message will not be obscured by the “white folks from America” who came to tell it.

After lunch we finished packing and tried to nap before leaving for the city to do some shopping and then going to the airport.  It wasn’t easy to sleep as we knew we were going home.  We got one more cold shower in hopes that we could stay clean through the biggest part of our journey.

Goodbyes were quick thank goodness.  Many of those I was saying goodbye to I had not personally spoken to all week long, but they were all tearful just the same.  These people love us so much.  Sudakar, Damodar’s brother, who served us meals all week long, was about to break down while we were saying goodbye.  And Damodar’s mother had huge tears in her eyes.  That was hardest for me; seeing this woman who barely knew us weep over such simple servants of the Lord.  We were there to serve her and she served us one thousand times over by just being there, to love us and listen, to dance, to sing or just to smile as many, many others did the same all week long.  We will be missing some very good friends.

Thinking on the trip home about the events of the day and the past week; I can’t help but say that I’ll miss the fellowship more than anything.  We had so many good times with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We did our best to serve one another and I’ve learned that this is a major part in fellowship in the Lord.  These beautiful people treat us as though we are heroes or celebrities.  They make big banners in order to announce our comings and goings and they make sure every need is met according to their best ability so that we soft Americans are as comfortable as we can be.  They see us as leaving homes thousands of miles away as being the biggest, most important events of our lives.  To some, it is.  To me, it is; not because I am any type of hero, but because it takes a huge amount of faith in the Lord to get there and to get through it.  Money, time, lessons, embarrassment at times, sickness at times, fears to conquer, love to risk and even the chance of never seeing your loved ones again, back home and in the mission field; at least not until we all get to Heaven.  All of these must be considered and take faith in the Lord just to get by and step out toward that visit to the Banjara people.  It seems the people of India understand that, though they may never understand the specific details.

Now, going home, which has been a remarkably smooth ride (I slept 6 hours of our first 8 hour flight) I realize I’m heading back to a place where my words will not mean near as much as they do in India.  Among my own people, I am just like they are.  I am equal and not held on a pedestal.  People will categorize the words I speak for the Lord as being with those they respect, like they would a dear pastor or a youth minister, but rarely will those words be taken to heart.  No, at home, in America, there must always be more than words, but there also must be action.  People love to be put up on a pedestal, they love to be made to feel important, as though what their words say mean something to those around them.  They SHOULD mean something.  The very fact that intelligible words are coming from the voice that God gave them should mean that someone is listening, especially when it’s someone from home who can relate to them.  If this trip has taught me anything, it is that when the very least among men is speaking, the very least among believers should be listening.  Open hearts should be among us, so we might seek a way to bring men, women, and children to the saving grace of our Lord and then the sanctifying favor from He who we have found and adore.  I personally realize just how much we are called to serve among believers and unbelievers alike, even when serving just means listening.

As for the fellowship among my brothers in Christ who went on this trip, we have all grown closer.  Richard, whom I didn’t really know very well, will now be a life long friend as we have served together and realize we see much more eye to eye than what we ever believed.  It was regrettable though, to the both of us that we never took time out before to get to know one another.

Sometimes people have preconceived ideas about another person and often times they let those ideas keep them from stepping out in faith to get to know them.  I believe Richard realized that he never knew me.  Well, not to the point he does now.  The same can be said about me with him.  Yet I was apologetic and let him know that I’m shy as it is.  Because of that, there are few we serve in the church with who do know me as well as he does now.

Steve, my pastor, friend and mentor is looking at these mission trips now with comfort and casualness.  He understands the urgency of souls needing to be reached fro Christ, but there is now comfort ability in what he does when he goes to India.  He is not as apprehensive as he once was about teaching and preaching to people he doesn’t know.  Now he sees all of them as just needing Jesus Christ and that’s giving him a drive to come back again and again.  May I also learn to step out of my comfort zone until it becomes comfortable for me as well.

3rd and 4th Spoke – “Fellowship and Witness”

Point 1:  “Staring At The Threshold”

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.  (Romans 10:1)

Imagine lying at the door of Death.  It is inevitable that you will be going through that door, sooner than those around you.  Maybe you have a disease, the doctors won’t tell you much, other than you do not have much time, and there’s nothing they can do to help you.  You are staring at the threshold of Eternity, not standing at it, mind you…you have time, but only by the grace of God.  But you don’t believe in God, at least, not Heaven and Hell anyway….that’s what you’ve told yourself, but you always pray to Christ for forgiveness and peace when the going gets REALLY rough. 

Now, here you are, scared because you might be wrong.  You don’t know of course, who can?  Yet you will find out sooner than anyone else.  If you are right, you will close your eyes and fade from existence; this life being all you had.  If you are wrong?  If you choose not to believe what that close Christian friend told you about Christ or what that stranger said when he told you about the death and ressurection of Jesus, just for you, what then? 

Such is the attitude I need to have towards those who do not believe in Christ.  If they HAD TIME to choose, to look at deaths door, what would they choose?  What if they had no idea what was on the other side?  What if you were the only person to help them decide – Heaven by believing or Hell by ignorance?  If I could just get a glimpse of most people this way, would my uncaring attitude change?   People who scoff at the LORD, those who hear the Good News and refuse to believe, may change their tune if they just knew the end was coming.  If I can take this attitude, would I ever give up praying for them, no matter how cruel they treat me or who I stand for?  Or would I just not care because of their indifference?  If God were to give them all the grace, just one more day, one more hour, then I should try to picture what that person may do if he or she stood at the threshold of Eternity.  God forbid, they should reject the witness of our Lord in love, and step into Hell, after my heartfelt warning and affirmation of Christ’s love towards them!  But some will, we just can’t give up hope until hope is gone…because as long as God gives that person the grace to take one more breath, he may also give them one more breath to choose to follow Him and believe that He is Lord. 

For my fellow believer, my attitude changes towards you as well if I can take this attitude towards the unbeliever; because you are united with me in a cause if you share the same burden.  We have a common goal, to love the world one soul at a time that our Lord will be glorified.  I will help you, you will help me, and “fellowship” continues.  And my-”uncaring attitude” towards people besides myself, ends.  May we all “stare at the threshold” before we have to walk through it, for ourselves, but most importantly-for eachother.

The Wheel – 3rd Spoke “Fellowship”

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;”   James 2:8 

I have come to a critical juncture in my discipleship training…fellowship.

I think I’ve admitted once before, I’m kind of a loner.   I could hang out in the mountains (or anywhere else with solitude) with my family and really be okay for quite some time.  But it has been brought to my attention that no man is an island, and the Lord intended communion with others.  The Lord had fellowship with Adam in the garden.  He also saw that Adam was “alone” and created Eve.  Loneliness was the first thing God ever deemed “not good.”  Now I have to deal with crucial aspects of my own heart.  Things I’ve put off because “well, that’s just me.”  That’s not going to fly anymore.

I’m trying to get down to the core as to why I push people away.  Or maybe not push away, but take on a nonchalant attitude about them.  Is it just easier?  Am I afraid of getting hurt?  Is it me, me, me?  Or have I finally just come to the point to where I have to admit I’m more selfish than I am loving?  Maybe I’ve put a wall up for so long that I just don’t care.  I’ve only cared about me and what’s on my side of the wall (family, close friends, my interests) and have made some kind of conscience decision somewhere just not to get involved with anyone on the other side of the wall I’ve put between them and me.  Even fellow believers are on the other side.  The Lord has tugged at my heart all day since yesterday about this. 

Pastor’s sermon was on ”What’s the desire of your heart?”  Sunday morning.  He asked us to make a mental list of about 10 things that we had on our top most desired list.  I jotted down 5 real quick, thinking this was going to be a “God giving the desires of your heart” sermon.  What was on mine?  Well, let me just share the first 5 with you and see if you can guess where my heart was.

1.  A good, well built, clean, house that’s not been torn up by termites

2.  Poison Ivy that has festered all over my right foot to be healed and just GO AWAY!

3.  To be debt free.

4.  Go on vacation w/out worrying about money

5.  To go to India w/out worrying about money   

Sounds bad doesn’t it?  Paul’s heart’s desire was that Israel might be saved.  Mine was, well…

I took notes on the rest of the sermon and planned on going over them all day long today, but something always got in the way.  I always found something better to do than focus on this problem I have within myself.  I must learn to love people the way I love myself, and Pastor Steve gave some tips on how to do that in his sermon.  Over the next few blogs I’m going to go over those tips and write a little bit as to how they apply to my life.  Maybe as I write them down I’ll start to see that somehow the Lord through His Spirit will start providing a new love for just people in general, believers and non believers alike.  Because I really believe that is the root of the problem, just not loving people in general, and being too wrapped up in my own life.  Comments always welcome.  God bless.

Here’s a girly question: “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?”

I heard this today on TBN, and my jaw dropped. 

Of course Trinity Broadcasting Network was promoting Fathers Day; speaking to those experts who see the crisis of the Church today being men are largely uninvolved in the Lord’s work.  In their opinion it is essential that we “revisit our programs” in order to make Church more “man-oriented.”  An example he used was just how we approach a relationship with Jesus Christ.  “Think about it,” he said, “if I went to another man in our church and said ‘I want to have a personal relationship with you.’  I would expect to get punched in the nose.”  I, myself know several manly men in my church, that certainly would do that if I approached them in such a manner as this.  Yet we ask this question in almost every single church service in what I would say nearly every church in America:  “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?” 

Most men I know (especially those outside of the church) have enough relationships.  Men typically AVOID relationships.  I know I have, I still do.  I’m an introverted person myself so it takes a lot for me to get started into new friendships and relationships.  So why would we ask questions like this to men?  Meanwhile, the church is filling up with women by droves.  Women are looking for that special, dynamic relationship that’s missing in their lives.

Here’s a thoughtful question:  Why aren’t we talking to men like men expect to be talked too?  Why aren’t we doing as Christ did?  Instead of asking questions about relationships with Christ, why aren’t we commanding men to follow Christ?  Jesus Christ minced no words with his disciples when he invited them to follow him.  He said two words, “follow me.”  We’ve grown so accustomed to passing out invitations to “personal relationships” instead of challenging men and giving them SOMETHING TO DO!

Whether the guy on TBN realized it or not, he gave me the PERFECT opening for this Discipleship Blog.  Men, I have one statement for you:  “Follow me.”  I challenge you, “follow me.”  Yes, if you know me, you will see my flaws.  It’s alright, I make mistakes….follow me.  There is absolutely no reason I should go on this trek of my life alone.  I am completely sold out to Jesus, I want to follow him with every fiber of myself and Jesus Christ was one of the manliest men I know.  I don’t care what paintings you’ve seen, Jesus Christ HAD to be manly to do all he did.  I refuse to be acknowledged by the rest of the world as Homer Simpson, Tim Allen, or the dad off ‘Family Guy’!  I AM A MAN!  And I will follow a man, the only man who deserves my utmost attention.  Men, follow me!  Tally HO!  ARRRRRRRRRRRRGH!  Jesus Christ is waiting for men, an army of men who are completely and obliviously sold out to Him, so we can spread the gospel to the four corner’s of the world.  I cannot and will not do it alone if someone rises to this challenge with me.  I’m praying for you men.