WHEN GOD SAYS, "AMEN!"

Every preacher likes to hear an occasional, "Amen!" and other words or actions indicating that he is on target with what he is saying. It is encouraging to the speaker to know that his words have struck a cord.

Last Sunday I preached a message about Peter and Cornelius. One of my main points of emphasis was that God is always at work. He works in ways that we are aware of and in other ways we do not perceive. He worked in Peter's life and in Cornelius' life at the same time to orchestrate their meeting and the door of salvation was opened to the Gentiles. This event changed history and eternity!

God might be working in your life and in the life of someone you've never even heard of right now. In His divine providence He has planned for your paths to cross. He knows how your life will bless your new acquaintance and how his/her life will bless you. How wonderful it is when we sense that is happening!

Monday morning I was driving to work and I stopped in at a nearby convenient store to buy a cup of coffee. I wondered if I would have the opportunity to share a little more with Frank, the manager of the store. Over the last few months I have struck up a friendship with him. I discovered he immigrated here from Iran in the 70s. Before our mission trip to Honduras I had managed to share just a little about our faith when he asked several questions about the nature of our trip.

When I went inside the store I found a man already at the counter who did not seem in any hurry to leave. I thought he was scratching off multiple lottery tickets! I got my coffee and approached the counter to pay thinking that I'd have to wait for another time to go any further with the gospel. But as I handed Frank my money he pointed to the other man and said, "He's going on a mission too."

He then introduced me to Lou, a native of Laos, and I discovered he is leaving shortly for an extended mission to Thailand. He pastors a Tai congregation in Gastonia. He told me he had been sharing with Frank for a while. I told him I would keep it up while he was gone. Frank just stood there smiling.

Lou and I talked some more outside. I told him about our friends from EBC who have just returned from Thailand. I handed him my business card and invited him to email me.

As we parted I was struck with the awareness of how awesome a God we serve. He had worked to create a concern for Frank in me. He had already opened the door for me to share in a very natural way. I was anticipating additional opportunities. But for some reason I had never considered the possibility that God was working in someone else's life in the same way. In fact Lou had been working with Frank for some time--well before I was. What was he doing at the counter earlier? Writing down contact info so he and Frank could keep in touch while Lou is away.

Driving away I had to laugh and say, "Thank you God for amening my sermon. Thank you for working in my life and in the life of a man from Laos to provide a witness to a man from Iran of the saving power of Jesus! I can't wait to see what new surprise You have next."

Two Suitcases...

Imagine that you had two suitcases to pack all your personal belongings in--everything you'd need and want for the two years that you would be living in a country half way around the world. What would you pack? A favorite pair of jeans or two? Socks and underwear...can't do without those! How many pairs of shoes could you fit in? A Bible and a few special books would be a must for me (I'm just not into reading books on a machine!). Before you know it you would reach your limit. Lots of things you'd like to have and some things you'd feel like you really needed, but no room. Too bad.

For most of us this would be an interesting mental excercise. But for two friends and their children that is the reality they face in the near future. "Ron", "Babe", and family are heading to Asia to serve with our International Mission Board. Perhaps even today they are packing their two suitcases each and preparing to leave country, family and friends for the next two years. What a commitment that involves such a sacrifice.

And why? The simple answer is that they love Jesus and want others to know and love Him too! They willingly give up some of the creature comforts of living in the United States to identify with the people to whom they will go and take the Gospel. They are motivated because what they leave behind is not nearly as significant as what they carry with them--their faith.

We at East Baptist will be receiving reports from time to time of how we can best pray for Ron and Babe. Can they count on us to do that very thing?

FIRST IN THE WRONG THING!

I heard last week that U.S. students are ranked first in one area when compared to students in other countries surveyed. That's the good news. But the bad news is that our students are ranked 25th in math and 21st in science compared to their counterparts in the rest of the world.

What are our students ranked first in? SELF CONFIDENCE! So we are instilling in our young people the idea that they are doing well while the reality is that we are lagging sadly behind much of the rest of the world in preparing them for the competitive realities of the global marketplace. The self confidence that our educators are doing such a good job of conveying is not based in reality. Our young people believe they are doing well, they are prepared and ready to compete--but they are not!

I think this perfectly illustrates the truth decay going on in our culture. So much of what we believe and how we act is based on unreality. We believe we are fine. We're as good as most other people. We're all God's children. God accepts me just the way I am. But the truth is far different from what we believe!

Join us this Sunday at East Baptist as we continue our series, "Developing A Christian Worldview". Our message will focus on how we (humanity) got here. Where did we come from? Once we answer that question from a biblical perspective we will see that there are life-altering implications in believing there is a God who created us with a specific purpose in mind.

Let's build our beliefs and our lives on reality--the truth of God's eternal word!

God's Awesome Creation

Just got back from our two day excursion into the subtropical jungle. What an amazing world our God has created with variety and beauty beyond imagination. We are blessed to have seen all that we experienced! Back "home" in Quito tonight and we all will sleep well.

Climbing Adventure!

I love old cities, old churches, and and the adventure of exploring them--particularly when it involves climbing. On the last day of my trip here in 2008, Megan and I walked up from the old historic district of Quito to the National Basilica of the Vote. The Diocese of Quito had this cathedral constructed in the 1940s & 50s(?) to rival the great cathedrals of Europe. I was very disappointed that the observation towers were already closed that day so today I gave it another try.

I never imagined how many different staircases, walkways, and ladders of various descriptions could be in one building. After a routine beginning of easy stairs and the first observation point I ventured a little farther and was surprised to discover a wooden walkway/gangplank constructed between the vaulted ceiling of the cathedral and the roof above. No handrails--only a strand of rope on each side to keep one from falling onto the ceiling! At the end of the walkway was a steel ladder which led to outside the roof and to two other ladders leading up to an open observation spot atop the northern spire of the church. (Lawyers in the U.S. would salivate over the potential for lawsuits!)

The views of Quito from that tower would have been well worth the $2 I spent to enter, but I wasn't done yet. I returned to the southern end of the building and this time followed more stairs and ladders up to the clock and then the bell tower above the clock. This spot towered well above even the southern spire. What a gorgeous vista! While there I got to meet a doctor and his family from Idaho spending the summer in Ecuador to learn the language. I also spoke with a young couple from Ecuador, Merlin and Fi, who were kind enough to take a picture with me in it.

Life is filled with twists and turns and sometimes daunting climbs. But often I find that the view from the top more than justifies the effort! Here's hoping that all my friends and family who read this will have some wonderful days filled with joy while we are away. Happy climbing!

PS--Our next few days are going to be pretty full with visiting family and an excursion away from Quito to an eco-lodge. There we will experience the cloud forest, visit waterfalls, sample exotic fruit, make chocolate(!), and perhaps relax a little. Please pray for us. God bless!

Ordeal or Adventure?

Being early is overrated. I know that is a terrible thing to say, but since I have frequently been told I will be late to my own funeral I admit that at least subconsciously I must believe it to be true. Now I have been trying in my "late"er years to work at being more prompt. But what happened Monday only makes me want to relapse.

With the kind of encouragement only a wonderful wife can provide, Penny had me at the airport the way the airlines request--two hours early for an international flight. I don't think I've ever been to the airport that early! And what did it get me? Delta flight 3567 was delayed once, twice, three times! When we finally touched down in Atlanta the only Atlanta flight to Quito of the day was taking off. We got off our plane and raced to the terminal only to look at the monitor and see, "Flight 673...DEPARTED." Deltal wanted to re-route us through Santiago, Chile arriving at 7AM and not getting to Quito until after 8PM the next day. I replied, "Fly all night with a 5 year old, only to get to Quito a couple hours before this same flight tomorrow gets there? No thanks!"

A good friend passed along a quote he had heard to me. The only difference between an adventure and an ordeal is...attitude. So Evan and I decided we'd prefer an adventure. We had a nice dinner on Delta, stayed at a comfortable motel on Delta and made it to Quito 24+ hours late but none the worse for wear. And we met some wonderful people to boot. Wouldn't you know it, our flight on Tues. was significantly delayed. While waiting to board Toby and Rachel from Chicago helped us pass the time and we both enjoyed getting to know them. They seemed like such genuinely nice people and we wish them well on their own adventure in Ecuador and Peru.

Erin met us at the airport in Quito. Her bags arrived just before us after she had been here for three days! I discovered that back home the washing machine had decided to spew out who knows how many gallons of water through much of our downstairs and by nightfall Penny and the girls had seen most of the carpet ripped out and 29 blowers doing their best to dry out the house.

There are a lot worse things in life than airline delays and inconveniences on a trip. Right now my friend who shared the quote with me is in a fight with cancer. I've been reminded to pray for him and to be more thankful for all the wonderful gifts God gives me each day to enjoy. The inconveniences and hassles of everyday life? NO BIG DEAL! And I promise that when we get back to the states and real life I'll try to work on my late attitude!

SOMETHING OLD... ALL THINGS NEW!

Bad luck seems to come in cycles doesn't it!? A two week span of misfortune started one recent Friday night while playing for our church softball team. Minding my own business in the outfield, I saw a line drive heading my way. I ran up and over as fast as my 54 year old legs could go, stretched my right arm across my body as far as I could and the ball fell in my glove! It was the best catch I've made in years. An inning or so later, after the adrenaline had worn off, I was running to third base and felt something was not right. I couldn't move my right arm more than 45 degrees up. After a doctor's visit, an MRI, and another doctor's visit, I find myself in PT rehabbing my shoulder because of a tear in my rotator cuff. Not fun, but it sure beats the surgery I thought I was going to have.

Ten days after the shoulder injury I was at a plastic surgeon's office to have a mole-like growth and a precancerous spot removed from my forehead and temple areas. The doctor said he saw another spot that concerned him on my nose and a few other little snips and cuts that needed attention...so I said, "You're the doctor. Whatever needs doing." Forty five minutes later after removing all the ugly he could I left with 12 fresh wounds on my facial area. I had learned my lesson. Never tell a surgeon with a scapel in his hand, "Whatever needs doing!" Or don't go to a surgeon toward the end of the month who needs more billables.

Three days later I took my grandson, Evan, fishing. Erin came to pick him up at the lake and promptly caught the nicest fish of the day, a two pound bass, on my rod and reel. Being the good Dad that I am I volunteered to take the fish off the hook. Naturally the fish jumped while in my hand, thrusting the free hook in the lure through my right thumb. With all the sincerity in the world Evan said, "I'm glad it's you and not me Grandpa!"

If you're still with me after my sob stories there is a point to all this. It's not easy getting older! I've discovered how much I took good shoulders for granted, how painful it is to have lidocaine injected all over your face, and that a hook through your thumb can tempt even this preacher to cuss!

I've also found new comfort in the promise from Revelation 21: "Behold I make all thing new!" How wonderful it will be to have a body better than new. How freeing to be healed from all the emotional and relational scarring this world gives. What joy for the believer to be finally spiritually whole!

I love life with all its joy--and even with its pain. But like I've heard from my elders all my life, the older I get the more I realize that this world is not my home. I'm just passing through getting ready for the life that is to come. I'm excited about one day meeting Jesus and experiencing the perfection that only heaven can bring. I hope that the thoughts of eternity excite you and that you are prepared for that great reality.

BOOK RE-RECOMMENDATION: SAFELY HOME BY RANDY ALCORN WILL GIVE YOU AN ENLIGHTENING GLIMPSE INTO HEAVEN AND CHALLENGE YOUR DEPTH OF COMMITMENT TO CHRIST IN THE PRESENT.