The Team is back in Lima. They will compile a report and share their strategy in the next few days.
Today they were stuck in lines of cars as much as 12 miles long. There are many sightseers; but there are many up to no good, as well. They spoke with emotion about the danger they sensed while in Ica. They also recognized God was with them.
The team was very frustrated to not be able to give much away. The needs are just too overwhelming.
Give thanks for a safe return.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The Quake in Peru - Saturday afternoon
The team is slowly making its way back to Lima. They are still more than 100 miles away. Traffic is snarled and crawling at the pace of lukewarm tar.
The team was able to visit both Paracas and Pisco, both very hard-hit areas. They will give a better report when phone reception is better, or when they arrive.
Meanwhile, Peru's local paper, El Comercio, reported that they have 20% of basic services restored in Ica, with hopes of reaching 80% by nightfall. Lighted streets and running water will make a significant difference for the survivors.
The team was able to visit both Paracas and Pisco, both very hard-hit areas. They will give a better report when phone reception is better, or when they arrive.
Meanwhile, Peru's local paper, El Comercio, reported that they have 20% of basic services restored in Ica, with hopes of reaching 80% by nightfall. Lighted streets and running water will make a significant difference for the survivors.
Saturday morning, part 2
Pam just called in. They did not sleep very much last night. There were two strong shakes, looting, gunfire, whistles, and shouting went on all night long in Ica. The store owners won't open their stores this morning for fear of being looted. The desparate victims loot even more when they see there is nothing available to buy. The cycle must be broken. Pray for order to be restored.
The team is going to try to make it to Paracas, a historical town that is mostly under water now. Situated by the sea, Paracas was innundated during the quake.
The team hopes to be back by "bedtime" tonight.
The team is going to try to make it to Paracas, a historical town that is mostly under water now. Situated by the sea, Paracas was innundated during the quake.
The team hopes to be back by "bedtime" tonight.
Peru Earthquake, Saturday Morning
The research/relief team is hard at work. Meanwhile, local newspapers report some 33,200 homes have been destroyed in the Ica/Chincha areas. The destruction is overwhelming. The discrepancies you will read in the death tolls are due to the fact that, until a body has been identified, it is not "officially dead." So the volunteer firemen and other workers have one set of statistics, while the government publishes another set.
No single entity will be able to reach out and make a difference. And, as it is with all major disasters, this won't be fixed overnight. But nations from around the world have responded in compassion, giving all kinds of help.
Looting and raiding continues to be a problem. Local officials are asking for the government to send in the military to control the chaos.
Aftershocks continue to frighten almost everyone who feels them. Even this morning at 1 AM the house was popping, cracking, and shuddering; and we were not among those who suffered damages!
More when the team calls in...
No single entity will be able to reach out and make a difference. And, as it is with all major disasters, this won't be fixed overnight. But nations from around the world have responded in compassion, giving all kinds of help.
Looting and raiding continues to be a problem. Local officials are asking for the government to send in the military to control the chaos.
Aftershocks continue to frighten almost everyone who feels them. Even this morning at 1 AM the house was popping, cracking, and shuddering; and we were not among those who suffered damages!
More when the team calls in...
Friday, August 17, 2007
Latest from Ica, Peru
I spoke with the research/relief team about ten minutes ago. They had an answer to prayer in that the school administrators allowed them to bring all vehicles inside the walled school property. They have also allowed them to set up tents inside and to use this place as their initial base of operations.
The team reports that the church building there is in shambles. There have been several thousand dollars of damage to that one structure.
Tomorrow the plan is to give each family of the church a relief package for themselves, as well as one to give to an unsaved family to minister both evangelistically and holistically.
The team thinks they may head back to Lima tomorrow to refit and head out again next week.
Thanks for your continued prayers.
The team reports that the church building there is in shambles. There have been several thousand dollars of damage to that one structure.
Tomorrow the plan is to give each family of the church a relief package for themselves, as well as one to give to an unsaved family to minister both evangelistically and holistically.
The team thinks they may head back to Lima tomorrow to refit and head out again next week.
Thanks for your continued prayers.
In Ica, Peru
The investigation team is in Ica, Peru. The church that they planned to coordinate distribution efforts with has a building far too damaged to use. The school next door was in better shape and has allowed the church members to offload our supplies there.
The pillagers who ransacked one truck, by the way, only got away with a minimal amount of their blankets and personal hygiene items we had prepared for distribution.
My wife Pam tells me they do not know where they will sleep tonight. They are working out arrangements with church members at this time. They went prepared to sleep on the ground, or in the trucks.
Two words describe Pam's impression of what she has seen so far: devastation and danger. The people are desparate, hungry, thirsty, and very frightened. Pray for all involved.
The pillagers who ransacked one truck, by the way, only got away with a minimal amount of their blankets and personal hygiene items we had prepared for distribution.
My wife Pam tells me they do not know where they will sleep tonight. They are working out arrangements with church members at this time. They went prepared to sleep on the ground, or in the trucks.
Two words describe Pam's impression of what she has seen so far: devastation and danger. The people are desparate, hungry, thirsty, and very frightened. Pray for all involved.
Quake update
I just spoke with one of the members of the investigation team. They have been stuck on the Pan American Highway for the past 3 hours (approximately). As the traffic finally began moving across a bridge at a town called San Clemente, some people converged upon the trucks. They managed to get the windows open on one of the trucks and took out the supplies the team was taking to Ica.
No one was injured and the team is fine; but your prayers are important!
The pastor from Chincha was able to get one truckload of water delivered to his completely destroyed community. The team rejoices that they have been put in the right places at the right times to be able to minister.
No one was injured and the team is fine; but your prayers are important!
The pastor from Chincha was able to get one truckload of water delivered to his completely destroyed community. The team rejoices that they have been put in the right places at the right times to be able to minister.
The Quake, part 6
I just spoke with the team. We are pricing tarps for folks to use for coverings/walls. They are stuck outside Pisco, the hardest-hit city. The military has stopped all traffic on the Pan American highway.
In Chincha, an hour north of Pisco, the team was able to buy at least 5 truckloads of water for a neglected area in that city; that area is cut off from the main distribution center in Chincha. A local pastor will be on hand to coordinate the distribution of the water, which will supply that area for as much as 3 days.
In Chincha, an hour north of Pisco, the team was able to buy at least 5 truckloads of water for a neglected area in that city; that area is cut off from the main distribution center in Chincha. A local pastor will be on hand to coordinate the distribution of the water, which will supply that area for as much as 3 days.
Earthquake, part 5
News reports by local television showed large crowds of men and women standing along the highways, rushing any vehicle they thought might be carrying relief items. Vigilante justice is beginning to take over the harder-hit areas. Pray for our caravan of 4 vehicles that are loaded with relief items.
The team had stopped outside one of the hard-hit towns; there they sent in one truck with the adminstrative support leader for our missionaries. He was going to consult with officials and try to get some better indication as to where the team should consider investigating.
The aftershocks still continue at the rate of about one an hour--this, 2 days later.
Thanks for praying!
The team had stopped outside one of the hard-hit towns; there they sent in one truck with the adminstrative support leader for our missionaries. He was going to consult with officials and try to get some better indication as to where the team should consider investigating.
The aftershocks still continue at the rate of about one an hour--this, 2 days later.
Thanks for praying!
Earthquake, Part 4
The first report from our team is from Cañete. There is a tremendous lack of potable water. Our team coordinated with them to purchase a truckload of drinking water for the part of Cañete they visited.
This will be the greatest need, no doubt. Where there are wells, the water is very muddy from the constant aftershocks, making it undrinkable.
More as we receive reports...
This will be the greatest need, no doubt. Where there are wells, the water is very muddy from the constant aftershocks, making it undrinkable.
More as we receive reports...
Earthquake in Peru, part 3
Yesterday was spent checking on outlying areas around Lima where we have ministry sites. About 5 of us assembled at 2 to plan a trip for today to the most devastated areas, all between one hundred and one hundred-fifty miles south of Lima.
The death toll is above 500 now. We have heard of many small villages that are in desperate need of relief. Many villages in the areas most affected were completely leveled, are without running water, and without lights. People are sleeping in the streets; others are afraid of looters and are staying in houses that are structurally unsafe. Our team, which left an hour ago, will determine to what extent we can be involved.
The aftershocks continue. We just had a 30+ second shock of over 5 in the Richter Scale. I thought I was going to have to leave the house.
Pray for Peru!
The death toll is above 500 now. We have heard of many small villages that are in desperate need of relief. Many villages in the areas most affected were completely leveled, are without running water, and without lights. People are sleeping in the streets; others are afraid of looters and are staying in houses that are structurally unsafe. Our team, which left an hour ago, will determine to what extent we can be involved.
The aftershocks continue. We just had a 30+ second shock of over 5 in the Richter Scale. I thought I was going to have to leave the house.
Pray for Peru!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Earthquake in Peru, part 2
Civil Defense puts the death toll in the cities south of Lima at 337 and climbing. More than 1,000 were injured. The Pan American Highway collapsed 200 kilometers south of Lima. Traffic is snarled and slow through that area.
As Drudge says, "developing..."
As Drudge says, "developing..."
Earthquake in Peru
Our supper last night was rudely interrupted by the strongest tremor we have felt in more than 18 years of time in Peru.
Let Quentin Roberts tell the story from downtown Lima:
"We were downtown in the building when the tremors began….the building floor was shaking a lot….we quickly exit the building to meet total chaos on the streets. The streets were moving like water waves. All the people were running out of the discos and buildings. A lot of tension and confusion was in the air. The people were gathering in the streets and obstructing the traffic. We tried unsuccessfully to get a taxi….they were all filled…we finally got a bus and after 2 hours we arrived home safely.
Prayers are needed for the people who live in the buildings downtown…they are afraid to reenter the buildings because they are adobe and very weak."
It was a frightening 2 minutes. News reports claim hundreds have died. Today we will assess our participation in disaster relief in the towns south of Lima. It will be tedious and difficult due to the chaos this has produced.
Pray for Peru!
Let Quentin Roberts tell the story from downtown Lima:
"We were downtown in the building when the tremors began….the building floor was shaking a lot….we quickly exit the building to meet total chaos on the streets. The streets were moving like water waves. All the people were running out of the discos and buildings. A lot of tension and confusion was in the air. The people were gathering in the streets and obstructing the traffic. We tried unsuccessfully to get a taxi….they were all filled…we finally got a bus and after 2 hours we arrived home safely.
Prayers are needed for the people who live in the buildings downtown…they are afraid to reenter the buildings because they are adobe and very weak."
It was a frightening 2 minutes. News reports claim hundreds have died. Today we will assess our participation in disaster relief in the towns south of Lima. It will be tedious and difficult due to the chaos this has produced.
Pray for Peru!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Who Built Your Walls?
I was supposed to be a part of a wall-dedication yesterday. Yes, you read that right: a wall-dedication. We used human needs funds to build a retaining wall around a community of 350 people. That wall is to protect them from landslides that can occur from seismic activity. The Andes Mountains are known for their frequent tremors. I saw one of those rocks come down the hill one day. It was ugly. The ground shook as the big boulder bounced its way downward. You would have been mortified to have been there. The boulder came to rest against a part of the wall that had been completed. The wall demonstrated it was doing what we constructed it to do.
Before we could build the good wall. We had to tear down the bad wall. There was a wall that was poorly constructed; one that was formed by piling rocks, one on top of the other. Had a boulder come down the steep hillside, that wall would scattered like bowling pins.
It made me think of the walls around us. Some of them are there by the grace of God. He is our fortress. He is our protection. He keeps the big rocks from pounding us. He keeps the enemy at a distance with the walls he sets up.
Sometimes we tear down those walls of protection. We do it through willful disobedience. We do it through rebellion. We do it through anger, grudges, and an unrepentant heart. We actually dig under the foundations to try to escape submission to God. And he lets us do that. He knows that Jesus' true followers will be back; they won't tarry long outside of God's protection.
Sometimes we build our own walls, thinking that we are keeping some things out. The truth is we are keeping too many things in. Those walls become strongholds. They become prisons of our own doing. Imagine the insanity of that! Yet we do it. I never met anyone who has not built up some kind of stronghold in his life. I met plenty who are now free from those strongholds.
Sometimes we are passive in our relationship with Jesus, and we allow his enemy to build walls around us. That is also a stronghold. You have seen those strongholds before. Fear. Doubt. Bitterness. Rage. We may disguise them; but they are there.
Those kinds of walls need tearing down. We need to let the Master Builder go to work and build the protective walls.
Oh, the wall-dedication got put off for a few weeks. That happens in this culture. They forgot to tell me. That also happens in this culture.
In the same way, we can be tempted to put off our homage to Jesus--our worship of the Master Builder. Don't! Thank him every day for his protective walls he has placed around you.
Take a good look at your life. Who built your walls?
Before we could build the good wall. We had to tear down the bad wall. There was a wall that was poorly constructed; one that was formed by piling rocks, one on top of the other. Had a boulder come down the steep hillside, that wall would scattered like bowling pins.
It made me think of the walls around us. Some of them are there by the grace of God. He is our fortress. He is our protection. He keeps the big rocks from pounding us. He keeps the enemy at a distance with the walls he sets up.
Sometimes we tear down those walls of protection. We do it through willful disobedience. We do it through rebellion. We do it through anger, grudges, and an unrepentant heart. We actually dig under the foundations to try to escape submission to God. And he lets us do that. He knows that Jesus' true followers will be back; they won't tarry long outside of God's protection.
Sometimes we build our own walls, thinking that we are keeping some things out. The truth is we are keeping too many things in. Those walls become strongholds. They become prisons of our own doing. Imagine the insanity of that! Yet we do it. I never met anyone who has not built up some kind of stronghold in his life. I met plenty who are now free from those strongholds.
Sometimes we are passive in our relationship with Jesus, and we allow his enemy to build walls around us. That is also a stronghold. You have seen those strongholds before. Fear. Doubt. Bitterness. Rage. We may disguise them; but they are there.
Those kinds of walls need tearing down. We need to let the Master Builder go to work and build the protective walls.
Oh, the wall-dedication got put off for a few weeks. That happens in this culture. They forgot to tell me. That also happens in this culture.
In the same way, we can be tempted to put off our homage to Jesus--our worship of the Master Builder. Don't! Thank him every day for his protective walls he has placed around you.
Take a good look at your life. Who built your walls?
Friday, August 10, 2007
A Thief in the Night
The thief has a three-fold purpose. He never comes to pay you a visit. He comes with a specific goal in mind. He wants to steal what you have, destroy what you have, and to kill.
We lived that last Sunday afternoon. Right after I had admonished all of us to stand in the valley and praise God in the face of a strong enemy, the enemy broke into our house--literally.
I went off to participate in ministry in one of our hundreds of shantytowns all over our city. I left at three Sunday afternoon. I returned at seven (after dark here) to find our home as the latest target of the thieves that often "visit" the wealthy neighborhoods. Now I never considered myself to be wealthy, mind you. But compared to many, we are living like kings.
The thieves stole what we had; we lost all our files for our work--everything. They even got our backup files. We lost many personal possessions; some of those are irreplaceable. We lost ministry items. And we have lost countless hours of time, trying to put things back in order.
They destroyed our property--the entrance doors were jimmied and the locks were obliterated. For a few hours--perhaps more--they destroyed our peace of mind. The first night every bump I heard brought me to a sitting postion. It was not a good night's rest.
And they killed the joy of the day's ministry. Now they have been known to kill dogs and people who get in their way; but no one was home, thankfully.
Now all this was bad. You have no idea, unless you have lived it.
But that is not as bad as The Thief. He is one whose singular goal is to take you to hell. His goal is to destroy your ministry. His is to wreak havoc in your daily life. You must know that his heart is filled with hatred, even for those actively serve him. He hates you. He hates us all.
Don't be fooled by the thief. He may pay you a visit and be so friendly. But he is only looking around to see how he can destroy your life. He will come back in the night and destroy what he can.
Jesus, on the other hand, will give you an abundance as you have never seen. It may not be in material terms; but it will be treasures in your heart and spirit. It's a far better payoff.
We lived that last Sunday afternoon. Right after I had admonished all of us to stand in the valley and praise God in the face of a strong enemy, the enemy broke into our house--literally.
I went off to participate in ministry in one of our hundreds of shantytowns all over our city. I left at three Sunday afternoon. I returned at seven (after dark here) to find our home as the latest target of the thieves that often "visit" the wealthy neighborhoods. Now I never considered myself to be wealthy, mind you. But compared to many, we are living like kings.
The thieves stole what we had; we lost all our files for our work--everything. They even got our backup files. We lost many personal possessions; some of those are irreplaceable. We lost ministry items. And we have lost countless hours of time, trying to put things back in order.
They destroyed our property--the entrance doors were jimmied and the locks were obliterated. For a few hours--perhaps more--they destroyed our peace of mind. The first night every bump I heard brought me to a sitting postion. It was not a good night's rest.
And they killed the joy of the day's ministry. Now they have been known to kill dogs and people who get in their way; but no one was home, thankfully.
Now all this was bad. You have no idea, unless you have lived it.
But that is not as bad as The Thief. He is one whose singular goal is to take you to hell. His goal is to destroy your ministry. His is to wreak havoc in your daily life. You must know that his heart is filled with hatred, even for those actively serve him. He hates you. He hates us all.
Don't be fooled by the thief. He may pay you a visit and be so friendly. But he is only looking around to see how he can destroy your life. He will come back in the night and destroy what he can.
Jesus, on the other hand, will give you an abundance as you have never seen. It may not be in material terms; but it will be treasures in your heart and spirit. It's a far better payoff.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Standing in the Valley of Praise
Let me tell you a really old story; it can even begin with "Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a king."
Now this king was kind, generous, honest and wise. He insisted his judges be impartial and honest in all their dealings. He feared God and tried to follow him. Oh, to be sure, he was not perfect in all his ways; but mostly his heart was right before God. And God was with him.
As it is with all of us, one day the enemy showed up at his gates. This enemy was strong, formidable. Someone came to the king and said, "Sir, you're in a tight spot. The enemy is coming against you." Now the king had a choice to make. He could call on some of his neighbors to come help; but they did not follow the Lord. His neighbors decided long ago that following the Lord was stilted, rigid, and--well, not tolerant or cool. The king could call on them. Or he could do what he did: call on the Lord.
So the king called for a prayer meeting. He was pretty forthright in his prayers, too. He said, "Lord, we have only shown these people kindness. Now look at what they are doing. Are you going to let them get away with this?" This is where the story gets good.
Every man, woman, and child showed up for this prayer meeting. The rich were there. The poor were there. Young and old alike, they were all there. Even all the choir showed up. And God spoke. There they stood, or perhaps many knelt, when God whispered into the heart of one of the men there. He was a worship leader, maybe; or maybe he was just a member of the choir. But don't discount him! God spoke to him.
You would think that God would speak to one of his prophets, right? Or maybe a preacher. But no. God does what God pleases; and what God pleases always brings honor to God. So God chose to speak in an unlikely manner. I wonder how unexpected it was for God to speak like this?
The choir master lifted his voice and said, "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! I think I have a message for you, majesty. Don't sweat this army. Don't give up. You just stand back and watch; God's gonna take care of them." The man told the king what route the army was taking and where they should go. And remember, he told them to just stand there and let God do the fighting.
But there was more. God told them to put the choir in front of the army. Imagine a choir marching in front of the army, singing with all their might about the holiness of God. Onward they marched, singing and praising the Lord.
The air was pregnant with praise. The angels of the Lord were shouting in agreement, no doubt. The demons of hell were cringing in disgust, I am sure. Two groups of the enemy rose up against another. Then those two turned on themselves. Before long the battle was over; the enemy was defeated. And the king's army had not lifted a single weapon.
There they stood, victorious. There was so much stuff there that it took three full days to haul off what they could. And what did they call the place? The Valley of Praise. Some call it the Valley of Blessing. Here "blessing" stands for "praise."
The king prospered for many years after that.
May I remind you of something? When you choose to follow the Lord Jesus with all your heart, you are going to make an amazing discovery. You will discover that the Lord's chief enemy, Satan, is going to send his forces against you. Paul told Timothy, "Everyone who chooses to live a godly, Christ-like life will suffer persecution." That means they will find themselves in a tight spot. Satan wants to discourage you. He wants you to get so low in the valley you can't see the mountaintops. Turn that valley into The Valley of Praise. Let God rout your enemies. You just praise him, draw near to him, and let him do the dirty work.
Oh, you can read that story in 2 Chronicles 20, in your Old Testament.
Now this king was kind, generous, honest and wise. He insisted his judges be impartial and honest in all their dealings. He feared God and tried to follow him. Oh, to be sure, he was not perfect in all his ways; but mostly his heart was right before God. And God was with him.
As it is with all of us, one day the enemy showed up at his gates. This enemy was strong, formidable. Someone came to the king and said, "Sir, you're in a tight spot. The enemy is coming against you." Now the king had a choice to make. He could call on some of his neighbors to come help; but they did not follow the Lord. His neighbors decided long ago that following the Lord was stilted, rigid, and--well, not tolerant or cool. The king could call on them. Or he could do what he did: call on the Lord.
So the king called for a prayer meeting. He was pretty forthright in his prayers, too. He said, "Lord, we have only shown these people kindness. Now look at what they are doing. Are you going to let them get away with this?" This is where the story gets good.
Every man, woman, and child showed up for this prayer meeting. The rich were there. The poor were there. Young and old alike, they were all there. Even all the choir showed up. And God spoke. There they stood, or perhaps many knelt, when God whispered into the heart of one of the men there. He was a worship leader, maybe; or maybe he was just a member of the choir. But don't discount him! God spoke to him.
You would think that God would speak to one of his prophets, right? Or maybe a preacher. But no. God does what God pleases; and what God pleases always brings honor to God. So God chose to speak in an unlikely manner. I wonder how unexpected it was for God to speak like this?
The choir master lifted his voice and said, "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! I think I have a message for you, majesty. Don't sweat this army. Don't give up. You just stand back and watch; God's gonna take care of them." The man told the king what route the army was taking and where they should go. And remember, he told them to just stand there and let God do the fighting.
But there was more. God told them to put the choir in front of the army. Imagine a choir marching in front of the army, singing with all their might about the holiness of God. Onward they marched, singing and praising the Lord.
The air was pregnant with praise. The angels of the Lord were shouting in agreement, no doubt. The demons of hell were cringing in disgust, I am sure. Two groups of the enemy rose up against another. Then those two turned on themselves. Before long the battle was over; the enemy was defeated. And the king's army had not lifted a single weapon.
There they stood, victorious. There was so much stuff there that it took three full days to haul off what they could. And what did they call the place? The Valley of Praise. Some call it the Valley of Blessing. Here "blessing" stands for "praise."
The king prospered for many years after that.
May I remind you of something? When you choose to follow the Lord Jesus with all your heart, you are going to make an amazing discovery. You will discover that the Lord's chief enemy, Satan, is going to send his forces against you. Paul told Timothy, "Everyone who chooses to live a godly, Christ-like life will suffer persecution." That means they will find themselves in a tight spot. Satan wants to discourage you. He wants you to get so low in the valley you can't see the mountaintops. Turn that valley into The Valley of Praise. Let God rout your enemies. You just praise him, draw near to him, and let him do the dirty work.
Oh, you can read that story in 2 Chronicles 20, in your Old Testament.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Where Are the Heroes?
A-Rod hit #500. The world--more than 99% of it--barely stifled a yawn. But for someone out there, A-Rod is a hero. Folks are speaking of his historic achievement. Really? Five hundred homers is an achievement, to be sure; but historic? Hardly. But, as I said, sports figures are heroes for a number of people.
On my television at this moment is a series called "Heroes." I heard that this show is one of the hottest in the U.S.A. It has two dimensions to it: it is spiritual; and it projects men and women doing heroic things.
Harry Potter is a hero for a lot of kids (maybe some adults, too). So is Britney. So is Paris. And Brad. And too many more like them.
One common thread runs through many of these modern heroes: they lack moral fiber. I am not saying A-Rod lacks it; I don't know him. But we know that a lot of sports figures, music stars, and movies stars, and even fictional characters are morally bankrupt. They live a duplicitous life, partying and doing things that cannot be mentioned in a public forum; or, when they find themselves in trouble, talking about how much they love the Lord. And these are the men and women that we try to immortalize in our minds.
Here is the true definition of a hero: "a man [or woman, in the case of a heroine] of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities."
Where, may I ask, are the true heroes? Where are the men and women that make a difference, but for the greater good of this world and of eternal things?
They are out there. They work quietly most of the time. Many would never consider themselves to be heroes. Their eyebrows would raise so high they would run under their hairline if they knew you thought of them as your hero. But there they are: sacrificing their lives for others, loving unconditionally, spending sleepless nights so you can rest comfortably. They leave their comforts behind to help take others to a higher level. Some work in offices, some in labs, some in hospitals, some in the streets.
Do you have a hero? Do you have a heroine? Take time to pray for them. Take time to tell them.
On my television at this moment is a series called "Heroes." I heard that this show is one of the hottest in the U.S.A. It has two dimensions to it: it is spiritual; and it projects men and women doing heroic things.
Harry Potter is a hero for a lot of kids (maybe some adults, too). So is Britney. So is Paris. And Brad. And too many more like them.
One common thread runs through many of these modern heroes: they lack moral fiber. I am not saying A-Rod lacks it; I don't know him. But we know that a lot of sports figures, music stars, and movies stars, and even fictional characters are morally bankrupt. They live a duplicitous life, partying and doing things that cannot be mentioned in a public forum; or, when they find themselves in trouble, talking about how much they love the Lord. And these are the men and women that we try to immortalize in our minds.
Here is the true definition of a hero: "a man [or woman, in the case of a heroine] of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities."
Where, may I ask, are the true heroes? Where are the men and women that make a difference, but for the greater good of this world and of eternal things?
They are out there. They work quietly most of the time. Many would never consider themselves to be heroes. Their eyebrows would raise so high they would run under their hairline if they knew you thought of them as your hero. But there they are: sacrificing their lives for others, loving unconditionally, spending sleepless nights so you can rest comfortably. They leave their comforts behind to help take others to a higher level. Some work in offices, some in labs, some in hospitals, some in the streets.
Do you have a hero? Do you have a heroine? Take time to pray for them. Take time to tell them.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Pray for the Korean Hostages
We must pray. Our body is hurting; we must pray. God will hear us. I don't know what his answer will be; but he will hear us.
Press On!
Today I read where a 94-year-old received her Masters degree. What a story of perseverance! What a message for us all!
Paul said, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:12 - 14, NKJV) The NIV says "I press on..."
Just as Phyllis Turner pressed on for her Masters, we must press on towards Christ, ever growing, always reaching higher and higher. It will seem like many things set themselves against us, preventing us from reaching our goal. What we often see as a hindrance, though, is God's training room to make us fit for the next level.
You can bet Phyllis Turner did not waltz through the program. You can be assured she worked hard for what she got. She stretched until she finally reached her prize.
We, too, must stretch. We will not reach the prize of the upward calling, the price of Christ-likeness easily. We will have days we are discouraged. We will have days we don't believe we can do. But we can; we will. We must press on!
Paul said, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:12 - 14, NKJV) The NIV says "I press on..."
Just as Phyllis Turner pressed on for her Masters, we must press on towards Christ, ever growing, always reaching higher and higher. It will seem like many things set themselves against us, preventing us from reaching our goal. What we often see as a hindrance, though, is God's training room to make us fit for the next level.
You can bet Phyllis Turner did not waltz through the program. You can be assured she worked hard for what she got. She stretched until she finally reached her prize.
We, too, must stretch. We will not reach the prize of the upward calling, the price of Christ-likeness easily. We will have days we are discouraged. We will have days we don't believe we can do. But we can; we will. We must press on!
Monday, July 30, 2007
A Day at an Oasis
Yesterday I was with three volunteers, working in a squatter community called Oasis. Believe me when I tell you it is a misnomer to call this place Oasis. Oasis is built right on top of a garbage dump. It smells. Because of the lack of sanitary conditions, it smells even worse than the landfill covered with sand and dirt that it is. I am not looking forward to next summer (January through March down here); the flies, already swarming, will be plague-like in their presence. That's another story.
Before the Bible study I spoke with two ladies. They both asked me to visit their "house" after the study. They called it a house; we would not even call it a shack. These are huts. I was in more than one of them in the past few weeks. The majority have dirt floors; the walls are made of woven straw mats. Or cardboard. Or plywood if they can get a little money together. Some have tin roofs; most are plastic, like you may use in construction. I have to duck to stand up inside any of them; their ceilings are only about 6 feet. They are illuminated with single light bulbs. I was headed into these after the study.
The study was good. The pastor was very encouraging for the small crowd who had gathered. After the study finished, before I could join the ladies who asked for a home visit, a lady approached me. She had a question, one that led to eternal life for her. Ana asked how she could belong to our group. I opened The Book and preached Jesus. She readily identified with her need for salvation and, with tears in her eyes, she prayed to receive the Lord. As I began her immediate follow-up, a leader from the next group of squatters came up to me, drunk and belligerent. He wanted to know what had these people done to merit my personal attention. I made him repeat himself, and afterwards told him what he needed (not wanted) to hear: God loves them; that is why we are there.
I asked him to let me continue my conversation with Ana, our new believer; but he kept interrupting. If it could get worse, I didn't believe it. And maybe things did not get worse. Maybe it was just one of those days.
I was sipping the hot chocolate they served to me while I was speaking with Luis and Ana, alternating between the two in the time I could divert Luis away from us. As I got to the bottom of the cup, I looked down. The styrofoam cup was full of little black spots. I put on my glasses and saw that those spots had even smaller legs. They were bugs! How appropriate! I had a 6 foot tall bug standing before me, interrupting my witness to this new believer. Now I had no telling how many swimming around inside my stomach.
I finally dispensed with Luis and made arrangements for Ana's discipleship. Now it was time to visit the two ladies' homes. I entered these homes with a little reluctance. They know I live better than they do; it's embarrassing for them for The Gringo to visit. But I was there at their request. We prayed, we talked, and we tried to listen to the Holy Spirit. We tried to encourage these broken women to walk with the Lord Jesus, to let him have first place in their lives.
By now it was dark. You don't want to spend much time in Oasis after dark. It's not safe. And it had been dark for close to an hour. We finally got away, bugs and all. But we all left a part of our heart in Oasis.
And so went another day at a not-so-typical Oasis, somewhere in South America.
Before the Bible study I spoke with two ladies. They both asked me to visit their "house" after the study. They called it a house; we would not even call it a shack. These are huts. I was in more than one of them in the past few weeks. The majority have dirt floors; the walls are made of woven straw mats. Or cardboard. Or plywood if they can get a little money together. Some have tin roofs; most are plastic, like you may use in construction. I have to duck to stand up inside any of them; their ceilings are only about 6 feet. They are illuminated with single light bulbs. I was headed into these after the study.
The study was good. The pastor was very encouraging for the small crowd who had gathered. After the study finished, before I could join the ladies who asked for a home visit, a lady approached me. She had a question, one that led to eternal life for her. Ana asked how she could belong to our group. I opened The Book and preached Jesus. She readily identified with her need for salvation and, with tears in her eyes, she prayed to receive the Lord. As I began her immediate follow-up, a leader from the next group of squatters came up to me, drunk and belligerent. He wanted to know what had these people done to merit my personal attention. I made him repeat himself, and afterwards told him what he needed (not wanted) to hear: God loves them; that is why we are there.
I asked him to let me continue my conversation with Ana, our new believer; but he kept interrupting. If it could get worse, I didn't believe it. And maybe things did not get worse. Maybe it was just one of those days.
I was sipping the hot chocolate they served to me while I was speaking with Luis and Ana, alternating between the two in the time I could divert Luis away from us. As I got to the bottom of the cup, I looked down. The styrofoam cup was full of little black spots. I put on my glasses and saw that those spots had even smaller legs. They were bugs! How appropriate! I had a 6 foot tall bug standing before me, interrupting my witness to this new believer. Now I had no telling how many swimming around inside my stomach.
I finally dispensed with Luis and made arrangements for Ana's discipleship. Now it was time to visit the two ladies' homes. I entered these homes with a little reluctance. They know I live better than they do; it's embarrassing for them for The Gringo to visit. But I was there at their request. We prayed, we talked, and we tried to listen to the Holy Spirit. We tried to encourage these broken women to walk with the Lord Jesus, to let him have first place in their lives.
By now it was dark. You don't want to spend much time in Oasis after dark. It's not safe. And it had been dark for close to an hour. We finally got away, bugs and all. But we all left a part of our heart in Oasis.
And so went another day at a not-so-typical Oasis, somewhere in South America.
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