My life’s work is supposed to be about people. Like a pastor, I enter people’s lives for a time noticing the contours of their soul, the formation or deformation of Christ within. Somewhere in there I ask questions and make observations eventually challenging and hopefully disrupting their beliefs about God and what He is about in their world. My desire is to draw others into a fuller life in Christ (kind of like what Paul talks about in Eph. 3:19). Individuals and families come to us for a time and we try to go to them as God makes funds available. That energizes me.
What de-energizes me is the administration of our organization and even my own generated stuff. One agency wants a report from my time in Cambodia and Laos. I need to keep track of the stories I hear anyway. Another organization asked that we (my wife and I) provide soul care for their conference… more admin (scheduling flights, planning talks, coordinating events, etc.). And then there is the endless flow of email traffic that can pile up when unaddressed for any length of time. Like the ocean, I dare not turn my back on it too long or I get zapped with something ‘crucial’.
But if I’m going to listen well to people’s stories and enter their lives as the Spirit leads, I need to be listening to the Spirit. And I can’t listen well to the Spirit if I’m too busy. Something has to give. I need to let go of some good things to make room for better things – so that the good things I do, I will do well. It’s not easy. In fact, I don’t know what to jettison. I like it all… Or do I?
Lately I’ve been wondering why I’m having trouble letting go of some things. If it de-energizes me, why do I delve into it and sometimes even create more to do? Am I so ego driven that I secretly believe I’m necessary to a person’s growth and so say “yes” to every request that comes my way? Or is it that I’m too lazy to say “no” and then secretly ‘blame’ my plight on those who seem to keep asking for time? As a supported missionary, I confess I feel the pressure (mostly internal but present in many conversations nonetheless) to make the church’s investment in me worth it. Yet, I wonder if by giving in to the pressure I’m also setting in motion my own demise? Is my work truly of the Spirit when I don’t even have time to talk to Him much less listen? That’s a sobering thought!
We had a supporter hear us talk about the necessity of prayer and our growing belief that time with God in prayer was more strategic than a well planned event or sermon. He dropped his $200 per month saying, “I don’t pay you to pray”. That hurt. The voices inside my head scolded me for talking openly about my growing convictions. But why should time in prayer be considered a bad thing? If we are merely entering the work God has already started, doesn’t it seem right for us to get clear on what He’s up to so as to better join the fun and not get in the way? I think that takes a bit of time; maybe even more time than I think I have at the moment.
And then there’s the still small voice whispering, “Apart from me, you can do nothing…”
If you’ll excuse me, I have a prior commitment. I’ll talk to you a little later.
The Light of the Gospel is greatly needed to break into this desperately dark place….. Don’t let the tourist travel brochures fool you….
Symbolism and beliefs behind Thai blood protest
When Thai red-shirt opposition protesters spilled their own blood at key locations in Bangkok, they were not just making a show for the TV cameras, as the BBC’s Vaudine England has been finding out.
Many Thais and Westerners were revolted by the spectacle and worried by the hygiene implications of the recent blood-spilling on Bangkok’s streets. Some denounced the sheer wastefulness of a precious resource which could have been used to help the sick. But red-shirt leaders said the blood spilling was a sacrifice for democracy and a curse on the government. In the battle for Thailand’s political soul – played out over several years by “yellow” and “red” waves of protesters – symbolism is probably the most important weapon. A powerful belief in astrology and the supernatural (’saiyasat’) co-exists alongside an increasingly commercial, globalised culture. This is not just a frame of mind found in far-flung rural areas. Many of the country’s top leaders, civilian and military, have actively participated in magical rituals to seek special powers and enlist them on their side.
Harnessing spirits
A leading historian of Thailand, Chris Baker, and top economist and political analyst Pasuk Phongpaichit, have produced a paper entitled “The Spirits, the Stars, and Thai politics”.
It outlines several instances of serious consultation by leading political figures – from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the generals who led the coup against him in 2006 – with astrologers, spirit mediums and supernatural forces. It details events such as damage to specific shrines and the smashing of a statue at the famous Erawan shrine in central Bangkok as efforts to either harness or distract spiritual forces at times of political tension.
“Of course this is not new; but there does seem to be a definite correlation between periods of military rule and upsurges of interest in supernatural influences on Thai politics,” the authors wrote.
One of the key complaints among red-shirt protesters against the current government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva is that the military was hand-maiden to its formation, and the military is what keeps Mr Abhisit in power. His retreat to the headquarters of the 11th Infantry battalion all this week while red-shirts protested may only have reinforced this point.
A stroll through red-shirt territory in Bangkok, where thousands of protesters are still camped out, shows most men wearing many large amulets (this is shown in the lead photo of the previous post)- considered a force of special protection at any time, but particularly in risky situations. More dramatically, analysts recall the incident of October 2008 when a group of women supporting the red-shirts’ rivals, the yellow-shirted Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy (PAD), offered up their sanitary napkins around the equestrian statue of King Rama V.
The PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul explained this was to counter attempts to sabotage the power of the statue to protect the nation – harnessing the perceived negative cosmic force of female blood to counteract, or un-do, the allegedly evil acts of others. ”For many years past, the powers of many sacred things… have been suppressed by evil people using magic,” Mr Sondhi wrote at the time. ”I must thank the women of the PAD because they took sanitary napkins from menstruating women and placed them on the six points (around the statue). ”Experts said that the spirit adepts were furious because their magic was rendered ineffective.” He cited symbolic centres of nationhood as being under threat – and appeared to believe that blood had helped to fend off the danger.
‘Black magic’
Cosmically therefore, when the leaders of the red-shirted United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) created ceremonies to spill blood at the entrances to the seat of government, it was intended as a powerful curse.
It could also be seen as an act to counter the perceived illegitimacy of that government – and Mr Abhisit who leads it – when the blood was spilled outside his home. That is not how the government chose to see it, of course. ”The world sees some people in Thailand as believers in black magic and as uncivilised,” said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of national security. ”Blood is a symbol of violence and hurling it at the house is saddening. The prime minister is speechless over this incident,” a minister in the prime minister’s office, Satit Wongnhongtaey, told reporters.
But just as the red rallies were kicking off at the beginning of the week, one local paper chose to give most of its page two over to a feature about a veteran policeman proudly showing off his collection of amulets and the supernatural forces he calls into play to help solve crimes. Days of the week are associated with particular colours, certain numbers are significant and layers of symbolism abound. One red-shirt protester told the BBC he felt his donation of blood was akin to forging a bond of blood brotherhood with fellow protesters as ancient warriors have done. But the point of politicians employing certain rituals, Drs Pasuk and Baker say, is to harness and accumulate power. ”The ability to influence events through supernatural forces is a form of power.”
** We need your prayer… as do the people of Thailand and the ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven.
This is real human blood… Protesters are giving pints by the thousands….
These protesters are covering the prime minister’s house and various other government buildings with blood to symbolize what they believe the gov’t has done to them through corruption. But there’s more… Using voodoo style cursing they are also attempting to manipulate Supernatural powers for success in this new attempt to topple the current military govt.
Straight out of the pages of pagan animism, complete with black magic occult ceremonies, curses and incantations, this illustrates the worldview in which we live and shine the light of Jesus Christ.
And now they are here in Chiang Mai also…. As of yesterday.
Presently, these protests have not affected daily living for us or those for whom we provide soul care. However, the spiritual battle is real and is taking a quiet toll on everyone. Please pray for us as we encourage Christ’s church here in Thailand and as we are careful not to take political sides but simply live and work to see Christ formed in others.
Christianity has to be disappointing, precisely because it is not a mechanism for accomplishing all our human ambitions and aspirations; it is a mechanism for subjecting all things to the will of God.
Simon Tugwell
Tags: ambition, christianity, disappointment
The email arrived and I was immediately captivated by what I saw. Clicking on the link to view the video, my kids wanted to see what was so exciting. Within a minute both exclaimed, “I want one!” So did I.
We don’t see many commercials in our home because we don’t watch TV. As a rule, we prefer videos (DVD’s) because they lack commercials. That aside, what intrigued me was the immediateness of the response. My kids have not been trained to covet through hours of “want this”, and “buy that” advertising. But there it was plain as day. James Bond’s family motto could easily describe our family–the world really is not enough!
“I want more!”
When asked “how much money is enough?”, John D. Rockefeller answered, “Just a little bit more.” Do you feel that way? Sometimes I know I do–especially during this season of fund development just to meet fixed expenses. Most would agree that stuff won’t make us happy. Yet, getting the next new thing still strikes a thrilling nerve within us.
The author of an article in MSN Money, published in July of 2008, makes a telling comment in his opening thoughts: “Wealth alone doesn’t guarantee happiness, but if you can identify your deepest desire, you can create a plan to get there.” Of course, he then outlines a 4 step process to help us find happiness. First, list your top five goals or desires. Second, put a price tag on each. Third, calculate your “enough for life” number. And finally, create a financial plan to get there. I expect to read this in MSN Money. But what disturbs me is the many Christian leaders who tacitly agree with the concept presented in the article. After all, it’s ‘sound advice’.
I do believe our desire for more is tied to happiness, but not in the same way some might assume. Paul, in Colossians 2:9-10 writes, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” The word Paul uses here for “fullness” can also be translated, “to fill up,” “to overflow” or “complete”.
The context of the passages is more about spiritual intrigue (do this, don’t do that, when to worship and how to worship angels) than consumerism. Yet, I think it can be far more widely applied. Our life in Christ brings a fullness (a completeness) that nothing else can provide. Paul is saying here, “don’t get caught up in spiritual intrigue when our lives in Christ provide the fullness, the completeness we seek.” Equally, we can say, nothing else in life provides what our soul most longs for and needs aside from Christ. Giving ourselves to second things still leaves us incomplete.
Augustine“s story provides a great example. Trying out popular religions, living with a concubine from the age of 17 for nearly 15 years and then marrying a 12 year old girl after leaving his first woman, Augustine knew emptiness. Sometime after his conversion, he wrote about his restlessness and the restlessness of all souls saying, “Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”
Wanting more may not be the biggest problem we face in life. We were made for more. And our soul will only find rest and contentment as we continually turn to Christ.
If Paul were to answer the four steps to happiness mentioned above, I wonder if it would look something like this:
- Greatest desires? To know Him (primarily) and to reflect Him in the world (secondarily) (Phil. 3:10f)
- Price? “Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ” (Phil. 3:8 MSG)
- What’s enough for life? “Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.” (Phil. 4:11-12 MSG)
- Create financial plan to get there? “I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose. (Phil. 1:20-21 MSG)
Latest news reports are that 12 different terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Judgin, Bin Accusin, Bin Deprivin, Bin Bitin, Bin Devourin, Bin Consumin, Bin Provokin, Bin Envyin, Bin Lyin, Bin Gettin Even, Bin Against and Bin Complainin. Their leader, Lucifer Bin Deceivin, is training these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to infiltrate the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.
However, there have been reports of another group. A tiny cell, known by the name Bin Prayin AKA Bin Lovin, is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin/Lovin group does not blend in with whomever and whatever comes along.
Bin Prayin/Lovin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin/Lovin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return.
And guess what. No church is exempt. Be on the lookout. However, you can spot them if you “bin lookin”.
________________________________________________________________________
For further research in this matter I recommend:
Rms. 14:13 – Bin Judgin
1 Cor. 6:7 – Bin Accusin
1 Cor. 7:5 – Bin Deprivin
Gal. 5:15 – Bin Bitin (harming), Bin Devourin (exploiting), Bin Consumin (destroying)
Gal. 5:26 – Bin Provokin (irritating), Bin Envyin
Col. 3:9 – Bin Lyin
1 Thes. 5:15 – Bin Gettin Even
Jms. 4:11 – Bin Against
Jms. 5:9 – Bin Complainin
For a more comprehensive look at positive assertions in this matter, simply do a “one another” concordance search (computer or in a book – yes, they still print those). You should find at least 31 statements regarding the Bin Lovin/Prayin faction and their MO.
Cheers!
Tags: true spirituality
Still feeling raw from my prayer and musings from yesterday, I sat in my study this morning staring at Psalm 11, the next Psalm in my daily prayer cycle. David must have been having a similar struggle with real or perceived voices telling him to bail on a situation.
“I’ve already taken refuge in the Lord, how can you tell me to run away now? If the foundations come apart, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:1, 3 my paraphrase)
“Escape, for Christians, is faithless”, says Eugene Peterson. “It means that they have succumbed to the ‘nothing-can-be-done’ disease” and they resort to saving their own skin (or soul). David does not tolerate such council because “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne”. Why do we so often lose heart?
I’m not the only one who must fight the temptation to despair of things beyond our control. I hear it in the comments all around me. I hear the sighs and resignation as people watch their world change before their eyes. What can we do?
Still months away from Lee’s surrender, America was in a fight for its life. Divided by civil war, people everywhere despaired of peace. Bowed under the weight of personal tragedy and feeling the despair of his fellow man, Henry W. Longfellow penned these words:
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Good may cave to the pressure and strength of evil. Unrighteousness could win the day, then what will we do?
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
What can the righteous do? Take refuge in the Lord trusting that we are in good hands.
I’ve almost always been this way. In fact, it has been suggested at times that I’m more of a rebel than anything. Be that as it may, status quo has never set well with me. Maybe I’m the one who likes change for the sake of change. I doubt it, though.
It’s the negative voices that fuel me lately. Those who have told me I don’t belong in ministry (my personal favorite) or those who can’t quite get a reasonable handle on what we do and why we exist. Then there are the “you are too deep” comments that add fuel to the fire and you have the makings of a roaring bonfire of passion or an equally impassioned despair.
Once again we find ourselves facing some scary circumstances. Costs are simply higher than income. Twice we’ve emptied our retirement to remain on the field pursuing our passion and to live in our gifting. Twice we’ve had board members tell us to call it quits since “God provides where he guides”. And since supply is low, guidance is in question. Don’t get me started on this one, some of the most well supplied people on the planet are card carrying atheists, so I don’t think income (or the lack of it) is a good litmus test of God’s smile.
The task at hand for all non-profits is to “find” money. I receive no less than 3 emails a week from someone wanting me to attend their webinar (for a price) on how to raise funds in this depressed economy. Strategies of how best to use facebook and online mailings come at me from all over. but in the end, none of these systems encourage a quiet heart or discernment. Rather than feeling energized, they leave me feeling tired and desperate – the furthest thing from Christ’s “yoke” that leads to rest.
Toward the end of 1998, Jeanni and I stalled out in our fund raising for Budapest. We attended gatherings of all kinds hosted by friends that simply were unattended. And on the odd occasion someone did attend, they were not there to determine how best to invest in missions. We decided that further effort was useless so we informed our board we felt our best strategy was to only pray and stop seeking funds. When they heard that they were ready to ship us off to a padded cell.
About a year later we figured we could no longer justify just working and letting those who were on our support team keep giving without us actively working to go overseas. A decision had to be made. We set a date for when to pull the plug. During our board meeting our Treasurer informed us that giving had increased from 35% to almost 65%. How was this possible since we’ve not been seeking support? God only knows. Obviously there was more going on behind the scenes than we could see.
Well, it looks like we’ve hit a similar wall. I’ve made over 100 calls to date and many of those I spoke to offered to help find other donors in their sphere of influence. Approximately 20% of the needed funds have come in, which has increased our overall income by 10% of our overall budget/costs. It’s not enough to stay on the field by any stretch of the imagination. And while we are in a familiar boat, the circumstances are a bit different. We have children with special learning needs (the school here has just what is needed for their particular needs). We cannot work to supplement our income and to make a transition back to the states would completely deplete our account. Fund raising at that point would be like starting over. I’m feeling stuck. Just where He likes me, I suppose.
One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. When confronted with whether or not they would bow to the kings edict to worship a statue they ‘rebelled’ and did not do it – even knowing the punishment for such a crime was being thrown into a fiery furnace. When their rebellion was found out (by snitches) the king was so angry he had the furnace stoked to 7 times hotter than usual. When given a chance to relent here’s what they said: “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us, O king. But even if he doesn’t, we would not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you set up.” (See Dan 3 for the whole story) They didn’t bow, they didn’t bend and they didn’t burn. It’s my reminder of why I do what I do.
So, back to my rebellion. I will not bow under the pressure and circumstances to throw in the towel. I will not bend, in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. I will, however, continue to burn with passion to see Christ formed in others. I cannot walk away from this holy vocation. Circumstances do not determine the measure of my faith (i.e. rejecting the no funds no guidance approach to life). Our plan is to spend some time on our knees listening. What is He up to? How does He plan to meet our needs? What is He unfolding in our lives and and through our lives? What is my responsibility here and now?
You see, I’m not convinced God is done with us and Ministry Essentials. I believe He’s just beginning. So, hang on tight. We are in for the ride of our lives.
Be Thou my vision,
O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me
save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought
in the day and the night;
waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.
Myopia will be the death of me. I see only the circumstances before me and I’m tempted, sorely tempted, to believe they define reality. Something goes wrong and I imagine the worst. Something goes well and I get a bit cocky. But what if I were able to see beyond the immediate to something more? All I see lately does not fill me with hope. In fact, it’s just the opposite. So, this is my prayer… Lord, be my vision…
There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
(2 Cor. 4:18 MSG)
Tags: New Year Prayer
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