The Pilgrim's Progress

As a young man, I was zealous for Christianity. This got me into Bible college, church leadership and world travel. I was trained to preach, teach and evangelize.

When I went to Southeast Asia the first time, I had to begin to come to terms with the fact that I really didn't know what I was preaching. I was assigned to go with a group of girls, and because of the culture, I was forced to be the lead spokesmen. No longer would my simple Sunday School answers work. Silly skits and self-help-love-your-neighbor-motivational speeches just don't have the same impact cross-culturally, and they lack the depth of truth needed to pull someone out of ingrained paganism and idol worship. What was I preaching? What was my message? What is the Gospel? Was it that the creator made a bunch of rules that none of us can follow, so He sent His Son to suffer and die to set us free from His own instructions!? How does that work? Is the Son working against the Father? Did the Son accomplish what the devil could not, allowing guilt-free braking of the Father's instructions in righteousness?

I remember confessing to the leader, “I have nothing to say.” To which she retorted, “That's a lie!”

I managed to preach the sermons like I knew what I was talking about.

When I returned to Thailand the next year, I felt like G-d was telling me to just shut up and listen. This seemed strange as I was supposed to be a missionary, sharing Christ, evangelizing, ect. I thought, “Salvation is found in knowing the Savior.” But even the demons know who the Savior is, so it can be just knowledge/education. So I thought, “It's about selflessly loving your neighbor.” But nearly every religion teaches love. Are all religions the same with different packaging? That's certainly not what the Scriptures say. “Do not worship the L-RD your G-d in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.” Deuteronomy 12:4

I realized that I needed and wanted to know the message of the Messiah.

One day, over tea, a close missionary friend confided in me that he couldn't reconcile the G-d of the Old Testament with the G-d of the New Testament. The first seemed to be about laws, judgment and wrath while the latter seems to be about peace, love and forgiveness. How can this be? How does this work?

I was disappointed with myself that I could not give him an answer.

Meanwhile, I was doing an independent study trying to finish my Bible college degree. One of the assignments was to interview someone from a different religion. So I met with a Islamic professor. During the interview, she asked me, “Do you follow the teachings of Paul; or do you follow the teachings of Jesus?” That was a curve ball I wasn't expecting. I hadn't made the comparison, so I denied that there was a difference.

Again, I was disappointed at my ignorance.

Another year or two passed, and I was back in the states. One day, while reading my Bible I found myself in Leviticus 23. There G-d is explaining His annual holidays, and He repeatedly says (in various ways) “...it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings”. I thought, “I have never done these.” So I walked across the street to the seminary student center. I explained that one of the biblical holidays is coming up, and I would like to be involved if anyone is acknowledging it. The lady looked at me a little puzzled and said, “I don't think anyone is dong anything for that.”

I walked away thinking, “Some-thing's wrong. Our scriptures repeatedly say to do this forever, and the place that trains our spiritual leaders doesn't follow the instructions.”

So I got on craigslist and found a family that celebrates according to the Scriptures. They came over, and we had a good visit, but they lived too far away to fellowship regularly. The man recommended I watch some teachings by Jim Staley with Passion for Truth Ministries. I watched some of the teachings, but replied by email to my new friend, “If you're trying to bring back the Law, no thank you.”

I was willing to obey by having more holidays, but I didn't want the responsibility/obligation of real lifestyle change. I thought, “Didn't Jesus change all that, so we don't have to follow all those rules anymore?”

Meanwhile, my mom was exposing the paganism in Christmas and Easter. It didn't take much research at all to see that she was right, and those are some disgusting holidays. But my conscience began to bother me about Sunday. Again, it wasn't hard to find that Sunday really isn't the Sabbath. Yet I always understood that Christians are still responsible to follow the ten commandments, so what do we do about the 4^th?

In my ignorant zeal, I began to follow the Lunar Sabbath. This is a theory that teaches that the weekly Sabbath is based on the New moon, and therefore changes each month. One month the 7 day cycle may start on Tuesday; the next month it may be Wednesday, and so on. My employer was very compliant with my confusing calendar, but it was rather silly. I later realized that Yeshua affirmed the Saturday Sabbath cycle that the Jews were and still are honoring.

It was during this time that Heidi and Kendra (my daughters) moved out, and I moved back to KC to be with Keen (my son, who was attending a private Christian school). We then attended my grandfather's church on Sunday's, but I was secretly (halfway) honoring a different Sabbath.

One day, an old friend invited me to meet him for coffee at McDonald's. I was really into End-Time prophecy, and I was always hungry to find another piece to the puzzle. He asked for my thoughts on Isaiah 65 and 66. “What do you think about this?” he asked pointing to the first few verses of 65. This is the end of Isaiah's prophecies. G-d is giving a list of things (or people) that have Him infuriated enough to bring judgment on all flesh with fire and bring about a New Heaven and New Earth. End-Times... hasn't happened... right up my alley... bring it... and then I read, “...A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;...Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;” And later He mentions it again in 66:17, “'Those...Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination...Shall be consumed together,' says the L-rd.”

It was like a light came on. I thought, “If the dietary instructions still apply, maybe all the instructions still apply.” I argued with my Torah observant friend for a couple weeks, but all my arguments fell flat under the wealth of Scripture against me.

Of course, I went to Peter's vision. But Peter and the elders both interpret the dream as an invitation to Gentiles. With two interpretations of the vision, no one mentions food after Peter's confusion is settled.

I went to Yeshua's declaring “all foods clean,” but in both passages He is talking about the tradition of hand washing (although good for health and hygiene, it's not a Torah commandment). Just because I'm ceremonially unclean (because I had an adult occurrence, a fun night with the wife, touched a dead body a couple days ago, etc) doesn't mean I have to fast until I'm in proper standing again, nor does the hand washing make me or the food extra sanctified. And pig (for example) was never food anyway; the Torah tells us what is food and what is not food. So declaring all foods clean changes nothing.

I realized that there is one thing that the Messiah said not to think. He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” I have learned that when a Jew talks about doing a commandment (giving to charity for example), it is referred to as fulfilling the command. He obeyed (fulfilled) all of Torah, and we are to live like He lived and fulfill the Torah also. He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

I even tried the argument that the Torah is just for the Jews. But that fell apart terribly. To begin with, it was a mixed multitude that came out of Egypt and received the Torah. Then, He says, “One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.” Numbers 15:15-16 Even Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Yeshua the Messiah.” Galatians 3:28

Then the excuse came up that those instructions are only for when the people are in the land, and we are a long way from Israel so they don't apply to us in this place. But this is a terribly weak point in light of passages like: “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the L-rd your G-d drives you, and you return to the L-rd your G-d and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the L-rd your G-d will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the L-rd your G-d has scattered you.” Deuteronomy 30:1-3

I began to read the Scriptures with new eyes looking for evidence of the eternal commandments, and I began to feel like it was on every page. Why hadn't I seen this before? There was no longer a disconnect between the Old and New Testaments. Its one story with one unified message.

Moses is saying it repeatedly. For example: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the L-rd your G-d which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.'...” Deuteronomy 27:26

The Psalmist says it over and over. For example: The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is dedicated to the topic.

142 “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

And Your law is truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,

Yet Your commandments are my delights.

144 The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;

Give me understanding, and I shall live.”

160 “The entirety of Your word is truth,

And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

The Messiah even says, “...For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth...” (John 18:37) And a chapter earlier He defines Truth as He prays with, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17 granted, I don't understand how John got record of these two conversations, but that is for a deeper study).

All the Prophets are talking about it. “Yet the L-rd testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 2 Kings 17:13

“Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,

Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,

With the statutes and judgments.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the L-rd.” Malachi 4:4-5

The Apostles affirm it. For example, Peter says, “[H]aving been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of G-d which lives and abides forever, because

'All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

But the word of the L-rd endures forever.'

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.“ 1 Peter 1:23-25

The other writers make it clear (with perhaps the exception of Paul, but again, we can get into that later). “For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.” Proverbs 4:2

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear G-d and keep His commandments,

For this is man’s all.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

In contrast to the signs of who is included in the Kingdom and how we ought to walk, we also find many disturbing passages defining who is not and why. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘L-rd, L-rd,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘L-rd, L-rd, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” Proverbs 28:9

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20

I realized that, as I taught children religion apart from the Torah, I was one of the wolves in sheep's clothing that Yeshua was warning about. Because the prophet Ezekiel defines a leader who is a wolf, “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.” 22:26-27

I found a ministry (119ministries) that helps Greek-minded westerners like us better understand how the Torah is lived in todays world and why. I loved it and ate it like candy. I was so hungry for answers. Their motto seemed to be “Test everything”, and they encouraged their viewers to test their teachings with the scriptures.

After I repented and began my walk in the Way, the Truth and the Light (not that I have arrived or have it all figured out), I was so excited about this new insight, and I was concerned for my loved ones who where outside of Truth. So I somewhat threw it in their faces, and quoted scriptures like,

“...The Gentiles shall come to You

From the ends of the earth and say,

'Surely our fathers have inherited lies,

Worthlessness and unprofitable things.'” Jeremiah 16:19

This is not what parents and grandparents like to hear. Go figure. Its kind of like the proverb, “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” 18:19 I didn't know how to present it to them, and I thought that if they would just watch 119ministries' teachings they would understand. This made it look like Brian found some website and joined some cult. The poor poor man...yada yada.

Anyway, it's been (and still is) an exciting journey, and I'm happy to go on and give more details, but hopefully this gives you a little better understanding of the changes I have made in my life lately. I love the Torah. Moses was right; in it you will find Life. It's the primary message of the sermon on the mount. We have a rock we can build our lives on. It is the foundation that our entire value-set and world-view should be based. When we detox bad doctrine, misguided cultural priorities and personal opinions about how to love/serve G-d and others, and we in-turn reprogram our minds and hearts around what He says is important and how He says He wants to be loved / served, our walk goes to a much deeper level (if we were even walking to begin with).

Getting demerits and taking a stand

Last week, I attended a training course. We were learning about the school system my children are in, so they had us take the place of a student in order to experience and better understand it. This was a real test of my pride. It's very hard to humble yourself like a child especially when the rules seem ridiculous and controlling.

Our instructor was a sober, elderly, Philippine woman (Outside of the classroom, I found her to be a very tender-hearted, Godly woman). She had specific procedures for every aspect of her classroom. She would tell us when we could sit, when we could stand, what color of pen to use where, and when it was appropriate to raise your hand. Always face forward in your chair. Always push in your chair when you stand. Always use "blessed words" ("May I Please...Thank you"). Pencils are only to be sharpened during brakes, and the list goes on. Any violation of the procedures was grounds for a demerit (three demerits = detention).

My partner was a younger guy with a history of a short temper. By about the third day, as his demerits and detentions were accumulating, his frustration was evident. But the wise and patient teacher responded with, "Guard your heart, Sir."

I laughed (quietly, of course), but it was something I needed to hear as well, not just in that classroom but in many other aspects of life.

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One of my dear friends is a young man trying to learn English. We get to to spend a lot of time in the truck together as we pick up and drop off the kids at school, so this is good time for him to practice his English and teach me a little Thai. Today, he was telling me about his high school.

Each day the kids would gather in front of the school, and the teachers have them bow down and worship an idol. There was only one other Christian in his class, and each time the two of them refused to bow. His friends would turn to him and say, "Come on, bow." But he would not. He finished his story by saying, "...when you are Christian, you are different."

More About God's Provision

Keen and his friends are wanting to start a soccer team. Yesterday, they went on a 17 kilometer run (10.5 miles) through sun and rain. I was very impressed, and he got up pretty sore this morning. As I understand, him and his friends made it back about an hour ahead of the coach and some of the other lead players. He said he cramped up, but the pain goes away if you just keep running.

Before they left, I was drawing water at the well with some of the kids.
Sahmalie: "You run with the boys?"
Me: "No, I don't have shoes for running."
Sahmalie: "Yes, you do." (She pointed at my bare feet.) "God gave you shoes."
Me: "No, they are like baby, tender and soft."

This conversation has been hunting me. She was right. This young girl has learned a valuable life lesson. We think we need this and that, and we all have our excuses why we can't get involved, but God provides and has provided. In so many ways, I just need to get out of my comfort zone, toughen up and run the race He has for me.

The Provider

I found out about 7:30 this morning that I was to be preaching the morning service, and I had already committed to take a walk with the girls before church. I quickly went to my room and found a Scripture, and a few minutes later we went on our walk. We came in late for church, but I think the Lord chose the Scripture and gave me an appropriate illustration. He is my provider in so many ways.

After church we had a meeting with the hostel kids and staff to talk about rules and chores. The headman was very concerned that our electric bill was over 5,000 Baht (that's about $175 for the entire campus for a month). He explained that we could have cut back on our spending and had enough money to feed six families in Burma.

This is not the fluff we tell our children, "Clean your plate...there are starving children in Africa." (As though, somehow our consuming more will help either our empathy or their situation) He is serious. He could probably tell you their names. They are real people, and our spending habits effect their lives. So do yours, whoever you are.

A couple moments from the morning routine

One of my responsibilities is to be the adult in the back of the truck each morning. Instead of school buses we use small trucks with padded bench seats, a roll cage and roof over the bed. My truck has 14 children mostly from the hostel.

It's a beautiful drive through the mountains, but sometimes it's nice to just close my eyes and listen to the girls sing. Usually it's in Thai, and I don't understand, but it doesn't matter. The voices of these half-dozen upper-elementary school girls are the perfect sound track to the setting.

A few days ago, I was surprised to hear them sing in their broken English,
"Make a difference in me, make a world of difference. From the
inside out let it show.
Make a difference in me, make a world of difference. Change me
so the world will know.
Change me Jesus, let your love shine through. Change me Jesus,
make me more like you..."

These Christian children are taken each morning from the safe, positive environment of the Outreach to Buddhist schools where they are criticized and discriminated against for their faith. They were probably taught this song by a short-term missions group from the states. Thank you to whoever that was. You touched the heart of this white boy.

Maybe you just had to be there, but it was "a moment" for me. So beautiful, so inspiring.

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A few days later, on the same routine drive, we happened to be passing the market at the same time the monks were there making their morning rounds. We stopped at an intersection next to a row of five monks and their "caddie." They stood with their backs to the street, just inches from our truck, waiting for handouts from the shopkeepers. I noticed that a number of market workers had left their work to bow down and worship before the monks in the middle of the morning rush.

It was disturbing to me on two levels. First, I was struck by how lost this culture is spiritually. Then, as we drove on, I began to compare their devotion to that of the American Christian. How many of us would take time out of our busy morning routine to make a humbling statement of faith for several minutes on a crowded sidewalk?

God help us all, the lost on the streets and the found that are sleeping.

Society Without Me

Burma (from the trip last summer)

May the Lord send workers.

It's my first real attempt at making a video and about 4 minutes long (not 7+ like it may say).

If your viewing this from Facebook, you may have to go to http://menefeesmind.blogspot.com/

-Peace

Invitation Letter for Visas

Here is a translation of the invitation letter Ahtapa wrote for the Thai embassy to apply for our visas. It tells a little about the Asian Gospel Outreach and what we will be doing.

To: Chief Officer of Thai Royal Consulate and who it may concern.

I, Jarern Sinlee, the director of Tribal Outreach, would like to ask for your kindness in granting visas to Mr. Brian Menefee and his three children. This man has the ability and a good record in community development and Church works. He is a valuable person to our work here in helping and developing children at our tribal children hostel at Matang district Chriahngmai province. I and the organization here have activities in helping and providing education to poor tribal children who live in far away mountain villages and assist them for better future according to the philosophy of our majestic the king’s sustainable and sufficiency life. We teach kids how to read, write, think and have good ethics and skill and pride in their culture and heritage. As we are aware of the social problem of the tribal people in the north of Thailand and the moving into major cities that create social problems. The children can be helped and we can provide helps to these children and one day the youth will grow up to be the strength of society for development and bring good society, safety, progress, and beautiful environments to the country.


As for now, our organization has been emphasizing life sufficiency and sustainable philosophy. We put high regards of the value of inner peace and happiness. We promote planting everything we eat and eat everything we plant, putting refrigerator in the back yard. That is putting garden and fish and frog ponds in the back yard. Building house with materials available. Making water purifiers and teaching English and other local language along with ethics. Our organization is happy that Mr. Brian is coming to help without expecting any thing in return. And ready to learn the Thai way of life and learning local wisdoms as well.

All that and a bag of chips

A dear friend told me a few months ago that I had a chip on my shoulder, but I don't think it was a very fair observation. Truth is, since she pointed it out, I've found a pile of chips on my shoulders, and they've been weighing me down and smothering me.

It started toward the end of last year's trip to southeast Asia. After witnessing the imbalance in the global Church and experiencing the needs of our ignored brothers ans sisters, I was faced with the question of "What do I do now?"

But I'm afraid my empathy for one continent turned to bitterness toward another, and my longing to do the right thing turned in to an ego driven determination. "Brother, I'm on a mission of love from God, so don't stand in my way or I'll calmly attack you, your lifestyle, and your worldview with scripture and statistics that will make you cower to my wisdom and humble perspective."
Somehow in my pursuit of justice, I became the judge.

02. Nuisance The Boy vs The Cynic by John Reuben

Lyrics: So here we are in this same old spot Knowing something needs to happen but our mouths are locked Tongue tied closed tight sealed shut yup I tried hard but it just wouldn’t come up It’s on the tip of my tongue it’s in the front of my mind Yet the words were still so hard to find Finally the reality of things to come pushed me to the edge I jumped off the cliff into the abyss as I said chorus I’m not trying to be a nuisance I just think we can do better than this that was simply my two cents you can you can take it or leave it The conversation lingered on and on and Before I knew it night had turned to dawn and Were we searching for the truth in all of it Or are we debating just to win the argument Cuz none of us want to hear about where we go wrong This song could easily be from me to you or me to John Cuz I have the potential to be the guiltiest My greatest strength is also my strongest weakness (chorus) Let’s think about this path that we’re taking Let’s think about this future we’re creating Let’s think about this life that is fading Think about it, come on think about it now Let’s think about this time that we’re spending Investing in monetary things that are ending Let’s think about it and let’s think together And let’s think about what we can do to make it better (chorus) We can and we will do better than this

God has already called us; now we need to call on God

The AG magazine, "TPE," published a great article of an interview with Greg Mundis, the Assemblies of God Regional director of Europe.

"We need a sovereign act of God, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit,... These things are not generated out of a strategy room in some missions agency, but out of the very throne room of God."
"[Such a move] must come from God, but man works together with God as He moves. We need a church that is praying, a church that is humble, and church that is repentant, and a church that is reaching beyond its own paradigms and borders to touch the lost."

the journey inward

A friend recently suggested I Google "Celtic Monasticism." I'm glad he did, and though it has put me to sleep several times today, I'm finding the study quite intriguing.

"...the Celtic saints were travelers who journeyed far and wide, leaping into their tiny coracles and setting sail on the sea, often without oars or sails, and often without a specific destination, content to let God take them where God would...

Their love of travel was motivated by their love of God; their journey was undertaken in order to come closer to God. Theirs was a journey in which oars or sails were not necessary, for that for which they were searching was to be found not without, but within: It has been said that, "The longest journey is the journey inward" (Dag Hammarskjold). The peregrinations of the Celtic saints were ways of expressing outwardly a journey which they wanted to undertake inwardly...

This journey was a journey in which one achieved stability of soul, a constant striving after God in which one might remain in a single place while nevertheless being constantly on the move. On the other hand, one might stay in a single place and nevertheless be on a journey of intense transformation. Celtic monasticism is a world in which journey and stability of place are not at odds at all, but expressions of one spiritual ideal...

...the constant peregrinations of the saints were not an effort to find God, as the hymns tells us that if you can't find God where you are, there's no need to go anywhere else looking for him. The Celtic saints were deeply aware of the omnipresence of God, beside us, beneath us, above us, all around us and within us and all creation. Celtic monasticism full of such peregrini who, in their constant wanderings, spread monasticism throughout Ireland, to Scotland, and Northumbria, and later to continental Europe."

http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/ids/medieval/celtic/celtic.shtml

The loss of George

The study of missions has made me more aware of cultures and cultures within cultures. It's really interesting to watch how people interact. It's particularly eye opening when you step out of your own for a season and then return.
I have recently been amerced in to the Kentucky blue-collar world, and I find it quite amusing. I stopped to listen to a couple of men talking at the job site today. They thought I was interested in the conversation, and I was to a degree. But what really intrigued me was the fact that one of them was speaking English with such a country slur I had to make an effort to follow. It was like another language.

One dear friend invited me to his "place" for lunch. He owns quite a bit of land a long the river with a number of rental properties, but he's living out of several tents and a RV trailer. He's planning on turning his "new" box truck into living space as well. His house burnt down about 5 months ago, and He's working on rebuilding, but the kicker for me was the lumber delivered today, not for the house, but for the new deck he wants me to help him build over the river.
How people determine priorities and lifestyles is fascinating. He loves his simple, debt-free living, and even his wife seems happy.

This Thanksgiving brought a bit of a downer for him though. He had befriended a couple of wild, white geese. They knew his voice. As he would walk down toward the river and call, "George!...Lucy!" And they would start honking.
He went to visit his daughter for Thanksgiving, and when he returned, Lucy was alone and honking inconsolably. These sort of geese mate for life. Someone must have shot George for their family feast. My friend was so angry the next time I saw him, he said, "I hate people." He took time off to make Lucy a home on the bank out of bails of straw.
Today when we went to lunch, he made sure to feed her. "I gotta' keep her eating through her morn'n."
One of his friends was there and asked about her mate. He seemed upset as well to hear of the loss and agreed to help get her a new partner.

Some would argue that these folk have their priorities messed up and need to change their lifestyles, and how this all meshes with my Christian views of priorities and such is up for debate. But I'm gleaning some insight from the riverbank and learning a bit about love from this culture within my culture.

Heidi's Thoughts About Honor vs. Justice

I personally think that honor is better than justice; because well if you honor someone you usually respect them and put them first. It says in the Bible, put others first; love your enemies ,treat them with love and care just like you would your son, daughter, or even a pet that is very dear to you. It says pray for those who persecute you. It also says commandment num. 5- honor you father and your mother like kings and queens.

So I have to say I respect that command; and I try my best day by day to follow that command. As I was told by my dad, friends, pastor, and many of my grandparents.

Justice I’m not that sure about. Some people say that when someone is about to get someone back for hurting them they sometimes say “justice is served…” or something like that.

Some people are in the army or in the marines; they sometime just do it for the justice of their country or maybe because their close friend is in it; but quite frankly I can’t see God holding a gun and shooting at men, women, and children. The people they are fighting against need to be taught how to love. Not only that but they are very thirsty for the word of God. They may not show it but you should know in your heart that they do. If you don’t know that; that’s fine but don’t point a gun at them.

People have been fighting in Iraq so much that they have killed so many men. So now they are fighting for justice, even though they are running out of men. So they are recruiting children; and women. Soon they won’t have anything to fight for.

So no offence to those who I am talking about; the whole war thing pretty stupid. If you’re fighting for justice of your country, just stop fighting period.

Why not show some honor to them. Like I said in my first paragraph; love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. So if they (the people we are fighting as of now) are considered enemies then don’t kill them, don’t even hold them hostel. Let them live their life how it is; and if you can try to help make their lives better.

Its called changing the world. So if you want to be famous. Love, learn, and live try to change the world. Don’t join the army and the marines because its cool; in fact try not to do it at all. Try to make honoring people your goal in life.

Life with out honor would be a catastrophe. We (us kids) would probably not be here this very day if we didn’t honor the law, our parents, ect. What if we didn’t honor police authority? What if we didn’t follow the lights? This world would be a disaster. When all we have to do is honor authority.

So my vote has to completely go to honor.

Too true

A treasured friend in Thailand sent this to me today speaking of the urgency of the Gospel.

This is the time, no more delay!
This is the Lord's accepted day.

Come, thou, this moment, at his call,

And live for him Who died for all.

Your grounds forsake, your oxen quit,

Your every earthly thought forget,

Seek not the comforts of this life,

Nor sell your Savior for a wife.

a wide brush for a big project

I feel like I need to follow up on some of my more recent posts. Tact is not always one of my strong points, and it's been pointed out to me that my tone has been self-righteous and ungrateful. For that I am deeply sorry. I by far have no right to claim any kind of "holier than thou" attitude. My partial education, minor investment and little summer trip in no way make me an expert, hero or honored veteran. And I would not be who I am or where I am with out the help of family and friends. I am forever indebted to you in love.

If my tone was judgmental and offensive, it was not directed (by me) at any one person, group or church. I can not speak for churches in other countries, but the Church of America (which includes me) has a problem. It doesn't take much research and insight to see that things are terribly out of balance. No, I don't have a simple solution, but we have an abundance of resources: people, books, money and more. Yet, millions on the other side of the globe are not hearing the Gospel, and it's been this way for generations.

Robert Speer said, "There is nothing in the world or the Church -- except the church's disobedience -- to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility." That was around 1930, far before the Internet and the current age of communication and other technologies, so it remains true all the more for this generation.

Paul commented to an Aug 10th blog well by saying, "...people here do not see the need; they do not have their eyes open. Most people here are too wrapped up in the 9-5 grind and have numbed themselves with entertainment. And yes, their greatest quest and ambition is more of the same; career ambitions and entertainment..."

The debate about weather or not all are called to go or some are called to stay is not my concern. My concern is the job is not getting done and that more people need to get involved. But the problem is not only lack of funding; it is far more a lack of people going. Again, I'm painting this picture with a wide brush, and I understand that there are needed and productive ways to minister here in the states.

But I tend to share the mind of James Gilmour, who said, "I thought the matter out, and decided for the mission field; even on the low ground of common sense I seemed to be called to be a missionary. Is the kingdom a harvest field? Then I thought it reasonable that I should seek to work where the work was most abundant and the workers fewest. Labourers say they are over-taxed at home; what then must be the case abroad, where there are wide stretching plains already white to harvest, with scarcely here and there a solitary reaper? ...in place of seeking to assign a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I should stay at home." --www.wholesomewords.org/missions/msquotes.html

Sunday Stress

I'm so right, and I'm so wrong. I can't sort them out. The church seems so lost, so out of focus, so misguided, so fluffy, so non-threatening,... so my tendency is to be negative, to disconnect, to get cynical and bitter. This is wrong.

My anger comes from the frustration of a problem greater than me, but it threatens to influence me and my children. Sundays stress me for a number of reasons, but I think I'm growing in patience (I hope it's not complacency).

Last Sunday, I stood in the back of the balcony overlooking a beautiful new sanctuary filled with beautiful, well dressed people. My mind and emotions raced, and I felt the Spirit remind me to love them and not be bitter. It was as if God invited me to weep with Him over His dysfunctional family.

One of the themes of my summer has been that the NT stresses unity. The church is the body of Christ, and I want to love, cooperate and support. I don't want to be a trouble-maker and cause more confusion, but I also don't want to be a part of the numbing disease. I want to be an instrument of change, but the monsters of materialism, ritualism, political-correctness, and "me-based-worship" are just so big.

How does one step back and get a clear view of the problem and still stay united?
How does one stay united without getting infected?
How does one develop and maintain a godly anger and disgust with the problems and not attack the people or the ministry?

a divinely inspired sermon

I've been attending my brother's church lately. It's Assembly of God with an average attendance of 200 (guestimation) on a Sunday morning. It's a modern building, contemporary worship, and a middle-to-upper class congregation. The people seem friendly, warm and welcoming, and the pastor seems humble and down-to-earth.

Let me give a little back ground. Over the past year God has taken me back to the Greatest Commandments (Love God; Love Others) and the Great Commission (Go) as a life theme.

When I was in Asia this summer, I was asked (told / expected) to preach a number of times. Each time I felt that I didn't really have anything to say. I could sum up the Word God had given me in one word, "Love."

There are many many verses to enforce this lesson, but anything I said beyond that just seemed empty and fluffy. My first sermon in Burma quoted a bunch of references to love, and I was almost apologetic to my missionary friends that I had such a "shallow" sermon. One of them spoke up and corrected me, "Preaching Scripture is never shallow." When I tried to explain my problem to the pastor in Thailand he said, "Just read the Scriptures and speak from your heart... The Scriptures don't need a bunch of salt and flowers."

I was inspired and disappointed by last week's sermon. I was back in the states at a new church and the pastor was starting a new sermon series that went back to the basics, the Greatest Commandments and the Great Commission! I was encouraged that a pastor that preaches every Sunday was still able to point to the basics. The foundational truths never get old. And I was encouraged that he had combined the two "Greats." If you love God and love others, go!

I believe this was a divinely inspired sermon (that I expect to preach myself someday), but I'm afraid the man of God cut it short. He stressed the loving God and loving others, but he just spent a few minutes on the go, and his "go" was like, "get involved in the community." What!?

The Great Commission was to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It wasn't to just become a scout leader or a soccer coach.

Today he spoke about loving God. Next week is about loving others, and the final week of the series is the "Go." I really hope he redeems last week's sermon by not cutting the Great Commission short this time and instead, calling his congregation to a global perspective and ministry.

Final Update From the 2008 Trip

Dear Mother,

Our adventure is nearing an end, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Saturday was an extreme high for us. We drove to a mountain village where we celebrated with a Christian family whose father had recently become a believer. The family then burned his spirit shelves, cups and tokens that had been made to the spirits (Many of the people live in fear of "the spirits" that they have to keep appeased to avoid misfortune). We made a fire in his yard and watched a lifetime of fear get consumed by the Great Comforter. We took part in the baptism of four people that afternoon! It was a beautiful day in so many ways.

We've been teaching about 8 hours a day. Our good friends Ahtapa and Leah are starting a Christian school and the students are very eager to learn the English language. Once they learn the language, they can begin using a Christian curriculum that they have chosen from the US .

A typical weekday goes something like this:

• Devotions with the kids is at 5:00 AM. This is lead by us (well, I usually get left in a bag or on the table in the hut, but they seem to handle it okay). We've been going through the Fruits of the Spirit.
• Devotions with the team is at 5:30ish. We've read through the book of John, and now we're in Job. This involves (requires) some sweet coffee.
• A wonderful breakfast with eggs, bread and jelly, and/or fresh fruit is usually waiting for us after devotions.
• Classes begin at 7:00. I hadn't realized how easy it is to confuse "R" and "L". And how do you explain the difference between how "chin" and "shin" are pronounced?
• Lunch is 11:00-1:00 and is a much needed break for everyone.
• Afternoon classes are from 1:00-4:00. We've decided that in the game "hang-man," the man never really has to die; you can just keep putting clothes on him, an umbrella in his hand and things in the back ground, like bicycles or trees.
• From 4:00-6:30 we have free-time to play with the kids.
• Supper is served around 6:30 and is always wonderful.
• We lead devotions with the kids at 7:30. This involves songs, Bible reading and a story through an interpreter.
• We usually crash by 10:00 PM (to be ready again by 5:00 AM).

So we've stayed very busy, but we managed a few trips to the market and other adventures.

Tuesday we taught at the public school. The teachers were so happy to have English teachers/speakers they gave us the freedom to teach however we chose, so we taught Christian songs (One song, for example, explained that Jesus is the "King of the Jungle" and he created you and me).

We also visited a ministry called "Partners" that is teaching people how to make soap and grow a fast growing tree called Maringa whose leaves can be eaten as a nutritional supplement, like organic vitamins.

Anyway, your favorite green and yellow dinosaur is having a wonderful time. I've been dropped (or thrown rather) in the dirt a couple times, but all in all I'm better for it.

Blessings to you,

MEBS (Mercedes, Emily, Brian, and Sarah)

Update Number 2

The Myanmar/Thailand Team decided it would be fun to have a mascot (a small stuffed dinosaur we bought at an airport) and to give our updates through his eyes as he writes home. His name is MEBS which is the combined first letters of each of our team members (Mercedes, Emily, Brian and Sarah). NMSI seems to love acronyms.

Dear Mother,

Just writing to let you know that your favorite green and yellow dino is well and safe. Oh, yes and the rest of my little herd is fine also.

Emily is picking up the language like a pro. Sarah can hail a taxi better than a New Yorker. Brian is getting better at tying his longie ("skirts" that the men wear), and Mercedes preached a positive sermon on hope last Sunday.

Hope and encouragement is a valuable resource in this area. One of our new friends has made two trips to a village that was destroyed in the cyclone. His first trip was weeks after the storm, and the people were still too overwhelmed by fear to even bury the dead. his visit brought hope and encouragement, so they all went to work. By his second visit the survivors were starting to show life again, and this time he brought seed and tractors. The people that had lost family , friends and hope were now working day and night to restore their farms.

We would love to go and get our hands dirty as well, but because we are foreigners, we are not allowed. But there is a lot of ministry to do in the city as well. The other day we visited a faith-based, non-government agency that is helping to fund and organize trips like our friend has been taking, and today we helped a group package toiletries and food to send to the victims.

So as life happens, even among the tears, there are many things to celebrate. We were honored to be guests at a small Burmese wedding, and we were excited to be a part of five year anniversary party for a growing orphanage.

This little Summer adventure is almost half way over. I look forward to seeing you soon and telling you more.

with love,
MEBS

Pillars of salt stop running

I'm in such a fog. I usually have a mental priority list, a plan of action, a reason to stay busy, but lately --I just feel --unmotivated. Should I pack? Should I work on the house? Should I work on homework? Should I visit with friends? Should I go to bed and hope it makes better sense in the morning?

A treasured friend asked me last night what I'm running from. I didn't expect that, and I didn't know how to answer, but nor did I dismiss it. I have some insightful friends, and they often see my shortfalls before I do.

IF I am running, perhaps it's from routine, or from pointlessness, or from materialism, or from conformity, or from temptation, or from worldly responsibilities, or from my heritage, or from the fear of regret.

On the other hand, perhaps, instead of from something, I am running to it. It could be to confront my past, or to find God's will, or to a greater purpose, or to protect my kids, or to help my parents, or to have an adventure, or to prepare for the mission God has for me.

Could it be all the above, and --is that wrong? --Maybe it will make sense in the morning.

Learning to step into other worlds

Today offered a unique adventure. Tawnya Smith and I visited the Hindu Temple for their Monday morning service. They were very hospitable and encouraged our questions. It was all so strange to us; we didn't know what to ask. The experience alone was educational. It was a hour of foreign chants and rituals that simply fascinated me. I figure, their gods must have short attention spans, because they kept having to repeat themselves so much.

The comic relief came when, in mid-service, a woman scolded what seemed to be the head priest for cutting the chants too short. "This used to take an hour, and that was only 30 minutes. I don't know what you did to it, but you need to keep going." I guess she didn't feel like she was getting her money's worth. Can you imagine someone speaking up in one of our services, "Pastor, your prayer and sermon were too short; keep going." (Ouch! That's not so comical anymore...now I'm convicted.)

The silly, God-like irony though was the obvious, big, red zit that I had between my eyebrows.