Unreached People Groups

I found a great new site--thanks to John Piper--called the Joshua Project (www.joshuaproject.net). Take a look at it... it will probably overwhelm you. It is filled with astounding statistics on all of the people groups in the world who still have not heard the gospel or who still do not have the Bible in their language. I scrolled through thousands of people groups from hundreds of countries across the world and it makes you wonder, "How do you choose ONE group of people to give your life to and to bring the gospel to?" It makes you wish that you had 9 lives or perhaps 900 lives, but that is why there is the beautiful Body of Christ. We can't (and shouldn't) do it alone. This is a task for the whole Body to be involved in. May many laborers be raised up to GO and to preach Christ where He has never before been named. May those who have NEVER before uttered the name of Jesus do so because we lived faithful lives for the cause of Christ.

Seeing Yourself in a Mirror

I had a weekly prayer time with a friend from Switzerland last night. We always have a great time together encouraging and sharing with one another. One of the things I have mentioned before that I like about meeting with her is the way she phrases ideas in English. It makes you think about them because their not cliche things. Last night I was talking to her about how frustrated I was that I wanted to love the people in my group and yet my speech and actions towards them were so impatient. I also mentioned how thankful I was that one of the students had asked me if I was grumpy that morning because it made me stop and reflect on my heart. In the midst of our discussion she mentioned to me that sleepiness acts like a mirror. She said that when we are rested we might be able to control what comes out of our mouth or how others percieve us even if our hearts are wrong. "However," she pointed out, "When we are tired we more easily say what we feel and truly think. We have not changed. That sinful attitude was already there but our sleepiness acts as a mirror to see our sinful hearts as they really are." I had been thinking about this with both sleep and food. When I lack either I am very grumpy. Today I also listened to a chapel sermon by Dr. Baker which had an applicable quote. He asked, "What do you get when you squeeze a ketchup bottle?" The answer of course is ketchup. Then he asked, "What do you get when you squeeze a sinner?" The answer of course is sin. My circumstances aren't the problem my sinfulness is.

Here's a question or two for you.

I'm curious to hear what you all have to say on these two matters. It is something that I and a number of other girls have been thinking through recently.

1.) What do you do when someone confronts you on an issue and you don't respect them at all?We all agreed that you evaluate what they have said and that you examine your heart but do you also evaluate who it is coming from? Do you change your actions because they see it as a problem?

2.) Can guys and girls be friends? Is one bound to get too attatched? What kind of a friendship can you have with the opposite sex? How close is too close?

Just things we are thinking about way over here.

Speech Saturated with the Word of God

Psalm 37:30-31 The mouh of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The Law of God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

I've been thinking on how I want more Scripture to flow out of my mouth. I see this in one of the ladies I work with. She is righteous and she knows the Word of God and when she speaks she utters wisdom and gives hope. I also see that God has done this in her life through her discipline in study and memorization and her love for Him. Every year before the new year she sits down and thinks on what she wants to study or learn that year. She then formulates a reading plan for the year according to that and she sticks to it. She also memorizes Scripture every day as she walks.
I've also been thinking about this as students have come to me for counsel. I think I should listen and then wait and get back to them because what they need is God's counsel and wisdom not mine and then I speak anyway because I desire to please them and have them leave my presence feeling good. What are my words though? Is that what they need? No. I hope though to get to the point where I know the Word of God better so that I can speak to them in that instance with wisdom because the law of God is on my heart.

Psalm 37

I got on the bus about a week ago and exclaimed to a friend I don't know what to do with my lif. She told me she had read Psalm 37 that morning, that it was really good and applicable to my anxiety and asked me to read it to her because she couldn't read it on the bus without getting car sick. It was so good and encouraging. I have come back to it a number of times this last week. I think all of us, and the few people who glance at this blog every once in a while, are at a point in our lives where we are unsure of where the next few years will take us. We may even be unsure of where the next few months will take us so I thought I would post the Psalm here. Be encouraged. There is so much I can say but I think it speaks so much better than I can. Trust, wait patiently, do good, be faithful and He will act.

Psalm 37
He Will Not Forsake His SaintsOf David.

1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

3Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;

19they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.

20But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish--like smoke they vanish away.

21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;

22for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;

24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.

25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

26He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

27Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.

28For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints.They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

32The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.

33The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

36But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

37Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

A New Favorite Verse

So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.

Luke 17:10

This verse has stuck out to me lately probably mostly because of the normalcy of it. We are just to live well, doing our duty for the Lord, by His grace impacting those around us—our generation and perhaps even beyond our generation. We are to live faithfully. If you go back and read some of the verses before this passage, you’ll see that the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith. After talking about faith even as small as a mustard seed, he pointed them to service and the fact that they are to be servants faithfully doing what the Master has commanded of them.

We are servants. We are not volunteers. We are not philanthropists. We are unprofitable servants. Dr. MacArthur points out in his study notes that the term “unprofitable servant” comes with the understanding that we are not worthy of any special honor. As servants, we have been asked to do something and we should do it. Nothing is expected of volunteers or philanthropists, and therefore, they are praised when they contribute to the world. Something is expected of servants. Servants have been given a duty to perform—tasks to finish. When the tasks are finished, nothing need be said. We need not expect Jesus to fall over with appreciation for us. We don’t have to wait for a pat on the back from God. The Holy Spirit doesn’t owe us any warm fuzzies.

You and I are unprofitable servants. Even the Calvins, the Luthers, the Pipers, the MacArthurs, the Spurgeons of this world are simply unprofitable servants. They have only done their duty. Isn’t that interesting? Sometimes we think that there are some giants of the faith that have gone above and beyond what was ever expected. In our minds, we convert them from servants to spiritual philanthropists because of their immense contributions. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be appreciative of all that God has allowed them to do. We should be incredibly grateful for the far-reaching ministries that they have had by God’s grace. But we also must keep in mind, that no matter how far the Lord takes us in this life, no matter how big our ministry is, how many churches are planted, how many souls are saved, who we minister too, how many mission fields we traverse, how many books we write, or how many people we counsel, we remain unprofitable servants who have only done our duty.

In light of our great Master, the immense grace of the Cross, and the unthinkable love and forgiveness granted us, it is a blessing to even be granted the opportunity to do our duty as unprofitable servants.

God as my teacher

Recognizing God as a perfect teacher seems to be a theme in my life. I think this comes from being a part of a family full of teachers. Also, as a person who wants to be a teacher I look for teaching methods and practices in my teachers. I am constantly reminded, as God orchestrates things around me to discipline and teach me, that he is the only teacher with the perfect timing, illustrations, and lessons. He is the only teacher that can bring together every area of your life to get your attention and teach you what He wants.
I recognized this last semester as I examined why I don't read Scripture as often as I should. I found that in my heart I actually thought I wouldn't learn anything by reading it on my own. I relied so much on others to teach me from God's Word instead of relying on God and His Word. When I realized that and started reading more faithfully I saw God orchestrate things so that my planned reading coincided with conversations, problems, and life. I also found that I learned a lot.
I was just reminded of all this as I read I John and I thought I would share a verse here.

I John 2:26-27 "These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and it is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."

Circumstantial Joy

I have been saddened lately at how many little things my joy and hope rest in. I console myself with the praise of men and food so frequently. John Piper speaks in his book on Hungering for God about how so often we fill our appetite with so many little things in life that we have no room for God. That is certainly true of me.
In fasting one day I was quick to see how often I look forward to my next meal or the next cup of coffee to bring me joy and strength through out the day. When I am feeling discontent instead of seeing that sin and dealing with it I console myself with a thought like, "Oh, but I only have ten minutes till lunch." Instead of asking myself why I am so saddened that someone else was praised and recognizing the wicked heart behind the thought I run to buy myself an ice cream bar. Do I really want my joy and hope to lie in food? What a wasted life!
I also see how much I rest in the praise of those around me rather than in the promises of God. When I started to wonder why I was here doing the job I am doing and if they had chosen the right person for the job, I kept reminding myself that God had brought me here. I have frequently seen His gracious hand in bringing me here and in how He is working in my life here. I kept reminding myself of this. I also kept telling myself that God had me here and that he would work it for the good of the families here, my good, and His glory. I also reminded myself of His goodness and sovereignty. The good God that I serve would not bring me here only to abandon me and not prepare me for the job. The sovereign God I serve is able to equip and prepare me. I had to frequently remind myself of this, yet one "well done" from someone I respect here so quickly brought me out of my questioning. I had such joy and my countenance changed to hear someone say I was doing a good job. I was able to relax and rest. What do I rest in? What do you rest in? Should I be resting in man's praise?
I miss tests now that I am not in school because I miss getting that "A" back and knowing that I did a good job. I was actually envious today as the students here received their graded History of Ancient Israel midterms in their mailboxes. In class yesterday, as the teacher recognized how panicked and anxious everyone was about tests and quizzes, he reminded us that tests and quizzes are nothing. We will go through harder times in life. He told us to remember Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." This does apply to tests and our jobs and such but are those things really things that should cause us anxiety? There is a family here who have four little boys who are four years old and under. The oldest just finished chemo/radiation therapy. When he was diagnosed with cancer and started radiation his mom was pregnant with his brother. She could not even go near her toddler who was undergoing the difficult treatment because of the health of her unborn baby. This last summer she was pregnant with twins and on bed rest. Recently one of the new born twins has had severe problems. What is a test compared to trials and tests like that?
If those times come in my life and my hope is in food what will I have other than a large posterier? If that time comes and I am far away from friends and family and there is no word of encouragement will I be distraught? People will fail me. What will a test score mean if I am faced with difficulties like that? Those times will come and I desire to trust in the Lord and in His Word. Pray that I will.