“Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields,

for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:35

In John 4, Jesus gives us an object lesson in how to reap a harvest. As he begins the weeklong journey from the southern part of Israel to the Galilee district, verse 4 says he “must needs” go through the Samaritan regions which Jews typically avoided like the plague. The result of this unexpected change of course was the Samaritan city of Sychar was completely transformed. Beginning with the sinful Samaritan’s testimony of the Messiah found, “He told me all that I ever did”, it ends with Jesus spending two days with them until they all declare:

“We ourselves have heard Him, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (JN 4:42)

Jesus gives us the key to this amazing success in verse 35. He begins by saying, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’?” Why would they say this? Because they were responding to what they could see. There were many historical, cultural, and spiritual reasons to say the Samaritans could not possibility be ready. The Jews had parted ways with the Samaritans hundreds of years before when they twisted their beliefs about God to conform to their rebellious and adulterous ways. In first century Palestine, the animosity was so great that the Jews would walk great distances around their region just to avoid contact. Much could be said about the comment, “For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (JN 4:9), but suffice it to say that Jesus saw things differently, from an elevated perspective.

What do you see when you look over the fields? Obstacles? Resistance? I am reminded of a missionary biography called “Mission Impossible”. A former generation of missionaries had left this hardened, ignorant, bound and burdened people with little hope. If you are honest, you might write a book with the same title when you consider your “mission field”.

I met a leader of another mission group which is also working on college campuses in the very same places our team is working. His estimation of the difficulties reveals a deeper issue. “Students aren’t as hungry as they used to be,” he said. “They are now caught up in materialism, and no longer interested in spiritual things. We really missed an opportunity.” Really? The feedback from our team? “There is so much to do! These students are just so curious, and a day doesn’t go by when we don’t meet people who want to hear about Jesus” How could two groups see such different fields?

Jesus taught us a very simple principle here. If you look at the fields, the timing never seems to be right. You will think it’s too early, or maybe even that it’s too late. The conditions never seem to point to harvest. You look at your unsaved family, or your colleagues, or your neighborhood, and think conditions could not be worse! That is why Jesus told us not to look at the fields. He was quite clear in His instruction. He said “Behold [which was for emphasis, so as to say ‘you better listen to what I am about to say…’] I say to you, lift up your eyes”.

When I was saved only a few months I passed by a church rummage sale, and saw an old painting of Jesus for sale. I bought it and over the next few years until I moved overseas, I hung it on the walls in my rooms. The most prominent feature of the painting to me is that Jesus’ eyes are gazing upward. I believe the artist must have understood something about Jesus that many of His followers have yet to discover, or apply to their lives. The best way to see the things around us are to lift our eyes the One above us.

Earlier this month I went to visit a Christian businessman whose office is on the 48th floor overlooking the central business district of Singapore, and the ocean beyond with its hundreds of container ships parked in the distance as far as the eye can see. Wow, you surely see things differently when you are up high! You don’t hear the sounds of construction below. You don’t smell the exhaust of the trucks. I was immediately challenged with this thought. On what floor do I work? What do I see when I look out my “window”? I don’t want to see what, or like others see. I want to see what God sees. I want to see how Jesus saw. For him, everything began with his eyes lifted. Beloved, that’s where we need to begin.

Jesus saw God was going to do something in Samaria. His disciples did not see it, so when they arrived, all they could think about was getting something to eat! So off they went to the strip to find Burger King. Meanwhile, the true King was about to have an encounter which was the first in a series of events which would lead to a city’s transformation (yes, BIG things do still have SMALL beginnings).

Having seen what God was going to do, Jesus’ “antenna” was raised. Having lifted his eyes to God, he was now looking square at a white and ripened field. Hope and expectation welled up inside his heart. It mattered not that Jews did not have dealings with Samaritans. It mattered not that men did not normally have friendly conversations with women. It mattered not that it was hot, right in the middle of the day. It mattered not that this woman had chosen a sin-filled lifestyle. Jesus was not fixated on the difficulties. He would not entertain the excuses. He would not bow to the fear-causing schemes of the Devil. He had come, sickle in hand, ready to reap.

From this perspective, Jesus did not even only see the woman. He saw and prayed for those “who will believe in Me through [her] word” (JN 17:20). Paul served from this perspective too. While in prison, he praised because he knew that God would visit him with deliverance. Once delivered, he was ready to lead the first person he saw to faith. But not only that, he immediately declared that this salvation would not only impact him, but his family as well. We all know that scripture now, but when you see it in context, you realize that Paul, like Jesus, was not expecting a small harvest when he said:

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:31

This is, of course, exactly what happened. That very night, Paul accepted the invitation to return with the jailer to his house, where he proceeded to lead the whole family to faith and baptize them, to the end that the jailer “rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” (16:34)

Paul’s lifted eyes gave him faith’s perspective. Jesus’ lifted eyes allowed him to see an impossible situation as one full of possibilities. Beloved, it is the same for us. We have literally reaped thousands of souls among the people group about whom the book “Mission Impossible” was written. May we all learn this simple, yet profound secret. Beloved, lift up your eyes and [then] look. You’ll be surprised how white your field has become.

                        “Unless the Lord builds the house,

                        they labor in vain who build it…

                        Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

                        So are the children of one’s youth.”    PS 127:1,4

Until recently I did not see the relationship between building and having children who are like “arrows in the hand”.  But when this Psalm was read during a time prophetic words were being spoken as we waited on the Lord, I saw it so clearly.  A warrior who goes out into battle and forgets his arrows has certainly done a vain thing!  A builder who does not take into account the next generation is the same.  His work will not last.

The Bible has so many examples of people on either side of this equation.  Some invested in the next generation; some did not.  Did you ever wonder why Joseph is the only one of the 12 sons of Jacob who brought his own children to the bedside of their dying grandfather to receive blessing and an impartation of prophetic destiny?  Joseph was a wise man, to whom God and man (i.e. Potiphar, Pharoah) entrusted great responsibility.  He showed this wisdom in preparing his sons, yes, both natural and spiritual, to continue to build upon his legacy.  He preserved and provided for his whole family when he established them in Goshen.  He bounced his great-great grandchildren on his knees, and he spoke hope and promise to the children of Israel that God would “surely visit you” and restore them to their own land, which of course He did.

Was Elijah the only prophet to prepare a “mantle”, and impart a double portion of anointing on to the next generation?  Why don’t we see this happening among the other prophets?  Or was it only Elijah who placed a priority on making himself available to a spiritual son?  Even his own prophetic “son” Elisha failed.  The man to whom he had committed his ministry, Gehazi, fell prey to greed and spent the rest of his days as a forlorn leper.

Very few kings of Israel’s kings prepared their sons to rule.  The results were catastrophic.  How could Hezekiah, one of Judah’s brightest stars, raise a Manasseh, a king whose evil included such abominations as returning to witchcraft, mediums, Baal worship, and sacrificing his own son to the false god Molech!  Even David appeared headed for a train wreck when Amnon his first son raped his half-sister, only to be killed by his brother Absalom out of revenge, who later led a full-blown rebellion against David, his father the king.  David’s problems continued when he foolishly refused to name an heir, bringing more confusion and even treason in its wings, until he finally established Solomon as his true successor.  David somewhat redeemed himself when he not only crowned Solomon as his heir, but passed PROMISE and PURPOSE to him, gave him PLANS for building the temple, PROVIDED gold and timber and all needed materials to build, and established PEOPLE of skill, wisdom, and authority to complete the work.  At the end of his life, then, David became an example to us all of the importance which must be placed on the next generation.  The temple which was built stood as the symbol and center or Jewish life for the next 400 years.

A Chinese proverb says, “one generation plants the trees and the next generation gets the shade”.  Actually, they get more than shade.  They get fruit, and furniture, and, if you are from Vermont, maple syrup!   But the point is that many are so absorbed in the “important” things they are doing now, that they fail to cast a vision for and therefore prepare for the future.  What a contrast was the ministry of Jesus.  His plan to change the world was focused squarely on 12 men to whom he could pass on promises and power, and then commission to take his message of hope and redemption to the ends of the earth.

Paul appeared headed for the fate of many who had stumbled over this fatal flaw during the initial years of his ministry.  Going it alone, his first attempts in Damascus and Jerusalem ended poorly.  And while there was some fruit from his first missionary journey, it was during his second tour that he realized Jesus’ method was second to none.  He began to assemble a team of young men around him, pouring into them daily for two years with remarkable results, “so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10).  These young men included:

• Gaius (Derbe)
• Timothy (Lystra)
• Aristarchus & Secondus (Thessalonica)
• Sopater (Berea)
• Erastus (Corinth)
• Tychicus & Trophimus (Ephesus)
• Titus & Luke (Antioch)

The Psalmist said, “Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies” (45:5).  A warrior dared not go to battle without sharpened, polished (IS 49:2) arrows in his quiver.  For him, it was a matter of life and death.  May God help us to also realize the urgency of our having our quiver’s full.  Yes, God, help us to prioritize, and then raise up the next generation.  Amen.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
Because He has anointed me
To preach the gospel to the poor…” IS 61:1

One of the kids came back from school and said the teacher had criticized a ministry that was targeting the rich and upper class of society with the gospel, stating unequivocally that “the gospel is supposed to be preached to the poor!” I realize that this is what this text says, but is that what it means?

Over the years I have come across a number of cases where translations of the Biblical text have led people down some real slippery slopes. The person who had said this was the Bible teacher at the school, so how much more should he have known that the Hebrew word translated “poor” here does not have an economic intent. The word anav conveys the idea of being needy, or humble, or weak. It is the same word which described Moses when he was effectively serving as a redeemer, savior figure over the nation of Israel during the Exodus. It is one of the terms King David often used to describe his heart condition before God, expressing his hunger and intense need for more of God in his life.

I have heard this sentiment spoken of, and seen it written in books, and though there is an appearance of “working with the poor” that sounds spiritual, I have come to believe this sentiment is misguided. The gospel is not for the economically poor; it is for the anav who sit in seats of power and who are wealthy too. Consider for a moment these words to Paul:

“Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before
Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” Acts 9:15

And how he testified obedience to God’s call near the end of his life:

“Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I
stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other
things than those which the prophets and Moses…” Acts 26:22

The Greek word for great is megas, and means persons eminent in ability, virtue, authority, or power. The point here clearly is that Paul was called to reach all people, not just the poor.

So what about Jesus? When He first stood up He opened Isaiah’s scroll to exactly this passage in 61:1. Did the Son of Man, therefore, specifically approach the people in the slums or ghettos of his day? Some may quote Jesus’ words about a camel going through the eye of a needle, or about his interaction with the rich young ruler when he tells him to “go, sell what you have and give to the poor”, and how he “went away sorrowful” (MT 19:21-24). But did Jesus always and only favor the poor in His three plus years of ministry?

In fact, Jesus reached out to rich and poor alike. He loved those in high places, and those in low. The gospel is not just for all nations, it is for all types of people too. His blood was not just shed for people on welfare; it was shed for people on Wall Street too. While Jesus did spend a lot of his time with common folk, spoke parables about servants and people who held lowly denarius-a-day jobs, he also did not rebuke the woman who could have sold her alabaster ointment and given it to the poor.

It is true, many of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, a class of people considered to be hard-working and yet very ordinary. It is also true that he had a Levi, a tax collector, yes, a man of means, among the twelve. It is true, his greatest conflict was with the powerful religious leaders of his day; but it is also true that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both of the Sanhedrin, were among His disciples. Jesus did not just minister to the little children, he reached out to a nobleman, a centurion, and a lawyer. In some of His parables he even indicates that sometimes it is those who have less who prove to be less worthy.

One of the most dramatic examples of Jesus’ perspective is when he is literally days from his death and making his final ministry tour, passing through towns and villages to make it to Jerusalem in time for the Passover. The last major city to en route before his famed triumphal entry on the foal of a donkey into the Holy City was the ancient city of Jericho. Known as the City of Palms, Jericho was the richest part of the country, also called the “Little Paradise”. Due to his increasing fame, the outstanding miracles–including Lazarus being raised from the dead–throngs of people were now gathering in the places where they knew he was going to pass. Mothers wanted him to touch and bless their children. The blind, the lame, the infirmed, were certainly among the most hopeful that Jesus would single them out.

The atmosphere must have been electric. The excitement. The anticipation. Would this be my day? To whom did Jesus go? To the bewilderment of every man and woman in the crowd, He stopped and called out the name of a short man by the name of Zacchaeus. Short in stature, mind you, but not small in influence or reputation. Outside of the Roman royals, Zacchaeus was one of the richest men in the richest city in Palestine. A “chief tax collector”, he was the top of the MLM ladder of his time. And yet, on this day, Zacchaeus was the poorest in the eyes of Jesus.

Jesus was not conflicted, nor was he being hypocritical when he chose to preach the gospel to this rich poor man. He was giving us an object lesson in the true definition of poor.

Within a few years of the resurrection, “a great many priests” had become obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). Among the first leaders of the Antioch church was Manaen “who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch” (Acts 13:1). By the time Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, members of “Caesar’s household” had come to Christ (Phil 4:22). His impromptu “Shipwreck Crusade” had resulted in an island-wide revival following the conversion of Publius, the highest ranking person in Malta (Acts 28:7). Within a couple hundred years, the Emperor himself of one of the most powerful empires in the history of the world bowed his knee to the Savior.

The call of God may lead one to this type of ministry, one to another. Peter was called to the Jews; Paul to the Gentiles. Mother Teresa went to the poorest poor in Calcutta; Ravi Zacharias speaks in the world’s premier universities and at the UN. There are poor people everywhere: in slums, in penthouses. They are in rags, and in Armani’s. God help us to preach to them whoever, wherever, they are. The Spirit of the Lord has anointed you for this. Come on, say it: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.”

Think of It!

“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has bound–think of it–for eighteen years,

be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” LK 13:16

     What a Master! I love how Jesus did the things He did. What a model, example, inspiration! Even as He healed this woman who had been bent over for the past eighteen years from her infirmity, He was seeking an opportunity to minister to the ruler of the synagogue who himself was also bound.

The word translated “think of it” is translated “behold” in other places. The ruler was himself “bent over”. He could not look up to see , so Jesus tells him, “look beyond your silly rules and regulations, beyond the surface, past the religious leaders, and look at this woman standing there straight before you filled with joy and gratitude to God!” His was not to rebuke, but to win a heart, open eyes, and awaken the dead. And it was not just the ruler, but the whole crowd was witnessing this exchange.

What would it take to make me to see beyond all the smokescreens, the habits that rub me the wrong way, the false defenses, the offenses, or the resistance, to see the human face, the one who is crying out from behind the mask? Jesus was saying to the ruler; look, she is a person, not a statistic, and if you just take your eyes off yourself and your rules, you will see that a real person, with real parents and siblings, with a real physical problem which has left real psychological scars has just really been given a completely new lease on life!

Whatever Jesus did, He did with genuine compassion. While people gravitate to the convenience of rules and set responses, Jesus put a human touch on everything He did. Sometimes it was a physical touch. Sometimes it was a word of comfort, or of hope. Sometimes it was a gaze. May we not just go through the motions in life, even in ministry. God help us to “think of it”, to not just see the needs, but to see the people who have the needs; to see people not just as souls, but as souls who are longing to be set free.

Think of it!

“There was a certain disciple at Damascus names Ananias and to him
the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’” Acts 9:10

I preached about Ananias this past weekend. I went to the Bible Dictionary in my library to see if it offered any insight about Ananias, and read the following: “a devout man according to the law who befriended Saul of Tarsus immediately after his conversion and conveyed Christ’s commission to him.” Really? I mean, seriously? Ananias risked his life to go to Saul! His motley band had come “breathing threats and murder” to Damascus to wreak havoc on the church there, to chain up the believers, to drag them back 150 miles to Jerusalem so that they could be unjustly charged and then executed.

There are many things I love about this man, but it all starts in the heart. I love that he said, “Here I am, Lord.” I love that he was available. I love that he was ready to obey. I love that the words of the prophet Isaiah when he was called by God to go and preach to stubborn Israel were on his lips. Beloved, this was no wimpy attempt at friendship evangelism. This was nothing less than raw courage.

Whether we realize it or not, the courage of this one man not only played a significant role in the life of Saul of Tarsus; through Saul-turned-Paul-the-Apostle he has had an affect on us all. Think about it: no Ananias, no Paul? So who was Ananias that I would make such a statement?

Actually he only appears in this one passage, a total of ten verses of scripture. He gets no flowery introduction. He carries no impressive title. We don’t know if he ever preached to a crowd of 50, 000, or even a “crowd” of 50. He is not a great Apostle, or Pastor. He does not even appear to be an elder or a deacon, though it is quite possible he at least had a “home group”! All we really know is that he was a “certain disciple”. In other words, he was just like most of us. Or to put it in another way, we don’t have any excuses for not being like him!

To make matters worse, even our Bible scholars and teachers seem to miss the point. This passage says nothing about Ananias “befriending” Saul. They simply want to make Ananias after their own image, rather than falling under a deep conviction because we have embraced such a benign and insipid definition of what it means to truly believe. We think being meek means being weak, when the same Moses who was said to be the meekest man on earth (Num 12:3) returned time and time again to Pharoah’s court to castigate him and demand him to “let my people go!”

How could someone who risked his life to come to a man who, with his posse, had one thing in mind– to beat and bind in chains the Christians of Damascus, that he might “punish them…and compel them to blaspheme” “persecut[ing] them to the death” (Acts 26:11; 22:4)–be portrayed as having won Paul over by befriending him? Seriously, do we really think he brought a box of chocolates with him?!

Ananias did not have a box of chocolates. I’ll tell you what else he didn’t have. He didn’t have a Bible (cause there was no Bible). He didn’t have a Bible school certficate. He had not attended Bill Johnson’s school of supernatural ministry. He probably had never met an apostle, his “church” almost certainly did not have a building, and most likely he didn’t even have a “pastor”. Why, their church could not have been more than just a few years old (Saul was saved within 4 years of the resurrection). So what is it about this small group of Christians 150 miles away from Jerusalem that compelled Saul to even want to go there?

Let me quote from another person who impresses me as having done a lot with a little. In this I mean Daniel. A captive, 16 years or so, torn from his culture, his roots, his relationships, living in an environment hostile to his childhood faith with the only support system being three other teenagers like himself. And yet, we know the “rest of the story”. He said:
“But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Dan 11:32

While we should be hugely grateful for the Bible, our Bill Johnson’s, the books, and seminars, and buildings and our Bible schools, these things are not a substitute to knowing God, they are supposed to be a support. The point to know Him. People who know Him are strong, and do exploits. They are not fearful, but fearless in the face of opposition. They know the Lord is with them. They know that they are always led in triumphal procession in Christ.

The other part of the Bible Dictionary quote which disturbs me is that Ananias “conveyed Christ’s commission to him”. Is that really what happened? No. In fact, Ananias entered the house of collaborating Judas and the guards armed with their instruments for inflicting pain and suffering and walked right up to a prostrate, praying Saul, laid his hands upon him whereupon he was immediately healed of blindness, then prayed for him for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. At which point, “convey Christ’s commission,” is a pretty sad description of the truth, which is that Ananias accurately and thoroughly prophesied Saul’s destiny, that he was a chosen instrument, called to be both a minister and a witness, of the Lord to Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, and that he would:
“know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth”
and,
“open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 9:15-18; 22:14-15; 26:16-18)

Ananias was one of the disciples in the fledgling Damascus church. While they did not have much, what they did have is an example and a challenge to us all. Consider some of the things that we see in these verses about Ananias:

• He experienced an open vision of the Lord.
• His ears were tuned to the voice of the Lord.
• He knew the importance of the fundamental doctrine of laying on of hands.
• He exercised the spiritual gift of praying for the sick, even for blindess.
• He knew how to immediately lead Saul into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
• He prophesied boldly and accurately of Saul’s calling and destiny.

While the message of his boldness, his sensitivity to the things of the Spirit, and even his ability to exercise the spiritual gifts are impressive, there is one last thing that Ananias said which impresses me as much or more than the others. You see, despite having “heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints,” knowing that he himself was a target of Saul’s vicious plots to destroy them, when Ananias sees his “enemy” the first words out of his mouth were “Brother Saul.” This is more than a simple gesture of kindness. That he calls him “brother” is itself a declaration of faith, and shows that he harbored no ill-will towards the man who had personally been responsible for the death and destruction of many just like himself. Ananias reveals in these words that he practiced what he professed. He not only DID the work, he did it in the love of Christ.
If I am Saul at that moment, more than my physical eyes are being opened. This guy knows that I have come here to kill, and yet he has reached out to me with tenderness. He has offered me forgiveness. He has accepted me without condition, and made me like one of his own household.

No Ananias, no Paul? Beloved, we do not have to be someone famous. We are not all called to stand before crowds. In the church, there are not many who are called to be Pastors, or Elders, even Deacons. But we can all be disciples. Maybe the only thing that is left is to be described with the only term that Ananias is introduced in this passage. You see, he was not only a disciple. He was certain.  He knew his God.

“The plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed.”  Amos 9:13

God loves to do the impossible. It is His way of silencing dissenters, removing doubt, and building faith in His people who are called to partner with Him in the impossible. When the impossible thing He is doing is regarding the harvest, my heart leaps like a calf from the stall when I consider it.

I remember talking with a Korean missionary couple in Tibet many years ago. When speaking of the enormous challenges in reaching Tibetans with the gospel, I will never forget the simple yet profound words he spoke to me: “Brother, when I was young there was open hostility towards the gospel throughout Korea. But look at Korea today. Crosses light up the skies of the city at night! If God could do it in Korea, He can do it in Tibet.” So true!

In reality, China is another case in point. 37 years ago at the close of the Cultural Revolution, all church doors were closed, Bibles and Christian materials had been burned in pyres all over the country, pastors, evangelists, and Bible teachers had been either martyred or cast into prison indefinitely, and the entire nation had been brainwashed into believing Communism like a religion with Chairman Mao as their savior. Now, according to the US State Department, Christianity is now the number one religious belief in China. Yes, more Christians than Buddhists. Our God is a God of the impossible.

There are things which we do to prepare for harvest. We buy tools and equipment, we build barns, we open markets, we arrange transport, and we forge relationships. There is a need for money, of course, and all would be in vain if there is no laborers. We till the ground. We sow the seed. We call in the recruits and mobilize the laborers. We plan and we pray. And we wait.

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,but God
who gives the increase.”  1 Cor 3:7

This is not an excuse not to prepare, to plant, or to water. It is just an acknowledgement that God is the only one who can cause our labors to have an effect. It is an acknowledgement that there are some aspects of the harvest for which no amount of planning, effort, money, or laborers has any affect. In the natural, there is the factor of weather, or insects, or disease. Spiritually, we may ask “is God shining on it”, or “has He brought the rain of the Spirit”, or “did we sow bad seed”? But when it is all said and done, the fact remains that when God decides it is time to bring a place or a people to harvest, our preparations, though not unimportant, seem of little consequence. He still uses us, and partners with us, but not because He needs to.

Today I read Jonah. God decided it was time to do something in Nineveh. He sought for a man with whom to partner in reaching the Ninevites. Jonah was found, a prophet, one who had spoken for God, one who had prophesied to one of Israel’s powerful kings (2 Kings 14:25). Even though Jonah did not prove to be such a faithful messenger, unwilling and uncaring as he was, God had decided it was time to do something powerful in Ninevah. So He did!

Humanly speaking, it is impossible to imagine that an entire pagan city of 120,000 people would repent and turn to God. But that is exactly what God did. From the greatest (the king even “covered himself in sackcloth and sat in ashes”) to the least of them, they all cried out to God.

Even here, Jonah had barely sowed the seed and a complete and ripened harvest was reaped. Similar accounts are referenced in the New Testament, the Samaritan woman’s whole village came to Christ. The town Tabitha was from turned to Christ en masse after Peter had raised her from the dead. And when Philip preached in Samaria with signs following, the city experienced a revival that the Bible describes as being “great joy in that city”. Each case was not preceded by anything we can really call much sowing, though undoubtedly Tabitha’s good works did a fair bit of watering of the soil in Joppa.

When God decides it is time for a people to come to Him, we get to go along for the ride. Sovereignly, he causes the mountains to “drip with sweet wine, and the hills [to] flow with it” Amos 9:13. When He determines the Tibetans are ready, I want to be there with a sickle in my hand, even if my swinging seems like a man trying to catch all the rain as it falls in his bucket. When He determines the Muslims here, or there, are ready, he will take the small offering we have prepared and like Elijah He will respond with so much fire that the offering, the wood, the water, and even the rocks are licked up by it. When He wants to move, the laws of physics, the element of time, things of natural consequence and effect, go out the window.

I can’t even conceive of what it means for the plowman to overtake the reaper! But I want to be there, to witness the God of the impossible moving in power, in compassion, and in majesty.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you”

“His Word was in my heart like a burning fire
shut up in my bones…” Jeremiah 20:9

When I read through the scriptures I always look forward to when I finally get to Jeremiah, and not just because I have reached the half way point either! No. It’s because my passion gets rekindled all over again. Talk about a firebrand! He loved God. He loved God’s people. He yearned for God’s purpose/mission to be accomplished. He wept because of the rebellion of Israel. He suffered loneliness, rejection, and imprisonment over a lifetime of service, being completely misunderstood, falsely accused, and sentenced to death. But the flame in his heart never died down, and the Word of the Lord could not be quenched.

Something good about the long plane rides of late is the opportunity to read three more missionary biographies, among which was C.T. Studd, David Bussau, and Paul Brand. If you are feeling low on gas or need a jump start, why not dig into one of these inspiring stories? People of our day and age lack passion because they lack conviction. We are feeding our minds on things which don’t drive us to the cross, or towards His purpose.

There is nothing that we need more in life than passion. By it was can quench a thousand darts. With passion we rise up and labor when no one is watching. We preach when no one is listening. We prepare when there is no lesson to teach. We don’t pray because its time to, but because we have to. Passion cannot be replaced by good strategies, or awesome technologies, or stacks of $100 bills. Whatever it takes, I exhort you, fan into flame passion for God, passion for His people, passion for the lost, and passion for His Word that consumes us even as it consumed Jeremiah.

If it has been a while since you have prayed a dangerous prayer (or maybe you never have), this is as good a time as any! Tell the Lord, “Make me a firebrand for you.” Watch what the Holy Spirit will do.

*This picture was taken of me this past weekend when I was speaking in a Chinese church.  You can see the characters behind me on the wall  : )

Everyone experiences times of being misunderstood, or misjudged. In extreme cases we can literally suffer verbal abuse, or even what is rightly called being attacked. While there is a definite human part in all of this, often times it is more than mere human.

We should not be surprised. This tactic is as old as old Slewfoot himself. He seeks to steal (peace), kill (reputations), and destroy (cooperation, testimony). Let me make one thing perfectly clear: I hate the Devil. While it is tempting to get angry or vengeful with people when we are misunderstood or falsely accused, may I suggest a better, yes, a higher way. Direct that emotion at Satan. Beloved, have you not heard it said that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood? OK, then let’s not. The Devil has just picked a fight. The only problem is, he knocks you in the nose and you are stunned. By the time you recover he has ducked or hidden, leaving a brother or sister standing there to whom you now direct your rage. Don’t.

I have had some cruel and vicious attacks against me over the years. It is part of the price of ministry. It also is likely a sign that you are about the strike a blow to the enemy’s plans, or are about to experience a breakthrough. This calls for real discernment.

There are quite a few scriptures which have helped to carry me through such times. Take, for instance, this passage from Romans 12:14-21

“Bless those who persecute you.  Bless them, and don’t curse them…Live in harmony with each other.  Don’t be arrogant, but be friendly to humble people.  Don’t think that you are smarter than you really are.  Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you.   Focus your thoughts on those things that are considered noble.  As much as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone.  Don’t take revenge, dear friends.  Instead, let God’s anger take care of it all.  After all, Scriptures says, “I alone have the right to take revenge.  I will pay back, says the Lord”…Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good.” 

When this happens to you, let me share a few practical thoughts of what to do:

1. Bless and release grace to those who have hurt you. Humble yourself and seek for your part to reconcile. Indeed, your greatest defense and asset in these times may well be your humility. Pray for the “attacker” whom you feel may have been influenced by the enemy and entered into flesh warfare. Follow David’s example in PS 109:3,4. He said when men “surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause…I gave myself to prayer.” Later in the same Psalm he says, “let them curse, but You bless.” (v.28)
2. Guard your heart. You are not responsible for the heart of another, but you can and must keep yours. Above all, you must not allow yourself to be contaminated. Praise often. Direct your gaze upward. As David concludes PS 109, wherein he had come under brutal attack, turn and use your mouth according to the purpose for which it was created: “I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude” (v.30).
3. Guard your tongue. When called upon, present facts, then do not go any farther. If the person is curious but not one of the involved parties, the less said the better. Direct them to pray as you are. You will be tempted to seek sympathy from man, but in doing so, you forfeit the comfort which comes from God alone. Whatever you do, do not allow yourself the “comfort” of maligning or creating suspicion about another. Never stoop to fighting back. When you do, you have given the Devil a double victory. You prove that you have received the hurt of another, then have chosen to hurt them back.
4. Watch the clock. In these matters, time is a great friend. Make sure you have fulfilled the “as much as depends on you, live peaceably” (RM 12:18) part of your relationship. Then it is time to allow the fruit of patience have its affect. In the case of several of our kids growing up, I have had to discipline them not to pick their scabs after an injury. Wounds heal best when left alone. I had an ankle injury that I kept reinjuring which caused me to be inactive for a few years because I never had the patience to wait for it to completely heal. Given time, through my ankle, and relationships with people who had formerly attacked me, healed—completely.
5. Look for gold. Gold has to be mined. It is hidden and it is rare, but that is why it is costly. There are precious nuggets to be harvested in every test God allows to come your way. Fire and intense heat are added to expose and polish pure and priceless gems. When we suffer reproach or bear the scars of battle, we enter into a deeper fellowship with the One who took our reproach and was beaten for us.

Most of these points can be gleaned from PS 69. Written by David who suffered the assaults of King Saul, Ahithophel his trusted and aged counselor, even his own son Absalom, this Psalm is a masterful roadmap for how to ward off the insipid and infectious affects of betrayal and being despitefully judged. The Psalm is actually Messianic, as some parts of it could only be applied to the suffering of the Son of Man Himself. I have turned to these words many times through the years and found them to be just what the Doctor ordered for my sickness and to heal my wounds (noting at the same time what He went through was FAR more intense and horrible than anything we could go through). Bear in mind, and take heart, that though the Psalm begins with a cry to be saved from the quicksand of being wrongfully accused, it ends with the declaration that despite this seemingly unbearable setback, the purpose of God would still be fully accomplished in David’s life. David confidently announced that Zion would be saved, and cities would be built, that the people would dwell there in peace for generations to come.

“God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. Also the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it.” PS 69:35,36

This should be our hope and expectation as well. And that’s why it is so important that we recognize the enemy when he raises his ugly head. Sooner or later, the Devil will attack you through the words or another. He is, afterall, called the Accuser of the brethren, a role that he relishes in day and night performance (Rev 12:10). Sooner or later, minor misunderstandings can become a full-blown war and threaten to leave you devastated and embroiled in a battle you were never meant to fight. Beloved, these things happen. Be on guard. Though Satan buffet, stand firm knowing that this same Accuser “has been cast down” (Rev 12:10). Choose not to flight against flesh and blood. Not now. Not ever.

Anna and Nathaniel were married on July 20, 2013.  Nathaniel’s grandparents pioneered an Evangelical Seminary in Germany.  His parents continued the work there and that is where Nathaniel was raised until he went to University in America.  Anna and Nate met during their first week in Medical School in the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Anna, Mom, Liz, and Tabby all wore Indian sarees.  We road to church in a “London Cab”.

It was a joyous time for the whole family.  Just over 100 people were in attendance including from Anna’s primary school, secondary school & track team, friends from our old neighborhood, our old church here as as well as our new church.  People came from Hong Kong (family and friends), Malaysia, Thailand, China, and even the US, besides Singapore.

I had the privilege of sharing the Wedding Message and Pronouncing them Husband and Wife.  Three other pastors also participated in the ceremony.  Thanks to Pastors Ong, Lip, and James!

Joyce and I were so honored to welcome Nathaniel Rogers into our family, and to give our first daughter to marry in such a beautiful ceremony.  Many spoke of the tangible presence of God.  Liz sang “How Beautiful” to violin, cello, and flute accompaniment.  There was hardly a dry eye in this old, 1835 Armenian Church.  It must have been quite an experience for the numerous Muslims, handful of Hindus, and the smattering of of non-Christians who had come.

Thank you for sharing our joy with us on this amazing and glorious day!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

This shot was taken at our home before we left for the church.  Elizabeth’s boyfriend Anthony was also with us (he lives in Thailand), and even helped lead worship and accompany on the guitar for Liz’s offeratory and the recessional.

What a privilege to walk my firstborn down the aisle!  The Armenian Church was quaint and truly classic.  It only sits around 90 people, so some of the folks had to stand in the sides and back.  Still, it couldn’t have been better : )

As you can see, my “girls” except Charlotte wore Indian sarees.  I decided against it too.  But Nate, Nathan, and Jeremy also found Indian outfits which all seemed to come together just nicely.  The whole celebration was international from the gitgo.  Nate raised in Germany.  Anna in Hong Kong.  Between them the speak 7 different languages (German, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, and, oh yes, English).  Indian outfits, Armenian Church, all performed in Singapore for Americans.

The mother of the bride was breathtakingly beautiful.  I was ready to get married all over again myself!  Hard to believe this was taken just days shy of our 27th anniversary.

Thanks for sharing our joyous day with us through these memories~

This blog is excerpted from the message I shared at my daughter Anna’s wedding. I have edited it for a more general application which can be for us all in many aspects of our lives, but put in the context of marriage.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared
for those who love Him.” 1 Cor 2:9

I’d like to tell you something that I have discovered about God; He LOVES to surprise us. He LOVES to prepare these really awesome things for us, and then present them to us at just the right moment.

Consider how God prepared and then surprised Adam with Eve. Here’s the picture. God first brings all the animals to Adam to name. Now there are a LOT of animals out there, so this must have taken a very LONG TIME. The variety, the engineering, the colors, the exquisite design, their crazy and wonderful functions, had to have left Adam with an ever increasing, deeper and deeper sense of awe and inspiration. And then came the garden itself, with all its trees, varieties and flavors of fruits, plants, and flowers with all their richness of color and fragrances. I mean, I recently went to the Singapore National Orchid Garden and discovered there are 25,000 different types of orchids alone!

In case you hadn’t thought about this, GOD PREPARED ALL THESE THINGS FOR US TO ENJOY, along with the stars, and fish, and on and on…

As great as all these things were, God still had one more surprise up His sleeve. While he was sleeping, God removed a rib from his side, and out of it he made Eve. Did God need to use a rib? No. He did it to show that Eve had always been a part of him. When God designed him, He already had Eve in mind. Then just at the right moment, He brought her to him. God prepares, God orders, God presents. It is such a beautiful picture of how God works. He is constantly preparing things for and surprising those who love Him.

I know this by experience, for after 27 years of marriage I am awed that God would have done such a wonderful job of preparing my wife especially for me. Surely my eyes could not have seen, nor my ears have heard, not did it enter into my heart that God would have prepared such a remarkable person for me to spend my lifetime with.

Married couples need to hear this message today. They need a vision for what their lives can be like together. That does not mean that life has always been perfect, or will always be perfect for you. But it does mean that the memory of this verse, its truth, that God has painstakingly, meticulously, miraculously prepared a woman for a man and vice versa can help to marriages through the hard times.

Another thing about which I am convinced is when God prepares a good gift, it is not a temporary arrangement. Some think that you start off with a thrilling honeymoon and then it is all down hill from there. Not true. A lifetime is not enough time to discover the wonders of your spouse. God’s gift does not grow stale. It is not in His nature to give a gift that you would grow tired of. His way is to give things which create a perpetual novelty, an undisturbed freshness. I’ve had the privilege of seeing some couples who loved and served the Lord together for more than 60, even more than 70 years. I have been moved to tears when I have considered the richness, quality, and depth of their communion.

Here are a couple thoughts about this verse. First of all, the “eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man” simply put means this: whatever you have imagined a life together under God’s plan to be, it is better. It is NOT better automatically, mind you. You still have to obey Him. You have to walk in His ways, and embrace His will. This is a PROMISE, not a GUARANTEE. There’s a big difference.

The second thought is about the word “prepared”. Now, sometimes it is really important to stop and think about a word, understand its meaning, and then really absorb and digest the implications of its use. This is one of those times.

You see, God is an incredible planner. He has never done something without putting enough thought into it. He has never contrived a half-baked idea. He has never started something well and then gotten distracted. He has never run out of time. He has never run out of resources. And he has never not had enough helpers. So in other words, when God says “I am preparing something for you”, trust me, you are in for something amazing.

Here are two instances in the New Testament where the Greek word hetoimazo is used to highlight what this really means when it says God has prepared something for you.

The first instance is in Eph 2:10, where it says “we are his workmanship (a word which itself is sometimes translated masterpiece, meaning we are like a poem He has written, or a work of art) created in Christ Jesus for good works (created to perform some stunning things) which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” So God has planned these really amazing things to be a product of our lives, and then He prepares the conditions, the opportunities, the people, the resources, the favor, etc. to make them happen. This is one of the places where this word for prepared is used. He is always preparing things for us to be engaged in which are all a part of the grand design of our lives, upon which His signature will be written and then displayed for all to see.

Another instance is in the last book of the Bible, the next to last chapter, which describes the consummation of all things and which comparing us, His church, to a bride who has been prepared and made beautiful for her husband. I can’t imagine a more vivid illustration of God preparing things for those who love Him than this! The preparation of a bride for her husband transcends time and culture. We need only to look at the book of Esther who lived 2500 years ago, to be convinced of this. She spent twelve months to PREPARE herself for her husband. The first six months she bathed daily in oil of myrrh to make her skin soft and supple. The next six months she was doing the Chanel makeover with perfumes and beautifying agents to make herself ready for her husband.

In the same way, God prepares exquisitely, extravagantly, and exhaustively. To put it another way, when God says He is preparing something for us, and He compares it to a bride preparing herself for her wedding day, we can say with complete assurance that this God, our God, this amazing and boundless Planner, when He says He has prepared a woman for a man, and a man for a woman, preparing and provided for your married life together, you can be absolutely certain that it’s going to blow your mind.

Since this verse is not a guarantee, but a promise, it behooves us all to receive this promise, then cherish and hold on to it at all cost. In an age when marriages are under intense attack and people in general cling to hope as to a thread, this is a message of hope. In an hour of desperation, in times of great distress, in an age when the very institution of marriage is under brutal assault, this is no small thing.. People who witness such a couple in the grip of this promise will literally be stirred to believe again…yes, believe that a happy, prosperous, honoring marriage is possible. Hallelujah.

Finally, receiving this promise is not difficult. You really only need to do one thing. Indeed, it is the one thing for which we have been made. You only need to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to study Suntse’s Art of War for Marriage, or read all the latest self-help books. Get imput. Study to understand the principles of God’s Word for marriage. But the most important ingredient of a happy life together is not complicated at all. Put Him first. Let Him sit upon the throne of your marriage. Seek Him first, and all the things you want and need will be added unto you. The Father has prepared you for each other. Your eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, nor has it entered into your hearts, just how amazing a Masterpiece you will be when He is finished with you. Amen.