January 27, 2012
TODAY’S ENCOURAGING WORD – 1/27/2012
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
–Hebrews 4:16, NLT
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
–Proverbs 15:22 NLT
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Caringbridge Journal Entry
by the gracious, Peggy Liu
My friends,
We all have a great sense of loss today. I, as many of you, expected and hoped for this latest accident to be part of Patrick’s narrative of heroic recoveries from horrible tragedies. I think that makes it especially hard for everyone; Pat’s ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds has been inspirational for all of us.
This time, though, it was too much to ask. Last Tuesday, when I got the call that he had fallen into the pool, I didn’t know if I would get to the hospital to find him dead or brain-injured. When he quickly recovered consciousness and was awake and alert, my sense of relief was overwhelming. The boys saw him be Pat, dismissed the machinery as old news, and also felt comforted. We all just thought that was Pat’s miraculous ability to recover again.
Over the next days, I had the privilege to talk with him both using our spelling language when he was on the ventilator and could not speak, and real talk when he was not. I think he still had a sense of shock from the accident, and also the feeling of…AGAIN? REALLY? When he started having more difficulty breathing, he agreed to go back on the ventilator for a couple of days of rest and recovery for his lungs.
A couple of days were not enough. Pat’s pneumonia got worse and worse, and yesterday he started to show other signs that his body could not win this fight. He and I have talked for a long time about how much outside intervention is acceptable and appropriate in a situation such as this, where either care would be futile, or would leave him even more disabled. Last night, we respected his wishes, and on his own terms, we gave him the privilege of a peaceful death, without machinery, guided by his fierce will and spirit onto the next stage of his journey.
My husband kept going in a life that was very hard for him to lead. He lived to move, and he lost that, but persevered for me and our boys. But there are things that are too much to ask, even of our superman. He gave us the gift of 18 months, and last night we gave him the gift of peace.
For all of our family, friends and colleagues, we know how much Patrick has meant to you. We will all struggle with the unfairness of so many bad things happening to such a lovely man. It seems fundamentally wrong, but that is what we face. Please also give him the gift of understanding and compassion for not being able to win this last fight for all of us.
Right now, I am surrounded by family. We will take the next days together to plan how to celebrate Pat’s life with all of you that can be with us, and will do so both here in Phoenix and also on the East Coast at a later time. In lieu of flowers, please direct gifts to the soon-to-be established Patrick Liu Memorial Fund, details for which will be announced when we have them.
So many of you have offered support for food, rides, and everything in between. We’ll re-open the Care Calendar soon. Right now, we’re working through some pretty overwhelming details.
Your entries in the guestbook today make me laugh and cry. I’m so glad that Ben, Jasper, and I will have these thoughts to treasure today and for far into the future. You all continue to be a source of strength for me.
Peggy
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Our Great Mission
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always , even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
If you’re a believer, you are part of the awesome body of Christ, which is called to bring His light to the world both individually and corporately. Though many see the church as a social organization, that’s not what the Bible says it is. Sometimes we forget that our purpose isn’t simply to have fellowship, sing, preach, and worship. Jesus entrusted us with good news of the true life He offers to everyone. This calling isn’t just for foreign “missionaries”—it’s for every believer. Your mission field includes your family, friends, coworkers, and perhaps even a people group God puts on your heart, often right in your community.
Before returning to heaven, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, in which He promised to be with believers to the end of the age. That pledge still stands. He doesn’t send us out to do His work on our own. Vowing never to leave us, He gave the assurance that all tasks He assigns will be achieved through us by His Holy Spirit.
What an honor to be included in the Lord’s redemptive plan for the world! He invites you to have a vital part in His kingdom work of transforming what is broken and giving new life. Everything you do in obedience is an opportunity for His Spirit to work powerfully through you!
He is still speaking His message of assurance to us: You’ll have Me as your companion, your captain, your victory. You’ll have Me as your resource, your energy, your anointing. Everything you need, you’ll find in Me. How does recognizing the greatness of your calling change the way you see your daily life?
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
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Seeing the Works of God
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, January 27 2012
Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord…. – Psalm 107:23-24a
When you were a child, perhaps you may have gone to the ocean for a vacation. I recall wading out until the waves began crashing on my knees. As long as I could stand firm, the waves were of no concern to me. However, as I moved farther and farther into the ocean, I had less control over my ability to stand. Sometimes the current was so strong it moved me down the beach, and I even lost my bearings at times. But I have never gone so far into the ocean that I was not able to control the situation.
Sometimes God takes us into such deep waters that we lose control of the situation, and we have no choice but to fully trust in His care for us. This is doing business in great waters. It is in these great waters that we see the works of God.
The Scriptures tell us that the disciples testified of what they saw and heard. It was the power behind the gospel, not the words themselves, which changed the world. The power wasn’t seen until circumstances got to the point that there were no alternatives but God. Sometimes God has to take us into the deep water in order to give us the privilege to see His works.
Sometimes God takes us into the deep waters of life for an extended time. Joseph was taken into deep waters of adversity for 17 years. Rejection by his brothers, enslavement to Pharaoh, and imprisonment were the deep waters for Joseph. During those deep waters, he experienced dreams, a special anointing of his gifts to administrate, and great wisdom beyond his years. The deep water was preparation for a task that was so great he never could have imagined it. He was to see God’s works more clearly than anyone in his generation. God had too much at stake for a 30-year-old to mess it up. So, God took Joseph through the deep waters of preparation to ensure that he would survive what he was about to face. Pride normally engulfs such young servants who have such access to power at such a young age.
If God chooses to take us into deep waters, it is for a reason. The greater the calling, the deeper the water. Trust in His knowledge that your deep waters are preparation to see the works of God in your life.
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Joy, Joy, Joy
by Ryan Duncan, TheFish.com
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. – Psalm 5:11
I am a pessimist, just ask anybody I know. For me, the cup will always be half empty and whatever’s in the cup will probably be backwash. So you can imagine the concept of joy has always been rather hard for me. The Bible, particularly the book of Psalms, is constantly telling Christians to have joy. Reading about joy is easy though, putting it into practice is a lot harder.
How are we supposed to have joy when our cars break down, when bills pile up, when bad days just get progressively worse? For me, it’s almost insulting for someone to tell me things like, “count your blessings” or, “things could have been worse” when I’m in the middle of cleaning up a crisis. I’ve often wondered if this makes me a bad Christian. Over time, I did realize my attitude could certainly use some work, but I also learned that our idea of joy has become somewhat skewed.
Take a look at these verses from the book of John,
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.- John 16:20-22
A pastor of mine once told me being joyful is not necessarily the same thing as being happy. We live in a fallen world, and odds are, we are going to have tough times over the years. So when the bad times come it doesn’t mean we have to dance around and be happy about it, you just have to remember that these moments won’t last forever. The bad things in our life cannot become what define us, instead, we have to trust God and remember the grace he has shown us. He will help us endure and won’t abandon us to sorrow or despair. So take a moment, whatever your situation, to be joyful. No matter how bad things get, God is with us.
Intersecting Faith and Life
Take moment to pray and search your Bible for scripture that applies to your life.
Further Reading
Psalm 132
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Everything You Need
Are you hoping that a change in circumstances will bring a change in your attitude? If so, you are in prison, and you need to learn a secret of traveling light. What you have in your Shepherd is greater than what you don’t have in life.
May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: “I will be happy when ________________”? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement?
Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you are sleeping in the cold cell of discontent. You are in prison. And you need to know what you have in your Shepherd.
You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need.
ENCOURAGE A FRIEND:
From Lucado Inspirational Reader
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How to Google God
Dr. James Emery White
Few topics incite discussion as much as effective discipleship. Most of the time, the debate centers around the content of effective discipleship; what is it a Christian should be able to do, or know, or be? Other times the discussion revolves around the method of discipleship, such as whether it should be a classroom experience or carry more of a mentoring dynamic.
In a recent address at The New York Times Schools for Tomorrow conference, former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers offered a new dynamic to the conversation.
Namely, how a changing world is changing learning.
His premise was that despite a rapidly changing world, education has changed very little:
“Students take four courses a term, each meeting for about three hours a week, usually with a teacher standing in front of the room. Students are evaluated on the basis of examination essays handwritten in blue books and relatively short research papers. Instructors are organized into departments, most of which bear the same names they did when the grandparents of today’s students were undergraduates. A vast majority of students still major in one or two disciplines centered on a particular department.”
But, wonders Summers, suppose the system was altered to reflect “the structure of society and what we now understand about how people learn?”
Here’s some of what Summers suggests would become manifest:
1. Education would be more about how to process and use information and less about imparting it.
2. Tasks would be carried out with far more collaboration.
3. New technologies would profoundly alter the way knowledge is conveyed.
4. Learning would become less passive, and more active.
5. The educational experience would become more international.
All five of these points are worth digesting in light of the task of discipleship, for you cannot help but hear the ring of truth in each of them:
*There is little collaboration in the formation of disciples beyond mentoring and small groups, and much of that is not intentional, but serendipitous.
*Even something as rudimentary as electronic readers, which allow for constant revision along with the use of audio and visual effects, are seldom used in church’s discipleship efforts.
*Churches rarely allow for a variety of learning experiences when it comes to discipleship, but rather go for a programmatic design, which most of the time is passive in nature. Seldom do we ask anyone to actually use the knowledge they are acquiring as part of the discipleship process.
*The church is both local and universal, and increasingly centered not in the West, but in the global South. The way faith is often Americanized is not simply insular, but potentially heterodox, yet internationalizing our discipleship is hardly considered.
But it’s the first of Summers’ points that may be the most challenging.
Education would be more about how to process and use information and less about imparting it.
There has been a knowledge explosion with an aftershock of access. Summers suggests that in a day when the entire Library of Congress will soon be accessible on a mobile device with search procedures, factual mastery will become less and less important.
He’s right.
But this means there will be an ever-widening chasm between wisdom and information. Quentin Schultze writes that the torrent of information now at our disposal is often little more than “endless volleys of nonsense, folly and rumor masquerading as knowledge, wisdom, and even truth.”
Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, recently noted that “Google has changed the relationship of people to information. For the last 300 or 400 years, information has been collected on college, university and seminary campuses … You went to the collected information to learn. Today the information is available anywhere you want, just Google it.”
This creates a new challenge for those engaged in Christian discipleship. Rather than primarily dispensing information, we must spend an increasing amount of time helping people evaluate information. It is as if we’ve dropped a library card onto the world, but removed the classroom that gives us the literacy to read its contents, much less the education needed to interpret its contents.
Yet there is also a danger if the church was ever tempted to form discipleship wholly along technological lines of learning.
Namely the danger of dependence.
In an article on what would happen if solar storms knocked out the internet, the Los Angeles Times techblog team mused that “remembering who directed a movie would be a major project.” Their point is that we have become so accustomed to instant access to information through Wikipedia, IMDB and Google that a world without the Internet would leave us unable to answer the most basic of questions.
Yet with discipleship, knowledge is not simply that which is stored until needed, but often that which is practiced until habit. As Dallas Willard has written throughout his works, you do the things Jesus did in order to live the life Jesus lived.
The difference between spiritual formation and formal education is a profound one. The goal of Christian discipleship is never mere knowledge, but always becoming formed in Christ. So while we can look up a verse with ease, that’s no substitute for the importance of hiding it away in our hearts.
But let’s return to Summers’ main point.
How we learn has changed, which means how we disciple – at least in part – must also change.
In other words, whether you like it or not, they’re going to google “God.”
We need to teach them how.
James Emery White
Sources
Lawrence H. Summers, What You (Really) Need to Know, The New York Times, January 20, 2012.
“What if solar storms knocked out the Internet?,” The Los Angeles Times, January 25, 2012.
Quentin J. Schultze, Habits of the High-Tech Heart (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002).
On Chuck Kelley’s comments, see “Theological ed. is “being redefined,” Gary D. Myers, Baptist Press.
The best introduction to the work of Dallas Willard in this area is The Spirit of the Disciplines.
Editor’s Note
James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which he also served as their fourth president. His latest book is What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary (Baker). To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, log-on to www.churchandculture.org, where you can post your comments on this blog, view past blogs in our archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the world. Follow Dr. White on twitter @JamesEmeryWhite.
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We Need Minor Keys Too
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God” (Eph. 5:20).
No matter what the source of the evil, if you are in God and surrounded by Him as by an atmosphere, all evil has to pass through Him before it comes to you. Therefore you can thank God for everything that comes, not for the sin of it, but for what God will bring out of it and through it. May God make our lives thanksgiving and perpetual praise, then He will make everything a blessing.
We once saw a man draw some black dots. We looked and could make nothing of them but an irregular assemblage of black dots. Then he drew a few lines, put in a few rests, then a clef at the beginning, and we saw these black dots were musical notes. On sounding them we were singing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below.”
There are many black dots and black spots in our lives, and we cannot understand why they are there or why God permitted them to come. But if we let God come into our lives, and adjust the dots in the proper way, and draw the lines He wants, and separate this from that, and put in the rests at the proper places; out of the black dots and spots in our lives He will make a glorious harmony. Let us not hinder Him in this glorious work!
–C. H. P.
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“Would we know that the major chords were sweet,
If there were no minor key?
Would the painter’s work be fair to our eyes,
Without shade on land or sea?
“Would we know the meaning of happiness,
Would we feel that the day was bright,
If we’d never known what it was to grieve,
Nor gazed on the dark of night?”
Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.
–C. H. Spurgeon
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When the musician presses the black keys on the great organ, the music is as sweet as when he touches the white ones, but to get the capacity of the instrument he must touch them all.
–Selected
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