Dana's Christian Journey

musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

  • freedom

    —

    Dana

    “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.” (Acts 4:25-26)  The early disciples prayed these words of King David after Peter and John had been released from jail for healing a forty-something-year-old crippled beggar on the temple steps (see Acts 3).

    A group of us from America visited our friend Anna in Sweden this past June and joined the prayers of missionaries from at least fourteen different countries. One leader prefaced the time of prayer with the obvious truth that many nations are directly opposing God’s ways. Even governments that used to uphold the principles and standards of Scripture are now openly promoting opposite messages.

    We read history recorded in the Bible and see the same thing. Even the nation of Israel, entrusted with the Law of God, purposely disobeyed their Creator. Once the Lord called his people to account for not releasing slaves in the Year of Jubilee. Every seven years, people who had sold themselves into slavery were to be given a fresh start as freedom was proclaimed. The children of God admitted their disobedience and vowed to follow the covenant, but finding their lives inconvenienced, they quickly recanted and brought the ex-slaves back into bondage. They took the liberty to do what would please themselves and God pronounced his judgment.

    “Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your countrymen. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name. But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you have taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become slaves again. Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom for your fellow countrymen. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord – ‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.”(Jeremiah 34:15-17)

    God gives nations freedom to do as they please. The ‘kings of the earth’ and other rulers can apply justice and govern with principles of righteousness or they can choose otherwise. What they can’t choose are the consequences of their decisions. God’s children may ask: “Why do the nations rage? Why do leaders oppose the Creator and his Anointed One?” But we should not simply ask troubling questions. The things we witnessed in Sweden among believers from nearly every section of the world point to proper action: Intercede. Love. Challenge. Go. Preach. Disciple. Serve. Pray. Proclaim true freedom. Live boldly in Christ.

    “‘Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:29-31)

  • wisdom

    —

    Dana

    Susan and I dropped Karlyn off at college last week, so now eight-year-old John is the only child at home. He says he is happy to have his own bathroom. We stayed with Kinsey and Jordan in Little Rock where Kinsey is a nurse and Jordan is in his third year of med school. It just so happened that Mike, a friend of mine from Atlanta, received a stem cell transplant at UAMS the day we arrived. Sam Walton, who died of multiple myeloma, helped make Little Rock a national center for dealing with this disease. Kinsey and I visited Mike and hopefully encouraged him during a very difficult time. Please pray for my friend.

    Over the past couple of weeks I’ve received calls from Taylor, Kinsey, and Karlyn dealing with different challenging situations. Each conversation included the admission: “Dad, I don’t know what to do.” Thankfully, in every conversation I knew what I needed to say. Taylor and Kinsey have recently celebrated first-year anniversaries of marriage and Karlyn is away from home for the first time. Life is much different from when they were under the roof of Mom and Dad, but I am glad they feel liberty to ask their parents for input when things are a little confusing. The life experience of the older should be a blessing to the younger.

    Taylor called one morning before 7:00 as we were both driving to work. His question dealt with coaching and the input I gave was probably not exactly what he wanted to hear. But I’ve coached a long time and I knew it was the best advice. Taylor had to choose whether to follow the path his father suggested (which he did), but I spoke confidently because I saw angles and long term effects that a younger coach might not consider.

    If we cherish such opportunities to bless our children, how does the Heavenly Father feel toward us? If a child of God needs direction and wisdom, will He not give it? And the wisdom of God is so much more perfect than our wisdom! I was sharing this thought with Kinsey and she said, “Of course, Dad, God has all wisdom… but I like hearing your voice over the phone.” Oh to hear God’s voice clearly all the time! But He is there… and He answers… and we can share any struggle… and He’s given us the Counselor… and we can trust him. God is love and his heart toward his children goes far beyond our love for our own children. So let us ask and not doubt.

    “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

  • letter

    —

    Dana

    “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” II Corinthians 3:3

    What if we lived daily remembering that we are letters from Christ? As Jesus is the Logos, the Word of God who lived on earth and showed what the Father is really like, so we are letters reflecting the One who has saved us. And the Author of the letter is none other than the ‘Spirit of the living God.’

    What an incredible strategy God has chosen! But I must ask myself: What do people read in me? Do I deny self and give the Holy Spirit complete access to my heart and full liberty to write as He chooses? Having experienced God’s love and forgiveness, will I let the chief messages of my life be mercy, grace, and love?

    Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand were born in Romania in the early 1900’s. Both were raised in Orthodox Jewish homes, but after marrying and moving to Budapest, the couple became consumed with the pleasures of the world. But Jesus found Richard and Sabina and revealed Himself as the Messiah and the true meaning of life. The Wurmbrands became ‘letters from Christ’ to all they met. In the 1940’s, Sabina’s family was captured in their small village and taken to a concentration camp where they died under Hitler’s terror. After World War II, a million Russian soldiers entered Romania as Communism invaded Europe. Richard spoke nine languages and tried to share Christ with Russians, Germans, fellow Romanians, and Jews and Gentiles from every nation. The Wurmbrand home became a place of refuge for orphans and brokenhearted people from many backgrounds. Even though friends warned them of the dangers of loving all people, Richard and Sabina knew the will of God. Both husband and wife spent years in jail as a result of being Christians, but even in prison, people came to know Christ through his servants.

    Late one night, Richard met a German soldier who confessed his role in the murder of many Jews. In fact, he had worked in the very concentration camp where Sabina’s family was murdered. The rugged man would not accept Richard’s message of a Savior who died so that even Nazi atrocities could be forgiven. “OK, here will be my proof that what I tell you is true. Come to my home at this late hour and I will wake my wife and introduce you as one who had a role in the death of her family. She will welcome you to our home and say you are forgiven. She will then set food on our table and treat you as an honored guest. You will see for yourself the amazing love of God.” The man took Richard up on his offer and when Sabina did just as her husband predicted, the man’s heart melted and he came to know Christ.

    Of course not every person the Wurmbrands met accepted God, but the ‘letter’ does not control the reader. Some may not understand, some will ignore or reject the message, and others will adamantly oppose the gospel. We are not to judge or be angry, but rather continue to love and ask the Holy Spirit to mold us into the image of the Son.

    “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with everlasting glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:17-18

    Recommended reading: The Pastor’s Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand, ©1970 The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc.

  • purpose

    —

    Dana

    What are the purposes of God? What does He desire? What does He intend? What does He want to bring about?

    Scripture reveals answers to these questions. God created all things with purpose and his intent for man is clear: To know him and to be in fellowship with him. Of course Satan is always working against the purposes of God, but he will not be victorious in the end. God chose a certain people, the children of Abraham, to reveal his character and his ways to all nations. He chose spokesmen in different generations to proclaim truth and give direction. He sent his Son to fulfill the major goal of bringing all men back into relationship with him. And He desires those who know him today to be light in this dark world through the Holy Spirit God has given us.

    Do you see God’s purpose in your life? Do you sense what He has done and what He is doing and what He intends to do? We sometimes get a little confused with these questions, but if we shy away from focusing on ‘purpose,’ we risk missing what life is all about.

    Sometimes it helps to simply reflect on the things we know to be true: God wants me to know his infinite love. God wants me to love my wife as Jesus loves us. God wants me to be a great father as He is a great Father. God wants me to be a good neighbor and a good friend. He desires that I live in Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. God has purposed that I have a wife and children and friends and neighbors and I must never take such gifts for granted. I was reminded of this recently as I reunited with a good friend in Israel.

    Several years ago, I met a little Jewish boy on a plane from Paris to Atlanta. In the Atlanta airport, I met seven-year-old Roy’s dad, Steve. Steve expressed genuine gratitude for my kindness to his son and we have been friends ever since. In 2006, he and his wife drove two hours to take Susan and me out to dinner in Jerusalem. In 2010, Steve invited us to attend Roy’s Bar Mitzvah on the mountain of Masada by the Dead Sea. The event was canceled due to a volcanic eruption interfering with flights in much of the world, but providentially God allowed the Bar Mitzvah to take place and we celebrated a huge moment in a young man’s life.

    This past spring Steve sent a note asking when I was returning to Israel. A few of us had just begun discussing a possible summer trip so I sent a hopeful reply. It was not easy for Steve to make arrangements, but he took off early from work and met us for a meal in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. After driving all day through northern Israel, Nate, Karlyn, and I arrived in Caesarea at 5:00 and parked our rental car in one of three large parking lots on the premises before exploring the ruins. Steve arrived with his six-year-old son, Sagi, at 7:00.

    After eating a wonderful meal, Steve volunteered to walk to our car and show us on the map how to drive back to Nazareth. When we got to the car, he exclaimed, “I can’t believe it! We are parked side by side!”

    Such a happening may not seem a huge thing and most would say it was just a coincidence, but considering the history of our friendship, Steve and I probably both agree that God purposed that we park next to each other. Thankfully my friend insisted on driving fifteen minutes out of his way to lead us to the correct highway. As we pulled off the road and bid each other farewell, I marveled again at God’s goodness. I pray He fulfills his purposes in all our lives.

    “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:10-12

    “In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” Ephesians 1:7-10

  • wheat/chaff

    —

    Dana

    Summer is almost over! School is ready to begin! Susan and I have had a wonderful couple of months and we praise God for his faithfulness and love. I hope to share some encouragement this year as we keep our eyes on Jesus.

    Our youngest daughter Karlyn, Nate Cost, and I got to visit Israel recently where we served at a youth camp for Palestinian teenagers. We spent a couple of days in Nazareth at the beginning of the trip. Of course Nazareth is where Jesus grew up and as we walked the streets of the old city, we wondered if we kicked some of the same rocks Jesus did. Unspectacular setting, common life, regular people… this was God’s choice for the majority of his Son’s life. Don’t complain of routine schedules, unexciting days, or people who aren’t famous, wealthy, or wise — the King of Kings grew up in Nazareth.

    On our last day in town we visited a place called Nazareth Village, where local people dressed and worked as they did in Jesus’ time. We saw a vineyard, a wine press, an olive garden, a synagogue, a weaving loom, and a threshing floor. The threshing floor is where the harvested wheat is taken. There, a farmer led a donkey around in circles while dragging a heavy pallet of wood that crushed the wheat. This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. After enough ‘threshing’, a worker scoops up the golden grain with a pitchfork-type tool called a winnowing fork. The wheat falls through the gaps of the fork while the slightest breeze blows away the chaff. ‘Winnowing’ is the process of using a current of air to separate the desirable from the undesirable.

    “I baptize you with water,” John the Baptist said, “but one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:16-17)

    Watching the chaff blow in the Nazareth wind as the farmer used his winnowing fork enforced an important lesson for our day. It does not matter where we live… small town or big city, educated society or blue collar neighborhood, wealthy nation or third world country… we want to be wheat, not chaff. The chaff is weightless, worthless, and of no substance. It goes where the wind takes it. Some may think it is the ‘prettier’ part of the wheat, but it is of no use. The seeds of wheat, on the other hand, are solid, weighty, and of great benefit. The wheat brings nourishment to others. The wheat is substantial… full of purpose and worth.

    John said the Messiah would be about the business of separating the wheat from the chaff. The chaff represents those who never find the meaning of life. The chaff may look good, but there is no value. The wind blows it wherever it pleases. The chaff spends its time on the insignificant… chasing mindless pursuits. The chaff has no substance and therefore brings no true benefit to others.  Do not be fooled by the exterior… God knows what is truly of worth. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that an awesome statue representing the kingdoms of the world of which he was the head of gold would not stand before the true Kingdom. “While you were watching, a rock was cut out but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:34-35)

    The Rock is Jesus… and He calls us wheat. Let’s live significant lives.

    “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1

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