Category: stories

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

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

The day after we arrived home in Atlanta from Africa, I smiled at the end of an outdoor Easter worship service when Matt Redman led his song entitled ‘10,000 Reasons’:

Bless the Lord O my soul, O my soul
Worship His Holy Name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy Name
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your Name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find…

We know we have 10,000 reasons to praise God each day, but sometimes 10,000 worries consume our thinking and we neglect giving thanks. With all the miracles God performed to get our mission team to Namibia and back, one part of the story is still unresolved.

We had to make a quick decision in Atlanta to change airlines to try to catch the flight from Washington DC to Johannesburg. The cost was a little over $400 per person to fly to Dulles airport. Tragically, when the first leg of a multi-leg journey is missed, the airline’s reservation system drops a traveler from all the other legs of the journey. To reinstate, another charge of $250 per person was required to ensure we could get home. Adding the two charges and multiplying by fifteen gave a tidy debt of $10,000… 10,000 reasons to worry.

But God told us every day of our trip to rejoice in Him and to not be anxious about anything… He was near. Is this only true for the actual mission trip? Does God want us to live this way every day of our lives? Are there not serious matters we have to contend with each day? I don’t think I should casually say to my business director: “Relax. Quit worrying. Rejoice! Its only $10,000…”

I told our director of missions that I felt like I was going to a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill as we walked to a Tuesday meeting with our travel agency. Our business director wisely suggested that we all sit down and discuss our situation. Before the trip, I did not notice a time change on our e-tickets (which does not surprise people who know me, as I sometimes don’t notice if my socks match). The travel agency did not inform us of this huge change in our itinerary. We were all frustrated by the circumstances that created a ‘perfect storm’ in the travel world. All of us had something at stake.

But when we sat down together and realized we were all human with the potential of making mistakes, we had an excellent meeting. The $10,000 bill is not yet paid, but a fair solution looks a lot more hopeful. God was in the middle of our meeting… and we know He is not worried.

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forever more.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” I Thessalonians 5:16-24

“Sir, that flight left thirty minutes ago…” So began our trip to Namibia on March 28, 2012. Susan and I sprinted to another ticket counter on the opposite side of the Atlanta airport to search for an alternative way to get to Washington, DC. We were told, “Go get your group; there are seats open on the 12:15 flight.” So we ran back across the airport, beckoned our team, and sprinted one last time with thirteen other travelers and a small group of parents. It must have been quite a sight… each team member dragging 100 pounds of luggage through a crowded airport. Because we had thirty suitcases to check, we didn’t catch the 12:15 flight to Dulles. It was a rough morning…

Five of our team caught a full 2:10 flight and the rest of us boarded the 3:29 plane to DC. The South African Airlines flight to Johannesburg was scheduled to leave at 5:40. The group of five arrived first and boarded the Africa-bound plane a little after 5:15; the rest of the group landed at gate 76 in concourse B at 5:21. Our destination was gate 37. Megan and Andrew were the first two off the plane and they sprinted like track stars. The rest of us followed closely behind as our ‘amazing race’ resumed. (Susan and I are going to have to get personal trainers before we go on another mission trip.) As we ran, I could see the vague image of a man waving his arm, encouraging us to hurry. “We’re going to make it,” I thought. But when Susan and I arrived, most of our group had collapsed on the floor in tears. The door was shut and could not be reopened. No amount of begging or crying or arguing changed anything. Fifteen minutes after arriving at gate 37, we watched our plane back away from the terminal and begin its long journey across the ocean.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

This was the Scripture God gave us in our predicament and I would have been fine with it except for five words: ‘always,’ ‘all,’ ‘anything,’ ‘everything,’ and ‘thanksgiving.’ But God wanted us to embrace his entire Word, including the challenging terms… and when we did, He gave each of us a ‘peace which transcends all understanding.’  Even when we were told that flights to South Africa were sold out until April, God still wanted us to rejoice, to be thankful, and to trust him.

Friends of a member of our team came and picked us up at the airport and took us to their home in Virginia. This family of four housed us, fed us, and encouraged us in the Lord. The Body of Christ is so beautiful! The next day they took us back to Dulles where we were greeted by the staff we had begged the night before. This time they had smiles on their faces: “You are on the flight! All of you have confirmed tickets to Namibia!” It was easier to ‘rejoice’ this day. Only twenty-four hours later than our original plan, ten hours after the group of five arrived (they had different adventures), we made it to Windhoek. Only eight of our thirty suitcases arrived with us, but we did not complain. God had rescued us.

We had an incredible trip, full of opportunities to serve people and love children. We felt God’s presence at every turn and we are so thankful. Peace relates directly to what is going on in our hearts and minds. This is why we need God to guard us in Christ Jesus. In the two verses following the ones above, Paul tells us how to think and what to do. We’re learning…

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

This week I’ve had the privilege to hang out with 40,000 college kids and another 5,000 older Christians at the Passion Conference at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.  As the praises and shouts for God rang out over the arena more accustomed to football cheers, I couldn’t help thinking how God must rejoice as we fully engage our affection toward him.

Each year the leaders ask young people to give money in order to make a difference in the world. Human slavery was this year’s target of attention as we learned that more people are in slavery today than in any time of human history. It is estimated that 27,000,000 people are in bondage to some type of slavery. Many of these are children, and many are caught in the horrible sex trafficking that is a worldwide epidemic. During the first two days, over a million dollars were given toward six agencies that direct all their attention to setting people free and helping restore them to a good place in society. Over the next two days, people continued to give and many joined online until by the end of the conference over three million dollars had been given.

The second day of this conference I received an e-mail request from one of my students from the past asking me and others to pray for a college friend. Brother Thomas is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan and he had just learned that his ten month old nephew has been abducted in Africa. We are crying out for God to rescue this baby. The world problem instantly became more personal, because some of the members of our group are also friends of Brother Thomas.

When a statistic becomes personal, everything changes. Could you imagine if your child were kidnapped? Each of the 27 million is a precious soul to God… who hates all slavery and injustice. May our hearts expand to become closer to his and may we determine to make a difference.

“Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; and then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:6-8