most likely

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Dana

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man named Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’” Matthew 26:6-13

The ones we tend to declare ‘least likely,’ God might call ‘most likely.’ Had the disciples recognized the beauty of this woman’s thankful heart, they would never have criticized her. Had the disciples only discerned the times, they would never have interrupted such a holy moment.

Honest worship exposes a religious spirit. “Make a right judgment…” Jesus taught his listeners (see John 7:24), but how often our judgmentalism keeps us in the dark.

“This woman senses the valley I am entering; you guys are clueless. Love has motivated this daughter to pour out her most valuable treasure on Me; you guys don’t yet fathom the true meaning of love. What you call ‘waste,’ my Father calls ‘beautiful.’ Learn why she is most likely to enter his courts.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5

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least likely

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Dana

Hunter Lambeth and his family recently moved to Nazareth where he works with middle eastern teenagers. I met Makloof, and would have voted him ‘least likely to ever sign up for a Bible study’ after our camp this past summer. Below is a reminder of the power of God’s love, reproduced with permission from Volume 2, Issue 5, of Young Life Middle East Newsletter.

Susan’s mom, Lou Taylor, had a stroke last week. We would cherish your prayers as she has been moved from the hospital to a stroke center in Chattanooga.

Makloof with Hunter

Makloof with Hunter

Makloof was one of those kids.  The kind that can drive you absolutely crazy and yet remind you why you signed up for this kind of work in the first place.   On the outside he’s as tough as they come.  Big, brawny, broad shouldered, always has his sunglasses on, indoors or out.  Only wears shirts that pull tight around his bursting seventeen-year old muscles.  I’ve been told he likes to challenge the young Israeli soldiers at the checkpoints on the edge of his native Palestine.

Makloof went to our Young Life summer camp this past July.  I was glad he was there; a rough, raw kid who needed to know how much Jesus loved him.  We met Day 1 as he came off the bus.   That night I was ready to kill him.

We had our first run-in sometime after 2:00 am.  I was trying to control my own room of hyped-up teenagers and Makloof was loudly roaming the hallway outside, apparently establishing his dominance as BMOC.  I asked him to please find his bed, to help me help others do the same.  I tried all the tricks of the youth ministry trade to try and get him to cooperate.   Nothing worked.  The next day I found myself spending most of my relational energy chasing Makloof to one event or the other – to meals, to club, to the activities we had planned, walking that fine line of buddy/leader.  The leaders from his hometown who actually knew him tried as well.  But Makloof seemed determined not to be broken – by us or by Christ.

We tried our best with Makloof and the other dozen or so teenage boys that were determined to imitate his defiant demeanor at camp.   And he did begin to soften a bit, but to be honest, when camp finally concluded and the bus pulled away, rumbling off into the Judean desert, I finally allowed a deep sigh of relief.  No more Makloof.  At least for a while.   At least for me.  I was completely committed to praying for Yousef and the other leaders who would be tasked with the mission of remaining in Makloof’s life and working hard to continue building the bridge between he and Jesus.  But as for me, I was very thankful to be headed in the other direction.

The next time I saw Makloof’s name it brought tears to my eyes and again, I was reminded of why we do this crazy thing called Young Life.  It was in an email from Yousef, a week or so after camp.   He had run into Makloof’s mother.  Here is what Yousef relayed to me:

 ”I saw a woman (Makloof’s mother) calling me and I went to her to see what she wanted.  The first question she asked me was, “Why does Makloof love you so much?  And I answered her that it’s because I love him too.  She told me that she likes me being a friend to him.  So now Makloof is kind of visiting me everyday.  And the last time he came he brought five friends of his to my house.  It was so cool.  Pray for us.”

Makloof with Yousef

Makloof with his Young Life leader, Yousef

That was in July. I was in Makloof’s West Bank village last weekend. He was there at Young Life club as he is now for every club. And he and Yousef and many others have been faithfully meeting together regularly, reminiscing about camp, dreaming about the future, opening up the scriptures, learning more about what it means to really know and follow Jesus. In fact, today approximately 40 of the 91 kids who went to our summer camp are involved in regular “campaigner” groups, studying the Bible and journeying together with their leaders through a life and in a place that often doesn’t offer much hope.

Thank you for helping change a life like Makloof’s. Thank you for helping us change dozens and dozens of lives in Israel and on the West Bank. Thank you for leveraging your prayers and your resources so that God’s Kingdom might increase in this complicated part of the world.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10

Hunter

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center

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Dana

I led a session at the annual GISA Conference this week as 1900 educators from Georgia independent schools gathered at the Atlanta International School to focus on the theme: The Three C’s – Creativity, Communication, Collaboration. Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind and Drive, was the keynote speaker.

Throughout the day many teachers presented various ideas regarding one or more of the chosen categories.  The title of my class was Jesus and the Three C’s. It was fun to share a few Scriptures, tell a couple of stories, and ask fellow educators their thoughts about the Master Teacher.

For the past several weeks God has been reminding me to be totally centered in Christ. It is so easy in our busy world to simply leave Jesus out of our thinking and our daily decisions. But when we center on Him, Jesus brings meaning, purpose, and hope to any situation.

The classroom was full, and a young Spanish teacher from the Atlanta International School was assigned to make sure everyone’s needs were met. I am usually very low-maintenance, so my helper simply stood by the door at the front of the class for the entire hour and listened. Afterward, she came to me and said, “That was not at all what I expected.” Later in the hall I overheard her telling other AIS teachers how much she enjoyed the discussion about Jesus.

When Jesus is the center, even those standing by take notice. Of course not everyone will follow Him – they didn’t while He walked the earth – but thoughts may be stirred and hearts may be touched. The Holy Spirit wants everyone to know that the secret to true life is found in the Son. ‘God, help us keep Jesus in the center.’

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Colossians 1:15-18

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Halloween

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Dana

There has been much discussion the past few decades about what a Christian is to do with Halloween. My family has gone a variety of routes throughout the years. From traditional ‘trick-or-treating’ to worship gatherings to neighborhood cookouts to church parties to handing out candy and Good News to all who came to our door. We know we are called ‘Light’ and Jesus calls us to shine in this world.

Eight-year-old John couldn’t wait to go door to door in our neighborhood. But before we left the house (we were the first ones on our street), I wanted to remind him of who he was. This week he had a school project in which he had to answer a question: ‘Why are you special?’ Without prompting from any other person, John immediately wrote: ‘Because I am a child of God.’ “John,” I said, “Remember, you are a child of God.” “I know Dana. Can we go get some candy?”

Whether or not we dress up like Jesus on Halloween, we are all to remember we are sons and daughters of God. We are to wear Christ. We are to be clothed in his goodness and love. God calls us a ‘new creation’ and the ‘light of the world’ and the ‘salt of the earth.’ His plan is for his children to be Jesus on the earth.

And this strategy is not just for one day of the year or even one day of each week… we are to depend on the Holy Spirit to help us be like Jesus every day. May God smile as He looks upon his children.

“Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14

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End

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Dana

End times

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:7-8

No matter what position a person takes regarding the Second Coming, all agree we are closer than we’ve ever been. Peter said that knowing the end is near should motivate us to be alert and self controlled so that we can pray. And as we pray we must remember to love. Are we praying? Are we loving?

End places

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Act 1:8

Are we thinking about those who have never heard of Jesus? God intends the Gospel to go to the ends of the earth! And we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish his will. Are we depending on the Holy Spirit? Are we Christ’s witnesses every where we go?

End promise

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

As Jesus gave his great commission, He also gave a great promise: “I will be with you.” We know this promise is for us because we have not reached the end of the age. Do we really believe Jesus has all authority? Are we holding to his great promise?

“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22

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