17

Feb 12

Too Much Baggage


Some of the saddest verses in the Bible are Mark 10:21-22…

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

In this passage, Jesus presents this young man with the opportunity of a lifetime; the chance to be personally mentored by the Teacher the world has known. What I would give to sit at the feet of the Master! I only imagine what it would have been like to walk with Him and be taught by Him—God in the flesh. Throughout scripture, we see that though thousands of people followed Jesus, He only directly asked a select few be a part of this personal apprenticeship. What would you have done if you were presented such an opportunity? My initial emotional response would have been an enthusiastic “Yes!”

The reality of matter is that many of us have heard the call to follow Jesus, to be trained and developed into a great man or woman of God. And many of us have responded enthusiastically until it came time to make the sacrifices necessary to follow the call. It’s kind of like boarding an airplane. Your baggage must be a certain weight in order to get on the plane. It’s ok to have some baggage, but too much baggage will stop you from boarding.

We all enter our journey of obedience to Christ with a little baggage. Some of our baggage is good. Our baggage represents our life experiences. Before we heard the call, some of us found ourselves in positive leadership positions. Others of us made a lot of money, and the list goes on. God does not want to crush every life experience we had before we heard His call. He actually wants to take some of those experiences and use them for His kingdom. But we all have some negative baggage as well. Our negative baggage could include offenses that have never been healed or wrong attitudes about life and God that need to be corrected. If we don’t allow God to take this hindering baggage from our lives, we will never enter fully into the plan He has for us.

Most of us want to get rid of our negative baggage. But sometimes we don’t like the process God chooses to take us through to get rid of those harmful things. In Mark 10:21-22, Jesus saw a young man with great potential, but too much baggage. Jesus didn’t have a problem with the man having wealth, but he knew that the only way the man could deal with the deeper issues in his life was to lay the wealth down. But instead of trusting Jesus the man chose to weep about what he was giving up instead of what rejoice about where he is going.

From time to time, we will all be tempted with sadness over what we’ve been asked to lay down for the Kingdom of God, but I would encourage you to place your focus on where you are going, not on what you are giving up. When I think about some sacrifices my wife and I have made throughout the years to obey God’s call, it would be easy for me to daydream about the good old days. But I choose to focus on where we are going. Every time I focus on where we are going, I am filled with awe and wonder! This past year in Student Ministries and Summer Internships we have seen demons cast out, the lost saved, and physical bodies healed. This past semester our student body was directly involved in almost 2,000 salvations! I’m not looking back! My eyes are on the prize. My answer to Jesus is “Yes!” Yes to the call, yes to the sacrifices, and yes to not looking back!

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9

Feb 12

Woman’s Life Saved By CFNI Security Officers

On Tuesday, February 8, 2012, at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon, Sgt. Brad Bowman of Christ For The Nations Security was on patrol near the Krickbaum Center. He observed a vehicle, traveling north on Marvin D. Love Freeway (HWY 67), drive off the freeway and head onto the grass. The vehicle then struck another vehicle that was pulling out of the Shell gas station, turning north on the service road. When the vehicles collided they both burst into flames.

Sgt. Bowman and Officer Todd Ignatz responded to the location of the crash. They observed the driver of the vehicle that pulled out of the gas station was able to exit the vehicle. The other driver, however, was trapped inside her burning vehicle. Sgt. Bowman exited his patrol vehicle and ran up to the driver’s side door to try and open it, but the flames and heat were too intense, and he had to move back for his safety. He tried again to make his way to the driver’s side door, but was pushed back by the heat and flames again.

Sgt. Bowman then went to the passenger side door, but found that door was locked. At this time, CFNI student Julian Mahn was driving west down Kiest Blvd. and observed the crash. He stopped his vehicle in the middle of Kiest, exited his vehicle, and ran to assist Sgt. Bowman. Arriving at the location, Mahn looked to find something to break out the window. He picked up a metal pole, and as he turned around, he observed Sgt. Bowman was able to kick the window out and had already entered the burning vehicle. Mahn dropped the pole and ran over to assist Sgt. Bowman in pulling the female from the burning vehicle.

They carried her approximately 20 feet from the vehicle and placed her on the ground. By now, the car was engulfed in flames. The heat from the flames was so intense they had to move the female further away. Officer T. Ignatz helped to carry the female another 20 feet away. Officer T. Ignatz then began to secure the scene by assisting with traffic control, as the incident happened during rush hour traffic. Sgt. Bowman and Mahn stayed with the female until the Dallas Police and the Dallas Fire Department could arrive and take over the scene.

These three men showed the true love of God by being willing to lay down their life for a total stranger. Their actions on this day saved this women from a horrible death. I know each one of these men, personally, and none of them responded to this accident to receive the glory for themselves. They did it because of the call on their lives and their love for people. God has placed a valiant warrior sprit in them. There are great things to come from these men and great things to come for Christ For The Nations.

  

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16

Jan 12

Not About Feelings

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”   God has called us and has a plan for our lives, but we play a role in this journey that God is taking us on.  God knows we are not perfect.  The Scripture does not say “be perfect and then we will be approved by God,” it says” do your best”, also translated “be diligent.”  In order to do our best, we must be obedient to the Word of God, seek His ways, and submit to His plans.  We must be able to know truth in order to speak and live truth.  Sometimes it is easiest to just wait for a Holy Spirit experience or feeling to present ourselves to God.  Doing your best can never be based on feelings, because you may not always feel like it.  We do not have to live this life in shame, but can stand bold in the truth that we know about our Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is our responsibility to know this truth and live it to the best of our ability every day.

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12

Jan 12

Night And Day

 

Night and day, worship and prayer is springing up across the globe and can only be explained as a divine push from Heaven. It is rather astounding, the global worship and prayer movement being raised up. People are praying night and day without stopping. There are thousands of “Houses of Prayer” exploding in growth all over the world. Even here at Christ For The Nations, with the busyness of school and jobs, students at the Gordon Lindsay House of Prayer have raised up a banner of worship and prayer on the campus that consists of some 40 hours weekly.

This is truly not normal, but why night and day prayer? Could it be that we are farther along in the timeline of history than we think we are? Why such an emphasis on prayer in this hour? We could travel in-depth into theological explanations to answer these questions; however, it would go beyond the scope of this blog. What is the simplest answer to the question “why night and day prayer?”

Because.

He is worthy of night and day worship and prayer. The God-man, Jesus Christ, who conquered sin and death, is worth it. The worth of Jesus is immeasurable, and we will worship and praise his name for eternity. Non-stop worship and prayer is normal in Heaven. Why shouldn’t it become normal on Earth? His kingdom come, His will be done. The vastness of Jesus’ beauty and worth is always on display, but not always accessed or gazed upon. To a church that will choose worship and prayer as their first priority, the Kingdom of Heaven cannot be far behind.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 1 Peter 4:7

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27

Dec 11

Birds of a Different Feather

Flashes of green and blue leap out amidst black in stark contrast. My eyes are drawn to the array of vibrant colors. What do I see? It is a rare sight in South Dallas—a glimpse of tropical wildlife. As I have crisscrossed the campus of CFNI, I have occasionally witnessed free-flying tropical green parrots hopping, flying, and mingling among the local black crows. They certainly stand out! When I first spotted a couple of them on the lawn I did a double-take. They are not native to Texas. The only logical conclusion is that they were someone’s pet at one time or another. But now they are free—free as a crow.

Somehow, they now belong in an ecological setting much different than their own original habitat. Oddly enough, the crows don’t even seem to mind them being around. From an outsider looking in, it is obvious that the parrots are very different than the crows, but the crows really don’t even seem to notice. These interesting parrots can teach us some important principles about missions, and really reflect what a missionary is in another culture.

Missionaries, like the parrots, are versatile. They often remove themselves from their “natural” surroundings and go to new, sometimes distant places. Once there, they may have to learn a new language. What used to be easy and considered normal, now becomes intense and frustrating. They have to eat foods that are foreign to them and learn to live life in a whole new way. In short, they must adapt to their new surroundings.

Missionaries, like the parrots, must bond with the new host culture. Birds of a feather need to learn to “flock” with new and different birds. Missionaries, no matter how long they live in another culture, never quite fit in. Their skin doesn’t change its color. Their hair color and facial features remain the same no matter how long they remain. But their interactions, social awareness, and way of life must endear them to the new culture. Effective missionaries build bridges of love and trust into the culture to the point that the locals begin to see them as insiders, even though they obviously still stand out. Effective missionaries don’t want the “crows” to even blink an eye at their tropical green plumage!

What an amazing experience this is for the missionary to finally “fit-in” a completely different culture and environment. It is at this point that the missionary’s message becomes the most effective. People listen and respond to people they have come to love and trust. I bet if those parrots could preach the Gospel, those crows would listen and repent! They are not perceived as outsiders—somehow they have become one of them. And that is exactly what God did for all of humankind. God became one of us, so we could hear and understand His message. Can we do anything less?

So, the next time you walk around the campus of CFNI, look for those rare parrots in the midst of the crows. When you spy them, lift up a prayer for a missionary you know. And remember, missions isn’t for the birds, it’s for all of us.

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19

Dec 11

The Grinch Who Stole Missionaries

There once was a Grinch who had missionaries in mind.

He treated them cruelly, so very unkind.

He plotted to hinder them, stop them from going

Away to far countries by way of a Boeing.

 

With words he would cause them to doubt their true calling.

Too many were listening, too many were falling.

And to those who lacked finances, what would he say?

“You can’t go afar off; it’s here you must stay!”

 

Oh, how he would tempt them with worldly delights,

And then too quickly they’d lose all their sight.

And if they had passion, he’d work all the more

To steal it by trying to close every door.

 

That Grinch, was sly and he knew his tricks well.

How could they save souls and not lose them to hell?

One night as he plotted ideas to harm,

In one little missionary there arose an alarm.

 

The Grinch found in this one his power was dull,

His schemes and his vices were all at a lull.

Something in this one stood up straight and tall.

He couldn’t stop this one from going at all.

 

This one had a calling, the Word and great vision,

Enough to weaken the Grinch’s cold mission.

This one would not bow down, but stand strong and true.

The Grinch, was baffled to know what to do

 

Through prayer this one battled temptation from sin.

The Grinch knew that this one attempted to win.

Defeating the Grinch by enduring the trials,

He now proclaims Jesus throughout thousands of miles.

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12

Dec 11

Hustle and Bustle

This is the time of the year when the hands on the clock seem to speed up more than usual.  Our time is focused on preparing for family get-togethers, practicing the Christmas play, purchasing gifts for loved ones, and so on.  There is so much hustle and bustle taking place, not only around us but in our minds as well.  When Christmas Day arrives, we tend to be relieved and ready to clean up the house and move on. We get so tied up in our own circumstances that we tend not to see others around us anymore.

December is known for having the highest suicide rate of the year.  Past losses, failures, and current loneliness affect people all over the world, all year round. But, at Christmas time it becomes even more apparent to them.  And while we are in our hustle and bustle mode getting everything done, we forget the most important purpose for this time.  As believers we are celebrating the arrival of our precious Savior that gave us LIFE!

In 1 John 3:16, it says, “By this we know, because He laid down His life for us.  And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  This time of the year is not about getting our children the greatest gift, or making the yummiest appetizer, or even having the best Christmas play, but it is about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the news that “for unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV).  Our message that we have to give is more wonderful, more valuable than all the riches of this world.  The best brand of clothing or the most expensive car could not compare to the gift of eternal life that we have through Christ Jesus!!

Next time you go to super market look past the candy isle, the decoration displays, or the long check-out lines, look for the one.  Look for the one that you could share the message of Jesus with, the one that you could share joy with while they may be facing depression, the one that you could direct to LIFE rather than death!

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5

Dec 11

What’s Happening – Student Ministries

God is moving in all of our Student Ministries!  This semester has been truly incredible!  Our prison ministry team  ministered alongside Mike Barber’s ministry at their weekend of excitement last weekend and saw approximately 1200 prisoners get saved! Praise God! What an amazing work of God. In a month dedicated to the devil, Jesus decided to be Glorified!

 


I got the chance to go out with the evangelism team. It was amazing to worship God with about 60 students in the middle of Oak Lawn, a predominately homosexual district. As we lifted Jesus up he was faithful to his Word and drew men to himself literally. Two homosexual men got saved, renounced homosexuality, and fell under the power of the Holy Spirit on the street corner. I get literally get chills as I write this.  Please keep these two men in your prayers that God will give them the strength to continue their journey in Christ. We also invited them to Tuesday Night Experience.

I also got a chance to experience a portion of the all-night prayer meeting! It was awesome to see Jack Moore Hall still filled with students at 1:00am in the morning crying out to God. I honestly believe part of the reason we were able to get such a breakthrough on the street is because of what was happening in Jack Moore Hall.

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28

Nov 11

Who Do They See?

I was recently about to lead worship for an event. However, just before I left home, I had a moment of shock and awe. It was one of those things that happen—although, you don’t expect it to happen—but when it does happen, you don’t know what to say or do.

Usually, before I leave home for an event, I have my wife and kids pray for me. My seven year old son placed his hands on my head and uttered these words, which still ring in my head, “God, bless daddy, and help him sing good, and let them see Jesus.” That was it. I immediately opened my eyes as they started to fill up with tears, amazed at the profoundness of this prayer. “Let them see Jesus!” I can’t get rid of this thought.

You see, it really starts to hit me when I look around and see that we live in a culture where things are very personality driven. Media and television have invaded our platforms and pulpits. No longer can a person, who is full of the Spirit of God, get up and speak the truth, without having just the right balance of humor, hair gel, and just the right shoes.

I don’t want you to think that I’m against fashion or being culturally relevant, but I dare to say that no one walked away from Jesus thinking about how dynamic of a speaker He was or what a bold choice of tunics He wore.

This was a prophetic prayer that I think we need to be reminded of—

people have to see Jesus. That is all.

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21

Nov 11

Nomads For Jesus

If you really enjoy moving, you should have my life.

If you really enjoy opening up boxes to discover your belongings that you forgot you had, you should have my life.

If you really enjoy fitting your life’s most precious memories into suitcases, you should have my life.

I recently moved again—hopefully the next move won’t be until a few years from now.

I have been married for 11 years, and have moved ten times during those 11 years.  Several of those moves have been half-way across America, and two of them were to the Philippines and back.  When I asked my wife to marry me, I expanded the usual, “Will you marry me?” to include, “Will you marry me?  Will you mother my children? Will you follow me to the ends of the earth?”  Fortunately I’m blessed with an amazing wife who has certainly held up to her end of the deal!

So why did we move so much?

Two words: “Follow Me.” (spoken to our hearts by Jesus)

Sometimes it’s just impossible to follow Jesus and remain where you are.

When I was eighteen I left my family, friends, and home in Pennsylvania and followed Jesus to Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas.  That was my first step in walking with Jesus in the most amazing journey.  I realize that this is often the first step for many of the students who come from all over the USA, and the world, to study here.

Like Abraham, we are on a journey with God to a promised land that He is leading us into.  Why settle for the comforts of an ordinary life when you can experience the exhilaration of an extraordinary life?  Looking back, I simply cannot imagine what my life would be like today if I just stayed put in Pennsylvania.

Yes, there is a cost to this kind of nomadic life.  It will cost you comfort.  It may cost you relationships.  There will be a cost to those whom you love dearly.  We should count the cost of following Jesus, but what we really need to do is see all of life through His eyes.

Is leaving your house to follow Him a sacrifice when He promises to give it all back in Matthew 19:29?

Is leaving your family too much to surrender when He promises to give you a new spiritual family?  And won’t we have plenty of time in ETERNITY to make up for “lost” time with loved ones here on Earth?

Is leaving your comfort zone too much to lay down for the promise of His Presence in Matthew 28:20?

Jesus is still calling to people all over the world to, “Follow Me.”

He’s calling for people to be nomadic faith-walkers who are looking for a promised city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Will you be one?

 

 

 

 

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