The trends with training camps are continuing to hold true to some patterns.  The first 48 hours is usually the hardest, then out of nowhere, something breaks and the group falls in love with each other.  We battle through some hard truths; we break down independence and arrogance, all so we can begin to see the Spirit of God move and work.

The "breaking point" for this camp was the night we taught on "Listening to the Voice of God."  It is always a step outside of the normal comfort zone when you're put on the spot and asked directly: what's God saying right now?  But God speaks.

I teach that God has some amazing attributes:

1) He's incredibly creative.  Often we think He only "speaks" in an audible voice when the reality is that He speaks in colors, pictures, movies, Scriptures, songs, bold declarations, still small emotions and a host of other ways.  We listen for what HE is saying, not what we want to hear.

2) He's a great multi-tasker.  We could take our time and let everyone go in turn, but that only serves us, it doesn't matter to God – He can sort through the madness, speak individually, speak clearly and move powerfully – because He's that kind of God.

3) He speaks way more often than we care to listen.  We shouldn't wonder IF God is speaking, but always be anticipating His next move (even if that move is a passive: "just be WITH me"). 

4) He WANTS to commune with us.  We should never settle for a life where conversations with God go one direction.  We all-too-often justify God's lack of speaking as some sovereign, master plan instead of us simply not being attuned to His voice.  God is not aloof or distant, Acts 17 says, "He is not far off."

At Training Camp, these participants heard the voice of God.  They spoke these words in faith to one another and the Body was encouraged, strengthened and comforted (that's what it's all about after all, serving one another).  It was beautiful.

In other news, our World Race alumni trip to Haiti returned last week having had a great trip.  They traveled in true World Race fashion – trusting God for every move – and He did!

On Thursday I head to Uganda, Kenya and South Africa for a time of debrief with AIM's Novas Project.  20 or so college-age students are serving for 6 months in these countries and are learning so much about ministry, who God has called them to be, the value of community and so much more.  Not only am I excited to raft the Nile River (it's on my bucket list LOL) but looking forward to a great time of discussion and wrestling with these guys.

On a final note, God provided and I met my January Support Goal, quite miraculously I might add.  I'm gearing up for another $2,000 for February.  If God calls you to support these amazing efforts in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe in March, click "support me" to keep this alive!  Praise God for His faithfulness!

So let's suspend reality for a second and consider the notion that God isn't stingy.  In this new world, God is lavish.  In fact, He's given us so much we couldn't possibly begin to sort through all He's given us, let alone catalog it.  Just when we'd begin to feel like we've gotten our heads around one gift, there are another dozen waiting to be explored, tried out and embraced.

The first shift is the belief that God can give any gift He wants, for any length of time, for any purpose to any of His children He wants.  I remember back in high school when my best friend at the time had a cancer scare.  I still can't explain it, but throughout the entire experience, God gave me this unbelievable faith that my friend was going to be okay.  I had no reason to believe it (all the signs pointed the other way), in fact, it was completely counter to my normal personality to believe it. 

To date, I've never had that kind of faith again.  I've never believed something so against the odds with such confidence since.  It was supernatural and it gave glory to God.

The second shift is that God is a miraculous God.  No one probably disagrees with this statement, but the shift isn't in believing it, but realizing the role you play in it.  In Amos 3:7, it says "surely the Sovereign God does nothing without revealing his plan to His servants the prophets."  Did you get that?  God gives us access to His will.  In fact, in the overflow of His goodness, He responds because we ask. 

The third shift is that we have to get over our fears of God's movement.  We're terrified of the miraculous because we don't have a game plan for what would happen if God moved.  We don't pray in tongues because we're afraid of our intentions or that others will get the wrong impression of God.  As I said in a previous post: we need to feel a sense of devastation in our pursuit of the greater gifts.  Fear is revealed in feelings of relief when God doesn't move.  Devastation reveals a heart that is passionate and desperate for His move.

Consider your arguments.  Consider your actions.  Consider the God you want to serve, a God that's lavish, that gives good gifts.  Don't settle for a life that's less.  Don't settle for a life of decisions made through fear.

 

 

 

I've noticed that we often do not prefer to be well rounded, we'd prefer to be the master of a few things than average at a bunch.  Not a universal mindset, but those that excel in certain areas (athletics, academics, or social environments) definitely implement their areas of expertise more often than adding to their tool chest.

If we look at the gifts of the spirit, we sometimes look at them like personality types.  For example, if I happen to have a personality bent towards explaining things to people, I might (mistakenly) believe that it's a spiritual gift of teaching from God (remember, it's never to my glory but to God's and most clearly seen when it's something I couldn't do under my own power).  I might choose to hone that skill thinking that the greatest glorification of God is for me to become an expert in a single field.

The truth is, it's to MY glory if I hone that skill, not necessarily God's.  It's a preference of MINE to have one thing to focus on, and hone, rather than multiple.

Over the past couple years I've made a few observations:

1      1)   We'd prefer spiritual gifts that we feel in control of.  It gives us a sense of satisfaction and, ultimately, makes us feel safe. 

2      2)   We don't explore gifts we that don't think we'd be good at because of our fear of failure and our fear of being out of control. 

3      3)   We believe that God has given us a gift or two and settle for that (as if He were stingy with his giving).  Our worldview doesn't hold that maybe, just maybe, God's generously given us a ton of gifts (like when you're a kid on Christmas morning).  What if we held that God has given all of us all the gifts and that maybe when Scripture says that not everyone has every gift, maybe it's referring to a few certain people that God wants to use in such dramatic ways that they couldn't contain one more gift, but that the rare position is actually to be lacking in a gift or two.

4      4)   Even though Scripture says to "desire greater gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31), we're actually relieved at the thought of lacking in some gifts (prophecy, tongues, healing, etc.).  Instead of being devastated at the thought of lacking some of these greater gifts, literally devastated... we're relieved.  What's that all about? 

5      5)   We like the idea that God's predicable.  We read books about "finding out your child's spiritual gift" because we don't hold to the idea that God could give us any gift at any time for any reason for any length of time.  It's easier to believe that God's done with us, that He gave us everything when we were conceived and He will just have to work with what He's got. 

We would probably never attribute the adjective "stingy" to God, but if any of these above observations are true, our actions suggest that we actually find safety in believing it.  But before I make it sound like safe = good, let me say how insulting this is to our Creator.

It's like saying: "Thanks Mom and Dad! I really like this gift, but you can take back all the other toys, I'd rather just spend some time really getting some use out of this one..." 

 

 

 

Do you remember when you were a kid and Christmas time came around?  You know that age when it doesn't matter what the gifts are, just that you have a lot of them?  When you kept track of how many presents you had in comparison to your siblings or friends?

It's amusing, this past Christmas my presents I was looking forward to hadn't arrived by the time Christmas morning came by.  This past Christmas I opened one, count them, one present on Christmas morning.  I'm almost 30 so it's not like it mattered, but I reflected in that moment back to the Christmases when my parents were the coolest ever because I banked on the number of presents I got on a given Christmas morning.

Over the past couple years, I've begun to notice a trend.  I do that, notice trends.  My conclusion to this trend is this: we act like we serve a stingy God.  We don't actually act upon a belief that God is lavish, overflowing, or whose blessings are so abundant it's overwhelming. 

I can say that, but I'm not sure you believe or agree with me.

Let me walk you through my observation.

In Scripture there are about 25 official "spiritual gifts" listed in 3 passages (Romans, 1 Corinthians and Ephesians).  You'd recognize them if you heard them...prophecy, teaching, miracles, evangelism (or the office of evangelist).

Scripture says that as believers, God gives us gifts of the spirit.  These gifts give us the ability to do things supernaturally that we could not do successfully (or as effectively) under our own strength.  They draw attention and glory to God.

Some people mistakenly believe that gifts are personality traits.  For example, if I'm a generous person I must obviously have the "gift of giving".  Others mistakenly believe that you're given gifts at conception and, once they're discovered, it's all God can or will ever give. 

But neither of these beliefs support my claim that our actions suggest we believe God is stingy. 

Our culture holds to some values that we often believe are incredibly noble.  We believe success is a good thing, failure is bad (until we learn from it, then we try to ignore the failure and focus on the success of overcoming it – still emphasizing the success).  We also value control (it's funny that "self control" is listed at the end of the Galatians "fruits of the Spirit" passage... because we usually consider it of more importance than love sometimes).  We stay in control because when we are in control we puff ourselves up with the satisfaction that God can never be misrepresented if we never step a toe out of line.  For some reason, this is really important to us, so important, in fact, that we'd rather miss the leading of God than go forward if there's a risk of mistake.  The sin of poorly representing God is apparently a worse sin than disobedience...at least that's what our actions (or inactions) suggest.

 

January 2010 World Racers!  Crystal Springs, New Zealand

 

 

 

Staff Team (Jimmy, Janina, Allison, Mark, Kyla, Robby, Tara)

 

 

LOL

BFF

BRB

 

 

 

We can have a voice that's heard.  Live a life that matters.

 

 

 

Would you grow to intimacy with those around you in this way?  People need you, and you need them...let's not waste our time.  There's too much to do to advance God's kingdom to live in petty ways.

 

Here's a scenario to put things in context:

Let's say I'm overseas and I come across a blind man sitting on the street corner begging for money.  I'm moved to compassion and take my companions over thinking maybe we can introduce this man to the hope of Christ (if he isn't yet aware of this hope).  We interact, we listen, and we resolve to pray healing for this man.  Jesus did it all the time, right?  So why shouldn't we?

We begin to pray.  We offer a litany of theologically correct prayers up to God being sure to include the formulaic "if it's your will" disclaimer.  We remind God of how much attention and glory He'd receive from moving in this way.  We say "amen" and look...

"Well sometimes these things take time..."

"God's still in control, maybe He has a greater plan..."

"Maybe we should pray something different..."

 

I've recently had a couple of conversations that have shown me how deep this disillusionment really goes.  This is what I've heard:

"I pray but when God doesn't answer I'm sure He's just waiting on me to decide something..."

"I ask God to reveal Himself in a new way but He stays silent...He must be testing my faith..."

"I want God to move but [and here's the holy grail]... it's probably just not his will."

Is this the God we serve?  A God who stays distant from us on purpose?  A God who doesn't move, doesn't speak, doesn't respond to our cries for intimacy or move in compassionate, merciful ways? 

We live a life full of the "exceptions".  We watch God fail to miraculous move and justify it.  In fact, we end up living lives of these "special cases" when God doesn't move immediately and thus we console our disappointment with faith in "God's sovereignty" (ie. a greater plan we'll never be privy to...because that's God's M.O.: to keep things as secretive and covert as possible and ultimately away from us). 

I don't want to disavow truth, but I want to expose the contentedness we have with powerless and intimacy-less lives. 

Why is it okay to believe that God speaks but live a life without ever hearing His voice?

We say Jesus is our ultimate example but never once operate as He did...we never heal the sick, multiply food for the hungry or raise the dead.

But at the end of this discussion, it's not about power, it's about a relationship.  What intimacy can we even conceive with someone who doesn't speak and may not ever be around...it's like having a pen pal that wrote you one letter a long time ago, but whom you consider your best friend of all time.

We believe God is present but often question if He's spoken because His words sound an awful lot like common sense. 

It will always be academia until we truly encounter God.  God's not hiding, we're just content only looking in the places we've already looked.

"Your heart will follow your head."

Michael Hindes

Thank goodness...I feel a little relieved that this is the case.

It makes sense.  Romans 12 says "You will be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  Not the "renewing of your heart".  In Ancient Near Eastern culture (in seminary terms this just means "Biblical times"), the ‘heart' is the seat of the emotions, representing how you feel.  Your ‘mind' then means what you know.

I'll be honest...I've never been able to see this actually play out in real life.  Just because I decide not to be cranky in the morning doesn't mean I won't FEEL cranky in the morning.  Just because I decide not to be annoyed by a situation doesn't mean I won't FEEL annoyed. 

We talk a lot in the World Race about living our lives "unoffendable".  You know what I've concluded?  Living a life where I don't allow the people, conversations, situations or environments to offend me is 1) a choice I do make in my mind – I decide not to be offended and 2) something I might actually feel but have to figure out if I will be victimized by it or respond the way I've decided to respond.

 

Like most things in life, however, it's a process ... a long process.

The Romans passage I referenced above I think actually describes it best.  The Greek tense could be explained like this: "You will be transformed by the on-going, perpetual, renewing after renewing of your mind."

So if I want to start FEELING different, I have to start THINKING different.  But remember, how many important things in our lives actually give us the luxury of instant gratification?  So I have to THINK different now, and later, and tomorrow. 

My THOUGHTS have to turn into BELIEFS and my beliefs have to turn into CONVICTIONS.   Only then will I begin to FEEL different in situations that would have otherwise incited me to feel otherwise.

You know what THINKING has to change first?  Give up the incessant need to be right.  I had a talk with my siblings about this just yesterday: we're addicted to being right and making sure everyone involved knows it.  Even if we are somehow "mature" enough to keep our mouths shut, we sure THINK it...imagine that...what we're supposed to do it change the way we think right?

You know what...my "heart really does follow my head"... it does so because I want it to be that way.  And more than that, it's who I want to be. 

I'm absolutely positive that if He asked me for my nice clothes, I'd have no hesitation giving them away...

I've been observing that these aren't the things that God asks of me...I still have my couch and have no belief that God wants me to give it away...He doesn't seem to ask the things of me that are easy to give...

Which means one of two things has to be true: a) I don't make the connection when I lose things that are unimportant to me...probably because I don't care or b) God doesn't really care about those things either because what He's really after is, well...me. 

In 2 Samuel 24, King David is adamant that He will pay for the land upon which to make His sacrifice to the Lord saying "I will not give to the Lord that which costs me nothing."

The Abraham and Isaac story has always been of particular interest to me.  God could have asked for ANYTHING of Abraham, his wealth, his servants, his livelihood, all of which I'm sure Abraham would have willingly given.

I find it intriguing that God was very specific in His promise to Abraham.  In Genesis 17: 19 God says "...your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.  I will establish my covenant with HIM as an everlasting covenant for HIS descendants after HIM."

This morning my pastor shared a story that iterated this again, the story of the "Rich Young Ruler" who came to Jesus saying, "I've done it all, I've followed the rules, I've lived admirably, I've earned a reputation for ‘righteousness'....what more do I lack?"

Jesus didn't ask for him to follow more rules, to beat his will into even greater submission, to make good choices, to discipline himself, to spend more time in the word, to regulate his temptations and never sin...he asked of him what he loved most...

"Go, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, then come and follow me."

God's not interested in our comfort or entertainment, not really even in our satisfaction or fulfillment...at least not nearly as much as He is in our character and our completeness.

What do you love most?  If you genuinely have a desire to follow God, eventually He's going to ask you for it. 

In Hebrews 11, the "Faith Chapter", it says "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead."  Even in the face of God's apparent reneging on His promise, Abraham believed the supernatural would happen...an unrelenting trust in God...a faith that surpassed the logical and reasonable. 

What would this world look like with men and women living with this kind of faith?  What mighty things would happen?  What nations would be shaken?  What kind of hope would the hurting and lost find?  What kind of true satisfaction and fulfillment would exist in our hearts?

If we're going to see that happen, it's going to cost us...literally everything.   We've got to live with a reasoning that if what I love most is given to God...I reason that He can bring His promises literally back from the dead.

In this season of support raising, I've had to look at this role in this light...I truly love what I do.  What if God asks for it back? 

He may not, He could definitely provide more than I could possibly imagine.  I still need 15-$100 a month supporters or 30-$50 a month supporters.  You could be a part of God's ultimate plan...and He may literally bring your Isaac back from the dead as you live a life of faithfulness.  "Support Me" is on the left over there if God leads.