Jesus in the City

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Comments on the Middle East

I have been meaning to post a few thoughts from a trip I took to the Middle East in the Spring. It is important as global Christians to have both a biblical and historical perspective.

First, reconciliation is key. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." Relational diplomacy – people to people – is the key. Top down dealing with powers and bottom up – dealing with people at the most basic level of needs. It was

my exposure to the Afghans and others I met in the Middle-East that began to change how I thought. This means lots of people, especially those with influence, need to go and spend time with people. Second, understanding the divine promises related to Israel and all nations. Third, honest historical examination. A couple of great books are Elias Chacour's "Blood Brothers" and Thomas Friedman's "From Beirut to Jerusalem."

More to come...

Vacation Pics

We spent last week in Mammoth and had a blast! God's creation is amazing!

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Battling Discouragement

One of the big themes this first year in LA has been battling discouragement. I would like to think I am bulletproof, but I am not. Discouragement leads to a lack of hope and a decrease in motivation; and those are key ingredients that have to be maintained. Taking my cues from Jesus I have found the following helpful:

1. Praying to the Father. "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven..."(Matt 6:9) Praying to God in the manner of a son coming to a loving father and asking for help is His desire! Jesus battled immense discouragement, and shows us that intimacy is the place to start.

2. Getting time alone. "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself."(John 6:15) In a time of great peril, Jesus had to strengthen himself by being alone. There is no replacing time alone. I know I am in trouble when people that I am close to become taxing to me. This is a good sign it is time to withdraw by yourself.

3. Spiritual Warfare. "Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God."(Luke 9:42-3) Where do you think evil thoughts come from? If we are to be amazed at the greatness of God sometimes the only way to get there is to rebuke the evil spirits that plague us.

4. Get angry at religion. "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.'"(Matt 9:10-12) Understanding that Jesus' battle was against a religious system of rules and restrictions and those(Pharisees) that enforced them is paramount. Jesus had choice words for them. Staying free in the Holy Spirit and spending time with "tax collectors and sinners" is a great job description!

5. Don't believe everything you hear. "He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. 'Get behind me, Satan!' he said. 'You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'"(Mark 8:32-3) Did Peter love Jesus? Did Peter think he was doing Jesus a favor by rebuking him? There are lots of voices that are intending to help, but the opposite is happening. For me, I have to watch this carefully; I am a people pleaser at heart. There are very few voices that are right in life, and finding them involves weeding through the well-intentioned, but damaging ones.

Make it a great day!