Remembering to Remember

God's message today was pretty darn clear.

My morning prayer and discussion with the Lord was consumed by thoughts of His faithfulness. I threw away the check list of anxieties and prayer requests because in all honesty, the list is pretty long. Rather, I focused the thoughts of my heart to the faithful journey He and I have been on. Time after time, He came through fulfilling the smallest and the largest of my needs in His precious way and in His intentional timing. Yes, He wants His children to be needy of Him. Yes, He wants His children to crawl on His lap, taking their concerns to Him. However, we are not climbing on Santa Clauses clap, whispering to Him our needs and wants. I choose to visualize me as a child sitting on the lap of my strong and mighty Father, but instead of speaking to Him about my fears and prayer requests..... I want to simply snuggle in His arms and embrace the mighty peace of His presence. He knows my thoughts and He knows the intentions of my heart. He simply wants me to rest in Him.

My prayer this morning was, "Lord, I will walk in peace, assurance and joy, for I know that you will come through. I will not FORGET your faithfulness. Oh what foolish children we are that we do forget. Yet, even in our faithlessness to you and in our inability to remember, you continue to show up. We do not know the value of your grace. If we truly walked wearing the remembrance of your faithfulness on the tablets of our hearts, we as your children would walk in abounding peace and confidence in you. Lord, I will not forget. Remembering every awesome way that you came through.... providing for even my smallest of needs, I will faithfully sit back and be in awe of you. I witness your daily spectacle and watch as you showcase your splendor and blessings by using your children as instruments of blessing upon my life."

The Lord took me to Mark 6 today and 2 Peter. In the examination of Mark 6, we see the astonishment of the disciples as they see Jesus walk on water. They have dismissed the fact that just a few hours earlier, they had witnessed Him perform a spectacular miracle of feeding the five thousand. Yet, as we see the lack of faith by the disciples, we are reminded that we too still walk in the same manner in our "faith" even though time after time the Lord has proven His faithfulness and miracles in our lives. Yet, we are surprised when He intervenes once again - time after time. We forget about all the times that He graciously showed up, yet we have the audacity to demand where He is when times get tough, or simply we expect Him to show up when we want? This blows my mind! Remember, God always shows up. He is faithful to the faithless! But how and when He shows up is according to His timing and purpose.

My Bible fell open to 2 Peter after reading Mark 6. He continues to feed me a theme or understanding for the day. I was taken back by the fact that although I have read 2 Peters countless times, what really stood out for me today was the theme of forgetting and remembrance within it. In the past, my thoughts grabbed onto the qualities we must have as children of God, but i skipped past the desperate issue of remembering them.

The issue of remembrance is of two great value to me:

1. His faithfulness: The remembrance of God's faithfulness in my life as I reflect on my journey and walk with Him
2. Our expected qualities: The remembrance "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.......2 Peter 1:3 ... For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, FORGOTTEN that he was cleansed from his former sins. 2 Peter 1:9

These qualities are: virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love!

"Therefore I intend always to REMIND you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have." 2 Peter 1:12

"I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of REMINDER....." 2 Peter 1:13

"And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to RECALL these things" 2 Peter 1:15

"I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of REMINDER, that you should REMEMBER the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles...." 2 Peter 3:1-2

I will continue to rest in the remembrance of His faithfulness in my life. I will continue to be strengthened "through the knowledge of Him" of the remembrance of the qualities (virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love) to be "established in truth" and righteousness.

Through "remembrance", I am given Peace and Strength in my faith. This does not qualify us to merely remember in times of joy, but more importantly, in times of pain, fear and suffering, giving the Lord thanksgiving in all our circumstances. "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

I know with fullness of heart and clarity of mind that the Lord poured out this theme of "remembrance" upon me today as a way to say, "don't worry, I have your back - I won't forget you." I am also brought back to a moment a year ago when I cried out to Him to not forget me. In the most awesome of ways, He took me to Isaiah 49:15-16 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget you, YET I WILL NOT FORGET YOU. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me."

As the Lord will not forget me, I will never forget His faithfulness nor the qualities He has granted me through His divine power. What amazes me is that in both of the scripture verses that God provided me in Psalm 34:1 and Isaiah 49:16 - they both had the word "continually." My praise shall continually be in my mouth...... Your walls are continually before me....." Not in moments, or when I want or when He wants.... CONTINUALLY!

I am passionately and joyfully consumed continually by your faithful remembrance of me Lord. Lord, give me the wisdom of heart and mind to consistently remember your abounding faithfulness. Lord, give me the strength to relentlessly remember the qualities expected of me as a new creation in your divine power.

My Notes of Experience

The Veil of Islam is Torn

Ultimately, through the sharing of each other’s lives (Muslims and Christians), hence worldviews, as Christians we begin to spill the person of Christ into their lives by resonating Christ IN us and through us. The hoped result is that Jesus is introduced to a worldview that is foreign and even hostile to His love. However, we must recognize the truth that we are in actuality not introducing Jesus to a person or community that does not have Him in the boundaries of their culture, but rather we must understand that Jesus has always been there.  God simply uses us as instruments whereby through the power of the Holy Spirit, we tear the “veil of Islam” that has blinded the Muslim person to see Him in all things. When a Muslim background believer comes to know the Lord, it is not as if Jesus has magically appeared in the context of their new awakening, but rather the new believer realizes the deep hearted understanding that Jesus was always there…. However, the veil of Islam covered their eyes to able to see Him within their Muslim cultural context that has been hijacked by the constraints of Islam. 

The reconciliation of Faith and Culture through Jesus – The solution to the “Dual Identity” Dilemma:

A Muslim dual identity emerges when a new believer still holds their Muslim culture and identity as separate from their new faith in Christ. This is a crucial understanding that a new Muslim background believer must truly embrace. One does not have to leave the confines of their Muslim culture because Jesus could not be found there, resulting in sentiments of guilt and abandonment as a result of following Him. The danger here is that the cultural burdens and feelings of guilt, shame and abandonment are too much to bear, ultimately forcing the new believer to walk away from their new faith and back into the confines of their old self and life where their identity is embedded. Unconsciously, they are holding their culture and new faith as separate. The hope is that the new believer grips to the heart opening truth that Jesus has always been and is within the boundaries of the only life that they have ever known. The Muslim mind holds the Muslim heart captive. When the heart becomes free in Christ, the veil is torn and their eyes open to a smiling and open armed savior who has always been standing and waiting before them! How beautiful! (That visual brings me to tears.)The beautiful result is the resolve to the dilemma of “dual identity” Their faith in Christ and their Muslim culture are reconciled in a powerful way, resulting in the new believer to finally feel FREE IN CHRIST! Their new spiritual identity is shaped around the image of Christ with the reconciliation of faith and culture, but this time not held captive by Islam, but now rather free in Christ. Christ transcends culture because He was, is and will remain the same!

How does a Muslim background believer create a new spiritual identity in Christ while maintaining and embracing their cultural identity? Through the increased knowledge and love of Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Muslim background believer grows in the knowledge of Christ, the Holy Spirit directs them on their actions, behaviors and reshapes their values. Their Muslim worldview is transformed by their seeking of the Lord; not imposed by a Christian witness. Their cultural identity and new spiritual identity reconcile, embrace and become embedded around the person of Christ. 

Transformed (Hope in Christ) vs Conformed (Gospel imposed as “foreign hope”)

Transformation comes from the inside out, whereas Conformed is from the outside in. When a person is changed by the changing grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, they are transformed around the image of Christ, reflecting Kingdom values and principles. This transformation is a spiritual process from within and eventually is reflected outwardly as we pour out the transformation in our walk in Christ.

Many times, when a missionary goes to the 10/40 window with the message of hope, it is received as a “foreign hope or gospel” or even more dangerous, an “American hope or gospel.” Therefore, the gospel is perceived as being “imposed” upon that person, community or culture, resulting in the belief that they must “conform” to receive the hope of the gospel and new life in Christ.

The Vital Issue of Ownership

When a person is transformed from the inside out, the result is something so powerful, so necessary in faith which is OWNERSHIP. When the gospel message is introduced to a person or community through a process of spiritual transformation, that person or community receives ownership of their faith which is a reflection and symbol of a battle won and eternity gained with the receiving of Christ! 

THE HOPE OF CHRIST THROUGH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL SHOULD BE TAKEN TO A MUSLIM COMMUNITY THROUGH THE WORDS, LANGUAGE AND HANDS OF ITS OWN PEOPLE. WHEN THIS IS DONE, THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS NOT PERCEIVED AS A FOREIGN HOPE, BUT RATHER A HOPE IN CHRIST THAT IS PLANTED WITHIN THE VERY SOIL OF THAT COMMUNITY, CULTURE, SUBSYSTEMS, HOMES AND HEARTS! THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS UNLEASHED INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF THAT SOCIETY, PENETRATING THROUGH THE LIVES, CULTURE, SUBSYSTEMS, HOMES AND HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS GIVEN BIRTH FROM THE INSIDE OUT RESULTING IN TRANSFORMATION, RATHER THAN IMPOSING IT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, RESULTING IN THE NEED TO CONFORM. THE POWERFUL RESULT IS OWNERSHIP! THE GOSPEL MESSAGE NO LONGER IS PERCEIVED AS AN AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY OR A FOREIGN HOPE, BUT RATHER AS A SEED OF HOPE THAT IS PLANTED IN THE VERY SOIL AND HEART OF THE SOCIETY AND PEOPLE- GROWING AND BEARING FRUIT THAT ACCOMMODATES AND IS UNIQUE TO THAT CULTURE! CHRISTIANITY IS ENGULFED WITHIN A VIBRANT CULTURE, BEARING BRANCHES AND FRUIT THAT IS UNIQUE BUT STILL STANDS FIRMLY ON THE FOUNDATION OF SCRIPTURE AND WHO CHRIST IS- THIS GIVES GOD A GREATER VIBRANCY OF GLORY, REFLECTING A GLORIOUS PICTURE OF REVELATIONS 7:9.

Analogy: Christianity is not supposed to be a tree that was nourished and grew in one society and then was transplanted to a new cultural environment or cultural mindset, with leaves, branches and fruit that mark it indelibly as a product of “Western Christianity”. The gospel is to be planted as a seed that will sprout within and be nourished by the rain and nutrients in the cultural soil of the Muslim life. The end result is that the Muslim has ownership of the hope of the gospel which penetrates and digs deep and unleashes into the fabric of that Muslim person’s life. What sprouts from true gospel seed may look different above ground from the way it looks to the Christian person, but beneath the ground at the worldview level, the roots are to be the same and the life comes from the same source! The message of the gospel will be the same and the central doctrines of our faith will be in clear focus, since they are based on the same bible.

Explosion of Phrases by a Unique Configuration of People

HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO BE

I spent last week with a unique group of passionate emerging leaders for the Kingdom. I compiled many phrases spoken throughout the week that captured and challenged us though our fellowship, prayers and teachings. I pray that they may enlighten, empower and bless you. Enjoy!

Pain and Leadership

• Every important stage of deep growth have emerged from a time of great pain. Christ is not concerned with our weaknesses (mind), He is focused on our wounds (heart)
• We learn obedience from what we suffer.
• Jesus was molded by and through suffering.
• We are in service of creating images that were tainted with the fall. We were made in the image of God, so as we transform with the Spirit, we are reawakening the image of Christ within and through us. Satan is at war with this.
•  “Fear not” is the most restated command in the Bible. The other is “I am with you”
• Once being broken, we have perspective in the next brokenness.
• Leave your justice to God. In suffering, He is stripping away all things that keep us from being all that He wants us to be.
• We play a humble part of God’s eternal purposes.  We have lost perspective on the parts that we play from the parts that God plays.
• Good leaders are introspective people.
• Know who God made you to be, certain themes in your life. Make your “life themes” that explain at the core who you are. Then in whatever ministry and life service, these themes will come up time after time after time.
• Individual producer vs organizational leader.
• We must focus on what God made us to be, otherwise we wither away because we are living in the expectation of others. Ultimately, we have the audience of One.
• We must strive to come to a place of CONVERGENCE. Passions, skills and wiring'all come together. This usually comes later in life.
• Come into your ministry in your weakness.  Embrace your weakness because people don’t need perfection- they need transformation. Acknowledge your weakness to your team- they already know it and they are already talking about it!
• I have LEARNED to be weak. God can do far greater things in my ministry with my weakness than my strengths.
• Leak into your ministry your personal transformation and embrace your weakness as a sign of authenticity.
• If you only show your strengths and awesomeness (In one’s own power), then you are only showing yourself and not revealing the glory of your savior. Corrie Ten Boom quote: Corrie ten Boom was once asked if it was difficult for her to remain humble. Her reply was simple, “When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments on the road, and singing praises, do you think that for one moment it ever entered the head of the donkey that any of that was for him? ...If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides . . . I give Him all the praise and all the honor.” 

  Reflections.........

• I love being with lost people
• I found my spiritual rest- my Spiritual Oasis
• Transformation happens when you experience and know the person of Christ. He is the foundation! It is a simple concept that we lose sight of.
• Can you crystalize a deliberate impact for the Kingdom?
• Reflect on Ephesians 2:10 “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
• Reflect on 2 Timothy 2:2 “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men[a] who will be able to teach others also.”
• What you do with pain will determine what you will ultimately do with your life.
• God is raising a few passionate and authentic believers who will finish the task of the Great Commission
• Don’t say “I have learned…” Say, “I have begun to learn….”
• You live for the quality of eternal life NOW through the quality of the way you love others.
• Let me show you the “Rhythms of Grace!”

• Ask yourself: What is it that you really want? What is it that you really need? What life?

• Awareness: Most of our lives are lived unaware. Awareness in a leader is so important, if not, that leader is not a safe leader. An unaware leader will pass on the things they are unaware of – things that can hurt them or hinder them.
• We have no idea how to be children to our Father, but that has no bearing on how He will be our Father. YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO LIVE IN THE FATHER’S HOUSE, but that does not have any bearing on how He is the father. IT DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR PLACE IN THE TABLE. Just be at the table. Some are more engaged at the table and some are more quiet- but the Father is glad you are there.
• No amount of stories – no amount of theological content compares to the good news!

Phrases God has spoken to me through others:

•  I hope to connect- not teach.
• I want to love strong and true.
• I am not a superhero
• As we all meet, use our spiritual gifts and take our place at the table, we enforce the power of community. The community “becomes” the tool to disciple us. Even though we are discipling, we as a community become a tool that collectively disciples us.
• I pray for the consistent smile of the Father.
• My heart and spirit have been set to rest, yet stirred up at the same time.
• We need to learn to crawl back into your Father’s lap.
• The will of my Father is where I will find my satisfaction. This is where the worship of God is revealed.
• Discipleship should not be in the classroom alone- it must be exercised in the ministry field. Take it out there! Let your disciples walk with you. Jesus took His disciples on a mission trip at stage one. He took them to Samaritan’s- People they supposedly were taught to hate. Cross cultural trip.
• The more I read the Bible- the less I understand.
•  It is not about power because we possess the same power through the Holy Spirit that Jesus had. It is about “Choice”- Choice to believe that Jesus has won in order to bring us back to Him.
• Jesus did not live in fear in what He might not become- rather, He lived in confidence and humility in WHO THE FATHER IS.
• Don’t seek to understand, but seek to be understanding.
• Thy Kingdom come – not an analogy, but a reality
• Don’t let Christ say, “You were missing me while you were rendering ministry for me”
• He does not love me for the fruit of my ministry, He loves me for me.
• God’s grace is enough so that I don’t have to be.
• Don’t seek Leadership! It is fine to lead, but not because you went after it.
• Mission’s does not equal life – you don’t need to be in ministry, you can be.
• Love God more than missions.
• People are addicted to ministry (they run out of fuel and become empty cups) VS People addicted to Jesus.
• Let go of service. Let go of performance. Just be available to Jesus!
• What does “success” look like in my ministry life?
• There is no “called” and “uncalled” in ministry
• Life is a short walk by on stage. It is not our show – slapping and screaming, “mommy, mommy, look at me!”
• Remorse hates the self and loves the sin. Repentance hates the sin and loves the Lord
• Ephesians 4:11-13 – The body heals itself. So must the Body of Christ. If we focus and concentrate so much on unity – we won’t get it. If you focus on Christ and service- unity happens.

• The power of God’s love is in you and I, but what brings glory and demonstrates His love to others is the love unified. His love is presented in US. When we love each other, there is a flash of love- the love between us is what we show to the world. God is love, so God is present in that space. That is the moment when the veil is torn and the light soaks through. We must love each other right- it is missiologically crucial. We can create a community, but if love is not there and nourished and intentional, the presence of God is not there. The community Church must be shaped to contain love. Cup analogy. Stop breaking my cup. If the cup is broken, it can not contain the water.There can be fellowship, but that is not Church. Church is when we are all sitting at the table. It is where we all “contain” ourselves and contain the love of God. The world see’s this unity that contains love. God is love- so the world see’s God through our love. Galatians 3:28 (Unity) Acts 13(Unity of Church)

Suffering Notes:

• Survey in Egypt of MBB’s showed that more than half that suffered stayed with God. Their faith was not their suffering, but how they responded to it.
• We are free to grieve. It does not show doubt. John 11- Jesus cries and grieves with Mary. He could have said don’t cry- where is your faith? I will heal him. Instead, He lets the pain and the grief spill.
• Pound on God’s chest, He is big and strong – He can take it.
• Give people the dignity to have pain and to express it. Don’t slap a Bible verse at them.
• Let your heart be broken. Only through a broken heart can we spill the clutter in our hearts.
• Mourning with people is a gift.
•  Leading people to the love of Christ will be done through the path of suffering because Christ revealed God to us through His path of suffering.
• Even the enemies evils, the Lord uses for my good.
• Jesus exemplified through the entirety of His life what it looks like for a person to go into a hostile place. His life was of suffering and rejection- even by His own people. So, think about your pain, rejection and know that He has lived it and conquered it for you.
• Sometimes God wants us to stay right where we are. He wants us to endure. Often our prayers automatically ask God for escape, relief, and to heal us from what we are enduring. We must change our prayer to, “Lord, teach me, show me, and build me up in my pain.”
• John 17:15 (Keeping us in the world) Why keep us in the pain? – Pain is a teaching tool for us to use to minister to others. Why protect us from the evil one? – In our vulnerability during the pain, the evil one speaks through to tell us that “how can you minister to other’s? You are weak” So, although our pain strengthens us and is used to minister to others- we can not entertain the thoughts of the enemy. That is why we need protection from the evil one.  Stay in the difficult context and stay focused in the person of Christ.

• Danger is very real – but fear is a choice. The enemy is very real, but how we respond is a choice!
• Embrace suffering as part of the discipleship journey and process. We want to construct the race course instead of running the race. Apostle Paul: Run the race you have been called to.
• When you’re in the furnace, use it to glorify God. Be a steward of it! God can use the pain to cast a huge light on HIM! This is part of the discipleship process.
• Model Perseverance!! Inspire bystanders with your focus on the King. Let the audience applaud not you but your King!!! Even when everyone is applauding you as you run your race, your eyes must keep focused on the finish line, regardless of all the noise of applauds and cheers from the audience. Hebrews 12:2