Baseball Story continued...

A few months back I shared how God had blessed me with an opportunity to play baseball.  After suffering a shoulder injury and not making the school team at 15 years old, I walked away from the game for good - so I thought.  21 years later, I had no idea that I would be called by God to be a pastor, move to Australia, or take up the game of baseball.  My first season back in the game playing for the Rouse Hill Wildcats came to a wonderful conclusion Saturday as we beat the Castle Hill Knights in the Grand Final 15-5.  We are the "premiers" of the Sydney Metro Baseball league, H-Grade.  Much of our team had never played baseball before, much less play in a Grand Final.  Here's a team picture, each of us with our engraved trophy mugs - complete with a handle!

Left to right: Randall, myself, Gav, Liam, Cam, Keith, Trav, Paul, Donna (scorer), Kyle, Pete, Pat, and Stacy

 I thank my teammates for a great season, and most of all I thank God for enabling me to be a part of a team in a sport I never thought I'd play again.  Less than two years ago my throwing shoulder hurt so bad I could not even perform a single push-up, and to think I pitched for a complete-game win in a Grand Final is nothing short of miraculous!  Thanks be to God for His healing touch and all glory, honour, and praise goes to Him.  I would say it has been a magical season, but magic had nothing to do with it:  it is all of God's grace.

Back from New Zealand

This morning Drew and I returned from a four-day jaunt to New Zealand to speak at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute.  It was a blessing as we enjoyed the fellowship of Jesus Christ with staff and students alike.  It is a wonderful privilege to catch a small glimpse of what God is doing in another part of the globe.

My first impression when flying into New Zealand was lush, green beauty.  Ironically, the Bible Institute is located directly across the street from a thermal pool and spa resort called, "Hell's Gate."  On one side of the road people are spreading their beliefs concerning Ruaukoto, the Maori god of earthquakes and volcanic activity, while on the other side people are teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, the One True God.  The demons worshiped by the Maori people have great power and influence over man, but the Almighty God is both Creator and Supreme Ruler.  Demons can copy God to a fixed point He ordains and deserve no worship.  2 Samuel 22:7-9 reads, "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry entered His ears. ⁸ "Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because He was angry. ⁹ Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it."

Not only did we enjoy several wonderful days at the Bible Institute, but we were treated to an afternoon of walking through the city of Rotorua.  One of the things I wanted to do was drink an "L & P," which is "world-famous in New Zealand."  In May of 2009 in Brisbane was the last and only time I had previously enjoyed the drink.  After Drew and I had ice cream (I chose "dark chocolate raspberry and chili" which I highly recommend) we walked around, handed out some Gospel tracts, and spoke with folks from Calvary Chapel Rotorua.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit permeated our evening, and we rejoiced in the grace and greatness of our God.

Our prayers for a safe return to Australia were answered, and I am happy to be back in the land of OZ.  As I shared with both students and staff of my testimony concerning God's call and faithfulness to me and my family in Australia, it reaffirmed how good and gracious God has been.  How blessed and privileged we are to be broken by Him so He can heal and use us for His glory.  Over and over He bids us trust in Him, for He shall bring His perfect will to pass.  Rejoice in the LORD, believer, wherever God has you now.  Give no room for impatience!  Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  Be faithful, even as God is faithful.  He will establish His Word!

A milestone...and still miles to go!

Blogs are interesting animals.  I suppose the motivation for regularly maintaining blogs are endless.  For some it might be strictly cathartic, for others it might be the opportunity for self-revelation.  Though an avid reader, I spend virtually no time reading blogs.  Some are chronological family reports, while others are dedicated to political rant.  I have the feeling that some blogs scream, "Look at me!" in a frantic attempt for significance in the vast yet cluttered cyberspace.

I am convinced people write blogs so people will read them.  I write because I believe it is what God wants me to do.  With the amount of writing I do in study and sermon preparation, it seems unnecessary for me to write more.  This blog is a medium which allows me to share the truth He teaches me with others who care to hear it.  Today this blog has notched over 10,000 page views from all over the world, and to me that is a significant milestone.  Tack on another zero and that will be another milestone.  If you are curious, the most views have come from these countries:  United States, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.  As great as it is to see people browsing the blog, my prayer (and yes, I pray that God uses this thing) is that through reading people would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and be encouraged in their faith.  One page-view God uses to this end is worth a billion views to me.  In the end, I can take no credit because I have only done (and sometimes left undone) what is my joyful duty to do.

Thank you for taking the time to read.  Just because someone puts in effort to write does not mean it is worth reading.  I am humbled and blessed to have a LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ who gives us gifts which we can give back to Him for His glory.  What gifts has God given you?  How can you use them to bring honor and glory to His name?  Whatever God has gifted you to do, do that thing.  Do it well, seek to improve, and keep doing it.  In a parable Jesus told, He illustrated the benefits of simple faithfulness.  Matthew 25:21 says, "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'"  You don't need to wait until heaven to hear well done.  You don't need to physically die before you enter into the joy of the LORD.  If you are obedient and faithful, you do well to enter into the joy of the LORD today!

Busy Week!

On the blog I enjoy sharing occasionally on a personal level what is going on "behind the scenes" as our family serves the LORD in Australia.  Nearly six months ago, our family moved to Sydney.  So much has happened in that time!  It has been exciting to see God's faithfulness in establishing us among amazing friends and family in Christ.

Laura has been homeschooling the boys and things have been going well.  Yet when a wonderful door of opportunity for our sons opened at Norwest Christian College (a local private school), we decided to go for it!  This week has been very busy in meeting for interviews, gathering the paperwork for enrollment, and Zed sat an exam for a scholarship.  Today we are meeting with a staff member to discuss enrollment and finances. We are thankful to have a God as a Father who knows our spiritual, practical, and financial needs.  We are also grateful to many who have financially aided us through donations.

As far as the church goes, it seems like things are gaining momentum in a hurry!  I was able to do some physical work at church this week which is a great blessing, enabling me to dust off some gifts and feel a sense of accomplishment.  I did some painting and assembled a new BBQ, a must for a proper Aussie church fellowship.  We plan to start hosting a BBQ lunch after service around once a month for starters, and hope that it will be a blessing and encouragement to those at our church.  With a ladies clothing exchange tonight, upcoming men's retreat and church conference, and a mid-week Bible study in the planning stages, there is no shortage of work to be done.  Pray for us!  We are very excited as we see God's plans unfold.

I have also continued service work outside of the church with the Pyjama Angel Foundation.  It is a volunteer organization focused on mentoring and promoting literacy with kids in foster care.  For one hour a week, my role is to go to the child's house and read with him, help with homework, and be a consistent positive role model.  I am pleased to say I have been placed with a 10 year-old boy in a local suburb and will pick up games and books next week in preparation.  Needless to say, I am very excited to start.

I recently (this Tuesday) began a workout routine from the book "Workforce Warrior" given me by my dad.  I bought a barbell and 70 kilos of weights off eBay.  Although I did my first workout three days ago, my body feels like I just finished!  I am ridiculously sore, but in my twisted mind that means it must be really effective.  What I like about the program is that it requires a relatively small amount of time and focuses on building strength and an intense cardio-workout at the same time.  The workout was not enjoyable by any means, but no doubt I will enjoy physical benefits if I stick with it.  Since I stopped working in construction and spend more time at the computer, I feel a commitment to fitness as a positive step to overall mental and physical health.

Thanks again for reading the blog and posting comments.  Feel free to browse through the old posts and read what catches your eye.  I pray that God ministers to you powerfully through the Holy Spirit, and that Christ would be your all in all!

Ours is a Faithful God

"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. ² For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens." ³ "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴ 'Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah ⁵ And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. ⁶ For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? ⁷ God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him. ⁸ O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You."

Psalm 89:1-8

God is faithful!  Did you know that 33 percent of the references to God's "faithfulness" in the Bible (KJV) appear in Psalm 89?  I didn't until a couple of minutes ago!  The definition of "faithfulness" in the Strong's Concordance is:  "literal firmness; figurative security; moral fidelity, stability."  God's faithfulness is not dependent upon our faithfulness.  God's character is absolute and unchanging, and we receive of His goodness through grace.  Over time man changes in appearance, opinion, and principle, but God does not change.  God remains the same merciful, just, powerful, faithful God He has always been.

Yesterday our family received word from the department of immigration in Australia that our two-year visa has been approved!  This marks the end of a process started long ago with the gathering of legal documents, enduring physicals, obtaining FBI background checks, making financial disclosures, paying fees, submitting resumes, filing for certifications and authorisations.  Throughout the entire process, God has been faithful to our family and our church fellowship in Sydney.  It feels like a stamp of approval not only from the government, but a confirmation from God that we are in His will to minister here.

Who can be compared to our God?  Who is faithful like God, who forgives iniquity and grants enduring mercy?  God is secure and trustworthy.  Jesus Christ is the LORD of all, the Saviour who has all authority in heaven and earth.  As it is written in Revelation 1:18:  "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."  He who holds the keys the hell and death also is the path to life!  A statement found in Revelation 3:7 has been a great encouragement as we in faith pursued God's will to serve Him in Australia:  "These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":  ⁸ I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Praise God for the strength He gives!  God has proved His faithfulness once again to open the door for us to minister at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  We can only enter by His grace.  God is established with all authority in both heaven and earth and thus has the power to establish His people wherever He wills.  Praise Him with us!

Thanks Cheerful Givers!

"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."

2 Corinthians 9:7

There are few things that make me more uncomfortable than discussing money as a missionary.  There has no doubt been much abuse in government, corporations, businesses, and even in church ministries with people stealing or misusing funds.  But the discussion of money should not be a taboo subject.  The reality is that in our current system of buying and selling money is the only means to obtain necessities like food, petrol, internet access, insurance, and other things.

A huge part of my testimony is how God has always provided for my needs and that of my family.  Especially in the last year, the financial contributions of family and friends have literally put gas in our tank and food on our plates.  God has used your generosity and the timely sale of our house to provide for our physical needs.  Thank you to all who have given as God has placed upon your heart.  We have made some lifestyle changes to help us with the fluctuations in income as Shepherd's Staff disburses funds monthly, but to God be the glory:  He has provided and continues to!

At the moment our housing, mobile phones, and petrol are being covered by the church where we minister as part of a compensation plan.  Our visa restricts us from receiving cash from the church.  So those who contribute to our Shepherd's Staff account are directly aiding us with day-to-day expenses, even things like buying "tyres" for our car!  It's so great that the Holy Spirit moves people to give.  We are blessed by those who support us on a monthly basis and also those who give single donations from time to time.  It places us in awe to see God miraculously provide through you.  I'm sure there are times when you doubt that your contribution makes any difference.  I want to tell you that it makes a huge difference!

God always gives us what we need, and thank you for aiding in supplying for our needs through prayers and giving.  I'm reminded of the passage in Acts 2:45 where Luke describes the lifestyle of the early church, how people gave of their possessions to those who had need.  In giving you are living that life of faith!  We praise God for using you to minister unto us.  May you rejoice in the gift of cheerful giving!

A short haitus...

Our family has just moved into our new rental home, and so much has been happening both at church and with the moving process.  About 85% of our things have been taken out of boxes, and books primarily remain packed.  Our new house will not have an operational land-line or Internet connection until February 10th, so our daily routine is to go somewhere so we can hurriedly check e-mails, do our banking, etc.  Needless to say, blogging will be nearly impossible for the next couple weeks!

Where do I begin in explaining the "hecticity" of our lives right now?  Saturday night we were in a car accident (everyone ok, we were not at fault) so the back of the car is smashed in.  The back window exploded and is now covered with cling wrap and tape (not pretty, but effective!) which greatly limits our carrying capacity!  I am happy to say that the car in front of us which we hit suffered very minor damage, just traded a little paint.  Two of the five cars involved were towed away, so we are blessed to still have a functional vehicle.

Today we're off to buy furniture, tomorrow we have Women's Bible study at church and visitation, Thursday another meeting is likely, Friday I need to take the car to be assessed, and all day Saturday we are going to the youth camp held by our fellowship which includes a baptism...and somewhere in between I need to prepare for a couple of messages, pray, and spend time with the family.  Praise God that our times are in His hands, and our lives are bound up in His.  God is good, and His mercy endures to all generations!

Thanks for keeping up with the blog and be sure to check in occasionally because it won't be long before we're back in the swing of things.  May God bless you richly!

Official Crazy Time

It's been a good experience to have the family with me in Australia.  It has demanded many changes from my normal routine of writing, exercise, and visitation.  Because Laura is not driving yet, it has also meant that all errands have become a family adventure!  We've also been sharing the same computer, so the time that I could spend preparing sermons, communicating with people, and blogging has been adjusted to accommodate us both.

Yesterday we were able to spend an afternoon at Featherdale Wildlife Park.  A collection of animals hailing almost exclusively from Australia, this park provides a wonderful opportunity to see, touch, and experience these beautiful creatures up close.  We were able to pet koalas, emus, kangaroos, wallabys, blue-tongued lizards, kookaburras, and tawny frogmouths (both birds, two of my favorites!).  We watched as the penguins were fed (yes, I'm told Sydney is home to penguins which can be seen in the harbour), as well as the dingos and Tasmanian devils eat dinner.  While we were near the penguin exhibit we had a unique experience:  I heard a loud thump or crash, and suddenly I saw ten people scamper in every direction.  A goanna (an Australian monitor lizard) nearly two meters long had jumped from his sign to the top of the wall of his enclosure.  He nimbly dropped to the ground, ignoring the amazed people who kept their distance, and waddled over to some bushes where he was promptly hauled out by a park employee.  He told us that one of the handlers years ago needed 300 stitches to close a wound on his arm inflicted when he tried to stop two of them from fighting!  Glad to say no one was injured, and I love Featherdale more than ever!

Today is a day we've long been anticipating as a family, the day when we pick up the keys for our rental house.  It is a very exciting accomplishment, having spent over three months actively searching for a property with an owner willing to rent to us.  We have not rented for over twelve years, and certainly have no Australian renting history!  In Sydney (I have no experience dealing with real estate in other territories or cities), if you desire to submit an application for a property you MUST physically go to the open house to be considered - which is a grand total of 15 minutes in duration!  These 15 minute open houses can be far apart or a struggle to make on time because of traffic or other obstacles.  Needless to say, this involves a LOT of driving around!  Many thanks to Ross and Peter and all of those who have labored with us in this endeavor.  The funny thing is, after all the applications we submitted without success, the day our first application is finally accepted, we were accepted to rent two properties!  The property we finally did choose has a year rental agreement, and is one of the best houses we've seen during the last three months.  Praise the LORD!

I suppose I'm not sure how often I will be able to blog in the coming week or two because of church meetings, moving house, buying appliances, driving all over town...it's officially crazy time!  We are blessed to be loved and supported by people all over the world, and our fellowship in Sydney is very precious to us.  Our family is experiencing that same gracious, miraculous provision that our Savior is faithful to grant those who trust in Him.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground or when a goanna scuttles out of his enclosure:  how much more shall He provide for all our needs?

Just Another Potato...

When I ran cross country for Grossmont High school, I enjoyed the leadership of Coach Lib.  He did much more than teach us how to run competitively.  He gave us great insight into being part of a team, knew how and when to challenge us to reach our hidden potential, and understood the power of motivation.  During his pep talks, he would talk about how our character was being built by our choices.  When we were faced with obstacles or difficulties he would say, "That's just another potato in the stew of life."  That's a positive way to see our struggles - like a potato that can be swallowed and put away for good.

As believers we know God allows things to happen we cannot.  He knows that good will come from circumstances He allows which we never could have imagined.  Unlike the natural process of digestion, God is able to supernaturally make good out of obstacles there's no way we could chew or swallow.  What a comfort this is to us, knowing God remains in control!

This morning our family disembarked at 6:15am Sydney time, had our passports stamped, and headed over to Carousel #4 to pick up our baggage.  Our flight from Carlsbad to Sydney had been delayed 20 minutes, shrinking our 45 minute layover to mere minutes.  Thankfully the gates were close!  But it became apparent as we waited at the carousel in Sydney watching bag after bag pass by without seeing one of our eight checked bags, we had managed to make a connection our bags had not!  It was later confirmed that our bags had indeed reached LAX, but were somewhere else than Sydney this morning.  We weren't the only ones with missing bags either!

Needless to say this was an unexpected snag in our travels.  Laura and the boys had only the clothes on their backs, we were without toiletries, and separated from things considered precious enough to cart 7,500 miles!  Though disappointed with this minor setback, we were blessed beyond measure to be met by two women from church who woke up early (and one young man on summer holiday!), faced the traffic and tolls, and met us with joyful embraces.  I would rather lose 10 bags forever and receive the love of Christ than to have 10 cases filled with gold without God's love.  How blessed we are to have the fellowship, unity, and love of Jesus Christ displayed from His people!

We still do not know how the missing baggage story will end.  Will our bags ever be found?  I hope so!  But even in this God can and will be glorified, and even this setback is just a small potato in the stew of life.  We'll chew it up and grow stronger.  Praise God He has given us a life worth living and brothers and sisters in Christ to share it with!

A Time to Fly

The big moment has almost arrived!  Tomorrow my wife and two sons will be boarding a plane bound for Sydney, Australia!  People ask me:  "Are you excited?"  Frankly, I don't know when I wasn't excited.  But at the same time it feels unbelievable, that the day that hardly seemed imaginable will become a soon reality.  One of my sons have not even been out of the state of California, much less off the continent!  A challenge and change awaits us.

Thank God that He is LORD of the heavens and the earth.  As the words of David relate in Psalm 139:7-18:  "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? ⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, ¹⁰ even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. ¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me; ¹² Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. ¹³ For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. ¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. ¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! ¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."

How marvelous are the works of our God!  Though we leave family and friends dear to us, we look forward to friends and family in Christ we join in service to God in Australia.  Tomorrow is already written in God's book, but I have a part in walking according to His will.  Though we may be out of sight and out of mind of men, our God will never forget us.  He will never leave or forsake His children.

True to His Word

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ¹¹ For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations ."

Isaiah 61:10-11

 

What God has promised He is able to perform.  Our intellect can get in the way of trusting the Word of the LORD.  When my children were in preschool, they learned how plants grow from seeds.  They wrapped dried beans in a wet paper towel sealed in a Ziploc bag.  After placing the bag in a sunny spot, with childlike enthusiasm they couldn't wait until the first tender shoots peeked out from those seemingly dead, dry beans.  When we grow plants from seeds as adults, we carefully amend and prep the soil, plant certain seeds in certain seasons, properly space the seeds, regulate the depth, fertilize, and build a fence.  We have sprays for pests, various plant food, and consider all the work of weeding and irrigation.  Though the process of growing beans is the same for either children or adults, the knowledge we gain by adulthood makes things so difficult!

This is why God desires we have faith like a child.  A child does not look at all the hindrances of growing a plant because his mind is fixed on the surety of the process:  plant a seed in the ground, add a little water and sunlight - and he knows a plant will grow.  This is how we ought to be when God gives us His Word.  We ought not look at the obstacles which seem to contradict God's Word, but consider the character of God who speaks.  He will never lie, mislead, or be incorrect.  If God says He will make righteousness and praise spring forth to God before all the nations, He will do so!  Nothing is too hard for our God.

When God told me in 2002, "You shall preach, and you shall be sent," it seemed very unlikely.  I wondered how such a thing could come to pass.  God used a quote from Spurgeon's from Lectures to My Students to encouraged me to believe His word spoken to my heart:  "Neptune had long been shining before he was discovered and named; and you and I brethren, may remain unknown for years, and possible the world may never discover us; but I trust that our influence, like that of Neptune, will be felt and recognized, whether we are seen of men, or only shine in solitary splendour to the glory of God."  Soon after I received a call from my pastor who invited me to teach a home fellowship.  Then in 2005 I came on staff at Calvary Chapel El Cajon and was ordained as a minister in 2006!  I had preached, but I had not yet been sent.

It was in 2005 when God placed a desire in my heart to pray for the east side of Australia.  Every morning in my prayers I would turn my face towards Australia!  Little did I know at the time that He would not only open a door to visit the east side of Australia in 2009, but I would be offered a pastoral job at Calvary Chapel Sydney in 2010!  Yesterday my wife and I had a meeting with a pastor to discuss our vision for the fellowship in Sydney.  At the end of the meeting, he prayed for us.  As he prayed, I was blessed beyond measure by what was said, which was something to the effect of:  "Thank you Jesus for sending Ben and Laura to this church at this time."  My mind flashed back to words that God has impressed upon my heart more than once.  In front of the Castle Towers in Castle Hill, there is a large Australian flag.  As I waited at the light and watched the flag wave in the breeze, God encouraged me with the words, "I will establish you."  It is God who will establish, and it is God who has sent us.  His prayer only confirmed it was Jesus Christ Himself who had sent us!

If it was a church fellowship or a group of elders who sent our family to a foreign field, I could doubt their judgment.  But if it is God who has sent me, He can certainly fulfill His will concerning me.  If God says He will establish, He will do it!  He has already fulfilled His word spoken in 2002:  "You will preach and you will be sent."  Won't He establish us as well?  Because God's Word endures forever, it is like good seed that will never be without fruit.  It will never return to Him void, but always accomplish what He intends.  Isaiah 55:9-11: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰ "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

 

What God says He will do!  Let us purpose in our hearts to believe God no matter what.  Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to Him for righteousness.  Joshua 21:45 is as true today as it was then:  "Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass."  Do we live our lives like this is true?

Update from Down Under

With less than 48 hours remaining in Australia this trip, I am amazed to think about all that has happened in that time.  My schedule has been fairly rigorous of late, and yesterday is a great example.  I visited a property and picked up a rental application in the morning, had lunch with some mates, went for caroling practice, then headed off to the Beecroft Nursing home to sing to folks, played gridiron at the park with guys from church, then went to the church building for a dinner gathering!  It was 11pm before I hitched a ride with Ian back to the Tookes and let's just say, Sunday morning came EARLY!  If you are keen to hear the message I preached today called "Dry Bone to New Life", follow this link!  (Right click and save to desktop - then play!)

Yesterday I was so happy to be able to sing carols with people from Calvary Epping and CC Sydney to the residents at the nursing home, a place I have jogged past for the last two months praying for an opportunity to serve there.  See, God does answer prayer!  I imagine it must be a lonely place to spend your days, in various stages of health and mental alertness.  I carefully observed our audience as we sang to them about Christmas and Jesus Christ.  One man in particular had my attention.  He was quiet, with large vacant eyes.  But when we began to sing, he clearly mouthed the words to nearly every song.  Every soul in that room was absolutely precious.  My heart longs to be of greater service to them in the future.  For the first time I sang the Australian version of Jingle Bells, which is hilarious.

People have been asking me if I am excited to go home to America.  Funny as it may seem, I don't see it as going home.  I am actually more excited about coming to Australia on January 3rd with our one-way-tickets than me heading back to the States.  Please don't misunderstand:  I am very excited to visit with family and friends and spend the holidays with them.  But I can't think about traveling to San Diego as heading home.  My real home is in heaven, and Australia is where I believe God will establish our family to stay for awhile.  When some people might be longing for their hometown, that is not my case.  Thinking of leaving now is very hard to imagine because it feels like we're just getting started at CC Sydney!

It's really interesting to me that I do not have a house to call my own on either side of the Pacific, and nearly all my earthy goods are at this moment on a ship on the ocean.  While my biological family is on the west coast of the United States, I truly have family in Christ on both sides of those expansive waters.  To be apart from any of them is so hard, and it will need to be that way for the rest of my days no matter where I live.  Only in heaven will we all be together!  I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in 2 Timothy 2:1-3:  "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ ."  Praise the LORD, that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  We can cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us!

The Word Conference

Last night me and two mates took the red-eye from Perth to Sydney following the weekend conference at Calvary Chapel Albany.  We all were blessed by messages and testimonies from pastors Raul Ries and Bill Welsh, as well as from Ryan Ries of The Whosoevers.  The common qualities between these men are a genuine love of God, compassion, and a contrite spirit.  Whether they shared passages from scripture or detailed events of their lives, the power of Jesus Christ to save and deliver was central.  Being grounded and obedient to the Word of God was another uniting point of every discussion.

I was not only able to spend quality time with my traveling buddies Ian and Paul, but also met a lot of great people like Russ, Bruce, Luke, Bryan, and many more.  The more I travel around Australia the more I am struck by the fact we serve the same God.  We come from different backgrounds with different accents and roles in the Body of Christ, but we love and honor the same LORD.  It's amazing how powerful the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, and how it has remained unchanged since the very beginning.  What was Good News then is STILL Good News now.  The message never grows old because this world is still full of sinners who need forgiveness and new life in Christ.  Because there are more people on the world than ever, the need for salvation grows bigger by the day.

There will likely be a string of posts borne out of this conference as I consider what God is showing me.  He still wants to completely change and revitalize my relationship with Him.  Am I willing to grow in faith, obedience, and prayer?  Am I willing to believe that what God has promised He is able to perform?  Because of Christ we are never destined to remain in a rut or repeat past mistakes.  Our God makes all things new.  This promise is not only for those who have just made a commitment to follow Christ.  God desires to bring a newness to the way you approach God, a freshness to His Word, and graft into our hearts a renewed desire to please Him and fall back into love with Him again.  He wants our dry eyes moistened with divine affections, and our hearts to be full of love for Him and the lost.  We are not doomed because of our past, not even by what you did yesterday or today.  Because of Christ, we now have a future.  Will we live for Him?

What's up? A quick look...

Last night I went with John and Tina Graves to the house of Paul and Christina for a Thanksgiving meal and celebration.  2010 will mark the second time in five years the I will spend the American holiday of Thanksgiving outside of the U.S.  It was fun to watch a downloaded football game ("gridiron" in AUS) and sit around the table with friends new and old.  No one cooks a Thanksgiving meal like my dad or grandpa, but it was delicious just the same.

No matter where I am or what I eat, I can give thanks to the same God.  Celebrating a holiday is so different from house to house, especially from country to country!  The more and more I experience in Australia, the more I am struck by differences.  When I woke up this morning, I did the washing (laundry) and hung it outside to dry.  I vacuumed the pool, read my Bible, played with the dog, and tried to figure out why my computer keeps crashing when I watch streaming video.  Just the daily morning routine on a Saturday!

I'm growing a mustache with Ian (worship and youth leader from church) in honor of Movember, an Australian fundraiser to bring awareness and supply money for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and depression.  Abel cracked me up on Skype when he said, "So instead of Thanksgiving you have Movember all month?"  One of the catchphrases is "Grow a mo, help save a bro."  How mustache can be shortened to "mo" I'll never understand.  Some people say it is rhyming slang, but it doesn't rhyme at all!  But they do both start with an "m!"  It's probably better than saying, "Grow a stache, give some cash..."

Tomorrow I hope to shoot some clips of people at church to make a video to show at church back in the States to introduce them personally to their Aussie brothers and sisters in Christ at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  We put in an application to rent a house in a suburb near the church and we're praying that God would open that door.  Our household goods are due to arrive on December 16th, and the house will be available on December 17th so that would be perfect.  It seems like an ideal setup, and may God's will be done!  We're still waiting on our FBI background checks and need to schedule physicals for the visa completion.

After preaching at CC Sydney Sunday morning, on Tuesday God willing I will lead a Bible study at a local home fellowship.  I'm still thinking and praying about what the text from scripture will be.  On Friday, Ian, Paul, and myself are scheduled to fly to Perth and drive five hours to Calvary Chapel Albany to attend the Word Conference.  It should be an awesome time to hear gifted speakers, meet up with Christians from all over Australia, and enjoy worship and fellowship.  God willing the travel will be smooth and seamless.

The longer I travel this path of faith in Christ, the more I realize I am a pathetic man who needs His strength.  There are continual temptations to cease setting my mind on things above, and set it on things of this earth.  I read a passage from A Minister's Obstacles by Turnbull that gave me encouragement.  "...They never made Bunyan a doctor of divinity nor anything else of that honorable sort.  But three degrees had already been granted to him that neither Cambridge nor Oxford could either give or withhold: 'to wit, union with Christ; the anointing of the Spirit, and much experience of temptation" (pg. 73-74).  God has seen fit to give me the first two degrees by his grace, and I am determined to obtain the third by his grace as well.  God help me!

Praise the LORD that He is unchangeable and not limited by location or time restraints!  I am experiencing grueling separation from my wife and kids, but when I look to the LORD I find in Him all I need.  It is not easy but no trial was ever intended to be!  It is through separation that our priorities are re-focused, and our weaknesses and false supports are revealed by God to us.  The house we desire to rent is on "Supply Court" which was another reminder of God's promise to me and all believers in Philippians 4:19: "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  What more shall I say?  If Christ is for me, who can be against me?

The latest...

After price watching for seemingly weeks on end, I have purchased tickets with United Airlines to fly to Sydney, Australia. We will drive up to Carlsbad, fly up to Los Angeles, and begin the non-stop trip into Sydney.  Sitting on a plane for 14 hours is not great, but it certainly beats a four week voyage through the Pacific!  I plan to return on December 14th, and I will remain in San Diego for the Christmas holiday.  Then we'll pack up the family and make the big leap together, trusting God will provide our necessities concerning the religious workers visa and everything else.

Laura went to a Pastor's Wives Retreat this week and God has continued to lead her in the direction of homeschooling the boys, at least at the start.  This will not only save some money but will also ease the culture-shock of transition.  My schedule will likely provide opportunities for me to assist as well.  Again, we find ourselves in the familiar position of knowing one more detail of the many which remain unknown.  We rejoice in the fact that we know the God who has called us, will provide, guide, and enable us to fulfill His will.  Isaiah 54:17 reminds us, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord."  God is good, and His mercy endures to all generations! 

The Next Step

God is faithful to not only establish His word, but also confirms it along the way.  This epic walk of faith in Christ forces us to focus on Him alone, not being distracted by all the unknown.  When this vision to serve Christ in Australia began in 2005, I did not know how, when, or where it would happen.  I only knew God had called us and He would make it happen in His time.  This last week has been a great blessing to me and Laura as we see God doing things behind the scenes and fulfilling His purposes in us right now.

A week ago today, I resigned from my job in construction.  I wanted to have at least a week or two to prepare and spend time with family before I head off to Sydney for two months.  My first inclination was to purchase a departing ticket between October 4th-6th (Mon.-Wed.).  But I simply did not feel led to buy a ticket.  The prices were fluctuating greatly and I didn't feel certain it was the right time.  Early this week Laura received an invitation to attend the Calvary Chapel Pastor's Wives Retreat in Murrieta.  Guess what the dates were?  October 4th-6th!  I encouraged Laura to go to the retreat, and I chose to put off my departure for another week.  This would enable her to be edified, strengthened, and enjoy good fellowship while I could take care of the kid's school carpool and flag-football practice.

On Tuesday I received a call on my cell from Mark, senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Alpine.  He was looking for someone to cover the two Sunday AM services at the fellowship.  I had intended to call him to inform him of my soon return to Sydney and that I had accepted the lead pastor role there.  Because I had stopped work I have been able to pray, study, and prepare for the delivery of those sermons and am excited about what God is showing me.  Instead of me asking someone for an opportunity to speak, God saw fit to direct someone to call me and offer that opportunity.  Whether we are on the mountain top, passing through the valley of the shadow of death, or seemingly wandering in the wilderness, God chooses not only to prepare us but actually use us to bring Him glory.  The man who follows Jesus need not wander, because He's leading us every step of the way.  The world laughs and mocks:  "Look at that guy spinning his wheels!  He doesn't even know where he's going or what he's doing!"  It is true!  But all I need to know is God.  And when I remain close to Him and yielded to His promptings I'm where I'm supposed to be.

These two circumstances (and there have been many more like them along the way!) were unforeseen to me, but God naturally brought them along anyway.  He has so many opportunities for us if we will just remain in His will.  I'm no master of this, but I want to grow in this area.  Sometimes we can be so anxious to "do something" or be so focused on our personal role that we forget to look to Jesus.  As Christ walked this earth He was never in a hurry, never spoke out of turn, was always in the right place at the right time, and ALWAYS did His heavenly Father's will.  It is wonderful and freeing to understand I don't have to know everything for God to have His way.  As long as we walk in obedience to God, He will be faithful to show us the next step. 

Another step in the journey...

When I first visited Calvary Chapel Sydney in November of 2009, I never for a moment entertained the idea that I would be someday invited to serve as pastor there.  It would have been presumptuous, to say the least.  Most people don't take unemployed youth pastors very seriously!  I had resigned from my position as youth pastor in September to pursue the call of God to preach and pastor in Australia and left for a two-month stint.  Of all the places I visited, Sydney seemed the least likely.  I remember going to bed the first night and praying, "LORD, I'm really not comfortable here.  I don't know why.  The people are hospitable, friendly, and welcoming...I can't explain it."  There was oppression from the start.  But God lifted the dread which lay heavy upon me and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.

Laura and I took a 10 day trip to Sydney and a few days in Brisbane in March of 2010.  This time I had been encouraged to come from a friend at Calvary Chapel Sydney and was offered an opportunity to preach for two Sunday services.  It seemed to be a great opportunity to introduce Laura to the country and friends I had met previously.  This time we would be formally interviewed for the pastoral vacancy.  Things seemed to go swimmingly, and there would be more potential candidates for consideration.  We were told that a decision would be made by the pastoral search team in a couple months if all went according to plan.

In keeping with how this wonderfully tumultuous process of walking by faith in Christ can be, our family remained without a plan.  I kept on working, Laura and the boys kept on with swim lessons, and spending time with their cousins and friends.  During silent days and weeks, our minds wondered and wandered.  To stay sane I would try to not entertain thoughts of Australia, but to no avail.  Prayers for people and hopes concerning to the pastoral position continually washed over my mind in waves.  Then about a month ago we were told the position would be offered to another and scenarios were laid out how we could possibly serve in a interim basis, but without a concrete plan.  Weeks passed as the prospective pastor considered the decision which lay before him.  The warfare must have been strong because there were days when I would be so close to saying, "That's it!  Take my name out of the running - we can't keep going on without knowing.  We've been YEARS without knowing!"  It was only God who kept us going and continually reminded us of the call and burden to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Australia.

When we were reaching the breaking point, the light of God's faithfulness, love, grace, and compassion shone through.  We received an e-mail:  the prospective pastor respectfully had declined and we were back in the running.  But here again we were left without knowing where we stood.  Our hopes were revived yet again that Sydney may indeed be the place God would open a door to serve Him.  Then we received a real, tangible invitation that made us want to jump up and shout:  "We are very glad to call you and your family to our church and to the position of pastor."  YES, without reservation!  God was in no hurry, and I praise Him for His wisdom in how all was orchestrated according to His plan.  He taught us that we MUST look to Him alone for all things.  If our strength or peace rests in anyone or anything but Him, it is a breeding ground of false hope and spiritual shipwreck.  Man does not learn his lessons easily, and therefore the path God chooses to lead us down will be hard and sometimes miserable.  But when the grace of God breaks through we are as the woman who has screamed through hard, painful labor and childbirth.  Yet when that newborn baby is placed in her arms she manages to smile and caress her living treasure borne out of pain and difficulty, and would choose to endure it all over again for the blessing of this little new life she has been given by God.  Yeah, kind of like that.

I never thought I would be a pastor, but God has seen fit to call me.  My wife and I never thought we would be someday moving our family to Australia to minister for His glory.  Who could have known?  Only God.  I thank God for receiving this unprofitable servant into His family and my heart is filled with joy at the thought of being welcomed into Calvary Chapel Sydney in a pastoral role.  I would say that it's been a long strange trip, but that misses the mark:  it has been a long, amazing walk following Jesus - but I believe it is only the beginning of a new stage of growth and maturity that will bring God glory in ways we never dreamed possible.  With God, all things are possible!

Praise God for His faithfulness!

I have been working at Farwest Insulation for almost 10 months while waiting for a door to open for ministry in Australia on a full-time basis with my family.  In addition to saving money for moving expenses, working in the construction field has given me opportunities to share my faith with others.  I am very excited to report that one of my co-workers I have shared with prayed with my brother to receive Christ last week!  It is nothing that I have done, but God has answered the prayers of His people to save the lost.  Since I have started working at this shop our superintendent has made a decision for Christ and the LORD has begun a great work in him and his family.

God is amazing, doing more than we can imagine at all times.  He has redeemed and made fruitful the sowing of seed for His glory here when I would have chosen to be elsewhere.  This again proves the wisdom and providential hand of God.  God's care for the salvation of souls on every continent is great, and He allows us by His grace to make a difference wherever we are.  You need not travel a mile before you pass great needs in your own family and neighborhood.  Wherever you are and whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.  God's desire is that all would be saved.  May our lives be a force for God as His plan for our lives unfolds.  Instead of longing for the future to come, a loose quotation from "Kung Fu Panda" is appropriate to set our perspective right:  "Today is a gift from God - that is why it is called the present."  May every day be lived to the full for God's honor, glory, and praise for He is worthy.

Waiting On God

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  [14] Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!"  

Psalm 27:13-14

Waiting on someone is very different than waiting for someone.  We are only too familiar with waiting for things or people:  waiting for your turn in line, waiting for your birthday to arrive, or waiting for traffic to start moving again.  I remember as a kid waiting for my friends to arrive at my house.  Half an hour before the set time I would occasionally peek out the window at the sound of any car.  I was completely preoccupied with waiting.  All my hope rested upon my friend's mom bringing him at the prescribed hour.  Sometimes friends were early, late, or they did not show at all.  I am only too familiar with the truth of Proverbs 13:12:  "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."  I am familiar with it because I've been on the heartsick side of it more times than I'd like to remember!

As I wait for opportunities to minister in Australia on a full-time basis, God has taught me a lot through waiting.  For years it seems - especially the last eighteen months - there has been a temptation for me to wait for God, rather than wait on Him.  When I become impatient God has revealed to me it is due to a lack of faith.  Impatience occurs when we are reluctant to wait upon God's timing.  If I trusted God perfectly, knew His plan was ideal, and looked to Him continually, why should I be impatient for anything?  It is when we focus on circumstances and others that we become dissatisfied and frustrated.  Frustration occurs when our will is being hindered.  Something so simple as waiting can be used by God as a divine tutor which strips us of our false impressions concerning our own faith.

We are all filled with strong faith, no doubt (wink, wink).  Just like we all think we are great drivers and the other guy need to figure out the difference between the accelerator and the break, we often see ourselves in too favorable a light when it comes to spiritual matters.  In the words of Job 12:2 "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!"  Spurgeon said, "The best men see themselves in the worst light."  Only a humble man will grow in wisdom, understanding, and faith.  He sees his enormous need and is willing to submit himself to God without strings attached.  Waiting has been a challenge to me because it has forced me to honor God above my calling, and regard His timing as infinitely superior to my own.  My futile plans must be scrapped and I must press on in faith, waiting on the One who has called, redeemed, and anointed me for His glory.

Waiting for God can cause us to lose hope, while waiting on the LORD causes us to grow in strength.  Waiting for God blinds us to our purpose because we block our own view to God with our agenda.  But when we wait on the LORD for His plan to unfold, we are able to be used by Him when the time comes.  Bitterness, disillusionment, disappointment, and confusion attend those who wait for others or even themselves.  I remember a Daily Bread devotional (from 1994!) which emphasizes the point of struggle in our lives, even in something as seemingly trivial as waiting.  An excerpt from Joanie Yoder's devotional contains an example which is profitable to consider:  "... I was reminded of the story of a man who took home a cocoon so he could watch the emperor moth emerge. As the moth struggled to get through the tiny opening, the man enlarged it with the snip of his scissors. The moth emerged easily—but its wings were shriveled. The struggle through the narrow opening is God’s way to force fluid from its body into its wings."

In our foolish ambition we would always shorten the process.  But in God's wisdom, He has allowed just enough time for us to be refined and perfected so we can be usable for His purposes when the time comes.  He does not make it so hard for the emperor moth to emerge that it kills the moth, but makes it a struggle for a purpose:  the struggle makes the moth capable of flight.  God wants us to soar on the wings of eagles while we are content to run with the dogs.  Wait on the LORD, my friends.  Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Year in Review

My first post on this blog was July 8th, 2009.  It's amazing to think a year has passed since I started posting.  To be honest, it feels like much longer.  I suppose 200 posts in a year isn't too shabby!  It has been a cathartic exercise to share what God puts on my heart in this format, and I hope you have been blessed as I have.

In looking back over the past year, much has changed.  In July 2009 I was the youth pastor at Calvary Chapel El Cajon and heading off to summer camp at Green Valley Lake.  What followed camp was the realization that our (my wife and I) ministry with the youth was fulfilled.  I resigned my position in September and left for a two month trip to Australia.  To make a full year very short, I came back to the States and we sold our house.  Laura and I went for a two week trip to Australia this year and we are awaiting word on a possible ministry opportunity on the east coast.  It's remarkable how much has happened and even more amazing the work that needs to be done.

If I had to sum up some things God has taught me during this year it would be the importance of being Spirit-led in everything.  It is so easy to walk by sight and not by faith.  It is natural for us to rely on the opinions of others, experience, and our own abilities rather than trusting God to fulfill His Word.  We are often like Sarah, who suggested that since God said Abraham would sire a son and she was barren to take Hagar the Egyptian as a concubine.  Ishmael was the product of that union, and Abraham loved him.  But that was not God's way.  No, God informed them:  in spite of Abraham's impotence and Sarah's barrenness they would have a son together.

I have grown a lot in patience, especially since the last two trips to Australia.  There are often long spells between communication with my Aussie mates and if I did not grow patient I would go insane.  It seems for years now Laura and I have not been able to plan because we don't know - and when I say we don't know, I really mean that!  We do not know how, when, or where God will use us in Australia for His glory.  But we constantly go back to the things we do know:  I am called to preach and will be sent, and our affections, interest, and desire continues to grow for the people of Australia.  There is an insatiable longing in my heart which cannot be explained outside of the love of God.  The depth of this love shatters logic.  Whenever we are tempted to doubt, God confirms his word yet again.  I will cite two recent examples of this.

I walked into our office/den the other day to see a paper drawn by my eldest son Zed, age 10.  Drawn in pencil, a picture of "Ned Kelly and his Gang" sat on the desk. There was Ned Kelly wearing the famous armor, guns blazing.  (The part I loved the most was the legs riddled with bullet holes!)  If someone had stumbled upon this drawing, one would have assumed Ned Kelly was a common subject of mine or I put the boys to bed every night with the famous shoot-out and hanging that marked the end of Ned Kelly's life.  The fact is I haven't mentioned that name in months and because the story has been rehearsed maybe once or twice by me in the last year at most, I was pleasantly surprised!  I am so proud...and blessed to have kids who are so excited about Australia.

Just yesterday I sat down to an e-mail from Schmap which is a website that has pictures of tourist destinations around the world.  It turns out a picture of Coogee beach in Sydney I uploaded to flickr was chosen to be on the short list of potential pictures to be used on their website for that location.  The picture may or may not be used in the most recent Schmap edition, but I find it amazing that someone would choose my picture for that location.  (Thanks Fiona for taking us!)  Just when we think it may be an impossible dream, the reality of God's Word is sent home to our hearts again.

Thanks for reading and joining us in the wild ride of our lives:  following Jesus at any cost!  May we be completely spent for His glory!