Our family is officially on the website!

I received word that our information has been loaded on the Shepherd's Staff website. We look forward to uniting in the pursuit of God's glory in Australia! If you want to see the page, follow this link!

Not only do we have the inestimable power of God to protect and provide us, but God is building a team to serve God together with us. I am reminded of Ephes. 4:15-16: "...but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." It is comforting to know that the call for some is to go, and others are called to send. We are not in the business of self-promotion, but the ministry of God-glorification. When the Body of Christ is united in a venture of faith, God will be faithful to lead, guide, and provide.

What faith is...

Today in the high school group we discussed the marks of faith in God. Faith is not based on what we receive from God, but is active reliance upon the character of God as revealed in scripture. It is a tragic fact that many people read the Word of God, but do not know God personally. In a day when the focus is predominately on what God has done or can do for us, it is high time we started simply magnifying the character of God's nature. The reason why we are blessed by what God does is because of who He is. God is good, so all He does is good. God is righteous, so all He does is perfect.

A biography gives a small glimpse into the heart of a person. An autobiography even more so, because it is written from a first-person perspective. The Bible is God's autobiography, His living will and testament. In its pages we see that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and without sin. Every attribute of God is infinite: He is just as well as gracious, loving as well as true. Not one attribute nullifies another and is like a facet in a jewel that increases the beauty of reflective light. It would be a waste to read God's Word and not come away with increased knowledge of God. The scriptures were given that we might know and believe on Christ, as John states in John 20:31: "...these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

How we can sell God short by only dwelling on what He does! Who He is should be our focus! In talking with a friend today, he talked about how an acquaintance (I'll just call him Joe) spoke with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. They carried on a brief and rather awkward discussion about the newest Indiana Jones movie. Joe had seen movies directed by these two, especially Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He knew the works of Lucas and Spielberg very well. He could talk about the history of the films, quote lines from them, and perhaps even explain how they were directed and produced. But Joe didn't know Lucas and Spielberg on a personal level. He had no intimate knowledge of them personally: things they love, ways they deal with stress, how it would be to work with them, their political views, or future dreams. It was a brief, shallow, and superficial interaction that fell far short of a meaningful conversation.

For a lot of Christians, this same awkward "relationship" (which is likely a stretch to use the term) parallels the relationship they have with God. They know that Jesus has died to save them from their sins. They know that God loves them, that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and that He hears our prayers. The focus is on what He does rather than on who He is. We are like a kid at his fifth birthday party who is completely focused on the loot he will receive rather than the people who demonstrate their love through the giving of gifts. Not every child is like that, of course, but we must guard ourselves from focusing on the gift rather than the giver, what we receive rather than Who is giving!

I was challenged by this thought today. I am resolved to make sure I dwell upon the characteristics and attributes of God in my prayers, when I meditate on the Word, and in preaching. I'm going to keep my eyes open and my heart ready to receive more light concerning God's character. Isn't it amazing that God cannot be taught? Nothing needs to be explained to Him or catches Him off-guard. Isn't it wonderful that God does not change? Our bodies change and perspective changes as we grow older and the realization hits that things we once thought were so important are simply the small dust on the scales. God has been right since before time began. I praise and thank Him for that! God is good, and in Him is no shadow of turning. All glory to Him who was, is, and who is to come!

Shepherd's Staff Details

Laura and I are very excited about our partnership with Shepherd's Staff. We are grateful and blessed to be affiliated with such a ministry for many reasons. For those who are interested, I'll do my best to explain the relationship that Shepherd's Staff will share with our family. Though we are being "sent out" by Calvary Chapel El Cajon, I will no longer be an employee of the church as I have for the last four years. I will be "employed" by Shepherd's Staff, though they will not pay me. People will choose to support our venture in faith, make tax-deductible donations on our behalf to Shepherd's Staff, and they will pass along the funds to us.

When I go to Brisbane, I will not be allowed to make any money in Australia. I will be traveling on a Tourist Visa, which enables me to stay for up to three months at a time. Funds that God provides through friends and family will be sent from Shepherd's Staff to us. In addition to financial accountability and oversight, Shepherd's Staff gives me W-2 status, supplies health care for our family at a reasonable cost, and provides a wealth of godly counsel through pastoral and support staff. We have been so blessed with Pat Kenney, the western regional Pastor. He visited with Laura and me in our home on Thursday and answered many questions we had.

One thing we will be discussing at the 6:30pm Friday meeting at Calvary Chapel El Cajon on September 4th is how people can be a part of our care team. It is amazing how God ordains the Body of Christ to work! People are not called to foreign fields alone, but God raises up people from the sending fellowship to assist with prayer support, communications, logistics, financial, moral and re-entry support. Kevin Akenson is the missions director at Calvary El Cajon, and we will work closely with him in placing people in positions to provide the support we need. Those on our care team won't simply be "helping out:" they will be joining in the work!

How awesome it is that God desires all His children to be involved in His business, whether on the home front or far from our shores. He has called and gifted us in many different ways that compliment each other. I was talking to Laura the other day and a wry smile crossed her face as I talked about a counseling appointment. She said, "You're not a counselor. You're a preacher!" It takes the pressure off of me to know that God has gifted me in areas and has gifted other people who are wonderful counselors. I've been called to give an answer for the hope that is in me, but I don't have lament the fact that I'm not a great counselor. I rejoice in the Helper, and that Jesus is that "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

I thank God for each one of you, and thanks for caring enough to pray and support our family. We are excited about what God is doing and what He plans to do through this venture. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake" (Psalm 155:1, KJV).

Marks of a Prophet...

There is a certain amount of janitorial work I perform at church every week. I enjoy monotonous tasks for the reason I can do them well and meditate on the Word, pray, or think things over. Because of the call of God upon my life, there are certain preachers that I connect with who are solid in doctrine, heavy on challenge, and are completely unapologetic concerning God's truth. Speaking for myself, it takes a challenge to move me to change. Sometimes the challenge come straight from the text and sometimes the Holy Spirit uses a man to put His finger on something.

Today while cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors I thought about prophets in the Bible, prophets who trusted God and spoke for Him. The first thing that is clear about them is they were owned by God and not influenced by men. They were steadfast messengers of God's truth, not flavoring the word with flowery speech or trying to soften the blow with flattery. One amazing thing about good prophets is I cannot remember one time in the entire Bible when a prophet of God apologized for the message or for the effect it had on the listeners. Jesus never once apologized, for He never did or said anything that was wrong or out of place. I wonder if men like these could even be employed at a typical church these days, considering the things they said!

It is an awe inspiring thing, speaking for God! God has spoken through His Word, and He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. In thinking about my ministry thus far, the most profitable seasons have also had the most controversy. The messages that produced the most evident fruit were the same messages that brought complaints. Today I mused over the evidence: can this be true? I have seen young people moved to tears of repentance and saw lasting evidence of real commitment. Prophets have a way of striking a nerve. How? Because God knows what the people need to hear, whether they want to hear it or not. I ask you, how well were the prophets of God received in scripture? Let's just say it was much easier to be a false prophet than a real one. Real prophets never apologize for the truth, and this has never sat well with the majority.

Prophets of God will never be owned by man. They will not be purchased with bribes, for they have been bought with a price by the blood of Jesus Christ. This does not mean that the mark of a prophet is flippant, careless, rude, or an arrogant attitude. A prophet is brought to the point of death every time he opens his mouth for God, dying to himself that God may be glorified through his obedience. Man not only wants to be accepted: he wants to be liked. Prophets of God must sacrifice this desire on the altar of obedience. Because he is loved by God, he will allow himself to be hated by man because Jesus was hated first.

The longer I walk with Christ, the more I learn that I don't get to choose. I'm not allowed to choose my calling. But I can choose if I will be obedient to the calling God has upon my life. I have the call of an apostle (one who is sent) and prophet upon me. I don't care if anyone else sees me in this light, but I have determined to answer this call. God's Word to me is, "You will preach, and you will be sent." The call hasn't changed in seven years. Elijah walked up to Elisha and threw his mantle on him. Elisha didn't have his name drawn in a lottery to follow in Elijah's steps. I never signed up on a list to follow Jesus. I didn't choose Him: He chose me! He threw His mantle upon me and said, "Follow Me." You never know what God will call you to do, believer. But you best do what your Master says, or else He isn't your Master. When you do and say what Jesus tells you to, there won't be any need to apologize.