Thoughts on Missionary Prayer 2

"So, why, then, don't we pray as persistently as we talk? The answer, quite simply, is that we don't believe it will make any difference. We accept, however despairingly, that the situation is unchangeable, that what is will always be. This is not a problem about the practice of prayer, but rather about its nature. Or, more precisely, it is about the nature of God and his relationship to this world.
"Unlike the widow in the parable, we find it is easy to come to terms with the unjust and fallen world around us--even when it intrudes into Christian institutions. It is not always that we are unaware of what is happening, but simply that we feel completely impotent to change anything. That impotence leads us, however unwillingly, to strike a truce with what is wrong."
David Wells in: Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne eds., Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1999), p. 144.

Thoughts on Missionary Prayer 1

"What, then, is the nature of petitionary prayer? It is, in essence, rebellion--rebellion against the world in its fallenness, the absolute and undying refusal to accept as normal what is pervasively abnormal. It is, in this its negative aspect, the refusal of every agenda, every scheme, every interpretation that is at odds with the norm as originally established by God. As such, it is itself an expression of the unbridgeable chasm that separates Good from Evil, the declaration that Evil is not a variation on Good but its antithesis.
"Or, to put it the other way around, to come to an acceptance of life 'as it is,' to accept it on its own terms--which means acknowledging the inevitability of the way it works--is to surrender a Christian view of God. This resignation to what is abnormal has within it the hidden and unrecognized assumption that the power of God to change the world, to overcome Evil by Good, will not be actualized."
David Wells in: Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne eds., Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1999), p. 143.

Donated Junk

Several weeks ago a friend visited a poorer Eastern European country. There she entered certain people's homes and saw varying degrees of poorness first-hand. However, when she visited the church she saw top-of-the line furniture.
When she asked about this strange distinction she was told that God's house deserved the best. I'm not one for saying that churches should demand money from the poor so that they can fill their buildings with expensive luxuries. However, there is a point to this story that many of us in North America do not take to heart. God certainly does deserve our best, but does this include buying quality products for ministry use?
When we walk through our churches we can often find piles of donated junk. Someone decides to buy a 50-inch plasma screen television and then drops off their old 19-inch black and white for the church to use. Or someone buys a new basketball and gives the church their old one. We buy a new computer and donate our Vic 20. We've all done things like this. But does it honour God?
Just something else to think about.

The Hound of Heaven

D is one of the sweetest men you could ever meet - except when he's been drinking. The change that comes over certain street people when they are intoxicated is drastic. Several days ago D was climbing a building across the street from the church. He lost his balance on the roof and tumbled two stories onto Queen Street. Thankfully he did not land on anyone. And thankfully his life was spared - but not his legs. Both of D's legs were broken and it appears that he will be laid up for quite some time recovering and relearning to walk (he will likely be in the rehab hospital for 4-6 weeks). His body will likely never be the same.
One of the amazing things about God is that He will go to any length to seek and save his chosen ones. In the rehab clinic D is now safe from the temptation of alcohol and is being visited by members of TAC. May God break through and bring complete healing from D's drug of choice. And when D emerges from rehab, may he be a completely transformed individual; may he be a sharp tool God uses to bring healing to others.

Fear

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge - Proverbs 1:7a

Several years ago my son, Elijah, did something that upset me. In my anger I yelled out his name. Often when we are afraid we run or try to hide. It is a natural human reaction to flee from what scares us. However, Elijah did something I did not expect. After hearing my shout Elijah did not run away from me; rather he ran to me.
The Christian life begins with fear. The proper response of a sinner with the knowledge of a holy, righteous God is complete and utter terror. We can do two things with that terror. We can try to hide our sin by justifying our own actions, imagining that we are innocent, ignoring our condition or by trying to keep certain things from God (as foolish as this is). Or we can run to Him admitting our brokenness and wrongdoings and throwing ourselves on His mercy.
It is the one who runs to God who finds His mercy. And in that mercy our fear evaporates.

Why are Christians so against abortion?

With the Conservative government in Canada taking a stronger stance against abortion and with the massive pro-life rally in Ottawa today it seems like a good time to touch upon this issue. More to the point, my specific question is "Why is abortion such a huge issue when it comes to elections?"
One of my friends recently expressed his opinion that abortion should not be such a big deal for believers. He suggested that there are other issues to be concerned about in elections. There most certainly are other important issues when it comes to the polls, however, no issue in Canada holds the same urgency and weight as abortion does.
My personal thinking on the subject goes along these lines. If I were living in a country where the current government was engaged in or was permitting the extermination of one group of people, and if this country held regular elections, I would consider it my duty to vote against that government. It would not matter whether the future potential government held the same social agendas as I do or whether they could help the country financially - heck, it wouldn't even matter if this other political party were completely inept. All that would matter to me is seeing the end of this genocide.
For Christians, the slaughter of a specific segment of the human race is taking place with government approval and government funding. Christians have no choice but to stand up for the unborn with their vote. You may disagree with us that the unborn are fully human, but if you enter into our mindset, you should be able to understand our reason for taking abortion so seriously.

I know she found peace

Very close to our church there is a brothel. One of our workers has spent significant time chatting with some of the women there. Several days ago she shared a story of sadness and hopelessness. One of the prostitutes whose husband is handicapped has left her homeland, burdening her eldest child with the responsibility of caring for her other children. This eldest child has begun to question her mother's love: "How can you love me if you leave me like this?"
What a picture of sadness! Sadness on the part of the family which has lost its mother. Sadness on the part of the husband who is unable to provide for his family and knows that his wife is in the sex trade. Sadness on the part of the woman who has left those she cares most about, lives in a foreign land and engages in a dehumanizing profession.
However, in the midst of this, there is a ray of hope. Amazingly, several weeks ago, the lady who ran the brothel became a Christian. This worker from our church and her friend shared the story of the Gospel and its message of hope led to new life. The Gospel still has power to bring about restoration today! May more and more broken people hear this news and be lifted out of their pain and hopelessness.