Romania in America

We received a phone call two weeks ago from NY city, it was Nina our former landlord in Romania calling us saying she is on her way to visit us. That night I went to the train station and picked her up. She stayed with us for four days and we had a great time. Elizabeth took her to Boston for the day on Tuesday ,Wednesday she came with us to church and on Thursday we took her to Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth MA. It was neat having somebody from Romania that we could talk about "our country back home" and show her our country here in America.

Enter into his rest

Psa 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Psa 95:11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

There is a lot of unrest in peoples lives today. I am amazed that with all the modern technology and the advancement in medicine it has not help people to be more restful. If fact, I have observed that people have more problems today than they had 20 years ago when we where getting ready to go to Romania.

Where do we find rest? We find it in God. I can say my life is very restful, because God is a God of peace and when we live for him, we live in peace. Why did not the children of Israel have peace? They did not know the ways of God because they refused to walk in the laws of God. Their problem was the same as our problem today, it was not a lack of knowledge but a lack of obedience.

Thats why God said in verses 6,7 Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice. True rest comes not in just knowing facts about God but knowing God through obeying His Word.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

You don't have to leave America to be a missionary!

We have a great opportunity to reach people groups without ever going to the mission field. Why? Because thousands are coming to America. I meet people all the time from all over the world. Because I have gone to live in another country and have experienced not knowing the customs and language of that country, I have a heart for people who have come here from other countries. Sunday I preached at Providence Baptist church in Providence RI. They have a large number of people from Liberia. Pastor Sokoll has even gone to Liberia and helped build a church there.

There are opportunities all around us to reach people from other countries. I have often thought: "do our churches reflect the people groups we see at Walmart?" Are we keeping to ourselves and trying to ignore the masses that are coming to our shores or are we actively seeking out people who are coming here from all over the world. Do we try to learn their language? Could we offer free English classes? Could we try to make them feel comfortable in our churches? You can be a foreign missionary today and don't even have to get on a plane!

Do we cause others to sin

Luke 17:1,2 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

We hear a lot of sermons on why and how not to sin. However, we don't hear many on why we should not cause others to sin. This passage is in condemnation of our modern society. How many have been led into temptation because of a society, a government, an education system and a promiscuous media that rejects God and promotes destructive living.

Jesus did say that it is impossible that offences or temptation will come, but those that lead people into temptation will be held accountable. There are many today that are going to pay a high price for how they have promoted evil and caused many to be lead astray.

However, we cannot do much about others, we need to look at ourselves. How do we lead our kids astray? How do we lead our friends astray? This passage is a reality check for me to realize that I can sin, yet not only will I affect myself, I will influence those around to be lead astray.

Do we want God or not?

Psalm 81:10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

There have been times with my kids when I have wanted to do good things for them but I could not. Not that it was not in my power to do them good, but because of their actions and attitudes, I did not feel it was right for them to be rewarded. I have said many times to my daughter:" it is not my fault it is yours that you are not going."

We want it both ways don't we? We want God do to good things for us but we don't want God to tell us what to do. Then, when we are in trouble or life does not turn out like we hoped, we blame God. Just like I told my daughter, it is not my fault that you did not receive a blessing, it is the same way with God. He desires to work in our lives and give us good things, but will not force his was into our lives. God says open wide your mouth and I will fill it. He has many great blessings for us if we will seek him and walk in his ways.

Today turning 45

Psalms 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Can life get any better? You have heard of the expression enjoy life? I am enjoying life. I am not the riches person, I don't have a lot of possessions and I am not very famous, but I am enjoying life.

Why am I enjoying life? First of all because God is in my life. It took him 17 years to find me, but since then, though I have not always been the person I should be, his grace and mercy has been at work in my life. The second reason is because of the person he brought into my life 26 years ago. What can be more satisfying than being married to your best friend? I am also enjoying life because of my kids. I never knew having children could be so much fun. When we sit around and talk and my girls just keep going on and on I think to myself, it doesn't get any better than this.

Lastly I am enjoying life because I am doing what I like to do. Not that being a husband, father, missionary and pastor is easy and there are not difficulties, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. At 45 I am not having a mid life crises of I wish I had..... in life. No, life is good and I wouldn't want to change a thing.

Let's do what has been given to us

Deuteronomy 29:25 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Why do we spend so much time wondering or seeking the will of God and so little time doing the will of God? There are great mysteries in the Christian faith and there are great truths to be discovered. However, God has chosen to reveal to us what is necessary for obedience. The things that are revealed to us are the things that are important for us to do not the things that are not revealed to us. Often I meet Christians who are on a quest to find God's will. I want to say; "Hey, wake up, don't have to seek God's will, it has already been given to us, just open the Bible."

God's will is not so much about seeking something that we think God is hiding from us but obeying what God has revealed to us.

What happened to keeping our word

Deu 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

Last October when I came back for furlough I needed to buy a car. I found a car that was owned by a Christian and when he found out I was a missionary he was willing to let it go for a good price. However, when we discussed payment, he was not willing to take a personal check but wanted a certified check. I was thinking;"what I am a missionary, he doesn't trust me?" Then I stared thinking of some the the missionaries I have dealt with and sadly I had to admit that I didn't blame the man.

I can remember my grandfather telling me he was able to get a house loan on a handshake. We have come a long way haven't we, we can't even trust a missionary. What does your word mean today? Can your spouse, kids and coworkers trust your word and be confident that when you make a promise you will keep it?

Don't listen to just one person

Deu 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

How many people have been put in jail because of the testimony of an unreliable or false witness. Recently there have been studies that have proved that the eye witness account of a person can be inaccurate. The person may believe that he has identified the right person or recalled an event correctly, but in reality he could be wrong. Just recently a man was released after spending 30 years in prison.

Eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, playing a role in more than 75% of convictions overturned through DNA testing. (http://www.innocenceproject.org/)

Not only in the judicial system, but how much more in our interaction with people at work, school, and church should we not listen or believe the testimony of just one person. This principle in the Bible was given to us over 3,500 years ago, it is time that we started taking it seriously.

12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Many today talk about discovering the will of God for their lives. Yet, the will of God is not something that is hard to find. The Bible clearly reveals for us the will of God for our lives. Here is one of many verses that show us clearly what God desires. We are to fear him, walk in his ways, love him, serve him and keep his commandments. There is enough of the will of God in this verse to keep us going for a long time. Maybe instead of trying to discover some mystic or secret will, we should be more concerned with doing what God has already revealed to us.

Notice another point here, it is for our good. You will not be serious about keeping God's statues until you understand that is is for your good. I have never been disappointed because I have obeyed God's Word. I have never been hurt or lost by keeping God's laws. They are a delight, and the more I live the Christian life the more I am grateful for the God's statues.

Deuteronomy 8:1-3

Tested to reveal the heart

When Jesus was tempted he used the Scripture to confront and defeat the temptations that Satan was throwing his way. Jesus quoted from the Old Testament when He said man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

The context of the verse is found in this passage. God had a purpose in brining the children of Israel through the wilderness, at that was to see what was in their heart. It is easy to say we will serve God when everything is fine and we are not tested. The testings are what shows what is in our heart.

What did the children of Israel do when they where hungry? They could not go to the store or the restaurant. They were dependent upon God, they cried out and he fed them with Manna from heaven. They lived by the Word of God. We live in a society that is self reliant. We want to live by our own hands. Maybe that is why we are dying? Maybe that is why we are unsatisfied? We are not living by the Word of God, but by the bread that perishes.

Testings reveal if the Word of God is in our heart. God wanted to see what was in their heart. What is in your heart today? Are you living by and through the Word of God or are you feeding only and the Manna that perishes.