Month: March 2004

When I think about making an impact all kinds of thoughts and images come to mind. The only impact I want to see is the hearts of people change, to see them living a fully changed life, a life that serves the needs of others. God calls all of his believers to be salt to the world, salt in biblical times was used as a preservative, if all who I am is a preservative then I am happy to be. The reason I want these things is that God wants these things. Believe me before I truly knew who God was and allowed him into my life, I had no desire to serve others. He wants the world restored to glory, but because he loves us so much he is letting us do the restoring, some may think that is stupid, I choose to think of it as love. I believe people are mostly good because God created us that way, and because he created us that way I believe we can all make a positive difference, even those who choose not to believe, hopefully they will see God’s love in me, and look to God. Even Paul the apostle wrote that “outsiders” should know who we are by the love we show for each other and for God; unfortunately I do not think most Christian’s are known for the “love they show.”

It looks like spring is finally coming here. It is almost 50°F outside the sun is out and the Tatra Mountains are looking awesome, and best of all the snow is melting! If it snows again I just might break something, I have officially decided that I will never live in a place where it the snow stays around for more than two weeks. I will visit those kinds of places, but I will never live there ever again. I plan on visiting Zakopane many more times throughout my life, maybe even staying during the summers or springs. I just do not plan to live here again, the operative word being “I”.

God has taught me many things about myself, about living in another culture, and about ministry. I have no clue how I will get to where I am 99% sure I am going. The only thing I know is that God has provided for me this entire time I have been here, and I know he will always provide for the future. God has also put many awesome people in my life (believers and non-believers alike) who have supported me, through prayer, advice, financially, and simply being a resource for the people here in Poland. Without the support I would have lost it months ago, it has been very hard, harder than any other time in my life. I have even questioned the existence of God, but in the end it is his character, the people, and the blessings that have proven to me that God loves me.

Personally I have been learning, and I still am, how to intimately fellowship with God. While in Seattle I had, which I now know is rare anywhere, a group of people to worship with, it is because of this group of people that I know I am loved, by God. These people came from many different denominations, backgrounds, strong and weak in their faith, but all wanted to know God more. Without these people, I would have never come to know God as I know him now. I know that I should not return to Seattle expecting to have the group be the same, a part of me expects them to be more in Love, but the other part knows the reality of life. I think my “reentry” into my own culture will be a bit frustrating, but I know it will also be God’s way of telling me many things. I am already planning many things to do when I return; one of those things is simply relaxing. In fact if I do not get the job I am looking at, then I will simply take a month or a little more to relax, see things I want, do things I want, talk to people I want. The number one thing I want to be involved in when I return is ministry, somehow, someway.

“There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.” [John 3:18-21]

Down with all those silly medical myths! Just a bit of wondering around on the Internet before I take a shower.

I thought it was time for some new pictures.

Alexis and Dan Russel (A pastor from Portland-Gresham, OR)

Downtown Zakopane, Krupowki ST

Looking down Krupowki ST

Me at the top of Gubalowka with Zakopane and the Tatra mountains in the background

Looking up Krupowki ST near the market of Zakopane

I do not like to write long newsletters, and the last one only was half the story (and pretty depressing at that). Therefore, I decided to write newsletter 6.5, take a look. It is much more encouraging, and really does show how God’s hand is working in our lives here.

Did you know that in 1958 a scientist named Peter Stoner set out to see how likely it was that Jesus fulfilled just eight of the 324 predictions (the messianic prophesies), by accident? These predictions were made hundreds of years before Jesus was even born, they included the location of his birth, what he would do, how he would be betrayed, all with amazing detail making it even harder for someone to “accidentally” fulfill them.

In Peter Stoner’s book “Science Speaks” his conclusion is that the likelihood of one person fulfilling just eight of the 324 predictions of the messiah was 1 in 10^17 of being fulfilled by chance. If you took 100,000,000,000,000,000 silver dollars and laid them out over Texas, they would cover the entire land surface of Texas two feet deep. Now, take one of those silver dollars, paint it some color, and toss it into the stack. Mix ’em all up, blindfold some person, tell him/her to walk as far as he/she wants, then pick up only one dollar, it has to be the painted one on the first try. He/She would have a 1 in 10^17 chance of picking that dollar coin. Most state lotteries have a higher chance of being won.

Now, some might argue that the bible has all kinds of contradictions, which on the surface it does appear that way. The article I linked to does not address the fulfillment of prophesies it only addresses the probability of some people’s explanation of some of the surface contradictions. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Therefore if these 324 prophesies were fulfilled, and the chance of them being fulfilled by more than one person is so thin, then we have to look at the contradictions in another light. They may appear contradictory to us, but since these prophesies were fulfilled, we have to assume the surface contradictions are not contradictions of God’s word but human misunderstanding. Yes, that takes some faith, but it is a logical thing to assume.

Therefore, if you are still with me, and you believe that the science has spoken for God, we have to at least have trust in the rest of the Bible as a whole, and take it as God’s way of communicating his full Character. There are many questions, but if you look at the entire Bible as displaying God’s character, you will see that the contradictions are not all that contradictory, where he appears “unfair” becomes “fair”, but you must look at his character first. Just as you do not judge a book by its cover, a person by their clothes, you cannot judge God based on facts and figures, we are created in his image, which means he too has a personality, just like you and I. Once you know someone’s character, it is much easier to see who he or she really is.

I just figured out that I only have four and a half months left here in Poland! I am shocked, sad, excited, and annoyed that it is March 27 and it is snowing outside! I know that the next few months will be full of excitement and joy, because I am going to set my sights on heaven and try to bring as many people along as possible. I think with this perspective I will be more able to see God’s hand working through the tough times. I know I will see many things begin to take shape, the battle is tough, but going through it is the only way to be refined. I know I am not the same person I was when I left Seattle, and I know I have far more changing to do, in fact through the rest of my life I never want to stagnate, I want to be always changing, always forming to more like Jesus. I know I will never be just like Jesus, because I have already messed that up by sinning. However, Jesus had mercy on all in the Bible, and I he has mercy on me too. Jesus, make me the man you want me to be.

Trace the shape of my heart
Till it becomes more familiar
To your eyes
I’ve been lost without you
Cold without your love
It’s taken days and nights
To make me realize

Rescue me from hanging on this line
I won’t give up on giving you
The chance to blow my mind
Let the eleventh hour quickly
Pass me by
I’ll find you when I think
I’m out of time

Take the place of my heart
Till I become a stranger to my life
I’ve been down without you
Wrong without your love
In time will I be what
You’re thinking of

Out of time

I’ve been down without you
Cold without your love
In time will I be what
You’re thinking of

Time…time…time
[Jars of Clay – The Eleventh Hour]

Never live in a place where the snow stays for more than two weeks. Always make expectations clear to all parties involved, know your expectations. In any organization you are involved with always, establish a clear support system. Do not try to control everything; it is the only way I have learned to depend on God. When the hard times come, do not run, take joy in the intimacy you can have with God in this moments. Do not let circumstances control who you are. Always build a strong foundation for relationships, starting with honesty and truth. Always communicate with your leadership/team members any concerns, at the moment. Cross-cultural ministry is not for the weak, nor is it for the strong, it is for the faithful. Practical and spiritual needs must be balanced; otherwise, one cannot survive without the other. Listen to God, then listen again, listen for others to say what God is telling them. Never put too much hope into the weather report, you will be seriously disappointed, especially when it plays tricks on you, like having almost two weeks of “spring” and then winter comes again.

I finally wrote up newsletter six, it may not be all that uplifting and encouraging, but it is honest. I hope to follow it up with newsletter six and a half, which should be more encouraging and include a lot of new ideas I have for the second half of my stay here.

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won’t accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven. “I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.” [Matthew 18:15-20]

The importance of authority is not just for the sake of chaos control, it is important for our own well-being. If we submit to the authority God has placed in our lives, we will see beauty come from it. The kind of authority I am talking about though is not Earthly authority; it is the authority of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of brothers and sisters around us. We all need authority, without we cannot discern what is right and wrong. This is a large problem with the church, and many Christians today; they refuse to listen to the wisdom God has spoken through authority. They became in charge of their own lives, and do not seek counsel or guidance from true authority. When the accountability of authority is missing people begin to get hurt, many times it is selfish desires, other times it is running from responsibility, and some times it is simply wanting life to be “happy”, none of this will teach a person the beauty of commitment, obedience, and the joy of being accountable. Organized religion has many drawbacks, but it can be a great place, if filled with the Holy Spirit, because accountability of the leaders keep the people safe and it creates a place for people to know God personally. We all need authority, if I were the head of a business, I would purposely choose three to five people to watch me, simply to provide a place for others to approach if there was a problem. However, God must be their authority for this system to work, otherwise greed, and corruption can happen, many times it does.