the glory of the gospel

"Gospel" seemed to be the buzz word at Camp Eden two weeks ago... in all the sessions, in devos, in one-on-ones, it was everywhere! I realized that I often forget the glory of the gospel- the miracle of salvation, the victory over sin & death, the hope of Heaven! How do I do that? How does that happen? It doesn't make sense.

Anyway, it was so neat to watch God at work on the front lines, rescuing those trapped by the grip of Satan. Each day as I spent one-on-one time with my girls I had the privilege of laying out the gospel & the plan of salvation. What a beautiful opportunity. It only took a couple of days to realize that my whole cabin was on their way to a Christless eternity. But praise be to God- He saved every last one of them!

I hope I don't soon forget the events of Thursday night (at Eden). All week Elisabeth & I had been planting as many gospel seeds in our girls as we could, but it didn't seem to be clicking with them. Thursday night, however, it was after 11 & my girls couldn't sleep & Elisabeth was out of the room for a few minutes... so to kill time I started going around the room asking the girls to share what they were most afraid of. To my suprise, they each said they were most afraid of going to Hell. DING! DING! DING! Hello, open door! About that time Elisabeth joined us again and I filled her in on the girls' fear. We started to talk to the girls a little about how they can KNOW FOR SURE that they'll go to Heaven when they die. Elisabeth asked one of them if she'd like to go out on the porch and talk about it. Then another piped up, so I went with her. While I spoke with the one girl, 2 other girls had been added to the family. It was so fun to watch the joy of salvation fill the cabin. The excitement was contageous and one more girl decided it was time she talked things through as well, so she and Elisabeth headed to the porch! I stayed in the room and talked with the brand new believers. One said something like, "I know I should be tired, but I just feel SO ALIVE for the first time!!" Another asked, "Are we supposed to be happy or sad, because people keep coming in here crying?" When the last girl came in from the porch all the girls yelled with excitement "What happened!? Are you saved?" I had to laugh.

It was such a beautiful thing to watch the 180 deg. change in those girls' lives. They were excited to go to chapel and take notes and find the passages (with the help of the index). The last night of camp 3 of the girls stayed up late reading John and saying things like "I always thought this book was boring, but it's so cool!"

"I feel so ALIVE!" echoes in my ears even now. What a great thought. I'm reminded of John 10:10, "I have come that you may have LIFE and have it TO THE FULL." That life is in me! Romans 8:6 says "...the mind controlled by the Spirit is LIFE & PEACE."

Oh God, teach me the glory of the Gospel each day. Remind me of the riches of grace & the blessings of mercy. May the "old, old story 'bout the Savior come from glory..." never bore me. Father, put a song of salvation in my soul and on my lips, & may I always sing its tune.

impact 2010

I'm chillin' comfortably in a sweet hotel in Denver as I write. The mountains are in view- it's great, I love Colorado! It's crazy to finally be on the road with the team! I've been counting down the days for so long that it didn't seem like it would ever really come around. I'm excited though to get this show on the road.

I spent a lot of time last summer in Thessalonians and fell in love with Paul's heart for ministry. It's such a challenge to me as I head into the first official week of the tour. I want to serve like Paul served! It's so easy for me to get wrapped up in the world of "Numero Uno" and neglect the people and opportunities around me. My prayer for this summer is that I will fade into the background. I will always only fail when it's all about me. The simple truth in the matter is that it's not about me and I'm not needed in this equation. It's that clay pot concept again... 2 Corinthians 4:7 says "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." Verses 10 and 11 go on to say that "[we are] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." Oh, that Christ would be manifested in ME! I am just an ordinary little pot made of clay, but what lies inside me is a treasure, what is within me is EXTRAordinary! God is beyond big, He's beyond good, and therefore I am left with no other options than to make much of the treasure I carry in this little clay pot. It is so exciting to know that the power that raised the dead to life and saves hopeless sinners is INSIDE OF ME and I have the privilege to proclaim it, to shout it from the roof tops (pun intended).
I can't wait to watch God Almighty work in my heart this week at Camp Eden and the weeks to come. I can't wait to watch God work in my campers' lives. May God get all the glory for what He will do!

grace

tax collectors and sinners

I was watching a show on A&E called "INTERVENTION" and it got me thinking. For several years now I've had a dream that tugs at my heart and resurfaces from time to time. Every time I see or hear something that deals with drug/alcohol abuse, homelessness, prostitution, inner city violence, teen pregnancy, etc. my heart just aches. I want desperately to offer hope, to offer relief. I want to listen to their stories. I want to feel their pain. I want to be a part of their better ending. I realize that within me is HOPE, within me is LIFE- and it's the cure to their cancer. I stumbled upon a poem that was convicting:

What, finally, shall we say?

What, finally, shall we say
In the last moment
When we will be confronted
By the Unimaginable, The One
Who could not be measured or contained
In space or time
Who was Love Unlimited?

What shall we answer
When the question is asked
About our undeeds committed
In his name—
In the name of him
For whose sake we promised
To have courage
To abandon everything?

Shall we say
That we didn’t know—
That we couldn’t hear the clatter
Of hearts breaking—
Millions of them—
In lonely rooms, in alleys and prisons
And in bars?

Shall we explain
That we thought it mattered
That buildings were constructed
And maintained
In his honor—
That we were occupied
With the arrangements
Of hymns and prayers
And the proper, responsible way
Of doing things?

Shall we tell him
That we had to take care
Of the orderly definition of dogmas
So that there was no time
To listen to the sobbing
Of the little ones
Huddled in corners
Or the silent despair
Of those already beyond sobbing?

Or, shall we say this, too:
That we were afraid—
That we were keeping busy with all this
To avoid confrontation
Wih the reality of his meaning
Which would lead us to repentance—-
That it was fear that kept us
Hiding in church pews
And in important boards and committees
When he went by?

—Ursula Solek

Jesus paved the way for this kind of selfless love. Matthew 9:10-13 says "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and "sinners"?' But when he heard it, he said, 'Those who are well have no ned of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'" I want to walk in Jesus' footsteps and offer hope to the tax collectors and sinners... because in all reality, I am no better than they, only I have been rescued by the grace of my Father.

mold me and make me

I find the Creation story very interesting. It's one of those stories that I tend to gloss over because I've heard it since I was knee high to a squirrel. But what a great story, what an amazing TRUE story! Just think, God is completely satisfied in Himself- He needs nothing else. But for whatever reason, He decides to get creative (literally). God calls for light out of the dark nothingness, and it happens. Then He adds incomprehendable detail in everything He does... from the heights of the heavens to the depths of the sea. He creates big, small, and in between- plants and animals- all set in a breathtaking backdrop of the grandeur of space . It's all good because He says so. Then God made man in His own image- the crown of His creation- and breathed into him the breath of LIFE! Man was special, man was different. Genesis 2:7 says "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." That Hebrew verb translated "formed" is yastar which means "to mold as the potter molds the clay." Job said "Your hands fashioned and made me...you have made me like clay..." (10:8, 9). I just think that's such a cool picture- the Potter and the clay. That analogy is carried on throughout Scripture and the lives of believers. In reference to the Israelites, Jeremiah 18-19 speak directly of God as the Potter who has the right over the clay to do or not to do what He wants with. Rom. 9:20-23 talks about God's sovereignty in choosing how He'll use His clay, one lump from another. What right does the clay have to rebuke the Potter's craftsmanship? None. So then the obvious application is a quiet confidence in His handiwork. It only makes sense to leave the molding to the Maker. He knows what He's doing. Why is it so scary? Why do I doubt His perfect plans for me? Does a picture question the Photogrpher? Does the masterpiece question the Artist? So how dare I stand in question of my Creator who has faithfully sustained me and molded me according to His purposes. The only logical option is rest at ease and know He's working on me and making me to look more like Himself. He's molding a vessel for His use, and whether its use is common or special- His choice is sovereign and His plan is perfect. I just want to be a vessel that He's able to use for His glory. If I have to be broken and remolded along the way- I'm willing.
I love the song "Change My Heart, Oh God." The lyrics go: "Change my heart, oh God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, oh God- make me more like you. You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me- THIS IS WHAT I PRAY."