"Giving" or "Giving up"?

We are now through the Christmas season. Unlike the common assumption that Christmas is only on December 25 or January 7. Other smaller historical communities celebrate our Lord's birth on different days. One of the earliest celebrations is December 6. One of the last ones is December 12. This is because small Christian groups across the Middle East and Northern Africa keep to their own traditions and calendars. 

I'm always impressed that the "world" gets things "wrong." The commercialization of the season has made it so Christmas songs begin to sound on the PA systems in stores soon after Halloween. By the time December 25 comes along, our minds are almost inoculated against the real significance of Jesus Christ coming into the world. It's, "Only ten days until Christmas!" Or, "Who is on your Christmas list that you're finding it hard to get a gift for?" 

 The exact opposite is at the core of the Christmas message. It's not so much that Christmas is about Jesus and giving; it's about Jesus giving up. The secular world has it all wrong! Instead, let's consider what Jesus "gave up." "He did not consider equality with God to be grasped. Instead, he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, … he humbled himself and became obedient to death." Philippians 2:6-8 The miracle of Christmas is how much the Lord Jesus Christ "gave up." All of heaven, creation, the majesty, and wonder of the godhead was his. Instead, he gave these up to become a helpless baby and, as an adult, a slave. His actions at the Last Supper were those undertaken by a slave; he washed the feet of each friend who came to recline at the table. 

 The meditation on Christ's giving up spurns me to consider my selfish actions. I wish to live differently, to live selflessly. I want every day of this year to be lived considering the eternal pleasures we receive when following our Saviour. 

 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1,2

 Research matters

We often get so busy with urgent tasks that we don’t look further, searching the horizon.  

As a grandfather who picks up a 4 ½-year-old from school, I found this fascinating: Picking up grandchildren from school can help mental health, the study concludes. Research suggests looking after grandchildren regularly may help prevent loneliness and improve well-being. For grandparents, research matters about general health and especially mental health. 

A friend sent me two sayings this month: “It is not what you accomplish that matters most. It is what you set into motion.” And here’s another stimulating thought at the beginning of a year: “Write books and make furniture, paint a picture, or plant a tree. They will live longer, travel further, and last longer than you ever will.” 

A new congregation begins in Western Brazil.

Once, in the 1980s, I was part of a church-planting team. Many people undertook extensive research in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Those original 12 congregations multiplied into today’s 110+ churches. Before initiating Church planting, research matters. 

The Biblical story of Joshua granting peace to the sly leaders of Gibeon shows how quick decisions based on emotions can lead to unhealthy choices. Interestingly, God later used Joshua’s mistake to bring about a victory. Biblically, research matters.

Few of us remember that over five million people in Colombia are Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. During the last eight years, Dr. Christopher Hays and a large team of researchers in Medalim, Colombia, explored the painful contours of 30 years of internal armed conflicts. Overnight, and often during the night, villagers were dragged from their homes. The village leader was often killed in a barrage of bullets, and all were told to leave, given ten minutes to collect their belongings. Many ended up on the periphery of large cities, swelling the slums already a place of misery.

Applied research illustrated two great truths. First, promoting forgiveness creates a space for victims to flourish with their families

Children are greatly affected by violence

. Churches sensitive to the unbearable pain of systemic violence can offer the message of Christ's sacrificial love and forgiveness. Second, seasons of lament are scriptural, finding their expression throughout the Psalms. Mournful tunes of lament composed during the darkest night can lead to songs of joy when new life emerges. The hurts are real, and the damage inflicted cannot be reversed, but a local church offers renewed hope because Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life." Third, lay people can be trained to counsel victims of violence. The free training course is available here:  www.feydesplazamiento.org

This year, LAM Latin America Mission will ask all our missionaries three questions: 1. What additional resources are you asking God for in your ministry? 2. How might volunteers further enhance your ministry? 3. What more can the LAM office do to encourage you in your ministry?

At LAM, in 2023, research matters.

 Images Matter

It’s the gift-giving time! Near the end of the year, stores fill up their shelves with things that appear once a year. Christmas is the time for many things to be stored away again once the New Year passes.

In contrast, consider the images associated with the life of Jesus. Is there a child who ever gets tired of the manger scene? The manger stall with farm animals close at hand, the visit by the shepherds, even the angels’ song: Mary and Joseph didn’t “own” anything except perhaps the donkey. Mary and Joseph took their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Egypt. Christmas images of the Nativity matter, for they profoundly shaped our concept of the desire to give to others. It’s good to consider the messages we leave with children. Images matter.

Think of some events during Jesus’ life. He met in homes where he was invited but never “owned” one. We remember a boat he “borrowed” as a platform, for eager crowds almost pushed him into the water.

One image governs my daily actions. One day, the sun passed its zenith as even more crowds gathered. The masses were tired and hungry, and the disciples talked amongst themselves. “How will we feed this multitude?” Andrew found a boy who brought two loaves and five small fish for his lunch. After Jesus blessed the lunch, the food was more than enough for everyone. The image of two loaves and five fishes is now universally used as a symbol of generosity and God’s power. Jesus possessed nothing, yet he had everything: authority, compassion, grace, and love. Loaves and fishes. That’s the power of an image.

Many scenes in Jerusalem come to mind. In the days before the crucifixion, Jesus went down the Mount of Olives riding on a donkey; it was “borrowed.” The Upper Room? It, too, was “borrowed.” Even the Passover meal was prepared by his friends. Did Jesus own anything? Well, yes, for on the cross, Jesus was stripped of everything. But the soldiers gambled for his tunic. Those are all powerful images.

Christmas is about the coming of the Savior. He owned so little, yet he was rich. And on the cross, he became poor; he took on my sin there. He didn’t “borrow” my sin; he took it on himself and, in turn, offers me salvation. “The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.” Isaiah 53:5 That’s the key image of the Scriptures. That image matters.

What will our children remember about Christmas during their adult lives? Will the remaining images be ones of wrapping paper, gifts, and faded family photographs, all too soon forgotten after the New Year? Or will the reality be that we possess true wealth? God’s riches. Images matter.

 Truth Matters – A monthly blog from David Phillips

Truth matters, and it doesn't change. So, why would you be concerned? As Christians, truth is a cornerstone of our faith. But for a large segment of society, the nature of truth is being redefined. 

TV stations spend thousands of dollars covering criminal trials. Observers ask, "What's the truth? What really happened?" Witnesses are called, sworn in, and give statements under oath. They promise to tell the truth. 

How interesting to return to history's most important trial. Jesus is led in, having experienced a lack of sleep the previous night. He suffers abuse and beatings at King Herod's palace. Governor Pilate, dressed in a polished military outfit, stands transfixed at Jesus' words, hearing words we still read today.

Jesus stated, "In fact, for this reason, I was born, and for this, I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

"What is truth?" Pilate asked, amazed at the quiet testimony from a man the Jews want to be killed. He didn't accept Jesus' words and was initially unwilling to charge him. A few minutes later, he washed his hands of further conversation. He had turned away from the one who said, "The truth will set you free."

In our day, the concept of truth is challenged. 

We hear a man or woman say, "My truth is this, …" They give a personal observation. Then a listener responds, showing displeasure. "Yes, but my truth is different from yours!" 

What's happened to truth, and why does it matter?

In our pluralistic society, truth has become synonymous with experience. One's personal worldview dictates his or her reality. Thus, truth has become the expression of relative values, not absolutes. Multiculturalism permits everyone to claim various facts. "If enough people are willing to believe in an idea within an information ecosystem, then it must be true to the consumers within that social space," writes the CBC.

"There are many religions and philosophies in the world, so how can there only be one truth?" we are told. "Claiming a single truth is non-sensical. Nothing is definite. Do you claim to know everything? You are looking through the lens of only one religion, disregarding the basic principles of globalism. Everyone's opinions must be valued and examined objectively." 

You might hear something like this.

Doesn't a person change opinions and ideas throughout a lifetime? As we grow, we expand our relationships. Our minds absorb new facts, altering our perceptions and broadening our experiences. So, "speaking my truth" now may not be the same as "my truth will be ten years later." 

This way, truth, an absolute, is reduced to a flow of consciousness. It is subject to ongoing change. 

I'm reminded of Paul's discipleship in the churches he planted. He instructed them not to "be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the TRUTH in love, we will grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ." Ephesians 4:14,15

Latin American Mission (Canada) works in eleven countries through missionaries and short-term volunteers. In our partnership agreements, we want to speak the truth. The Gospel must ring out clearly. Even when they show us at our worst, truthful words are better than half-truths or white lies. Our theme this year is satisfactorily bearing fruit, as the pictures above show grapes about to be harvested. May we always lead people to him who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 

 Words Matter –

I love words, language, and communication like most people. But not all words build up. Unfortunately, words often cause discouragement, dismay, and even destruction. They can cause life-long scars.

I recalled an occasion 25 years ago. A worship service took place in Tondano, a city in the far north of Sulawesi. That Indonesian Island looks like a fishhook meant to catch an enormous fish. I understood nothing during the singing and communion service in the jam-packed auditorium seating 300 people. And yet, I understood it all! Some hymn tunes were familiar, and I knew the words instituting the bread and the wine. The young translator conveyed my English words into the Indonesian dialect. Words create community.

How do we know about things? A person’s specialty might include anything: baseball statistics, football memories, psychological observations, or botanical species in a desert. Nevertheless, it’s only through words that we can communicate with our fellow human beings.

The night before He went to the cross, our Lord Jesus Christ declared, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. The Gospel’s words convey peace, joy amidst suffering, and love touching those in despair.

Peter Marshall’s prayer still stirs me. “May this day create within us a love for thee of stronger stuff than vague sentimentality, a love which seeks to know thy will and do it!” Such words create the paths of life. They make Christ’s resurrection a living reality.

Latin American Mission (Canada) works in eleven countries. We value our missionaries, short-term volunteers, and partnership agreements. Together, we speak tens of thousands of words each day. May our conversations always build up and not tear down. May our words be like a freshwater fountain in a dry and thirsty desert. May our speech always point others to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Yesterday was my first day in the office, preparing to be the Interim Executive Director of Latin America Mission (Canada). My new position starts on September 1. Carluci dos Santos, the present ED, will take on his new full-time responsibilities as a missionary. This is an important moment for me to step back into Spanish and Portuguese ministries. Thanks to the Board of LAM for inviting me to take on this weighty role.

I look forward to being in contact with missionaries who are making a difference. National believers in the 15 countries where LAM works are an inspiration. I look forward to telling the stories of their exceptional dedication to the Kingdom of God.

Latin America Missionary is Biblical and Evangelical in a Latin American sense.

Is dependent upon Latin Americans dedicating themselves heart and soul to the Lord.

Is Partnership oriented. The mission works alongside national believers.

Is dedicated to a holistic mission, engaging in multiple ways to make a difference.

 The value of WORK:

Work leads to honesty;

Work leads to self-control;

Work leads to gratitude;

Work leads to blessing those you love and care for;

Work is a refuge place within the Kingdom of God;

Work reveals God working in us, six days a week;

and Work leads us to the seventh day, a day of rest.

Thanks, Dan Clark, for this outline.

 Popcorn.

You put a handful in the pot, stir it, turn up the heat and wait for it to pop.

It all went into the pot at the same time.

But the individual pieces pop at different times.

Your kids all grow up in the same home, but they don't pop at the same time.

Wait patiently. The right time will come!

 Blind and the Blind

Today at our Gathering Place, I watched tears of joy streaming down a blind man's face. 

Because of childhood epilepsy, he could not stay at his mother's home. His father had died, so the mother was left to bring up a family of four boys and four girls. A pastor and his wife in an Anglican church took in the twelve-year-old and cared for him. He was eighteen when they moved to another parish. He worked for the Post Office and then for a mining firm in his home country. He came to Canada at age 31, got a job as a chocolatier, and produced chocolates until he retired. During those years, he earned enough to bring his mother, brothers and sisters, wife, and four children to Canada. 

Following retirement, he became blind. Only in the last years, after he lost his sight, did the childhood teaching of the Lord take hold in his life. 

The noise of 50 or more people gathered for "Bottomless Coffee" is loud, and I had difficulty getting every word. People bubble over with a table full of fruits, cookies, cupcakes, nuts, and a full course meal. The loving care our volunteer staff gives neighborhood people every Thursday morning and afternoon sets the scene for good conversations. At times, I  wish the room had a volume control switch!

But words don't say it all. My friend explained how, in late life, he welcomed the love of Jesus. He lifted his weakened hands high. Tears of joy wet his cheeks. Simply speaking of the Lord, his blind eyes see glory. It takes your breath away to see a blind man weeping from the joy of glory.

Then I remember how many I know. Those who have eyes but cannot see. 

They have been instructed in the way and have lost their way. 

Lord, thank you for the insight you have given my dear friend, my prayer partner.

 Voices we hear: Modern and Ancient

Modern:

"You only go around once, but if you play your cards right, once is enough." Frank Sinatra

Ancient:

"Everything is permissible" - but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible" - but not everything is constructive. Nobody should see his own good, but the good of others. So whether you eat or drink of whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:23, 24, 31

 Voices we hear: Modern and Ancient

Modern:

"So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep your head up, and handle it." - Tupac Shadur

Ancient:

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us." St. Paul, Romans 5:3-5

 

Dear David and Cathie, You've done it again! Book 6! And soon Book 7 on Ephesus!

Congratulations on persevering to the end. We have greatly been blessed by Miriam's, Anthony's, and Grace's stories. How wonderful to imagine how early Christians developed their faith while reaching out to people around them.

You have given us the lens of this story to see the historical setting and detail that makes it so poignant. Thank you for all the hours and hours of work to produce these amazing books. Thank you for so generously sending us "Hot off the press" copies with their artistic covers. 

You have blessed us. We are grateful! Joyfully, (signed J and R)

Valentine's Passion, Choices, and Sacrifices

For Valentine's Day, 2022, a new book is launched, exploring, among other things, two stories to set a person's heart beating faster. 

Book Six - Fortress Shadows: A Chronicle of Smyrna is a story about passionate love. We have heard it said that true love requires sacrifice. But it’s incredible how passionate love leads to intense conflicts of every kind. Everyone in this book has a singular focus. (This is the sixth historical novel in the saga Heartbeats of Courage.)

People of all ages express their love, but it comes out differently. This historical novel, placed in the ancient city of Smyrna, Izmir, (see the front cover), on the Turkish coast, is set in the last years of the First Century. 

 The story explores many kinds of passion. Anthony, an imprisoned Roman legionary on trial for crimes against the state, faces the most difficult decision of his life. By simply declaring, “Caesar is lord and god,” he can walk free with a new lease on life. But if he loves his Lord more than life, he faces certain execution. At his court-martial, Anthony faces five military commanders. Antipas, who we met in Book One of this saga, became Anthony’s mentor. 

Antipas loved his Lord so much that he could not declare, “Caesar is lord and god.” And that led to a terrible death. From experience, Anthony knows military men love and respect the Roman Empire. Their commitment permits them to understand politics and religion from only Rome’s viewpoint. 

Other people are passionate in their search for wealth, prestige, popularity, possessions, and power. Why is their commitment so focused that they will sacrifice everything to fulfill their ambitions? Some are judges, lawyers, landowners, shipbuilders, sailors, and even criminals in the illegal slave business.

 Unknown to Anthony, Miriam, married for seven years, faces a painful choice. She can either choose to receive an enormous inheritance with certain conditions, which will make her a fabulously wealthy woman. Or she might have to spend the rest of her life with her husband, Anthony, experiencing abject poverty. Does Miriam love her husband enough to become impoverished, living at the lowest economic levels? 

 Grace is Anthony and Miriam’s adopted daughter. She will soon learn how much sacrifice is called for as she lives with her mother’s decision. Young Grace, only seven years old, gradually answers many questions: What does it take to keep a home a loving place? What choices and sacrifices must be made to keep bread on the table? Why is the teaching of Jesus, the Nazarene, a challenge for both the Roman and Greek-speaking authorities? Why won’t they believe in the Kingdom of God? How do corruption and greed continue to outsmart the cleverest governmental authorities? Around Grace are various married couples and those who don’t believe in a wedding. One of her most significant discoveries is the answer to a question: “What character traits are necessary to overcome the obstacles that love places in their way?” 

 And for ourselves, we find an answer to an oft-repeated question: “Were people 2000 years ago that different from what we find in the world today?”