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Logos Ministries Incorporated
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Volume 9 Number 2 - September 2001 Things We Don't Seem to Take Seriously This is the first in a brief series of observations about the way we respond
to commands clearly stated in scripture. Paul said,
The word "anxious" literally means to be torn apart. Paul has used a very powerful image in this statement. Think about this for a minute. How seriously do we take this COMMAND? Now, keep in mind we never get anxious, but we might become a bit concerned on occasion. Anxious or deeply concerned, our blood pressure and tension levels can't tell the difference. Parents, were you anxious the first time your teenager took the family car all alone? Right now the national economy is a bit less than robust. Did you ever get a bit concerned when you saw your supervisor with a handful of pink slips? If we are honest, we must admit we have lived at that address. However, it is one thing for this to happen, it is quite another for this to become a lifestyle. We are fully aware that it has become a lifestyle for many in the church. If you look at the rest of Paul's sentence, you will see what he is really
trying to say. Look again at what he said. Frankly, it is quite natural to be anxious about the traumas of life. We know our limitations and fear we cannot handle the results of apparent tragedies. We are almost always anxious about the unknown even though God does not want us to be. This is an all-encompassing statement. "Be anxious for NOTHING." The trauma may be life threatening or something that happens often without too much loss. The prescription is always the same, "Be anxious about nothing." Paul gives us an alternative to the trauma. Prayer is an alternative to anxiety. Very often, we become anxious because we are not thoroughly convinced that if we pray God will solve the problem in what appears to us to be an immediate need. We know we are weak, but feel we must solve the problem ourselves. Supplication is also an alternative to anxiety. The word translated "supplication" comes from the Greek word that means, "to beg." It also means to bind yourself to an issue. Frankly the idea of pleading before God or being tied to an issue that we will not let go of frightens us. It frightens us because if we must plead before God; if we must show unshakable determination, it is going to take time. In our heightened tension, we want God to perform an instant miracle. If that does not happen, our increasing tension produces certain fluids in our bodies that do severe damage to our systems. It is one thing to say, I believe God can and will perform a miracle in this impossible situation. It is quite another to say I know God can and will do the impossible and I am comfortable waiting on His good timing. It can happen at any time that fits His schedule. At this point, we are dealing with our level of confidence in God's preparedness to do the impossible to meet our needs. Paul also had to mention "thanksgiving." I have never been thankful that something bad happened. That just did not make sense to me. That is not what Paul is talking about. He is not insisting that we should be filled with praise that some terrible tragedy took place. He is saying that we can rejoice not in the fact that we have pain, but in the fact that God will use this painful experience to draw us closer to Him and enable us to trust in His care more completely. Spiritual growth never takes place when everything is peaceful and going well. It is in the heat of trauma that we learn to trust fully in the fact that God will do whatever is necessary and His reply will never be late, at least by His calculations. I have always had a problem with the fact that God will not always act on a timetable that fits my comfort zone. Remember, "Be anxious for nothing." REPORTING Many things have happened since our last newsletter. At the end of June, Ruth and I attended a retreat held for OMS missionaries. The retreat was held at Taylor University, in Indiana. These were three wonderful days of refreshing for all of us. This was followed by four days of the OMS missionary convention. During this time, however, we were also holding small meetings seeking solutions for some of the very difficult problems we face in the school at Haiti. (The day after I left Haiti, earlier this year, the ceiling of the classroom where I taught fell into the classroom.) There are a host of things that need to be fixed and changed. One evening I was approached to see if I would serve as the interim president of this seminary for the next three years. I immediately countered that I could not survive living in that climate. The leaders then asked if I would do this if I didn't have to live there, but go there three or four times a year, the same as I go there and other places each year. One of the missionaries there would be in charge of things whenever I was away. I was stunned. We prayed about it and it quickly became clear that I should do this. We accepted that invitation. It is very important that such a school be under the direction of native people. Toward the end of the time I will direct this school, a Haitian man will be assigned to the school and will work with me. The following year, I will work under his direction and then he will be in charge of the school completely. I was there the first week in September to open the school year and make plans for the redesigning of the curriculum. This must be in place by November. In November I will go to Haiti again to teach a course in the General Epistles as well as a course in Inductive Bible study. We also hope to make this course available to the graduates of the school who serve churches in the area. I will also return to Haiti in January to teach another Bible course. In June, I will be there to institute the necessary changes in the curriculum and take part in the closing of the school year and graduation. ON THE ROAD AGAIN On September ninth, I will return to Donetsk, Ukraine for the 14th time, to teach a course in the Gospel of Luke. I will also go to Kazakhstan in May of 2002. At the present time two books that I have written are in the hands of six proofreaders. These two books will be printed just as soon as the proofreaders suggestions have been incorporated into the books. As I reported earlier, one of these books is a study of the books of Colossians and Philemon. The other book is a study of the images of intimacy with God found in the New Testament. While I am home and when I go abroad, I am writing the lectures for my November classes. I am also working on a Bible study of the book of I Samuel. I would like to ask you to keep all of these different ministries in mind as you pray. God has given us many opportunities to serve Him and we are amazed and grateful. It involves a lot of work. There are several things that need to be done, but we do not know how to accomplish them. These are the things that God most enjoys doing. Pray with us to this end. At the end of July and the first of August, I returned to teach at the Course of Study School at Garrett again. As usual, each evening I taught the students how to use the Greek New Testament when they did not know the language and also taught them how to do Inductive Bible Study. They were a wonderful group and I enjoyed myself immensely. One of the members of the Logos Ministries board is a computer expert. He is a great help to me. He has informed me that he is working on putting all 14 books I have written on one CD. This is not available yet, but it is exciting to think that this will be available soon. JUST IN! Occasionally, you will hear about repressive acts against Christians and missionaries in different countries. Recently the events in Afghanistan have come to our attention. There are many other places and many worse scenarios being used against God's people. Most of these things are seldom brought to the attention of the American people. Missionaries are being sent out of different countries and forbidden ever to return. Many native Christians are paying with their life because they hold on to their faith. Please join us in interceding for these folks as well as the native Christians whose lives are constantly in danger. SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST As we prepare to distribute this newsletter, Bill is teaching in the Ukraine and is scheduled to be there until the end of September. Email from Bill on September 13th indicates that he is well and teaching a very full schedule. He also indicated that due to the recent national emergency, there are currently no flights to the US from the Ukraine. Please pray for Bill's teaching and for his timely and safe return to the US at the end of September. The Editors |
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