Spells, Spirits and the Unseen

Halloween is always a mixed bag for Christ followers. Its origins run deep into the past practices of ancient Celtic pagans where October 31st was considered to be the most powerful day of the year for casting spells and calling upon spirits. Yet it is also the eve before "All Saints Day" - where as early as 270 A.D. Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr's death in an all night vigil followed by the taking of communion at the fallen saint's grave. Like many religious events, this pagan practice has become secularized and what we experience today in Katy, Texas, didn't even exist before the 1950's. The truth is that the origins of this day have little to do with what people believe and practice on Halloween. But it is does bring into focus the very issue I shared on Sunday about the "unseen". Remember that in 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul writes that we are to "... fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." So what can you fix your eyes upon this Halloween? Is it the sites and sounds of candy, costumes or a child's customary "Trick or Treat" that will be the focus of our evening or is there more than the senses can detect. What is truly going on the spiritual realm? The Bible tells us that there is a battle raging against rulers, authorities and powers of the dark world, spiritual forces of evil. (Ephesians 6:12) This battle that is 24/7, not just relegated to one evening a year where goblins and ghouls haunt the night. The truth is that the enemy, though cloaked in the darkness, has been exposed by the light of God's presence, truth and love. God is present tonight! Let his light shine in all we do in his name and for his glory. Why do we as Christ followers have parties at our churches, hand out tracks about Christ or engage in the evening's festivities ... it is because our God reigns and not even one single night a year will we allow an evil darkness to come over our community and world. So let your light shine on this Hallowed Eve and pray that all who step into the dark of night would be drawn to the eternal light of the truth of God's love and grace!

I hope that you will join me tonight at the Hallelujah Hay Day at The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch, bring a friend!

Betcha That's a Great Ride

The city of Banda Aceh is alive with activity, the hustle and bustle of a normal urban environment. If you want to get around you can hire a car, take a small bus, taxi or the best way to see the town, a Betcha! Yes, it's my favorite way to get around town and yes it is pronounced just the way it sounds. Will is the photography and he went along for the ride. The city is alive like any urban scape, with sites, sounds and sensory experiences, but the challenge is to look beyond the five senses and exegete. It doesn't take long to see hurt and hope, suffering and smiles, pain and pleasure on the faces of people as they pass by. This is a city living in the reality of its only moment, today. They are people filled with so much life after suffering so much death. There are indeed signs of hope, just ride a betcha and see!

Serious Coffee

A morning cup of coffee to get the blood flowing and the senses awaken. I'm sitting at a little shack on the banks of the Acehnese river where they make a mean cup of coffee. Acehnese coffee is for serious coffee lovers. It's smooth, rich and strong ... can't you just smell that aroma. I'm bringing back about 5 kilos, so if you want some, let me know and I will share some of my beans with you. Sipping coffee is just a small part of the experience, it's more about sitting with new friends, watching and soaking up the new day filled with all its opportunity.

This morning we are going into the villages up in the mountains to visit some areas heavily populated by freedom fighters called Guam. They are a people traumatized by 30 years of civil war, death and destruction but they weren't as impacted by the tsunami. They are angry and untrusting, but yet they have a deep longing to be a part of the new building and prosperity of Aceh. They need education, job training, medical and so much more. They feel little hope about the future, but our God is a god of hope! Pray that the work among the Guam will continue to open doors of blessing for the future.

A Little Piece of Paradise

I know it looks like I got photo shopped into this picture but trust me this is the real deal. I am standing on the edge of a 1/2 acre of paradise where we will be building a retreat center for training and respite. As soon as we have something built it will also be a place for our teams to spend a day or two to train as well as retreat. We took a hydrofoil to the island of Wey and then across to the other side of island by the capital city called Sabang. We went to the "Tuna" cafe and then walked over to the property. It is tropical with cliffs reaching out over a emerald green sea. It is truly a little piece of paradise! As I walked the property I prayed that God would use this place as a blessing to so many who continue to love the Acehnese people with the love of God.

Tomorrow is my last day and then I will be heading home. This trip has been strategic for Bridges of Hope and The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch. I want to say again how much your prayers have strengthened me on this journey. I will be sharing more this Sunday, I can't wait to see all of you!

It's All About The Foundation

You can build all day long but in the end if the foundation is flawed the building will be compromised. We went with a friend who has developed a way to make bricks without using a kiln. This is a huge idea because if you look at the massive Sumatran jungle it won't take you long to see swaths of jungle spanning miles where the trees are being harvested to keep kilns burning to fire the bricks to rebuild the city of Banda Aceh. But a brick, made of sand, cement, water and other ingredients with little or no environmental impact is huge. They make the brick, put them under clear tarps to create a curing process that takes about 30 days. As they have been experimenting with bricks they keep discovering cracks that don't effect the quality of the building just the looks. But as they continue to build they know that it all depends on a level, well done foundation. Jesus reminded the disciples to pay attention to what you are building your life upon! There is only one solid foundation.

Radical Inclusiveness

I remember when I was little singing the song, "He's got the whole world in his hands ..." Sing it with me "... you and me and brother, in his hands, he's got you and me and brother ..." O.K., people are starting to stare at you! :-) But that song reminds me of the simple truth, that God's heart is an inclusive heart. God's desire is that none should perish into an eternity absent of His presence, but rather that they should know His love and redemption for all eternity. This is indeed an age of radical inclusiveness where God's plan for the nations is unfolding before our eyes. This morning I listened as a brother shared his journey to read all of scripture,Genesis to Revelation,highlighting every place where the word spoke of God's heart for the world, all people, all nations. His journey has been life changing as he began to see God's heart and promises for all people, and he's only through Jeremiah. I am so glad that God included you and me and that He has called us to share the love of his radical inclusiveness to the Acehnese people. Psalm 145 would be great place to spend some time just to see what I mean!

Visions and Dreams

The people of Aceh are praying daily in the Mosques prayers that say they want to know God and yet they can't find him. They are hungry for the truth and long to know God but debate and propositional truth makes little inroads to their search for meaning. As I listened to a man speak of how men and women are having visions and dreams where Jesus appears to them, I was reminded of Isaiah 29:8 says "as a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and is hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched."

In the Islamic world dreams are important to discerning truth and to understanding what God wills. Through history God has used visions and dreams to lead people to an understanding of His will for their lives. That is evident even today among the Acehnese people. The Lord is appearing to them and leading them to believers who can explain the way. So pray ... pray that the Lord of the universe will appear to men and women in visions and dreams leading them to seek out the truth from those whose are pointing the way.

A Hope and a Future

What an awesome day here in Banda Aceh. It began with an early morning run, shower and a Zone bar before spending time in Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah reminds Israel as well as all Christ followers that if we seek God, we will find Him, when we seek Him with all our hearts. The heart is filled with desires and I have to constantly ask, is my deepest desire to know the Lord more intimately and to follow him more closely. On most days in my little part of the world called Katy, the answer is yes. But on days like today sitting at the feet of some men and women whose passion burns so brightly that it casts a shadow of doubt. Lord I want to seek you with such abandon, and obey you with a reckless heart.

Some of those that I met today I won't share their names nor their causes for the sake of their own safety, but believe me they are making advances for the cause. When you see the sacrifice, suffering and service of these great people, I am moved at the deepest places of my soul. It is exciting to know that in our faith community called The Fellowship, there is a desire to radically and recklessly love others. From our community, city to the Acehnese God is at work.

Keep praying, keep seeking, keep serving, keep loving, keep hoping and believing God for He has a future for you, me and The Fellowship.