More Important than the President? A Palestinian’s Take on American Elections

Dr. Mohamed el-Zard is a well-educated, well-traveled professional who lives in Qatar. His wife is a dentist, and they have five children. Whenever you inquire about them, he says, “I am under their control!”

He works up to 15 hours a day to provide for his family. His round, bearded face routinely cracks a grin as he tells people that he has “no complaints—everything is all right.” Another dichotomy: he is a heavy-smoking physician. He loathes cigarettes, but jokes that his doctor permits them.

Dr. Zard is a Palestinian. Besides his medical profession, his documents severely limit his ability to travel, even to his own country. He has never voted in an election, as his people lack any kind of absentee ballot system that is so popular in Western countries.

Many Palestinians blame their plight on the United States’ support of Israel. But on November 6, 2012, Dr. Zard noted something other than Barack Obama’s victory over Mitt Romney, although President Obama’s reelection carries important implications for Dr. Zard’s family.

As we watched the television updates together, Dr. Zard applauded the stability and tranquility of the U.S. system of government. He put politics and even the president himself on the back burner in those first minutes after the 2012 campaign finally finished.

America—more than any man or party—wins each free and peaceful election. That the president is weak and expendable is never clearer than at the height of his power. A day after he is elected, rumors abound about the next election four years down the road.

Isaiah 40 accurately juxtaposes God and man, “He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, scarcely shall they be sown, scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, when He will also blow on them, and they will wither.”

The media commentary Dr. Zard and I missed during our discussion—we did not really miss.

~~~~~~~~

(Originally published by Yahoo! Voices.)

Offering First Fruits to the First Nations: Montana Missionaries Reach Out to Native American Tribes

When you drive along an Indian reservation in Montana, you notice something missing out in the green pastures and rolling hills. Fences.

That may be the reason a big brown fence seems odd in front of the Four Winds Ministry Center, where two Christian missionary families reach out to Native Americans all over Montana. Drive through the gate and you see something even less traditional: a basketball hoop. But like so many things, first glances tell bad stories.

After you pass the basketball hoop, you start seeing barns, trees, cabins, the director’s wife going to get her husband’s cowboy hat, and—after school ends for the day—beautiful Native American children playing outside. Then you hear names such as Red Cherries, Flatmouth, and Lame Deer, and you know a good tale is underway.

Current Events

National headlines on Native Americans are common. Last May scientists published findings on the most complete 12,000-year-old human skeleton ever found in the Americas. Divers found the skull and bones of a teenage girl in a large underwater cave off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The scientists named her Naia, and have linked her to the ancestors of today’s Native Americans.

A legal battle started in Miami to preserve a Native American village discovered under the heart of the city. The village could be 1000 years old, but some developers doubt its significance.

Government and non-government groups and individuals regularly try to make the Washington Redskins NFL team change its name, calling it a racial “slur.” The team says the name is meant as a tribute to Native American courage, and that many Native Americans support the name.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of tribal sovereignty in June. The State of Michigan had sued a Native American group for opening a casino off reservation land. The tribe said the property was tribal land because it had been secured through a congressionally established land trust. The high court agreed, and barred Michigan’s suit from proceeding.

Tribes from Montana and Alberta signed in September the first American-Canadian tribal treaty since the 1800s. The goal of the treaty was to reintroduce bison, or buffalo, across all their shared reservation lands, which include parts of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain Front.

And this winter NBC aired “Peter Pan Live!”—a new round with an old classic. A descendant of the Cherokee Nation played “Tiger Lily,” a character often played by white actresses in the past. Moreover, they changed the words of the popular song “Ugg-a-Wugg”—with legal permission—to “True Blood Brothers.”

Missions 2.0

Back at the Four Winds—a 24-acre site a mile or two off the Yellowstone River in south-central Montana—Director Ron Countryman and his wife Kathy rarely follow current events. However, they have been serving Native Americans in Montana for nearly 40 years.

In 1975 they moved from Illinois to Montana with all their possessions in a U-Haul trailer. They had no support at the time, but they sensed God’s call on their lives.

The nine tribes in Montana were not exactly waiting for the Countrymans. They had to develop relationships slowly all over the state. They had to follow through on every promise they made. They had to learn and respect the tribal culture. They had to give up their own desires, and even accept trouble from various sources. All this took 10-15 years, notes Kathy.

She and Ron smile as they recall their first convert, 25 years into their ministry. A Native man at a youth crusade listened to two boys reading John 3, 1 John 1, and other verses. He was illiterate, but the words so struck him that he became a Christian. But overall they have seen relatively few conversions—most of their work is seed planting. They believe less than two percent of Montana Native Americans are Christian.

The Countrymans have seen some prejudice in their ministry. For example, three times they have had to wait at restaurants because Native Americans were with them. As a kid, Ron recalls a sign outside a business in Wyoming: “No dogs or Indians allowed.” He thinks God began coaxing his heart toward America’s “First Nations”—as they like to refer to themselves—from a young age.

But the Countrymans’ Native American friends are both sociable and hospitable. At a dinner one time, their hosts served them first since they were guests. The elders came next, then the women and children, and then the young men—if any food remained. In 2008, the Turnsplenty family of the Crow Nation adopted Ron and Kathy into their family and tribe—a highly uncommon honor.

Now their names are well-known among all the tribes in Montana. This makes their jobs easier—but not easy. They still have much to learn, they say.

Four Winds

A few years after coming to Montana, Ron became an ordained Church of God preacher. He has pastored three churches, and currently is the lead pastor of Big Timber’s Church of God.

They bought the Four Winds property in 2001, with funding from the missionary branch of their denomination. The center opened in 2004, and they now have more than a dozen buildings. They offer adult discipleship and leadership training, and week-long summer camps for young people.

Many Native American children come from tragic or unloving backgrounds. This can be evident in their words and actions when they come to Four Winds. But after a week of fun and love, they usually soften considerably. One summer 26 agreed to be baptized!

But kids are not the only people who change. Some volunteers from big cities can hardly grapple with rural Montana. They avoid the creek at first, for example, but wash their hair in it by the last day. Moreover, the Countrymans say you “cannot be around those Native American kids without falling in love with them.” Volunteers say they come to serve, but they end up getting served.

Fall to spring is more relaxed, but not wasted. They communicate with their supporting churches. They visit reservations, bringing food, clothes, and school supplies—only things they would use themselves—as well as Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas shoe boxes. Ron preaches at Native American churches, and of course he shepherds his own church all year, too.

The Second Family

Personally, Ron and Kathy had to deal with their own child’s apathy toward God for many years. Their son Justin rebelled against his parents’ lifestyle and influence. He turned to anything other than God for many years, until he learned he was digging his own spiritual, if not physical, tomb.

He accepted Jesus as his savior and his life changed nearly overnight. At first, he told his parents he would not join them in their ministry—he wanted to find his own calling. Ron replied, “Never say never.” After spending two more weeks with Native American kids, Justin changed his mind.

Later, Justin fostered children on a reservation for two years. Reservation life is “like third-world countries,” he says. He heard gunshots at night, lone toddlers ran around at 10:30 p.m., a drunken man tried to break into his home, and he sensed a constant spiritual warfare taking place. Yet this very atmosphere drove him deeper into foster care. When he can share Christ with foster children over an extended period, he witnesses enormous and eternal change in their lives.

Amid all this, Justin met a young woman named Jessica. She came to Four Winds with her youth group from Virginia in 2008. She felt God leading her toward Native Americans in Montana, and she visited the following summers, too. She and Justin wed in 2012—and now they foster several kids together and live in Big Timber.

During the interview, Justin invited little S*****ty into the office. Her eyes were timid, but kind. She was about four years old. She slowly offered her hand in greeting, then permitted a priceless smile to escape.

Justin has also become an associate pastor under his father. He says he would never be where he is in his faith or his ministry without his parents. Now and then tension arises, but generally they work well together. Justin says he enjoys being accountable to Ron as dad, pastor, and employer.

Perspective and Conviction

The two Countryman families are hardly wealthy. Ron and Justin have a modest monthly income as pastors. But they raise most of their support and simply don’t spend when they don’t have. No debt is part of their routine, but so are old cars and living week to week.

But they know greater poverty among the people they are serving, which gives them perspective. Moreover, they see God as being very faithful to them. Sometimes Justin has prayed about a bill, and that very day a seemingly random source gave him exactly the right amount of money for it.

“I don’t feel poor, I don’t feel left out, I don’t feel neglected by God,” explains Justin. It is a hard path to take, but “God has proven Himself enough to us.” Ron adds, “We don’t have abundance, but we have plenty.”

All the same, tempting job offers come along now and then. Other temptations include giving up, impatience, not saying no, balancing family and ministry, following through, and feeling alone— since few major ministries exist to reach out to Native Americans. But they press on with a sense of urgency. Their goal is to build enough homes and find enough foster parents to house 100 kids at Four Winds.

Names are terribly important to Native Americans, the Countrymans explain. “Four Winds” has three sources. Part of the property used to be called the Four Winds Restaurant. It is in the center of Montana, near the crossroads of the reservations in the state. Most of all, their key scripture is in Ezekiel 37: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

Kathy sums up their mission, with Native American decorations on the wall behind her: “We are living our dream!”

~~~~~~~~

(Originally published in the Big Timber Pioneer.)

Lessons from Egypt: The Cold War Ended 20 Years Ago

I wrote this in 2011 shortly after the Arab Spring began, while living in Qatar. But Egypt still needs prayer today!

George Washington’s famous “Farewell Address,” published in September 1796, is likely one of the oldest documents in the world that members of a national government still read publicly. The address is read every February near the birthday of America’s first president. Touching on much of his eight years in office, he offers some intriguing commentary on foreign relations:

“Steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world¼We may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies¼There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.”

In the 215 years since those words, the world has grown much more connected than ever before, including in geopolitics. By the time the Cold War ended in 1991, America had mostly forgotten about keeping world affairs at a distance. Still, President Washington’s message may be relevant to U.S. foreign policy—especially when allied leaders are authoritarian—such as in the drama of the Arab Spring erupting across the Middle East, particularly in Egypt.

In the 40 years after World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in the biggest expansion of alliances in history. Around the globe, countries rose, broke apart, or disappeared as support for democracy or communism waxed or waned. Miraculously, the threat of a third world war subsided.

Yet after the Cold War, which was full of “extraordinary emergencies,” the United States has not avoided “permanent alliances.” On one hand, jet airplanes, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the Internet have all made international ties inevitable and appropriate in ways that nobody from the 1700s could have imagined. On the other hand, the trap which George Washington predicted has not vanished: relying too much on other countries can be a big mistake.

In the late 1970s, Egypt became America’s number two ally in the Middle East, after Israel. This occurred for many reasons; chiefly Egypt’s two choices in that decade to reject communism and to open formal ties with Israel. Since then, America never really reevaluated its relationship with Egypt, hoping the status quo would keep the region quiet, while giving little thought to Egyptian domestic affairs. All that has changed now.

From 1981-2011, Husni Mubarak ruled as president of Egypt. During this time, Egypt fought no wars, and stability predominated. Mubarak reached out to some Christians in Egypt, but one can argue that Christians just survived—not thrived—under his regime. Tourism boomed, and Egypt maintained its unique, three-decade-old recognition of Israel.

Nevertheless, Mubarak was never the only person for the job. From the start, he ruled Egypt with an iron fist. He outlawed opposition parties, imprisoned political rivals, and imposed 30 years of brutal martial law on the country. Many Egyptians—including middle-class, educated citizens—did not even utter his name in public until recent years, for fear of being arrested. Also, churches were destroyed or refused building permits, and crime against Christians was frequently ignored.

In supporting Mubarak, America flouted some of its basic values. Some alliances do not face this dilemma. But alliances with oppressive regimes always result in compromise for one party or the other.

The change sweeping through Egypt—and indeed much of region—is homemade by the masses. A tough road lies ahead. Factions are already emerging, as in Yemen; more violence is likely, as in Syria; and external powers are getting involved, as in Libya. In the end, Egyptians themselves could be better or worse off than they were before their “revolution.”

With the Cold War long since won, the U.S., for its part, no longer needs to command the affairs of other nations. It should still encourage democracy in the world. Yet America should not retain, or rely on, allies that disregard thresholds of freedom and human rights for their citizens.

Please ask for godly wisdom for American leaders as they respond to Egypt’s crisis. Pray for the people of Egypt, especially Christians, for protection and strong faith. Intercede for peace across the region and for many hearts to be softened toward God in this time.

~~~~~~~~

(Originally published by The Presidential Prayer Team.)

Romance in January: Warming the Winter Weather with “I Do”

When my wife and I chose to get married on 07-07-07, it seemed like the perfect plan. But many decisions later, we moved the Pennsylvania summer wedding to a Minnesota January ceremony. Looking back, maybe we should have kept our original date, but the winter nuptial proved grand!

First you have snow. Snow amplifies the beauty of the church, photos, indoors, outdoors, and the bride herself. But to the bride, beware the facility that worries over its heating bill. To the groom, beware the other groomsmen who will most certainly bombard you with snowballs. Obviously, if you really want to tie the knot outdoors, and she really wants a winter date, you may have to start practicing that selflessness early.

Then you have the holidays. If you get married near Christmas or New Year’s, many people will have time off to attend your wedding. Of course, others will not be able to come because of their vacation plans. But a long-term bonus is your anniversary may land on school or work breaks, so future annual getaways may be easy.

Another travel note: a winter marriage makes the honeymoon easy to plan. If your big day occurs in the southern United States, you simply go north for the honeymoon. It is a terrific way to get a break from your warm winter. Go skiing in Colorado or Montana! Furthermore, you get to return home just after you get frost bite and wonder why you ever left the desert or the beach.

On the other hand, if you get married above the Fortieth Parallel, you simply head for California, Florida, Hawaii, or—in our case—Texas. One advantage is that you can thaw out together as you start taking on the world together. Another perk is subtle, but marvelous—you hit these southern locations in the off-season. Certain things, like the famous San Antonio River Walk, were nearly empty. But trees stick around all year, and nice restaurants and national monuments rarely close. We felt like we had all these to ourselves!

In the end, the guy gets the girl and the girl gets the guy. The marriage is more important than the wedding anyway. And any down sides of getting hitched in winter fade away when love, respect, truth, and purity rule the two hearts becoming one.

~~~~~~~~
(Originally published by Yahoo! Voices.)

Rwanda Presses On: Remembering the Genocide Twenty Years Later

Emmanuel Gatera is not the thinnest or shortest man in Rwanda, but he knows how to dance. Get him under a gazebo in a suit and tie with a dozen traditional Rwandan dancers on a spring day—and he gets moving!

People like him do not evoke notions of family or national tragedy, but everybody has a secret or two. Mr. Gatera was not in Rwanda during the genocide, but at least 100 of his relatives perished during the bloodbath. Radical propaganda incited Rwandan genocidaires to go to “work” and kill up to 1 million of their countrymen, whom they called “cockroaches,” from April to July 1994.

Awful Place

“As family, we, too, developed traumas about the genocide due the news we [heard and watched] every day,” shares Mr. Gatera and his daughter Grace. “Lots of Rwandans lost their faith in God after the genocide,” largely because so many church leaders were accomplices in the carnage, he adds. “Many people are fostering internal wounds.”

Specific churches still feel grim—churches with signs, scattered across Rwanda’s green hills and lush valleys. The signs briefly tell of the dark horrors of twenty years ago. One says 10,000 were killed in this church on this date. Some Rwandans were hiding in the churches. Others were lured there by priests and supposed friends.

One such place is Nyamata, Mr. Gatera’s least favorite place in Rwanda. Anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 people were eradicated there in a Catholic cathedral. “It is an awful place,” recalls Mr. Gatera. “It was a gruesome desecration of the Lord’s name.”

Total Surrender

On the other hand, continues Mr. Gatera, “Many more found their faith as they realized that God was with them even if they went through their trials and tribulations…The church has [had] a big impact on Rwandans and has played a big role in healing and reconciliation.” His people want to “get over their deep wounds in order to live side by side like they had done before the genocide.”

“A typical Rwandan service is characterized by a total surrender to the Creator, who controls our lives, what we do, and our future,” explains Mr. Gatera. Most people feel “involved in the life of the church” and want to serve and honor God.

Double Standards

Jesse Mugero studied at Uganda Christian University in banana-tree-filled Mukono, Uganda. He is a member of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, and he agrees that Rwanda’s churches are contributing toward reconciliation. But with all the churches that participated in the genocide, he fears that “double standards” remain today. He supports some political policies, but fears the current government is stifling—or even killing—anti-government voices. What stories, he wonders, have not been told: “The media plays a big role in creating awareness and ignorance about conflict.”

For the past ten years, Mark and Abigail Bartels have led the Uganda Studies Program at Uganda Christian University. Students from Christian colleges across America spend a semester together in Uganda, but they also travel to Rwanda for a week or so. Mrs. Bartels has helped lead the trips to Rwanda multiple times, and she echoes Mr. Mugero about Rwanda’s status quo—some of the government’s policies are positive, others are frightful.

Amazing Commitment

Mrs. Bartels senses “an overall vibe and tone to many places that is sort of reserved, mistrusting, scared, hurt, and closed.” But she also finds hope in the church’s work there, especially through a ministry called Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance, CARSA. The ministry was featured in the award-winning documentary As We Forgive, which tells about two Rwandan women forgiving their families’ murderers after the genocide.

Bartels thinks CARSA’s director Christophe Mbonyingabo is “an amazing man, with an amazing commitment to the long, local process of reconciliation in communities and individuals.” He also tries to reconcile “misperceptions of Westerners about Africans and Africans about Westerners,” and his ministry reaches out to genocide victims and agents, children, and rape victims, and helps churches reconnect with each other and their communities.

Forgiveness

Faustin Mugabe, of the Ugandan Daily Monitor newspaper, interviewed an ex-genocidaire in the beautiful city of Nyamata. Emmanuel Ndaisaba, now 40, is “one of the hundreds of thousands of former perpetrators of genocide released by the traditional Gacaca court,” which required public confessions, public forgiveness, and some relatively light sentencing. He shares the following:

“Altogether, I attacked 18 people—men, women and children. I am haunted most by the 14th person, because she did not die and is still alive. I hacked her all over and thought she had died. When I was leaving, I looked at her, and she was still alive. I left her. Today, Alloys Mururinda is married but she has one arm. The other arm was amputated. She was about to be married when the genocide started. We now live in neighboring villages…I am now one of the members of the Ukuri Kuganze association in Nyamata, which brings together genocide survivors and ex-prisoners who participated in the genocide. I still want to beg for Mururinda’s forgiveness.”

Such forgiveness is both possible and actual in many situations. World Vision, a major Christian aid organization in the United States and elsewhere, recently featured a miraculous and beautiful story of two married couples who used to hate each other because of the genocide. One man had helped killed the family of the other man’s wife. After he was freed from prison a few years ago, they all said God began working on their hearts. Today they all love each other and serve God in close, frequent ministry together.

Dance

The emerald mountains and glassy Lake Kivu surrounding Kibuye, on Rwanda’s western border, is one of the most beautiful sites in East Africa. But even this was no haven of rest in 1994. Two or three survivors told me part of their stories—revealing their machete scars as proof. Yet active churches stood nearby, and as King David danced for the Lord, so many Rwandans dance today.

~~~~~~~~

(Originally published by Yahoo! Voices.)

Teaching Astronomy for Adult Education - Astronomy 101: Sun, Planets, and More!

I. Introduction

   A. Welcome / Names / Course Outline / Plan for Night Observing

   B. Disclaimers

      1. My interest, equipment, study

      2. What I do not know – no science degree, limitations of my equipment (not Hubble!)

      3. My estimations/sources, lots of numbers and pictures, few formulae

      4. I will focus on what, where, compare/contrast, viewing – less on cosmology, how, why.

      5. My faith

         i. Scripture references; no offense: science always has non-Biblical or Biblical foundations

         ii. Genesis 1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…Then God made two

         great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made

         the stars also.

         iii. Psalm 8: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the

         stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of

         man that You visit him? (This passage greatly inspired my interest in astronomy!)

   C. Our Solar System in the Spring; Beyond Our Solar System in the Fall!

   D. Ask anything…I’ll try! What are your experiences, interests, and goals here?

II. Home Sweet Home – Earth

   A. Measurements/Other: images

      1. Diameter 8000 miles; circumference 25,000 miles; mass = 6.0 x 10^21 metric tons

      2. Sun is 93 million miles, or 1 AU, or 8 light minutes; Moon is 250,000 miles

      3. Rotation 1000 mph rotation at equator, 700 mph at 45 degrees north; slight bulge

      4. 23-degree axis tilt (seasons); elliptical orbit, at 65,000+ mph

   B. Moon: images

      1. Diameter 2000 miles, 1/80 mass Earth, other moons are < 1/1000 mass of their planets

      2. No atmosphere, no plate tectonics, no wind: the flag and footprints stay unless impacted!

      3. Rotation = orbit; eclipses; no humans since 1970s

      4. Viewing (note the downsides of a full or nearly full moon)

III. Inner Planets

   A. Mercury: images

      1. ~Moon in size and appearance; 5% mass of Earth

      2. 58-day rotation; 88-day orbit; 30-40 million miles from the Sun (very elliptical)

      3. Night -300 F; day 800 F; 0 moons

      4. Viewing

   B. Venus: images

      1. ~Earth in size and mass; Evening/Morning Star

      2. Atmosphere 96% CO2; 100x more pressure than Earth; 900 F

      3. 243-day rotation; 117-day orbit; 0 moons

      4. Viewing

   C. Mars: images

      1. Diameter 4000 miles; 10% mass of Earth; ~Earth in landscape; Martian Rovers

      2. -150 F to 50 F; 24.5-hour rotation; 687-day orbit

      3. Grand Canyon 3000 miles long; Olympus Mons 16 miles high; 2 small moons

      4. Viewing (never appears as big as our Moon!)

IV. Outer Planets

   A. Jupiter: images

      1. Diameter 11x Earth, 10% of the Sun; 300x mass of Earth (> all planets); 3-degree axis tilt

      2. 10-hour rotation (big bulge); 12-year orbit; 5.2 AU from the Sun; -230 F; rings

      3. 50+ moons; Ganymede (biggest in Solar System), Callisto, Io, Europa (< Moon)

      4. Viewing (Galilean moons, cloud belts)

   B. Saturn: PowerPoint Slide Show

   C. Uranus: images

      1. Diameter 4x Earth; 14x mass of Earth; 98-degree axis tilt; -350 F

      2. 17-hour rotation; 84-year orbit; 19 AU from the Sun

      3. 27 moons; methane absorbs red light from the Sun; rings

      4. Viewing; discovered by William Herschel in 1781

   D. Neptune: images

      1. Diameter 3.8x Earth; 17x mass of Earth; 1300 mph winds; -350 F

      2. 16-hour rotation; 165-year orbit, at 12,000 mph; rings

      3. 13 moons, Triton's orbit is opposite to that of the other 12 moons; 0-2 Great Dark Spots

      4. Viewing; discovered by two English and French astronomers in 1846

   E. Pluto: images

      1. Planet? (doesn’t “clear” its orbit); New Horizons in July; 5 moons; Charon and its eclipses

      2. Diameter 1600 miles; .2% mass of Earth; 120-degree axis tilt; 30-50 AU from the Sun

      3. 6-day rotation; 248-year orbit; -370 F; 100 lbs on Earth weighs 7 lbs on Pluto

      4. Viewing; discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930

V. Sun: images

   A. Diameter 110x Earth; 330,000x mass of Earth (99.8% of Solar System); 1.3 million x

   volume of Earth; 28x gravity of Earth; Surface 10,000 F; Core 27 million F

   B. 92% H, 8% He – 27-day rotation at equator, 36-day rotation at poles; 1 light year ~ 6 trillion

   miles; 26,000 light years from Milky Way center; 230 million year-orbit, at 500,000 mph

   C. Burns 600 million tons of H into He every second, producing the energy of 100 billion

   nuclear bombs per second, or one nuclear bomb per aspirin tablet size of solar mass per second

   D. Viewing; solar cycle on average 11 years: sunspots, solar flares, solar prominences, aurora

VI. Other

   A. Solar System scale (Bode’s Law: each planet is ~2x farther; Jupiter is 3.5x beyond Mars)

      Sun                              Basketball                               Center (SGHS)

      Mercury                       Pinhead                                   36 feet

      Venus                          Small Pebble                           Pitcher to home plate

      Earth                           Small Pebble                           1^st base to 2^nd base

      Moon                           Pinhead                                   3” from Earth

      Mars                            Pinhead                                   .5 football field

      Jupiter                         Golf Ball                                  1.5 football fields

      Saturn                          < Golf Ball/Rings: > GB          3 football fields

      Uranus                         Shooter Marble                       Town Pump

      Neptune                       Shooter Marble                       The Grand

      Pluto                            Small Pinhead                         BT Meats/Conoco

      Nearest Star                Basketball                                England

   B. Viewing the night sky – planets, stars, deep sky objects, seasons, tips; Star of Bethlehem

   C. What we are doing in space: ISS, Hubble (25 years), James Webb, other telescopes (plus

   huge ground telescopes); visiting Sun, Planets, Moon; civilian efforts; better science, weather,

   telecommunications, military, and even economics and medicine. Also, plainly, discovery!

VII. Solar System 2.0

   A. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Asteroids

   B. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Meteors

   C. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Dwarf

   D. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Comets

   E. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=KBOs

VIII. Conclusion

   A. Joshua 10: Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the

   Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over

   Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till

   the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun

   stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And

   there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for

   the Lord fought for Israel.

   B. History vs. Science: Scientifically impossible, and here’s why. But what if He did do it?

   The miracle would be all the greater! Moreover, He had a purpose in doing it, and it was for

   the good of His people (like other miracles). God is both mighty and good – that’s why I love

   Him and His creation so much!

Egypt, Egyptians, and the New Me

Leviticus 19—“The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

This verse speaks to the overriding change that Egypt helped produce in me.

Ten years. I have not been to one of my favorite places in the world in ten years. Yet Siwa Oasis, the little jewel of Egypt’s Western Desert, still looms big and fresh in my memory.

All of Siwa’s individual traits can be found elsewhere in the world—but I know of few locations that have so many special characteristics in one place. Tens of thousands of palm trees, huge and pure sand dunes, ancient ruins, the mud town of Shali, Cleopatra’s Pool and lots of other springs, the Palm Trees Hotel and Abdu’s Restaurant—both cheap but sufficient—countless bicycle trails and donkey carts, starry nights, and a lack of traffic signals make up this beautiful desert home.

In general, Egypt has numerous unique attractions—and they go far beyond the ancient wonders (or current problems) that get all the headlines. But more importantly, Siwa and Egypt both have charming people who also evade media attention.

Siwans, like the people of other desert havens in the nation, consider themselves citizens of their oasis first, and of Egypt second. They are North African Berber, not Arab or pharaonic, and they retain their own language, culture, dress, and history. Today many speak Arabic and a few speak English, but whatever the linguistic connection or barrier, you can sip tea for hours in local shops with your gracious, smiling hosts. This may result in trading contact info—and some actually do write you—or even in receiving gifts on your subsequent trip…a year later.

Back in Cairo and Alexandria, people often look at you with dollar signs in their eyes. But if you speak a few words of Arabic, or patron the same koshari shop or restaurant twice, Egyptians may well help you, laugh with you, spend the day with you, or become your true friend. An Egyptian colleague will probably pull pranks on you, but they will feel deeply honored if you ever respond to their endless requests to hang out. Just note their invitations expect several hours of your time, whether you get stuck in traffic or not.

Egyptians like to talk about anything. Religion and politics are usually open topics, despite likely disagreements or misunderstandings. Muslim friends have asked me sincerely about the nature of the Trinity or the life and death of Christ. One Osama and Mohamad found it funny—because of their names—to drink tea with a Christian American. But personal matters are acceptable, too: “I am a strong man; I have six children!” Or, “Why aren’t you married yet?” (By the way, I did find my wife in Egypt!)

Egypt was the first place in which I lived outside my own country. I was excited, but scared, not knowing the people, food, or language—and only trusting one viewpoint about their religion and government. I met my first Egyptian on my Munich-Cairo flight. His friendly enthusiasm for my visit started a rapid, dramatic shift in my approach to this ancient nation, which, after all, was ten times older than my own. Now I have dozens of Egyptian contacts—including my closest friend from outside my homeland.

The spiritual state of Egypt greatly tugs on my heart and informs my prayers. I long to see hearts redeemed in phenomenal communities like Tanta, Dahab, Agouza, and Siwa. Among my richest memories in Egypt was worshiping at Maadi Community Church. Members hail from across the globe. My small group had Czech, Egyptian, Brazilian, or American passports. One morning the pastor invited everyone to turn and face the sunlight—and Egypt—behind us. With hands raised, we proclaimed:

“Shine Jesus, shine; fill this land with the Father’s glory!

Blaze Spirit, blaze; set our hearts on fire!

Flow river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!”

I studied in Egypt for three months in 2004, visited for two weeks 2005, and worked there for six months in 2006. Obviously much has changed in the country since then. But I worked with many Egyptians in Qatar from 2010-2013, and believe the people have changed only a little. When you travel—or simply live—with a heart that strives to love and learn from others, God might change you more than anyone you meet along the way.

~~~~~~~~
(Originally published by the Maadi Messenger.)

Who Is My Neighbor? A Pastor’s Ministry to Muslims

Many headlines about Muslims these days focus on the brutality of ISIS or other terrorist groups. A personal touch now and then might help to provide a balance.

When Jack Allen asks American churchgoers if they know any Muslims, a minority answers yes. Far fewer actually have Muslim friends. Yet in his seven years of reaching out to Muslims across the United States and beyond, he has found that Muslims most often come to know Jesus through Christian friends.

Allen far prefers one-on-one settings for sharing the gospel, but he considers patience to be even more important. Mostly he just plants seeds, he says. He buys food in Pakistani restaurants, so as not to loiter. He offers to pray with Muslims, since they almost never turn him down. But once in a while, he does get to see full fruit.

One day Allen was sharing the gospel door-to-door with a friend. They met a Muslim Lebanese-American named Saeed, who was sitting on his porch. Saeed invited them in. He was a big man, so Allen asked if he liked football: “Yes.” Then he asked if he had ever seen a John 3:16 sign at a football game: “Yes, what is that?” Allen told him. “Really?” asked Saeed. Allen asked if Saeed wanted to know that if he died that night he could have eternal life: “Who could pass up an offer like that?” Saeed prayed right there and then, and looked up John 3:16 in his late wife’s Bible.

Saeed asked hard questions during the next two years before he died, but Allen entrusted his soul to God. He just knew Saeed needed to hear John 3:16 that day.

On another occasion, Allen was with a friend who was a good singer. They met a Muslim named Ishmael, who agreed to listen to Allen’s friend sing Amazing Grace. Ishmael interrupted multiple times to ask about the meaning of the song.

Allen requested the use of an alias for security reasons. He has visited some ten countries, mostly in the Middle East, and often with his wife. Last year one Arab country refused to let Allen enter. But all his travels have given him “a growing passion for the nations.”

He attended seminary in California in the 1970s, then he spent the thirty years in various pastoral roles around the country. In 2006, he was already thinking of retiring from direct church ministry when he attended a weekend seminar on reaching out to Muslims. He came home convinced that God was calling him in this new direction. His wife replied: “Oh no, another mid-life crisis!”

Since then they have raised support to simply find and befriend Muslims wherever they go: local mosques, gas stations, car repair shops, college campuses, and restaurants. Allen spends a lot of time in these places, while his bride keeps the books, picks him up at the airport all hours of the night, sends newsletters, travels overseas with him, and helps him answer questions in churches, where they seek to equip and energize other Christians to build bridges with Muslims as well.

When Allen and his wife speak in churches, they often like to role play “how not to evangelize to Muslims.” They portray meeting a Muslim working at a gas station. First they pretend to degrade Muslims; then they start over and show how to lovingly and relationally share Jesus instead.

Allen promotes following Jesus. He avoids politics and laden terms like “Christian.” Theology is crucial for him, but not when it becomes a rabbit trail. He likes to share who Jesus is and why He came. One of Allen’s friends says Muslims might interrupt him when he talks about faith, but not when he tells stories about Jesus.

Allen agrees. In Jordan, he relayed Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son to four Syrian refugees. At the point in the story where the father hugs his son, one of the refugees exclaimed, “This story is causing the hairs to stand up on my arm!”

Fear chases Allen just like anyone else. He fights it, but he can become anxious as he approaches a new place. Sometimes he fears losing a friendship or watering down the truth.

Overseas, he visited a family in the West Bank where he was one of the only Westerners around. This was especially intimidating at night. In Pakistan, friends refused to allow him to stay in one place for very long as he spoke at an outside event. They considered the physical dangers just too great—though he smiled at the thought of a walking target being harder to shoot than a stationary target.

His most fearful experience was in a Gulf country, where proselytizing is illegal. He dined with a government employee whom he had met a few times before. The man requested a Bible. Back in his room that night, Allen suspected a set up. He thought it could impact other Christians or even Muslims in the area. But Allen holds to Acts 4:20, where Jesus’ disciples refuse to quit preaching in the name of Jesus. In the end, Allen gave the man a Bible.

One thing Allen does not fear is Muslims moving to America. On the contrary, citing Acts 17:26, he thinks God leads them to new places where He will show Himself to them. Moreover, Allen is unafraid of the Middle East. He notes that Christians have been there since Pentecost—including locals, expatriates, and missionaries. As for the non-Christians there, Allen refers to Luke 9 when Jesus refused to let James and John call down fire upon a Samaritan village, “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”

Regrets? “Now and then I wonder if I shared enough.” He also feels God has confronted him for arrogantly thinking nothing could happen to him, or that he never makes mistakes—especially in the country that blacklisted him. But overall, joy permeates his life and mission.

Allen repeats his thesis via Nabeel Qureshi, a Muslim convert to Christianity, who recently wrote a book entitled Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: “Effective evangelism requires relationships. There are very few exceptions. In my case, I knew of no Christian who truly cared about me…Since no Christian cared about me, I did not care about their message. But that was about to change.”

The change Qureshi experienced is the same change Allen wants to be—and the change he hopes to inspire in other Christians.

Jesus, not Religion, is the Real Story: Replying to My Liberal Atheist Friend

A friend and former coworker recently wrote a critique on religion. He says religion corresponds to a certain level of social unity. He defines a given faith defined by the words and deeds of those who claim that faith. He believes few people really cherish, or live up to, the ethos and mandates of their religion. Moreover, he thinks many religious behaviors are exclusionary or inconsiderate. Thus, to be a “decent person” one does not need religion. Religious terms and practices vary with time and place, he writes, so religious self-identification ultimately is “obsolete and useless.”

My friend’s article highlighted Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, but he applied his remarks to all religions. My response will be specific to my Christian faith—starting with affirming my friend’s points that I found convicting.

I marvel that my former colleague doubts the sincerity of a Christian’s belief. He must know lots of lukewarm Christians to have arrived at that position. How small or rare was my own boldness and faithfulness?

Further, he evidently has seen indecency and snobbery dwell in Christian circles. How could this be, since we believe from Romans 5 that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”? Do we neglect to “do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”—as it says in Philippians 2? Or among ourselves, have we given up on Jesus’ comment in John 13: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”? Did I fail in these areas under my friend’s scrutiny?

I think my friend legitimately opines on Christianity based on Christians—and I have taken note. But fortunately for my friend, and for myself, the Bible ultimately emphasizes the perfection and power of Christ, not the fickleness and failings of His people.

In fact, a unique and decisive reason for trusting the accuracy and authority of the Bible is that it illuminates most of its own heroes’ greatest flaws—like murder, adultery, betrayal, faithlessness, cowardice, and all of the so-called seven deadly sins (pride, envy, wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony, and greed). Can you picture the Qur’an calling Mohamad a coward, or Buddhists ascribing murder to the Dalai Lama, or the Book of Mormon decrying Joseph Smith as a traitor? Only Jesus is shown to be perfect in the Bible. Then again, only He—among all modern faiths—claims divine station. But I digress.

Two rebuttals I offer my friend.

First, 1 Samuel 16 states, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Christians mess up all the time, yet God demands far more than merely being a “decent person.” Ecclesiastes 12 says, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” In Micah 6, God directs us “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Jesus identifies the Bible’s two chief mandates in Mark 12: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…Love your neighbor as yourself.” And a word on attitude and perspective from Colossians 3: “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

My friend aims to be nice to people—but that is not good enough. Jesus commands, “Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5) This of course is impossible, but that is the whole point. Most religions ultimately require that you do your best—and hopefully your efforts will be enough. But the biblical bar is untouchable, because God’s holiness literally cannot stand any sin. For His own integrity, God either justly eradicates sin, or mercifully atones for it. Either way, the story is about God, not us: “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4)

So by denouncing Christianity because of the mistakes of Christians, my friend has missed what Christians themselves struggle to recall: if God truly is as mighty and good as the Bible declares, then “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8)

Second, consider a short analogy: think about your favorite chair. What do you do each time you sit on it? Consciously or not, you make an assumption about its potential to hold you up. Only an obvious flaw in the chair or a warning from someone would cause you to doubt your assumption.

Now ponder your supposition about the indispensable belief of Christianity: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a cross and rose from the dead. Most non-Christians either have never heard this, or disbelieve it. If you are in the latter group, entertain for just a moment how different the world would be if the statement actually is true. What would its implications be for you? In Romans 10, the answer is plain: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

In the end, my friend’s judgment of Christianity depends not on Christians or traditions or rituals or interpretations. These are open to folly and criticism like any other human institution. Biblical Christianity starts at the cross and ends at the empty tomb. Nothing else works. In fact, the Bible says, “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile [and] we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead.” (1 Corinthians 15) This is what my friend must accept or deny.

Respectful Wives Have Respectful Husbands

Rough Start

Has your bride ever described you as a roommate, and thus not a cherishing life partner? Has she ever accused you of not paying attention to her? Or has she ever lamented that you fail to defend her around others?

There it was. A thorn in our marriage from year one, and it took until year seven to see any major progress on my part. Fights did not change it, nor did my own ideas of the best way forward. We did institute a crucial nightly prayer time together—which sustained and sustains our relationship and shared faith. But the issue remained.

Then some rerouted prayer focus, some important prayer support, a conversation with the pastor, and a new trend in my thoughts about husbanding began to melt the ice and address the problem.

Show Respect

You could call it a combination of Ephesians 5 and the Golden Rule. We all know God tells men to love their brides, women to respect their husbands, and everybody to treat others as we would have them treat us. What if men helped their wives respect them by exemplifying respect toward their wives? In no way would this mean forsaking God’s command to us to love our wives, but it would mean going above and beyond our duty to help our mate obey God better.

After all, one can respect somebody they do not love, such as an enemy. But it is tougher to love somebody you disrespect. When men take this route, as I have, we set ourselves up to fail. But if a man respects his bride, she in turn may give respect to him.

Four Strategies

Attention. Our wives often desire things that may or may not make sense to us. They might even cry out to God for those things. Instead of ignoring her or calling her a nag (in my mind or to her face) when she talks about them, I am slowly learning to respect her enough to listen carefully to her, and even join her in prayer for these things. This sometimes translates into her respecting my views and preferences more, too.

Affection. I graduated from a conservative Baptist university ten years ago. We single guys often teased our dating friends about the institutionally regulated “PDA” (public displays of affection). Beyond the jokes, physical intimacy was widely understood to be a marriage-only privilege. Yet some guys carry a form of PDA stigma into their marriage. PDA feels awkward at times, but my wife always appreciates when I show affection in front of others. This conveys devotion (respect) regardless of circumstances, and it fosters reciprocation in many areas beyond physical touch.

Admiration. Even more meaningful is bold and public praise. Get around friends or particularly family, and a genuine compliment of almost any kind can go a long way toward making my wife feel respectable—and thus respected. Think about it from a professional or friendship viewpoint. If you respect a colleague or brother in Christ, you might easily and openly laud who they are or what they do. Why not do that for your own spouse, too?

Accountability. Loving actions toward, and interactions with, your spouse in public tell her that you are willing to risk your reputation for her. Think of the last half of the Civil War film Glory, where Colonel Shaw held his men in the highest esteem. He took a stand for them in front of two generals, saying they were ready to fight, and indeed deserved to fight. His potent demonstration of respect earned him the ultimate respect of his men as well, who followed him to death’s gates. In the same way, you took responsibility for your wife when you married her—probably before a crowd—so be sure to continue “till death do us part.”

Biblical Precedent

These tactics are not my own. The Bible offers solid examples through godly husbands like Isaac and Boaz.

After twenty years of marriage, Isaac’s wife Rebekah still had not gotten pregnant. Isaac listened carefully to her grief; then he pled with the Lord on her behalf that they would conceive. In time, God granted their request. Later, the Bible says Isaac showed affection to Rebekah so clearly that an observer said, “Quite obviously she is your wife.” Isaac loved Rebekah enough to give respect and devotion to her.

Boaz’s treatment of Ruth has been famous for more than 3000 years. First, he praised her boldly and openly for her faith in God and her loyalty to Naomi her mother-in-law. Second, Ruth was a foreigner and an impoverished, childless widow; yet Boaz risked his reputation to marry her and be faithful to her. Boaz conveyed great love and respect to Ruth, and her response was as true as any husband could desire.

Future Hope

For me, perfection is still light years away. Issues arise regularly, and all too often they go wrong and last long. But we have much less bad and more good. A four-hour battle in 2009 ends in one hour now. A three-day good stretch five years ago lasts a week or two today.

In our bathroom my bride put a plaque with a quote from Ecclesiastes 4: “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” The three strands in marriage are God, husband, and wife. The adventure is well worth the effort.

One Nation Under...

I don't "comment" much on the Internet -- nor do I read many "comments" (although I read a few this week).

I commented on an intriguing Presidential Prayer Team article (yay PPT!) this week regarding Arabic and Muslims in America. I consider it an important issue, so I felt like I should share here as well...

~~~~~

I appreciate your article, Gigi. I have lived in the Middle East for more than four years, and can speak a bit of Arabic. I agree that "one nation under Allah" sounds a bit off, especially since "Allah" is a personal name of God in Islam, whereas "God" in English can be personal for Christians or generic for Christians and non-Christians. But in fact, Christian Arabs and Christian Middle Easterners actually pray to "Allah" as well. It can be a generic word for "God" in Arabic, too. I imagine my many Muslim and Christian Middle Eastern friends can confirm and better explain this.

But my main concern is Islamophobia. Your prayer points maybe touched on this. One of American Christendom's greatest tragedies thus far in the 21st century is a lack of love for Muslims -- be they our neighbors or our enemies (Jesus calls us to pray for both) -- or a lack of passion for seeing Muslims come to Christ. Oh, that we would pray for them, reach out to them, and call upon King Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew, Yesuua in Arabic) to grant them the same grace, mercy, faith, hope, love, and eternal life and relationship with Him that He has given us!

Prayer Vigil for ISIS and ISIS Victims

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In recent years, the radical Islamist terrorist groups ISIS and Boko Haram have imposed terrible violence, persecution, displacement on Christians and others in the Middle East and in northern and western Africa. But in His sovereign power and grace, God has endowed the hearts of many of His people in those areas with amazing faith, hope, and forgiveness.

Predictably, news about these crises often revolves around government steps to stop the carnage. Even worse, reports thrive on debates about such attempts. But as in all national or international issues, the government is only ever at best an instrument that can help—not an ultimate source of salvation or even responsibility. Christians are even more obliged to get involved, and thankfully “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5)

Below are various facts, comments, verses, links, and prayer points that might inform and inspire you as you seek ways to pray earnestly for our fellow Christians in this time of great need. I trust you will join me in this effort to tip the balance of the battle away from evil and toward the peace of our brethren and the glory of God.

Situation

-ISIS and Boko Haram have killed thousands of Christians—and others—in recent years.

-ISIS has displaced millions of people in Iraq and Syria since 2013.

-Boko Haram has abducted up to 700 children in the past year—their whereabouts are unknown.

-ISIS captured up to 250 Christians in February—their whereabouts are unknown.

-ISIS beheaded more than 20 Egyptian Christians in February, and has also beheaded Americans, Japanese, and others.

-ISIS and Boko Haram are indoctrinating, training, and demonstrably using children as young as 5-10 in their vicious tactics.

-Boko Haram has displaced 1.5 million people in Nigeria. In January alone it killed up to 2000.

Praises

-Oppressed Christians are forgiving and persevering. Further, “tent churches are also blossoming among refugees.” –Tyndale House Publishers “The Church around the World,” March 2015

-Muslims are converting to Christ as they see suffering Christians “pray to a personal God whom they can call Father.” –Tyndale House Publishers “The Church around the World,” March 2015

-Muslims often step into dangerous scenarios to protect their Christian neighbors and friends.

-Christians in Niger were largely spared violence in January when 55 churches were burned. In fact, they praised God for His blessings, saying, “God promised these things would come…Now the church will grow.” Here and elsewhere, Christians are praying for God to save their enemies.

-Up to two million Christians and Muslims across Egypt have received a tract full of scriptures and messages of forgiveness in the two months since Egyptian Christians were killed in Libya.

Thoughts

“We don’t forgive the act because the act is heinous. But we do forgive the killers from the depths of our hearts.” –Coptic bishop

“What these [Egyptian Christian martyrs, many of whom called to Jesus just before their deaths] did should inspire all Christians to be ready to do the same.” –Reader’s comment

“This is a time in history when Christians really need to pray for God’s intervention and for the strength for us to be the kinds of people we are meant to be, able to display His love even to our enemies.” –Reader’s comment

“The West is practicing a double standard: Would they let these militants into their countries to destroy everything?” –Syriac priest

“We feel forgotten and isolated…We sometimes wonder, if they kill us all, what would be the reaction of Christians in the West? Would they do something then?” –Chaldean patriarch

“Let us pray for the destruction of the wicked—whether God rapidly and justly destroys their plans and supplies and propaganda and removes them from this earth…or whether He mercifully awakens their hearts to Himself, convicts them of their sin, and calls to them by that same Name through which we also gained access to grace and salvation.” –Montananik82

“God provides for us. God loves us, and wouldn’t let ISIS kill us. God loves us all; not just me, God loves everybody. God loves [those who harmed me]…I won’t do anything to them, I will only ask God to forgive them. Yes, [I forgive them, too]…I’m not angry at God. I thank Him because He provided for us. Even if we’re suffering here…He will not forsake me. If you’re a true believer, He will never forsake you.” –10-year-old Iraqi Christian girl in a refugee camp

“Christ never promised physical safety to those who would follow Him. In fact, He promised something far better: His Presence…Christ does not call us to pursue danger, but He asks our obedience to His calling. Time and again, God has demonstrated His power over the enemy’s attacks and His ability to save…Still, there may come a day when physical deliverance doesn’t occur. Let it be known on that day, God is still faithful, and the greatest deliverance will have actually occurred. Whether we live or whether we die, Christ is our life, and His glory is the reward. Jesus Christ calls us to Himself, not to a life of ease by avoidance, but of intimacy through obedience that we ‘may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death.’” (Philippians 3:10) –Missionary friend

Offering Aid

-World Help

-Samaritan’s Purse

-ROCK International

-Mark Vanderput

-Sat7

-Operation Mobilization

-Global Hope Network

Verses

|1 Samuel 2| And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed…He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

|2 Samuel 22| And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies…“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”

|2 Chronicles 14| Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah…And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah.

|Psalm 33| The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

|Psalm 37| Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

|Psalm 121| I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

|Isaiah 54| “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you…No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

|Isaiah 58| “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

|Matthew 5| “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you…You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

|Philippians 3| For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

|Revelation 21| And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”