Spirital Maturity

I have come to a simple understanding of spiritual maturity.  It is when we move from the mindset that makes excuses for why we cannot do what we know is the right thing to do -- to where we where we defend our decision to do the right thing.

 

Maybe more simply said...

Before I could only think of the reasons I could not do what God wanted me to

Afterward I can only think of the reasons I must do what God wants me to do

Body Life

I have been reading and discussing what is really important with regard to church services. There are all these discussions about what is the best form for church and then all these discussion saying the church is irrelevant that the only thing that is important is our relationship with God.
Sometimes I get the feeling like some people think that fellowship with God is all we need. Yet even with the first man before the fall... God said it is not good that man should be alone. We need each other nearly as much as we need God. Some how people think a church service meets the need. It really doesn't in fact as of late... I have been talking to people at the church I attend about this very thing. Their relationships with each other in the front facing, one or a few guys doing all the talking kind of service really limits the possibilities of building relationships with other parts of the body. The bigger the service the harder it is to get to know someone. Even a home group/church offers only so much opportunity to build the intimacy that is necessary to make a "body". When I say body, I mean a group of believers functioning together to carry out God’s purposes by using the giftings He has given each of them to support and encourage each other so that they might carry out what ever it is that God is calling them to do.
Now I also attend meetings of a different kind (there are three of us) offer that intimacy as far as men can have, but we also need to see that we are part of something bigger. We cannot discount any kinds of these meetings because each has its own function. I thought a Promise Keepers event was awesome. I've never been to anything like my first one... but it lacks intimacy. But it gets you a bit charged up seeing the size and the potential of the Body of Christ. The author of Hebrews also says that it is not a good thing to keep from meeting. There is a necessity in our meeting in various sized groups to accomplish some of the body functions that God has put in each of us for the sake of the others. But there is not one answer. All of it is pointless though without the relationship with the Father, through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. And yes we need not necessarily have a group meeting to experience God's presence. But some times that is exactly how He does it. God is mysterious. Why is it that some people have the God experience in their closet and others or at other times it is experienced in the communion of saints? God only knows... I think this comes back to a friend’s discussion about our personal history and experience. Too often we think ours is the only experience that counts. If it failed for us it will fail for you. Or if it worked for me it should work for you (or there may be something wrong with you); which doesn't lead me any closer to an answer than "God ways are mysterious." We want a formula so that we can be successful. God wants worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth, whatever the venue.
Lets us worship together the Lord of creation striving together to build up each part so that it can do its part in God’s manifold plan for his church and this world.
Amen, P.A.

The New Years Bomb

24 Dec 2007
The New Year’s Bomb Category: Life

Well the landlord stopped over the other day to collect the next three months rent. He decided it was time to raise the rent. He said that starting January first our rent would be $700 instead of the customary $400. No notice... just I'm raising the rent NOW! He wasn't unkind about it, but it was so rude. No notice. No chance to ask supporters for more money... Just "oh ya I need to raise the rent" Okay I'm over stating it. Mostly he realized that what people are paying around us is much closer to $700 than our measily $400. So as a shrewd business man its a good move for him. Only problem... we don't have it. We might average $700 a month in support, so this kind of puts the bind on us. He's given us the option of coming up with the money or moving our by March.

So now its God's problem. Either we get the support or we move. I doubt we can find a place in Kyiv for less that $600 so that likely means moving out of the area. But whatever actions we choose, I trust that God will help us and help us decide the right thing to do.
Please pray with us as we consider what the right and God-led decision would be. We each have our ideas, but I really want to be on track with what God has in mind with us.
May your new Year be better and brighter as you follow the lead of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,
P.A.

Life As a Missionary

17 Dec 2007
Life as a missionary Category: Life

So I was having a discussion with Em to day, and it stirred up a number of thoughts in me. We were discussing people buying clothes and suddenly I was reminded about how few clothes I had growing up. My brother and I had one nice set for Sunday or other special events and a couple more shirts and pants. Not a lot of stuff. We didn't have many toys either. They could pretty much all fit on the top shelf of our closet. What we got was pretty much limited to birthdays and Christmas. We didn't go shopping to buy stuff, just because we wanted to kill some time.

My first bike wasn't a new one, it was a used bike that was stolen within a year of it being purchased... though that was my fault for leaving hit out somewhere instead of putting it away. But any way because of all the outsourcing of jobs and such things are cheaper compared than they were when I was a kid. People have so much more "disposable" income. They often have lots more stuff, unless their trying to live beyond their means by buying a house to expensive for their income.

But all that to say, we have come to expect to have lots of stuff. I think we just buy it because we can. We have credit cards and more disposable income than we ever have, so we just keep buying cool stuff because we can. We never even ask, or seldom ask, if we should buy all this stuff. Americans have so much stuff they have to buy storage sheds to keep it in, because there houses are overflowing with it!

I see it in American missionaries too. I can't speak for British or German, and this doesn't apply to all missionaries, but it seems many feel the need to live like they did in the states or better. You have probably seen me rant and rave about this before. The thing is they seem like nice enough people. They are personable, they share their homes for parties and stuff, they have lots of people over... but I cannot but think about how this affects the Ukrainians who come to visit. Ukrainians, as a whole, don't have as much disposable income. It isn't uncommon to see some of them wear the same outfit day after day. Many don't make more than $500 a month. So anyway, what are they thinking when they see American missionaries. I am afraid our money, our nice homes and toys speak louder than our Christian witness. Maybe to us they don't mean much, but to those with so little, our wealth speaks volumes. It says things I am sure we have no intent to say. Like trust in wealth. American is the answer to your problems. It must be great to be a missionary so that you can be rich.

I'm not sure I am much better. I think I live as I do because this is all my support will buy. If I had $1500, or $2000 or like some missionaries $4000 a month, I am sure I might have a few more toys. I think that would be the case, because that was my objective as an American – to have cool stuff. I like big screen TV's and computers and Palm pilots. I like DVD movies and video games. I really think God has purposely taken me to a place, financially, where I cannot have a lot of stuff. I am dependent upon him. At first I was kind of angry at all those people who don't support me who should (at least in my mind). Don't they know I am working for God and they should make the sacrifice to support me? Ouch! That isn't a great testimony or as we say in Ukraine, "that's not pretty." I have to ask myself if the bone I have to pick with "rich" missionaries isn't motivated by envy. Am I envious of all the cool stuff they have and the big homes they live in, all on their supporter's dime? You bet I am. I'm not proud of that. In fact I am working to repent of that attitude. I am really trying to be right with God.

I guess I could have worked the system; spent a year or two drumming up support. Making sure I had a clear mission statement as to why I was coming over here and all. I could write glowing reports about all the ministry we do and make sure I have lots of photo's to show on my website and such… but God did something different in me. It was like he wouldn't let me do that. He put such a compulsion in me to go, I just couldn't wait to make sure I had all the support I needed. The only promise I had was from God. He said if I go, he would make sure I had all the support I needed. Now I think there may be some difference between what I thought God was going to provide and what He knew I actually needed.

There are those who promised to support us but never provided a dime. There are those who supported us just for a short time, and there are those who have been faithful from the beginning and have even increased their support of us. It is a humbling thing to look to others for your support. If I had all my bills paid, and if I decided to do without life insurance and such, I could likely have an additional $800 or so to put to work. But the bills are still there and I guess I will just keep paying the insurance for now. I could also get some more money by dropping those missionaries we support. Isn't that crazy? I am a missionary supporting missionaries. It doesn't come out of the support we get from our people; it comes out of the remnant of my military stipend, but I cannot bring myself to do it.
Lately we have heard about people flying back to the US for Christmas, or going skiing in Austria. Someone is driving to the Netherlands and we know someone driving to Budapest. We on the other hand saw a down turn in our support and will not be going anywhere. We will be staying in Kyiv for Christmas and won't be going anywhere unless we absolutely have to. And I am okay with that. I'm really not a skiing in the Alps kind of guy, and neither is my wife. I would love to visit a few places like, Rome, Athens, Israel and such, but until God sees fit to change our circumstances we will just make the best of what we can do.

My land lord is here this week. So I am trying to get the money together for the next three months. He collects rent three months at a time them goes back to live in Crimea. I am praying he doesn't jack the rent up 'cause there is no way we can afford an increase right now. But I'm not mad at anyone. I am just learning to walk by faith. I will continue to write news letters and such and stay in touch with our supporters, and believe that God will provide for all our needs. We have yet to go hungry, not that we all couldn't stand to miss a meal or two. I may not be able to have all the cool stuff I want but I don't need it and knowing me, it would just get in the way of doing ministry. The more stuff you have the more you have to worry about losing. What I do have is God's, so if he sees fit to take it away, that's his business.

So in the mean time I am going to love my family, keep working on my writing projects, keep meeting with the guys, keep visiting our Ukrainian friends in Chernighiv, keep being a good host to all the people Emily invites and keep trusting God. I'm going to keep praying for my wife who works really long hours. I am going to keep praying for my family and my extended family. I'm going to look for opportunities to let God's light shine and I am going to walk the path God has set before me no matter how rocky it gets. I'm going to preach God's word every opportunity I am given and I am going to give thanks for everything I have.

I don't know why God blesses others more than some. I don't necessarily think America is more deserving of blessing than any other place in the world. I don't think American Christians are more deserving of stuff than Sudanese or Chinese Christians are. We will all have to answer for our lives. If God has blessed us abundantly then I am sure that his expectation will be that we are to bless others just as feely and abundantly.

So I pray that you are experiencing the good life with God. Not a life defined by possessions or by some other worldly standard. I pray that you too are being drawn into the bosom of God, learning how to depend on him day-to-day for your very breath and life. That is what my life in Kyiv is teaching me. It is teaching me that God is faithful It is teaching me that no matter what happens to me in the physical, that my eternal salvation is made sure because God loves me, Jesus has paid the penalty for my sin and I continue to live for him. I have learned that my expectations are inconsequential next to the will of God. I have learned that his plan for my life is better than anything I could have pursued. Not because I have more stuff, but because my life has more purpose. Maybe that is what Alan needed… less stuff to make room for more of God's purpose. I am grateful like I have never been grateful before. Even if I wake up and don't know exactly what I am going to do, I know that God will provide something or someone to make the difference.

Today it was sitting down to write this blog, which made all the difference. Tomorrow it may be in meeting with my friends who I serve with. The day after it may be a phone call I make to an old friend. There seems to be something most every day when I feel used of God and right in the middle of his will. Often it's little things. You see it in a person's eyes when you share some insight that God has taught you. Some times it's just the squeeze of a hand from someone grateful. Sometimes it's the look you get when you provide someone with something they needed. Sometimes it is just that sense of accomplishment you get from knowing you did what God wanted.

Blessings to all of you…

In Christ,
P.A.

Looking past the end of my nose

I'm in a strange place.  God is working in my heart, but I don't exactly know what the results will be.  The other evening when my wife and I were on our way back from Chernighiv, we were going through an underground tunnel that leads to the metro.  There were three people there being confronted by the police.  Basically they were homeless people.  One man showed evidence of having had parts of his feet cut off, I don't know if it was because of diabetes or frostbite.  There was a young woman in her late 30's and another man, whose age I wasn't sure of, but he had scars all over his face.  The weather has been frightfully cold.  Getting close to 0 F at night and hanging in the teens during the day and I assumed they where in the tunnel to warm up a bit, if not to avoid freezing to death.

 

I have been hearing stories of people being found frozen to death in the city.  One of our friends had reported seeing a man who was frozen solid to the sidewalk.  He may have fallen there drunk and froze to death… who knows.  It's not too uncommon to find drunks passed out on the side walk now and then.  But that really isn't my point.  More I am concern is how would or will God's people (to include me) react to this.  Will we sigh and say "The poor are always with us" and take that to mean there is nothing we can do.  Will we look at the situation and sigh and go "There's nothing we should do, these people don't want help other wise they wouldn't be like this."  It troubles my heart that we can so quickly dismissed those in dire need because we are unwilling to pay the cost to help them.  Quite frankly it IS expensive both emotionally and in terms of how we may have to sacrifice in our life styles but is the price really a reason that we can ignore the commandments of our Lord.  He paid a price for us that none of us could ever repay. 

 

I know there are those who play on human pity to make a living for themselves.  There are women who drug their children with vodka so they will sleep in there arms and then beg for food.  We have seen at least one old woman who wears a sling, which changes arms day to day.  But just because there are some who seek to take advantage of our good nature, need we ignore all who are or appear to be in need?

 

My heart was moved to pity by these three people in need, but I took no action.  I know giving money is problematic as they may spend it on drugs and alcohol.  But then what is stopping me from buying them a loaf of bread or a drink of water or a blanket?  Unfortunately it was Eastern Christmas eve and most shops where already closed.

 

What disturbs me further is that I know if one of these people showed up on the door steps of our church that they would likely be turned away by the "security" people who are there to protect the building from thieves and other miscreants that we don't want darkening our door steps.  Do we, if we truly are God's people, understand that God loves these people too?  Do we truly understand that justice and mercy are the weightier parts of the law?  Do we understand that when we help one of those that we are ministering to Christ?  Do we truly understand that how we treat people like those I mentioned above is a test of our faith to see if we are truly followers of the Living God?

 

Recently I have been flustered by my landlord's increase in our rent.  Yet even in moving I will have a place to live.  Even if the three of us had to move into a one room apartment we would have a place to live, we would be off the streets and have a warm bed to sleep in, even if it were a fold- out couch.  We would good food to eat and clean water to drink.  Even if our apartment was a bit cool we wouldn't be freezing to death.  Yet our Lord says that these concerns really aren't the stuff of true life.  Our true life lies in Christ; in seeking His Kingdom and righteousness.  If we can grasp this fully, the worries and concerns of this life will seem less vital to us and we will more likely to be willing to share the bounty that God has given us with those less fortunate than ourselves.

 

Pray with me that I would experience the fullness of God's freedom that I might be generous even when it seems that I have little to give.  God has blessed us abundantly with family, friends, shelter and provision.  We have so much and there are those with so little.  Pray that we would not forget them and would look for ways to bless and share.

 

Amen,
P.A.