Anticipate The New

"Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

Reflections of years past are good. We should remember all the LORD has been faithful to do. But we can get stuck in the past, in what the LORD has done. Whether it be in personal life, in ministry, or in Church life. Let us be reminded the LORD continues to be faithful in all He does.

He continues to work in lives surrendered to Him that the gospel may go forward into the hearts and lives of a broken world. 

I look forward to 2016 and all that the LORD wants to accomplish!

by Deanna Tebbe, Missionary to Ireland

Surrendering To Truth

As I sit in the lobby of our hotel this early snowy winter morning, I am nestled in a cozy chair, tucked away in a secluded corner near the warm fire crackling in the fireplace. The big screen is on bright, directly in front of me. Images of war, terror, and mass murder threaten my peace, yet speak a truth that I must acknowledge -- I am in a battle myself: Will I submit to fear or will I surrender to Truth?

I can't hear the commentators' voices, but their eyes speak volumes. Serious eyes. And a strange pseudo-confidence hiding behind deceptive safety, vulnerable and open to lies that man can actually fight this war waged against him without God.

Two young blond boys, brothers I think, gather at the couch across from me. They are drawn to the flagrant TV pictures of evil terrorists, slain victims, and sober faces reporting world devastations.

My heart breaks. I wonder what they are thinking.

Are they scared?
Fearful of their future?
Do they know Jesus?
Are they desensitized by prior exposure to dark video games and violent movies?
DO THEY KNOW JESUS?

I take in a deep breath and tune into the worshipful words coming through my headphones. I close my eyes to the disturbed faces and horrifying images on the screen and open my heart to the glory of God filling every part.

Lyrics from an angelic voice speak power to my burdened soul:

"And I've been told
To pick up my sword
And fight for love
Little did I know
That Love had won for me
Here in Your arms
You still my heart again
And I breathe You in
Like I've never breathed 'till now..." *

I open my eyes once again and look down to the precious book in my lap. The Holy Book. Its pages are opened, spread wide across my lap.

I begin to read Truth:

"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O LORD, among nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is Your love, higher than the heavens; You faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the Heavens and let Your glory be over all the earth. Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered. Give us aid against the enemy for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." Psalm 108:1-6, 12-13

I surrender to Truth and rejoice! This is the victory that Love has won for me...for the whole world. God disarmed the rulers and the principalities of their power when by the Cross He made a public spectacle of them (Colossians 2:15).

And this is my Hallelujah:

"Praise be to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for me, for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming salvation that is ready to be revealed...' I Peter 1:3-5

Let us greatly rejoice!

Though now for a little while we may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, we can take courage because Christ has overcome the world!

Be still and know.

He is our God.

Today, I surrender to Truth and I am at peace once again.

*"We Dance" by Bethel Music

by Dana Lange

Editors Note: This piece was written by our sister during her recent trip to Colorado where she was fairly near the terror attack in Colorado Springs. It is timely encouragement, for this past week we have experienced another senseless attack against unwary citizens close to our homes.

Living Abroad: Good and Perfect Gifts

You know how we have jokes in America about lawyers and blondes and all those kinds of… jokes?  Well, I found out today that Japan doesn’t have any jokes about lawyers.

See, it’s these kinds of things that are good to find out!  Sometimes humor just does not translate into other languages and cultures.

Just like between Vicente and I… we realized that in Spanish, “yo momma” jokes (A: You’re slow! B: Your mom’s slow!) are actually “yo grandma” jokes. It’s just one of those things where the wall paper doesn’t line up.  We each grimace no matter how we try to adjust those kinds of jokes.

On that note though, we’ve been talking about getting a TV here in Japan.  I actually prefer NOT having a TV…but in this case, we both feel like it would give us much more practice with Japanese and that we could learn a lot from their news and TV programs.  Not the crazy game shows they’re known for,  just regular sitcoms or educational shows.  The way they express themselves in different situations and interact with others will show us things we might not pick up on being in the moment with people.

When I lived in Mexico, my roommate had a TV. She was primarily the one who operated it since it was on her side of the room, but I learned a lot by observing what was going on and asking questions.  My Spanish definitely improved as I learned to keep up with a quicker pace of speaking.  Watching dramas unfold gave me a great opportunity to really pick out things I hadn’t seen in the previous year living in Mexico.

So we’ve been thinking about that for here.  We’d been going back and forth and were going to look at prices to see if it was actually an affordable option.  Turns out it’s not really a cheap option! HA!  They’re about twice the price of TVs in America (just taking a brief look at Target prices).

However, the Lord knew we were talking about it and that our heart was really to understand the Japanese more and not for selfish gain. We mentioned our consideration when hosting some visiting pastors for breakfast last week. We found out a couple days later that the Lord had kindly led one of them to help provide a TV for our family.

We were stunned!  Honestly, we were talking about learning culture (that was the point) and the TV thing was mentioned in passing, and bam!

I kept thinking about that all week.  Wow- that must be the Lord. God is so good!

Every good and perfect gift is from the Father.  Lord, please bless this generous giver and may we produce so much in response to this wonderful gift.

by Janine Alvarado, missionary to Japan

Abba Father

"...the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

God sent His Son so I could be His daughter. I have no problem accepting that I am God's child. This knowledge has wrapped me up in safety and peace my whole life. I belong to God.

I was reading over The Lord's Prayer this week. It begins with, "Our Father." For the first time I realized I never began my prayers by acknowledging God as my Father. Always my prayers have begun with "Dear Lord," or "Dear God." Never did I pray, "Dear Father." I felt God challenging me to pray this way for the first time.

That shouldn't be hard, God, no biggie!

But, it was.

I couldn't do it. It didn't seem right to me. It almost felt disrespectful. He is my Holy God; He is the maker of all things. I felt like I couldn't begin my prayer with such an earthy name as "Father." I have an amazing earthly father. I didn't need to extend the term upwards to heaven. I was all good in the Daddy Department.

God really went after me over this issue. This week in Bible study, it referenced Romans 8:15:

"...the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba Father."

This is what was happening. God's spirit was relentlessly pursuing me to testify that I should be crying out, "Abba, Father."

Abba is a very personal Hebrew term for Father. It literally means Daddy or Papa. This is what Jesus cries out as he falls to the ground in prayer in the book of Mark. "Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for You."

Then we go to Galatians and again: "Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father."

Why was I pressing down the spirit that wanted to call out, Abba? Why was it so hard for me to call God my Daddy, my Papa?

God wants extreme intimacy with us. By calling Him our Daddy, we must acknowledge God wants more of our trust.

God was casting His net a little further into my heart. He was showing me that there are parts of myself I haven't trusted Him with. I struggle a lot with this reality.

It is hard not to view intimacy through the eyes of my experiences here on earth. If I let someone in just a little too far, it can result in a lot of hurtful disappointment. But, God isn't someone...He is God.

God does not fail us. He finds us.

Wherever we wander, He is always our Father. If my child was lost, or struggling, I would pour every resource I had into finding them and restoring them. But my resources are limited. God, with His unlimited resources, is pursuing me. He finds me over and over again. He is never failing.

He will never grow tired of pulling me in close. He will never grow too old to bend down and look me in the eye. He will never be weak and unable to carry me on His shoulders. He will never be too busy to lift up my chin and ask me what is wrong.

He will never lack wisdom to point me in the way I should go. And every time, He will go with me. Every time, He will hold my hand. He will never look away when I am attacked. He will go before me and fight. He will always win.

He will never be too poor to feed me. His love will never dry up and leave me aching for acceptance. He will never lose His voice. He will sing and shout and whisper words of love to me. He will never be sick and unable to run the race with me.

He will never be ashamed of me. I am His workmanship.

He will never leave me without shelter. He bled on two pieces of wood so He could build His dwelling in me. He will never go blind, unable to see that I have tripped and scraped up a part of my heart. He sees me.

My Daddy sees me. Every time.
My Daddy answers me. In His time.
My Daddy holds me. All the time.
My Father loves me. From Heaven, to the cross, and back again.
My Father is not just someone. He is God!

by Jenna Masters

Give Thanks

"Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 106:1 (NLT)

Every year; as we approach mid-November and thoughts (hopefully) have turned to preparation for the day of Thanksgiving, I focus on the blessings I've received from God.  But, for the past few years I've noticed the "world" would like to "sweep this holiday under the rug" like so much dust. The "gimme" celebrations of Halloween and Santa Claus take precedence with early stocking of store shelves filled with decorations and food ideas to get everyone in the mood to "buy and celebrate."

When I hear my secular friends say, "I'm thankful for...", I always want to ask, "To whom are you thankful?" Giving thanks, in my mind, always suggests there is a Source of the blessing to whom we should give our thanks.  Our "Founding Fathers" knew and understood where their blessings originated.  Check out some of what was written by just three of them.

"For as much as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these United States to set apart Thursday, the eighteenth Day of December next, for Solemn Thanksgiving and Praise: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please God through the Merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, Independence and Peace: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisted 'in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion." Samuel Adams, (The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving given by the Continental Congress in 1777.)

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and--Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee requested me to recommend to the people of the United Staes a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.'

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country...and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us...." George Washington, October 3, 1789.

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. ... No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They ae the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of he United States and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliveances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil srife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union. ..." Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863 (In 1941, the U.S. Congress designated the fourth Thursday in November as the national holiday of Thanksgiving Day.)

Almighty God,

You have blessed us with every good and perfect gift. It is from you that we have the very breath in our lungs, the beating of our hearts, the ability to think, learn and feel from the minds you have given us.  Truly we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139;14) May we daily make time to come to You, recognize Your majesty and Sovereignty and give our humble thanks to You.  Your Love and Mercy endure forever. May we live in The Way of Jesus, our Savior, that we may be pleasing unto You and glorify Your Name. Amen.

by Marilyn Allison