...too small a thing...

Going Slick?

Well let's face reality? I have a cul-de-sac for a head. There is no hair on top. Just look at the photo. Now on trips to Africa I grow a beard and this time has been no exception so I am furrier than usual right now with a hairy chin. I have considered taking all the fuzz and wayward hair at the same time off of my head but have drawn up short of the slick look several times.

So I guess I will ask for opinions. What do you think? Do you like the cul-de-sac look? The slick look? The comb over? These are my only options it seems. So I guess I am warning you do not be shocked when you see me coming.

 

Teaching that was Reaching "Ka, Kristie"

To travel nearly 9000 miles and spend 5 days teaching pastors some of which do not speak any English is somewhat intimidating. But the Lord was the one who set this up. Great things I believe are going to come from this work. We were given some funds to help the Lesotho work over two years ago and now the funds that were given in memory of Jeff Andrews have finnally been put to work with the pastors. They were equipped with NIV Study Bibles to enable the work. I was suprised how easily they were reading them as most of them studied English in School even if they cannot speak it they can read it. They were amazed by the first volume of the BTCP Curiculum and were comphrhending the lessons very well. We also carried the second volume of the course to the pastors as they will finish the first course in a few weeks. The Old Testament Survey course will dramaticly add to the pastors knowledge. We had a great break through on the teaching on Wednesday right at lunch. We had been talking about words - individual words and parts of speech. This is not the most exciting part of teaching a hermaneutics course but one that is necessary. Trying to cross language barriers is difficult to explain nouns, verbs, and especially prepositions. We were using the verse Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." when one on the pastors said Ahhhh...... "Ka Krisite." HE GOT IT. The Word "Through" is Ka in Sesotho and it can mean a multitude of things. Suddenly all we were teaching came alive in his mind, literary form, Words, and especially context of words just sunk in  and he got it.  This was a fantastic moment.

Bruce Hambrick did a great job teaching the Pastors and preaching in the villages on Saturday. Bruce will be looking to lead Life's Hope Baptist Church into a full partnership with the Basotho Team of the International Mission Board in Lesotho. Pray  for all ofthe work of the Floras. You can read their blog at www.jflorafamily.com  we will be considering another trip next year in March for: Medical, Teaching, and children's work.

We arrived home this morning about 9 am after 17 hours on the airplane and now I am getting ready to teach Old Testament to 8 Students at Burnt Hickory tonight. I have to admit I am a little weary but God will give strength.

Breaking the Silence

 

 

Hello all I am breaking the Silence on the Blog after 12 days. Success is the word for the trip. The BTCP Teaching in Africa with the Basotho pastors was a huge success. I am in the South African Airport and do not have much power. We fly out in a few hours and I will be home tomorrow morning. What a fantastic trip I will have many pictures posted tomorrow and much to write up about this great trip to Lesotho. Pray for Bruce and I as we spend 17 hours on the plane while you sleep tonight.

Front Row Seats

Old Tubber (Pastor Bruce Hamrick) and I have front row (lots of leg room) seats. Praise the Lord we are on the way.

Leaving the World Behind

In about 6 hours I will board head to the airport in Atlanta and leave my world behind. But I will be somewhere. It will first be the world of airports and airplanes for almost a day and then on to Katsee Village. A remote village on the Katsee reservoir in the heart of the Maluti Mountains. It is a different world than here in so many ways.

The people wear blankets instead of coats and it is wintertime so they will have them on for sure. There may be some snow. Some for sure as we cross the mountain passes to get there. It is a place where everything moves a little slower. But a part of that world is the home of Jim and Teresa Flora. What a blessed place. It will somewhat be our home away from home. I can already picture their computer in my mind where I will get messages from Kathy. One of the hardest parts of leaving your world behind is to know that everyone is OK while you are away.  I will suddenly have Bruce Hamrick as a com-padre in life. We will travel, eat and live together for the next 12 days. That alone is a major change in the world. The world of missions is a big change.

Into that new world I will be living in for the next 12 days on Monday morning will come 11 Basotho men who would be willing to come and learn how to study the Bible. This is why we are going. This is what God has called us to do.

My post will be few and far between for the next 12 days I will try to post but if it doesn't happen do not worry about me. I will get Kathy to put a word or two up on face book that I am OK but the blog may be silent some.

Thank all of you active readers, Thank you all Mission Team Inc financial supporters your gifts make a trip like this possible. In addition I am finally taking money to purchase 3 horses which was donated mostly from Jim And Kristen Dogen's Life Group class a Burnt Hickory late last year. I am also carrying 12 study Bibles purchased with funds from the Jeff Andrews Pastoral Educational Fund as well as the curriculum for the first two courses for these pastors. We are carrying several gifts and essentials for the missionaries. We have maxed our out luggage. AS I am pulling this load through the airports I may feel like I am taking the world with me.

My world is my family and you. So I am leaving them behind for  a few days but my world is also wherever God sends me. No doubt God has opened this door. Lesotho is an open door and it is a beautiful place. God is Good. So Good that one day we will all leave this world behind for good. What a beautiful time that will be. My task it to teach this and many other truths. Please pray and I will see you in a couple of weeks.

Good Words from African Missionaries

I have had an easy morning blog writing....I copied and pasted my missionary friend from Africa. He has written about us coming next week and about what we will be doing read it for yourself:

It is titled.... One of My Favorite Days...

What day is that? Funny you should ask…Wednesday, because on Wednesday I get to teach the pastors.  They are a varied bunch, this group of pastors and pastor-want-to be’s.  They range from guys who have been pastoring over 10 years to the guy who just professed his faith in Jesus last week, but hasn’t missed the 2 training sessions we have held since then.  He has no idea if God is calling hm to be a pastor, or even if he  he wants to become a pastor, but he wants all the Bible I can dish out.  Now there is a problem most missionaries (as well as pastors) can only dream about!  I think he may have been a little lost when we discussed the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, but when we got to Genesis 22, and God substituting the ram for Isaac as the sacrifice, and how that gives us a great picture of what Jesus did for us, I had his full attention.  He may not know exactly what the call of Abraham meant to the history of the nation of Israel right now, but he sure understands substitutionary atonement!  As I said, they are a varied group.  Most of them are farmers, but one runs several struggling business ventures just trying to make ends meet.  Two of them cannot read, but a couple of them speak some English.  Most of them cannot understand my Sesotho.  Sometimes we struggle together searching for terminology that translates into Sesotho…and when I say “struggle,” I mean several minutes of silence as I search my Sesotho memory banks or try to find a different way to say it. The guys who know English who translate for me search their brains for a way to say it.  Then we all laugh at our struggles and wish the Tower of Babel had never happened (we covered that, too).  Man, what a hinderance to the Gospel that little Tower of Babel incident has been!  See where pride takes us?  Next week we have Scotty Davis from Mission Team, Inc., and pastor Bruce coming from Georgia to teach 40 hours of Biblical Interpretation.  Please pray for the teachers as welll as the students…correct Biblical interpretation can head off a multitude of mistakes in your preaching and teaching.  I have 11 signed up for every day of the training next week.  Pray for ‘Me Teresa.  She probably has the toughest job in all of this.  She cooks lunch for these guys!

On Tuesday, it was very cold in the village of Ha Khenene, where there was still some snow on the ground.  We still had 59 brave the cold to attend our regular Tuesday Bible study.  Remember, we meet outside where the cold and wind can reach us.  We are scheduled to begin a new study at the village of Ha Mapeke, where we have 3 new believers, but there is still too much snow for us to make it there this week.  Thanks again for all your prayers.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately.  Let’s just say that the internet has been…how should I say this?  UNCOOPERATIVE!!!

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Pray for Bruce Hamrick and I as we do leave to be with Jim and Teresa Flora and their three beautiful girls tomorrow afternoon.

If you want to keep up with Jim's Blog here is the Address: http://jflora.wordpress.com/

Here is a picture I took of the Flora family when I had the privilige to take them out to supper after being fed by them all week. I am looking forward to sitting down to many meals with them in the next week.

But also here is a photo of the last group of pastors and one wife that I had the privlige to teach last time and Jim with his post has set me on fire this morning to see these and a few more early next week. Please pray for us and the pastors in this photo.

 

Some Benchmarks of Life

Things are noteworthy enough to blog (share with you and the world) sometimes. This morning is an event to be shared. My baby girl is starting college today. Brittany is headed to Georgia Highlands Cartersville Campus today for her very first College classes. I am proud of her and I believe she will do great. She will have some tough moments I am sure. I remember boring classes, classes I could not take notes fast enough, classes with group projects, and many other things from college and Seminary and my doctoral seminars. I am glad I do not have to do that again. But I am excited for Brittany.

As sure as Brittany starts she will finish College. I hope the finish day is the day of her graduation. Yesterday My daughter in law Bethany came by and she had an unexpected bench mark. She had just stopped by for a few minutes to pick up something, but while she was with two silly grandparents oohing and awwing over our granddaughter the mail man came to the door and delivered her diploma. It was the end of her Post graduate work for her counseling degree.

Life has lots of benchmarks everyday. These were special for yesterday and today. I am so blessed with a wonderful family. I know that there will be many more moments in life that will be special, coming in the years ahead. Our most important benchmark is the day of our salvation. Another special day is today. This is the reason ....Today is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Its Not Weird, Its a Beard

Hair is something that does not cooperate, especially on my body. Do you know how many hair care products are available in the good old USA? I ran a google search for hair care products and got 63 million possible sites. There are shampoos, conditioners, sprays, creams, gels, shines, oils, serums, mousses, foams, and the list goes on and on of just the different kinds of products. Each one comes in many, many, different kinds of flavors, smells and textures. The variety is endless.

Now I am a man of strange hair. By this I mean I do have hair, but just not where it is supposed to be. Very little up on top, but too much in the nose and ears. Also my eyebrows seem to grow with amazing speed. This seems to irritate my wife who wants to trim them, which seems to irritate me. Thus far no counseling has been needed, but there have been some ugly scenes. I usually provide the ugly. I can however grow a beard. Beards seem to come and go in my life, but usually appear when I go to Africa.

Two reasons I grow a beard to go to Africa are: The traveling and schedule make it a little difficult to shave regularly, and a beard can make you look older and wiser. I know I need all the help I can get to look wiser so, hence the beard. Now, I know the picture below is a little scary and if you need to use it to keep mice out of your storage room I am OK with that, but you might want to put a warning on the door so people entering will be ready for the shock. But I felt like I would share a good beard start picture with you as I get ready to head to Africa on Friday. I got sort of a late start on the beard as I had a wedding this past Friday and I was trying to be considerate of the pictures of the young couple. Now I am at the worst stage looking like I am on a three day drunk. About 10 days and I begin to look like I have a beard. But for the next few days I am looking pretty rough. However I will say, it is a good feeling to know that I still have a little control over some hair.

I hope you have a good hair day. Enjoy your locks while you have them, Hair today...gone tomorrow.

I hope this photo does not upset your stomach.

Advice? - Go to the Well

We all have opinions and today's question is who, what, or where should we look to get a different opinion when the one we have is not the one we like or want? What is an opinion? Is it just what you think? Or is an opinion more? Is there a difference between advice and an opinion? Several questions here lets see if we can make sense of them, and sort them out ..... At least in my opinion.

Looking up the words opinion and advice at dictionary.com I found that the word advice uses the word opinion as part of the definition. So the definition of advice is: an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc. Now the question we are posing today is should the advice be "offered" when it is not ask for? Or should we always wait until we are asked for our opinion? Well the answer varies with the person who is involved and the person who needs the advice now doesn't it?

How the person who is going to give advice has dealt with, (a.their own issues in the past), and (b. presently dealing with a subject), and (c. how they are living their lives in all other areas), makes all the difference in the world as to the value we would place upon whatever opinion they might present.  People do not ask those who homeless to give advice to Better Homes and Garden. The person seeking financial investment opportunity does not go the unemployment office to find someone who can tell him where to invest his money. You do not call the plumber to put a roof on your house, or to give you an opinon about your rose bushes. No, we will seek advice from someone who seems to know something about whatever we would ask them about. But will we carefully weigh out the advice given by people who may or may not know about some subject?

Too often people offer opinions and give advice to others who will listen. These willing listeners give an ear to those who know little or nothing about a subject, but yet they think they do and willingly spout information. "I have often heard someone say" is a phrase you may hear when people are giving advice. Do you listen to people with hearsay thought like this? Does the opinion of a stranger matter to you? Too often people do listen to others and go by what they say, with little regard to the why they might say what they did.Too often they will hear something on TV or on talk radio and think this is what I must do.

I have led you somewhere on purpose. I have taken you to the "well of advice" this morning to ask you a simple question. What advice are you drinking? Whose opinions are you listening too? When you need an aswer to life issues where are you going to get your advice? Possible places are 1. Your own knowlege and experiance. 2. The world's ideas which would include the opinion of many well intentioned friends and family who would always say they are looking out for your best interest. 3. The world of man's knowledge. Either by the internet, books, greatly educated individuals who are experts in a given subject.

Now the reality is we all go to this "well of advice" from time to time to get some help on life's issues. We go to the mechanic if the car is acting up, we go to the doctor if the body is out of whack, and we go to the cookbook if the need is there for some special meal. We know many places to go for advice. The well of advice is now made availible by way of "Angies List", "Wikipedia", "Web M.D.", and countless other web sites, and we have Google to help us find it quickly. Advice is always there. So we drink the advice we get from the well.

But lets consider something else.

3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to^c his own glory and excellence,^d 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,^e and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8For if these qualities^f are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-8 ESV

Here is a different thought. God has given us all we need in Our knowledge of Jesus Christ. This overarching and all encompassing thought should direct our lives. Jesus should be the focal point of all we say and think and do. The measure of sound advice should be looking at everything with a realization that God has purposes in all things we do and say. If we want advice Pray about that advice. If may be a simple prayer, like Lord please direct me to a good plumber if you need someone to unclog the drain, but it may be far more in depth than this if you are looking to get advice on finance, jobs, or life problems. Does a person's faith make a difference in their opinion? My opinion is that it does. When you are going to the "well of advice" look carefully around the well and even in the well. I would not drink from a well with trash in it. 

Jesus said to the woman at the well:

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14 NAS

At the onset of this article I wrote "who, what, or where should we look to get a different opinion when the one we have is not the one we like or want?" So the short answer for any of life's question is Look to Jesus.

The Bible is a big and difficult volume. It has cultural, historical, implications for its readers. It must be interpreted to understand an apply it. Once again you may need an opinion. Be careful where you get this too.  Knowing the right answers to life issues is critical to have a life of joy and peace. Be careful who you listen to is all I am saying. Look around the "Well of Advice" before you drink.

It is Sunday

Sundays have a feel to them. They are different than other days of the week. A different pace, and a different expectation. Sunday is a great day, and should be a day of rest. A day to take it easy. The Lord set up the pattern with 6 days and then on the seventh day He rested. Why did God rest? Was he tired? No God doesn't get tired but we do. God has set up a pattern for us because we need to time to pause and reflect and ultimately worship our Creator.

Sunday if you will noticed is not the "seventh day" on the calendar. That is reserved for Saturday. Sunday is the first day of the week. So do we as Baptist, and a whole lot of other people have it wrong about which day to worship? Do the Seventh Day Adventest have is right? No not really here is what the Scripture says:

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. Acts 20:7 NIV

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Cor 16:1 NIV

We know it was the first day of the week when Jesus arose from the dead. This is our life and song that Jesus is alive. So our time to celebrate, our time to worship is on the first day of the week. So Sunday is day of rest and worship. This is what makes it different. Sadly however, in our culture the rest seems to be the emphasis and th Worship seems to be ignored by up to 80% of the people.

I love Sunday. All that goes with it. The celebration of Jesus should be our primary concern. This morning, in Sunday School I will teach on pleasure. Enjoyment of life. Christians have reason to enjoy life more. All things as God gives them to us are to be enjoyed. Guilt is not from God. Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit to show us the right way but guilt comes from Satan. We are to enjoy life, all aspects of it. I think enjoying Sunday is a key, so this means we are to include a time of corporate Worship. Skipping corporate Worship of God sets a tone for the day and the week of emptyness. Daily worship should be an important part of our routines and corporate Worship on Sunday is a special treat. What if you miss due to sickness or another unavoidable reason? Well then you missed. What if you just choose to skip for something fun like a ball game or picnic or to travel?  Well .......GOD IS GOING TO GET YOU FOR THAT..... (not really), but that is the way we feel sometimes (guilt) and there are well meaning Christian people who would give you that sort of attitude.

The real problem comes when we continually avoid worship. Conntinually avoiding worship because of the uncomfortable feelings of being with others who are praising and worshiping God and if you are watching them and not participating this is not good. If this is happening in your life then Sunday is not one of your favorite days. You are uncomfortable if you are not in church, but you are uncomfortable if you are there. So you just kind of dread Sunday. I have been there. If you are seeking God, if you love Him, Sunday is a great day.

Celebrate Jesus today. Worship Him this morning. If there is something keeping you from a freedom of worship this morning it is you, not Him. Seek Him, as the forgiveness and love is there from Him. It is the first day of the week,  let us remember the empty grave. Let us sing to praise Him. Let us rejoice.