Rare jewel of contentment

“Since God is contented with Himself alone, if you have Him, you may be contented with Him alone, and it may be, that is the reason why your outward comforts are taken from you, that God may be all in all to you. It may be that while you had these things they shared with God in your affection, a great part of the stream of your affection ran that way: God would have the full stream run to Him now.”

During the last two months, I have just been absorbed in this book entitled, "The rare jewel of Christian contentment," by Jeremiah Burroughs, 1599-1646, reading several sections multiple times as the Lord ministers to my spirit.

I purchased two copies, sending one to John, an inmate brother at Twin Rivers in Monroe, and one for me. John tells me he really enjoys it but it sure appears the Lord meant the book more for my heart and ears. It is a small book of 228 pages and I'm disappointed to be on page 200 and in chapter 11 of 13. Our most cherished books are read multiple times, often in God's good timing.

I was doing my rounds at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center right after lunch on Friday and felt the Lord's leading to bring this book along and even focus somehow on a section quoted below on God's gracious work to humble our spirits and break our hearts.

I came into Edward Unit and called upon Luis who requested I also join with Francisco and Almondo. They were discussing dealing with their own cold and hard hearts. I had us read Numbers 16, first. I have read the below section by Jeremiah Burroughs in the rare jewel book maybe five times. Together, we were amazed and gave the Lord praise as I told them about reading this section and bringing the book with me.

So, on pages 181 and 182, Burroughs writes, "Now I am discontented and murmuring because I am afflicted; but that is why you are afflicted, because God would humble you. The great design God has in afflicting you is to break and humble your heart; and will you maintain a spirit quite opposite to the work of God?

"For you to murmur and be discontented is to resist the work of God. God is doing you good if you could see it, and if He is pleased to sanctify your affliction to break that hard heart of yours, and humble that proud spirit of yours, it would be the greatest mercy you ever had in all your life. Now, will you still stand out against God?

"It is just as if you were to say, 'well, the Lord is about to break me and humble me, but He shall not.'

"This is the language of your murmuring and your discontentedness, though you dare not say so.
But though you do not say so in words, it is certainly the language of the temper of your spirit. Oh, consider what an aggravation this is: I am discontented when God is about to work such a work upon me as is for my good, yet I stand out against Him and resist Him."

WCA at Standing Stones

I attended the Washington Chaplain's Association meeting held at Standing Stones Orchards in Wapato on Tuesday, September 15. Greg Von Tobel and Bob Jordan presented the clean and sober transformation ministry held there at Standing Stones.

Here, Greg and Bob are sharing together during a break during the meeting. Bob Jordan and I collaborated on the notes for this meeting as Bob is the WCA secretary. I rode over with Bob and we had an awesome time sharing together.

The WCA is a great chance to network with the Department of Corrections prison chaplains across the state. When I go on our PFC eastern Washington and Oregon trips (EWOMT) several times a year, I am well-acquainted with the chaplains.

One of our participants in this program is Noey, who is here sharing his heart with the WCA group. Noey has completed the first 10 month phase of the program and is being invited to continue with the next leadership segment.

Our next missions trip is the first weekend in November with a band from Olympia called "Just Five Old Men." We'll be going to Walla Walla for two services, perhaps two services at Two Rivers in Umatilla, and Pendleton Corrections Center in Oregon, and finishing with several sites in Yakima, as it now stands.

This past Saturday, I joined Jim and Linda Dixon at the Olympic Corrections Center outside of Forks for a concert with a remarkable group of young Ukrainian men and women. Jim sang several of his fantastic songs and played the piano as we sang "Amazing Grace," and "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" with the Ukrainian choir. It was a rich blessing.

In late August, our church holds a potluck and baptism out at Lake Retreat with four of our young adults being baptized by Pastor Aaron. Here, PA is praying for each of the young people as they prepare for the service and a number of our congregation enjoys fellowship and the potluck.

Scheduled activities over the next several weeks:
Ongoing ministry at the RJC in Kent.
This week meet with Jerry Corelli and Jim Dixon for future PFC concerts.
September
26 Preaching two services with"Just Five Old Men" at Maple Lane.
28 RJC volunteer appreciation dinner at Valley View Christian Church.

October
3 Concert with Jim and Linda Dixon at OCC in Forks.
4 Family worship with John Coleman at Twin Rivers in Monroe.
5 Chaplaincy Advisory Group, RJC, Kent.
17 Teaching missionary class at PFC University in Bothell.
23 and 24 Converge NW meetings in Beaverton, OR.

November
6-8 EWOMT with "Just Five Old Men"

family worship at TRU

On Sunday afternoon, I visited my inmate friend John at Twin Rivers in Monroe during the monthly family worship service. John and I established a relationship while he was at the RJC.

We've maintained contact through letters and visits. I visit John up at TRU about twice a month and plan to attend the next family worship service in October.

The family service today ran from 1:30 to 3:00 led by John Burkholder, the prison ministries pastor from the Cascade Community Church in Monroe. Cascade is a Converge NW church, along with Faith Baptist Church in Kent. John oversees a solid ministry team at the Monroe Corrections Center and sits on the Converge NW board. I am hoping to meet with John for mutual encouragement in the coming days.

John shared a message from Jonah and was supported by the tremendous worship music ministry of Dave Irish from Bellevue. Dave led us in worship and some of his own music and then shared with many of the families and inmates who participated in the service.




Upcoming prison ministry activities:
Monday-Friday: ongoing ministry at the RJC.

Wednesday afternoon: meeting with Jerry Corelli and Jim Dixon, two musicians who go on eastern Washington and Oregon missions trips.

Wednesday night: Small group study in D unit at the RJC.

Thursday afternoon: meeting with Mary Ann Morbley at the RJC to continue planning our Chaplaincy Advisory Group appreciation dinner on September 28. I am the president of the RJC CAG group.

Next Monday and Tuesday: Washington Chaplains Association meeting at the Standing Stones Orchards PFC clean and sober ministry in Wapato with Bob Jordan, PFC board member and WCA secretary. There are two WCA meetings each year.

Converge NW

I met with Steve Welling, from Converge Northwest, at his Port of Tacoma office on Thursday afternoon to explore partnering between PFC, Converge, and me.

Converge NW is the new name for the Baptist General Conference, or Columbia Conference here in Washington. Our home church, Faith Baptist in Kent is affiliated with Converge NW.

Converge purposefully focuses on missions in the Northwest and to develop leadership to serve in the Kingdom of God as well as strengthen healthy churches. Steve invited me to attend the Converge Northwest meeting October 23 and 24 in Beaverton, Oregon.

In PFC news, I'll be attending a family worship service on Sunday with John, a faithful inmate brother, at Twin Rivers in Monroe and meeting John Burkhalter. John partners with Converge as a prison chaplain in Monroe.

On Monday night and Tuesday, I am heading over to Wapato in eastern Washington at PFC's Standing Stones Stones Orchards NW transitional clean and sober living ministry site with Bob Jordan from PFC for the twice yearly Washington Chaplains Association meeting.

Bob is an awesome co-worker who is on the PFC board, facilitates eastern Washington and Oregon tours like me, goes on international missions trips, and publishes a monthly teaching newsletter. Bob is the secretary for the WCA and I'll be receiving training to support him with this WCA work.

Bob and I will also be discussing my teaching role at the PFC University later this fall and the ongoing mission of PFC.

Thanks be to God for His victory!

1 Corinthians 15

55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

O death, where is your victory?

“We cannot but hate death,
even when we have ceased to fear it,
and know that for us its sting has been extracted.
We hate it,
and thrust it from us;
loathing its advances,
and waging daily war with it—
seeking by every appliance of skill to overcome it and ward off its stroke.

We hate it because of its
shadow,
and its coldness,
and its silence.
We hate it as the great robber
of our loves and joys,
who gives nothing but takes everything.
It cuts so many ties;
it rends so many hearts;
it silences so many voices;
it thins so many firesides;
it comes with its dark veil,
its screen of ice,
between friend and friend,
between soul and soul,
between parent and child,
between husband and wife,
between sister and brother.

Of human sympathies it has none;
it concerns not itself about our joys or sorrows;
it spares no dear one,
and restores no lost one;
it is pitiless and dumb;
it is as powerful as it is inexorable,
striking down the weak,
and wrestling with the strong
till they succumb and fall. …

Its history is one of evil,
not of good;
of wrong,
and sadness,
and terror;
of breaking down,
not of building up;
of scattering,
not of gathering;
of darkness,
not of light;
of disease,
and pain,
and tossings to and fro,
not of health and brightness. …

Death has been the sword of law for ages;
but when it has done its work on earth,
God takes this sword,
red with the blood of millions,
snaps it in pieces before the universe,
and casts its fragments into the flame. …

We preach Jesus and the resurrection;
Jesus the resurrection and the life;
Jesus our life.
We bring glad tidings concerning this risen One,
and that finished work of which resurrection is the seal;
glad tidings concerning God’s free love in connection with this risen One.
The knowledge of this risen One is
forgiveness,
and life,
and glory.

Oh then, what is there in our dying world like this to impart consolation and gladness?
We shall not die,
but live.
Eternity is a life,
and not a death;
a life with Christ,
and a life in Christ.
For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne
shall lead us to the living fountains of waters,
and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes.”

—Horatius Bonar, Light and Truth: Bible Thoughts and Themes (Dust & Ashes, 2002), 5:229—236.