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.

praying with the man at midnight

Today, I had the joy of visiting Brian Chandler at the Union Gospel Mission in downtown Seattle. Brian is the New Creations Case Manager at 318 2nd Ave., Extension South. I was really impressed with the incredible work the Lord continues to do there.

Brian and I have set in place support of inmates who come from the Regional Justice Center in Kent. Part of the real story is the men we have prepared the way for have not followed through. They want to experience their freedom and often dig deeper holes for themselves.

New Creations is a residential recovery program for men located in the Men's Shelter in downtown Seattle. The program is designed to help men pursuing a path of recovery and growing in their faith, by working to heal the internal issues driving self-destructive choices.

New Creations is approximately nine months long, offering:
Quality one-on-one counseling from the New Creations ministry team A successful relapse-prevention curriculum
Daily responsibilities within the Mission to help men develop life-skills and successful work habits
Inclusive opportunites to grow in faith and in knowlege of the Bible
Special retreats and recreational activities
The Martin Career Education Center, a specialized mini-school, offering men the chance to improve their language and math skills and earn their GED or high school diploma.
Gradute programs to help men transition into independent living and into work, college, and/or local vocational training
A 12-month graduate intern program called CADRE gives New Creations graduates deeper Christian discipleship and the chance to work beside mission staff in key roles.
For more information about the Men's Shelter and its programs, please contact Mike at 206.622.5177. They may yet come, when they are ready. We need to pray...

how to pray
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
Luke 11:5-8

"See the man at midnight. Imitate that man. Act it all alone at midnight. Hear his loud cry, and cry it after him. He needed three loaves. What is your need? Name it. Name it out loud. Let your own ears hear it. . . . The shameful things you have to ask for. The disgraceful, the incredible things you have to admit and confess. The life you have lived. The way you have spent your days and nights. And what all that has brought you to. It kills you to have to say such things even with your door shut. Yes, but better say all these things in closets than have them all proclaimed from the housetops of the day of judgment.

Knock, man! Knock for the love of God! Knock as they knock to get into heaven after the door is shut! Knock, as they knock to get out of hell!"
Alexander Whyte, "The Man Who Knocked At Midnight," in "Lord, Teach Us To Pray, "
pages 174-176.

Sit still

The contented man holds still, likened to pouring a drink into a glass. “If we would be vessels to receive God’s mercy, and would have the Lord pour His mercy into us, we must have quiet, still hearts. We must not have hearts hurrying up and down in trouble, discontent and vexing, but still and quiet hearts, if we receive mercy from the Lord.”

Jeremiah Burroughs, "The rare jewel of Christian contentment"
Chapter 7, "The excellence of contentment," page 124

I was privileged to serve as the chaplain for the Bob Boscole memorial service at Tahoma just this past Monday for Robbi (Boscole) Baskin and her brothers Chris and Jeff. Here, Dan, Robbi and Dave's son, is playing with Chris during the reception at our church after the service. It was a short but extremely honoring service.

I attended an awesome missionary luncheon with Greg Von Tobel, Brent Hoiosen, John Ewell, and Derald Gall, this past Tuesday at the PFC office in Woodinville.

Greg shared about the Standing Stones clean and sober home ministry near Wapato where they just graduated a group and are looking forward to new men joining the work. It has been a very challenging year for Greg and Rhonda Von Tobel dealing with PFC issues. Greg continues to encourage me to participate in international mission trips with PFC.

Brent oversees the PFC Bible study correspondence courses that are distributed all over the country and even internationally and abouot how much he gained from the missions trips he has taken. He and his wife Carol are heading out in a couple of weeks.

Darold serves as a PFC chaplain at the juvenile institution at Maple Lane along with the staff chaplain Eric Pelz. He spoke about meeting the needs of teen-agers who are entering incarceration. I will be preaching in collaboration with a band from Olympia, "Just Five Old Men" on September 26 at Maple Lane.

John is exploring being a missionary with PFC and lives next door to Dick and Judy Rothlisberger in Maple Valley who have really encouraged him. He will be serving with a McNeil Island ministry team and perhaps at the Regional Justice Center in the near future.

I was greatly encouraged and challenged by each of the men. I am hoping to be able to go on at least one PFC international missions trip in 2010 and beyond that regularly as part of being a missionary with PFC. I was scheduled to return to Namibia (in Africa) in 2007 but I cancelled because the trip coincided with Peter's Kent Meridian High School graduation.

I was challenged at our fantastic August Faith Baptist Church missions conference to pursue cross cultural international short-term trips. Over the past several years, PFC has broadened focus to several countries in Africa, India, and Russia.

In the coming weeks I have scheduled:
Jerry Corelli concert, August 29
Family worship with John at Twin Rivers, September 6

Chaplaincy Advisory Group, RJC in Kent, September 14
Concert with Jim Dixon, Olympic CC at Forks, September 19
Concert and preaching with JFOM at Maple Lane, September 26

CAG appeciation dinner, Valley View Christian Church, September 28

Jerry Corelli

When I take PFC mission trips to eastern Washington and Oregon, I get the privilege of sharing the ministry time with awesome musicians who become precious co-workers and brothers in our service for the King of kings and Lord of lords. I have been so blessed!

The Lord Himself brought new musical friends to enrich my life in Jerry Corelli and his wife Liv. Jerry plans to come with our PFC trip in April of 2010.

I've learned it's great planning and just enriching to meet members of the team before the trip so Jerry, Liv, and I met Thursday at Borders in Tacoma.

We hope to take four or five members on these trips. We had a great time together. I am hoping to attend a worship concert at their church in Parkland on August 29.

Jerry informed me he has six musical CD's so I went online and listened to several on You-tube and was greatly encouraged. I am providing the sites for you as I expect the Lord will touch your heart with his music, as He touched me.

Below is a link to "The Rock". This version was on the "Seattle Praise the Lord show" www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjaXGlqrlak

"Kingdom of Grace"
www.imeem.com/people/Qs4YzVc/music/anZlVz4D/jerry-corelli-kingdom-of-grace/

"I can't believe I'm yours" It's a love song I wrote for my wife and is on my newest CD "Grandfather Moon"
www.imeem.com/people/Qs4YzVc/music/1LYEKM10/jerry-corelli-i-cant-believe-im-yours/

"Can you see through the sin"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9yifXDsjRI

dilluting or engaging in the gospel

This week at the Regional Justice Center has been productive and required faithful farm work, or seed planting and watering and then allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work.

I connected Jeff with Brian Chandler at the the Union Gospel Mission and after a couple of days he actually met with Brian. It's up to him to follow through, otherwise he lives with his freedom on the street as homeless.

He made great strides reconnecting with the Lord at the RJC but it's a challenge when the "fresh air hits his face." This is the obstacle of re-entry and transition.

My connection with Brian could be very helpful to any of the men who are willing to receive what the Union Gospel Mission one year program provides.

Jamie, my 16 year-old inmate, is struggling with many questions and a strong Muslim influence in his unit. I have given him a Bible study and a great book by Ray Pritchard, "An anchor for the soul."

Hans came to me really distressed and struggling with alcohol. Wow, he just grabbed ahold of the gospel and read through "Anchor" on his own. We are dealing with God's gracious healing over a breach in his relationship with his dad lasting years--the father wound and what he himself has done.

Joseph is waiting on the discovery process and his lawyer so he remains in D-unit at the RJC. You may recall his case was covered on TV and the newspapers and that he was convicted as guilty and faces 18 years in prison. However, more evidence has been uncovered and its unclear where that will all go.

I want to share these final paragraphs on the pivotal heart issue of keeping the message of coming to the Lord Jesus and repentance and proving our assurance with a life of bearing the cross He gives each of us.

Much needed wisdom from the pen of D.A. Carson

"At the moment, books are pouring off the presses telling us how to plan for success, how "vision" consists in clearly articulated "ministry goals," how the knowledge of detailed profiles of our communities constitutes the key to successful outreach.

I am not for a moment suggesting that there is nothing to be learned from such studies. But after a while one may perhaps be excused for marveling how many churches were planted by Paul and Whitefield and Wesley and Stanway and Judson without enjoying these advantages. Of course all of us need to understand the people to whom we minister, and all of us can benefit from small doses of such literature.

But massive doses sooner or later dilute the gospel. Ever so subtly, we start to think that success more critically depends on thoughtful sociological analysis than on the gospel; Barna becomes more important than the Bible. We depend on plans, programs, vision statements--but somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning.

Again, I insist, my position is not a thinly veiled plea for obscurantism, for seat-of-the-pants ministry that plans nothing. Rather, I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry. (p. 26, The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson, Baker Books)

hating sin

I am so very thankful our PFC giving was up to $1800 we received and this is a very, very special blessing. This weekend, I'll be going to visit John, my inmate friend, at Twin Rivers in Monroe and then attending our church missionary conference Friday night and Saturday morning and afternoon.

This week, the Lord used my reading in the Scriptures and events to show me the evil character of sin in my own life. There are layers of "garbage" all around us. As I was pondering the character of sin, I came upon this quote by Puritan Thomas Goodwin:

Hating sin

Work in your hearts a hatred of sin… If a man had killed your friend, or father, or mother, how you would hate him! You would not endure the sight of him, but follow the law upon him.

Send out the avenger of blood with a hue and cry after your sin; bring it before God’s judgment seat, arraign it, accuse it, spit on it, condemn it and yourself for it, take it to the cross, nail it there. If it cry “I thirst,” give it vinegar, stretch the body of sins upon his cross, stretch every vein of it, make the heart strings crack; and then when it hangs there, triumph over the dying of it, show it no pity; laugh at its destruction. Say, “You have been a bloody sin to me and my husband, hang there and rot.”

And when you are tempted to sin, and are very thirsty after the pleasure of it, say of that opportunity to enjoy it, “It is the price of Christ’s blood,” and pour it upon the ground. …

Shall I live upon that which was Christ’s death? Shall I please myself in that which was his pain? Shall I be so dishonest, so unkind, as to enjoy the pleasure for which he endured the smart?”

—Thomas Goodwin (1600—1679), Christ the Mediator in The Works of Thomas Goodwin (RHB), 5:294.

Brands plucked from the fire

I am continuing to meet with my 16 year-old inmate at the Regional Justice Center and I considered being sure I answer the first major question he asked me on Thursday. Who is God and who is Jesus? Is Jesus a prophet?

Later, I actually spoke to a 17 year-old young man, Roy. These young guys just tug at my heart He wanted to repent and come to Christ, right then. He is beginning his new journey. I suggested he read John 10, 14, and 15 and start a Bible study called a new beginning. Joseph Njonge remains in D unit and goes up and down. He hasn't slept for two days. I gave him a book, "Hinds feet in high places," and suggested he memorize Scripture. He chose the subject of petitions.

My contact, Jerry, is 16. He didn't finish ninth grade. I believe he could be a 3.5 or higher student with the significantly different support and influences. He is facing serious time and will be brought up on charges as an adult. I have a compassionate love for him.

Today, I brought in some short chapters on God and Jesus Christ from J. I. Packer's book, "I want to be a Christian," a sequel to his "Knowing God."
My inmate was tracking but we needed to move slowly so we covered God the Father as the Almighty Creator.

Then, we read together Zechariah 3:1-5.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments.

4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.

I ended with a clear description here of what I am rejoicing to learn as "The Great Exchange"--God taking away all our sins and placing them on Jesus, covering us with His saving righteousness, and washing us with His blood. The next time we meet, if possible, I hope we will read through part of short chapters on the Person of Jesus Christ. To be saved, he needs to come to Jesus, repent of his sins and receive the forgiveness of his sins forever. Will he be a "brand plucked from the fire?"

I left him with understanding he is a "brand." He can be plucked from the fire. I told him the question remains, who does he think Jesus is and how will he respond to the Creator Almighty God of the universe.

What is your response to Jesus?

I am continuing to read through the book of Colossians and a book by Sam Storms with 100 mediatations on that epistle called, "The hope of glory." My experience in the Word and the companion studies in this book are wonderful. I just started the section on Colossians, chapter 2, verses 1-3. Chapter 41 is titled, "Most fervent wrestle with the Lord," and is on struggling or agonizing in prayer. The word for struggle or agonize in the Greek is "to wrestle," from the word gymnasium.

Sam quotes David Brainerd from Monday, April 19, 1742, "God enabled me to agonize in prayer, that I was quite wet with sweat, though in the shade, and the wind cool." Here is the line that really touched me: "My soul was drawn out very much for the world; I grasped for multitudes of souls."

I began to gymnasium pray as I was in the Regional Justice Center and picked up a kite requesting I visit with Javez, a 16 year-old, being held in J unit. Yes, 16. That means he is being held for very serious or even heinous crimes. Normally, inmates at the adult facilities are 18 and older.

Going in to visit with him, he is fully aware of what he has done and that he could be facing more than 20 years. My first step was to read through the lyrics of two hip hop songs by Lecrae called, "I did it for you," and "Don't wanna waste my life," also by Dwayne Tryumph.

He got it. He is a very sharp young man, considering he's spent significant time in Maple Lane before coming to the RJC and didn't finish the ninth grade. He even explained some of the language to me. He reads very well and understands what he is reading. I complimented him. He said I did a great job of hip hop, with a smile.

He is being influenced heavily by a Muslim group in his unit who told him Jesus is a prophet and Allah is God. He immediately wanted to know if Jesus and God are the same. I told him, he can change his life even if he is in prison. (The picture of the inmate is NOT the one I am meeting with.)

The question is always what he will do with Jesus.

We also read through Spurgeon's testimony and a careful visual description of the Trinity and read together through Luke 12:13-21 and 15:15-22, John 14:6, 1:12-13, 3:16-21, 36; 5:24, and 6:35-40. Who is Jesus? What did he say we must do in response to Him? I left him with what he will do with Jesus, right now, and a page with a prayer and verses to consider. I will follow-up, as the Lord leads. I suggested he read John 10, 14, and 15 and left him with a paperback NIV Study Bible that happened to be in the room.

This IS the gymnasium for the multitude of souls, one-by-one, I was praying for after reading Brainerd's quote, this morning. We are messengers of His salvation. The Holy Spirit does the convicting to bring someone to come to Christ and repent of their sins. God does the saving. He is mighty to save!

Yakima hot box

Jim Dixon, Wayne Orendorff, and I traveled to the Yakima County Jail for our Prisoners for Christ concert. It was 97 degrees outside and much hotter than that in the covered yard where we presented for 80 men and women from their Biblical Instruction Units.

I preached on "training for maturity" from Titus 2:12. I answered the question I presented to the men and women for right now, where we are--What does maturity as a Christian look like? The revealed truth trains us with details. We renounce and walk away from old ways. We turn and live to please God amidst the circumstances we are in.

"training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age"

We got there early so we'd be settled and had brunch at Mel's Diner, adjacent to the YCJ.

I will be at the Regional Justice Center in Kent during this coming week and then will go to Olympic Corrections Center in Forks with Jim Dixon on Saturday, August 1, as one of our monthly trips.

Previously, I wrote about attending court to support Joseph, at the RJC. The case has been in the news. Recently found "guilty" and sentenced to 18 years, Joseph consistently maintains his innocence. More evidence is "in discovery" so he remains in Kent. His lawyer filed an appeal. These things take years to unfold, often. I meet with Joseph a couple of times a week to encourage him and walk alongside him.

Clinging to Him

This year, I am using the Robert Murray McCheyne Bible reading plan along with D. A. Carson's book, "For the love of God," devotions connected to the McCheyne readings.

I am in the opening chapters of Jeremiah dealing with God's reasons for sending Israel and Judah into exile. Amidst these chapters are incredible stimulation to stand firm in the Lord.

Jeremiah 13:11 says, "For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen."

In God's incredible love and mercy, He makes His people cling to Him. We cling to Him that we might be for Him a people, name, praise, and glory for Him. So, God's purpose for my life is to rejoice in clinging to Him. My daily response is to listen to Him, or obey His commands and leadings of the Holy Spirit. Friday, I heard a great line from Randy Alcorn--never postpone obedience. Listening to the Lord requires prompt obedience.

This Sunday, I will join Wayne and Jim in a concert at the Yakima County Jail. We'll be in a covered outdoor facility that could be really hot. Once before, it was sweltering and yet the Lord blessed richly. The men and women have been remarkably encouraging to us.

I'd love to hear about the blessings you are receiving in your Bible readings.

positive responses to the gospel

I am serving this week at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center and enjoying numerous outstanding contacts with the men.

Andrew was just transferred to work release but will be released this weekend. I am praying for his transition back to his wife and son. He is such a blessing to me as he constantly invited other men into Bible studies in the units where he was serving. He has a gift of inviting. He needs a solid men's group where he can exercise his gifting and be held accountable and encouraged.

Andrew and others like him will need to find a solid church, get established in a job, and stick to the expectations of the community corrections officer. Any alcohol will cause serious trouble.

Another contact is Jon, just 19, who should be released this weekend. He was brought back to the RJC for a first violation and will have spent 17 days at the RJC. We had an awesome visit on Wednesday about where he is really at with the Lord. He lives with his Mom who is struggling spiritually and in other ways. The only Bible he has is the one he will take with him from the RJC.

Charles Spurgeon, with his wonderful God-given combination of confidence in God and tender compassion for his sheep, put it like this:

I am occupied in my small way, as Mr. Great-heart was employed in Bunyan’s day. I do not compare myself with that champion, but I am in the same line of business.

I am engaged in personally-conducted tours to Heaven; and I have with me, at the present time, dear Old Father Honest: I am glad he is still alive and active. And there is Christiana, and there are her children.

It is my business, as best I can, to kill dragons, and cut off giants’ heads, and lead on the timid and trembling. I am often afraid of losing some of the weaklings. I have the heart-ache for them; but, by God’s grace, and your kind and generous help in looking after one another, I hope we shall all travel safely to the river’s edge.

Oh, how many have I had to part with there! I have stood on the brink, and I have heard them singing in the midst of the stream, and I have almost seen the shining ones lead them up the hill, and through the gates, into the Celestial City.

(from Spurgeon's Autobiography, II, 131)

Joining with His Gospel Singers at OCC

Jim Dixon and I joined "His Gospel Singers" at the Olympic Corrections Center outside Forks for a Prisoners for Christ concert Saturday night.

We leave about 12:30 pm and get home about midnight for me and 12:45 for Jim. We go through Tacoma, Olympia, Aberdeen and Hoquiam, and north up Highway 101. We take our time going and make a direct trip home. Its a 4 1/2 hour trip each way, with stops and meals.

Jim and I agreed to host these OCC PFC concerts in Forks together the first Saturday of each month. On some occasions, we will do the concert and preaching ourselves while other times we will host the other excellent groups that come. So, we return to OCC the first Saturday in August.

The highlight of the ministry at OCC is how the men, this time 15, respond to the worship songs as they actively join in with us. We just about always feel the distinct moving of the Holy Spirit so He has ministered to us.

Jim had one man approach him after the service for prayer to conquer lust. It was awesome contact and what happens as we continue to return to Forks months to establish trusting relationships.

I got to encourage and pray for Sean who has 44 days before his release. I am learning how critical this transition season from last weeks in prison to days before and after release to the first three and six months...So, what happens in this season prepares the man for successful life, led and empowered in the Spirit.

I preached from Romans 8:31-39 on the theme, "Nothing and nobody--not even me--can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus."

Jim followed with "His great love," another one of his awesome songs. His Gospel Singers sang and played with us, as we did with them. It was rich fellowship. We closed the service with "Amazing Grace" and a circle of prayer.

danger of altar calls

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Altar Call



We are to preach the Word, and if we do it properly, there will be a call to a decision that comes in the message, and then we leave it to the Spirit to act upon people.

Early in the 1970s Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones was the speaker at a ministers' conference in the USA and at a question session was asked the following question:

Q During recent years, especially in England, among evangelicals of the Reformed faith, there has been a rising criticism of the invitation system as used by Billy Graham and others. Does Scripture justify the use of such public invitations or not?

A. Well, it is difficult to answer this in a brief compass without being misunderstood. Let me answer it like this: The history of this invitation system is one with which you people ought to be more familiar than anyone else, because it began in America. It began in the 1820s; the real originator of it was Charles G. Finney. It led to a great controversy. Asahel Nettleton, a great Calvinist and successful evangelist, never issued an "altar call" nor asked people to come to the "anxious seat." These new methods in the 182Os and were condemned for many reasons by all who took the Reformed position.

One reason is that there is no evidence that this was done in New Testament times, because then they trusted to the power of the Spirit. Peter preaching on the Day of Pentecost under the power of the Spirit, for instance, had no need to call people forward in decision because, as you remember, the people were so moved and affected by the power of the Word and Spirit that they actually interrupted the preacher, crying out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" That has been the traditional Reformed attitude towards this particular matter. The moment you begin to introduce this other element, you are bringing a psychological element. The invitation should be in the message. We believe the Spirit applies the message, so we trust in the power of the Spirit. I personally agree with what has been said in the question. I have never called people forward at the end for this reason; there is a grave danger of people coming forward before they are ready to come forward. We do believe in the work of the Spirit, that He convicts and converts, and He will do His work. There is a danger in bringing people to a "birth," as it were, before they are ready for it.

The Puritans in particular were afraid of what they would call "a temporary faith" or "a false profession." There was a great Puritan, Thomas Shepard, who published a famous series of sermons on The Ten Virgins. The great point of that book was to deal with this problem of a false profession. The foolish virgins thought they were all right. This is a very great danger.

I can sum it up by putting it like this: I feel that this pressure which is put upon people to come forward in decision ultimately is due to a lack of faith in the work and operation of the Holy Spirit. We are to preach the Word, and if we do it properly, there will be a call to a decision that comes in the message, and then we leave it to the Spirit to act upon people. And of course He does. Some may come immediately at the close of the service to see the minister.

I think there should always be an indication that the minister will be glad to see anybody who wants to put questions to him or wants further help. But that is a very different thing from putting pressure upon people to come forward.

I feel it is wrong to put pressure directly on the will. The order in Scripture seems to be this - the truth is presented to the mind, which moves the heart, and that in turn moves the will.

block party and the Great Exchange

So, we conclude our Mega Sports Camp with a block party starting at 6 tonight, July 17. We'll have a car show, inflatable games, food, and fellowship. We pray members of our surrounding neighborhood join us, as well.

On Thursday night, we had 343 kids join us, up 14 from Wednesday. We shared the gospel with our small groups. I used the Sons of Thunder bridge video in PA's office and then shared about the Great Exchange using 1 John 5:11-12 focusing on God's very personal love for us. It was hot and the kids did an amazing job of paying attention. We had 7 of our 18 kids make first-time commitments to Christ and then we prayed in small groups with them to close.

The RJC ministry has been very fruitful, this week. So far, I've met with 20 men. I used our rich Romans 8:31-39 passage and meditated on being "more than a conqueror through Him who loved us."

On Saturday, July 18, Jim Dixon and I head back to Forks and the Olympic Corrections Center simply to host a concert. We agreed now to continue leading worship services there the first Saturdays of each month. We'll sing and preach the Word and host other groups that come some of the months.

On Sunday, July 26, Jim, Wayne Orendorff and I will do a concert at the Yakima County Jail Biblical Instruction Units for men and women.


"The Great Exchange"

First: "He knew no sin." This could be said of none of us, but it can be said of Christ. He perfectly obeyed, and knew no sin in word, thought, or deed. 1 Peter 1:22 says he committed no sin, to which Paul and John agree. The greatest testimony, though, is from Jesus' lips. In John 8, Jesus confronts self-righteous Jews and tells them that they are of their father, the Devil. And in that hostile environment, He dares to ask, "Which of you convicts me of sin?" (John 8:46). None could bring a charge that would stick.

Second: "He was made to be sin." See Isaiah 53, another favorite passage — it is the Gospel in the OT. It clearly depicts penal substitution: Christ bore our sin in His own body. 1 Corinthians 15:1ff says Jesus' death for our sins is of the essence of the Gospel.

Jesus asked if the cup could pass from Him. What was in the cup? Such passages as Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17, 22; and Revelation 14 indicate that it was the cup of the wrath of God. He was going to bear our sins. He'd long known it, and now it loomed. And drink it He did.

The word for that is propitiation, a beautiful and wonderful word. Every first-grader should know it, Bridges insisted. It means to appease. But Jesus did not appease God's anger, He bore it; He exhausted it. It was poured out in full strength on Him.

Third: "so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." As Jesus was not made a sinner in His character and conduct, so neither are we made righteous in character and conduct. That is not Paul's meaning. The exchange is the same. Our sin is transferred and credited to Christ, His righteousness is transferred and credited to us. That is the Great Exchange.


"Justified" is not "Just as if I'd never sinned." That is a great truth. But the reality is better: "Just as if I'd always obeyed." God has credited the very righteousness of Jesus Christ to every believer.

walking across bridges with unlikely heroes

Wow, this is our last night, well, before the block party for our 2009 Mega Sports Camp.

For Thursday:
Theme: Unlikely heroes use extraordinary power for God's special victories.
Biblical focus: the resurrection, Matthew 27:45-28:10
feeding 5,000, Mark 6:30-44
Captain presentation: share the gospel in small groups
Monday: 291
Tuesday: 329
Wednesday: 339
Thursday: likely quite a few more

Here are some awesome supports for presenting the gospel to our groups:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IaMGrPhRnk

http://www.navigators.org/us/resources/illustrations/resources/bridge.pdf

Some might not be sure what to do. A solid gospel presentation using the Romans 8 passage was supplied to us on an orange packet at one of our team meetings. Angie did an awesome job of sharing about this with us. Its got to be real. It's all about the relationships we have with our athletes.

absolutely nothing will separate us

Five questions are asked and answered from verses 31 through the end of the chapter.

--Who can be against us? "God is for us"
--He gave us His Son; "how shall He not with Him freely give us all things?"
--Who will bring a charge against us? "It is God who justifies"
--Who is the one who condemns? "It is Christ who died, rose, intercedes"
--Who will separate us from the love of Christ? "Nobody, nothing."