Today, if you hear His voice.....

Could this be heaven — orange homes in Hong Kong?

We had a rich time of fellowship at our three and half day Asia Leader Summit in Taichung, Taiwan

One of the highlights for me was on the second full day we went out prayer walking around the community where the new Great Commission Church plant will take place.  We had the privilege of sharing the Gospel with this delightful restaurant owner in this neighborhood.  I had some Taiwanese believers with me who are going to go back and follow through with her.  Below is a picture of the Taiwanese restaurant owner (she is in the middle).

After Taiwan we traveled to Hong Kong, China - a number of places, and then Hong Kong again.  In each place we met some wonderful followers of Christ.  We talked through opportunities for short term missions to long term missions, discipleship and leader development.  I had the privilege of sharing at a Calvary Chapel Church in Hong Kong. I also had the privilege of sharing the Word many times in small groups and various gatherings. 

During this trip I was collecting memories of how God has led me and guided me into the calling He has on my life.  On the plane home, I began to write down all the ways the Lord has guided me.  I asked the Lord to remind me of His ways and the promises He has impressed on me for His calling.  I got home last night (love the snow) and the Lord spoke to me and reminded me of this calling as I was reading from the Ransom Heart monthly letter.  John Eldredge referred to Acts 15:32 in his letter.  I put the letter down and thanked the Lord for hearing my request for the Lord had impressed on my heart many years ago this very verse as a calling on my life.  

Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your heart.  Psalm 95:7-8

from the land of Hong Kong

We landed last night in Hong Kong.  As we boarded the plane in San Francisco, I talked to a Chinese man who looked like a college student. So I asked him if he was and guess where he goes to college -- Case Western Reserve ... and where is that?  In Cleveland, of course!  He is from China but goes to graduate school at Case (I know where this is) and he told me he likes Cleveland a lot!

We are on our way to Taiwan today to start our Asia Leader Summit which is made up of leaders from 5 countries.  Please remember us in prayer.

Galatians 2:20 -- is a verse Tim G, Ching Yu and I were talking about this morning.  Galatians 2:20 is the Christian life all neatly wrapped up in one verse.  What an amazing truth all the way through this verse, especially the part that says, "who loved me and gave Himself up from me!

in the grip of His grace,

doug

embark

I am about to embark on my Asia trip to Taiwan and to a creative access country.  The time I had away in Bennett Springs was restful as I enjoyed just being with the Lord.  The theme of my four days at Bennett was inspired by Isaiah 30:15 — in returning to Me and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.

One of the mornings as I was reading, the author referred to this verse.  I was encouraged. Then Stephanie, one of my daughters, responded to a text of mine with the very same verse.  I called her and asked her why she chose that verse.  She said, it just came to her.  I was so stirred.  The Lord was speaking to me — for me to just be in fellowship with Him, to enjoy Him and His handiwork all around me ... and to trust Him!

God is personal and wants to be personal with each one of us.  Oh, I pray that I travel and serve WITH Him while I am in Asia!

shalom,

doug

The place of Shalom

I have spent a few restful days at Bennett Springs.  I made it for the last two days of the season for catch and release.  The place is tranquil and undisturbed and I am staying in a place really close to the river.  There are some nice trails in the woods and a few signs of critters.   I am renaming Bennett Springs to The Place of Shalom. Shalom of course is the Hebrew word for peace but it goes much deeper than our understanding of peace.  It carries with it the idea of God's presence in the garden of Eden before the Fall when God walked with man in the cool of day.

I also am enjoying reading through the book of Joshua and the Gospel of Mark and Jesus' prayer in John 17.  Astonishing:  Jesus prays and says the Father loves you and me AS MUCH as He loves Jesus! - John 17:23 NLT

Joshua is cool because the Lord is guiding Joshua and the Israelites into take the Land to take possession of that which the Lord promised.  There is a carry over for us today — We have entered the "Land of Salvation" and now we are to take possession of our inheritance found in the New Covenant (read Ephesians 1-3).

The Gospel of Mark is a fast read but it is worth slowing down and reflecting on the many episodes that Mark sews together into a holy tapestry of Jesus' life.  Mark uses a literary technique called "inclusio" to set some themes apart.  Inclusio is like using bookends:  Here is one for example — The healing of a blind man in Mark 8:22-25 is one bookend.  Mark 10:46- 52 is the other bookend in the healing of a blind man.  In between are twelve episodes of the realities of life in the life of Christ that we need to "see" with new eyes.

This is my prayer:   I want to see Jesus for who He truly is and I want to see life and this world the way Jesus sees it.

I have attached some pics:

On my way to spend some time with Matt @ MSU.

in the grip of His grace,

doug

fresh oil

Today - Feb 1st is the official start date of my sabbatical. I will soon take off for the Bennett Springs area for a few days to be alone in a cabin- resting, reading, praying and writing; in the woods - walking and praying; in the river - fishing

I wrote this below awhile back but it was in the Faithwalker Journal this past Tuesday. I was in Chicago at our NLC meeting (Great Commission's National Leader Council which meets twice a year) and our GC Director, John Hopler, read this as the morning devotional to all of us. The Lord spoke to me that as I focus my life around Asia Mission, I first must be with Him and have His fresh anointing.

May the Lord bless you with the "fresh oil" of the Holy Spirit found in Jesus.

love, doug


From the Faithwalker Journal
I have been anointed with fresh oil. Psalm 92:10

To be anointed with oil is symbolic of being set apart to God to fulfill the ministry He has called you to, whether it is a janitor or a judge. The oil covers the head, the heart, the hands, the gender, and the feet-so that all of me is presented to the Lord and to His work.

We need to be anointed with fresh oil, since we cannot live today on yesterday's anointing. Just as a sailor cannot live on yesterday's wind, even so, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit continually and freshly anointed. Ephesians 5:18 commands us to "be filled with the Spirit."

Just as God provided manna for each day, even so, we must be nourished on the Word of God daily: "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).

Just as Jesus spent time with the Father, even so, we must hear His voice: "In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there" (Mark 1:35).

Lord, I come. I come to you in need of a fresh anointing through prayer and by the Spirit and through the Word. I come to you for a fresh anointing: first, to enjoy you and, from there, to serve you with all of my heart and my head, with my hands and feet, that the beauty of Your holiness may be seen in me and through me. In Jesus' name, Amen.