Preach the Gospel though the world considers it foolishness

Ivanna and I are reading through the bible together and we are just starting 1 Corinthians.

As I prayed and talked to students today dreaming of starting something new and reaching more students at CU of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds I was both encouraged and discouraged.

And I longed to hear from God in the midst of it. Then I looked back at what we had read this morning in 1 Corinthians 1.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Preaching at CU often seems like foolishness but I have to remember to many it is foolishness but to those who will believe it is the power of God. And some will believe at CU. The gospel needs to be preached there at a place where freedom, pleasure, success, tolerance, moral relativism and general spiritualism (basically believe and do whatever you want) dominates. God help me to believe the harvest is plentiful. God teach me to preach the gospel and invite people to respond again and again with hope and not discouragement. God please confirm your gospel with a demonstration of your Spirit's Power. 

God I long for students at CU to come to follow Jesus the way the truth and the life to you. I long for more Asian American students, a new thing with latino students, an exponential growth with international students, a transformation of the gospel reaching South Asian students, native students and black students. God send me and others to them especially the ones who aren't being reached who are alone and ignored at CU. Help me find them, help me love them, raise up leaders amongst them to reach even more than I could ever reach. Please Lord show me where to start. Latino, International, Greek, a renewed emphasis on intentionally reaching Asian American students? 

God I feel weak and small and inadequate. But you seem to choose the lowly things of the world the people who feel small. So if you want use me, if not don't use me. 

1 Corinthians 1

6 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]

Lord may your kingdom come at CU! As it is in Heaven. And regardless of my role let me boast in you alone Lord!

Amen

Gods provision for his work

Exodus records this beautiful picture of his people joyfully providing for the work of the building of the tabernacle financially and in people with skills to do the work. This is the picture of partnership and joyful giving from each as they are willing and gifted in different ways. Each gives different amounts of different resources they have and some give money and others give time and their skills and gifting a for the work.

This was the invitation God gave through Moses to the people:

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; (Exodus 35:4-11 NIV)

Then the people responded joyfully!

Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do. Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, (Exodus 35:20-30 NIV)

And what happens is beautiful the work and the abundance for the work from the people giving freely and joyfully!

They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. (Exodus 36:3-7 NIV)

Wow God really provided through is people. And not just enough but more than enough. So that Moses even had to command the people to stop giving!

Lord God I pray for faith that this is the picture that could be of joyful partnership and abundant provision in your work. Each had their own role but all are important and part of this great work for God!

Let it be so in my ministry in your time God!

Amen

Leaders Meeting! Important, hard, challenging, rewarding . . .

Here is a picture of last Friday’s leaders meeting. 10 student leaders and staff come together once per week for 2 hours to be trained in Christian leadership and together as a team to set the direction for the whole fellowship!

This is one of the most important meetings we lead as staff. Student leaders are usually the students with the most ownership and action in seeking God and living in God’s mission to the campus. Yet it is also one of the most difficult to figure out how to lead this group in ways that help equip and mobilize students who are volunteers.

Please pray for my staff team to have wisdom in how to lead this meeting weekly in a way that is powerful and helpful to the student leaders in leading your movement at CU Boulder! Pray for leaders to choose in and engage and get all that they can from training and being united with this team of other leaders!

My new perspective on Elijah and the widow 1 kings 17: God does provide today like that!

Earlier I wrote on this same scripture from 1 kings 17 and Elijah and the widom, but now I have new perspective from my own experience.

The way God works and provides does not always make sense. I know I often think of myself and especially other missionaries who have a clear calling and vision to advance the kingdom. But then I see them struggle and I have struggled to get enough funding. In InterVarsity campuses and ministries have been affected by staff with insufficient funding.

So when we experience this what do we believe about God, God's goodness, and God's plans?

Sometimes we get angry or discouraged. But I believe we are called to persevere and continue trusting. Elijah the prophet went through exactly what we go through in finding provision for his ministry:         in 1 Kings 17 where Elijah begins his ministry by prophesying in the face of a corrupt king of Israel. Then Elijah's word begins a drought and Elijah has no food or home except a brook and food brought to him by ravens in the wilderness. But then God makes the brook run dry and stops providing food through the ravens. So Elijah is without food and water and seemingly without hope in the wilderness.

What if the story ended there? Elijah and the widow and her son would have died. 

I felt like I was at that point last Wednesday. I felt like I was going crazy and going to have a breakdown because of life and fundraising. Even if I got funded I felt like I was not mature enough, godly enough or wise enough to pastor a group of college students. 

But Elijah's story and the widows did not end there. That was only the beginning! So too with my life and ministry God had more and has more plans:

Somehow God picked me up and I just kept doing my best to be faithful to what I knew God had called me to do: to keep asking people to partner in this ministry, especially now with people I knew less. This reminds me of how Elijah asked boldly a widow who was not a believer. who was ready to die if she would share the last food she had. God also blessed me with a taste of giving and sharing my contacts this summer as I partnered with Max another missionary from my home church. God also has blessed me to partner with other missionaries from my own income. That same day I had a little breakdown I was able to host a married couple on staff with InterVarsity Justin and Samantha and welcome them into my men's small group to ask for partnership. It was hard and scary at first. 

But I have tasted and seen the Lord's provision abundantly! For the Lord provided for Elijah when he asked twice and risked it. But the Lord also provided for the widow and son who weren't believers when they gave:

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

In the 5 days after that Wednesday of breakdown God provided 16% of my annual budget! And he provided through people I hardly knew and almost didn't even ask. All Praise be to God! For the Lord is good and he provides abundantly. But not always in the timing or way we expect. Lord give me and others encouragement from my story that we might continue to be faithful in fundraising! And always remind us you are the provider and all glory goes to you! All glory be to our God who reigns from on high and yet is close and near to our troubled world and hearts.

Amen

God's abundant provision: Do I believe in it?

1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing 5 and said to Moses, 

“The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Exodus 36

Wow, God's work here in the building of the Tabernacle is a joyful process for Israel. The people all give generously until there is more than enough. Moses literally has to tell the people to stop giving. Praise God for this amazing partnership of giving for God's work and blessing the people with joyful and generous hearts. 

hold on a minute when is the last time at a fundraiser or church we heard that there was more than enough money? Perhaps not often. But usually we get enough to get by or in other words just enough to get by. The problem is that I get in the wrong mindset both that it is only people providing and that it has little to do with God. Maybe strong believers give generously so God is working indirectly.

Do we really believe God is the one providing when we are the ones working and giving?

Can we in faith and truth pray with Solomon:

"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 

But do we really believe God will provide abundantly?

AS God provided for Israel and Moses work in exodus through the people and as God provided through the king of Persia for the work of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls when Nehemiah asked. Do we believe God can also provide for us and the work he has called us to? Can God provide for me through Christians I hardly know? Can God provide for the ministry at CU through people like the King who aren't even believers. 

All of these questions I have to ask myself daily as I develop ministry partners or 'fundraise':

And the answer is sometimes I believe more and sometimes less. But that doesn't change who God is. God is always good and he will provide abundantly for his plans and his work in mysterious and beautiful ways. 

So Lord I say I believe you will provide for the work of your kingdom through me your servant with InterVarsity at CU, but Lord please help my unbelief. 

Amen

We are God's people

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
(1 Peter 2:9-11 ESV)

How beautiful is this that we are God's people his sons and daughters of his inheritance through faith in Jesus.

Yet I think this verse following the popular quoted verse is important to remember. To be God's people we can't be people of the world and people running after things of this world. We can't have part of our heart in God's promises and part of heart in desires of this world.

We are God's people and exiles and sojourners in this land.

And so God again and again you have been and you will probably need to continue to remind me of this truth. But I want to be a part of your people God. Set my desires and affections on things of you God not the lustful and temporary desires of this world. But Lord I confess my sinful desires for things of this world which do not last: success, approval, pleasure, affection etc. Lord break those desires by showing me how fleeting and unsatisfying they are. And turn my heart to the whole and beautiful life if faith in believing the Gospel of Jesus and that I am a son of God and inheritor by grace through faith.
Amen

Giving is an act of Worship!

As I enter into another week of fundraising for my ministry or as we prefer to call it ministry partner development I want to center on God and what the living Word of God says about money and giving. One thing that blesses me is that I have the honor to give and be on the other side of this for some other missions I support including other InterVarsity staff and the Central Asia Institute building schools for children especially girls in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. God I pray you remind me both in giving and being the one asking for financial gifts for your ministry that you center me on you God and the truth about money and giving.

Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
(1 Chronicles 29:10-14 ESV)

This is a beautiful prayer by David over this act of giving. For it is so important that we remember these truths about God and giving:
God is creator and sovereign
God is the owner of all resources
We are only stewards for a time of God's resources
It is a spiritual act of worship to give back to God and God's work. God doesn't need it but it is good for us to give generously!

I write this not to make anyone feel guilty. I am looking for partners who are passionate about God's work in college students lives at CU! I pray for partners in the gospel who would work and sacrifice with me as a thanksgiving to God. For:

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
(2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV)

This all reminds me how at my church in boulder before the offering and giving of money to the church they invite us all to continue to worship God with our money and giving. Lord I pray for faith and understanding to see and feel the spiritual act of worship as I both give and ask others to give!
Amen