Coffee-Muggin' It

On the 15th of April, and at around 10 PM a plane will gracefully lift off the runway at SFO, embarking upon an abnormally long twelve-ish hour long flight that will take me to my destination.

For a while there I honestly didn't know whether I would be able to say that with confidence. Sure I was hoping I would make it there before the beginning of the next semester, but I never really knew for sure.

Honestly, I was surprised.

I don't think there is ever any particular outcome that I can put much hope into outside of the big picture (taking into consideration of exceptions). Although I know the reality of a certain hope will come to pass, my faith in it isn't perfect, but the big picture is the one that I should put all of my imperfect faith in.

Jesus is the big picture. He's the one that all my faith should spring from. Sussing out whether I should go somewhere, or do any one thing should always be subservient to the one great Object of Faith.

I didn't want to quote the coffee-mug verse of Hebrews 11:1, but it really does illustrate my point. The writer of Hebrews goes on in the chapter to explain that by faith many have obtained blessings, and sufferings. And the point of Hebrews as a book is to exalt Jesus as the end-all be-all object of faith that is better than all other things.

So God help me have faith in you.

Who's Trust is the Lord Anyway?

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
(Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV)

I love this passage so much right now, especially verse 7.

In the context, Jeremiah is preaching to a people who put their trust in (what they believe is) the fact that God would never bring judgement on Jerusalem. God's holy city, and the jewel of what remained of the southern kingdom at this point would never fall out of the graces of God, by their interpretation.
What's understandable is that if you take a quick look at scripture up to this point, you can understand how they would get that. It was the city of David, and it was promised that his throne would never be without a king.

"And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever."
(2 Samuel 7:16 ESV)

So understanding this passage (along with others) in a certain way would allow you to think that the throne of David will forever stand as it was from David to the end of the ages. That's fair, right?

But Jeremiah's audience (in the face of sin and impending doom) grasped for a theology that allowed them to put trust in some thing, even something that God blessed. This all the while God's promise to David is based on nothing but God. And even that God himself would fulfill this promise in the person of Jesus (unbenounced to even Jeremiah at the time of his preaching).


...I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
(2 Samuel 7:12-13 ESV)


The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
(Matthew 1:1 ESV)

and


But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
(Hebrews 1:8-9 ESV)




So to bring this out to a quick application, it's a challenging thing to reflect upon if I'm trusting God in my mission, or for my mission. Is my faith in the character of the God I'm working for, or is it in the work I'm doing to succeed? I hope and pray that my work is not a means to the end, but rather my trust in the God who does it!

God is Faithful

A few days ago, a supporter informed me that they would be giving the needed amount to meet the rest of my Get off the Ground fund.
Very soon I will actually by buying my ticket and shipping off to New Zealand. I will arrive and get situated with a house family and start school in June!

Here is what I want any of my Folsom supporters to do:
I am being commissioned this weekend at Lakeside church during the 10 o'clock service. Please come by and pray together with me and the rest of the lakeside missionaries going out this month. It would mean a lot if you did!

I thank God again for all that he's done through you and will do through all of your gifts and prayers. And I really so mean that.

Thanks so much and I hope to see all of you this Sunday!

Punch-Dance Happy

Another update on my fundraising:

Only 300 to go!

A supporter just dropped 500 in my term partner account, no less than an hour ago.

Super happy right now. Feel free to punch-dance to some Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young along with me.

Keep praying for funds to come in, I also need a new computer, mine broke a month ago. Check out the upper right corner of this blog if you want to help out on my mission. 

Peace!

Puritanical!

A good friend bought me a one volume Matthew Henry commentary. By the size of it you can barely tell how they fit that many page between two covers. Almost 2,000 pages in all, it's chock full of biblical, Puritan goodness to satisfy my commentary needs for a while.

"

And Puritans get a bad rap in popular culture for being legalistic, rigid, and cold moralists. Yet for the majority, it could not be further from the truth! His commentary was spoken well of the likes of George Whitefield. One of the leaders of the Great Awakening, known for his passion particularly in speaking. Matthew Henry's commentary also had influence on William Cowper's hymns.

If you stop and think about what a contemporary passion of that kind would influence, I think then you might get how excited I am to start ripping into this thing! Puritans had such a vivid passion for the pleasure of God! It's intimidating and inspiring at the same time.


Support update: 1700 down, 800 to go!
If you would like to support me on my mission, check out the upper right corner of this blog.