The Greatest Job, being a Daddy to my Children

Having five children for the last twenty eight years, three adults, and two teenagers; it’s a known fact that not one of our children are alike. Not one. I am amazed. Even with the eldest, twin girls, sharing the same embryonic-sac real-estate-fluid for nine months, nothing. They’re day and night. They’re so different from one another in so many obvious ways, that sometimes my wife and I look at each other with a wistful look, hoping that the other younger three siblings would be somewhat similar in character and disposition. No such luck. THEY’RE ALL DIFFERENT! One, Jasmine, is a professional wedding photographer in the big OC, and her twin, Bianca, having received her Masters Degree, is now a huge integrant part of our church youth-ministries. As I write, Bianca is accompanying her mother to women retreat in Philadelphia, PA., speaking for the Womens Retreat, Calvary Chapel Old Bridge, New Jersey.

My Alexandria, the ‘middle-child,’ is doing great at the Art of Institute of California-Orange County, she’ll be graduating with a Bachelors degree this coming December.

Sebastian, our 17 year old is still stretching. His grades are excellent, and has made the Varsity Basketball team.

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico is beautiful,man. I still have scheduled dates with all of my kids, including Jasmine, with her husband’s permission, of course. Jasmine is the second to the last of my children visiting my birth-place. She was shocked by the beauty and bright colors. Just as I told her, the population is about 10% (correction) American-expatriates, mostly writers, photographers, painters, artists, eclectics and wannabe art connoisseurs and the like; Jasmine was also so overwhelmed by the innocent and pristine beauty of the Mexican-people from this central-region parts. Unlike Tijuana or Juarez, border-cites known for it gritty and pathetic ambiance, here there is nothing but tranquility and serenity. No one is in a rush. Not one!

According to World 66 .com—San Miguel de Allende is a quiet town that is remarkably comfortable to the traveler and expatriate, one that is calm, quiet, and has a rhythm of its own. Its rhythm isn't of the Samba, or the Mexican hat dance. It’s the beat of a quiet gentle drum marked by relaxing days in the town, and then a nighttime stroll before the pink granite church made in delicate and almost bizarre churrigueresque (Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament) elements.

I am on daddy-call for the entire weekend. Our fourteen year-old, Zoe, graduated today from junior high. I volunteered to be her taxi driver for her and her three amigas, Kayla, Jasmine and Anita. After eating a scrumptious lunch at Rafael’s in Montebello, we headed to Huntington Beach for a swim. On our way back we stopped for some exotic Vietnamese Pho, near Little Saigon. Aaaaaah. I am bushed and wearied. I can hear hilarious laughter emanating from the den. It's going to be a long night.

1975 was a good year for me. Why? Christ came into my life. I never thought it would be this good to be a father...ahem, I mean, a daddy.

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Time

Have you ever felt out of it? I mean, drained, mentally exhausted and emotionally deflated. (I see your head nodding in affirmation!). That’s exactly how I felt the entire day. I just didn’t get out of bed, and there, immediately I was met by the ogre du jour! No, it all starts and begins in incremental phases, one-by-one, these encounters, conversations, or/and daily non-scheduled confrontations, or worse, disappointments, even with the appointments themselves. Some days are good…and some days are just plain ugly and yucky. Yesterday was just such a day for me.

Because I know the midweek bible study is on for the evening, later on that same day, I am extremely, and acutely sensitive to be ‘careful’ in what I do, what people say or do to me, and what circumstances want to do to me, thus, disrupting and robbing me of the joy in sharing the Word, dispensing to others for the mid-week bible-study, what I believe the Lord has dispensed to me first.

After leaving my orthodontist for my bi-weekly wire-tightening, I sensed right there and then, ‘Oh, oh, it aint going to be good day!’ I just felt it—not only through the pain in the expected ache to come, but also knowing that my next scheduled, immediate appointment was to my podiatrist, out in Anaheim, near the Angels baseball stadium, which meant commuting through the infamous, 55 Frwy., the ‘Orange-crush’ to get there.

My arthritic toes have been throbbing lately with so much pain, that the initial and reason for the consultation was to cop some pain-medication to alleviate the discomfort. In these same medical offices, both, my orthopedist and knee-specialist (scheduled arthroscopic-surgery for July) are housed. The scene was bad. All three of the doctors know that I am a pastor! Unbeknown to me, I didn’t realize that the laptop my podiatrist possessed had ALL the goods on me! Every prescription prescribed was there, right there in the glowing screen! It made me look as if I was trying to play all of these medical wizards into ‘scoring’ some pain-medication. I profusely apologized, actually supplicated, trying to convince my young professional those were not my intentions. I walked away, no meds in hand, quite a bit embarrassed.

Once home, my mouth is now in its full-on, expected pain. The wire-adjustment is doing its beneficial torture. Eating is now impossible—it’s a torture, really.
As I get settled, ready to resume my study for the evening, my mouth and the rest of my body aches are having a full-on conversation, strategies, really, how to make me an honorary member of the Job-family. So be it. I’ve been through this road before. Pucker-up! I say to myself, it’s all good!

While preparing my Power-point presentation, Google betrays me. Although my computers, both at home and church office, have ‘firewall and filters,’ to obstruct any incoming, undesirable images, once in a while, thanks to some deviant, "Maniako" egg-head (tech-savvy) somewhere in Cyber-land ‘sneaks’ an ungodly, irreverent image into a clean, word-search-engine. Well, you guess it! Now, my physical pain has morphed into psychological and emotional pain! All I could do was ask God for forgiveness and remembered and cited to myself Psalm 119:37. But even this worthwhile effort had a small effect of my overall psyche, I still felt ‘dirty, blemished and emotionally-wounded.’


I resume my study—but not with the usual enthusiasm and excitement…hobbling and teetering are more like it.

On my way to church, my iPod is blaring, LOUD worship music—my heart, head and soul are encouraged by the lyrics and adulation of a forgiving, merciful, long-suffering, just and loving God. Prompted by the deafening melodies, my internal, silent prayers are just spewing in rapid-fire-like: Supplication, Adoration, Forgiveness, Mercy, Confession and Acknowledgement of my earlier experiences of the day are placed before the Lord…but the time I reach the church parking lot, my entire personality, my disposition and comportment are all quickened. How? Was I faking it? (It sure felt like it!) Was I putting the best face forward, a la politicians? The emotions were genuine. I had not time to analyze myself. Just enjoy it, man. Just enjoy it, dude.

Worship starts. Loud, just like those sounds earlier inside of my car. Corporate worship is awesome. My studies, Isaiah 23-24, come to the forefront of my brain-gourd while singing of Him. God is the Highest! I am prompted to read the commencement-scriptures in Revelation 5, “Worthy is the Lamb of God who was slain, To receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing! Blessing and honor and power be to Him who sits on the throne, And the Lamb, forever and ever!
I lose it. I hate crying in front of others. But at this point, I just don’t care, though I do confess that get concerned sometimes, some people may misread my emotional expressions for something else. So be it.

The end of the service comes to its conclusion—people get saved. Lives are comforted and the Word has done what it was intended to do: A love-note from our Maker. Encouragement, burdens lifted, hope infused and peace within the hearts of His people are quite evident, not only can one feel it, one can really see it!

What a change from the morning—through it all, God, in spite of my weaknesses, my shortcomings, debilities, perforations, disabilities, God did it His way! He always does!

My heart was full of contentment: I walked out, going home, whistling the tune to ‘How sweet it is to be loved by You---I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were With sweet love and devotion deeply touching my emotion I close my eyes at night, wondering where would I be without you in my life everything I did was just a bore, everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before but you brightened up for me all of my days with a love so sweet in so many ways (Go ahead whistle it, you know the tune!)

“…not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Cor. 1:26-31

BITTERNESS OF SOUL

Soul - The vital existence of a human being.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

The Hebrew word nephesh (755 times, is a key Old Testament term referring to human beings. The basic meaning of nephesh is throat. Thus, the Bible refers to the hungry, thirsty, satisfied, soul.
The soul means the entire human being in its physical life needing food and clothing.
A person does not only have a soul…a person is a living soul.

Soul designates the feelings, the wishes, and the will of humans.
The work of the throat, its hunger and appetite, stands for the desire and the longing of the human being after power and sex, after satisfaction and after even the evil, but also after God:
Proverbs 21:10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.”
Psalm 42:2-3 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

The soul can be incited, embittered, confirmed, unsettled, or kept in suspense
The word mirrors the entire scale of feelings under the influence of the human being, even the psychological and emotional. (Acts 14:2, 22; 15:24; John 10:24).

The bitter soul of the childless, the sick, or the threatened soul— (1 Sam. 1:10; 2 Kings 4:27; 2 Sam. 17:8)
Psalm 44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust and our body clings to the ground.
Psalm 57:4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You;
Psalm 88:3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave.
Psalm 107:9 For God satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Psalm 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name;
Psalm 119:107 I am afflicted very much; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
Psalm 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.
Psalm 119:28 My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word.
Psalm 119:81 My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word.

The nephesh acts as the organ of taste that also stands for the entire embittered person.
Job 10:1 "My soul hates my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
1 Samuel 1:10 And Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.

Matthew 10:28; 11:28-30 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The expression rests in Jeremiah 6:16: Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

1. No Rest! Note: Not “physical rest,” but spiritual rest!

2. Taxed – An overload of Guilt...trying, and burdened to obey the prescribed law, but couldn’t. Tired and spent due to the religious rituals and ceremonial obligations that couldn’t relieve the guilt issue
3. Jesus is calling to Him ALL who needs encouragementt, sympathy, quickening of spirit, whatever be the nature and cause of the depression and weariness.

In the New Testament, the term psyche retreats behind the ideas of body, flesh, and spirit to characterize human existence (mind, life, breath, and heart).

Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 26:38 "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

1 Thes. 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against your soul....

WHAT’S THE CONDITION OF YOUR OWN SOUL TODAY, RIGHT NOW?
How would YOU describe your own heart?
Are you lonely, stressed-out, confused, bitter and resentful...sad, exploited, desperate, anxious, apathetic, depraved, and embarrassed? Or perhaps a combination of all-of-the-above: Thus, a BROKEN HEART= Overcome by grief or despair!!

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea-billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well...with my soul, it is well,

Though Satan should buffet, tho trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
My sin O the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well...with my soul, it is well,
It is well with my soul.
And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trumpet shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul.

NEVER FORGET (Actually, I can't!)

I can’t handle the beautiful, unique sound of the bagpipes—I always breakdown with a great deal of raw emotion. As a former U.S. Marine and present-day minister, I’ve experienced far too many funerals and memorial-services that have left me with a permanent psychic-injury of sadness, loss and grief to last me a lifetime.
However, yesterday, for all of Sunday services, as the bagpipes commenced our tribute and commemoration of Memorial-Day, bracing myself, head down and deep breathing, and awaiting the cascade of involuntary tears, this time, however, its melodic sounds brought me into a state of resilient hope, resolve and an overt sense of patriotism. I’ve always been patriotic and proud of this country of ours. But yesterday the services evoked an emotional and powerful element of steadfastness in my heart of hearts that I’ve not felt in many years.

Etched onto the wall of a sentry box in Gibraltar is an unsigned indictment from an unknown soldier:
“God and the soldier, all men adore
In time of danger and not before,
When the danger is passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.”

Like the Vietnam War, I am afraid too many U.S. folks today are neither considerate nor caring about our current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. A recent poll indicates that two-thirds of Americans think that Iraq is not worth fighting for; and three-quarters say the government is not doing enough to help returning vets.

According to a new Rand Corp. study, one in five vets suffer from major depression or posttraumatic stress (PTSD); more than 300,000 have suffered traumatic brain injury.
Four hundred thousand veterans are waiting for medical/emotional treatment cases to be processed. The number seeking assistance for homelessness is up a whopping 600% in the past year. The attempted-suicide numbers, squelched by the VA in its care, some say, is about 12,000.

I believe that it doesn’t matter what is our political posture is on the conflict. The fact remains: American boys are dying. Others are maimed for life. The thousands of returning war veterans, needing jobs and moral support, are getting neither. Like my Vietnam brethren, these modern-day warriors, young men still, will no doubt end up in our penal system or homeless, on the streets of our large American cities. Why?

I would like to make a difference. I don’t know how. But I know the bagpipes ‘spoke to me’ yesterday. As a pastor and conference-speaker, I am going to take advantage of my platforms and exploit podiums to herald the invaluable need for Americans to help its returning war veterans.

Memorial Day was designed to honor dead soldiers; the other 364 days belong to the living.

Centinela Prison Ministry

Henry “Kiki” Amaya, me, and renowned comedian, Gilbert Esquivel


Well, I finally made it! Having been asked many times by our faithful Prison-ministry members to accompany them on one of their endeavors, I am so glad my scheduled allowed me the privilege to participate. Oh, man, what a blessing it was for me; an eye-opener and a greater appreciation for our very own prison ministry. The four-hour, one-way commute was worth the long haul.

It’s still staggering and mind-boggling to comprehend that America is the only nation in the entire world with over 2 million plus prisoners.

Most, if not all, of the prison-ministry members were former inmates themselves. Calvary Chapel Montebello, led by Henry and his wife, Maria Amaya, has developed a great reputation among the prison’s authorities and the inmate community..

Gilbert Esquivel was a total master-blaster. His comedic, unpredictable and witty repertoire had every inmate, including the guards, under a constant bombardment of laughter, hilarity and genuine, hygienic mirth.

While Gil was ministering in one unit, I was in another. Then we would switch sides; a perfect divine tag-team, for sure.
I was overwhelmed by the expressed, self-evident love for Jesus, His Word and for the people from Calvary Chapel Montebello, by the Centinela Prison Church.





“… for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Matthew 25:34-36

Graduation...

Anyone who knows me, knows I move 100,000,000 miles a minute. Even when I'm sitting down, my mind is racing. I twiddle my thumbs, I bite my nails, I tap my fingers... all at the same time. Taking time out to "chill" is foreign and sometimes frustrating.

But yesterday, I had the opportunity to drive with Joseph (one of our assistant pastors) to Calvary Chapel Bible College for their graduation service. For someone as myself, sitting still for an entire graduation ceremony is a bit tough, but yesterday, the ceremony was effortless and quite moving. The large graduating class had faces from around the world, tounges in various languages, and a common bond that knit everyone warmly together. 

CCM has had several graduates in the last few years, but I knew that I wanted to make an overt effort to see Peter John Ulloa graduate. Peter has been coming with his family to CCM for a little over four years and in that short time, I have seen him grow dramatically. Maybe it's because I see a little of myself in Peter, or maybe it's because his personality is magnetic, but he has left a mark within the youth ministry at CCM and now he is leaving his mark at CCBC. 

I pray that our church produce more students of the bible who can go out unto all nations and preach the Word! Peter and family, have a blessed time in the Philippines and may God move in your hearts while you are there.

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind...

How many times must a man look up before he can see the sky? Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry? Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind; the answer is blowin' in the wind. How many years can a mountain exist before it's washed to the sea? Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free? Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head, pretending he just doesn't see? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, The answer is blowin' in the wind. Bob Dylan, 1963

I woke up in the middle of the late evening—again. This is common for me becuase I don't get the luxary of falling asleep at normal times, but last night while reading world news via the web, it was eerier and more disturbing than other nights a wasted. This morning my heart ached by the ingested sights, absorbed sounds and unbelievable tragedies around the globe. Thousands of defendless children died a despicable death a few days ago. Over 1/3 of all reported deaths were small children. The images were quite disturbing.

Does Chea Jia Va or Cyclone Nargis ring a bell in your thoughts? Probably not and it’s not your fault.  It’s just one of many insular blessings (or curses) we enjoy about being in America... outofsightoutofmind, obladi-oblada-life-goes-on!

Thousands and thousands upon thousands have been killed in Mynamar (aka Burma). A cyclone with winds up to 120 miles per hour swept through the Irrawady Delta and thrust a wall of water 25 miles inland last Friday, May 2 (PST). Think Katrina in the Gulf region of the United States, creating a massive, colossal disaster.

In China, another beastly terror took place. A temblor shook its ancient ground later on Monday. The earthquake trembled violently under a magnitude 7.9, struck at 2:28 p.m. (2:28 a.m. ET) with its epicenter about 50 miles northwest of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan. 15,000 deaths are estimated (it will be higher, some officials report).

Both of these country’s governments are suspicious, spooked of outside nations, and in their indifference and senseless political posture, the government’s marionettes, put on the "dog ‘n pony show" instead, and are stonewalling international aid?! They are actually turning back foreigners and ignoring pleas to accept outside experts who could save countless lives before time runs out. Their backwater politicians and inhuman agendas have now become emblems of what is wrong in this Godless world.

Unfortunately, earthquake prediction technology is not available, as of yet. But unlike the cyclone, it had been tracked for days before it smashed against the coast of Myanmar. “When we saw the (storm) track, I said, 'Uh oh, this is not going to be good," said Mark Lander, a meteorology professor at the University of Guam. "It would create a big storm surge. It was like Katrina going into New Orleans." Forecasters began tracking the cyclone April 28 as it first headed toward India. As projected, it took a sharp turn eastward, but didn't follow the typical cyclone track in that area leading to Bangladesh or Myanmar's mountainous northwest. Instead, it swept into the low-lying Irrawaddy delta in central Myanmar. The result was the worst disaster ever in the impoverished country.

Burmese officials and government heads knew about the impending doom. Its residents were notified swiftly and promptly, but opted to do nothing! No mass exodus, no evacuation plans, nothing. Evidently, many of the residents did not want to leave their homes and heed the dangerous warnings.

Similarly, many Southern Californianos are not heeding the impending, predicted earthquake, the ‘big-one.’ From the 1971 San Fernando Valley, 1987 Whittier, and 1994 Northridge earthquakes, my wife and I have learned our lessons. We’re ready. In two ways we’re ready:

1) The temblors and natural disasters to come.

2) The imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ

Matthew 24: 4-8 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Take Heed—the answer, my brother, is blowin’ in the wind.

Yoked for Ministry (Part 2 of 3)

1 Kings 19:19-21

So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat,  who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the  twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go  back again, for what have I done to you?"  So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it  to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his  servant.   

I want you to remember the overall picture while we isolate its parts. Elijah simply walks by Elisha, throws his mantle upon him, and continues on his way!  The mantle was the badge of the prophet. Elisha immediately understood that Elijah was calling him to follow and become the next prophet of Israel. It was as if Elijah were saying, "Elisha, just as your oxen share a yoke, so you and I will walk together sharing this garment - true yokefellows in the ministry." But he did it in a completely non-threatening, non-manipulative manner, without putting any burden upon Elisha. 

Now if we isolate Elijah’s behavior, we see these two components:  1) He shares the vision God gives him, and 2) he seeks volunteers for God.   

   

Share the Vision of God:    

1 Kings 19:19  So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat,  who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the  twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.    

Elijah threw his mantle on Elisha. The mantle was a garment that identified Elijah as God's prophet. By throwing the mantle on Elisha, Elijah was making things perfectly clear to Elisha. We should have a vision for ministry, and be able to clearly articulate it. We should know what we are doing and why. Whenever we present an opportunity to serve the Lord to someone, it should be like throwing a mantle on them in its clarity and brevity.    

Seek Volunteers for God:    

1 Kings 19:20  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me  kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go  back again, for what have I done to you?"   

Elijah leaves the decision up to Elisha.  There is no pressure; no manipulation; no coercion or condemnation. He says, "What have I done to you?" The answer is, "Nothing!"  It is God's business how Elisha responds; or, more properly, it is Elisha's business with God - not with Elijah. You can coerce and manipulate people and you can do it for all the right motives. Don't! Let them do business with God; let them decide. There is a place for exhortation; but exhortation is not extortion. Keep the ministry voluntary, letting folks make their own decisions, and it won't be a burden. We don't have burdens to share, only blessings!  It should not be a burden for you to bear a yoke of ministry.   

We've looked at the yoke from Elijah's perspective - from the perspective of sharing ministry opportunities with others. What about the other side (the bearing of the yoke as a volunteer)?  We learn from Elisha that it, too, is not a burden.We will  consider this in are final segment of this mini-series on “Yoked for Ministry."

Yoked For Ministry (Part 1 of 3)

A devotional series on serving the Lord and serving alongside others

First Kings 19:19-21 (Devotional Reading 1 Kings 19:19-21)

1 Kings 19:19-21  So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the  twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.   

A yoke was a type of harness, usually made of wooden beams shaped to fit over the necks, which connected a pair of oxen.  When the oxen worked together, walking in step with each other, the burden of their plowing was greatly eased.  When they got out of step with one another, the yoke would bind and chafe.  In New Testament times the phrase take the yoke of was used by the Jewish rabbis to mean "Become the pupil of a certain teacher."  Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul used the figure of the yoke to discuss and describe your service to God: Jesus says to His followers, in Matthew 11:29-30, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,  and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Even the Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians, calls one of the believers his yokefellow in Philippians 4:3.      

You are to be yoked with Jesus, and you are yokefellows with one another as you minister. More importantly, your service and ministry should not be a burden. You should be able to walk in step with Jesus and with one another, thus easing the work. The truth is, so much ministry and serving in the church is burdensome!  There can be pressure to serve, and you are often the victim of manipulation techniques. The ministry itself becomes a heavy load. It shouldn't be that way... and it wasn't that way for Elijah and Elisha!  It should not be a burden for you to share a yoke of ministry. 

Often with the right motives, Christians employ the wrong methods in order to encourage you to signup for ministry.  One common method is to portray God as needy.  "God needs your money, or this ministry will fail"; "God needs your help, or this ministry will fail."  The ministry might fail, but God won't!  

In Psalm 50:12 God addresses these kinds of appeals for help when He says, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and  all its fullness." God wouldn't tell you if He were hungry!  Yet we portray God as hungry whenever we employ wrong methods to encourage people to do the right thing.  When you share an opportunity to serve God, it should never be a burden to God's people. Elijah understood this principle, and he models it in his calling of Elisha into the ministry.  Next time will look at the yoke from Elijah's perspective - from the  perspective of sharing ministry opportunities with others.

A Living Hope in Jesus...

A Living Hope In Jesus, Who Has A Loving Hold On You (Read 1 Peter 1)

I always tell my kids, you don't know what the future holds, but you know who holds the future.

Sounds good... but don't write it down just yet!  I've used those words to encourage folks - especially those who are suffering and sorrowing.  It reminds them that they and all their experiences are intimately known to their heavenly Father. He has a plan and a purpose for all the things that occur in their life. It sounds good... until you read the opening verses of 1 Peter. Peter says that you do know what your future holds, and that Jesus not only holds the future but He holds you until you get there!  Read 1 Peter 1:3-5: 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1. First, while it's true that you don't know what your immediate future holds, you do know your ultimate future!  You have been "begotten... again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..." 2. Second, the One who holds the future also has a hold on you until you get there. You "are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Jesus gives you a living hope for your future and He keeps a loving hold on you until you get there!

Millie's Day...

Millie-

Thank you for being my friend. 

Thank you for bearing my children. 

Thank you for caring for my children.

Thank you for being a wonderful mother. 

Happy Mother's day to all who get to claim that title.

The Word...

THE WORD: Sure & Sufficient? (Devotional reading Psalm 119)

Ecclesiastes 12:11 

The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

Who do you think the "one Shepherd" is? It's the Lord! Suddenly and powerfully, by the use of this single word, Solomon reminds you that the Lord is your Shepherd and that you are His sheep. Thus, although life under the sun is vanity, you are nevertheless under the protective, purposeful care of your heavenly Shepherd.

Regarding the relationship between the Shepherd and His sheep, Jesus says in John 10:2, "the sheep hear his voice." The Shepherd speaks, and His sheep hear His voice.

"Words" are a key emphasis in these verses: "acceptable words, words of truth, words of the wise.” Solomon is talking about the words he wrote in this book, and his efforts to communicate through them. But there is something else that is important about what he says here. He says that the words were "given by one Shepherd." He is saying that the words of this book are Scripture in the inspired Word of God!

We believe in the inspiration of Scripture. Inspiration was God’s way of seeing to it that His special, supernatural revelation in words was preserved from all error, addition and omission. You read about inspiration in Second Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

The Greek word translated "inspiration" is theopneustos. It means God-breathed. It means that the Holy Spirit superintended the human writers so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written. The writers themselves were not inspired; what they wrote was inspired. God used their own styles, experiences and personalities but superintended them as they wrote exactly what He wanted them to write.

The inspired words of Scripture are your Shepherd’s voice. His voice is sure, and it is sufficient as you experience  life as we know it.

[Reading for Sunday: Hebrews 8]

Respite...

     For those that know me, I am a father before I am pastor. My family is the one who has had to deal with the stresses (and blessings) of full-time ministry. It is now that the fruit of our labor is burgeoning and I am tasting the harvest!

     My daughter has been married for two years and loves her husband dearly. She's also started a career that is extremely time consuming. For months we've been trying to set time apart to spend together, but my schedule is hectic and Jasmine's is worse! So... she decided that she was going to "pencil in" some time for her old Pap and take me to my hometown and birth place, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. 

     I'll be back tomorrow, but here are some pictures from our quick stay. Enjoy!

Culturally Aware Christian (part 2)

Zoe Belle: Beautiful Life

In 1994, while awaiting the birth of our fifth (and final) child, my family and I sat at the dinner table, laughing and eating. The fun was interrupted by a phone call from one of the four gum-chewing chacha girls who worked at the OBGYN clinic Millie was going to. {Side note: Chacha girls in LA street vernacular describe girls bereft of adequate education, wearing heavy make-up, and extremely deprived of social graces}

Chacha (smacking her gum): Uh, Mr. Juarez, we got the tests back and, um, yeah, the AFP test is positive.

Me: Okay, what does that mean?

Chacha: So, like, your baby will probably be born retarded or with spina bifida. Do you have any other questions?

I had a million other questions, but she couldn't answer them. I simply replied, "No. Thanks."

Our child was expected to be born with congenital spina bifida or Down syndrome. Our HMO program informed us that Millie would be transferred to a well known research facility and medical university in Irvine, California. This facility was better equipped to handle high-risk pregnancy, so we were told.  Inadvertently ,  I later found out that California Children's Services (CCS) was indirectly involved in our case. CCS  is a state program for children with certain diseases or health problems. It bewildered me. Why would the State agency be so lovingly concerned with our situation?

For several months our world was collapsing, ever so more, immediately after each prenatal visit. The huge, bold RED letters pronounced on Millie’s medical chart told every reading eye: Religious idealization, parents refuse amniocenteses (amniocentesis is the primary diagnostic procedure for antenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. Amniotic fluid is the fluid that surrounds the fetus and provides a cushioning effect).

Mother Theresa-like nurses, specialists, counselors, and too many neonatal ethical professionals, were trying to convince us to "terminate" the fetus. "It would be so selfish on your part to keep this child," they collectively nodded and agreed.

This was not the case. You see, in the past, Millie and I made the stupid mistake of taking the life of our unborn child. We made the decision in our stupidity because we did not know Jesus, nor had His hope and assurance. It was then that we were selfish! It was then that we were stupid. In the present, we couldn’t agree with the urging with the lab coat posse and medical professionals in their fancy suits. As much as they tried to convince us that our lives would be plagued by taking care of our child, that it was selfish on our part to keep this child, and medical costs would be astronomical, they did not persuade us.

In one of our ethical dialogues with the doctors and medical specialists, I was aghast with horror and utter disbelief with their suggestions. The team aassured us that the amniocenteses would confirm birth defects. He also said once parents realized this fact, they "terminate" their fetus due to albinism and/or gender preference. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

A month before the birth, an assistant pastor called me and gave the following scripture: Eccles. 11:5 "Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things." In these words, were the hope, strength, and faith that Millie and I needed. No amniocenteses. Final answer.

This is a precious story to both Millie and I, so I want her to write her description of it:

Millie:   A cauldron of tension, apprehension, fear, hope and faith in our Jehovah God were boiling over as we awaited her arrival into our world. The lab coat posse was in the operating room, along with the "suits" all waiting to confirm their suspicions. With breaths held and eyes fixed on our arriving newborn, there was a joyful welcome from our doctor, "Your daughter has arrived and she looks fine."   What a grand relieve!  What a marvelous answer to prayer! 

Today our Zoe Belle is a beautiful, healthy, typical 14 year-old teenager with goals and dreams.  She will soon be attending her first missions trip to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi with the Jr. High ministry from church.  

We have been blessed with 4 other bright, beautiful, ambitious children that are walking side by side with Jesus.  I pray that Zoe will continually keep her eyes on the cross and imitate her sibling’s faith in our precious Lord Jesus... never forgetting the great things He has done for her. 

What Millie failed to state, was the fact that our baby girl was supposed to be named Iris Rose (a floral name like our other daughters). When our daughter was pronounced healthy and chromosomal accurate, the post-birth surgeon asked me, "What is the name of your baby?" I was currently teaching through the book of John at CCM, so I had a deep understanding of the Greek word, Zoe (God-given life). This, in addition to my daughter's love-affair with Disney's recent release, Beauty and the Beast, caused me to blurt out: "Zoe Belle!"

Indeed, she is our Zoe Belle... our beautiful life.

Culturally Aware Christians...

     For the next couple days I am going to be posting about an issue we are facing in our day and age. The issue is known, but ignored. My heart is to inform those around me of what is currently plaguing our world and country. 

Fetal Feticide: destruction of the embryo or fetus in the uterus.

     Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was quoted last week saying, “No community can hold its head high and claim to be part of the civilized world if it condones the practice of discriminating against one half of humanity.”

      As long as of last January, the International Tribune (Asia Pacific), has been reporting the wholesale carnage of 10 million female fetuses over the past two decades. World leaders, movers, shakers, and influential power players around the globe have known about this immoral, dishonorable anomaly as it has been reported in more than a few leading medical journals such as the Lancet.

      The god Moloch is still alive and well, and rearing its ugly head against a credulous segment of our humanity.  Fewer daughters have been born to couples who have not yet had a boy, according to the report published in the Lancet on Monday. The journal said researchers studied data on female fertility from a continuing Indian national survey of 6 million people in 1.1 million households.

      Basically, this is nothing else but a sex-selective abortion, a widespread practice in many third world countries today. Analyzing information about 133,738 births, the researchers found couples were less likely to have a girl as a second child if their first child was a girl and that the deficit in the number of girls born as a second child was more than twice as great among educated mothers as among illiterate ones.

      In 2001, the Indian Supreme Court clamped down and set forth strict laws against such barbaric practices.  But according to many critics, the laws are lax and not enforced; thus, the killing is still prevalent.   Even though the IMA (Indian Medical Association) refutes the reports as exaggerated, there’s just too much empirical data proving otherwise.

      One major opponent and Human Rights advocate said, "If this practice has been common for most of the past two decades since access to ultrasound became widespread, then a figure of 10 million missing female births would not be unreasonable.”

You’re shocked? Get a load of this.

      In America, selective abortions are performed as a "birth control" method!   Since 1973, an estimated 49 millions babies have been aborted, according to the Accuracy in Media web page. But you’re saying sheepishly, "I already knew that!" Yes, but have you ever heard of Alpha- fetoprotein (aka AFP)? AFP is a substance produced by a fetus' liver that can be found in the amniotic fluid and in the mother's blood. Abnormally high levels of this substance suggests there may be defects in the fetal neural tube, a structure that will include the brain and spinal cord when completely developed.  Abnormally low levels suggest the possibility of Down syndrome.

      Friends, sex-selection feticide abortions are just around the corner in our own backyard! Tomorrow I will be posting a personal encounter with this exact situation. However, the medical verbiage was SO complicated that it made it look like the only option for Millie and I. By the grace of God, He gave us wisdom to siphon through the medical jargon and claim that Jehovah Rafa was going to touch our baby...

Pictures of Israel

I promised "real" pictures from Israel, so I wanted to keep true to my word : ) 

Thanks for letting me serve God in Israel,

Panch

Your Pain, God's Purpose and Perfection

Weekend Devotional Reading: Job 1-3 (Don't be lazy, man... read on Saturday!)

Why us? Why me? What have I done to deserve this? Why would God allow this to happen?

Those are just a few of the questions all of us have asked or have been asked in times of suffering. The mystery of suffering, or what C.S. Lewis called "the problem of pain," is perhaps the most basic of all human dilemmas.

Let’s narrow it down. If bad things only happened to bad people, we would have fewer questions, if any. But bad things don’t just happen to bad people; bad things happen to good people. Bad things even happen to a select group of good people in God’s redeemed family. The fact that we know God as our Father and Jesus Christ as our Savior doesn’t exempt us from suffering. If anything, we become more susceptible to suffering as the special targets of our spiritual enemies. We suffer from what seems to be spiritual attacks precisely because we are seeking to live Godly lives.

Sooner or later, whether philosophically or personally, you will wrestle with the mystery of suffering, with the problem of pain. You’ll ask those ageless questions during a time of spiritual attack. When you do, consider men like Job from the bible and how he persevered through his pain or Joseph treated inhumanly by his brothers and how God use it for Israel and his entire families deliverance from the famine. And finally there’s Jesus, who came to his own, the nation of Israel, but His own did not receive him.  In fact, they crucified Him and as we know it God used His suffering to bring us the ultimate healing, which is the healing of the heart. A heart that is now following after HIS. The point I’m getting at is, behind your suffering God has His purpose, and beyond your suffering God has His perfecting which means He is maturing you, growing you, refining you. 

So in summary, you are eventually in for sufferings or trials. The devil still walks about to and fro on the earth, seeking whom he may attack and especially Christians. Will you curse God in your heart by thinking He doesn’t keep His promises? You won’t, if you remember, because behind your suffering God has His purpose, and that beyond your suffering God has His perfecting. 

See you Sunday,

Panch

PS Read ahead for Sunday [Hebrews 7]