National Champions.

A little over a week ago, 12/6/08, Messiah College Men and Women’s Soccer Teams won the Division III Soccer National Championship in Greensboro, NC. Combined with the men’s championship, the Falcons’ women’s title gives the school its second dual-championship in soccer.  Messiah is the only NCAA institution – regardless of level – to accomplish the feat.

This was the sixth national championship in the last nine years for the men’s team as they posted championships in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons.  They have now won more national championships in division III soccer than any other school.  The road to this year’s championship was anything but easy.  Two post-season games were decided in double overtime and the championship game was won on penalty kicks, 3-0.

Messiah women’s soccer team convincingly ran the table through their 2008 regular season going undefeated. They carried that streak through post-season play.  The championship game with Wheaton College was a re-match of the 2007 championship game that Wheaton won when they beat Messiah 1-0.  This year it was a different story.  Messiah provided a 5-0 pounding of Wheaton, the largest margin of victory in the 23-year history of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer National Championship game.

I had the opportunity to see my alma mater play in the annual Wheaton College Men’s Bob Baptista Soccer Tournament last August.  Little did I know that their season would end in another national championship!

More Than Enough.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:24).

As I reflect on a year of God’s goodness, I am grateful that Jesus Christ is enough. He is all I need—"my portion."  With Him there is unswerving, unshakable and undeniable hope.  Period.

In his book, Grief & Pain in the Plan of God, Walter Kaiser comments on Lamentations 3, “Therefore, we can say with full assurance: ‘I will hope in Him.’  This chapter is indeed about hope, but not hope as a wish with a slight degree of certainty that we will ever obtain or receive anything; this hope carries solid confidence and the highest degree of certainty because it is well-grounded in the God of all grace, mercy, and faithfulness.  His love and mercy to us are unending.”

Yet, my heart wanders.  Pulled by my own flesh, I daily battle pursuing the desires of the flesh that do not satisfy versus the thirst quenching, all-satisfying communion with Christ.  “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

God, as always, is faithful.  "God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful" (1 Corinthians 1:9).  Here are some of the things that I am praising Him for:

Salvation in Jesus Christ.  “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).

Sweet times of fellowship with the Lord in His Word.  “You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Psalm 119:57-58).

God’s all sufficient grace and healing during surgery, recovery, and rehab. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Financial and physical provision.  God has provided the means to cover a myriad of medical bills to loving parents that have allowed me to recover in their home amidst being on crutches for the year. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God”  (Proverbs 30:7-9).

My first surgery in March was not immediately covered by insurance.  It went through an appeals process.  Through it God answered prayer and the surgery was finally covered.  If this did not happen, the subsequent surgeries in June, September and here in December may not have been covered either. 

In a very small way, the fellowship in the sharing of His sufferings. “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:8-10).

Opportunities to share and show the love of Christ through the Gospel.  “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Gifted physicians, medical staff, and physical therapists. Their assistance in my life this year has been significant as I look forward to walking again free of pain.

Prayer.  I have seen God work this year through prayer like never before in my life.  I am grateful for so many who have, are and will be praying for me.  From extra strength after surgery during recovery to quick healing to opportunities to share the Gospel and encourage others in their walk with the Lord.  "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b)

A Movement of God.

“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness” 

(Psalm 145:4-6).

Over a week ago I attended a "vision night" to learn how God has been at work in the lives of thousands of youth in Eastern Europe through Josiah Venture (JV).  In the summer of ‘96, a team from my church joined with another team of Czech Christians from Havirov, Czech Republic.  We partnered together to serve for a week as we led an English camp for Czech youth who ranged in age from high school to early twenties.  Throughout the week we taught English to students with varied degrees of aptitude in speaking and writing the language.  Not only did they come to learn English, but were keenly curious to interact with Americans and learn more about our culture.

Each evening we met to worship the Lord and hear a message that focused on an aspect of the gospel:  Who is man?  What is sin?  Why am I created?  Who is God?  What prevents man from knowing God?  Why was it necessary for Jesus to die?  Where will I go when I die?

After the session was over, we discussed the message and what the students were learning.  For many this was the first time they had heard the gospel message.  Up until the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Czech was ruled by Communist ideology that included that God does not exist.

As the week went on, relationships with these new Czech friends blossomed.  Opportunities to share and show the love of Christ with them through athletic games, hiking mountains, and going for night walks to marvel at God’s creation under the stars.  Many of the youth began to see their sin and their need for the Savior, Jesus Christ.  For some, their time at camp changed their lives for eternity.  For others it was the start of knowing more about their need for a Savior.

Since the summer of ’96, when I think there only 4-7 camps occurred, now over 12,000 young people have been impacted with the gospel in 11 European countries.  God, for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom, is working in great ways through JV!

I am especially encouraged and excited by JV’s focus to work with nationals through the local church to equip and strengthen them for the ministry of the gospel.  I stay in touch with some of the dear Czech Christians that I met and served with in summer of '96.

JV now plans to double the kingdom fruit in the next three years. Thus, the 2x3 campaign logo at the beginning of this post.  I am excited and supportive of what God will do in the next three years as He works through evangelistic events, disciplemaking, leadership training and healthy reproducing churches for His glory!

Brothers that I met a few weeks ago like Lukasz serving with his wife in Poland, Tarmo in Estonia, and the rest of the JV Team along with us that prayerfully and financially support them have a great opportunity to invest in and see a movement of God in the next three years like never before as the next generation of youth in Eastern Europe are reached for His glory!  “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4)

Number Our Days.

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” 

(Psalm 90:12)

This week marks five months since a prosthesis went into my right ankle on June 17 (see x-rays under “New Wheels” post), eight weeks since the first surgery on my left ankle, and six weeks until the final surgery on my left ankle on December 30. Physical therapy, twice a week, on my right foot and ankle continue with steady progress being made.

Number Your Days.
All of these surgeries, follow-up visits, and physical therapy appointments bring Psalm 90:12 to mind. I first came across this verse and was challenged by its implications during a spiritual life class when I attended Moody Bible Institute. During a class, Dr. Thrasher challenged us to take our age and multiply it by 365 days. Then take 70 years and multiply it by 365 (“The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength”, Psalm 90:10). Subtract the number of days lived by the number of days left, Lord willing, He gives you to live. So for example, if you are 25 years old you have 16,425 days to live; 35 years gives you 12,775 days; 45 years, 9,125 days left; and 55 years, 5,525 days to go. This little exercise puts the brevity of life into perspective pretty quick. Bottom line: it is short!

These shots are from my a six week post-op check-up on my left ankle. The ankle gets x-rayed three-dimensionally via CT Scan and one dimensionally via regular x-rays. “Construction Orange” is the cast color choice.

Since the first surgery in March, God’s faithfulness has been on display in many ways from strength in recovery, financial provision for all surgeries, post-op care, and physical therapy to parents that have allowed me to stay with them as I recover. Praise Him!

“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful!” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9) 

Encourage One Another.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, 

so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” 

Hebrews 3:13

Everyone needs encouragement. A few weeks ago I was in Starbucks working on a study on the attributes of God.  A gal sitting next to my table saw I was reading the Bible and asked what I was doing?  I told her I was studying the word and recovering from ankle surgery.  I her asked, “What she was doing?”  She said she was writing devotionals for a 30 second radio spot to be aired later in the week.

This gal I was talking to is Virginia Hill, a Christian singer, who serves the Lord signing at women’s conferences, crisis pregnancy events, and concerts.  Her first CD, “LOL” (text/instant message lingo for “Laugh Out Loud”) recently debuted in 2007 and another CD is coming in November.

I never heard of Virginia Hill until I met her.   I asked Virginia if she could send me her CD.  She said she would.  I gave her one of my postcards that includes this blog address and wrote her a short note of encouragement.

A Special Package.  Later that week I received two copies of Virginia’s CD.  What I was not expecting was a note of encouragement along with this devotional she wrote: Perseverance.

“I recently met a man named Jeff at a coffee house where I was working on writing this devotional.  When I entered I noticed he had limited mobility and it took him a long time to get to his seat.

I was curious when I noticed he was studying the Bible and I leaned over and asked what he was studying.  He smiled and began to tell me about his struggles with bone on bone arthritis and how he wants to share the message of hope he has found in the strength of the Lord. He’s even developed his own ministry to encourage and strengthen others.  As he spoke my eyes looked at his left leg propped up on a chair and the crutches lying on the floor. He said when he was twenty-three he had surgeries replacing his hips and recently had a cast removed from his right ankle replacement surgery and now was recovering from his left ankle replacement. He even smiled as he said that there were more surgeries scheduled. His honesty and sweet spirit amazed me.

I was challenged by his example and thought of how many times I let small irritations distract me from being who I am called to be in Christ. Jeff has committed his life to serve and encourage others who are faced with difficult questions and choices.  We may not have to withstand the struggles with living with a disability but we all have things in our lives that we need to overcome. Each of us are handcrafted to fulfill His purpose.  By allowing the Lord to be our strength we press on beyond the circumstances and trials of our lives.”

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”  James 1:2-3

I praise the Lord and am humbled that He could use me to encourage Virginia and that she encouraged me too.  

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 come to mind, "But we have his treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 

Run with Perseverance.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat downat the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Last Tuesday marked two weeks since surgery on my ankle. This is a “milestone” on the road to recovery. My cast came off, sutures were removed from my foot, and a new cast was put on. Everything is looking good – praise the Lord!



These last few weeks also mark the first time to put a sneaker on my right foot. The only thing I have worn on the right foot for the last six months have been casts and a cam boot.  Going into a sneaker has been like putting my foot into a dress shoe after wearing sandals for the summer. It’s tight!

On Thursday I returned to work putting in a little more than a half day and building up stamina.

Living the Christian life is metaphorically described as running a race; it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. A great part of the race is one of progressive sanctification, becoming more like Christ.  Someone once said, “Adversity introduces a person to himself.”

Trials are one way the Lord reveals more about me and my sinful heart. At times, it is pretty ugly. There is an independent spirit rather than one that is dependent on God and others, impatience, and not responding in a manner that pleases the Lord to the events and people He sovereignly brings my way are some of the sins (2 Corinthians 5:9). Praise the Lord there is hope! The gift of repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing from sin is available (Psalm 51:1-12).

If you could script my life any differently than what God has already done and will do, even with the trials, I would not trade it for anything. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its works so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

With the cast coming off and the new one being put on, these verses from Hebrews came to mind that challenge and encourage my heart.

Surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. 

These “witnesses” referred to are the ones listed and noted in Hebrews 11.   They went through great suffering, severe persecution and even death, but remained faithful because they were looking forward to their future reward—eternity with Christ in heaven.  A.W. Pink notes, “If all the saints of God lived, suffered, endured, and conquered by faith, shall not we also?”

Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so entangles.
Similarly, you must throw off “everything that hinders” you from running the Christian race. “Hinders” refers to “a weight” that keeps one from running as fast as he can.  The weights that “hinder” you may not necessarily always be a bad thing.  But, there may be things that keep you from an undistracted devotion to pursuing Christ and living for His glory.  For example, when a runner trains for a race he eliminates specific food from his diet, possibly an activity he enjoys or even a relationship so that his single focus is to win the race.  He does everything possible to win it!  A.W. Pink provides a great definition for us to consider in those things that hinder a believer, “It is anything which retards our progress, anything which unfits us for discharge of our God-assigned duties, anything which dulls the conscience, blunts the edge or our spiritual appetite, or chokes the spirit of prayer.”

Take a minute and ask the Lord, “Heavenly Father, are there any weights—even good things, in my life that keep me from an running wholly for you and for your glory?”  If He has showed you something, give it up, and lay it aside so that you can have an unhindered and undivided devotion to Him.

The sin that so easily entangles.
The “sin that so easily entangles” refers to the sin that resides in one’s heart. Putting to death personal sin, with the help of the Holy Spirit, is what we are commanded to do. Sin is deadly. It either kills you or you are killing it. The Puritans called this mortifying sin. “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13).

Since a believer is dead to sin and a live to God in Christ Jesus he has the ability, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to mortify sin (Romans 6:11-12; 8:13).  This is a conscientious and aggressive pursuit to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that easily entangles. This known as radical amputation of sin. On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the multitudes, figuratively speaking, that if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and throw it away. If you right hand causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away (Matthew 5:28-30). A person’s right hand and right eye are the most prominent parts of the body. If one’s right eye or right hand contributed to one sinning, Jesus instructed him to get rid of it. Dr. Stuart Scott commented about the radical amputation of sin stating, “We should see a lot of maimed Christians entering heaven.”

Run with Perseverance.
As sin is mortified and the things that encumber a runner are laid aside, the runners is called to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb 12:1c).  Perseverance means to “be steadfast”, “to endure”, or “patient suffering.”  This is the same word used in the book of James as it relates to trials. James encourages believers to persevere and stay under the trial, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:3).  

Remember, the Christian race run for the glory of God is not a sprint.  It is a marathon! God is in control.  “Who can speak and have it not happen if the Lord has not decreed it?” (Lamentations 3:37)  This a great assurance, comfort, and hope for the believer who is in physical affliction or trial to keep pressing on!  Through this life you must endure, be steadfast in faith, and rely on the unchanging character of God and the promises of his Word, and keep on running! If one stops running, he is no longer a runner.  You are to keep running hard for Jesus Christ. Even through the dark, hard, and discouraging days.  Jesus is able to sympathize with your weakness because He was tempted in every way—yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).  As the Son of God, He learned obedience from what He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

 
The Greek Word for “race” ἀγών (agon) is the root for agony and means “conflict or struggle”. The Christian race can be difficult, but whatever you face it can be overcome through living by faith and abiding in Jesus Christ. “I (Jesus) am the vine; you are the branches.  “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you an do nothing” (John 15:5). “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). The believers addressed in Hebrews were encouraged to have their hearts focused on Jesus Christ. They remained confident in God as they held “unswervingly to the hope” they professed knowing that “he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Your faith in Christ must be active in order to persevere.  “For my righteous one will live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38).  This was a permeating mark in the lives of believers in Hebrews 11. Is it a characteristic of your life?  If it is not, ask the Lord to help you to grow in faith.  These brothers and sisters in Christ mentioned in Hebrews are an encouragement to us to press on no matter what.  “All these people were still living by faith when they died” (Hebrews 11:13).

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus.
The focus for the Christian running the race, amidst the distractions of the world and the temptations, must always be on Jesus Christ. Jesus is the example to follow as He said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).  Jesus is the “author and perfecter” of your faith.  He orchestrated and initiated your salvation and with your cooperation, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, He is the one who will bring it to completion (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 8:28-30; Philippians 1:6).  

As a runner enters the starting blocks, before the gun goes off to start the race, he focuses his eyes on the finish tape. When the gun goes off, his goal is to be the first one to break the tape. Although Jesus Christ did not literally break a tape at the finish line, He remained faithful throughout His thirty-three years of life to do His Father’s will. He knew, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed…” (Luke 19:22).  Jesus suffered a brutal death on the cross for your sins. Crucifixion by death was developed by the Romans to brutally and shamefully punish the most heinous of criminals.  The torture involved in death by crucifixion was so severe, that no matter how terrible the crime, a Roman citizen could never be crucified. How ironic. The Romans did not subject their own people to crucifixion because death on the cross was so shamefully humiliating and painful.

Jesus, however, embraced death on the cross. “…For the joy set before him (he) endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).  He looked beyond the cross with joy knowing that His death provided salvation for sinners.  “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10).

So too we, who run the Christian race, must daily and consistently look to Jesus Christ for strength, encouragement, and hope.  This is a conscientious decision.  “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).  

The psalmist is a biblical example of one who relied on the Lord.  His hope was in the Lord, “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you” (Psalm 39:7).  His strength was in the Lord, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Ps 105:4).  His joy was in the Lord, “you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Ps 16:11b).

Where is your hope, strength, and joy?

Run with perseverance.

Sunflowers for Sunday.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass.”  (Isaiah 40:7)

Flowers, I like ‘em. They reflect the glory, beauty, and creativity of an awesome God. 

This summer my dad planted a bunch of sunflower seeds behind their home. It took awhile for them to grow, but by the end of the summer they were 6-8’ high.

From scripture, one can see God valued flowers. In the Old Testament, flowers were a part of The Tabernacle (Exodus 25:31) and included in the Temple (1 Kings 6:32; 2 Chronicles 4:20-22).  Flowers like the rose of Sharon and the lilies of the valley are referenced in the Song of Solomon (Song of Solomon 2:1, 16).  

God created a variety of flowers, like the rose of Sharon and the lilies of the valley referenced in the Song of Solomon, for our enjoyment.  “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12, 2:1, 16).

At times, flowers referenced in the Word demonstrate the brevity of life and the eternality of God.  “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).  “For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away” (James 1:11).

Grateful to God for flowers.