Upper Loft Meditation - Hebrews 10

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” - Hebrews 10:23

The context of this great verse gives important perspective for how we are to live. The preceding verse exhorts us to come close to God, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” Because the pathway has been cleared, we have passed security controls, and we are invited into His presence.

Verse 23 exhorts us to hold tight to the hope we proclaim. Our profession of faith is to be a witness in word and deed to God’s faithfulness. What we say must match how we live. Hold tight.

You may think that your spiritual grip is not very strong. The faith threats that mock your beliefs, the sinful splattering in your workplace, your sputtering steadfastness all threaten your ability to hold on tight. But, God has a hold of you. It is the power of His grip that will enable you to persevere. Hold fast to His faithfulness. Wear your spiritual seatbelt.

Verse 24 follows with a third exhortation, “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” As we hold fast to the Lord, we are to prod, provoke, and incite one another to Christ-like action toward others. In other words, in light of God’s faithfulness and our secure hope in His promises, we must stir up one another to acts of love and mercy.

Our hope gives us confidence to boldly follow Christ’s example.

Essay Contest Update

I thought I would take a quick moment to update everyone on the 2008 Essay Contest.

• We received 3 times the number of essays we were expecting.
• 2/3 of those essays were sent in the final 24-36 hours.
• The top countries submitting essays:
  1. USA
  2. India
  3. Nigeria
  4. Philippines
  5. Canada
• The top states submitting essays:
  1. California
  2. Texas
  3. New York
  4. Illinois
  5. Ohio
• The top submitting city in the US was: Palo Alto, CA
• We received essays submitted from over 67 countries and states
• All the essays are now out with the first round judges

Thank you all once again for spending time thinking and writing your essays.

Palabras de Aliento - Romanos 12

“Alégrense en la esperanza, muestren paciencia en el sufrimiento, perseveren en la oración.” - Romanos 12:12

Hay un cuento de niños que trata sobre una niñita que miraría a través de la ventana cada mañana. Si estaba lloviendo o nublado ella estaría trista, pero si el sol brillaba ella se desbodaría de gozo.

¿Qué determina si vas a estar lleno de gozo este día? ¿El clima? ¿Problemas no conocidos que deban ser enfrentados? ¿Dolores, penas y un sentimiento general serán el depresivo del día?

Por la esperanza puesta ante Jesús, El resistió la cruz. Esa gran esperanza anula todos los sentimientos y circunstancias.

Nuestra esperanza es encontrada en Jesús. Esta es una esperanza por la cual tenemos una garanatía, las promesas de Dios.

Nótese que esta exhortación de estar gozoso va junto a otras dos, “Paciencia en el sufrimiento” –perseverar o continuar cuando las cosas se ponen dificiles y “Perseverancia en la oración” – siempre en oración.

Si nuestro gozo está basado en la fidelidad de Dios y su amor infalible por nosotros entonces tenemos la confianza que nuestras oraciones son escuchadas y que El nos guiará a través del valle de sombras. El gozo en medio de la tormenta está basado en verdades mucho más grandes que la tormenta.

Piensa en la gran esperanza que tienes en Cristo Jesús. ¡Puedo ver tu sonrisa y oir tu canto!

Excuse me mister, I want to eat!

(Taken from “Street Kid Stories” by Benjamin Bradley)

There is a small 15 year old boy who came to the Lord through the street outreaches last year. His name is Slava. He trusted Jesus and claimed the promises of Matthew 6:33 and believed that if he sought the Kingdom of God that Jesus would provide for him. He learned not only how Jesus provided for him but also how to witness and share his hope in Jesus with other kids.

Up to this point the news about Slava has mostly been good. It has given us reason to praise God and celebrate, but three days ago, Slava after a year of fighting and believing, finally gave up. His mother had died just a few weeks ago, and for the first few days after the death he lived with our ministry teams on a make-shift bed in the office, but legally he could not stay there for long. For a period of time after that he stayed with various Christian friends in St. Petersburg. For three long days he walked the streets of St. Petersburg then slept in our office chair at night. Finally, exhausted physically and spiritually, Slava gave up.

Over several days, changes were noticeable in him as he became more distant. When asked where he had slept he said it was with friends but there was an uncomfortable silence that followed these “unknown friends” comments. Then three days go he came to the office, he had been beaten and stabbed in the foot with a knife. When asked what happened he said that his friend had beaten him.

It’s not easy to understand Slava without a translator, but he was able to express that his new friends did not want him to hang around Christians and that they wanted Slava to leave town with them the next day. As much as the desire to offer Slava a place to stay was pushing on our hearts, the knowledge that we could not make such an offer without raising the anger of the local police.

As he was getting ready to leave, he needed something to carry his meager belongings in so he removed the Bible and other Christian items that had always been so important to him from his backpack. He explained that the presence of these items might upset his new friends. He kept saying in simple English “me friend no Jesus, Slava no Jesus.” He looked longingly at the Bible he was laying down.

To be continued…

Upper Loft Meditation - Romans 12

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:12

There is a children’s story of a little girl who would look out the window every morning. If it was rainy or overcast she would be sad, but if the sun was shining she would overflow with joy.

What determines if you are to be filled with joy today? The weather? No known problems that must be tackled? Aches and pains and a general feeling it will be a downer day?

Jesus, for the hope set before him, endured the cross. Such a great hope overrules all feelings and circumstances.

Our hope is found in Jesus. This is a hope for which we have a guarantee, the promises of God.

Notice that this exhortation to be joyful is coupled with two others, “patient in affliction” - to persevere or keep on going when it gets tough and “faithful in prayer” - to pray always.

If our joy is based on God’s faithfulness and His unfailing love for us, then we have confidence that our prayers are heard and that He will lead us through the valley of shadows. The joy in the midst of the storm is based on truths far greater than the storm.

Think of the great hope you have in Christ Jesus. I can picture your smile and hear your singing!

Bridges Playing

(Part of the set of Russian street kids stories from St. Petersburg)

The “white nights” of St. Petersburg. Such a beautiful sight to behold. The constant daylight lasting almost throughout the night. Tourists travel from all over the world to watch the bridges on the canal rise up and seemingly float back down. All this mystery and excitement masks the darker side of the city.

A frail young 7 year old also watches the bridges playing in the night. Barely able to stand she asks a passerby for a cigarette. The cigarette that will be lit as soon as she finishes the one destroying her seven year old body at the moment. The moonlight gets entangled with the dirt and lice living in her hair. The shoes on her feet strain to stay together in order to provide Nina some protection from the broken vodka bottles on the street. As she walks toward the canal the rips in the dress slowly grow to reveal the bruises on her body. Like a little child who has lost her teddy bear or one piece of candy, the tears well up in Nina’s eyes when she realizes she has no more cigarettes to smoke.

Palabras de Aliento - Efesios 1

“Pido también que les sean iluminados los ojos del corazón para que sepan a qué esperanza él los ha llamado, cuál es la riqueza de su gloriosa herencia entre los santos, y cuán incomparable es la grandeza de su poder a favor de los que creemos. Ese poder es la fuerza grandiosa y eficaz” - Efesios 1:18-19

¿Sabías que tienes ojos en tu corazón? El apóstol Pablo ora que sus compañeros creyentes vean con sus corazones. En sus días, esto significaba ver con todo su ser, corazón, alma y mente. La idea aquí es que el Espíritu Santo encenderá la luz para que tú veas más claramente. Cuando estás en la oscuridad pueda que veas débilmente, pero cuando se enciende la luz todo está claro.

“El que no tiene el Espíritu no acepta lo que procede del Espíritu de Dios, pues para él es locura. No puede entenderlo, porque hay que discernirlo espiritualmente.” - 1 Corintios 2:14

Separados del trabajo del Espíritu Santo los ojos del corazón están ciegos.

“El constante deseo de nuestras vidas debiera ser que crezcamos en gracia y en el conocimiento del Señor. El problema con muchos de nosotros es que nunca nos hemos despertados a esta realización. Pareciera que pensamos que hemos ‘llegado’, que ‘sabemos’.” [M. Lloyd-Jones]

¿Cuán frecuentemente tienes la actitud de que no hay nada nuevo de aprender para ti? Hay tres principios claves aqui:

1. Siempre habrá más para nosotros de aprender y entender.

2. Ver es progresivo y lo que entendemos construye sobre lo que hemos entendido. Apercepción espiritual es crítica para el crecimiento, y

3. Solamente cuando entremos al cielo es que entenderemos completamente.

Señor enciende las luces para que yo te vea más claramente.

Praying for Children with Disability

Diversity in Disability Brought Together in Christ

Disability Defined

What is the Definition of Disability

A person with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

• There are a HALF BILLION people worldwide who have a disability.
• 54 MILLION Americans live with some level of disability. Nearly half have a severe disability.
• 4.5 MILLION American children and youth under the age of 18 have a disability.
• Nearly 1 MILLION of these children are institutionalized.
• ONE IN FIVE children is now diagnosed with autism or on the autism spectrum.
• 80 PERCENT of marriages that have a child with disability end in divorce.
• It is estimated that only FIVE PERCENT of persons with disability attend church.

Church Participation Update

What can your church do?

1. You can use the form above to request free bulletin inserts to be used in your church service on June 1st, 2008.
2. You can organize your small group or multiple small groups to focus their prayer times on Children at High Risk (focusing on Children with Disabilities) during the week of June 1st, 2008.
3. You can use one of our many banners (see banner page) and display them on your church website or personal sites to promote interest in the Annual Day of Prayer for Children at High Risk.
4. You can personally join thousands around the world by committing to spend time in prayer for Children at Risk and those who work amongst them.

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