Over the Christmas vacation I had the opportunity to meet with 10 students and two teachers from the Nazareth Baptist School in Nazareth, Israel. I attended a dinner in their honor and then hosted them in my office. They also attended classes at Kings for a day. Their school has many similarities with Kings Schools. Their teachers were inspirational and the students...well they seemed like regular highs school kids.
Here is some information about the Nazareth School:
"Even though they are outnumbered two to one by Muslim residents, even though their story is largely unknown around the world, this small group of believers in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth represents one of the most urgent and strategic opportunities to not only keep the Gospel message alive but advance the Lord’s work throughout Nazareth, Israel and the entire Middle East.
The school is home to forgotten Arab Christians, believers whose families have lived in Palestine for centuries and who have remained in Nazareth and remained faithful to God through centuries of war, upheaval and ongoing persecution.
Nazareth Baptist School is the only evangelical K-12 school in Israel. Academically, it is one of top-rated schools in the entire country. Of its 1,000 students, 70 % are Christian, 30% Muslim. All students receive Bible teaching and attend chapel.
Every fall, Nazareth Baptist School has a waiting list of 100 children. Nazareth Baptist School is one of the strongest academic schools in Israel. By the time they graduate, all students are fluent in three languages – Arabic, Hebrew and English – and many go to earn advanced degrees at the country’s top universities."
This experience gave me a picture of what it is like to live in Israel as a very small Christian minority. Right now the media reports stories about the ongoing conflict with Palestine. There is a constant threat of violence in parts of Israel. The Muslim, Christian, Jewish tension is a constant presence. There are economic challenges in the country and for the school. In the midst of these challenges they still graduate students who excel academically and are committed to Jesus Christ.
What a great reminder to us all that more than ever, in difficult and trying times we must put one foot in front of the other and continue the journey God has set before us. And you know, often times we will find we can accomplish more than we think possible.
Talk about hard times. Samuel chapter 30:3-6 "When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David's two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God."
I think you get the picture. A terrible thing happened and David's men were turning against him. So what did David do? He found strength in the Lord. How did he actually do this? How do we do this?
Psalm 119: 104-106 "I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws."
Know God's Word, understand what it says and be obedient to what you know. This is one essential and very important path to being strong in the Lord. God's Word is simple, it is straightforward, it is knowable and doable.
Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Pray, and never stop praying. Prayer involves praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition, intercession, crying, singing among other things. It is conversing with our Father. How can you gain strength from a relationship if you are not relating to the source of the strength?
Philippians 2:1-3 1 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
Spend quality time with believers you know, love and trust. It is called fellowship. We are not meant to go it alone!
Keep the faith.
2 Corinthians 12:7 The Message
"Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, 'My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness'. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."
I was touched when I read this verse recently. It reminded me how much it cost the Apostle Paul to preach the gospel. He accomplished so much in his lifetime, but never was free from abuse, accidents, opposition, or bad breaks. Sometimes in today's world, especially in the United States, we get lulled into the belief that things should come easily or with very little abuse, accidents, opposition, or bad breaks. Today we are in a time of testing and trial, perhaps a time as trying as any of us have known in our life time. No one really knows because no one knows the future.
My own life, from time to time, has had its share of testing. Sometimes these have come from my own bad choices or ignorance. Others times trials have come because the rain falls on the just and the unjust. In my early days of working for Young Life we got paid "when the money came in". I remember going to the mail box and receiving a real pay check that said the amount was $0.00. That was some shock.... pay for a one month's work...nothing. A short time later I had to take three months off with out pay with a wife and two very young children to support. I found a job working on the railroad for three months and felt lucky to have work. God provided!
I had some painful experiences in relationships that meant the world to me. I thought I would die from the pain but God healed me and made me a better person for it. Through the pain he made me more sensitive, kind and patient.
We really struggled with one of our children. He was not an easy guy to raise and it went on for a long time. I learned to be a better father through it all. Today I am so proud of who he is what he has done with his life.
I left Young Life after many years of service. I loved every minute of it. Young Life had become like a family to me. It was very painful to leave. It took me a year to heal and there were times I thought I would end up pumping gas for a living. But God was faithful. He taught me and by His grace I learned to listen to Him more faithfully.
We may have some very hard times ahead. As much as we want to, we can't deny it. Here at CRISTA we are in the middle of trying to make decisions that are wise and bathed in prayer. Some of these decisions will be difficult on those they affect. I agonize over these decisions. I seek wise council.
One of CRISTA's three strategic pillars is: "One Mission". We recently had two outstanding examples of "One Mission" on the Shoreline Campus. Pictures are worth a thousand words and I am glad I can post them on my blog.
The circle picture contains 10 seniors citizens who reside at Cristwood and 10 seniors from Kings High School also on the Shoreline campus of CRISTA. Three different times during the day (each time with a new group of participants) we gathered out in front of our administration build and briefed the group on two or three of our ministries and then they prayed. This brings joy and purpose to everyone sitting around the circle. This brings spiritual vitality to the CRISTA community and encourages us all.
In addition, our camp staff brought over some animals (real live ones) to our senior living facility recently. I love these pictures! Another great example of how we continue to embrace "One Mission" and bask in the light of God's love in grace. It has been a great week so far. I can hardly wait for the next few days to see what God will bring.
Exodus 33:13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.
Deuteronomy 8:6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him.
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
It is this last verse that always gets me to stop and think and pray. As the President of CRISTA I am in the midst of leading a strategic planning process. We know that this comes in the middle of a big financial crisis around the world. All you can really do is get the best people you have together to pray and plan for the future, figure in as many different scenarios as you can and commit the plans to the the Lord. There are all kinds of templates to do this and many different experts offer their insights on how to do strategic plans. I think these are all important. But then you throw in IS 55:8... Help me with that one will you?
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