Lord, when You walked upon this earth,
You weren’t affected
By the pace of life around You
Or by the time which seemingly passed You by.

You had time to speak with children
And eat with sinners -
Even though these might seem a waste of time
To One with a mission as great as Yours.

Lord, when my soul begins to join
The frenzied pace of life around me;
And when I add the word “Now!”
To the mission You have called me to,

May my heart be quiet,
Though circumstances cry, “Hurry! Hurry!”
May my soul find it’s rest in You,
The Unhurried One.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by small, lesser-known, and/or isolated places.

For example, when I was in junior high (I can’t remember which grade), the big project one year was to write a report about a European country. We were supposed to do a lot of research (including writing letters to the tourist offices of the country we chose to ask for materials) and then write a comprehensive report on the country.

I decided I wanted to be different and I wrote my report on six smaller countries of Europe - Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.

My fascination with small, lesser-known, and/or isolated places may be part of the reason for what is invariably my first thought when I see a photo like this.

This is a photo of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, the main settlement on the island of Tristan da Cunha, part of an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic Ocean. The settlement of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is regarded as the most remote permanent settlement on earth. It is 1,350 miles (2,173 kilometers) from the nearest other human settlement on the island of Saint Helena. [The photo is courtesy of The Official CTBTO Photostream (https://www.flickr.com/people/40662521@N07). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)]

What is my first thought when I see a photo like this?

Who will take the gospel to the people who live here?

In Acts 21:1-6 (my thoughts below are based primarily on verses 5-6, but verses 1-4 provide some of the context), we’re told about Paul and his companions arriving at the port of Tyre and subsequently departing from Tyre on their way to Jerusalem.

After staying in Tyre for seven days, Paul and his companions walked from somewhere in the city of Tyre to the beach where they caught a ship to continue their journey to Jerusalem. As they walked, they were accompanied by the ENTIRE church - men, women, and children.

I’ve heard it said that ships would have left the port of Tyre in the morning.

If that’s true, when the ENTIRE church walked through the city with Paul and his companions, it was at a time of day when the city was awake and bustling.

When the ENTIRE church knelt on the beach with Paul and his companions and prayed for them, it was at a time of day when the port was humming.

The fellowship enjoyed by the church and the prayer that was lifted to God for Paul and his companions - all was done in public, in full view of the community, in the midst of unbelievers who were entirely different than the church in their conversation, in their actions, in their motivations, etc.

But the church was unashamedly committed to living their life in full view of the unbelieving community - declaring the good news in word and deed in the midst of people who were opposed to or uninterested in their message.

In the modern world (especially while a pandemic rages), broad elements of society gather online - on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. In many ways, social platforms are the public square today.

As I read more and more posts from my believing friends and connections saying they are leaving Facebook, Twitter, etc. in favor of Parler, MeWe, Gab, etc., I have to ask myself, “Are we abandoning the public square?”

This was a series of posts added to Facebook over five days in January of 2021. This series was designed to culminate in opportunities to introduce a missionary family (Adam & Melissa Tvedt) who use a platform of baseball to facilitate the spread of the gospel in the Dominican Republic.

Baseball Was Everything to Me

When I was growing up, baseball was pretty much everything to me. I started playing organized ball when I was 9 years old, but I know my dad used to play catch with me before that. As I continued to play, my family life started to revolve around baseball a fair amount.

My dad helped coach (even though, by his own admission, he didn’t know a lot about baseball), and eventually served as president of two of our local leagues. My mom worked in the snack shack and drove me all over to play baseball. The first time I remember one of my parents missing a game, I think I was 16 or 17.

One of my most vivid memories from childhood was going to a little league game with my older sister, mischievously taunting her with a spoonful of chili - threatening to fling it at her - and unfortunately having my finger slip off the spoon, watching my sister duck to avoid it, and seeing the spoonful of chili strike a woman we didn’t know full on the cheek.

I played from the time I was 9 years old into college for about a year, and then coached baseball (from 8-year-old players to high school and college level players, some of whom played in the majors) for about 10 years.

I’d love to know a little bit more about the baseball fans among my Facebook friends, so I thought I would take the next five days (starting tomorrow) and ask some questions about your favorite baseball teams, players, etc. So keep an eye out for the questions - they’ll all have a title of Baseball Questions: Day _.

For now, if you’re a baseball fan, just comment on this post and tell me a little bit about how baseball has been a part of your life.

Baseball Questions: Day 1

Who is your favorite baseball team and why?

My answer: The San Francisco Giants.

Why? Because I’m a baseball fan first, then a national league fan (I despise the designated hitter rule), and then a Giants fan - because they are the closest national league team to me and I grew up rooting for them.

Baseball Questions: Day 2

Who is your favorite current baseball player and why?

My answer: Mike Yastrzemski.

Why? Because he plays for my favorite team the Giants and because he was an underdog throughout most of his professional baseball career. He kept being told he wasn’t good enough to make the major leagues, but he persisted, and when he finally got his chance with the Giants, he proved everyone wrong.

Besides, hitting a home run at Fenway while his grandfather - who played at Fenway for 23 years - watched was amazing and tremendously inspiring!

Baseball Questions: Day 3

Who is your favorite baseball player from the past and why?

My answer: Ted Williams.

Why? When I was a boy, my dad gave me Ted Williams’ book The Science of Hitting. I was always inspired as a baseball player by this quote from him: “A man has to have goals - for a day, for a lifetime - and that was mine, to have people say, ‘There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived.’”

Baseball Questions: Day 4

What is your favorite baseball movie and why?

My answer: The Natural.

Why? The early parts of the movie where Roy Hobbs was a boy mirror my passion for baseball as a young boy. And Robert Redford’s portrayal of Roy Hobbs was largely inspired by Ted Williams, my favorite baseball player from the past.

I love the scene where Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is in the hospital and says to Iris Gaines (Glenn Close), “God, I love baseball.” Not exactly Academy Award excellence, but it’s always been one of my favorite movie quotes and one of my favorite movies.

Baseball Questions: Day 5

Who are your favorite missionaries using baseball as a platform to spread the gospel and why?

My answer: Adam, Melissa, Adison, and Abigail Tvedt - Assemblies of God missionaries to the Dominican Republic.

Why?

The Dominican Republic, a small island country in the Caribbean (occupying the eastern 5/8 of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti), has a population of approximately 10.8 million people. After the United States, it has the second highest number of major league baseball players (137 in the 2020 season - the next highest is Venezuela with 94 players, out of a population of about 29 million).*

This demonstrates that baseball is a very important aspect of Dominican life. In fact, Dominican families are desperate for a better life and believe that if their sons reach the major leagues, they will experience that better life. Some parents even sell their children to agents in the hopes of improving their chances.

But the Tvedt family knows that the better life is found in relationship with Jesus, and they use baseball as a way to declare the gospel to those who are lost in the Dominican Republic. Through the Turn 2 Ministry they launched in their first term, they build connections in every community in which they work, using baseball. And this facilitates connections between the local church and the local baseball community in ways that would otherwise be difficult.

Now, the Tvedt family is back in the States raising prayer and financial support for their second term in which they are excited to be able to expand the vision through a campground facility in the mountains they have inherited.

If you want to learn more about the Tvedt family and how they are using the platform of baseball to reach the people of the Dominican Republic, watch this video -

. And also visit their website at https://agmd.org/Profile/Index/19da5553-027d-49dc-90ec-b5b33aca7ac1. There you will find a summary of their ministry, contact information, their social channels, a link to sign up for their newsletter, past newsletters, a link to where you can give financially to support their ministry, and more!

If you’d like an online introduction, just let me know, and I would be more than happy to connect you to the Tvedts through Facebook messenger.

Ronnie, Rhonda, and Robert Rice are abandoning their comfortable life in America for the sake of the gospel and are preparing to move to Lisbon, Portugal. They are seeking additional partners to pray for them and provide financial support. This video provides a good introduction to their background and future ministry. See also the links in the comments for more information.

Why should we consider supporting them in prayer and finances?

I believe that Lisbon has a unique role in God’s plan for the nations. Among the 10.7 million people who live in the nation of Portugal, only three percent (a little over 300,000) are evangelical. The majority of the population in the capital city of Lisbon is secularized with materialism and individualism (along with increasing substance abuse) being major characteristics of the population.

While Portugal is relatively small in terms of area and population, its influence is larger than its size might suggest, especially because of its immigrant population (I believe that immigration trends and patterns often provide us with hints into God’s plans and strategies for reaching the nations). Portugal is a destination for immigrants from:

1) Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique;

2) Eastern European countries such as Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, and Russia;

3) Western European countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany; and,

4) various other countries such as China and India.

English is the second most widely spoken language in the country of Portugal, and according to the Education First English Proficiency Index, English speakers have an increasingly high proficiency in the language (Portugal was most recently ranked 7th among the 100 nations where Education First tests). And English is especially common in Lisbon due to its status as a tourist destination. Lisbon thus provides a prime opportunity for planting an international church which can ultimately become a community which sends workers around the world.

Planted by Assemblies of God missionaries Daniel and Joy West, LIFE Church in the capital city of Lisbon is such a church, seeking to reach this English-speaking community for Jesus. In a recent gathering, six different nations were represented - that’s the power of an international church as Christian community which crosses lines becomes the foundation for effective outreach.

The Rice family will be moving to Lisbon to work alongside the Wests and support their work in the areas of evangelism, worship, and discipleship. Please prayerfully consider how you might be able to help!

Maddie Troeger grew up in a Christian home, raised by parents with a strong commitment to missions. It’s no surprise, then, that she sensed God’s call to missions at an early age.

In 2018, Maddie was working at Chick-Fil-A, and one day she was praying while she worked, asking God if he really wanted her to share the gospel with people in far off lands. That same day, she happened to be working in the dining room section of the restaurant (a rarity for her) so she could interact with customers.

Earlier that year, Joe Kornoelje had been invited by a friend to attend a Bible study. Joe resisted for a long time, but finally ran out of excuses. So he drove his friend to the Bible study and stayed. At the Bible study, led by a missionary with Overland Missions, Joe encountered the love of Christ, committed himself to serve Jesus, and fell in love with His word. Later, the Bible study leader invited Joe to join him and others on an “Expedition” in Zambia (expedition is the Overland Missions term for short evangelism trips through which whole villages and areas are reached with the gospel). Joe came back from the trip energized for the cause of Christ in the southern African nation.

Meanwile, the same day that Maddie was working in the Chick-Fil-A dining room, Joe (now back in the United States after his trip to Zambia) felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to have his devotions at the restaurant. So he ordered some food, sat down at a table, and opened his Bible.

Maddie noticed him and his open Bible, and they struck up a conversation. As their friendship grew, Joe told Maddie about Overland Missions. When Joe and Maddie were married in December of 2020, it was the culmination of several threads of God’s call on their lives - their call to serve Him together, their call to missions, and their call to Zambia.

Now with their infant daughter, Piper Rain, Joe and Maddie are preparing to be sector missionaries with Overland Missions in Chipepo, Zambia. The main goal of a sector missionary in the Overland approach is to follow expeditions and provide tools and resources to help the new believers grow in their walk with Jesus - starting Bible studies, women’s ministries, and any other efforts that will facilitate ongoing discipleship. Joe and Maddie are particularly burdened to start a children’s ministry in Chipepo.

If their story strikes a chord, I would encourage you to reach out to Joe and Maddie and find out how you can support them (in prayer, financially, logistically, etc.)

2 Peter 2:1-3 as well as Jude 4 and 12 tell us that it is expected that false teachers would be among us as the people of God. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies. They will creep in unnoticed. They will be hidden among us when we gather.

In Acts 20:29-30, Paul tells the elders of the church at Ephesus that false teachers will come in among the elders and arise from among the elders and speak perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.

If it was expected then, is there any reason to believe that it will not be the same today?

It’s easy to identify the false teachers that are not among us - Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Science, etc. In general, the church today recognizes that these are false cults.

But it’s not so easy to identify the false teachers among us - those who have secretly brought in destructive heresies, those who have crept in unnoticed, those who gather with us on Sunday mornings, those who are elders in God’s church.

If we’re not identifying the false teachers that God says will be among us, doesn’t it follow that we’re not being discerning enough?

Food for thought.

Verses 1-2 and verses 5-6 of this psalm are almost exactly the same, with only a slight change in the wording between verse 1b and verse 5b. But there is another subtle difference which I believe offers us helpful insight into our life of following the Lord.

In verses 1-2, David describes a current state - how he IS at that moment:

- his soul waits in God for silence;

- he is confident that his salvation comes from God;

- he knows that God is his only rock and the source of his salvation; and,

- because he believes that God is his fortress, he knows he will not be greatly shaken

But by verse 5, in some senses, he HAS been shaken.

In verses 5-6, no longer is he describing his current state - instead, he is exhorting his own soul - telling himself what he must DO:

- he tells his soul to wait in silence for God (because every part of his being wants to take action);

- he reminds his soul that his hope (his salvation) comes from God (because he is losing hope that he will ever be delivered from his current plight);

- he reassures his soul that God is his rock and his salvation (because his heart is unsteady); and,

- he tells himself again that God is his fortress and he comforts his soul again with the promise that he will not be shaken.

What happened between the season when he was confident and the season when he had to remind himself of God’s care and protection? An attack from the enemy of his soul (described in verses 3-4):

- he was attacked by those who sought to batter him and knock him down; and,

- those who he thought were his friends (who blessed him with their mouths) revealed themselves as those who were against him (inwardly they cursed him).

When the storm that batters us seems unending, and we cry out against the enemies of our soul, “How long will all of you attack me?” ...

When we are battered and knocked down, even by those we counted among our friends ...

When one moment we are full of confidence that the fiery trial is coming to an end but the next moment we are back in the flames again ...

We can assure ourselves that ultimately our deliverance and reputation rest on God, our mighty rock and our protector (verse 7). He is worthy of our trust (verse 8). And we can know that two things belong to God - power to deliver us and steadfast love to care for us (verses 11-12).

Lord, help me to live in accordance with your overarching purpose for my life - to learn your ways and teach them to the next generation, to tell the next generation about your power and about the glorious deeds and wonders that you have done on our behalf.

Grant me an open heart that I might hear your voice in your word.

And help me teach those you have placed in my sphere of influence in such a way that they will teach others.

May we not have lives characterized by independence from you.

Instead, give us hearts that are steadfast and faithful to you.

These are the foundation that enables us to set our hope on you in the day of battle.

Lord, when I forget your works and the wonders that you have shown me in the past …

When I don’t keep your covenant and refuse to walk according to your ways …

then I shrink on the day of battle. I retreat when I am faced with temptation. I run away when I encounter difficulty.

Help me never forget the day of my salvation when you routed the enemies of my soul.

Help me never forget the day when you delivered me from bondage to sin.

Help me never forget how you’ve led me through seasons of difficulty, through seasons when you seemed far away from me, through seasons when your promises seemed like cruel jokes.

Help me never forget how you have been faithful to me, how you have provided all I need.

Lord, grant me a steadfast heart that remembers you and all you’ve done on my behalf.

What do I crave that I think you should provide for me?

Do I covet an easy life?

Do I long for success and recognition?

Do I thirst after freedom and independence?

Do I desire stability and security?

Lord, vanquish discontent in my heart.

Strike down the temptation within me that wants to accuse you of being insufficient for my needs.

Teach me that thoughts of “not enough” are rebellion.

Thank you that you have given me everything I need for life and godliness.

Grant me a spirit that is faithful to you.

Today - as every day - I swear allegiance to Jesus my King.

Lord, when you rain down blessings on me and provide for my needs, do I mistake your material blessings for approval?

Am I simply craving what satisfies me, what fulfills me, what I think gives my life meaning and purpose and yet forsaking the path of true abundance?

Do I miss your teaching and the words of your mouth while I test you in my heart, insisting on my personal comfort?

When I want more than I have and am not content with your provision, do I betray my lack of trust in your saving power?

Grant me a listening, trusting heart today, Lord.

Lord, when we did not keep your covenant and refused to walk according to your law …

When we forgot your works and the wonders you had shown us …

When we tested you in our hearts, demanding ever more …

When we did not believe in you nor trust your saving power, despite your wonders …

When we gave lip-service to your ways but were not faithful and did not have a steadfast heart …

When we rebelled and grieved you in the desert …

You still led us out of our bondage like sheep and guided us in the wilderness like a flock …

You still led us in safety and calmed our fears …

You brought us to a land of abundance, taught us your ways, and struck down the enemies of our souls.

Oh, what kindness we don’t deserve!

We will not hide your mercy from our children! We will tell of your great love to the coming generation! We will proclaim your grace to a world which longs for meaning and purpose!

Lord, in the wilderness season, help me remember.

When you performed your signs in Egypt and redeemed your people from the clutches of their foes, the nations heard about your wonders and trembled. The inhabitants of Philistia were seized by pangs. The chiefs of Edom were dismayed. The Canaanites melted away. All the world witnessed your power.

When your son gave his life on the cross, he disarmed the rulers and set us free from the enemies of our soul who sought to keep us in bondage. He put spiritual authorities to open shame and made a public spectacle of them.

When you delivered me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to the kingdom of your beloved son, your patience, grace, and kindness became my redemption.

May I always remember, lest I grieve you in my wilderness.

Discontent - the desire for more than I’ve been given.

Regret - the conviction that my life didn’t turn out the way I planned.

I know better than you what I need.

I am able to guide my life better than you.

So begins an independent spirit, Lord.

So begins rebellion.

So begins idolatry.

So begins practical atheism.

In the words of Ann Voskamp, I say the yes to you, but I live the no.¹

How utterly amazing, then, that in the end, you awake from sleep and put the adversaries of my soul (those ideas, philosophies, thoughts, influences, attitudes, etc. that seek to distract me from allegiance to you) to rout and put them to everlasting shame.

¹ Voskamp, Ann. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, 1000 Gifts. Zondervan, 2011.

Lord, the marvelous blessings you’ve rained down upon my life …

… the freedom you’ve poured out upon my soul …

… the guidance and protection you’ve given me in seasons of both joy and sorrow …

… how can I begin to thank you for all the wonders you have done for me?

Even though my gratitude should be unceasing, my heart is fickle.

One moment, I remember that you are my rock and my redeemer, and I am ever-conscious of your presence with me.

The next moment, I expect more and my heart complains.

Grant me steadfastness, faithfulness, and an allegiant heart.

Thank you for mercy . Thank you for compassion. Thank you for patience.

It is your kindness that leads me to repentance, and your grace that teaches me to deny ungodliness.

Meditating this morning on Psalm 106:47 and Psalm 107:1-9.

Psalm 106:47
Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.

Psalm 107:1-3
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

Notice the similarities?

In Psalm 106:47, the psalmist is asking Yahweh to save him and his people (perhaps the Jewish exiles in Babylon, or a portion of those exiles with some having already returned to Jerusalem). And he says that when Yahweh does gather them from among the nations, the people of Israel will give thanks to His holy name.

Psalm 107:1-3 reflects the fulfillment of the prayer of Psalm 106:47. Now we see the people of Israel, in fact, giving thanks to Yahweh for His great love. Why? Because Yahweh has redeemed His people and gathered them in from the lands.

What struck me this morning was the structure of the psalter around these two psalms. Psalm 106 is the last psalm in Book Four of the Psalms. Psalm 107 is the first psalm in Book Five of the Psalms.

Does this perhaps suggest an interlude between Psalm 106 and Psalm 107 - perhaps in how the psalms were sung? Certainly, there was some period of time between when the psalmist cried out to God for deliverance in Psalm 106:47 and when the psalmist gave thanks to Yahweh for His redemption in Psalm 107:1-3.

I can imagine the editors who were compiling the psalms choosing to place these two psalms in close proximity to each other so that when/if they were sung and prayed in order, it would suggest to the Israelites who were in exile or who were in Jerusalem, waiting for their fellow Israelites to return from exile, that Yahweh is faithful to hear the cries of His people and respond.

The order of the psalms is not inspired (as the words of the psalms are). But the editors understood the doubts and fears that the Israelites experienced during challenging times, and may have purposefully put these psalms together to encourage the Israelites that God had not forgotten them.

Are you wandering and searching for security and stability? Are you hungry and thirsty? Is your soul fainting within? (Psalm 107:4-5)

Cry out to Him in your trouble and He will deliver you from your distress. He will lead you in a straight way and bring you to a place of rest. (Psalm 107:6-7)

You will know His steadfast love as He works wonders on your behalf. (Psalm 107:8)

This morning, I thought again about the season in which our family finds itself - one which is, quite honestly, often challenging and prone to doubts and fears. But I also took comfort in knowing that God satisfies my longing soul and fills my hungry soul with goodness (Psalm 107:9) - even in the interlude.

Recently, my wife and I have been attending a gathering of the church in a building that is located about a mile from our house.

When we first considered starting to attend, the building’s proximity to our house intrigued us. As I thought about it, for some reason, I imagined us walking to attend the church’s gatherings.

And so, each Sunday that we’ve been able (on either side of a bout with COVID and the old-age-related injuries I mentioned recently), we’ve walked to the building and then back home as well (the walk to the church building is all flat or downhill; the way home is either flat or uphill, with one daunting hill!).

As we’ve been walking, I’ve carried a compact Bible with me, along with a little journal in which I take notes regarding the day’s message (as well as regarding people we meet - because I’m generally bad at remembering names if I don’t repeat them in a variety of ways soon after meeting someone). We greet people along the way as we walk.

Twice so far, we’ve met someone we had not known before and an opportunity for further conversation has arisen - first with a woman and then this past Sunday, with a couple. In both cases, we had a chance to stop and chat for a few minutes (gardening seems to be a common theme, at least as a path into conversation).

Their names are now in my journal along with some brief notes about our conversations to jog my memory when we see them again. Now I can hopefully remember to ask them about the details of what we chatted about the first time we met.

Some may think of taking notes about people as being a bit creepy. But I see it as honoring them with an intentional practice. If we have a chance to speak with them again, hopefully the fact that we can remember a bit from our first meeting (albeit through the tool of writing notes about them in a journal) will help them feel valued as persons and in some small way encourage them to think about how God values them - after all, He vividly remembers every detail of their lives.

These conversations have not turned to spiritual matters at all - which is appropriate, I think, because they are our neighbors who we’ve just met. But as I said, I am carrying a Bible with me, and I don’t hide it. So ultimately, they may get a hint of who we are - followers of Jesus (although obviously, carrying a Bible is only a small hint).

Now I’m asking myself if there is perhaps a small group from the church that meets in the surrounding neighborhoods.

In the short time we’ve been attending the gatherings, I’ve been further intrigued and have begun to ask myself if there might not be something significant that we’ve lost as the life of the church has become less central to our communities and neighborhoods.

What can we do as Jesus’ followers to restore the centrality of the physical, public presence of the church (not the building per se, but those who gather around his name) to our neighborhoods?