Sharing Hope, Love, and Truth
Check here for updates on what is new in the world of sharing the gospel of Christ here at home in Charleston.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
All is Well
The next post would have been a newsletter of sorts giving you an overall view of how the mission went. Due to the need for safety of the project there not too much, including the location, that can be disclosed. I also may have to delete some post seeing as it is easy for people I met to get access to it which could potentially compromise the future of the mission.
If you have questions or anything, or would like a copy of the newsletter, please send me an e-mail at ak.kirbs@gmail.com.
~Alex
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Just a handful of days
26 “But I will send you the Advocate[b]—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
John 15:18-26
The second, and last, thing I will ask you to pray about, as I hope for you to be able to absorb this and spend some time on these two topics, is strength and power. Psalm 28:7 gives us perspective on how we have strength by stating "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." So, we know strength both comes from God, and is found in Him. Nehemiah understood this, for, as it is written in chapter 8, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Pray that the team does not forget this. Pray that the Word of God is alive and moving in us all the day long. Pray that we do not get distracted from the Word of God. Pray that we wait on the Lord so that we will renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31).
This society is one which does not respect weakness, nor sympathizes with the weak. Strength is seen as credibility. May we be strong, forceful in presenting the Gospel, and fervent with love.
Next time I ask that you pray for the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. I will hold off until tomorrow or Tuesday so that this can be taken in, but know that the Holy Spirit is the one who works in us power.
Thank you all for your support. Thank you for prayers, words of encouragement, your finance, and your partnership. You who pray and connect with me are as much a part of this as I am, seriously, so do not take that lightly. Know I certainly do not. So greatly I appreciate all of you and know that you are being used in ways you may not understand. God bless you. Spread the word of this mission. And, spread His Word; His lifegiving message of hope and love.
~Alex
Monday, May 23, 2011
Beautiful Feet
"And she arose, and bowed herself on [her] face to the earth, and said, Behold, [let] thine handmaid [be] a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." |
Monday, May 16, 2011
Bittersweet
Hey everybody, (from a note sent to the other members of the project to the Middle East)
Lately, like many of you, I have been keeping up with news pertaining to Lighthouse (this is the name of our project to the Middle East) while pursuing more support options. Also like many of you, I am working most of the week and do not have much spare time. With a lot going on there is often a couple of reactions to news updates. One, stories of violence can be very frightening. The fact is, what is going on in ***** is serious and we need to take it serious. However, that is the human nature reaction; it is not bad, but not the feeling we should settle with. I have been praying for strength in these times for our team, particularly the strength spiritually to see beyond the tension, uncertainty, and hate, in order to allow headlines, like the ones below, to fan a flame of compassion, justice- according to the word of God instead of worldly political ideologies- and spiritual power.
Compassion is a term and concept I personally feel Campus Crusade does well in communicating, probably due to its healthy obsession with spiritual multiplication.May we be thankful for this teaching, continuing to meditate on God's word regarding this concept, and work under grace to develop compassion in our character.
- "As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes."" Luke 19:41-42
- "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." 1 Peter 3:8
- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
Justice is not a concept I feel Crusade, at least in my region and subregion, conveys hardly at all. It is a term I am not so sure I understand to the degree we should as Christians, and may we again seek to be people of faith sanctified by the Holy Spirit step by step, from glory to glory. May we be people who speek and implement justice in an unjust world.
Isaiah 30:18
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (NIV)
Psalm 33:5
“The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” (NIV)
Isaiah 51:4-5
“Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.” (NIV)
Isaiah 61:8
“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.”
Ezekiel 34:15-16
“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.”
Zechariah 7:9
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.”
Matthew 12:18
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.”
Deuteronomy 16:20
“Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
Proverbs 28:5
“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.”
Spiritual power is most certainly a topic, with my experience, is shunned away from quite a bit in Crusade. It is truly considered taboo. Yet the Bible is full of teaching on the gospel not being one of words but of power. God enabled Moses's staff to turn into a snake in order to give authority and proof to what Moses said. God spoke through a donkey to communicate to Balaam. And on, and on and on. May we seek the Lord in prayer and worship, ask for forgiveness from the Holy Spirit for neglecting the power He wants to show through us, and seek true humility, for out of humility will come compassion, justice, and the obedience needed to yield power.
- 1 Corinthians 1:17 "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."
- "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." 1 Corinthians 14:1
- "26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
- “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12
There are people praying for us, who do not know where we are going or what exactly we are doing, and more than we probably think (or at least I hope :) ). I urge you to pray and meditate on these verses that we may be a people of great compassion in a region that needs others who take upon their burdens and needs. May we be a people of justice, that we would be more like our Father and lay claim to what He has ordained for us. May we speak justice with authority; true justice uncorrupted by politics, ideology, and false doctrines or religions. May we love justice and hate sin. May we care for the Christians and Muslims in Lighthouse alike, with love and compassion. Let us be humble servants who yield great power for the same power who rose Christ from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11). In light of all this, check out the news headlines below ( they are not posted here since they give away the specific location of the project). They carry a bitter message, but what a sweet opportunity we have to be the light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless, and rest for the restless and weiry.
~Alex
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Isaiah 43
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
9 All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
11 I, I am the Lord,
and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
13 Also henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”
14 Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and bring them all down as fugitives,
even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.”
16 Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings forth chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 “Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.
22 “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
or wearied you with frankincense.
24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me with your iniquities.
25 “I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;
set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
27 Your first father sinned,
and your mediators transgressed against me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,
and deliver Jacob to utter destruction
and Israel to reviling.