Here are some links to things I mentioned in the podcast above:
The story about one man’s love for the Bible’s genealogies was a Mrs G. story – see her website here for many excellent Bible and Bible related stories.
Perry Noble’s comments here. Though I certainly agree that we should be worshipping all week, and that we need to obey what we hear, I think his comments ignore the transforming and relational power of God’s Word.
Now that I did the chronological reading, I wanted a better way to keep track of the context of each passage with the new reading plan. I recommend this handy Bible Timeline, that you can print small enough to keep in your Bible case or big enough to fill your wall.
Thanks to all of you who have been praying for a new executive director for CAM International of Canada! We’re happy to let you know that, as of the 1st of April, our new director will be Charlene de Haan.
Charlene de Haan grew up in Vancouver, BC, and now lives in Scarborough, Ontario. She comes to us with a wealth of experience, having been the executive director of Pioneer Clubs Canada, and Manager of Human Resources with Interserve Canada. She also has experience teaching missionary kids overseas (Guatemala), founded stepUP Transitions Consulting, does freelance writing, and is involved and has been involved in many other things.
We haven’t yet met Charlene, but Lord willing once she’s settled in she’ll be able to come visit. Welcome to the team, Charlene! 🙂 You can send her a note here if you like.
Our current director and his wife, Larry and Jayme Hower, will be moving on with their ministry in the CAM office in Dallas.
Larry is an administrative assistant to the president, and will be involved in bringing new missionaries to the field. Jayme will be involved as well in this work, and they both hope to continue serving in a short term capacity in other countries as they have done in the past.
Words can’t express our appreciation for all that the Howers have done for us and for the kingdom in general over the years – both on a business level and a personal level. We look forward to many more years of friendship (with fewer questions about what the number in D4 of this spreadsheet means, and so on!)!
Please pray for all these people as they go through this transition.
Yesterday some of our friends went to take a look at the incredible flooding just a few minutes away from where we live.
The flooding happened on a major highway, which goes from Mexico City to the City of Puebla, in an area known as Chalco. I drove that highway yesterday and this morning, and where I got on was just where they had it all blocked off (but I was going the other direction).
The river (which is actually sewage water) actually runs above the highway, and so when the river bank burst the highway was quickly flooded, along with houses and businesses nearby. There were explosions – vehicles burned – people killed – it’s going to be a long time before anyone can even get some of the vehicles out of the river, which is now running through the highway and nearby buildings.
You need to understand, it rarely rains like this here, even in rainy season (it’s dry season now). The rain normally comes in short bursts with lots of sunshine in between. Continual rain over more than one day is rare, and no one is ready for it.
I’m going to include a couple videos below from Rod Fry, and I’ll give you a link below so that you can read more at his blog about the flooding and see more videos if you like.
We’re going to try to do some networking and see if we can provide some relief to families in the area, many of whom have probably lost everything. News sources have said that 12 thousand families were affected in Chalco. If you’d like to help, please let us know as soon as you can. Thanks! Hopefully we can distribute food, clothes … whatever people need … in Jesus’ name.
Here’s a Google Maps shot of the area where the river bank burst. You can see the river winding above the highway. If you zoom out just a bit, you’ll see Ixtapaluca where we live, north of the highway. We live just off the highway.
In case you’ve wondered, it’s a window. The style is very common in Mexico, and in fact all across the Spanish speaking world.
Of course this says a lot about CAM’s roots and focus.
But I find it especially cool that it’s a window. There’s a lot you could read into that – a window into a world in need, or a window out of it to the love of God….
But it’s interesting to look at what the Bible says about windows. Sometimes a window is a place of escape, sometimes of judgment, sometimes of salvation. Way back in Genesis we see Noah opening a window in the ark, to send out the birds in order to see if the water had dried up. Maybe you could say that was a window to the mercy of God.
But arguably the most famous story in which the window is key is a story in Joshua.
Spies are sent to investigate the city of Jericho. They end up hiding out in the home of a prostitute – a home which had a window on the wall.
The people of Jericho have heard about what God has been doing with the people of Israel. They’re afraid. But this prostitute – Rahab – decides to throw herself at the mercy of the Israelites and their God. The New Testament confirms the faith of Rahab.
She snuck the spies out the window, letting them down by a rope.
Rahab made a fascinating agreement with the spies – she would put a scarlet cord in the window. Then she would gather family members who wanted to be saved into her house. The scarlet cord would be a sign for the Israelites not to destroy this family. Read more in Joshua 2.
It’s kind of reminiscent of the blood on the doorpost in Exodus 12:1-13 – the angel of death would pass by if blood was on the doorpost. And, of course, it reminds us of salvation by the blood of Jesus – when we throw ourselves at His mercy, and trust in salvation by His blood, we find salvation.
So when I see logo (which is often more or less scarlet in colour, but the way), this is the story I think of. Rahab’s window was a window toward coming judgment – the attacking Israelite army. But it also became a window to salvation.
By faith Rahab joined God’s people, and in fact became a great-great grandmother to King David, and an ancestor of Jesus.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. (Heb 11:30-31)
Back in 2006 I wrote about the significance and history of Boxing Day (26th of December), a day observed in Canada and many parts of Europe. I also suggested that we keep up with an old tradition – giving to those in need on this day (or a few days later – I’ll be flexible!)
Here are some ideas of how you could show your thankfulness by giving to others in need this Boxing Day:
There are several great projects in the CAM International Christmas Catalogue this year (note: if you’re not from the US, and want a tax-deductible receipt, don’t donate through the CAM website. Contact CAM International of Canada if you’re Canadian and want to be involved in these projects). For example:
Help a family in Honduras that doesn’t have an adequate place to live. Did you know that you could build them a home – for only US$230?! Check out Home for a Honduran Family
One of the biggest challenges here in Mexico City is space – finding property that people can afford. What if a church wants to meet, and have a place to have community events? Here in Ixtapaluca we’re praying for such a place for the new outreach in the community of Jesús María. Contact us if you’re interested in helping with this need.
One of the things I’m interested in personally is getting clean water to people who have none, in the Lord’s name. Another family involved in this is the Beam family, missionaries with the Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission in Bolivia.
The project is called agua:yaku, and it involves using and teaching simple, effective clean water drilling techniques. Each well drilled using this method costs about $100-$200 (that’s all!). Read more about this water drilling here.
There are so many more promises of a Messiah that we could talk about, but we only have two weeks left before Christmas. So we’re going to go back to the prophet Isaiah for these last two promises – about 750 years before Jesus was born.
This week we’re going to do a quick, sweeping overview of Isaiah 40-52. There are many, many familiar passages here – as I read through I saw several passages that had been put to music, some that I sang as a child, others that may be familiar to those that know Handel’s Messiah.
God vs the idols
This passage of Scripture (and I encourage you to sit down and read it all, or listen to it here) has more than one major theme. One of the biggest is the True God vs idols.
Over and over, God mocks the idols that could do nothing, that knew nothing, and that could not save. God, on the other hand, was the Great Creator, the One who knows the end from the beginning, the only Saviour, the Good Shepherd:
He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isa 40:11)
I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. (Isa 43:11)
… there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ (Isa 45:21-23)
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god." (Isa 44:6)
God lovingly calls His people to return to Him – and promises deliverance for those who are truly His. And over and over and over He affirms that He is the ONLY true God.
The Servant
In these chapters, Israel is personified as the servant of the Lord…
Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. (Isa 44:21)
But soon it becomes clear that there’s another servant being spoken of. Perhaps most clearly, in chapter 49, we see the servant being sent to Israel, to restore it:
He says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isa 49:6)
This servant would not only bring salvation to Israel, but to the Gentiles. Sound like anyone we’ve been talking about?
Promises of a Messiah
So there’s another Servant being talked about here – the Messiah Himself. Now we see many passages speaking of the coming of this Servant. Right at the beginning:
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isa 40:3)
New Testament writers applied this passage to John the Baptist, a messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Mar 1:2-4; Luk 3:3-4; Joh 1:19-23).
Chapter 42:1-4 speaks of the Servant who would bring justice to the Gentiles, with great humility and tenderness. Matthew quotes this passage in Mat 12:15-21.
Another fascinating passage comes in Isa 48:16: Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there. And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. (Isa 48:16)
Once again we see a hint of the Trinity here – the Servant (Jesus – who has existed from the beginning) being sent by the Lord God and His Spirit.
Stained glass window from Wolfville Baptist Church, Nova Scotia, Canada
You may have already noticed titles here that are given to exclusively to God, which are also give to Jesus – the Saviour (ie 2Pet 3:18), and the First and the Last (see Rev 22:12-16), and the reference to every knee bowing (see Phi 2:9-11).
This passage may also have some familiar rings:
I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. (Isa 50:5-7)
Sound anything like the beating Jesus went through? Check out John 19:1-3, and Mat 27:27-30.
Then Isaiah talks as Moses did of the Sent One that must be obeyed:
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. (Isa 50:10)
Description of the Messiah
So here we have this pre-existent Messiah, sent by God and His Spirit. He would be announced by a voice in the wilderness. He would come to bring salvation to Israel and the Gentiles. He would be humble, and tender. He was the One the people would need to obey.
And yet – as Israel suffered, so He would suffer. Disgrace, beating, spitting. How could this be? And why?
Next week we’ll find out.
But for now, one more section of this passage – which speaks not only of The Servant, but anyone who is sharing the Good News of God’s Salvation. Is this you?
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." (Isa 52:7)
, ESV
