About Me
- bangkokjoy
- Keller, TX, United States
- I grew up on a farm in Indiana, attended Purdue and Concordia Universities (undergraduate and graduate, respectively), served in the Peace Corps in Ecuador, and as a missionary with LCMS World Mission for 20 years in Thailand (15) and Guatemala (5). More recently, I've attained teacher certifications (Bilingual and Regular Ed Generalist EC-6, Bilingual and Regular Ed Generalist 4-8, and ESL). My heart is still in that of being a missionary and my first full-time post as an elementary/middle school teacher is that of English Language Specialist at Buena Vista International School (BCIS) in Shenzhen, China on the mainland just across the border from Hong Kong. I teach ESL to all grades at this new school under Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod. The school is not a part of the LCMS though the school has been granted LCMS World Mission educational consultants and an interim principal for its first year of operation.
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Friday, June 3, 2011
Push It!
It is not vain to serve God.
We did right. We told the truth. We suffer. We prayed for this and that yet our prayers are not answered.
The arrogant and wicked - those who curse God - are the ones who are blessed. It's the ruthless, the hypocrite, the tyrant, and the dishonest who prosper and increase in riches.
Our flesh says, "It's not fair. How vain. What's blessed in this world?" What's in it for me? God owes me for all my good deeds. This philosophy says then, all is in vain.
But the new man says, "It is not futile... not vain." Christians talk to God and He hears them. They fear/love/respect/trust/ and have confidence in God no matter what is happening... God hears. These people talk to each other about these things and encouraged one another in times of crop failure, loss, pain, death, mourning. And this is the kind of conversation that God wants us to have with each other all the time so we don't grow weary in doing good. It is paramount that we have talk that is edifying coming out of our mouths.
When God hears complaints being made by we Christians, He rebukes our complaints as sin and lack of trust as well as lack of thanksgiving.
May He work in our hearts and deliver us from self pity, pride, and materialism that would say life is not fair. God sees and hears and feels our pain, and He sees those things we do when no one else sees. He honors those things we do in His name. God has a home prepared for us. This is our reward and we forebear it all.
If whatever is happening to me at the time is the worst thing that could happen to me, then I am truly blessed. I push it. And I push it to the limit.
We did right. We told the truth. We suffer. We prayed for this and that yet our prayers are not answered.
The arrogant and wicked - those who curse God - are the ones who are blessed. It's the ruthless, the hypocrite, the tyrant, and the dishonest who prosper and increase in riches.
Our flesh says, "It's not fair. How vain. What's blessed in this world?" What's in it for me? God owes me for all my good deeds. This philosophy says then, all is in vain.
But the new man says, "It is not futile... not vain." Christians talk to God and He hears them. They fear/love/respect/trust/ and have confidence in God no matter what is happening... God hears. These people talk to each other about these things and encouraged one another in times of crop failure, loss, pain, death, mourning. And this is the kind of conversation that God wants us to have with each other all the time so we don't grow weary in doing good. It is paramount that we have talk that is edifying coming out of our mouths.
When God hears complaints being made by we Christians, He rebukes our complaints as sin and lack of trust as well as lack of thanksgiving.
May He work in our hearts and deliver us from self pity, pride, and materialism that would say life is not fair. God sees and hears and feels our pain, and He sees those things we do when no one else sees. He honors those things we do in His name. God has a home prepared for us. This is our reward and we forebear it all.
If whatever is happening to me at the time is the worst thing that could happen to me, then I am truly blessed. I push it. And I push it to the limit.
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