Open wide: be satisfied!

Well, our week has pretty much been filled up with the arrival of our newest family member. I had him pretty much to myself, as my husband had to stay with the other boys because they were sick. More than just enjoying a new baby though, it struck me once again how I am in a relationship with God. He is my Father; I am very much to be like this newborn baby. God promises to provide all my needs (and even desires!) if I will just wholly look unto Him and rely on Him.

One verse especially kept returning to my mind:

"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." Psalm 81:10

Just recently have I been reading this very story in the Old Testament during my devotions. God brings his people out of Egypt in a miraculous way. They are now "newly born" into His care. They have no army. No stores of food. No water. -All they can do is wholly rely upon the Lord as He provides. Again. And again. And again!

Little Paul doesn't know where the food comes from or how it all works. All he knows is to open his mouth WIDE and it is filled. He has to open wide, or it just doesn't work. It's not, open a little and receive a little; it's all or nothing. Open wide, be satisfied.

This simple truth has put me back in awe of my Heavenly Father. I need to open wide to receive His blessings and provision. There's no room for worry. I am incapable of providing for myself sufficiently; that's the Father's job. He has so much awaiting me, if I would only be open. Wide open. Praying. Trusting. Relying. As a newborn baby. This is the way to perfect contentment.

Tales From the Road

One thing we missionaries all have plenty of, is, tales from the road.  For most of us, we drive all over to raise our support.  For our family, that meant driving all the way up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, and then to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, on the west coast; and then to Chihuahua, Mexico, to the south; and then to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, to the east.  Since my husband is a second generation missionary kid, this was the second deputation for him.  There is only one state in the continental US that he hasn’t been to.  My guess is you all know what I’m talking about.  Then there are the furloughs where we retrace the steps we made on deputation and take some new steps to shore up the support we lost.  Then there are the tales of the roads in the countries where we serve.  Yikes.  Nuff’ said. 

Today, I want to share a tale from the road.  I know we all have them, so I hope you don’t feel this one is a waste of your time.  The Lord used it in my life to assure me at a time I really needed it.

We were driving in El Paso during a rain storm. For those of you who have done that, you know that the roads turn into rivers.  Incredible.  I’d never seen anything like it.  Finally, after crawling through the city, we get out to the interstate.  Traffic is moving fairly quickly, and we sail along for a couple of miles.  We head over an overpass.  Just as we head over the overpass, we see that the traffic is sitting on the interstate; and we have just enough time to brake, so we don’t rear-end the last vehicle in the line.  To the right there is a merge lane.  Suddenly my husband, who is driving, pulls the van sharply right into the oncoming path of a vehicle which is merging from the right.  This vehicle blares it’s horn at us and swerves by us, narrowly missing us. Yikes!  I turn to blast my husband for trying to kill me and my babies.  As I turn to blast him, I look through the driver’s window to see a loaded semi-trailer sitting right where we had just been.  This semi had come flying over the overpass, and didn’t have any time to get stopped.  My husband, had anticipated that this might happen, and so was watching his rear-view mirror, for any vehicles that might come over the top too fast. He pulled our van out of the way just in time to avoid being rear-ended ourselves, and possibly causing a chain reaction collision that certainly would have included others sitting on that interstate that day.  My husband and the semi driver exchanged big smiles and thumbs up, and we carried on our merry way.  

There have been many times where there have been things happen in my life that scared me to death.  I doubted God, and wondered if He was trying to kill or maim me and/or my family.  That is doubting the very heart of God.  Pretty arrogant isn’t it?  My husband wasn’t trying to kill me or my babies – he was saving us from being killed or maimed.  Sometimes we pray for God to make things clear to us or to give us wisdom in a certain area.  Sometimes what God reveals to us is painful to see.  Maybe the character of people we respected is revealed to us and we are heart broken.  Maybe God lets us see this in order to protect us. Truth is, we very well may not see it on this side. Farther along we’ll know all about it. Let’s just have the faith to rest in the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  As humans, we love to complicate our lives.  It is almost as if we think that, if our lives are complex and complicated, they have more value.  Or at least they are more sophisticated.  Let’s just simply trust the Lord with childlike faith that what He says He means – that what He says is true.  Whatever He has allowed into your life, He brought for your good.  It is an opportunity for you to give Him glory by the way you handle it.  Count it all joy!

Three More Temptations of Jesus

Luke tells us that after Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he departed for a season.  The devil would be back.

One of those return visits was when Jesus was hanging on the cross.  We read this account in Matthew 27:39-44.  This time the devil used some of his most willing accomplices to tempt Jesus - other people.

The first temptation was for Jesus to prove Himself.  "If  you really are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"  In other words, "Prove yourself!"  This temptation is very much still in play today.  Why?  Because it is so effective.  The devil doesn't need new tricks because the old ones are still in great shape.  How many of us as teenagers made foolish choices in an effort to prove ourselves?  How many people have hurt their relationships in an effort to prove themselves?  How many of us in ministry have made foolish choices in our service to the Lord and others because of the real or perceived pressure to prove ourselves?  What was Jesus' response to this pressure?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.

The second temptation was to compromise in order to win acceptance.  "Come down from the cross, and we will believe you."  The devil keeps this tool well oiled too, doesn't he?  The position you are taking is too radical.  You will have more friends/followers/adherents if you could just lower yourself from that lofty position up there.  A little concession here and there will help people be able to see that you are just like the rest of us.  By the way believer, you are to be peculiar - not ordinary.  Also, we are called to win people to Jesus, not ourselves (Joel 2:13).  What was Jesus' response to this pressure?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.

The third temptation was to defend God.  "He trusted in God, let Him deliver him."  If God is a God of love, why would he allow this in your life?  Why would He allow you to suffer like this?  Why would he ask of you this sacrifice?  Why would he ask you to raise your family so far from your family?  Why would he call you to minister in a place where you aren't wanted?  Why would he allow you to suffer so?  Why would he leave you so alone?  We've all heard at least a few of these, right?   As we read Scripture, we see that God is the great Defender.  He defends us.  Nowhere are we told to defend God.  Twice we see Paul defending the Gospel, but never are we told to defend God.  We are told to trust God and put our faith in Him.  First John 5:4 tells us that the victory that overcomes this world is faith - faith in the hard times.  Matthew 8:10 tells us that faith impresses our Lord.  Romans 1:8 tells us that our faith is a testimony to others.  Romans 4:20 tells us that our faith gives God glory.  Romans 5:1 tells us that faith brings peace. What a testimony that is!

So how can we respond to these types of questions?  Don't try to defend God, but rather trust God for the victory through faith.  Glorify God through faith.  Exhibit the peace that faith alone can bring.  Trust Him for the results.

How did our Lord respond to this?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.  How could He do that?  He knew that there was a great day of reckoning coming.  He was going to rise from the dead!  There is a great day of reckoning coming for all of us.  Let's live in light of eternity! Let's walk by faith!

Facing the Persecution

This man has eaten at my table.

He ate food I helped prepare.

I filled his cup with drink.

I never realized what a hero of faith was sitting at my table that evening.

Sometimes you never know who God brings in your path... how powerfully He will use them. When a friend of ours, Pastor Bijay Pradhan, asked me to help him with a blog post he had written in English, that's when I became fully aware of the hero I had met.

Please allow me to introduce you to this man.

Chandan Mandal: A Man of Faith

 Chandan, second from the left

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10

The Hall of Faith. That’s what they call Hebrews 11. It’s a list of many of those who knew what real faith is and demonstrated it in their lives, often at great cost. We read about them, but it is difficult to imagine meeting or seeing such faith lived out so vividly firsthand.

In Hebrews 11:1, we learn that faith is not something that we see, but “the substance of things [which we] hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When we continue reading this chapter, we learn about many godly people who were examples of strong faith. What kept their faith alive was that they walked with the LORD continuously, even while facing intense, dreadful persecution and pain.

It is rare to find someone of such great faith these days, but it is not impossible.

When people are blessed to meet such a person of faith, it grips their hearts and changes their lives forever. His story should be told. That is why I am sharing this with you. I have met such a man.

He isn’t famous. He isn’t well-known. In all likelihood, most people have never heard his name. He is Chandan Mandal. Chandan lives in the remote eastern part of Nepal. He was saved in May 2009, and baptized a month later. Since he was saved, he has been a faithful and fruitful Christian for the Lord. After returning from a foreign based job in 2011, he decided to stay at his village and share about Jesus Christ with his family, friends, and villagers. That’s when the intense physical, emotional, and spiritual persecution began.

One day he told me that he was called to a discussion in the village with those who are against Christians. I asked him if he was going alone. His answer surprised me and pricked my heart. In reply he said, "No! God is with me." Oh, what a faith! At that time he was the only Christian in his village. His walk with the Lord was so intimate that he was burdened to start a church in his village no matter the danger… no matter the cost.

In 2012, I had an opportunity to go to Chandan’s village with one of our Bible college students. We held a Gospel preaching meeting. Two people got saved on that day. One of them was Chandan’s father.

The following month, a group of us returned and had an open air meeting. More than fifty villagers attended. During the service time, several young Hindus came to hinder the service. Although they did not physically assault us, they threatened us and demanded that we not do any Christian activities. When our trip was finished, our group returned home, but Chandan boldly stayed in his village.

Since then, Chandan has suffered persecution in many different forms, but because of his faithfulness the Lord has blessed him. Two young men in the village have since received Christ as their Saviour.

On April 24, 2015, early in the morning a deadly cobra bit Chandan’s only son. He was just eight years old. Proper medical treatment was too far away, and they were too late to help him. While Chandan was taking his son to the hospital in an ambulance, this young boy died just one hour after being bitten.

I was 200 miles away from him, but I had been keeping in touch with him on the phone. After talking with him that day, he said his son had no more progress; he was dead. I tried to comfort him. In answer he said, "I believe God will make my son alive again, but if not, I will still accept that He gave me a son, and He took him back." To trust God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and love in such pain and heartbreak! Oh, what faith!

When I heard this tragic news, I and two friends immediately left Kathmandu to comfort him. After travelling all night, we reached Chandan’s village. The scenario was very painful. His wife was unconscious and was admitted to a local dispensary. All the family members were mourning.

After a while I noticed that Chandan’s father and some other relatives were not treating Chandan well. I asked him the reason, although I had suspicions of what it was. As I guessed, he told me that they were blaming him that his son died. They believed the snake god was angry because Chandan had become a Christian. They thought it was a curse, a very common reasoning in this country. I tried to convince his father, who was a professing Christian, but he was not convinced.

The relatives had created an atmosphere of superstitious hysteria. As far as they know, Chandan’s son was the first person in his village that died because of a snake bite. This also made them blame him for other things going wrong in the village. They believed the gods had been angered, including the snake god.

In the following days, the people attempted to force Chandan to do many religious activities they do after someone's death. These things included shaving the head, puja (religious worship of gods), purifying his body by taking a ceremonial bath, etc. Their attempts to force him failed. Chandan refused and would not give in. He would not forsake the Lord no matter the danger.

Later, the persecution became so intense that Chandan was almost ready to leave his village. He asked me what to do. I told him he must do what he felt the Lord wanted him to do. Finally, he decided not to leave his village, because he said he did not want to be an example of a Christian running away from suffering for Christ. Oh! What faith!

It has been eight months since this tragic moment in his life; he is still faithful in the Lord and trusting Him with all his heart.

God is working in this village. Some have been saved, and some hearts have been softened toward the Gospel too. Even one of his brothers accepted Christ, and another one is listening closely.

In Matthew 8:10, Jesus spoke to a centurion about his great faith. “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” I also can say that I have not seen a man of this much faith in my life. I am very thankful to the Lord for him. As for me, he is an example of true faith. And oh! What faith!

Please join me in prayer for this dear brother.

Pastor Bijay Pradan
Truths Inside the Bible

(Thank you, Brother Pradhan, for allowing me to help with this post as well as allowing me to share this story. God used it to challenge me to stay faithful at any cost.)