What Would Jesus Do in the Philippines?

By now, everyone of us have seen the pictures, videos and stories coming out of the Philippines and the terrific devastation wrought by super storm Haiyan (Yolanda). Over 4,000 people confirmed dead, several hundred thousand homeless and over 10 million displaced. The race by the Philippines government and international organizations to help is often seemingly a "running in place race" when a disaster of this magnitude occurs. Huge masses of people are suffering and cut off from the basics such as water, food, shelter and health care. And no matter how many resources we pour into the area, especially in these early days, it seems like only a drop in the bucket. It is mind boggling, the overwhelming need, and, if we are not careful, it can lead to a paralysis of action. It is just too massive...

I have a word of encouragement and hope. It is to you (and me) and especially to our BGR teams who are already on ground responding. They have been at it a little over a week and we can already hear the strain in their voices and the frustration of not being able to help everyone.

Here is my word today for you (and me)...

Jesus did not heal crowds, He healed individuals. He had compassion on the masses. He was moved by them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. But in every instance we see in the Bible, He ministered and healed individuals.

As we go about this great and sometimes heavy task of disaster relief and community development, I pray that we don't see the forests so much that we forget to see the trees. I pray that we, like Christ, be moved by the crowds in need but cognizant enough to stop and help the individual and individuals that God brings to us. 

I have prayed for all of us today…especially our BGR team in the Philippines. And I continue to pray that God doesn't let us grow weary in well doing and that God gives us His Spirit and the presence of mind to stop and help the person in front of us.

God, help us to have compassion on those in need and give us the strength to meet the need in front of us today.

If you have some time, please visit our website and see what God is doing through Southern Baptists in the Philippines at: 

www.gobgr.org

Amen.

Our Current Cultural Storm...

"Internal forces are already weakening the tree of evangelicalism in the United States, but in coming decades United States evangelicals will be tested as never before, by the ripping and tearing of external cultural change - a force more violent than many of us suspect." John S. Dickerson in "The Great Evangelical Recession"

There is a storm brewing. In fact, it is already here. We're seeing the first wave of the arrival of the storm but it is going to get worse, by far. It is a cultural wave here in the US that minimizes, trivializes  and even criminalizes Biblical beliefs. It is a wave that embraces life and lifestyles that were unimaginable only a generation ago. It is coming...and...it is here already.

Individuals who stand for Biblical principles feel it. Churches, who may not know it, are already feeling it. Evangelical conventions and denominations are caught up in its swirl and are trying to make sense out of it. But it is here and it pulling downward on our faith, values and things we hold dear.

But I have some good news...

God is on His throne. And He is not unaware. In fact, I have faith that He is at work in all of these things...

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, thought the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in Yahweh; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!" (Habakkuk 3:17)

"My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God." (Psalm 62:7)

"Look to the nations and observe - be utterly astounded. For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe..." (Habakkuk 1:5)

Whatever may come - the collapse of all values, the marginalization of the church, the oppression of those who stand up for Biblical beliefs - I know that one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess. And in that day, we will see...

"...a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...and they cried out, 'Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:91-10)

Selah!

Don't Forget Syria...

My heart and soul are disturbed today. I am thinking again about Syria and the ongoing crisis there. I just read some new statistics that not only stirred me but also brought back images of families, real people, whom I visited just a few weeks ago...

There are now over 9 million internally displaces peoples and refugees in and around Syria. That's out of a total population of 22 million. This means that 2 in every 5 Syrians have had to flee their homes and seek shelter and refugee in some other place.

Over one million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring Lebanon where there are no official Syrian refugee camps. They are living in hovels, tents and temporary shelters; wherever they can find. And they are bracing for yet another oncoming winter. They are dealing with contagious infections like leishmaniasis and scabies on a scale that is unimaginable. They have all experience extreme trauma. I remember the story of one mother who told how her husband was killed right in front of her and her children.

Over 600,000 refugees are in Turkey. Another 600,000 in Jordan. And the list goes on and on...

And we through BGR continue to respond. It only costs $50 to provide a food packet to a family of 5. This food packet helps them get through a month. We also are providing a hygiene kit for $20 that providing essentials such as diapers, candles, matches and personal hygiene items.

Our most recent project with partners there is attempting to get some of the refugee children back in a school setting. Many of the children are entering their third year with no formal education. BGR is helping to provide backpacks full of school materials to children and some needed classroom equipment as well as some assistance to local teachers (who are refugees themselves) to get a few children back in school. The refugee families are so excited that they are opening their makeshift homes to serve as temporary classrooms.

So my heart and soul are disturbed. It is easy to forget. It is easy to turn our heads. My plea is that we don't forget what is happening in Syria.

I want to encourage you to take a few minutes and view this video and then see what God would have you do.

https://vimeo.com/66150049

Blessings,

Jeff Palmer

Where Do We Put Our Trust?

Yesterday, I was privileged to be on a conference call with several hundred people from across the US. Baptist Global Response (BGR), as a faith-based international relief and development organization, was invited to interact with some political analysts as they talked about potential impacts on foreign aid programs due to the recent US government shutdown. The good news is that in the short run, food will still get to refugees in Syria, help with go to famine areas in North Africa and immunization programs will still go on for children overseas. The bad news is that if the stalemate continues for a month or more, many of these US government programs that benefit the world's poorest will start to shut down and more and more burden of caring for the hungry and poor will fall on the shoulders of non-government organizations such as BGR.

I won't debate here the pros or cons of cutting international aid versus programs at home. Anyway, at full force, our international development programs constitute no more than 1% of the annual US budget. What I will comment on is that if things continue and the cuts come to US government assistance for the world's most vulnerable, it will present interesting days for organizations like the one I work for.

However, I am not worried. With great problems comes great opportunities. I do have anticipated grief for the 1.0 Billion chronically hungry people around the world. And I do wonder what will happen to the 40 million refugees/internally displaces persons if aid is cut. But I am not worried about what we will do to respond to the potential logarithmic increase in global needs if the US government drops its programs.

Why is that? I go to the scriptures that says...

"Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we trust in the Name of Yahweh our God..." (Psalm 20:7)

You can call it fatalistic thinking. You can call me a "Polyanna". I like to think of it in the simple light that God is in control...yesterday, today and forever. And, in the midst of impending unsurmountable problems, He is still and forever will be on His throne.

So, in the midst of overwhelming odds against us, in the midst of a government shutdown, and in the midst of barriers so high that we can't even imagine seeing over them...

"...We trust in the Name of the Lord our God."

Just Enough...

In the latter part of the book of Proverbs, Agur the oracle prays what might seem a strange prayer to us today...

"...Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, 'Who is the Lord?' or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9)

Just enough. That's what he prays for in his life. Not too much to take my eyes off the dependency that all of us need in God but not too little to prompt me to do something dishonest and thus disgrace the Name.

Jesus said pretty much the same thing when He taught His disciples a model prayer...

"Give us today our daily bread..." (Matthew 6:11)

Give us our necessary bread for today and tomorrow. No more no less.

Here is the spiritual truth. Sometimes my wealth of resources causes me to look away from God and His provisions. It cause me to look to my own resources, ideas and plans. I, in effect, become my own savior, the one in whom I put my trust.

Now none of us would ever say that verbally or admit it aloud. However, as our parents always taught us, actions speak louder than words.

I have the privilege and the humbling experience to see and work with believers worldwide who really don't have many earthly resources at all. Especially when compared to myself. Yet I find in most cases a rich faith in those who have learned to be dependent on God for their daily bread. In many cases, a deeper faith than I seem to be able to muster.

Honestly, I am uncomfortable with this verse and prayer. But I also know that there is nothing in the whole universe worth trusting more than the One who created it all. So, with much trepidation, I pray today...

"...Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, 'Who is the Lord?' or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God."

Amen!

True Wisdom and Understanding...

When we served in the Philippines, I noticed that during prayer times, I had some Filipino leaders and mentors who would always pray asking for wisdom and understanding. They asked for themselves in order to be good leaders in their respective ministries. I heard it so much, it became second nature to me as well. So most of you who know me have probably heard me (when asked about prayer requests) ask for, "wisdom and understanding", probably several times.

The writer of the Proverbs tells us a simple yet profound truth regarding these two. He tells us where wisdom begins and what understanding (or "true knowledge") is...

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...

...and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

There are a lot of things the world today deems wise. There are many who will try to say this or that is the key to true knowledge. The writer of Proverbs makes it clear:

True wisdom begins when we fear and submit to God.

True knowledge and understanding comes from knowing and following Him.

So, I ask today that you pray for me to have wisdom and understanding in all that I say in do. That my wisdom and understanding will be rooted in fearing God and knowing Him.

I also ask you to pray for those in our church leadership, government, workplace, schools, etc., to have true wisdom and true understanding.

Amen.

What Does the Lord Value?

I like to think of myself as a productive guy. I am relatively hard working. I believe my work and ministry has an eternal and Kingdom perspective. I make decisions daily that help people all around the world have better access to food and basic needs as well as facilitate proclamation of the gospel to many who have never heard. All in all, pretty impressive in some circles.

However, as impressive as I may seem to myself, I am not sure that any of this impresses God. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't. You see...

"He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; He does not value the power of a man. The Lord values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love." (Psalm 147:10-11)

It's not that complex. God desires our hearts, our obedience and our submission, not our sacrifices. He desires us and our love, not the things that we can "do" for Him.

In an amazingly complex world that shouts at us confusing values..."Be this. Do that. Act this way to be accepted." None of this impresses or is valued by the One who matters the most: the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

A lonely prophet by the name of Micah captured it best when he said...

"Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

Ironically, the most valuable and impressive thing that you or I could ever do is to simply love God and put our hope and trust in His faithful love for us. This kind of runs perpendicular to my human nature that seems to always wants to do more for God. And yet what He really wants is not my deeds but my worship and my heart.

Radical!