Stepping off the map . . . August 27, 2013

I was challenged by our worship community last Sunday. It seems more people are taking courage to leave for far places than are arriving. As I'm an adventurist of sort thinking and moving outside the box has been quite normal. Yet it is normal for Lois to leave 'normal' with some hesitation so God gives her necessary grace for our success.

Success is no accident. It does not just happen, it takes time, initiation, and patience for movement and proper movement produces success.  Resistance to success is the pressure to be normal, to align with group objectives and mentality.

Great men and women will step off the map. They will go where others fear because they trust God has spoken and will not give in to human reasonings.

We enjoy reading of mystery, danger, and challenge, yet unfortunately due to reasons we often choose not to engage ourself.  God's story is about challenge and mystery - a grand movement in progress.

(Excerpt from THE HOBBIT by J. R. R. Tolkien)
"Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by the door, crossed his legs and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.

'Very pretty,' said Gandalf. 'But I have no time to blow smoke rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.'

'I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them,' said our Mr. Baggins."

Are we willing to share in an adventure - of the highest cause? To redeem for the Kingdom of God those lost in the Kingdoms of Me. There is extreme violence - if we could see, among kingdoms and strong resistance to the rule of God and His kingdom.

Jesus is looking for those who will share in an adventure He is leading. You can join with Him!  It takes courage and willingness to step off the map.  I have seen there are only a few and from a few there are many.

Or...you could read about it later and wish you had experienced adventures like that!

Family gathering. . . July 23, 2013

“Children are a living message to a future we will never see.”

Recently on a Saturday afternoon about 40 came to the Loyal Pederson family gathering at the cabin on Loon Lake.  

Mom, all five of my siblings, many of their children, their children's children, and Uncle Clayton -- ages spanned from one month to about 86 years. This is something to write home about!

A mixture of children running around, people eating, movement, laughter, and conversations. I noticed Scott sitting by the fire as if contemplating. We talked. Who can explain this? Family? The power of two people? My Dad was a farmer, a man of the land. He was born and died in basically the same location. His children and grandchildren live and are witnesses of God to nations! I am not idolizing my parents; the story of Lois's family and siblings is similar.  This is simply the result of a multiplying covenant between two people and God (Isaiah 59:20-21). Family is powerful--it always has been--for good or bad.

There is a consistency from early memory of my grandparents at the farm to the present. They had 9 children--6 boys and 3 girls--and most of them had more than the average size family. It would take me some effort to recount the cousins I have just on my father’s side! Gatherings were in the same house on the farm we now own.  They always started with prayer; we were a Christian family. Clayton began our time at Loon Lake with prayer.      

What is this all about? You and me? It is a grand principal much larger! It is about us, under an overarching intention of God for the redemption of people and nations. Can we swallow that? Father God wants many sons and daughters. For this purpose He made a covenant with us, that together with Him He may receive and give that for which He created us.  

    

We cannot allow ourselves to be dominated into life issues not transcendent in eternal value.

Conclusion: God is a covenant keeping God. There is a covenant we enter into by obedience.  It is a Genealogy of faith where spiritual reproduction will continue beyond us. Life is about multiplication -- disciples who make disciples. If you understand the gospel you are not too young or too old to make disciples. 

Friend, if you are single everything applies (likewise Isa. 59:20-21). Some of you are like spiritual children and are producing children.  I am really proud of you! This is the call of God, discipleship, and what redemption is about! The biological family is a dim reflection of something more grand called the spiritual family! Here is our co-responsibility with Christ, the reason Jesus came, the desire of the Father, and present work of the Holy Spirit!  

God has blessed us to be a blessing to all nations -- everything in order, prioritized, one heart at a time--all nations, relative, friend or enemy, a foreigner or people in a far country.