Karen, the beautiful

I had just come into the house from the orchard, and Sunshine said as matter of factly as discussing the current weather, "I think we should learn the Karen language." This was completely out of the blue. And less than 12 hours later, I am writing this post while sitting in a Burmese convocation representing several eastern USA states. We drove this morning down to Indianapolis for this all day meeting.

Karen is a tonal language, one dialect of the country called Myanmar. This country was previously known as Burma. There are over 100 language groups in Myanmar. If you have ever studied about tonal languages, you will know that the same word completely changes it's meaning depending on very subtle tonal changes or inflections on the word. An example from today: "Duhblu" means "thank you", while "Duhblu" also means "your crazy!" Of course there must be a difference in how these identical works are said. Sunshine thinks a harder "u" at the end means "your crazy". Your mileage may vary.

This means that tonal languages are hard for westerners to learn. Since a year long stint of Espanol in college has left long lasting fruit of a handful of Spanish words, I would not say I am the most promising or proficient language student.

My first impression about Sunshine's language learning challenge was, wow, that will be hard! But it is not our abilities that matter, what matters is God's ability. I don't know if language learning is in our future, but what I do know if that the poor and displaced need our prayers and care.

A refugee arriving in the USA comes with very little. They may have no financial resources, and are expected to repay their travel expenses. They don't know the language or the culture. They have been torn from their farms and gardens. How can they find jobs, education and religious support? If you have followed our blog, you know refugee ministries has been a part of our thinking for some time. We are looking for what part we can play to help them. Here is an interesting thought from the pen of inspiration:

"Great benefits would come to the cause of God in the regions beyond, if faithful effort were put forth in behalf of the foreigners in the cities of our homeland. Among these men and women are some who, upon accepting the truth, could soon be fitted to labor for their own people in this country and in other countries. Many might return to the places from which they came, in the hope of winning their friends to the truth. They could search out their kinsfolk and neighbors, and communicate to them a knowledge of the third angel’s message."— ChS 200.4

The most effective outreach to these dear people would be to know their language, and help them with acclimatization: helping them find a job, and a church. I think it would be a real blessing to have land that they could cultivate and grow their own food.

Wikipedia states: "Aside from Burmese and its dialects, the hundred or so languages of Burma include Shan (Tai, spoken by 3.2 million), Karen languages (spoken by 2.6 million), Kachin (spoken by 900,000), various Chin languages (spoken by 780,000), and Mon (Mon–Khmer, spoken by 750,000)." (reference)


Why not dream with me? What if we had 100 or more acres of suitable land. And on this land, we made a beautiful pattern or collection of homesteads. Perhaps 2 acres each, where we build a very modest, one story home that could rest in the center of their gardens. No field would be very far from the home, and each family could have space of their own. A new refugee family is allowed 2 years rent free, The father could work 1/2 time at a cash job, and 1/2 time at his homestead garden. The mother would stay at home, 1/2 time educating her children, and 1/2 time working in their garden. After two years, they would pay rent, or work to establish a new homestead which would be permanently their own. Some cost for the land could be paid over ten years, and then the land is owned free and clear.

Community resources like a church / meeting house would be built, a school for ESL, parent tutoring so the mothers can teach their children, a commercial kitchen, so food could be prepared and sold, a pole barn with power tools that could be shared for a rental fee to the homesteaders, a market stand for selling produce to the public - farmers market style.

I don't need to create a commune, but rather this could be a supportive collection of independent homesteads. This idea would be so cool. I think it would be great to have one of these in each state. Any investors out there?

Reverence in the Sanctuary

[This post is written in the context of exhorting Sabbath worshipers to Reverence in the Sanctuary.]

Welcome to God's house! We have sung His praises, and we acknowledge being before the Holy of Holies. In this service we do not invoke, or call down, God's presence to come near. No, this is a papist teaching. This church sanctuary has been dedicated to God, and it is we who enter His presence.

Psalms 100:1-5
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.
For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations."

We are all familiar with houses dedicated to positions of honor and power. The White House in Washington, D.C. is an example. [Other countries have similar houses of honor and power, and you should substitute this example with a building appropriate to your location.]

The president of the United States lives in the White House. Imagine that you have been invited to an audience into the oval office. Think about what your deportment would be. How would you act coming into this house of power? Would the secret service agents have to chase our children away from restricted areas? Would our little ones be running through the halls or up and down the stairs? Would the honor guard have to ask us to be quiet in the back of the oval office, where we are not paying attention to the proceedings? Would our young people be doodling or reading other materials?

No, I think not. We would respect the position of power and honor of the occasion.

But how about us today? How about here in this, God's House? God has told us in Exodus 25:8 "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Think of it, the creator of heaven and earth. The ruler of the universe. The originator of all time and space. This is the God that wants to commune with us, His people.

When we realize we are in God's presence, then we will act in a way that shows it. We are not calling for a stiff formalism just to impress others. We are talking about living in the reality of coming into the presence of a living, personal, all-powerful God. We come before a real being. We come into the throne room of a living, omnipotent God. Listen to this description, if we could see with open eye what is going on around us:

Revelation 5:11-14
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four [and] twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."

We worship not only an omnipotent Creator, but an all merciful redeemer! The God of the universe condescended to live as a man and die for us. And we are gathered in the presence of this God!

Daniel 7:9-10
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened."

The scene here portrayed is the investigative judgement, which is now taking place. Jesus pleads for our cases just a little longer, and His coming is soon.

Let us glorify God in reverence. May our actions tell others around us and our visitors today that we believe God is real, and that His presence is with us today. We serve a living God, an all powerful God. A God who has invited us into His presence. May we show by our actions that God is here.

Sunday Observance Legislation

You would think that we would be excited about government promotion and regulation of worship. We are very religious. We adhere to and promote the Christian faith. We believe in the Bible as God's Word to mankind. We want nothing more than for a revival and reformation to sweep across America, and beyond to include the entire world. Why would legislated Christianity be a concern?

The Bible tells us of two opposing forces at the end of time. Both will take on the claim of Christianity. There will be a true form of Christianity, represented by a minority who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. The other group will be a vast majority, who follow a power that appears Christian, but who's counterfeit is marked by enacting laws regarding the day of worship.

The reasons for legislating worship are admirable. The proponents talk of the need for balance in a time of financial and economic crisis, the need for family and social cohesion, the need for time for recreation and sports, and the need to return to spirituality. I can agree with these ideas! But in light of Bible prophecy, I see this movement is walking in the shadow of a sinister power. When religion and government unite, there comes a drastic loss of liberty. This is not a new scenario. This exact recipe took place in the dark ages of 538 AD to 1798 AD. This time period is the 1260 years of Bible prophecy. And in the end times, the beast's deadly wound is healed, and it returns to the same modus operandi.

You can read about the promotion of Sunday observance legislation to the EU at the proponent website: http://www.europeansundayalliance.eu/

Today, March 4, is the day that this group devotes to Sunday legislation agitation in the EU. Today, I post this article as an opposing voice. I oppose the union of church and state. I oppose the legislation of conscience. I see the need for the Bible to be the basis of our actions, not the rule of law. Americans: never forget the reason the pilgrims sought a new land, so they could enjoy religious freedom. Religious freedoms were unknown in Europe, from whence they fled. And it appears Europe will lead the world in a return to legislated Christianity.

How should we respond? I find these quotes from a favorite author to be instructive:

"We as a people have not accomplished the work which God has committed to us. We are not ready for the issue to which the enforcement of the Sunday law will bring us. It is our duty, as we see the signs of approaching peril, to arouse to action. Let none sit in calm expectation of the evil, comforting themselves with the belief that this work must go on because prophecy has foretold it, and that the Lord will shelter His people. We are not doing the will of God if we sit in quietude, doing nothing to preserve liberty of conscience. Fervent, effectual prayer should be ascending to heaven that this calamity may be deferred until we can accomplish the work which has so long been neglected. Let there be most earnest prayer, and then let us work in harmony with our prayers. It may appear that Satan is triumphant and that truth is overborne with falsehood and error; the people over whom God has spread His shield, and the country which has been an asylum for the conscience-oppressed servants of God and defenders of His truth, may be placed in jeopardy. But God would have us recall His dealings with His people in the past to save them from their enemies. He has always chosen extremities, when there seemed no possible chance for deliverance from Satan’s workings, for the manifestation of His power. Man’s necessity is God’s opportunity." – CCh 336.1

And notice this quote as well:

"There must be more spirituality, a deeper consecration to God, and a zeal in His work that has never yet been reached. Much time should be spent in prayer, that our garments of character may be washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

"Especially should we, with unwavering faith, seek God for grace and power to be given to His people now. We do not believe that the time has fully come when He would have our liberties restricted. The prophet saw “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.” Another angel, ascending from the east, cried to them, saying: “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” This points out the work we have now to do. A vast responsibility is devolving upon men and women of prayer throughout the land to petition that God will sweep back the cloud of evil and give a few more years of grace in which to work for the Master. Let us cry to God that the angels may hold the four winds until missionaries shall be sent to all parts of the world and shall proclaim the warning against disobeying the law of Jehovah." – Pr 274.2-3

I don't know how these events will unfold. According to Bible prophecy, it is not a matter of "if", but "when". My concern is not only for the EU. This movement is foretold in Bible prophecy to be a world wide movement. I am praying that we have a few more years of grace. Join me, and pray for world wide religious liberty. God's judgments will surely follow the disregard of the 4th commandment Sabbath rest, via the legislation of a Sunday worship day.

Do Americans think that decrying the loss of liberty is crying wolf? If so, have you considered how many civil liberties have been lost since September 11, 2001? This is not only concern from a religious point of view. Consider this article regarding NDAA, and the loss of liberty in America. I quote:

"Yes, the worst things you may have heard about the National Defense Authorization Act, which has formally ended 254 years of democracy in the United States of America, and driven a stake through the heart of the bill of rights, are all really true." (web)

It does not take a leap of faith any longer to see the lamb like beast (America in Bible prophecy) to speak like a dragon. There is a change from being lamb like to dragon like, and we are seeing changes now so rapidly, that I could no longer call America lamb like!

Let's band together in prayer for a little more time!


Resources

• NDAA: Clear and Present Danger to American Liberty (web)

Sabbath

Sabbath. Rest. Some wonder what that really is. Is it attainable in our society? In our world of constant connectivity, 24x7 work, the frantic online society; we face burnout and utter exhaustion without the Sabbath. I think in our modern times, we need the Sabbath more than ever before!

The Sabbath is a weekly 24 hour period of time, an entire day, of rest. It starts with sunset on Friday, through sunset on Saturday, as established at creation. God set the Sabbath as a time of worship, fellowship and reflection, not of focusing on ourselves, our work or our greed.

God established the Sabbath at creation. God blessed it and sanctified it in the old testament. It is one of the ten commandments, and the the only one that starts with the word "Remember". Jesus knew we would be tempted to forget the Sabbath. Jesus kept the Sabbath each week as the seventh-day of the week, the Jewish Sabbath day. The rabbis were furious at Jesus, for he would not heed their man-made laws. He kept God's law. Jesus even rested on the Sabbath in the grave! The new testament church kept the Sabbath, Saturday, the seventh day of the week into the 3rd century. At no time in history has the weekly 7 day cycle been corrupted. At no time has the day of worship been altered or changed by God. If there was a day change, it was from another source (Dan 7:24-25). Obedience to God's law and whom we worship will be a special test in the last days of earths history (Rev 13:11-18). The Bible gives the promise that in heaven, we will all enjoy the weekly Sabbath worship services together through out eternity!

Have you considered taking one day out of your busy week to focus on God, your family and others? You will be richly rewarded if you do! Gather your family together and seek out the special blessing God has dedicated to this day for you and your family.


Resources:

• The Sabbath Song (video)