Friday, September 16, 2011

Family Life

The Family at Kennesaw Mt. on September 11th




 








Owen with a favorite book


Airborn at Lake Allatoona












Riding the Silver Comet Trail















Owen "learning to drive"

Owen is learning to feed himself

Owen at Coots Lake
Visiting Pop's Cabin in the Adirondack's
At the Lake with Warren and Patricia
Sailing with MyMy and Papa
Leif at the Lake
Leif at the Beach in NJ
Owen and Aunt Holly

Making Waffles with Mommy





Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Momentum


 Last month I shared my journey regarding our finances. This month, I praise God for the way He has faithfully provided for me as I begin the support raising process once again. It has been an amazing month of progress and building momentum. I am so thankful to Rebecca Capistrant for the work that she has done, because she is allowing Jesus to live through her for my benefit and the results are to the praise of His glory. I have seen many positive responses from people who are now committed to supporting me in the ministry, and I have to say that my heart is greatly encouraged in this challenging process. There is still a long way to go, but I believe that God has been doing a great work of freeing my heart that will allow me to continue with greater confidence in my calling and clarity about the direction to go. Please continue to pray for me as I seek His guidance and encouragement each step of the way. If He leads you to give, you may donate online.

Here are a few specific prayer requests for upcoming ministry opportunities:

Please pray for me as I:

Walk daily with individuals on a journey of faith though discipleship: that they would be open to experiencing everything that Jesus has to share with them and that I would sensitively listen both to Him and to their needs.

Help to develop and teach a segment of Sunday School series on the topic of Falling: Letting go of our Illusions of Control with Tim Galloway.

Participate in a wedding ceremony for a young couple that I have been counseling. Pray for their union, for a continuing deepening of trust and intimacy as they enter into marriage.

Counsel couples and individuals who are struggling in their marriages. Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to them so that they can rest in Him for every aspect of their relationships.

Lead a discussion/lecture on Concept of God to a group of advanced training students this fall.

Lead a group through the 5-day Grace Life Workshop designed to help participants learn to listen to each other’s stories and share Christ’s Life with one another.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to all of you who support me in this ministry. I remember you often in my prayers, because of the huge part that you play in enabling me to serve people and lead them to Jesus. I am truly loved and encouraged by you. May you be encouraged by Him to know how much He delights in you.

Yours in Christ,
Charles

Pure In Heart


Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Did you ever discover that your mind had changed a bible verse around to say something that it was in fact not saying? For years, until today actually, my mind unconsciously translated that verse, "Blessed are those whose behavior is perfect, for they shall be allowed to relate to God." Somehow the voice of the flesh was mistranslating Jesus’ words. But today,  He has showed me, interpreted for my heart what the verse really means. Blessed are those whom God has made pure through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, because now they can know Him as He really is. He is full of grace and truth, mercy and compassion, love and gentleness towards us in the frailty and weakness of our flesh, which still does “sin and fall short of the glory of God” and always will until we receive new bodies.

Now I see that it says, pure in HEART. Can a pure-in-heart person sometimes do the wrong thing, make a bad choice that does not reflect the reality of his heart? I think so. So does bad behavior disqualify me from intimate contact with my Lord Jesus? I don’t think so, or as Paul might say, "May it never be!"

Jesus said, “Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls.” If the pre-requisite to my seeing and knowing Him is perfecting my behavior, I’m never going to be able to come to Him. If it depends on my performance, then I can never rest from my attempts to please Him so that I can somehow be close to Him.

I now see that “pure in Heart” like everything else in this relationship with Jesus, is a gift of His grace, not a product of my striving after purity. Striving after purity only leads to perfectionism, prudery and self-righteousness (if I think I have somehow succeeded). I cannot make myself pure enough, no matter how much I desire to see God, because He has already made me pure through his blood. To try to make me purer is to deny the reality of my gifted purity. To attempt to do it is only to enter into the deception of believing that I am not pure. 

As God says to Peter after his sheet vision in Acts “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Acts 10:15)

So, embrace the reality of your pure heart, in Him, and enjoy the intimacy of seeing and knowing Him as He really is. The process may surprise and delight you. I pray that He surprises you with His presence today.