I am feeling amazingly blessed right now. I’m headed off to dubai and I’ve just been bumped up to Business Class again. Im a gold member (the highest) on Emirates air. I guess one of the perks is automatic upgrades when coach/economy is full. No complaints for me here. It’s the fourth time in the past year I’ve been given a free upgrade. Its only an hour flight, but still its nice. I have to really eat the meal fast. By the time we reach cruising altitude its time do descend. I have figured out a way even when flying economy to get a business class-like seat. I wait until the last minute to book my seats online, then I choose a row of three with one of the seats occupied. Since the middle seats are the last to go, it’s a pretty good bet that unless the flight is sold out, I’ll have an empty seat next to me. It worked the last time I was going and coming from Houston. Its 3:50 am, and I was able to get a couple hours sleep before my flight. I’ll hang out in the business class lounge for an hour or so, then off to my first appointment at 9:30.
The day started out really nice. I just found myself in the morning just praising and worshipping God, all by myself as I got ready. I took my ipod and was listening to a podcast from Pastor Steve Madsen my pastor in Livermore, CA. I’ve been to a lot of churches throughout my life. I think Pastor Steve, maybe along with Jack Hayford, is the best bible teacher I’ve ever heard. Charles Stanley is up there too, but I’ve only downloaded his podcasts, I’ve never actually seen him live. It’s a nice change of pace from Lakewood, where its heavily focused on worship. Steve has been in the book of Acts and the early missionary journeys of Paul. I could so relate to everything in Acts, how the disciples just went by faith where God told them to go. But the part that got me today was when Steve was talking about the persecuted church. It was story of how Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in Prison. Then he stopped the story and this part really got me. He remarked that this message wasn’t for the people in the congregation, rather it was for the brothers and sisters in the Middle East, communist countries, or other places that suffer persecution for the gospel’s sake. He said they have a tracking program that monitors where the services are downloaded throughout the world. You can better believe that Bahrain is well represented. I haven’t missed a podcast since ive been here. Then he spoke to us specifically in these areas. He said right now we are going to show are support for you who are in these areas. He said, Cornerstone lets show them how much we love them, appreciate them and are praying them. Then for about 60 seconds I heard the loudest most raucous cheer. I would have thought I was at a Raider game (during the glory days). As I heard this while driving to work, I couldn’t help but start to cry. It was the strangest sensation. Then I rewound the podcast and listened again and cried even more. Even as I write this recounting this experience I can hardly type as I keep wiping away the tears. Im afraid the salt from the tears will mess up my keyboard. I was amazingly blessed by this. I have to ask myself why was I so blessed. I certainly haven’t felt direct threat for sharing my faith like others in the region have. Im more than willing to face persecution for my faith. But I think God has spared me thus far. I think because I normally act in a spirit of humility that it disarms people. So was the ovation for me? I know it was, because this place is firing line. It’s kind of sad, but the reality is that I face more persecution coming from the U.S. than I do with any threat that might be in the heart of Islam. So that’s what I took from the support and Love from cornerstone church. I may be emotionally battered because of my divorce, but I have so many people praying for me. I think that is one of the great benefits of this blog. It’s a conduit to people that pray for me. I got a sweet email from a dear friend from college that said, I just read your blog, and now Im going to hug my husband. Its an encouragement for me to love him more than ever. I absolutely love hearing stuff like that. If I can help others avoid the pain that I endured, then God truly is turning something evil into good. It also expands my level of ministry from just the middle east to the cyber world. We have about 150 readers on the blog now, and Im just amazed when I look at the map and who accesses it. Like Paraguay…how does anyone find me from Paraguay?
We did our positive living group tonight. We had a lot of old friends come again. We had seven of us. Four muslims and three Christians. I love that ratio. Its so nice to see God move in this group. I know with the Christians their walks are being solidified. I can see it in their faces and then they tell me with their words. I know my ministry has had a great effect. I think this emotional feeling is important in the midst of the local church not wanting to affiliate themselves with Joel’s message. I think the local church is sure missing the boat. But I don’t want to harp on the negative. I just have to let it go. In no way will it impact what Im trying to do.
The plane is about to take of for our short trip to Dubai. Im feeling amazingly blessed and so hopeful for the future. Im a pretty lucky guy. Crap..Christians aren’t supposed to say lucky…blessed.
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