Seeing His Higher Ways
By Dr. John Garmo – President
It was late afternoon on a warm weekend in the Middle East. Friends drove Jan and me through a large, sand-colored city, weaving their way through congested traffic until we arrived at our destination in a very humble part of town. Old buildings crowded thin sidewalks along narrow, single-lane streets. We stopped beside a building with an open door.
People often come to Christ through the teaching of discipleship.
Stepping out of the car and entering the small foyer, we were welcomed by smiling men, women, and children. Most came from Syria and Iraq, and they now live as refugees in a foreign land.
After several minutes of conversation, they escorted us upstairs to a large room. The room was crowded with about 120 people, mostly men. It reminded me of the disciples’ setting in Acts 1:15. Teens and children comprised about one-third of the group, and they sang loud worship choruses with gusto. Leaders prayed, announcements were made, and then they introduced us.
God led me to focus on 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. In part one, He reveals what doesn’t matter to Him. In part two, He explains what does.
Knowing that giving to the needy is one of the five pillars of Islam, I spoke particularly from verse three about God’s disregard for generous giving without genuine agape. Aware that millions of children are taught that to be a suicide bomber for the advancement of Islam is an honor, I read in verse three: “though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
In verses four through seven, we focused on God’s agape love. Agape love embraces the values that Jesus Christ demonstrated throughout His earthly life, such as endurance, kindness, contentment, humility, self-discipline, discernment, and truth. Such values, I told them, comprise the character of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
During an all-group dinner that followed the meeting, a young man told me he had recently fled his hometown in another country, leaving everything behind as bullets from a vicious, violent enemy group rammed through the tail of his pickup truck. He showed me the death threats texted to him because of his faith in Christ. What a humbling privilege it was to encourage him and pray with him in that hallway.
Only afterwards did we discover that about 90 percent of the group was Muslim. Jan and I were shocked! We’d thought they were mostly Christians.
“Was I wrong to speak of discipleship rather than evangelism?” I asked my Arab colleagues in the car.
“No,” they replied. “People here often come to Christ through the teaching of discipleship.”
That’s how God reminded us again that His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9): Sometimes evangelism leads to discipleship, but other times discipleship leads to evangelism.
Refreshing Pools and Renewing Hope Among Refugees
The outside temperature is 45 degrees Celsius – 113 degrees Fahrenheit. An Iraqi pastor inflates little swimming pools for the children, and then he fills each pool with water. Now the children can cool down, have some fun, and keep their spirits up.
Nearby, people stand in line to receive shoes handed out by workers from the pastor’s church.
Later, the pastor arranges games for men: A tug-of-war competition that becomes hilarious. The rope is very thin. As soon as the two teams start pulling, the rope snaps and both teams land on their backs!
These activities are intended to keep the people occupied so they will be less preoccupied with worry. The pastor also wants the refugees to feel welcome, to see this as their home for a short period of time. He doesn’t call his church a refugee camp.
And his plan is working! Despite the inevitable sadness underneath, there are smiles and laughter all around.
The setting is Iraq. Many of these refugees fled from Mosul. Assyrians have lived in Mosul for over 6,000 years, many converting to Christianity some 2,000 years ago. In mid-July, ISIS gave an ultimatum to Mosul Christians: convert to Islam, leave the city, or die. Thousands of Christians left with only the clothes on their backs.
Tens of thousands of children are affected. Many are being killed by the terrorist group originally called ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). They now call themselves IS (Islamic State) because they are not limiting their reach to only two countries.
Thank you, Mission to Children family, for donating to relief for Syrians in the past months.
Currently, over 8,000 families receive assistance every day in Syria. Our partners deliver Scriptures, food, blankets, and more. The teams treat Christians and Muslims alike. They welcome Muslims who have also lost their homes and their communities. Because of this relief effort, thousands are coming to the Lord.
Please pray with us that the Christian community in the West will not ignore this crisis.
How can we make a difference? Pray for protection for the Christians, for courage for Muslim-background believers, for more financial support and fervent prayer for Iraqi and Syrian refugees by Christians in the West, and yes . . . pray for the salvation of IS terrorists.
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; My God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)
Loyalty Corner
Loyalty: “Faithfully obeying my authorities and committing to significant relationships.”
Why should we care about Loyalty?
Loyalty is a key component of good relationships in our society: in marriage, in the church, in the workplace, and on a sports team. It strengthens our commitment and dependability. Loyalty in children encourages obedience. Loyalty to God demonstrates our trust in Him and motivates our obedience.
How do we demonstrate Loyalty?
A person demonstrates Loyalty by obedience, dependability, supportiveness, and commitment.
An opposite word is disloyalty:
“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” (Matthew 15:8)
Loyalty Quotes
“LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.” (1 Chronicles 29:18 NIV)
“For obedience is not a stodgy plodding in the ruts of religion, it is a hopeful race toward God’s promises.” —Eugene Peterson
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9a)
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” —Vince Lombardi
Making It Personal
When you consider how to use your time, do you say “Yes” to other people and things before you say “Yes” to God?
If you find your loyalty waning, try praying Martin Luther’s prayer: “Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love might go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt, and am unable to trust You altogether. O Lord, help me.”
