Teaching on Haggai - God Is The Source of Our Lives (June 1, 2011)

All Photos Credit: SBS Classmate

To Be An Influencer - Causing People to Wrestle With Tough Questions

My Final Application for 1 and 2 King and 1 and 2 Chronicles (March 25, 2011)

My Timeless Truth for the books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles is from my Leadership Application for King Jotham of Judah, that Christians are to be influencers, live lifestyles of example, and teach others. My Application for Leadership (Significance to the Contemporary Reader) says, “Be an influencer. Live a lifestyle as an example. Teach people, but also try to go deep so that others, those you disciple and your students, ask the tough questions and wrestle with their struggles and the ‘I know it’ or ‘I’ve known that all my life’ answers – so that they can take ownership of their faith and grow firm foundations.” This comes from 2 Chronicles 28:2, “And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people still followed corrupt practices.”

I think that this is a highlight in my life, that is the importance of a Biblical worldview. During a prayer time when people were praying for me, someone said that I lived and upheld a Biblical worldview. The importance of this has been especially emphasized to me during this School of Biblical Studies, along with the importance of understanding and believing the right and true character of God, as I struggle with those painful splinters God has been identifying and pulling out of my foundations during this season of my life. It is a difficult process, but I feel I have recovered from the infectious stage, and healing is taking place. Looking back is easier than living in it, but I am grateful that the changes that happen in me while I come to understand the Truth of God.

I think this is part of the reason why I did The School of Biblical with YWAM Muizenberg, South Africa, to build a better foundation and be more equipped for the future and the opportunities God gives me. In the past I have been given opportunities to share, speak, teach, and preach, in churches, Sunday Schools, youth groups, and schools in the U.S. and on outreaches around the world. I am humbled each time I am asked to teach people older and more knowledgeable than myself. When pastors have taken notes during my sermon, I think, “Really, how did this happen?” But I do consider it a blessing and a responsibility, and that is why I want to be equipped with more Biblical teaching. But each time I learn of someone who isn’t following the Lord anymore, I wonder what happened? What did I do wrong, and what could I have done better? It rips my heart. I know it is that person’s choice. But I ask, “What can I do better to have them wrestle, ask the tough questions, come to understand and come to believe for themselves?” And I think this all stems from teaching them the character of God and a Biblical Worldview (from the Old and New Testaments, whole Bible) in such a way that they have to really THINK and take ownership, not of what I believe, what their parents taught, or what society shows, but each individually.

I don’t know how to do this yet. But it has to do with building relationship and continuing discipleship. For people to pursue learning and asking questions. It has to do with honesty, vulnerability, and accountability, of listening, evaluating, and doing. It really has to do with hearts willing to choose God to transform their hearts. And it allows for mistakes, failure, and motivates them to try again.

The Character of Habakkuk - Habakkuk Final Theme Summary (May 7, 2011)

In the book of Habakkuk, Habakkuk, the prophet, cries to God to be heard, for justice for the righteous, and for wickedness to stop. God answers him that the Chaldeans will come to bring destruction. Habakkuk cries again to God, recognizing God’s authority and holiness, but questions why he would use such a wicked nations to judge Judah. Habakkuk is willing to wait and listen for God’s answer. God responds again that the Chaldeans will be judged for their wickedness and the righteous are to live by faith. Habakkuk ends with a prayer pf praise to God, recognizing God as the just judge of wickedness and as merciful bringing salvation. He is to hope and rejoice in God his strength and salvation regardless of his circumstances.

I think that Habakkuk’s intimate relationship with God along with his recognition of God as faithful and unchanging gives Habakkuk the ability to cry to God, to be vulnerable, to complain even, and ask real and honest questions. Through this process and because he was willing to risk difficult questions to God, Habakkuk grew in his relationship with God and his understanding of the character of God. He recognized even more that God is faithful and unchanging, that God is always a just judge to all people regardless of nationality. And sin is still sin whether Judah or Babylon is the culprit. God’s holiness rises to the forefront as God cannot stand sin, but Habakkuk also knows God’s mercy and salvation – Habakkuk has hope because he is God’s anointed. He leans on God’s strength in difficult places. Habakkuk’s character and conversation of prophecy with God is a model to the people of Judah of how to live by faith in difficult circumstances – as the nation of Judah as a whole does not turn away from sin and are judged with the Babylonian siege and destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. There may be a remnant few that are righteous and take heed and encouragement from Habakkuk – These are enabled with feet like the deer’s to tread the difficult places.

Jaclyn, Rabo, and James climbing the lower rock hill.

The model of Habakkuk should not be ignored in life today – especially for those who SEE. These are the righteous who life by faith. I am reminded on the first day of our school’s retreat at Volmoed. On our walk back from the waterfalls five of us decided to climb up the hill and rock cliffs to the prayer hut above. Take into account, there was no path. It would be trail blazing and rock climbing. Fun adventure, right? Sure (with a waver in Shannon’s voice). As we angled our way on the lower, easy part, we saw that there was no “safe” way over rocks to the hut, so we decided to head up higher. This “path” would bring us to the top of the rock hill or rather cliff now. As we neared the top we got to only solid rock directly in front of our faces, not where you step one foot in front of the other, but where you climb one hand and foot hold and then another, rock climbing without the ropes, or for a more proper term “bouldering” (for the adventure sports enthusiasts out there). Now at this part, my fellow student Godlisten from Tanzania bounded up just like a baboon (who are the real native sports enthusiasts around) and Jaclyn was agile and quickly angled up in front of me. And there I was…standing…still. “I can’t do this,” I thought. “I don’t know if I can’t do this,” I said. I’m afraid of heights or moreso of falling. It really wasn’t that long or high of a rock climb, but because of the good amount of “hill” we had covered behind us, my fall wouldn’t be 10 feet, but 20 or 30 or more (my mind for accuracy tends to waver in intense, emotional circumstances). So I psyched myself up in my head (you might know what that’s like. It’s when the happy, confident voice takes over). “You can do this, Shannon. If this rock were on the flat ground, it’s only 10 feet or so, and you can do that. That’s a piece of cake.” And I bouldered last summer several times on my friend’s garage wall. So I took a deep breath and placed one hand hold and one foot hold in front of the other. And I made it. It wasn’t so bad. But if any baboons were watching, they knew – I was no baboon or mountain goat – similar to that time my family and I were riding horses in the mountains and one horse balked near the top while navigating rocks and steep ridges with terrifying drops below, and the horse thought, “Wait up here, human, cuz I ain’t no mountain goat.” But that’s another story. Let’s just say normal horses are like normal humans – acting like baboons or mountain goats is a fail.

"We made it!" - James, Jaclyn, Rabo, me, and Godlisten.
Some Photos Credit: SBS Classmates

BUT that is where God comes in. Habakkuk 3:19 says, “God the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” So as we are gazing as the looming mountain or the dangling precipice, we need to trust God for strength and direction. Whatever our difficult circumstances, whether our nation is going down the toilet and wickedness is prevailing like in Judah, or our jobs, our family, our finances, or our relationships, God is there for us when it’s crap and it seems like we cannot find a way or survive.

There can also be a problem if we get to the looming mountain and then realize, “uh oh.” We need to realize that we cannot run to God when we have problems only, but that we need to foster a life of faith. God’s command to Habakkuk as he is surrounded by wickedness is not go out and kill the wicked, but it is “the righteous shall live by his faith” in Habakkuk 2:4.  God is telling Habakkuk that YOU need to live by faith. You need to seek me; you need to follow me; you need to trust me as faithful, unchanging, just, merciful, and loving. This living by faith is an action verb; it is a lifestyle and not just an occurrence during A difficult time. A “fill up” on Sunday or on Easter or Christmas won’t make you good to go for the rest of the week or rest of the year. God is known through his Word, through prayer, through his Spirit. But God does not turn off, and he is not limited to holy and sanctified times, as only as church or only with your Bible. So pursue to get to know the faithful God in your everyday life, with your coffee, in the car, in the shower, and as you lay down to sleep.

God has rock climbing abilities even when I don’t. Maybe it’s just a matter of faith.

Success - Mountain Climb Accomplished!

An Article of an Atheist's Take on Aid in Africa - "Africa Needs God"

I love perusing a variety of online newspapers, magazines, articles, reviews, blogs, and photos from time to time - I am very inconsistent about it. I don't exactly know why I like to read these. Maybe because I love to learn, and I also love sharing the new things I learn with others. I like knowing what's going on around me, and especially what makes people think the way they do.

The most recent blog I read  (http://brettfish.wordpress.com/) had a link to this article, granted from 2008, but the immensity of an atheist finding value in Christianity, and Christianity in Africa boggles my mind! Jesus Christ is the only true hope and change - to some degree he got it and didn't get it. I don't know if he became a Christian. I'll have to research that, but I pray he does. And I pray his words into a glimpse of True Hope may lead others to challenge their world views and to question their beliefs.

Here's an excerpt:

It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But traveling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God. 

Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good. 

Click here to read Matthew Parris' complete article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece

Now off to write my book of Micah assignment.

Thoughts on Leviticus - Unchanging God, Only Reality, Holiness

Leviticus is one of the most impacting books of SBS for me! I loved learning to look deeper as to why God set up these laws for holy living and the sacrificial system. I believe that it has opened up so much more of God’s character to me. I see through my own life that if people only read the New Testament they are not getting the full story – that the Old Testament also IS most essential to the story and is over 75% of the Bible! I hope that others make this same discovery! There is so much more that God desires to reveal about His character, love, and relationship with His people, not only to Israel but to His people today.

Below is a small portion of what I do in SBS - my final theme summary for Leviticus on holiness.

The holiness of God is displayed throughout Leviticus. God shows that His way for the Israelites to follow is DIFFERENT than that of the other nations, Egypt and Canaan. The offerings are specific and detailed, and each animal is perfect and the best. The priest is sanctified and atoned as also the people have to be atoned for. This process and atonement are defined by God and no one else. There are health laws regarding clean and unclean, from food to bodily functions and births, physical diseases and the state of houses and clothing. Uncleanness is not to be spread but eradicated and never near God. God defines the various aspects of society for the Israelites, economy, government, religion, and family. God defines laws for how to live holy for the priests and the common people. None are exempt. Some things such as blasphemy and idolatry have the punishment of death. God sets aside feasts and observances to remember Him, what He has done, and how He has provided. God who is holy gives a warning of blessing if they follow Him and of curses if they do not.

The Israelites are SET APART from the other nations, and chosen by God. This is the definition of holy, to be set apart. Through all of these laws and the sacrificial system, we see that God desires to dwell with His people. So the sacrifices and laws to be clean bring the people into God’s defined holiness and sanctification so that they can have relationship. Through the offerings and even the cleansing of daily life, Israel is reminded of their sin and their need for atonement. They CANNOT do this. God does this alone. This brings them into great reliance on God, in their thoughts and actions every day. As they enter into humility through God does and His dwelling with them, the Israelites are so thankful and worshipful towards God! So their holiness is fully reliant on the act and mercy of God, so also Israel’s holiness is also reliant on being upheld by the community. That is why they have sometimes seemingly harsh laws and thoroughly, painstaking laws! What they do affects one another, and a nation can downward spiral so easily if something is brushed over as permissible, even by omission. Also, God is setting Himself apart from the other nations! He is the only reality they are to know – He is defining true reality, which they do not know, as they only knew pagans gods and cultural practices before, as from Egypt - where they came from. God is holy, and the other nations are not! For God’s people to be holy, they need to fully reject everything of the pagan nations, even so that they do not fall into idolatry again. God is setting up an example to the nations of how to live for and with God, and He is setting them apart to use Israel to bring the full and true sacrifice that makes them holy – the better covenant that stands before the throne of God (from the book of Hebrews).

How could a list of laws, of sacrifices, blood spilt, killing of animals, waving of fat, burning of flesh (animal), do’s and don’t’s, and clean and unclean that we don’t understand be relevant today?! It SO is. Because what I learned this week is that it points to knowing God. It is defining His awesome and Holy character to new depths. He is so beautiful – His care, His desire for His people to know Him, and for Himself to dwell with them. “Jesus is coming but not yet,” He points out, “but you can know me,” He shouts! This God of Leviticus is the same God today – He didn’t change. He was taking care of His people in a rotten world – He was showing by their example, the true way for even the other nations to live. This is still God’s love for His people today! Bringing the healing of Jesus to make an unholy people holy. Only the holy can stand in the Presence of the Holy. I would encourage Christians today to study the Old Testament. Yes, God is God of the New, but He is God of the Old too. Pray for a deeper revelation of the character and nature of God – of who God is! And through that, He will show you how much He desires to dwell among you. (written Feb. 10, 2011)

The Inspiration of Melodious Words

 Writing has been a journey for me. When I was in grade school, I remember being encouraged with my writing. In 2nd and 3rd grade class we wrote and illustrated books. But I also remember the difficulty of getting past my mental block (and maybe the emotional one too) of writing well. I think I put too much pressure on myself (do you remember that, Jo?) I also journaled from a young age, and still do today, though I go in spurts sometimes. Over the past 6 years, I've experienced intermittent inspirations to write, including poems. Embarking on missions has brought more writing in the form of newsletters. This has been a chore at times, but also a wonderful process of sculpting my experiences and my heart so that you, the reader and friend, can maybe taste, see, and feel a bit of my journey. 

So for my study of the Bible I write everyday but mostly in formulaic form as in facts, and in observe, interpret, and apply. But the part my brain thrives on is the summaries, whether it is a theme summary or the final application for that book of the Bible. This is where my brain and emotions have the freedom to fly - to process down the winding paths of exploration, to paint the picture, and to describe the texture of the inner workings - of me. And with my weekly Psalms assignments I am able to creatively process, which is so life-giving. Even though this school is rigorous study (and I can't emphasize RIGOROUS enough), I believe God is opening up more of what I love, that is, expression through writing. Prose has been escaping from me more often than ever. I thank God for this privilege to play with wonderful words.

"Words are like a melody to me, like music, like good mouth-watering chocolate, like beauty, to name a few. Words crafted together are an attempt to describe sometimes the unexplainable like a breathtaking vista or the emotional depths of the soul." SM

Click below for a link to a Slate article about what I love - the sounds of words:

Keener Sounds How can poetry that doesn't rhyme be so pleasing to the ear? By Robert Pinsky 

A Nonsensical Poem About Words

Did I ever say I love my Psalms assignments? It's the one creative outlet I get each week. This is a poem inspired by Psalm 104. As God is glorified in the creation, I thank God for words, even ones strung together with no purpose and no need to make any sense.

A Celebration of Words

(2^nd title: An Ode to the Word-Maker)

The fabric of my being,

The melody of my soul,

Plucked, prodded, and pulled

By some unknown whole.

Unsure of who dictates

What – within.

Is the edge of reason the brink of the gale?

Or really just the prime place to begin?

Hackysacks, hamper knacks,

Timing, and shrew –

Gibberish to most

But delight to the few.

A novelty of percussion,

A story of rhyme,

Nonsense is not no sense –

But joy found sublime.

And fashioned after You,

I don’t know where to begin.

You’re the Word that created design

And invented the rhyme.

You captured imagination

On the voice of the wind.

You inspired communication

From Your deity of Three.

You imprinted meaning on words.

You breathed life that gave breath,

So that I might send out a tantalizing tale,

But not for my ears only,

But for others to share.

So gaming and flaming

To crisp for the taming

Is not just noise to You either

And gives no need to decipher.

But that is enough to trouble your mind

As you might consider,

“What’s wrong with this girl?

A poem that makes sense,

Can’t she just deliver?”

So I’ll let you alone

From my first attempts

At the profoundly un-profound world

Of nonsense poems.

This is where delight

Is given in the sheer presence,

The God-given gift –

Of words.