To the Bravehearts...

I will never forget the first time I watched the movie Braveheart.  I remember that I had some microwave popcorn in a bowl in my lap but I didn't eat it.  Everything about it, from the story to the scenery, captivated and compelled me.  It is still one of my favorite films.  Above all, "FREEDOM!" the guttural scream of William Wallace's voice, still rings in my ears.  But sitting here in front of my computer this evening, the word "freedom" echoes in a place much deeper. 

Tonight I am contemplating Scotland.  This is no mere fantasy of kilts, haggis, highlands, and golf; I am compelled with the heart of Scotland.  Scotland, like many Northern European countries, is mired in a spiritual darkness that seemingly grows darker by the day.  This oppression weighs especially heavy on the youth of Scotland.  I've heard it said that the majority of teens in Scotland today are three generations removed from a knowledge of Christ.  That means that if you asked the average teenager on the streets of Glasgow, they would have literally no point of reference in a discussion about Jesus Christ.  Instead, teens are being bound by the chains of alcoholism, drugs, and sexual addiction with increasing regularity. Beautiful churches that once resounded with the praises of the everlasting God are being turned into night clubs and rock climbing facilities. 

It was over two years ago that our Church's youth staff first felt a spiritual burden for the Scots.  Since then, we have been diligent in praying for an opportunity for our youth ministry to bring the truth of the Gospel with the passion and power of the Holy Spirit to the hearts of the teens of Scotland. Simply put, we have been broken for the nation of Scotland. We are confident that God has called us to go and we want to be obedient to His voice.

Our missions trip to the community of Galashiels, Scotland will begin June 23^rd and end July 3^rd.  These days will be spent serving the Church and city of Galashiels as well as performing with our ministry teams in the evenings.  I will be overseeing our music team as well as our beats team. My heart is stirred when I think of what God might do in the hearts of our team and those that we serve.

As is the case with any short term missions trip, I find myself in need of financial support.  The cost of the trip is $1750 and I still have several hundred dollars to go to meet that need.  I had decided at one point in the past couple months that I would not ask for support.  I wanted to make it on my own.  But God has been convicting me of my pride lately and I see how trying to do this without help is an attempt to hide the shame of being in need.  (It is an amazingly freeing thing to confess to God that you are in need) In addition, I saw that my pride robs you of an opportunity to give and be blessed.  So please, if you can, give.  (make checks out to Bethel Church and put my name on the memo line)

Let me conclude with a lesson from Braveheart. Many people couldn't stomach the violence of this movie. It's no surprise. The battle scenes are vividly grotesque.  Images of the pain and reality of war are burned into the memory of those who watch it.  But nothing we could ever see in a movie can do justice to the spiritual violence that rages against the freedom of humanity.  We do not fight with broadsword, bow and fist, but with prayers, petitions, and trust in the God who has already defeated the enemy.  Please join me in prayer as we fight for the freedom of Scotland.

Crying freedom,

Chris Judd

Bethel Church

132 Kirkland Rd.

Chehalis, WA 98532

Currently Listening Of Joy & Sorrow By Denison Witmer see related

Alonely

In my life I have been bad at being lonely. A report card would show that I have a tendency towards medicating the pain of loneliness with hollow attempts at intimacy with the fairer gender.  Pain has lead to more pain and so it goes...

Loneliness happens.  Sometimes it comes on you like a autumn chill, unannounced and bitter.  This is the perfect relationship that tanks in a moment and hearts are crushed.  Sometimes it comes slowly and creeps at you as you wait in agony.  This is the diagnosis of cancer and the 5 years of slowly losing a friend.  Finally, something feels pulled out of you when they are gone.

Loneliness happens in close proximity to others too.  I've heard it said that a crowd can be the loneliest place to be and I think that can be true.  A husband and wife can sleep in the same bed every night and feel a loneliness that burns in their bones.  Loneliness happens to single children and the middle kid in a family of 5.  Loneliness happens to the most popular kid in school when his dad won't recognize his acheivements. Loneliness happens to a forty-something man who reallizes he has spent his whole life chasing the thing that he thought would make him happiest only to reallize that it wouldn't satisfy the loneliness in his soul.  Loneliness happens to a newlywed bride who finds out her husbands' deep hidden secrets.

I feel like I am on this journey of attacking loneliness before it can attack me.  I am by no means alone; I have great friends. But I sleep alone and it is good.  One day I hope to have a good wife who loves me but I don't want her to love me so that I'm not alone.  Far to many lovers get intwined because of mutual loneliness.  Thus, relationships are coping mechanisms for this all-surpassing fear of loneliness. 

I want to worship God with my loneliness.  I don't want to begrudgingly drag my feet through this season.  I want to learn to lean on the Everlasting Arms rather than try to prop myself up with less wild lovers. When you are allowed to see it for what it is, loneliness is a thrilling adventure really.  It is an invitation to a powerful and intimate relationship with Jesus alone.  It is not glamourous and it won't sell books but I think it might be exactly what I need so I can be the man of God He desires me to be. 

So I will call this joy.  James tells me to.  Pure joy.  This is a trial that brings perseverance and maturity perhaps like no other. 

For that I am grateful.

Currently Listening Mute Math By Mute Math see related

Bruce Lee and the power of Jesus

I was leaning on the piano in the front of our sanctuary when Danny, one of our youth leaders came up next to me.  Danny is one of the funniest people I know and we always have lots of laughs when we get together.  After a good bear hug, he leaned on the piano and winced in pain. 

"What's wrong?"  I asked.

"I think I may have just broken my wrist," he said, half laughing.

I grabbed his wrist and half sarcastically said, "In Jesus name, be healed."  And I let go of his wrist.  I said, "How is it?" fully believing that the prayer I had just offered was more worthy of lightening bolts than an answer.

He kind of rotated it a bit.  Then he looked at me funny and said, "that's wierd...the pain is completely gone."

We kind of stood there laughing in amazement for a while.  He kept rotating his wrist.  I kept saying, "Did that really just happen?"

He went on to tell me that he was in the foyer trying to master his Bruce Lee 3-inch punch on another youth worker when he hurt his wrist.

Everything about this interaction was strange.  From how the injury occured to how it was healed was unorthodox, to say the least. 

Mom says I shouldn't say Jesus' name sarcastically.  I think I believe her now.

Currently Listening Eyes Open By Snow Patrol see related

Trust

Every sunday night there is a group of folks that meet at my house and we discuss important issues pertaining to the life of faith.  We talk long and hard about Jesus and grace and the cross.  We are reading through "the Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning, and using it as a catalyst for our discussion.  I've read the book many times and am amazed at how convicting it continues to be.  It reveals to me that I must continue to recognize my true state before the cross of Christ.  Here are a couple thoughts:

1. I guess I always believed that as I grow in Christ, my sin would decrease, thus my need for Him would decrease.  You know, as my sins are conquered by the blood of Christ, my need for forgiveness in Him would also decrease.  This way I can be less of a burden to Him.  This way I can be a more productive tool in building the Kingdom.

I have come to reallize that viewing myself as a tool in God's Kingdom neglects his design for relationship with His children.  God is, above all, our Abba.  He is the father who loves His kids and is conquering the world to win them back.  Forgiveness is not a means to an end of making me a dutiful soldier for Christ, it is an invitation to a friendship.  The need for forgiveness will not diminish my need for Him because He is the source of my life and my hope.  To think that we could outgrow our need for him is as if a flower told the sun it didn't need light any longer.  Our need for His love is perpetual, surpassing time or circumstance.

2. The word "recognize" stuck in my brain tonight.  Our need to recognize our sinfullness is essential in our growth as believers.  When I fail to recognize and examine my life as exposed by the cross (thanks D Webb), I fail to recognize my need for Him.  Folks in the holiness movement get worked up in a tizzy when people talk to much about grace because they want us to talk about how to change our behavior.  And it is a shame because the only way our behavior will truly change is by being saturated in His grace.  Manning says that repentance is not what we do to earn forgiveness but it is what we do because we have been forgiven.  When we recognize that we have been forgiven through no merit of our own, that changes us.  We fail to believe this and that is why we fail so often to see it lived out.  That doesn't make it any less true.

3. Comparing is a bad thing and I think God hates it.  I compare myself to my friends.  I envy their lives.  I covet their ability to ward off the temptation that I fall prey to.  I feel condemned when they talk about their struggles when I know mine sound way worse than theirs.  I fail to trust God that He is all I need.  I'm concerned that people won't like me if they really knew what I battle everyday.  God is working transparency into me but I usually go half-way; telling half-truths to satiate my conscience, not obeying Jesus' command to live in the light. 

But this morning, we sang a simple, old hymn, and for some reason it just about wrecked me.  He's all I need, He's all I need, Jesus is all I need.

I reallized that it is true.  My white knuckling and trying to live up to my own expectations is robbing me of the joy of my Father's love.  Instead of the seductive voice guilt and shame, I heard a gentle voice whisper, I will be faithful to complete the good work in you, son.  Trust.

Confidence