Today is Rob’s 66th birthday. Church started at 1pm so his best gift was getting to sleep in. Breakfast was over at 10:00 so we got up about 9:20. We were just about to leave when the phone rang. They wanted to know if we were coming to breakfast as it closes at 10. That’s a first! In our country, it’s “you snooze, you lose.”
Yesterday they approached me to say that they noticed that Rob’s birthday was Sunday and wanted to know if I would like to have them make a cake. Sure. That would be great. They wanted to know the time that they should present it to him. I said 9:30 as we would be there for breakfast.
Well, I really dragged my feet and no cake…but as we were leaving, Rob was ahead of me and the waiter wanted to know when I wanted the cake.
Now would be good so they suggested bringing it to our room.
Once we returned, Rob went to the toilet and the doorbell rang. I opened it and there were five smiling Cambodians holding a cake.
I whispered that he was on the toilet and to wait just a minute, and I would get Rob.
“Rob, it’s for you. The hotel staff wants to talk to you.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
He got himself together and then opened the door. Boy, was he surprised.
Later, he had a four-hand massage for two hours!! He said the Cambodian girls didn’t speak much English, but they pulled up his arm hair and even armpit hair and giggled about it all in good fun. I guess that they don’t see THAT everyday!!
When he returned, we went out to get Mexican food a at restaurant called “Maybe Later”. The food was delicious and there was a fun vibe. They also support young chefs and street artists. The building looks like a skeleton.
We attended The River Church Siem Reap where Jeremy and Danielle have been pastoring this international church for the past two years. They have lived in Cambodia for a total of seven years. Jeremy speaks Cambodian, but Danielle does not.
Jeremy played the guitar and we sang songs in English and then Cambodian. I did not know any of the songs, but they sounded Western to me. I think that using traditional tunes and instruments would have a bigger impact on the local community. There is always a fear that becoming a Christian means becoming Western. Jesus was not Western. This has been a mistake by missionaries in the past.
The church itself is brand new. When we were looking for the church. Rob identified it by noting that it looked like the most expensive house that we have seen in Siem Reap.
Prayer Points
Thank you that we get to spend our lives glorifying God. Thank you, Jesus, for revealing the Father to us. Your life in the flesh has saved us. We ask for revelation from Your Word. Give us grace to walk in righteousness.
We pray for Cambodia, and its churches and and its missionaries.
Whatever your wildest dreams are, he has put them in your heart. Partner with God in your families, finances, business, and every aspect of life. Replace difficulty with excitement.
Bless all that came in today. Overwhelm them with your blessings. Let the church be an overflow of that blessing. Meet every need with heavens resources. Amen.
If you have an offering, bring it now. Most everyone was happy to come forward to put heir offering in the bamboo basket. Each one turned around and had a big smile. God loves a cheerful giver!
Next, Declaration #3 was read together in English then Cambodian. It made me wonder what Declaration #1 and Declaration #2 were about. Also, I am used to saying a Creed, but a declaration? This was a curious first.
Declaration #3
I am powerful and what I believe changes the world. So today I declare God is in a good mood, He loves me all the time. Nothing can separate me from His love. Jesus’ blood paid for everything. I will tell the nations what he has done. I am important. How He made me is amazing. I was designed for worship. My mouth establishes praise to silence the enemy. Everywhere I go becomes a perfect-health zone. And with God, nothing is impossible.
An internet search revealed that this declaration comes from the book What If…: You Joined your Dreams with the Most Amazing God by Beni Johnson, Sheri Silk, Bill Johnson, Danny Silk, Theresa Dedmon, April LaFrance, Julie Winter, Candace Johnson, Dawna DeSilva, and Brittney Serpell.
Even though this declaration claims to be based on scripture and, some parts are, I felt that its theology seemed off. God has moods?… I am not powerful. I am weak apart from God…and what, pray tell, is a perfect-health zone? In reality, God’s Word says it best. It stands alone so let’s declare that with boldness.
Visitors
There are visitors from France, America, England, South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, and the Philippines.
In the Phillipines, thousands are lining up at the oceans to be baptized. God is moving in the nations.
Sermon
Sermon on the Mount could be called the constitution of the nation of God.
Americans have a constitution. Just as you can tell Americans by the way that they carry themselves and say what they think due to their freedom of speech. They carry guns to protect themselves from the government and enemies. (Wow. It was weird to be stereotyped…I wish he would not have fed internationals the notion that we all have a love affair with guns.)
Jesus wanted to give his core values to His followers that would be deep inside to the way that we think, the way that we treat others, the way that we see God, and the way that we love other people.
God will reveal Himself to the pure in heart. It is not easy to change. We hold on to old ways.
God shakes the tree concerning trials and tribulations. Ugly things come to the top because God wants to clean us up. Not just “don’t do” but “don’t think”. He is after our hearts.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matt 5:6
We are rich when we desire to be right with God. We are rich when we want what God wants.
God doesn’t look at sin lightly. God hates sin. God loves us. He shows in His Word His thoughts about sin. Sin is a very big deal. He sent Jesus to deal with sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 is an amazing jump-out-of-your-seat verse.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
God wanted to takeaway the sin factor that stood between us. He only sees righteousness because when He looks at us, He only sees Jesus.
Fruitfulness is associated with the farmer. Things are in our lives because we grew them. Become a wise farmer of your life.
Genesis 8:22
While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease.
This is still in effect. What are we allowing to be planted into our hearts? What we need is for God to pierce the soil of our hearts.
2 Corinthians 9:6
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Often we take this to be talking about money, but it also refers to righteousness and the Word of God.
God’s word is a seed that will dictate your harvest.
A farmer wouldn’t plant one seed and expect to harvest another. Most people read enough to feed themselves, but it is even better to additionally feed those around you.
Most Christians read their Bibles once or twice per month.
Read your Bible more to plant more seeds. Give it time to grow in your life. A bountiful harvest is guaranteed. The rarest treasures of life are found His words.
A farmer plants a seed and watches. It takes time. Take full advantage of seed time. Growth occurs and the harvest is in the mission field. The unsaved have no eternal fruit.
People were killed for even thinking about translating the Bible from Greek to English.
It is like gold. What price are you willing to pay?
Our destiny and future and treasure is in God’s Word. When times are difficult, read the Psalms until your soul is comforted. We are rich when we crave righteousness.
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