Seeing Heaven in Hell

by E. Basil Jackson, MD

Sometimes it is necessary to be in hell to fully appreciate the bliss and wonders of heaven.

Such was the experience of this author and his companion as they, with nineteen other dedicated professionals, most of whom were Christians, recently spent eight days in the devastated city of Port au Prince, the capital of Haiti.

The invitation to participate in the mission had come through Hope International Ministries (HOPE) of Florida after encouragement had been received from a government official in the neighboring Dominican Republic. This official was well-acquainted with the medical mission emphasis of HOPE, and he had deep concern for his neighbors on the Island of Hispaniola.

The team eventually arrived in Santo Domingo, normally 7 hours drive from Port-au-Prince. However, road conditions, patrols, and confusion at the border, extended the trip to eighteen hours in the equivalent of an open cattle truck through mountains replete with brigands and bandits.

Upon the fortune of securing an armed United Nations’ escort for part of the journey from the Haitian border to the capital, we arrived weary and exhausted near curfew, bone tired, in Delmas, a section of Port au Prince.

Excited and at the same time dismayed at the carnage and desolation all around us, we were thrilled by the prospects of being able to demonstrate the love of Christ to so many in need.

And this we did, working together as a team for eight days, in sweltering heat, lying on the hard ground, living on granola bars and warm, bottled water…all the time being personally energized by the Spirit, in the milieu of Christian fellowship.

We were overwhelmed and awed at the words of appreciation and thanksgiving expressed by patients who survived the disaster but who were abandoned with absolutely nothing except their faith.

There has been much reported in the national and local media as well as on the Christian Courier website on this dimension of our experience, but it pales to adequately render a full picture of this nation which had so little before the earthquake, and now suffers with even less.

It was a humbling experience to hear songs rising from a group of raggedly clothed Christians, living in the squalor of the remains of a filthy street, as they praised God and thanked Him for all the blessings that He had bestowed on them. The effect on the team members was to produce self-examination and personal scrutiny as to how often one might have complained about the inconsequential and relatively unimportant things of a privileged life in the US, when all the while, we should been full of thankfulness for the overwhelming abundance of our Father through His provisions.

Everywhere we cast our eyes we observed the rubble and remains of a forlorn and desperate city, beholding apocalyptic scenes on a magnitude rarely witnessed since the blitzkriegs of World War II.

Buildings were flattened like cardboard with ponderous concrete roofs lying on the ground like giant concrete sandwiches. Unfortunately these broken structures still entombed thousands of unfortunate Haitians.

The smell of death and dust permeated the air as rats as big as cats prowled the rubble to gnaw on decaying flesh. Daily survivors and corpses were extricated from the piles of stones, bricks, walls, twisted steel, and timbers.

Tenderly prepared graves were not observed but pits and mounds had been filled to capacity in the days following the quake. Bodies lay in the streets, intermingled with an accumulation of garbage until other depositories or outdoor crematoria could be arranged.

The total experience in some of us evoked a vision of just how the world might appear after the rapture of Christ’ church, but differed now from then in the Haitians’ dependence on faith.

Catatonic-esque frozen faces stared at us with unseeing eyes. Emotionally paralyzed responses were the norm for most Haitians. Many patients had not eaten nor drank water for two or three days. Children were terrified to sleep in case worse things happened and greater losses incurred, like loved ones suddenly gone.

Palpable despair filled the air and yet patient after patient attempted to lift their hands in the air and proclaim Jesus as Lord.

One patient had been found alive after spending four days in a makeshift morgue in which he had been consigned, considered dead from all appearances.

Another terrified child, having lost every living relative, clung tenaciously to team members, refusing to let go.

Everyone was requesting pastoral members of the team to pray for and with them.

A pastor who had lost his wife, his three children his church, his job and his home, left only with was his personal injuries and an infant, offered a heart-wrenching scene. One can hear the pathos of the experience in the agony of this man as he asked me if he could give the baby to me because he had no way to support himself or the child and no place to go when he left the tent hospital facility.

Another pastor asked for counseling and prayer as he struggled with overwhelming grief. One minute he had a church of 2500 members and the next he had 200 members, losing his associate pastor and indeed a close friend.

The magnitude of the stress and grief with which we on the mission team struggled every day was immeasurable. Team members were not exempt from traumatic stress. They became exhausted through lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, and the ambience of emotionally-charged agony, pain and suffering which surrounded them.

It became increasingly difficult to sleep on the hard ground and even the night hours suffered from persistent intrusion of the horrendous experiences of the day. Cognitive slowing and affective freezing as well as physical fatigue became the order of the day. The use of hastily dug and not very hygienic latrines added to the discomfort.

Yet, as we gathered to begin the weary journey home, one and all of the team members reported an increased appreciation for the plight of others, more careful self-examination, and an increased thankfulness for the blessings we all receive from our bountiful Lord. He has persistently and continuously deluged us with such a plethora of evidence for His love and care that we often take it and Him for granted.

At the end of the mission trip, as we all wended our way homeward, we were in agreement that we will never be the same again, gaining a renewed sensitivity for the less fortunate and for those who are hurting. We have a personal testimony of bottomless need and increased dependence on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who loves us as none other. We are grateful for the safe travel, the opportunity of service, and the joy of being available and used in His plans.

I have been asked “What is God’s purpose in Haiti?” and I am compelled to answer, “His purposes are as numerable as the lives affected by the earthquake, and just as diverse.”

Visions of heaven penetrated the Stygian darkness of physical and emotional hell in Haiti, and eventually won the day, erupting into an exhilarating and brilliant glorious praise and worship.

Local surgeon passes: Dr. Sean P. Keane

From the Irish Times (11/24/2009)  — KEANE, Dr Sean P. (formerly Youghal, Co. Cork, Milwaukee, Wisc., USA.) – Died suddenly on November 22, 2009, son of the late Edward and Maura Keane, Upper Strand, Youghal; lovingly and sadly missed by Doris and family, Dolores, Eamonn, Sean, Sharon and Daire, sisters Ethna and Finola and brother Colm, brothers- and sisters-in- law, sons- and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, friends and colleagues in Ireland and USA. Recently predeceased by his brother Eamonn. Funeral arrangements to Youghal and Dungarvan to be announced later.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam”. 
 ”…a friend to truth! of soul sincere, in action faithful and in honour clear”.

Editor’s Note:  Dr. Keane was a selfless friend to many, including me.  He came to my side when I broke my leg earlier this year, a humble man who worked tirelessly for the improvement of health in others.  He was “old school” when it came to explaining options, practicing one-on-one patient care, and he offered a uniquelycolorful bedside manner.  Sean Keane was competent in an age of mediocrity, brightly colored on a world canvas of dull gray entitlements, and grandfatherly to many who would otherwise be fatherless or lacking an awe-inspiring respect for a senior citizen who earned it, rather than demanded it.  He was more than a simple surgeon, as he compelled and inspired others, like me,  to heal in ways beyond the physical injuries sustained in an accident or at birth. -DH

Going beyond the ordinary

God’s will for each of us is to walk in the fullness of life He has planned for every individual.  A favorite verse of mine from the Scriptures on this topic is John 10:10:

 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and kill, and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Clearly, Jesus came to give us life “more abundantly,” but as much as He came to give the fullness of life to the Body, the devil strives to deny it from us.

The phrase “more abundantly” in the original language (Greek) is “perissos.”  This word is awesome, to say the least. The word “perissos” is defined in a simple Strong’s Concordance as “(in the sense of beyond), superabundant in quality, superior in quality, by implication excessive.”  What a qualifier!  May we all shout, “GLORY! GLORY!”   Now, understanding the context of  Jesus’ quote in John’s Gospel, His coming to earth to die for our sins enabled us to have LIFE and have it more abundantly! 

More abundantly than what?  Perhaps beyond the ordinary, and as much as God wants us to have an abundant life that goes beyond the ordinary, it is conditional on our obedience to and trust in Him.  We have to do our part in relying on His promises and knowing what they are.  John noted the Lord saying, “…that we might have life and we might have it more abundantly.”   In the original language, ‘might have’  is called the subjunctive tense or mood, which implies ‘possibility’ or ‘potential’ depending on choice or circumstance. 

If we are going to move beyond the life as we humanly know it and into the divine fullness God intends for us, we need to make choices which honor Him.  We do this by listening to and obeying His Word, giving liberty to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and refusing to yield any ground to the deceptions of this world and its prince, the devil. 

Be blessed and trust that the God-intended life goes beyond anything any of us can ever imagine, let alone request of Him!

Blessings.
DM

Dave is an evangelist/teacher.  He can be reached through http://www.DaveMartinMinistries.com.

MercyMe: Uplifting Wisconsin State Fair 2009

MercyMe at the Wisconsin State Fair 2009

WAMI award-winning Chad James and his band opened for MercyMe at the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair

MILWAUKEE — With humidity relaxing and temperatures moderating to comfortable levels on Monday evening (August 10, 2009) in Wisconsin, the lights came up and the sun went down as Mercy Me took the main-stage at the State Fair to perform for the first time since a fatal accident disrupted the past weekend.   An estimated crowd of 6,000 rose to their feet and welcomed the boys from Texas, best known for their 2001 hit “I Can Only Imagine.”  After a moment of somber prayer for the families and friends of those affected by the accident, the evening of prayerful music and joyful praise was commended to the Lord, Jesus Christ and God’s grand plan of salvation.

Following a rousing warm-up set by Wisconsin’s native son, Chad James,  MercyMe played 14 of their most popular songs, including one new piece and a popular cover “I Won’t Back Down”  originally composed by Tom Petty.  They opened with Surrender and by 10PM, MercyMe had given their “all” in a moving and exciting concert which lasted nearly 90 minutes. Undoubtedly, the evening left indelible marks on the hearts and minds of those in attendance for years to come.

MercyMe lead Bart Millard discussed how we often see God in the interruptions of our lives and rarely in our plans.

Vocalist and band leader Bart Millard remarked, “My favorite thing is to hear the crowd sing…and I’ve heard that Wisconsinites can carry a tune.”  Not to disappoint, throngs of fair-goers stood throughout the concert adding their voices to  Hold Fast, In the Blink of an Eye, and Finally Home, and nearly every other.  A discontinuous light wall displayed video sequences and lyrics as the musicians played, arrays of lights flashed on the stage, the performers and the audience as if to immerse everyone isn a bath of light and sound.

Consistent with the national attention upon this year’s State Fair and its “unique” snacks, Millard asked “…the most important question of the night…who has eaten the chocolate-covered bacon?”  About 20% of the audience raised their hands, to which Millard chuckled and then committed to trying the delicacy which has made news headlines across the country. 

But apart from some personal historical references and chocolate-covered bacon defining the evening’s humor, the crowd was reminded during the opening prayer and later after a superb acapella rendition of Amazing Grace about the recent fatalities in Indiana and God’s sovereignty.  “We have been truly ’squeezed’ in recent days…I sure better believe what I say and sing up here (on stage),” confessed Millard.  “Everything is for His (sic God’s) glory; even the life taken too soon.”  Clearly, Millard’s comments reflected the emotional tax on the group which is far from the light-hearted ambience which accompanies concert fanfare.

Praise and worship were the night's agenda...

From start to  finish, Millard and the men of MercyMe played to honor and glorify the Lord.  “God will get the glory at any cost,” said Millard.  “All of us know hurt and pain, but it all works for the glory of God – from the greatest moments to the worse of days.  The only thing we take with us from this place is the ability to worship God.”  Millard, who was raised a Southern Baptist, also gave a clear statement of the Gospel and multiple invitations to unsaved listeners “to come to the cross” and “to receive His grace.”

A crowd estimated at 6,000 sang along with MercyMe at the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair

MercyMe’s superior performance of their music was only exceeded by their leadership in worship – a contemporary service in nearly every way on the State Fair race track.  Interestingly, when asked how many came to worship that night, only a fraction stood or raised their hands, but in comparison, the crowd overwhelmingly responded to the performers with hand-waving gyrations and uplifted palms during several of the songs, many simply praying in the moment. 

The acoustics were phenomenal, supported by Milwaukee-based Clearwing Productions.  Clearwing provides individual and class training for ministry volunteers in audio, video and lighting techniques when they’re not producing major events in the area.

Lynn & Katelyn Rekoske, "God is amazing! God is awesome! Wisconsin and Milwaukee are fortunate to have a Christian concert at the State Fair."

One mother-daughter pair from Good Shepherd Church remarked, “Milwaukee is fortunate to have a Christian concert at the Wisconsin State Fair.”   And others agree.  State Fair officials were pleased with the pre-sales of tickets for the MercyMe concert, which had completely sold out the track-level and lower grand-stand seats prior to the day of performance.  With this kind of support from the community and talented professionals like MercyMe and Chad James willing to devote themselves to sharing God’s powerful message, we can only hope that future public events like State Fair will continue to find room for Christian genre.

Fireside bears true WITNESSES in latest Christian musical

Fort Atkinson, WI – Few entertainment venues anywhere in the Midwest offer the quality and value of the Fireside Dinner Theatre.  Their latest installment in off-Broadway musical productions, THE WITNESSES, testifies to the consistent commitment the Klopcic family maintains in delighting their guests for nearly 50 years!

Danny Hamilton, Rick Klopcic and Gary Richardson on the Fireside Stage

The Dinner:  Two couples joined me as we attended the performance on Friday, July 17, 2009.  As in past visits, we chose Friday for the Fish Fry.  With fried and steamed cod, garnished with a delicious selection of vegetables, salads and breads, my guests and I again enjoyed the cinnamon-spiced apple sauce and superior potato pancakes.  One of my guests who came to the US as a teenager from Germany claims that these potato pancakes are the best anywhere…outside Germany, that is.  The dessert was a sweet serving of key-lime cheesecake.  Frankly, the taste of restaurant food appeals less and less to me these days, but the Fireside Dinner Theatre’s kitchen excels at producing flavorful, home-style meals just like ‘mom used to make!’  No one leaves the table hungry.

The Shopping:  As we meandered through the stores just before the performance, we enjoyed browsing the gift shops for memorabilia of past performances, cards, and other souvenirs for the evening.  Not knowing whether the music would be something to remember, I purchased a CD for each of the couples who accompanied me…to avoid the potential rush after show.  This was more than a preemptive effort to save time, for as you will read below, it was fortuitous planning given the production, itself.

The Environs:  The Fireside Dinner Theatre is a theatre-in-the-round.    There is no curtain to rise or fall – just a simple circular stage surrounded squarely by seats on the main floor and on a mezzanine level.  The entire facility serves as the set, bathing the stage, the aisles and at times, the audience in stage lighting, immersing the theatre-goer into the performance.   Throughout the show, actors, musicians and stage-hands shimmy through the aisles without distraction as the movement is integrated into the show.  The intimate atmosphere draws visitors to one another as much as they engage the production, itself.  (Although I haven’t spoken to any of the actors on this issue specifically, I can imagine that many of the professionals who perform at the Fireside truly enjoy the ambiance and dynamics which the theatre layout affords.)

Neal Coomer portrays 'Young' Peter in The Witnesses

The Show:  As for THE WITNESSES, the sequel to last year’s THE ROCK AND THE RABBI, one can only say – UPLIFTING!   THE WITNESSES is the musical story of Peter and Paul and the birth of the church. A mix of original acoustic music and storytelling, this show premiered in 2007 at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.  Written by the creative team of Danny Hamilton and Gary Richardson, THE WITNESSES is the second installment of The Rock & The Rabbi trilogy. 

David Wise plays James & Jeremiah in The Witnesses

Stace Gaddy plays Paul in The Witnesses

On our visit, David Wise played the part of James and Jeremiah, while Neal Coomer played “young” Peter.  Last year, the chilling duet in ‘ROCK,’  You Are the Christ, was stunning,  and the vocals this year were equally phenomenal…and even matured.   With their comrade-in-tunes, Stace Gaddy, who played Paul, the audience soared with every melodic rise and settled with every harmonic fall.  The ensemble cast, the range and consistency of the vocalists, and the stylings of the musicians achieved what few can in theatre – entertaining andworshipful as only Davdic-like song can be offered when sourced from the heart. 

Don’t worry about the possibility of overbearing sounds of instruments in this facility.  With the center elevator of the stage supporting a three-man percussion group and stage actors playing guitars, bass, violin and even an accordion, the music levels were pleasant to the ears throughout the evening.  There is no straining to hear the narrative or the lyrics as the orchestral maneuvers ebb and flow during this 90 minute production.

The quilt of music included contemporary, traditional gospel, a little Caribbean and Latin, and even a spike of jazz.  Reverent, yet exciting, each musical number was threaded by the superior story-telling by ‘mature’ Peter, played by playwright Gary Richardson.  Of course, Danny Hamilton conducted the music, guitar in hand, from the stage.

My favorite song from THE WITNESSES which forms the core of the production and the Christian faith is entitled PROMISE TO YOU, dramatically sung by Peter (David Wise).    “We stand in awe of what God has shown us…please tell us what to do…Each of you must turn away from your past…and be transformed in Jesus’ name…This is the promise to you and your children…The river is waiting so come one and all.”  In an age when the clear and concise message of the Gospel is diluted, THE WITNESSES certainly lives up to its name and its intentions.

The Bottom-Line:  The theatre was not sold out on this Friday night, and tickets are available.  Perhaps it’s the economy or the general lack of support for the arts in today’s X-Box and Ultrascreen generations, and given the ever-decreasing opportunities for a truly wholesome night-out, we see no shortage of commercialize distractions which keep the listener bound to this earth.  Nonetheless, events, nay EXPERIENCES like THE WITNESSES  which lift the Name above all names, undoubtedly find favor in our Lord’s eyes, as these professionals become a blessing to the attending, regardless of personal musical preferences - so if you’re searching for an opportunity with friends for a night out of contemporary evangelistic entertainment, may we suggest the short journey from Milwaukee, Madison or Chicago to Fort Atkinson and the Fireside Dinner Theatre?  THE WITNESSES runs through August 23, 2009 – contact the Fireside Box Office for reservation and ticket information (individuals to large groups accommodated) at 800-477-9505 or on-line at http://www.firesidetheatre.com.

(Reviewed 7/17/2009:  D. Hill, Consulting Editor – The Christian Courier, America’s Longest Running Christian Newspaper  (c)2009 The Christian Courier – for linking or reprint permission, email Editor@Christian-Courier.com)

Oh, Grace So Amazing! A Word from the Heart

…by John Duckhorn

I woke up on Monday morning with the words of Amazing Grace gently blowing through my mind. It was like a soft breeze, so refreshing after a storm of harsh winds. I had recently experienced the preacher’s nightmare – being exposed before all of his listeners. Human weakness and failure laid out for all to see. It was like a storm blowing away all of the cheaply manufactured man-made material of outward appearance. Then the words of Amazing Grace blew through.

When faced with the words of the Gospel of salvation we baulk. Doesn’t God want and appreciate our religious accomplishments? Have all of our efforts and ritual still left us undone before God?

To understand His amazing grace, our pride must be set aside. It is then that we feel no loss of our past efforts and experience the wonder and the freedom grace brings to a heart once cluttered by all of our man-made efforts.
Likewise, Christian living is in need of God’s grace that not only saves, but sees us home. Temptation and trials stagger us, viewed as a hindrance to the Gospel and Christian service. Physical weaknesses make us aware in our state of continual need and limitation.

For example, Paul’s thorn in the flesh could be any number of things from temptation in the flesh, to those who opposed the Gospel, to painful headaches, or even a general description of physical frailty. It is not important to know what it was. Even Satan could be involved, yet that would not have discouraged Paul in his service to the Lord.
God wants us to rely on Christ’s power. The struggles which believers have with weaknesses ought to lead us to rely on His grace all the more. We cannot feign humility to experience His grace. His grace is sufficient in our inadequacies and failures.

That grace to victoriously endure temptations and trials in every human experience ireveals the strength found only in Christ. Paul prayed for relief, yet his request was not answered. Nevertheless, he endured.

Believer, if in God’s sovereign work you and I are to bear with forms of weakness, allow His grace to strengthen and refresh you. We love to boast in self-sufficiency but that obscures God’s work. Christ’s power is displayed not in your strength, in your wisdom, nor your arrogant boastings, but in expressing a weakness needful and dependent on Christ alone.

My little stumble before friends became the “switch” that tuned in the lyrics and the tune for “Amazing Grace…how sweet the sound…”

Ahhh, it was refreshing to drive with that blessed hymn abalze in my heart and mind. Take my suggestion: find that station, turn-up the volume, and enjoy.

John Duckhorn is a Bible teacher and elder at Wauwatosa Bible Chapel.   Reach him at JustDucky@aol.com.

ECONOMIC EARTHQUAKE…

…from the Publisher

Back in 1991 one of the best authors on finances, Larry Burkett, wrote the book published by Moody Press entitled The Coming Economic Earthquake. How did Burkett know so much back then? It’s sad that cancer took his life a few years later, but in 2009, he would have found ample material to write a sequel.

If you read his book, Burkett was on target, predicting the inevitable breakdown of global financial systems and government intervention in everything from personal retirement accounts to financing deficit budgets on future generations. No one listened…and now we have the worst economic challenge worldwide since the Great Depression! Too many people have sunk into a personal depression based on job insecurities/layoffs, poor performing investments, diminished retirement funds, just to name a few. Yet we have “hope” as Christians.

Many Christians have pulled their Bibles off the shelf, even dusted them off to start reading daily to find comforting hope. Some have made the point to be in church every Sunday with family and friends to worship together, thanking God for “all circumstances” and being filled with hope. More than a few have fallen to their knees seeking a stronger relationship with God, asking for Divine Wisdom in these troubled times to maintain hope. And a multitude are asking for help with finances for food, family, and shelter with an outlook of hope. Truly, God is the only Provider of real, sustaining HOPE – something we have taken for granted all too often and far too long.

Like Burkett, JERRY ROBINSON is an author (“The Bankruptcy of Our Nation), who spoke at this year’s Governor’s Prayer Breakfast sponsored by the Christian Courier. A free copy of his book was given to each in attendance. A “must read” in these uncertain times, “Bankruptcy” lays out the impact, consequences and ways of navigating the challenges faced as a nation and as individuals. Get your copy by calling 414-344-7300. Robinson presents great lessons from economic history, what one needs to do today to cope with finances, and offers suggestions for a well-stewarded future.

Remember, HOPE IN GOD always gives plenty of light at the end of the “troubled tunnel.”

Good Friday Dissed by the Media

Did you notice the absence of media coverage during Good Friday events and services this year? Even local media in Milwaukee were mssing. Why? Simply answered – it was opening day for the Milwaukee Brewers, and God was placed in the dugout.

When oh when will we learn. I’m reminded of the bumper sticker…”God’s coming back and boy is He mad!” Something to think about.

Christian Courier Launches New Blog-Based Website

America's Longest Running Christian Paper

With the Summer of 2009, the staff at the Christian Courier and numerous volunteer bloggers have launched a NEW and IMPROVED website, Christian-Courier.com.  This blog-centric design will allow the Christian Courier to add value for its readership, subscribers, and advertisers as America’s longest running Christian newspaper offers DAILY updates, greater access to on-line resources, and efficient implementation of our 32 year Gospel-based mission to a growing audience.

It is prayerfully hoped that this new layout and Internet-based availability will encourage readers to stay abreast of Christian news and activities as often as announced or changed.  We can attest to the hundreds of daily emails that announcements are made daily and our services should support the need of our mission-place.

In addition to publishing our devoted authors from the past, a team of bloggers has been assembled.  Under the direction of consulting editor, Dr. Dennis Hill, who began to redirect the development of the new layout changes of the print edition of the Christian Courier Newspaper in October 2007, the Christian Courier e-Paper is expected to be a considered resource for news and events in the Christian community. 

Attention Communication Profesisonals, Secretaries, and Administrators! If you wish to be a blogger on Christian-Courier.com, simply email us via the Contacts page (or mailto: interns@christian-courier.com).  Individual churches and parachurches can register and become contributors, directly and on-line. 

Attention Business Owners and Those Seeking Services, Products or Employment!  The current daily visitor rate of the Christian Courier webpage is about 1000.  We anticipate that growth will continue.  To advertise on the website, please email us with your wishes at Advertising@christian-courier.com.

Thank you!