What’s Inside of Me?

What’s Inside of Me? by Dave Wilson with Lance Kjeldgaard

Lance and his wife Linda are team leaders for our International Friendship Connection (IFC) here at Trinity Church. They reach out to the international students and scholars who attend some of our local universities. Students leave their home and families from all around the world to come here and study, and IFC becomes a surrogate family who loves and blesses them in the name of the Lord.

Matthew 14-16

Lance and his team works with a crowd very similar to Jesus in these stories. They all come from different cultures with different languages and divergent ways of thinking about spiritual things. Some are seeking a sign or a miracle that proves the existence of God. Others seek truth from their heritage and ancestry by following the faith of their fathers. And still others just want to be a part of the crowd and will never commit to anything. However, there is something that all cultures have in common; and that is a code of morality. In western cultures we deal with ‘guilt’ when we break our moral code. In eastern cultures they consider the ‘shame’ that a breach in the code will bring upon their family. In chapter 15 of Matthew, Jesus helps to identify what actually defiles a person from God’s perspective. What makes them ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’, kosher or treif, halal or haraam.

Jesus is known to break some of the man enhanced laws which define ‘unclean’, like touching a leper. However, it is interesting to note that if an ordinary Jewish man were to touch a leper, he would be considered unclean along with the leper, but when Jesus touched the leper, the leper became clean.

At times we see Jesus interact with crowds and then there are these brief encounters with individuals. With each encounter, something deep within the character and person of Jesus comes out to glorify and reveal the very nature of a loving heavenly Father who can make all things clean.

As Jesus says in Matthew 15:10-20, “…it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person… but what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart; and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality” and the list goes on. As you read this text, think about how the Lord can use us to ‘make things clean’ with our service to each other and to the world around us.

God Loves Me Enough to Send Me to Prison

God Loves Me Enough to Send Me to Prison by Dave Wilson with Eldon Rynders

Eldon serves as the team leader for our prison ministry called KAIROS. Throughout the year, they enter the Maximum Security Men’s Federal Penitentiary in Victorville and host a 3 day discipleship weekend with inmates.

Matthew 11-13

After spending time with Eldon, I did a little research on one of the more obscure passages of scripture that he drew my attention to: Matthew 12:20 where Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah. He mentions “a bruised reed he will not break”. If you google this phrase, you will get lists of websites and articles about prison ministry. Chuck Colson’s organization, “Prison Fellowship” even uses the logo of a bent reed to symbolize their work with prisoners. There are many people online who have labeled themselves as ‘bruised reeds’ because of unhealthy and unwise decisions they have made in their lives. But each one that I read gave praise to the Lord that they are not broken and discarded – only bruised.

Men and women who reach the end of the line by serving time in prison are often more open to the gospel than they ever have been. They have “TIME” on their hands to contemplate their behavior and think of ways to alter their course for the future. Actually, KAIROS is the Greek word for time. Not just any time, but God’s appointed time that is reserved as a special moment for His purposes.

As Jesus quotes Isaiah, he completes the passage that says, “…he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” Justice is significant to Jesus here because he knows that the Pharisees are conspiring against him. He is not just concerned about justice here on earth, but spiritual justice as well. The parables of the ‘sower’, ‘the hidden treasure’ and ‘pearl of great price’ all direct His followers to strive for higher purposes here on earth. In prison, inmates are given time to consider the depth of having a relationship with Christ. But, we who are free, often take our time for granted. We are busy people and do not always set aside margin in our lives for depth. I have heard people say, “We are a mile wide, but an inch deep” when it comes to our faith. Participating in Route 66 is one positive way of creating margin (time) for the Lord to speak to you and guide you during your day. Keep it up!