GREENSide Update
  • reflecting a bit
    • Easter 2019: Four ‘D’ Words of The Passion Week
    • Spring 2019: ‘Kingdom of God’ Reflections a Week After
    • Early Winter 2018: Taking a Closer Look at The Advents
    • Late summer 2018: Impressions from the Incapacitated
    • Summer 2018... Confronting Fears
    • Happy New Year 2018 Wishes
    • Christmas 2017 - Reconstructing the Christmas Story
    • Fall 2017... Returning, Rest, Quietness & Trust
    • Summer 2017... Reflecting Pools Matter
    • Spring 2017... The Singularity of God's Kingdom Purposes
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... One Foot, Two Feet, Three
    • Fall 2016... Personal Confessions of Mistaken Political Thinking
    • Summer, 2016... Waiting and Listening
    • Resurrection Sunday, 2016
    • Winter 1st qtr, 2016... The Marrakesh Declaration
    • Christmas 2015 Greeting
    • End of Year, 2015... Are We To Care?
    • Spring 2015... What are you and I doing about it?
    • New Year's Day 2015... New Mercies Never End!
    • Christmas/New Year 2014/15... Holiday, Holiday, What have you done?
    • Fall 2014... On Kingdoms... Past, Present and Ethereal
    • Spring 2014... Didascalicon: Man, God and Greatness
    • Christmas 2013... Even in the Air and Space
    • Winter 2013/14... Callings
    • Christmas 2012... 'Jumping Beans' in old age
    • Spring 2012... New Beginnings
    • Fall 2011... People of Promise
  • a look behind
    • Spring 2019: ...Off the Starting Blocks
    • Early Winter 2018: Sabbatical Results and First Furlough Leg
    • Summer 2018... "Come and See"
    • Summer 2017... Making Full Circle
    • Spring 2017... Completing Pre-furlough Commitments
    • Fall 2016, JJ's New California Home!
    • Summer 2016... Accomplishing Significant Milestones
    • End of year, 2015: Building God's Kingdom Among the Middle East Unengaged Muslims
    • Summer 2015... Building Deeply in Small Ways
    • Christmas 2013 photos
    • Winter 2013/14... Up and Running!
    • Winter 2012... 'Global Impact 29', first steps
    • Fall 2011... A great school; A promising alliance
  • a look ahead
    • Spring 2019: Finishing Touches to a Special Furlough
    • Early Winter 2018: Expanding to New Beginnings
    • Summer 2018... Winding Around the Country
    • Summer 2017... Three Decades and Counting
    • Spring 2017... My Upcoming Two Greatest Decades
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... Our Upcoming Furlough, Part Two
    • Summer 2016... Our Upcoming Furlough, Part One
    • Early Winter 2016
    • Summer 2015... Looking to Remember the Middle East
    • Winter 2013/14... The West heads East
    • Winter 2012... Coming out, going deeper
    • Fall 2011... Getting and Giving 'Perspectives'
  • prayer
    • Spring 2019
    • Early Winter 2018
    • Late summer 2018
    • Summer 2018
    • Fall 2017
    • Spring, 2017
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016
    • Fall, 2016
    • End of year, 2015
    • Summer 2015
    • Why pray?
    • Winter 2013/14
    • Winter 2012
    • Fall 2011
  • finances
    • Spring 2019
    • Early Winter 2018
    • Summer 2018
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... Year-end giving
    • Fall, 2016
    • End of year, 2015
    • Summer 2015
    • Winter 2013/14
    • Winter 2012
    • Fall 2011
  • get involved
  • fun
  • more contemplation
  • in case you missed it
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Summer, 2018
on... Confronting Fears
… fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you,
I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10, ESV

Isaiah 41:10 is one of my all-time favorite verses. I memorized it years ago along with a host of other Scripture passages as a new young believer being discipled through The Navigators’ ministry while serving in the Marine Corps. The year was 1978, and I was about to get throttled from the Philippine Islands when my squadron stood ready to confront global Islamic realities during the Iranian hostage crisis. We stood down that April 1980 with the failure of Operation Eagle Claw, but that experience marked the beginning of a life-long quest to understand Islam and subsequently become part of God’s purposeful move to engage Muslim peoples worldwide with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, if even through back-door strategies as I’ve since come to embrace (write me if your interest is piqued). I have however, seen over the years that when it comes to engaging Muslims the continued posture of the Church has seemed to be one of “fear,” if even in not knowing 'how', 'when' or 'where' to engage them. There is a place for wanting to get things right when it come to engaging and loving Muslim peoples, but these are all so often excuses for not wanting to confront inner fears. Now let’s be clear here… the Bible declares in no uncertain terms the person of faith will be a person who will “fear not” in the face of formidable life obstacles. This phrase, or some variation thereof (eg. “be not afraid”) may be the most oft repeated idea found in the Bible, with God Himself and/or His angelic host repeating the idea over 80 times throughout. And make no mistake, many of these statements are commands just like we find here in Isaiah 41:10.

As my wife and I continue our sabbatical year in the USA (although I am presently in the South American cone, click here to find out more) we are finding 'fear' to be everywhere, least not at that continual encroachment of Islam. And if it is not fear then some measure of hype, tall-tales and/or outright lies, all of which derive power from the same anti-spiritual, anti-God worldview of the here-and-now ideologies so prevalent today. One might say these are nothing more than the evidence of ‘practical atheism’ where any consideration of rendering account to God Almighty in an eternal future with Him is discarded with manipulative rhetoric that leaves one vulnerable to lethargic lifelessness. So often this is seen, yes, even in the church. When was the last time you reached out to your Muslim next-door neighbor? Have you ever purposefully stepped into a mosque to befriend a Muslim, to be surprised by God in some unexpected way? Have you ever considered taking a ‘vacation with a purpose’ to an Islamic context not only to confront your fears, but also to show the love of God through 'word and deed' in loving kindness? As our sabbatical continues through August we plan to continue confronting our fears for whatever lay down the road for us. For now “stand fast, and fear not…”
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First name: KR
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Personal account #: 004527
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