The Kingdom of God and the Church

It’s important to distinguish between the Kingdom of God and the Church.  The Kingdom of God is the domain over which God dwells.  God is the creator of the universe and thus Lord of the Universe.  He is Supreme Ruler.  He is also creator of the earth and Lord over all the earth.  However, in ages past there was rebellion in God’s Kingdom.  Satan, also known as Lucifer and the Devil, and 1/3 of God’s angels rebelled against God.  Their nature became eternally evil and they set themselves against God, everything God wants to do and everything God loves.  Ezekiel 28:1-8; Revelation 12:1-9.  God cast them down to earth where Satan entered the body of a snake and tempted Eve and Adam to join in the devil’s rebellion.  God created Adam and Eve to rule over the earth for Him and to conquer the rebellion in the earth and be the father and mother of a generation who would overcome Satan’s rebellion.  When Adam and Eve sinned they gave their authority to the devil.  All of Adam and Eve’s descendants have been born into sin, under the control of God’s enemy, the devil, and in rebellion against God.

Even though God is creator and ruler over everything, there is rebellion in His Kingdom.  Very similar to when the Khmer Rouge still ruled in Pailin, Anglong Veng and other locations in Cambodia.  King Norodom Sihanouk ruled and controlled almst every meter of the Kingdom of Cambodia, but some areas were ruled by his enemy.  Every dry season the army of the Kingdom of Cambodia would go out to fight against the Khmer Rouge to take back the land and people that belonged to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

In the same way the mission of the church is to fight against Satan and the enemies of God to set free those people who are captive, overcome Satan and restore God’s Kingdom to Him.  This was the message of Jesus – Matthew 4:17 and Matthew 6:10.  How do we do this?  See Isaiah 61:1-2.  We establish the Kingdom of God on earth one person at a time.  We pray for the sick whom Satan has caused to be ill.  We cast out demons and set people free from bondages.  We preach the Good News to people who live in darkness and they repent and return to God.  We help people become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and help them reach out to others (2 Timothy 2:2).  We use every method to reach every man, woman and child and help them return their hearts to the God who created them.

Specifically, we must influence seven spheres of society to establish the Kingdom of God in a nation:  1) Religion, 2) Education, 3) Government, 4) Business, 5) Entertainment, 6) Media, 7) Social Relationships.  It’s for this reason that Christian leaders must preach this vision to their church members and encourage their church members to be involved in these seven areas so as to represent the Kingdom of God in that sphere.  This means to find work or volunteer in these spheres so we can share the Good News to the people living and working in that sphere of society.

It’s important for church leaders to help new Christians and church members to understand that we have a mission.  God has given us life on this earth, in this country during this time in history for one purpose – to establish His Kingdom in our sphere of influence during our lifetime.

Love is Honorable

The Love Dare Book

“Live with your wives in an understanding way…and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life.”  1 Peter 3:7

There are certain words in our language that have powerful meanings.  Whenever these words are used, an air of respect is associated with them.  These words never lose their timeless quality, class, and dignity.  One of these will be our focus for today.  It is the word honor.

To honor someone is to give them respect and high esteem, to treat them as being special and of great worth.  When you speak to them, you keep your language clean and understandable.  You are courteous and polite. When they speak to you, you take them seriously, giving their words weight and significance.  When they ask you to do something, you accommodate them if at all possible, simply out of respect for who they are.

The Bible tells us to “honor” our fathers and mothers, as well as those in authority.  It is a call to acknowledge the position or value of someone else.  Honor is a noble word.

This is especially true in marriage.  Honoring your spouse means giving him or her your full attention, not talking to them from behind a newspaper or with one eye on the television.  When decisions are being made that affects both of you or your whole family, you give your spouses’ voice and opinion equal influence in your mind.  You honor what they have to say.  They matter – and because of the way you treat them, they should know it.

But there’s another word that takes us to a higher place – a word that often is not equated with marriage, though it’s relevance cannot be understated.  It’s a word that actually forms the basis for honor – the very reason why we give respect and high regard to our husband or wife.  The word is holy.

To say your spouse should be “holy” to you doesn’t mean he or she must be perfect.  Holiness means they are set apart for a higher purpose – no longer common or everyday, but special and unique.  A person who has become holy to you has a place no one can rival in your heart.  He or she is sacred to you, a person to be honored, praised and defended.

A bride treats her wedding dress this way.  After wearing it on her special day, she covers and protects it, then sets it apart from everything in her closet.  You won’t catch her in it working in the yard or going “out on the town.” Her wedding dress has a value all its own.  In this way, it is holy and sacred to her.

When two people marry, each spouse becomes “holy” to each other by way of a “holy matrimony.” This means no other person in the whole world is supposed to enjoy this level of commitment and endearment to you.  Your relationship is like no other.  You share physical intimacy with only her, only him.  You establish a home with this person.  You bear your children with this person.  Your heart, your possessions, your life itself is to be wrapped up in the uncommon bond you share with this one individual.

Is that the way it is in your marriage?  Would your mate say you honor and respect them?  Do you consider them set apart and highly valued?  Holy?

Perhaps you don’t feel this way, and maybe for food reasons.  Perhaps you wish some outsider could see the level of disrespect you get from your wife or husband – someone who would make your spouse feel embarrassed to be exposed for who they really are behind closed doors.

But that’s not the issue with love.  Love honors even when it’s rejected.  Love treats its beloved as special and sacred even when an ungrateful attitude is all you get in return.

It’s marvelous, of course, when a husband and wife are joined in this purpose, when they’re following the biblical command to “be devoted to one another in love” and when they’re giving “preference to one another in honor”, Romans 12:10.  “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.” Hebrews 13:4

But when your attempts to honor go unreciprocated, you are to give honor just the same.  That’s what love desires to do – to say.  “Of all the relationships I have I will value ours the most.  Of all the things I’m willing to sacrifice, I will sacrifice the most for you.  With all your failures, sins, mistakes and faults – past and present – I still choose to love and honor you.”  That’s how you create an atmosphere of love to be rekindled.  That’s how you lead your heart to truly love your spouse again.  And that’s the beauty of honor.

Today, choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine.  It may be holding the door for her.  It might be putting his clothes away for him.  It may be the way you listen and speak in your communication.  Today, show your spouse that he/she is highly esteemed in your eyes.

Chuck & Cynde McCaul Newsletter April 2012

April 30, 2012

Greetings again Friends and Family,

In 1995 Cynde and I and our four children arrived in Phnom Penh to dreary, unpainted buildings, guns and soldiers everywhere, hardly any electricity and hardly any Western “amenities” such as grocery stories, Western Food, etc.  So many things have changed over the years as I sit in an air-conditioned coffee shop using their Wi-Fi and sipping a cappuccino!  However, many things have not changed, too.  On the exterior Phnom Penh and other leading cities have developed, but in thinking, lifestyle and values, many things have remained the same. As you know, a pretty exterior covering a weak interior will not last.  Cynde and I are interested in investing our life into things that are life-changing and long-lasting.  You know what that is?  It’s people.  Investing into the lives of people is what will really last…into eternity.

Both Cynde and I focus on our ministry on the basics – the foundations.  We can go deep, but honestly, what’s the point of understanding the hidden meaning of the Tabernacle of Moses and Feasts of Israel if you’re not reading the Bible, spending time with God daily and sharing your faith and living in victory?  Really, what’s the point?

Over the past six months Cynde and I have been finding our niche more and more.  As for Cynde, she’s teaching our grand daughter 1^st grade four days a week – I say that’s a long-lasting investment!  We’ve seen Jessica start to read already and in fact she’s reading books to her parents!  Cynde is the point person for incoming mid and long-term staff for New Life Fellowship of Churches and New Life Foundation World Reach.  We have specific needs for people to come and work with us for six months to a year, particularly in Office Administration and teaching English.  If you’re interested contact me for more details.  Cynde has also been involved in helping to make work areas at New Life more attractive and effective.  She preached this past Sunday at one of the branch campuses.  Cynde preached yesterday on “Faith.” Her main point was that faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  However, you must get the Word of God into you in order for it to bring forth fruit.  Yesterday was also a small milestone in that we upgraded our electricity to be able to use an air conditioner.  We bought one and had it installed and it makes a huge difference in how much energy you have when you get a good night’s sleep!

As for me, I’m doing various leadership training meetings, usually one-on-one or in small groups, with leaders from New Life Fellowship and other churches and organizations.  My schedule is pretty full as I try to invest into the lives of young men and women and increase their capacity as leaders.  I’m overseeing short-term teams for New Life, trying to strategically place them into areas that will add strength to specific areas where we need their expertise.  I believe in short-term teams and we have successfully strategically used them for all of these years.  For the past five months I’ve been visiting Battambang and Poipet Cities in the northwest of Cambodia and the ancient Angkorian capitol of Siem Reap.  I’ve been traveling with 2-3 young men in response to the need for church planting, church growth and leadership training.  I don’t say this with pride, but over the years we at New Life Fellowship Cambodia have raised up quality, skilled and passionate leaders who are serving as church leaders, business leaders and organization leaders all over Cambodia.  As I travel around I find few others who have the same passion, biblical knowledge and character that our leaders and church members have.  There’s a need and I feel the Lord is directing me to certain places to see what we can do to assist local churches in growing stronger and hopefully see Life-Giving Churches planted in every leading city of Cambodia.

We’re healthy.  We’re excited.  We’re making a difference in people’s lives.  We’re moving forward and are very grateful for your friendship.

If you want to contribute to mine and Cynde’s personal support you can do so by sending a check to Eugene Christian Fellowship or Church of Glad Tidings, or going to www.cambodiaoutreach.org and making a PayPal donation, designating it to Chuck & Cynde McCaul.  I’m also looking for specific donations to the Men’s Ministry I’m leading and the Church Planting Project I’ve committed to.  Please contact me for more information on those needs.

May God bless you all.  “Friend” us on Facebook to keep up-to-date with photos and information.

Chuck & Cynde McCaul

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

So You Want to Date My Daughter

By Jared Wilson

1. You must love Jesus. I don’t care if you’re a “good Christian boy.” I was one of those too. So I know the tricks. I’m going to ask you specific, heart-testing questions about your spiritual affections, your daily devotional life, your idols, your disciplines, and the like. I’ll cut you a little bit of slack because you’re young and hormonal and your pre-frontal lobe isn’t fully developed yet, but I’ll be watching you like a hawk. I know you. I was you. You will think you can fool me, and you likely have fooled many other dads who didn’t pay much attention to their daughters’ suitors, but I will be on you like Bourne on that guy whose neck he broke. Which guy was that? Every guy. So love Jesus more than my daughter or go home.

2. You will install X3Watch or Covenant Eyes on your computer and mobile devices and have your regular reports sent to me.

 

3. I will talk to your dad and tell him I will hold him responsible if you don’t treat my daughter like a lady. If he thinks I’m a crazy person, you fail the test and won’t get to date her. If he understands what I’m saying, that bodes well for you.

4. You will pay for everything. Oh, sure, every now and then my daughter can buy you a Coke or something and a gift on your birthday and at Christmas. But you pay for meals, movies, outings, whatever else. Don’t have a job? I’m sorry, why am I talking to you again?

5. You will accept my Facebook friend request.

6. If it looks like you need a belt to hold your pants up, I will assume you don’t have a job. See #4.

7. Young people dating are putting their best face forward, so if you appear impatient, ill-tempered, or ill-mannered, I know you will gradually become more so over time. I will have no jerks dating my daughters.

8. If I am not your pastor, I will talk to the man who is. If your pastor is a woman, why am I talking to you, again?

9. You don’t love my daughter. You have no idea what love is. You like her and you might love her someday. That’s an okay start with me, so put the seatbelt on the mushy gushy stuff. Don’t profess your undying love, quote stupid love song lyrics to her, tell her you’d die for her, or feed her any other boneheaded lines that are way out of your depth as a horny little idiot. A lady’s heart is a fragile thing. If you play with hers, I will show you yours.

10. If you ever find yourself alone with my daughter, don’t panic. Just correct the situation immediately. If I ever catch you trying to get alone with my daughter, that would be the time to panic.

11. It may sound like I’m joking in threatening you harm, and while I might not physically hurt you if you offend my daughter or violate her honor, when I am addressing the issue with you, you will not be laughing.

12. You may think all this sounds very legalistic. That’s fine. You can be one of the many antinomians not dating my daughter.

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Jared Wilson is pastor of Middletown Springs Community Church in Middletown Springs, Vermont. He blogs at The Thinklings.

Leaders Who Lead

When leaders lead:  [and] the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord! (Judges 5:1-2)

So you either: lead, follow or get out of the way.

The Leading Leader:

• Is born with leadership potential.

• Has been exposed to good leadership in his life.

• Has learned and added leadership skills through training and experience.

• Has developed the self-discipline to become a good leader.

• Is willing to pay the price required to lead successfully.

• Is willing to wait to become a great leader, realizing it takes time, tests and good choices.

You can be called, gifted and anointed but not willing to pay the price and remain mediocre all your life. Every worthwhile accomplishment has a price tag in terms of hard work, patience, faith and endurance. The greater the achievement, the higher the price paid. It comes down to: How much do you want it and how much are you really willing to pay to get it?

Let’s look at some aspects of the cost for any person who is in a place of leadership or aspires to it:

1. Criticism – It is hard to take at the time, but the only way to really get to know ourselves is by feedback from other people. Backslappers help us feel better about ourselves but we don’t actually profit by them. Real change and emotional growth comes by facing our weaknesses and personality defects as others see us. As a leader, you are more visible, which means you are more susceptible to criticism. If you can accept it, criticism can work for your good.

2. Fatigue – Genuine leaders know when to put in extra hours, and must be willing to rise early and study longer than others. Some have great stamina, but fatigue will frequently set in if you want to go somewhere with an organization. A wise leader will try to find a balance, and seek some pleasurable recreation, or he will eventually lose his usefulness. Proper health care, rest and balance will help a leader maintain his ability to persist.

3. Time to Think – A leader must take time for creative thinking and meditation. Most people are too busy to take time to really think. If you’ve got an objective, it takes time to think it through to determine the best method to meet the goal. The solution is not to work harder, but to work smarter. Most successful ventures are achieved only after many hours of deep thinking and careful scrutiny.

4. Loneliness – A strong leader must be able to identify readily with people, but not become one of the boys. A leader has to be ready to walk away from the crowd and be alone like Jesus did. He must both identify with and be isolated from people. A true leader promotes others—their interests, values and goals—while at the same time striving to fulfill his own goals without being absorbed into the group. The Old Testament prophets were extremely lonely, misunderstood and rejected. Likewise, leaders are often set apart—it is a price they must pay.
5. Identification – To identify with people, the leader must make the sacrifice of taking time to know God’s Word and to share other people’s emotions, their victories and defeats. You cannot reach God-given objectives by yourself in isolation, so you have to take time to develop and relate to the team.

“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:22).

6. Make Unpleasant Decisions – A leader has to make decisions that affect the ultimate good of the organization, which sometimes means removing someone who is not measuring up to the stated standard. A person who constantly or consistently fails to perform with distinction is a hindrance to an organization’s effectiveness. To let this person continue his responsibility affects the whole group in a negative way. It hinders its progress and the ministry dynamic. Really, you are doing him a favor if he’s not doing a good job. He is being destroyed on the inside by pressure and strain, and releasing him gives him the opportunity for necessary growth.

7. Competition – This is not a bad term. Without it, man has little drive to achieve. A leader must keep his competitive edge sharp if he is going to achieve his goals. Everyone loves to win, but at the same time, he must be willing to accept the risks of failure.

8. False Pride and Jealousy – Popularity can affect a leader’s performance. Feelings of infallibility and indispensability will decrease his effectiveness. Every person must have some pride—it is good to be proud of achievement. It is false pride when we become wrapped up in ourselves to the point that other people count for little. A leader is more effective if he can point people to the group or organization he leads. He must stay humble, “not to think of himself more highly than he ought” (Rom 12:3). A leader who has been admired for a long time may overreact when others get promoted. Do not let jealousy set in, because “before honor comes humility” (Prov 15:33 NASB).

9. Utilization of Time – Managing your own time really means managing yourself. If you have two leaders of equal ability, the one who best uses his time by planning his time will far outperform the other person. Plan your time. Some people put things off until they find time—and it rarely ever comes. You must make time.

10. Rejection – Be ready to pay the price of personal rejection. In so doing, you tap into the sacrifice of Jesus: He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him (John 1:11). The leader puts the praise of God above the praise of men. He is not afraid to make an unpopular stand. He must be motivated by the love of God to handle it and also by the love of his people and his work to overcome. If the passion is strong enough the cost doesn’t matter, “for the love of Christ constrains us” (2 Cor 5:14).

William Webster said, “In my life time I have known 95 of the world’s greatest leaders and 87 of them where followers of the bible.

There is a new breed of world changers and history makers rising up within the body of Christ today. They are totally committed and are ready to deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow Jesus

Victory pastors and leaders its our time to rise and shine and become the leading leaders God has called us to be. My prayer is that every emerging leader in our movement will rise to the challenges of this day and age and be able to see more, be more and do more, than Hazel and I have ever been able to see, be or do!

Yours for the developing and deploying of a multitude of righteous leaders that will lead!

Dr. George Hill

President/Founder
Victory Churches International                

Transformational Leadership

How did you spend summertime as a child? Perhaps you have memories of vacationing with your family, playing baseball or softball, attending summer camps, or swimming at the pool or lake.

Eight-year old Khadim spends his days at a brick kiln, working to pay off a small debt inherited from his deceased parents. However, he is charged room and board in excess of his wages so that regardless of how hard he labors, the debt is sure to grow. From dawn until dusk, Khadim lugs around heavy clay bricks. First, he totes them out of the kiln so that they can bake in the hot sun, and he then carries them back into the kiln once they’ve dried. He tries to keep pace with his adult co-laborers, but he is only a boy and often falls behind, drawing angry shouts from his overseer. By evening his tiny limbs ache, and he collapses into bed (a dirty, tattered floor mat) only to repeat the cycle the following day. This is his life. Khadim carries bricks—all day, every day. The arrival of summer does not alter his routine; it merely intensifies the miserable conditions of his slave labor.

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS

William Wilberforce, his conscience troubled by the Khadim’s of his day, devoted his life to abolishing slavery in the British Empire. Through his efforts, the slave trade was outlawed and an estimated 800,000 slaves were set free. The question is: how did he do it?

1) He Allowed Himself To Be Transformed

As a young Member of Parliament, Wilberforce was preoccupied with his political reputation, standard of living, and social status. However, during his time in office, he encountered stories about slavery that tugged at his heart. Rather than brushing aside the feelings, he resolved to take action in order to reform his culture.

2) He Found and Connected with Others Who Had a Common Purpose

Wilberforce linked up with like-minded Britons in combating slavery, and he and several other abolitionists moved together to Clapham Common, a neighborhood in southwest London. Given their close proximity, the group’s quest to end slavery was an ever-present topic of conversation. Being in the same area of town allowed the reformers to encourage one another in their efforts to raise public awareness.

3) He Tapped into His Creativity to Persuade Others

At first, public opinion was decidedly against Wilberforce and his fellow abolitionists. Several prominent public figures, such as Admiral Lord Nelson, spoke out in defense of the institution of slavery. To turn the tide of public sentiment, Wilberforce and his partners came up with a number of “launchers” or devices intended to spark conversation about the abolition of slavery. For instance, one of Wilberforce’s friends, Josiah Wedgewood, created a medallion depicting a kneeling, shackled male slave above the inscription: “Am I not a man and a brother?” The abolitionists then initiated an advocacy campaign, leveraging Wedgewood’s position in manufacturing to place the medallion on everything from bracelets to dinnerware to artwork.

4) He Paid a Great Price to Transform His Culture

Beginning in 1787 Wilberforce spearheaded the political movement to end slavery in the British Empire. Twenty years later, he won a monumental victory when Parliament voted to outlaw the slave trade. However, the Slave Trade Act of 1807 did not affect the condition of those already in slavery. Wilberforce would persist another 26 years in opposing slavery until finally, in 1833, Parliament voted to abolish slavery throughout the entirety of the United Kingdom. Three days later Wilberforce passed away.

Application

In leadership the greatest gap exists between knowing and doing. That is, people have training but don’t put it into practice. Bridging that gap results in productivity and people development. However, in leadership the greatest challenge involves moving from doing to changing. In crossing that chasm, leaders transform a culture. What aspects of your culture would you like to see change? Who else do you know with a similar passion? What small, initial step could you take to make a transformative difference in the area of culture that you feel needs to be reformed?

The 80/20 Christian

by Patrick Morley of Man in the Mirror
Excerpted from The Rest of Your Life (Zondervan)

Remember the 80/20 rule? Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, first noted the principle that 20 percent of our efforts produces 80 percent of our results, and vice versa. And the rule (which is actually not a rule at all but a useful working generalization) extends into every nook and cranny of life. You know. Twenty percent of the people do 80 percent of the work, 20 percent of the people give 80 percent of the money, 20 percent of the people accumulate 80 percent of the wealth, and so on.

Robert was an 80/20 man who lived an 80/20 life. He was the kind of man you could always count on to give a full 80 percent to everything he undertook. Well, actually not always, but at least 80 percent of the time.

One day this 80/20 man decided he would like to become a Christian or, should we say, 80 percent of him did. For Robert could only bring himself to believe about 80 percent of the what the Bible says about the historical life of Jesus. You know, the virgin birth (“I mean, Come on”), the atonement for the sins of people not even born yet, the human incarnation of the unseen God (“Give me a break”). And then there is that part about rising from the dead (“Puh…lleezze!”).

But Robert was highly motivated (to the 80th percentile) to see his faith change his life. He secretly hoped for an 80 percent improvement. That would meet 100 percent of my expectations, he thought.

He began attending church (four out of every five Sundays – a splendid record, indeed) which he thoroughly enjoyed or, should we say, at least 80 percent of the time. When he went he stayed for the whole service (a remarkable achievement in itself), but could only bring himself to listen to about 80 percent of the sermon. He sang 80 percent of the hymns with 80 percent enthusiasm, and prayed 80 percent of the prayers with four-fifths of his heart.

One day Robert said to a friend, “You know, I really like this Christianity stuff, at least 80 percent of it. About twenty percent of it, though, is pretty hard to swallow.” He added, “I’ve decided about 80 percent of the Bible is true.” The Bible carried a lot of weight with him, about 3 pounds. He was an 80/20 Christian.

But the 80/20 rule has a downside as well. And so Robert’s brand of Christianity relieved only 20 percent of his fears, removed a mere 20 percent of his angry outbursts, and he found just 20 percent of the sense of purpose and meaning for which he longed. This is a lot of work for a little result, he thought.

Eighty percent of the time he found himself in a surly mood, criticizing his wife, yelling at his kids, disagreeing with his pastor, hating his boss, angry at the hand fate had dealt him, exhausted beyond words, paralyzed with fears, anxious about the future, teetering on the brink of financial disaster, and otherwise generally frustrated with his life.

One day he was reading his Bible (which he did 20 percent of the time). He usually skipped over about 80 percent of the verses looking for something visceral, something that would invigorate his emotions. He was paying about 80 percent attention to the verses he was reading when, lo and behold, these razor-edged words thundered off the page, sending shivering echoes down the halls of his mind (80 percent of which were empty):

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which is described in this book (Revelation 22:18, 19).

The 80/20 man was quite astonished…astonished that these words were the last words of the Bible…surprised that he had made it that far – past the first 80 percent. He figured the chances of that happening were even less than one in five.

If this is how God decided to summarize the Bible, then these must be very important words, indeed: Don’t add to His words. Neither subtract anything away. Uh, oh.

Yes, yes. I want to share in the tree of life. I want to walk along the avenues of the holy city. I want to stand ankle deep in the river of life and feel the cool, refreshing waters swirl around my feet.

Suddenly it occurred to the 80/20 man that he was either for God or against Him. Instantly his eyes were opened and he clearly saw that 80 percent “in” is still “out.” His body convulsed and he shrieked as a jagged, white-hot saber of pain lanced the throbbing, festered 20 percent of his unyielded soul.

BECOMING A 100 PERCENT CHRISTIAN

He fell on his knees with 100 percent of his weight, he cried out to God with 100 percent of his heart, he wept 100 percent of the tears within him, he repented 100 percent of his spiritual blindness and sin, he surrendered 100 percent of his life, he pledged 100 percent loyalty, he dedicated 100 percent of his time and money, he committed to seek after 100 percent obedience, and he submitted 100 percent of his being to 100 percent of the authority of 100 percent of the Bible. It was the first 100 percent moment of his 80 percent life. It was supremely beyond all he had dared ask or imagine.

When 80 percent of the euphoria had worn off he noticed he had only lost 20 percent of the glow. From deep inside he remembered a verse of a hymn, “Something’s happened, and now I know. He touched me and made me whole.”

THE DAY’S AFTER

In the days that followed he found an enigma. Eighty percent of the time he rode the crests of the waves. But 20 percent of the time his circumstances seemed insurmountable, unconquerable, unsolvable. Yet, even in the midst of grueling anguish, pain, and tears he found welling up within him springs of living water, peace, and joy. Yes, he experienced the same veneer of mortal emotions he did before, but beneath that shallow facade immortal joy audibly but softly hummed like a giant, powerful turbine with unending reserves of power.

During those storms – those 20 percenters – as the tiny ship of his circumstances was buffeted to and fro by life’s high seas, Robert noticed that the anchor of God’s immovable, sovereign, authoritative, infallible, holy Word held him fast in the hollow between the waves as though in the very hand of the living God. And it happened 100 percent of the time.

APPLICATION
Are you living an 80/20 life? Prayerfully answer the following questions…

1. What percentage of these areas have you submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Rate yourself from 0 to 100% on the following scale.

Your Time

0% ——————————————————– 100%

Your Money

0% ——————————————————– 100%

Your Future

0% ——————————————————– 100%

Your Worship

0% ——————————————————– 100%

Your Hope for Significance

0% ——————————————————– 100%

Your Faith and Trust

0% ——————————————————– 100%

2. What is the next step that you need to take to become a 100% Christian?

Business leader, author, and speaker, Patrick Morley helps men to think more deeply about their lives, to be reconciled with Christ, and to be equipped for a larger impact on the world.

Cambodians Prepare for Arrival of Khmer New Year Angel

Khmer New Year Angel 2012

Khy Sovuthy

Kate Bartlett

The Cambodia Daily

April 11, 2012

She wears a white robe, holds a sword in one hand and a chapai (Cambodian banjo) in another, sits astride a buffalo, is accompanied by a  dragon, has a weakness for banannas and is due to arrive on earth at precisely 11 minutes past seven pm Friday, 13 April.

Her name is Ke Mi Ra Devi and she is this Khmer New Year’s devada – or angel – according to an almanac published by the Ministry of Cults and Religions that informs the public about each angel, her special attributes and her tastes.

“The new angel Ke Mi Ra Devi will arrive at 7:11 pm on April 13.  Cambodian people should prepare fie candles, five incense sticks and…offer her bananas because this is her favorite food,” the almanac states.

The custom of the New Year’s Angel stems from a tale that has its roots in Indian mythology, according to Vong Sotheara, deputy head of the history departmente at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.  A talented young scholar was challenged by the king of the gods to answer a riddle.  If the boy could answer, the king would cut off his own head; if he could not, the boy would lose his.  The boy won and so the king was decapitated.  “Before beheading, he gave his last messages to his seven daughter angels…that during the New Year his head must be taken to parade around the world for 60 minutes by one of the seven daughter angels (who each represented a day of the week),” Mr. Sotheara said.

While one of the seven angels has a taste for blood, Ke Mi Ra Devi has a simpler palate – a fondness for bananas – and Phnom Penh’s banana vendors yesterday said business had been thriving ahead of the start of the New Year on Friday.  “Banana sales have been good this year because the angel eats bananas,” said Kong Chetra, 32, a fruit vendor at Kandal Market.

Sin Sarot, a shopper buying a string of lights from Ms. Vanna’s stall said he was very excited for the new year festivities to begin.  “I’m buying bananas to offer to the angel, and we’re going to play traditional New Year’s games,” he said.  “The angel, people believe in it.  I cannot say if it’s real or not real. For me, scientific and religion is mixed together.”

Not all news ahead of the New Year was good, though.  The government’s almanac also makes predictions about the year ahead, and said that the outlook was bleak for the coming Year of the Dragon, predicting that there would be flooding, 9 percent of the rice crop would be lost, and people would “meet with starvation.”

Six Simple Rules for Life

by John Maxwell

A five-year old slugger smacks the baseball out into the field and sprints toward third base.
A tiny midfielder, playing her first soccer match, reaches down and scoops into her arms the ball rolling through the green grass toward her.
A small child on the basketball court receives a pass from a teammate and excitedly races to the hoop…without remembering to dribble.

If you’ve ever coached a children’s sports team, then you know the importance of explaining the simple rules of the game. Initially, chaos and confusion reign supreme as children accustomed themselves to unfamiliar regulations. Yet over time, the once-confusing rules become second nature, and the kids play together without even having to think about them.

RULES TO LIVE BY

Playing a sport without knowing the rules leads to chaos, confusion, and even can result in injury. Likewise, going through life without a reliable set of rules gives rise to disorder, dissatisfaction, and even harm. In this lesson, I’d like to share six simple rules that have helped me to navigate life. I hope they provide you with food for thought as you consider, or reevaluate, the rules you live by.

RULE #1: Put family first.

Lots of leaders give lip service to putting family first, but they don’t actually practice giving their spouse or kids top priority. What does it mean to put family first? For me, it involves redefining success. I do not measure my success in terms of career accomplishments. For me, success is when those closest to me love and respect me the most. Practically speaking, I make sure to schedule time with loved ones before setting my work calendar. It’s far more important for me to give prime time to my family than to “get ahead” by working overtime.

RULE #2: Follow the Golden Rule.

As followers, we universally ask three questions about our leaders: 1) Do they care for me? 2) Can they help me? 3) Can I trust them?

As a leader, regularly pose those same questions to yourself—Am I caring? Am I helping? Am I reliable?—as a reminder to treat others the way you would like to treated.

RULE #3 Take care of yourself.

Doing something for yourself is not a selfish act; it’s a sustaining act. In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relation of work to one’s other responsibilities:
Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them—work, family, health, friends and spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls—family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.
I’ve learned the importance of this rule the hard way—through the trauma of a heart attack. If you’re not carving out time to rest and replenish, to exercise, and to monitor your spiritual wellbeing, then eventually you’ll breakdown. When that happens you’re no good to anyone.

RULE #4 Choose a positive attitude.

Happiness cannot be won, bought, or brought to you by another person. Rather, it results from a conscious choice to be grateful for our blessings and to make the best of life’s letdowns. Whatever happens to us, we always have control of one thing: our attitude.

RULE #5 Have a personal growth plan.

The key to personal growth is to have a beginner’s mindset. Beginners admit they don’t know everything and proceed accordingly. As a general rule, they’re open and humble, noticeably lacking in the rigidity that often accompanies experience and achievement.

RULE #6 Give more than you receive.

Everyone must ask for help at some point along the journey of life, but each person also has an inborn need to serve others. When I stopped trying to extract value from the people around me, and instead began searching for ways to add value, my influence soared.

Men’s Camp 2012

On 23, 24, 25 February we had 170 men attend Men’s Camp at Bethel Bible School, Kompong Cham, Cambodia, about 2 ½ hours north of Phnom Penh.  We had men from eleven provinces in Cambodia and representing at least eight churches or organizations in Cambodia.  The schedule was as follows:

The Difference Between Being a Male and a Man – Pastor Jesse McCaul

The Dangers Men Face – Pastor Teo, Singapore

Men and Relationships with Women – Pastor Teo

The Foundation – A Relationship with God by Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, Pastor Kim Bonnievie

Men and Father Issues – Chuck McCaul

Men and Sexual Issues – Chuck McCaul

Friday and Saturday Morning Intercession led by Mike Bachelder, Burning Hearts Ministry

The men were passionate in worship and attentive during the lessons and responded to the Word of God dedicating themselves to personal healing and walking with God.  The last session Saturday was testimonies and communion and rejoicing in the song, “There is Only One Family.” Many men, young and old, testified to their heart being touched by the lessons and a commitment to change.  We did one 2-page general survey, asking the men to share personally about problems, addictions and struggles.  We’re summarizing that survey now.  We also gave men a chance to enroll in a six-week Bible Study – we had 98 interested in being involved either as a member or leader.  We’re making plans to gather as many of them together within the next 10 days to do some basic training and come up with a plan on how we’ll work with men in eleven different provinces!

As we plan for forming men’s study/growth groups, we are also planning the next event 6-7 April 2012.  This will be a Friday night fellowship time with representatives from Precious Women sharing with us about Women’s Rights and the Value of a Woman.  Saturday will be a two-session seminar on How to Love Your Woman.

The camp cost almost USD$4,000; much more than we anticipated because we had many more men than we anticipated.  More than USD$700 to rent three busses and USD$2,900 for food.  We lacked about $2,000 on the day of the camp, so Cynde and I put in USD$2,000 of our personal savings money, but the Lord had paid us back by the time the camp was over!  Praise God.

I want to thank all of you who prayed and supported financially.  You’ve made an eternal investment into the lives of the men of Cambodia.

A Way to Support the Ministry

We have partnered with a great social enterprise here in Cambodia, Three Corners Coffee.  This ministry/business was started to create jobs for Cambodians while providing the world with delicious coffee grown in Cambodia.  They have approached us and offered to give the Men’s Ministry USD$2 for every purchase of 1 pound of coffee.  You can purchase it in Cambodia or online in the USA by going to www.threecornercoffee.com and clicking on their online store.  If they don’t have it yet they will soon have a drop-down box for you to select who you want your donation to go toward.  The Christian Men’s Fellowship of Cambodia will be on that list.  You will need to buy four pounds per order.  If your church has a coffee café you may consider offering Cambodian coffee.  You get a double blessing:  delicious coffee from Cambodia and the opportunity to change lives in the men of Cambodia.

Thank you again for all who supported the event financially and who have been praying for us.  Please pray that we’ll be able to get these small groups together very quickly and that everything will work out well for the April Event.

Blessings from Cambodia,

Charles & Cynthia McCaul

Phnom Penh