CR Seminar Weekend

It's funny how fast time goes by.  Its already a week since I last wrote on here.

Last weekend was busy with prayer retreat here in Darhan.  This week we are preparing for our Spring CR Seminar at the CAMA Center.  Like last time, the Mongolian leaders want me to set the tome with a word from the Word.  I will preach Ephesians 5 again.

But first I will start with one of their own Mongolian proverbs, which says, 'Reach Age 40, and then Just Taste' (a drink).  It sounds poetic in Mongolian, even though its a command.  The question is, has anyone ever obeyed it?  You and I were warned by our parents and teacher about what's right and wrong, healthy or not.  Have we listened?

Why should we be surprised when we reap what we've sown then?  It's a hard word I know.  But if we don't accept our own fault and wrong in where we end up life, every effort to change will be fought, mostly by our own pride and selves.  I think realizing our own faults and faulty choices is the way to overcome stubbornness.

The main reason I want to share from Ephesians 5 is because of verse 18, which tells you what not to do, and then ingeniously gives you something to do instead.  "Do not get drunk on wine, which yields to debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit"  God's Spirit gives us insight into and frees us from temptation.  But spirits we drink just give you a hangover.  On top of that sometimes it gets you into debauchery.  The hard truth is that people may start to desire things a certain age or stage.  The problem is that the debauchery you desire is not alway the only kind you get.  Disease, death, divorce or worse can come from drunkenness.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22,23)

One of the miracle things about the Spirit of God is there is no cost.  He is free in another sense to do what He wants as well.  Our seminar has a $2.50 price tag for two days of teaching, snacks and meals.  The tuition won't cover our costs.  And it won't buy the Spirit, who was sent from Jesus and the Father to believers to do good in this world.  He only comes by obeying the Word, and by grace at that.  But He can heal your heart, and expose and end the pain that we try to numb, manage, or medicate by various means.

So hopefully some people will catch the vision to start Celebrate Recovery in their own church or community from this Seminar.  Last seminar we hosted, a pastor came with one of his disciples from their countryside church.  A couple months later, they started CR in their town.  We will be happy if that happens again after this weekend.  They are Celebrating Recovery and drawing others with steep mountains to climb.

I am looking forward to friends from our old countryside town coming this time.  May God get the glory and growth for any seeds that are sown.