Hi, All! 

Been a minute! Been busy w/personal stuff.....but the scope of my work has only amped up. 

This new website, "6 degrees and shrinking", refers to the increasingly smaller circle through which we know every human on earth. The Spirit, by His Providence, is making my circle smaller & smaller & smaller! 

A pastor recently encouraged me to say: These stories are to pump up the Church. No experience needed if the Spirit commissions you! (Isaiah 6:5-8)....Look at the 12! Disasterpieces made into masterpieces! 

The New Year in the I country is 3/21 there & 3/20 here. The preceding Wed. is a celebration where people jump over fire & say, "Your red health unto me.....my yellow (paleness) unto you." Despite sourcing the practice from their ancient indigenous religion, it has some redemptive hidden Temple/Gospel themes when properly cultivated. Modern fire temples still house perpetual sacred flames tended by priests---fire/water are symbols of ritual purity in much the same way they're symbols of the Holy Spirit & purity in Judaism & Christianity. There are other Jewish Temple parallels. Similarly, Resurrection concepts can be related to their Spring-themed New Year. In His Providence, God prevented false religion from getting so polluted that contextual bridges for His Glory can't be built. Ex: Paul on Mars Hill. (Acts 17) Although there are less than 200K modern adherents to this religion, many identify w/it in a nationalistic resistance against the regime. I wouldn't be surprised if "Jack be nimble" somehow has ancient roots in these practices. 

https://youtu.be/HbJpNcFRioY

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The season ends w/a picnic 13 days after the New Year. Since "A country" people are now my focus, I nearly skipped this yr. But the Spirit must've prompted, 'cause I went! I didn't expect to see A people (bad history between them)...but my language teacher introduced me to M (not even her real initial) & asked if I'd take her home. (She lives near me.) As I started up my car, she pulled a flier out of her purse, inviting ME to HER Church for Easter! She had no clue I was a believer. Our DMM team is praying for her community.....so...why am I surprised?  Her son became a believer in a Euro camp & suggested she find a Church. (It's possible he may be sent back. Pray for him.) She'd gone to Church for 1 yr but encountered & trusted Jesus in a dream 2 weeks prior! She only had an English Bible, so I stopped by my house to get her Bibles in her 2 languages. Now connecting her w/many believers. BTW. Her grandma was Jewish! She's from a city w/a long Jewish history, dating back to the times of the prophet, Daniel. 

There's more! So, rather than go to her Church, which is legalistic, I took her to the I Church that next Sunday. Another friend, a Christian student from the I country, had decided to just give up on his friends after an awkward spiritual chat w/them. BUT, 1 of them ended up self-inviting to the I Church for Easter service! Pray for a DMM on the campus!.....Just to think: I almost didn't go to the picnic!

I met a young man named L (not his initial) & his parents at Church sponsored ESL class. He brought his mom the next week. He asked for a Bible although "it's only literature". Not a bad start! His holy book, which is comprised of one book, is dictated by an illiterate man whose violent verses contradict earlier peaceful ones. The Bible is A LIBRARY OF 40+ AUTHORS w/a wild variety of backgrounds! Shepherds/fishermen/kings, etc....a physician, 3 murderers & a fig picker !  Written on 3 continents over 1,500 yrs, it cross references & references the Cross! No wonder people from "that other Abrahamic religion" are curious!  While fishing, we're not to get in the water & wrangle the fish into the boat, but let the Spirit do His thing! Matt. 4:19, John 21:11. 

In other news, it's encouraging to see how a group of 12 radicals have formed true New Testament community in an apartment complex & live among 15 or so families from the "T country". This was planted by Launch Global....And it "just so turns out" that some of these "T" folks are the same ones from the community whom we were already engaging in our interfaith discussion group! Who knew? ....... There are 2 other families who practice that "other Abrahamic religion", at least 2 Mormon families & 4 young Mormons who have dedicated this part of their lives to furthering their beliefs. Many have expressed interest in Church or Bible studies!! 

​We need help prayer walking in the A neighborhood & teaching English. Please contact me if interested. 

Lastly, I'm a big supporter of Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Although I ignore the news these days, I'm aware of the infant formula crisis. (I guess its still going on.) I decided to start buying it whenever I'm at the grocery store. I encourage everyone to do this. Don't forget to save your receipts so you can get a tax write-off. I hope this catches on. 

For going when the Spirit says Go!, the mysterious tapestry of Scripture, DMM, CPC's , and the nations

.......Just another witness to His Glory

Hello, my dear friends.....

​This entry belatedly celebrates Sanctity of Human Life Sunday/Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Both are centered on human rights issues. It's quite fitting that the recognition of both occurs on the same Sunday. Good Churches celebrate both w/o political agenda. My emails will never be partisan because issues are spiritual  before they ever turn political.  Btw.....I tuned out the media long ago. I REALLY  hope you vote like I do but for the sake of your conscience before God, I am more concerned why than how you vote. I just hope that you’re not a "Christian Animist" & hope your faith in Christ informs/guides you.      

Imago Dei ethics are ultimately anchored in eternal truth, not the political earth. How many Churches rant on pet causes but avoid truths uncomfortable to them? It mostly comes to the same old city VS. county divide. We can maintain party loyalty but must proclaim all truth if we're going to be truly true. May both political parties again stand for what is decent & good! Since few of us would rationalize racism, this email will focus on abortion. I will say this 1 thing: Had the greater Church--urban & suburban--done ACTUAL Gospel work in the black community, there never would've been BLM, which lacks a moral compass. The vacuum of the Church has been filled by BLM because we've mostly talked about talking. Lots of emoting/voting/showboating but little service worth noting. No right to complain.

D. James Kennedy was great when he preached the Bible but he pushed my last button when he "preached" that "Revival has come to America" when the GOP won the '94 midterm election. This was part of his perpetual "Reclaiming America for Christ" rant. He had an animistic bent. But so does most of the American Church!!! When both the Evangelical right & left hope that their candidates will deliver some kind of spiritual awakening, they are already sliding into Animism. I'm "anti-wing" & prefer the dove of peace (Matt. 3:16). 

Animism doesn't discern matter from spirit. It's a fusion/confusion of the 2....But, since the Spirit of God precedes creation, 1st things should remain 1st.  Likewise, most Christians confuse Church & State. As His Spirit precedes matter, our politics should be INFORMED & YES, EVEN CREATED by His Spirit. And in the same way that good works won't save us, neither will voting w/"conviction" do anything to "tweak" our righteousness. Secular arguments for the strict Separation of Church & State are downright wicked & smell like smoke but there is a balanced historical argument which is sourced from Christian logic. 

The animist views material stuff as holding spiritual entities/properties. They carve fetishes from stone, wood, etc. & Presto! A god of their invention. (Exodus 32:24) Their foolish hearts are darkened......& God gives them over. (Romans 1:21-24). Selah. That should ring a bell as even many of us think we can redeem ourselves w/good government in D.C. If the Ark of the Covenant failed when the Israelites fetishized it (1 Sam. 4:1-11), we shouldn't think that the Constitution or our favorite "righteous" member of Congress will help if we are not worshiping the true Liberator, Who is Jesus!  In the same way, I am convinced that there are people who hold pro-life & pro-Israel views, not because they fear God, but because they are afraid of Him & how He is about to destroy America. We should stand for truth "merely" because it's true. If we don't, we'll have a mere form of godliness. (2 Timothy 3:5) What is needed is another Great Awakening. Look at these shocking stats: 

This is a pro-life song from Kerry Livgren, formerly of the rock group, Kansas. He became a believer several yrs ago. I think it's my favorite by him:

https://youtu.be/1tTLD7rQOXI

Despite politics competing for our passions, the Gospel still advances. My nephew became a believer recently!....Ever searching for icebreakers w/my "A" friend whom I call R (not even his real initial), I seized upon the moment & told him that my nephew would be baptized soon. (There are also water rituals in his religion by which adherents have a sense of spiritual cleansing before worship....so there is context.) I told him how rare it was for adults to become believers. (He's 2 years older.....I'm his "kid uncle".)  Now, I never invite people from "that other Abrahamic religion" to Church. But, when they self-invite, I encourage it! And that's what he did! He said he'd only seen VIDEOS of baptisms. (Hmmm.....seen videos?) And when the Lord's Supper came 'round, he took a cup from the tray. After I explained the meaning, he took it! He even knew where to put the empty plastic cup afterwards! (Hmm......knew where to put the cup? ).......I think he might be in the Kingdom.....but I don't probe. My Heavenly Father is teaching me patience (& how to be a detective. Nyuk nyuk nyuk!)

For the unborn, keeping spirit and matter distinct, having the eyes of a detective and the nations.

......Just another witness of His Glory