Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
IWU Students better go!
Bible Lands Not Immune from Modern Day Slavery
Jun. 19, 2009
The largest ever people-trafficking ring in Israel has been uncovered. Twelve members of the gang (all women) were arrested by police in Tel Aviv in March following a two-year undercover operation. According to a police press release, more than 2,000 women were trafficked by the Israeli gang into Israel and Cyprus over a two-year period.
The Wesleyan Church, through the efforts of the department of Wesleyan Women, is making a church-wide effort to help abolish trafficking in persons, a form of modern day slavery. Indiana Stand Against Trafficking (StAT), a coalition of Indiana citizens networking to abolish human trafficking, will host a community forum on September 9, 2009, at 7 p.m. in the Indianapolis area. The StAT forum will take place at Heartland Church, I-69 and 96th Street, in Fishers, Indiana.
The forum will be followed by training (September 10-12) at The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters that will equip men and women with skills to help prevent trafficking and care for victims. Sponsored by Wesleyan Women, the training will be staffed by professionals from World Hope International.
Visit http://www.standagainsttrafficking.com/ for more information about the forum and to learn more about human trafficking. To learn more about the training, visit http://www.wesleyan.org/ww/.
Denominations are helpful
Political muscle, even a little, is something denominations are able to extend. The question is, are denominations willing to step out and do something? Anyway, this made me happy. Though now the work begins...
Wesleyan General Superintendent Part of Sri Lanka Mission
Jun. 24, 2009
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, member of the Board of General Superintendents of The Wesleyan Church, was part of a nine-person international peace building/goodwill mission to Sri Lanka.
The June 1-5, 2009, mission was organized by the World Evangelical Alliance, an association of national alliances in 128 countries, in response to an invitation by Christian leaders in Sri Lanka. The team was comprised of diplomats, business leaders, and church leaders from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. Its mission was to learn about Sri Lankan humanitarian needs, to encourage fellow Christian leaders, and to build bridges of understanding with non-evangelical Christians, other faiths, and governmental leaders.
The Wesleyan Church has had a presence in Sri Lanka, a country that is less than one percent Christian, since 1993. General Superintendent Lyon said, "Meeting with our Wesleyan leaders, I was once more reminded of the incredible faith it takes to live in the midst of persecution and harassment."
The aftermath of Sri Lanka's three decades-old armed conflict has displaced more than 300,000 people who are in desperate conditions. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, WEA General Secretary and International Director, said, "The church is called to be salt and light and rarely have I seen such dedication to extending God's love to non-Christian communities, despite logistical difficulties and real personal danger to themselves."
Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka welcomed the end of hostilities. "As a Christian I have hope for the future of Sri Lanka. But the danger is that, now that the headlines highlighting the war are reducing, the world will forget about those who continue to be affected. For us the real work is only now beginning!"
Lyon represents The Wesleyan Church as well as the National Association of Evangelicals in this endeavor. She further noted from her past experience in working in Sri Lanka during the tsunami, that the Christian Church is ideally placed to lead reconciliation initiatives. "In fact," she noted, "amongst major faiths the Christian Church is unique in having both Tamil and Sinhalese members."
From a variety of meetings with government leaders, human rights lawyers, leaders of Civil Society the statement was consistent: "the Christian Church must lead us in reconciliation." It was noted by a Sri Lankan human rights lawyer that "Truth and Reconciliation Commissions have not worked in a non-Christian country."
As in many post-war situations, particularly one which has ended so recently, some elements are still intent on intimidation, including intimidation of the church, civil society and the media. John Langlois, a former member of the Guernsey, Channel Islands, parliament and Chari of the WEA Religious Liberty Commission said, "I ask all Christian to join us in praying for those, including church leaders, who have been harassed and threatened, especially within the minority communities.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Repentance
God,
I am so sorry for the sins I have committed. I don't know how to get over some things in my life and I want you to come inside me to make me different than I am right now. What I gain out of anything is not at all on Your servant's heart... but rather, if Your servant is not preoccupied with worthless words, idle talk, impure thoughts, slothfulness, gluttony, compromise, enabling others and refusing to help those who need help, then Your Kingdom, which is the restoration of what things are meant to be, might come. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to Holy Spirit.
Who am I that so much has been given? Am I more privileged than another who hungers each day? DID I CHOOSE MY BIRTH!!!??? no. no i did not.
Yet here I sit in my comfortable chair, fresh painted room on a computer it will take ten years, forfeiting food for a family to considering buying for some... for some who work much harder than I, who love better than I, who suffer more than I.
May it not be so the words of the prophet Amos for myself
What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem,
and you who feel secure in Samaria!
You are famous and popular in Israel,
and people go to you for help. But go over to Calneh and see what happened there.
Then go to the great city of Hamath and down to the Philistine city of Gath.
You are no better than they were,
and look at how they were destroyed.
You push away every thought of coming disaster,
but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.
How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds
and lounge on your couches,
eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock
and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp
and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful
and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions.
You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.
Therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives.
Suddenly, all your parties will end.
Your servant is unworthy... you called him to fast today in repentance, for transformation. But once again, simply because I was asked if I wanted cinnamon rolls, I compromised. Then I had a decision on how many I would eat... there were two given. I need only eat one to please my sister-in-law. Yet I ate four.
Four.
It appears these are not life-or-death issues until one realizes the heart is what chooses life or death and my heart, even in the smallest of things rejected Jesus the Christ and true King.
How dare I defy You ruler of all? How dare I? At least before any who read this confession Your servant might be seen as I really am, a worm, not a man, though hoping to become all it is meant to be to be a man. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. Raise up brothers and sisters to intercede for me for I cannot go on without constant intercession. So much binds me up, quicksand surrounds me.
CURSE YOU APATHY! CURSE YOU GLUTTONY! CURSE YOU SLOTHFULNESS! CURSE YOU SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE! CURSE YOU SPIRIT OF SEXUAL IMPURITY AND OF ALL IMPURITIES!
There is a life a man can live that is true life. There is a type of life that, though it is affected by the winds of corruption in this world, a heavy anchor keeps ones course straight. Indeed, there is a type of life animated by the Spirit of God inside those who receive Him that makes every day a victory. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
The enemies are against us. Corruption wars against our being. People require our love and comfort but refuse to give us love in the meantime. This world is TOUGH! It is so HARD! There are images of sexual temptation EVERYWHERE! How might one steer the course?
I just want to move to a monastery right now! And I know where a couple are.
The Desert Fathers in the early Christian movement knew something. They weren't running away to hide from helping people. They desired to put themselves before Almighty Jesus the King and make space to hear the voice of Him who dwells in us. They pursued HOLINESS! That is, SET-APART-NESS. I WANT THAT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT!
What must I do to attain it oh God? Am I really going to go play tennis right now and forget all about this??
Am I going to go to work tonight and complain with others so I fit in? Am I ALWAYS GOING TO KEEP FROM ROCKING THE BOAT FOR FEAR OF LOSING PEOPLE'S COMFORT OR FRIENDSHIP?
I don't want people to be afraid of me... yet I want them to experience a healed life, a life where the pain doesn't drive them anymore. Where there can be control over our circumstances. I suppose that can only come from feeling convicted for how wrong their lives are though, huh? To see dust in our lives we need a great light to shine up on us... and nobody likes to see their own dust.
I love you Lord... I pray in Your Holy name that Your servant might live up to that statement.
I am so sorry for the sins I have committed. I don't know how to get over some things in my life and I want you to come inside me to make me different than I am right now. What I gain out of anything is not at all on Your servant's heart... but rather, if Your servant is not preoccupied with worthless words, idle talk, impure thoughts, slothfulness, gluttony, compromise, enabling others and refusing to help those who need help, then Your Kingdom, which is the restoration of what things are meant to be, might come. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to Holy Spirit.
Who am I that so much has been given? Am I more privileged than another who hungers each day? DID I CHOOSE MY BIRTH!!!??? no. no i did not.
Yet here I sit in my comfortable chair, fresh painted room on a computer it will take ten years, forfeiting food for a family to considering buying for some... for some who work much harder than I, who love better than I, who suffer more than I.
May it not be so the words of the prophet Amos for myself
What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem,
and you who feel secure in Samaria!
You are famous and popular in Israel,
and people go to you for help. But go over to Calneh and see what happened there.
Then go to the great city of Hamath and down to the Philistine city of Gath.
You are no better than they were,
and look at how they were destroyed.
You push away every thought of coming disaster,
but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.
How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds
and lounge on your couches,
eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock
and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp
and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful
and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions.
You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.
Therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives.
Suddenly, all your parties will end.
Your servant is unworthy... you called him to fast today in repentance, for transformation. But once again, simply because I was asked if I wanted cinnamon rolls, I compromised. Then I had a decision on how many I would eat... there were two given. I need only eat one to please my sister-in-law. Yet I ate four.
Four.
It appears these are not life-or-death issues until one realizes the heart is what chooses life or death and my heart, even in the smallest of things rejected Jesus the Christ and true King.
How dare I defy You ruler of all? How dare I? At least before any who read this confession Your servant might be seen as I really am, a worm, not a man, though hoping to become all it is meant to be to be a man. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. Raise up brothers and sisters to intercede for me for I cannot go on without constant intercession. So much binds me up, quicksand surrounds me.
CURSE YOU APATHY! CURSE YOU GLUTTONY! CURSE YOU SLOTHFULNESS! CURSE YOU SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE! CURSE YOU SPIRIT OF SEXUAL IMPURITY AND OF ALL IMPURITIES!
There is a life a man can live that is true life. There is a type of life that, though it is affected by the winds of corruption in this world, a heavy anchor keeps ones course straight. Indeed, there is a type of life animated by the Spirit of God inside those who receive Him that makes every day a victory. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
The enemies are against us. Corruption wars against our being. People require our love and comfort but refuse to give us love in the meantime. This world is TOUGH! It is so HARD! There are images of sexual temptation EVERYWHERE! How might one steer the course?
I just want to move to a monastery right now! And I know where a couple are.
The Desert Fathers in the early Christian movement knew something. They weren't running away to hide from helping people. They desired to put themselves before Almighty Jesus the King and make space to hear the voice of Him who dwells in us. They pursued HOLINESS! That is, SET-APART-NESS. I WANT THAT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT!
What must I do to attain it oh God? Am I really going to go play tennis right now and forget all about this??
Am I going to go to work tonight and complain with others so I fit in? Am I ALWAYS GOING TO KEEP FROM ROCKING THE BOAT FOR FEAR OF LOSING PEOPLE'S COMFORT OR FRIENDSHIP?
I don't want people to be afraid of me... yet I want them to experience a healed life, a life where the pain doesn't drive them anymore. Where there can be control over our circumstances. I suppose that can only come from feeling convicted for how wrong their lives are though, huh? To see dust in our lives we need a great light to shine up on us... and nobody likes to see their own dust.
I love you Lord... I pray in Your Holy name that Your servant might live up to that statement.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Urgh ... blast those people who manfifest the Kingdom through miracles!
@kenschenck http://kenschenck.blogspot.com/2006/03/future-of-wesleyan-church.html -
I posted a difficult comment.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Identifying with Pain
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2008/ <--- download the most current U.S. Government Human Trafficking Report
I haven't read through this one thoroughly, it is set up much differently than the one I read two years ago. It seems to be much more visually accomidating, probably so it will be more widely distributed and seem of more interest. Hopefully in that desire for readability some of the hard-hitting primary source material is not compromised.
It is hard to identify with hurt and pain until we get a glimpse of it. I once read that leprosy as a disease does not kill anyone, cause gangrene or infection. Instead, Leprosy is a 
disease that causes nerves not to send signals to the brain and so a cut or anything worse will never be noticed therefore leading to infection and what we normally associate with Leprosy.
Similarly, we tend to do nothing about serious "wounds and infections" in the world until we "feel them" ... until we experience their pain. Perhaps a dangerous prayer for a true follow of Jesus might be
"Lord Jesus, as King of my life I ask that you would let me feel the pain of those experiencing it that I might readily respond to the least of these you have given to me. Amen"
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Updated Resume
Just updated the resume... tried some new things. What do you think?
To download ----> Click here
Click Resume
Click "Brian Scramlin Resume"
To download ----> Click here
Click Resume
Click "Brian Scramlin Resume"
.:'or click the picture and look at it in low quality':.
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