Bible Study Corner: Trials (Older Boys)

I said that I would post about what the older boys and I have been studying in God's word, so I thought that I would take this time to give an overview of the last couple of months. We began a study a while back on the book of Job. I love the book of Job. I think every time I read it, God uses it differently to speak to me. I remember reading it through and realizing that sometimes God will do things that I don't understand, but I can still trust Him. And on another occasion, I read it and saw that I was much like Job's three friends--always quick to speak into a situation, without really trying to understand what the person was truly struggling with or what God might be doing in their life--speaking without seeking what God might have me say. I read it again recently, which is why I wanted to go through it with the boys, and this time, God showed me the nature of trials and tribulations. When I finished reading Job, I randomly went to James. As I began to read James, I thought, "Man, it is if James just read Job and then wrote this!" As it turns out, in chapter five of James, he mentions "the perseverance of Job." So the older boys and I went through Job, chapter by chapter, and it took a very long time, but every chapter had something really great in it. I am going to be honest, we studied through Job for close to three months, five days a week, thirty-forty minutes a day. In the end, we learned that God has a purpose for our suffering and trials. We moved to James recently, and have studied part of the first chapter, and we have found that God uses trials in our lives to perfect us. I told the boys that the word for trial is like testing, but not like the pass/fail tests they face at school, but rather like the process of testing pure gold. When gold is found in the rock, it is filthy and has dirt in it and rocks in it. To get all of that out, it is placed in a pot, and placed in extreme heat. The fire melts the gold, and the gold being the densest goes to the bottom. Everything else, all the imperfection and dirt, floats to the top, and it is scraped off, leaving only the pure gold left. We can view our trials in this way. God takes us, completely sinful and full of impurity, and He places us over the fire to get all of it out. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in the Word and tells us of the sin in our lives, and we daily eradicate it, by the grace of God. We also talked about how muscles will not grow, unless they are first put under stress. For us to be strong in our faith, we must put our faith to the limits. We must live through situations that are difficult and find that God is faithful. The purpose of trials in our lives is to test whether we have genuine faith and, if it be true that we have genuine faith, to make it strong. If God were to protect us from all hardship, we would never become stronger. He is preparing us for a purpose, and that preparing is done through the heat of trials. We discussed that there are two types of trials: the trials of difficult times and the trials of temptation. We find in chapter one, that temptation is not from God, but he allows it so that we may learn to control our desires and stand up to temptation. The other kind of trial comes from the fact that we are living in a broken, sinful world--that is in desperate need of Jesus to come back and make everything right. Because we live in a broken world, other's sinful choices effect us. We also have a broken planet, and tornadoes and hurricanes destroy property and lives. We find that God does not cause this to happen, but rather allows it to happen, so that we may grow in our faith. We know all too well that Christians are not protected from hardship. James tells us that we can have joy in the knowledge that we do not go through terrible times for no purpose, but God uses it to make our faith strong and prepare us for eternity. We also talked about how the poor should glory in the fact that they are worth much in Christ, and that the rich should glory in the fact that even though they had many things, God humbled their hearts to understand their need of a Savior. In both cases, we find our true fulfillment in Jesus. When reading James, I think that it is very beneficial to keep Job in mind. To link the Old Testament with the New is always helpful, and to truly understand what James is talking about, when he speaks of trials, we must look to the example of Job.
I will keep you periodically updated on what we have been discussing in our Bible studies.
Please continue to pray for me, as I seek to make disciples here in Phnom Penh. Please pray that I would speak the truth of God's word, and that I would not add my own opinions, but simply proclaim what the Word says and how it may be applied in our lives.
The names of the boys in my older boys Bible study, in case you would like to pray for them are:

Ratana
Seth
Savorn
Ta
Visoth
Chantee

These boys are growing into men of God quickly, and they need your prayer.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

What Is It!? Episode Four - Timothy

Hey Everyone!
Here is the next episode of What Is It!? In this episode, you will be introduced to Timothy. He is also joined by Ratanak and David, during a demonstration of one of the possibilities (Ratanak is the taller one in green). Take a guess at our Facebook Group page Mission Cambodia.

The options are:
a. Flour Sifter
b. Lunch Box
c. Ceremonial Hat for Traduitional Dance
d. Travel Pots

Thank you to our supporters that allow us to work with such great kids, and thank you to everyone who prays for these guys everyday. They are a blessing and a joy to be around.
Well, until next time!
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.

Khmer Phrases: Consonants 1-5

In this edition of Khmer Phrases, we will be starting to take a look at the letters that make up the Khmer Alphabet. I thought this might be a good idea, because for me and Kelsi, it was difficult to speak the language accurately until we began to learn to read and write it also. This may be going a little too in-depth... if so, enjoy seeing my NoShaveNovember beard and remember that the language of Cambodia is something that Kels and I are learning so that we can better further the Kingdom of God and make disciples as we are here in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Enjoy!

Also, thank you to everyone of our sponsors that help pay for our tutoring, which we have three times a week. It has made teaching the BYKOTA Kids and living in Cambodia so much easier.
If you would like to pray for us, that God would give us the gift of languages and quicken our minds to learn, I would greatly appreciate it. We have Khmer lessons from 7:30-8:30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. With Daylight Savings Time, this means if you are awake from 6:30-7:30 on a MWF morning, you can pray for us during our lessons... that would be cool! Keep us in your prayers!
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.

Family Matters: Muggy

This is a picture of the best dog I have ever owned. Muggy is house trained, doesn't bite, is gentle with children, and sleeps all the time. When I had dengue and typhoid, He laid right next to me the whole time. I love that our girls get to have a friend. He also likes to sleep under the covers. This is a picture of him snuggling in Kelsi's sewing scraps. We Skyped with some friends and they didn't even know we had a dog, so I thought I would do a little post about Muggy: the best dog I have ever owned.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

Water Festival

Well, I thought I would take this time to give everyone a look into the Cambodian culture. I would explain it, but this video does a better job, so... enjoy! Also, this year, there are no boat races, due to flooding and mourning the death of the King Father.

Our Khmer teacher also explained that, in the provinces, the people gather together a lot of fruit and vegetables and pile them up. Then in the evening, they all feast on the pile. There is also a ceremony of candles, in which the people stick them to a board, and flip them upside down. Each candle represents a different province, and the dripping wax represents how much rain each province will get. Our Khmer teacher said that it is just for fun. I couldn't find a video of this, however. Just a taste of the culture of Cambodia!
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.

I Am Homesick

Kelsi and I have been in Cambodia for almost a year and a half. When I go to church on Sundays and meet with other missionaries who have been here for twenty plus years, it makes it seem like we have only been here months. When people ask how long we have been here, and I tell them a year and a half, they almost always say, “Oh! You’re a rookie.” Not in a condescending way, just poking fun. No matter how long we have been here, I have the days when I just wish I was home. I was listening to a sermon today, as I washed the dishes, and the preacher was talking about James 1:1 and how the letter was written to the dispersed—those Jews who were longing to return to their home country: Jerusalem. He explained that James’ letter is not only for Jews, however, because all Christians are dispersed and longing to go home. The reality of Heaven is clearer to me now than ever before in my life. In the States, I had moments here and there when I just longed to be in Heaven. Not that I was having a bad day, simply the reality of how perfect Heaven will be overwhelmed me, and I found myself crying, “Come, Lord Jesus, quickly!” Being in Cambodia, I think of the things in America that we have left behind: family, friends, air-conditioned house, clean drinking water, carpet, McDonalds, Chinese Buffet, people who speak my Language, Walmart, deer season, winter weather, and the list goes on and on. The idea is not “woe is me!” It is merely that these longings of a “better” place fill my mind frequently. And now, I find myself making the connection in a more real way about how we should long for Heaven. Because, although I miss home, and long to be there again, I continue the work that God has given me here. I don’t sit at home thinking about how great America would be, and how badly I want a plate of fried rice with General Tso’s Chicken—ok, I do that sometimes. I wake up and go to work. The reality of Heaven being our home does not mean we have no purpose on Earth. The reality of the States being my home does not change the fact that God has a purpose for me here. When I see the connection between my longing for the States and my longing for Heaven, it helps me to fight off homesickness, and it builds my hope. Because one day, whether or not I ever make it back to the States, I will inevitably be in Heaven. The uncertainty of going to my temporary home in the States is remedied by the certainty of my being in Heaven, when God has accomplished all He wants to through me. And so I have hope. I am longing to go home, and whenever I long to go home to the States, God will remind me that even the States is not really where I belong.

BecauseHeLives,

Micah.  

What Is It!? Used for Edition!

Hey everyone!
It has been a long while, since we came out with a What Is It!? video. I thought it was time to introduce you to something that you all wish you had! I know you all know what a sprayer looks like, but the question on this installment is not "what is it?" but rather "what is it used for?" At the end of this video, you will find the reveal for Episode Three: Food Edition. Let me put the options here below:

a. Toilet Paper
b. Bathroom Cleaner/Toilet Cleaner
c. Feet Washer
d. Combination of Two of the Above

Good luck, and I will reveal the answer in the next episode of WHAT IS IT!?