Now Ain't That Somethin'!

You know, there was something about that caller on Dr. Mohler's show that made me miss the deep South. People tell me that Louisville is still in the South, but I find scarce evidence of that. For one, people here talk too fast and haven't the twang that sets it off. This weekend, I will be going home to celebrate my wife and mother's birthday, and hopefully experience some of that good ole' front porch conversations. Oh, I also just noticed that this is my 400th blogpost. Is there any significance to that? On another note, I made a new friend tonight at work. I found this particularly exciting. At UPS, new hires come through like there are revolving doors (ridiculous turnover), but I kind of like it because it gives me new people to talk to, new relationships to build, new people to share the gospel with. However, this new hire on our belt is particularly interesting to me. I first thought he was from Torino because I saw a guy who looked just like him at the Olympics. But it was even better than that. You see, he is from Iran. Many of you probably don't know this, but my family is from Iran, and I am a first generation American (on my mother's side). My family speaks Farsi and Assyrian, along with English, of course. My grandfather, Vardeh Bet-sayad, was killed in a car accident in Iran so I never had the opportunity to meet him. I do have, however, a biography of him which includes much about the Bet-sayad family history. I guess you could say that I have a particular interest in Iranians. A couple of years ago, I purchased a Farsi-English New Testament from the Voice of the Martyrs (see also their blog) and haven't found much use for it. Unfortunately, I was not taught much Farsi or Assyrian growing up, so my language skills are woefully inadequate. Yet it is my hope and prayer that I could employ God's Word to reach this fellow UPSer (at this point, I don't know his name, only that he has been in the U.S. for five years) in the days ahead so that he can know of the love of Jesus Christ. Also, I am looking to bring my grandfather's bio to work to hopefully use it as a medium to talk further about Iran and family life. I ask that you pray for this situation, that God would marvellously work in such a dynamic and undeniable way that it would be obvious to my new friend as well as the rest of the belt that Jesus is better than anything in this world, and that He should be their Treasure. If you have been keeping up with P&P for a while, you may remember the "Don't Waste Your Life" deal that Dan and I lead. Well, it has ended for some time (with around 18 UPSers reading the book), and the Thursday night meetings have turned into a study where I am leading some guys through Grudem's Systematic Theology in the UPS cafeteria. It is my desire to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ everywhere - to those who are being saved as well as to those who are perishing. The guys coming are eager to know and apply the truths of God, and it is exciting to join them in "keeping a close watch on ourselves and our teaching" (1 Tim. 4:16). May God be pleased to reveal himself gloriously and graciously. With all the news about Iran, nukes, and the possible/inevitable conflict on the horizon, let us not forget the Iranian people (or the Iraqis for that matter). Christ came for all people, including those in the "axis of evil." May we pray for their salvation that they may join that heavenly chorus to extol the infinite worthiness of Him who holds the key to every heart.

"For I wish that myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Romans 9:3