Thursday, August 7, 2008

The land of Canaan



It's been really interesting to follow the chronology of the Pentateuch so far. I just wanted to share a revelation God gave to me today through the lives of the Israelites. Quick history backround: The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, Moses leads the people out of Egypt into the wilderness, God promises to bring them to a land that flowed with milk and honey (blessed in every way). I started to think about the symbolism of "the land of Canaan" and what it represents to us as Christians today and realised that it was a representation of walking in the fullness of God's promise, the spiritual land of milk and honey that is because of our faith in Jesus. The challenge is; people can accept this truth as Christians but never walk in the riches. It is possible to escape Egypt and never enter Canaan. It is possible to be saved and never walk into the fullness of what God has planned for our lives. Why do some of the Israelites never make it into the Promise Land? Disobedience and a lack of faith.
I hope this is as challenging for you as it is for me.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
I'm praying for transformation in Lakeside...the hope of the world

In the service of Jesus Christ
-Jer

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him...
Ephesians 1:3

Friday, August 1, 2008

Why me?



I've decided that my favourite books are Genesis and Revelation. To know that from the
beginning God's love overflowed to create mankind and how from the very end of history God continues to pursue man. There is an incredible sense of purpose that ignites in me when I know that from the beginning God intended for me to be in relationship with him and that my life is more that just living and dying but that he gives me the oportunity to partner with im in his mission to seek and save the lost in this broken world. We are not fenced in to a small existance but are created for so much more!

"i can't tell you how much i long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as i can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!"2 Cor 6:11-13 'Message'


learning to Love


-Jer

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Old Testament


Hey guys, just wanted to let you know i started the Old Testament today. This past few weeks have probably been the hardest since I've been here. I've never felt so grateful and privileged about reading the scripture and at the same time being so exhausted that I just want to hybernate for a month. I am so thankful to be here in Taiwan studying this incredible book. I cant believe its already been four months have been here. In no time this school is going to be over and I'm going to be looking back at this time. Anyways, just wanted you to know that I am giving it my all in this time and that God is so faithful to lead me on. Please pray for a renewal of energy.

Learning to Love


Jer

"we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are perishing" -2 Corinthians 2:15

Saturday, June 21, 2008

1st Quarter done!







I have finished my first quarter of SBS! There has been so much good that has come out of this time I'm so excited to see what is going happen when we get into the Old Testament in the second quarter. In the mean time I have a 10 day break where I fully plan on some R&R! I will be leaving tomorrow on a high speed train to the southern side of Taiwan to a place called "kenting" where beaches are apparently really nice. I am sooo in need of this break, it will be good to be able to digest all I've learnt in the first quarter and get rejuvenated for the second quarter. Hope everythings going well back home.

Love you guys..
In the service of Jesus Christ



Jer


(the last pictures are taken inside a Hot Pot restaurant we went to the other night. Great food! Still haven't aquired the taste for organs yet...im ok with this.)


Saturday, May 31, 2008

Yeaahhh!















Hey Guys


I'm sure a lot of you are wondering what's been going on in my life in the past month. I haven't exactly been able to update this blog as much as I would have hoped (my sister reminds me every day...) For this I am sorry! But I do want to thank you all for sticking with me in prayers throughout these past few months. I can't believe how fast time has gone by since I've been here. We've almost finished the New Testament of the bible!


I am doing fantastic. Things just keep getting better and better every day..Lately i've noticed a lot about how life works in terms of moods and emotions and how my level of zealousness can skyrocket to high spiritual peaks and then can so easily plummet into low valley's of doubt, fear and anger... I've witnessed this bizarre human phenomenon a lot since I've been here. The truth is...this time has not been easy, I've mentioned in previous updates that God has been exposing area's of pride and fear in my life. God is disassembling me. When you rebuild an engine, you have to replace broken or worn down parts, you have to adjust timing, you have to upgrade, renew and reassemble. I feel like all my parts are on the floor of the shop right now, but God is gently picking up each part and fixing it, buffing it, and adjusting it so that it will be able to run at its full potential. This process is painful but i know that as God continues to assemble me, I'm going to be able run like I've never been able to run before. It says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God's power is made perfect in my weakness.. I guess this is what I'm learning in SBS so far, if all these trials bring me closer to Jesus I want to walk willingly into them. The apostle Paul suffered numerous persecutions and imprisonments and was still able to say "for i have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound."

One really kool story lately, I was able to help staff at this Christian concert in the city of Taipei a few days ago where all these professional bands from Korea came to play. This is a very rare occasion in Taiwan since there is like a 2% population of Christians. You can see in these pictures above all the Buddhist temples surrounding the area and actually while these bands were playing there was a ceremony going on for a foreign god. It was a very powerful night, by the end of the concert I looked around and saw hundreds of Taiwanese lifting their arms praising God in the pouring rain. It was very inspiring...
On a darker note...the last few days there has been a holiday called the "dragon boat festival" which is one of the three major holidays in Taiwan. There has been non-stop parades every day and night where they would light fire works, burn incense, and publicly mutilate their bodies for their gods. You look at these people and they look possessed, I cant explain how real it is. It is hard not to judge these people but they have been believing these lies for centuries, believing that their ancestors will somehow rewards them for their earthly sacrifices..Please pray for Taiwan and our school that is caught in the middle of this.

I just want to make a public declaration to you all that I am going for it. I am not turning back, I am a servant of God and I am available for his use, however he pleases. I am willing to die to myself. I am sick of this fear I have had my whole life of rejection of failure, of commitment, of what others think. I'm going for it guys. Thanks again for support in my life, I'm so lucky to have people that take a genuine interest in my life.
Like Ed Granger would say "It is a privilege to serve our God with you"

Willing to be changed,
In the service of Jesus Christ

Jer
"The mature Christians I have met along the way are those who have failed and have learned to live gracefully with their failure. Faithfulness requires the courage to risk everything on Jesus, the willingness to keep growing, and the readiness to risk failure throughout our lives."
-Brennan Manning

















Saturday, May 17, 2008

Radi!







We have a new roommate from Cambodia named Radi. He's been in Vietnam for the past month waiting for the government of Taiwan to accept his visa and now has finally been approved to enter the country.

We start my favourite book of the bible next week. ROMANS!