Do we Follow or are we Saddened

I have been giving a lot of thought to the conversation between Jesus and the rich young man. Jesus’s words were profound, “go sell all that thou has and follow me”. (Luke 18:22) I can hear the echo of those very words in my soul. WE all want to rush after Jesus, and have him touch and bless our lives….But, when he puts us to the test……we too walk away saddened.

Jesus did not pursue the young man to make a different bargain with him…He just let him go.

Until we are willing to totally surrender our lives, dying to our wants, and selfish ambitions; we will always walk away saddened.

If our very lives mean more to us than following Jesus; we do not know him, nor will we ever know him.

WE have not given him our heart….all we have is religion, which is an expression of works through duty. We are no better than the Sadducee’s and the Pharisees. Our righteousness is to exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees, if we wish to enter the Kingdom. (Matthew 5:20)

The young man had a form of Godliness….. Oh, yes, he was religious, but when he could not surrender his wants, ambitions, and wealth, he denied the power of a living God.

When we do not surrender everything…we stagnate and drift away saddened…… and Jesus does not pursue us. He longs for us to return to Him.

Go Make Disciples

“Go and preach the gospel to all nations.” We are exposed to the great commission through the words of Jesus Christ……Go and preach…But, it does not just stop with preaching. He continues and tells us to make disciples. The term “disciple” is derived from the Koine Greek word mathetes, which is translated, a pupil or an apprentice, coming to English by way of the Latin discipulus meaning a learner or student. All throughout the New Testament we see Jesus building men and women into disciples. If we consider ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ, then we are called to go forth and multiple. This duplication process can only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. The spirit leads us into ALL truth. The spirit reveals the wholeness of God’s word coming to life in us. When this happens our hearts are transformed, softened and we are pliable in the Masters hands. We then become obedient to HIS will. Our hearts are bent towards the hearts of those God places in our path to lead. Our preaching becomes a living testimony and writing that is not written with pen or ink, but by the spirit.  We start to impact those around us by the way we behave. “Be a doer of the word, not a hearer only”. They are drawn to us by the spirit that dwells in us. They see our love, joy, peace and contentment, and desire what we have. We become the teachers by the power of the spirit, and they become the disciples…and the process of multiplication takes place…… AND GOD gets THE GLORY!

Many Missionary teams have left behind the security of Paris or other great cities, having the opportunity to not only bring the great commission to the nations, but to make disciples.

 

Seeking The Kingdom of God

Seek First the Kingdom Of God.

Seems funny that such a simple concept goes unheeded and unnoticed so much! Jesus, came to give us life, and a more abundant life. Then why is it, that we don’t seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of Jesus?

Life becomes busy, hectic, and other interests take our hearts away from the true goal of relationship with our Jesus, and being led by the Spirit. If we believe that Jesus is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, our hearts and minds should be draw toward HIM and not away from him. Why do we let things come between us and our Lord? The true answer is we don’t KNOW HIM. We get to know each other by spending time in each other’s presence.  Yet the only time most of us get in the presence of God, is when disaster strikes. Have we become a society that is self-focused? Bless me Lord, oh please bless me! Blessing s also comes through tears.  One who know his master, understands that tears may endure for a night; but joy comes in the morning. Thank God, Jesus doesn’t give us every single thing we ask for.

Jesus clearly gave us a new commandment (not bound by rules and regulations) to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and with all your strength.’ And Love your neighbor as yourself. The heart is wicked above all things as stated in the Old Testament. The natural heart is deceitful and can be deceived easily. The soul is the persona of a person…however, it will lean to either the things of God through the Spirit, or the things of the flesh which are carnal and lustful. The mind is the battle ground that is either given over to victory in the spirit or defeat through the power of the flesh. And finally our strength is either in HIM (when I am weak HE is Strong) or in our own power and might. The only way we can come into relationship with Jesus is through complete surrender. Hence he will have the permission to take away my stony heart and give me a new heart that is like his heart. He will create in me a clean heart. My soul will be driven to praise through surrender. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My mind will be transformed through HIM renewing it daily. His Spirit will give me a sound mind. My strength will be in him…It is not I that lives, but Christ within me. This is the abundant life…….coming (just as we are) to Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of our faith. Here we are right at the start relationship with Jesus. The Kingdom of God is within, yup…that’s right…right inside of us….needing to be surrendered …just given over to a God that is kind, merciful, unselfish, caring, and loving. But we have to seek to want that relationship. That means we have to spend time with the one we love. Is that one Jesus? There is true freedom in surrender which brings the fruit of abundant life!!!

Identifying with the Suffering of Christ

This is the last thing any of us, really want to do. Suffer! We have been programed to identify with the blessings, and not with the suffering of Christ.  Hence, my prayers sent forth to meet only my needs? Or, do I, truly care deeply about those that God sends my way? If we are honest with ourselves, we generally look to getting our own needs met. I’m not saying that God does not care about what we have need of; but, generally our wants, get confused with our needs. Paul said, ” it is not I that lives, but Christ within me that lives”.  God does want us whole and entire and wanting nothing.  However, that really means he is more interested in the growth in our spirit, rather than the satisfaction of the flesh. Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the fiery trials that you may go through; but rejoice that you are a partaker in the sufferings of Christ.  The scriptures clearly states that we are going to travel a narrow road; and along that path there will be suffering……

But this life is not about our comfort. When we come into a personal relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes over….our life is not our own. How can I have the heart of Jesus, if I have never faced adversity? How can I have compassion or mercy, on those that are facing hard times, if I have not sat in the same seat? We are to be God’s workmanship created for good works in Christ, let me emphasize IN CHRIST…being in Christ I am a joint heir, a partaker of his divine nature. I am to be HIM to the lost and hurting person. It’s not about me being comfortable; but, about me, being able to comfort. Can I be an ear to listen to the heart that is breaking?  Can I feed the hungry and cloth the naked, if I can’t remember what it was like to be hungry and go without? When we lack the heart of Christ and have never been in the place of need, we tend to become critical and judgmental when we can’t identify with the pain another might be in. Oh Jesus, I pray you give us your heart for the lost, blind, and hurting world you have placed us in! After all, it is ALL HIM! And he is the one who calls us out of darkness and brings us into HIS glorious light.

I am thankful, to God for those that sacrifice their lives to go out on the mission field to minister to a dying and hurting world. I received the below information from my son, about this one precious sister who is trying to raise money to go and meet the need within her own culture…here is a little of Joy’s story, Please give generously. Our YWAM sister needs your support!!!!!!! See the link below to donate…God bless you and keep you…until we meet again.

http://www.youcaring.com/mission-trip-fundraiser/help-joy-to-go-to-a-gathering-for-chinese-christian-destiny-/256702

My name is Joy who was born and raise in the main land of China. I became Christian in 1997 and I have been serving with missionary organization called YWAM since 2007. Right now I am serve the base of Paris.

It’s been 7 years God has led me into the journey of understanding my identity as Chinese in the kingdom of God base on my identity on Christ. As more and more understanding the destiny of Chinese in the kingdom of God and More and more I love the nations, my heart just has full and deep burden for my people. I want my people to raise up to get the heart of Father and to bless all the nations through bring the gospel back to Jerusalem.

There is a gathering in Jerusalem on 9th of November, for the Chinese Christian to walk into our destiny with all nations as one body.

I do need people to support me with finances and prayer. I need €1500 for the airfare, registration fee, food, accommodation and other transportation etc.

Please pray for me and to support me as you could. And if you are interested about my mission vision and want to support with for short term and long term mission, you could contact me with email, I could sent you my newsletter. I need brothers and sisters in body of Christ to walk with me together to see God’ will be fulfilled!

May God bless you abundantly in the all area of your life and knowing more of Him HYPERLINK  \l “gallery” HYPERLINK  \l “supporters” HYPERLINK  \l “comments”

Waiting on God!

Sometimes we seek God about different things and we get an immediate response, either a yes or a definite no. But, I have often found that the hardest answer is: Wait.

I have brought these things before the Lord repeatedly, just to see if I can get God to change the wait to a yes. Have you ever done that? I know that our natural nature is the opposite of the spirit man; therefore, the Adamic nature wants its way!

Waiting requires, trust and a whole lot of patience! First off, trusting, that God has our backs, or our best interest, at heart; see, we tend to think we know what is best for our lives. But, frankly, you and I don’t see the BIGGER PICTURE. Remember (according to the word), supposedly our life is not our own; and our times are in HIS hands. Secondly, God sets things in order for himself; there is a right timetable.  Waiting for God to get things in place can make the journey a rewarding one. Waiting teaches us about God’s sovereignty; he is in complete control, and he can do what he wants. Waiting forms our trust! In Psalms it says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. We are forced to TURST HIM, rather than run ahead of him. I will look to the hills from where my help comes from.

So when you go to him repeatedly, and he lovingly whispers,” wait, or just wait”, do just that; remember, He know the plans that he has for you, plans for good and not for evil, with a hopeful and expected end.

Albeit, no matter how lovingly he might say this, you and I still have the propensity to try to figure out what he is up to. When the missionary team has deadlines to meet, and other people waiting for answers, it often hard to “just wait”; But, this is where he is making the team, to go forth and do HIS work…..right in the place of waiting. This is where the team learns to trust HIM and each other; Waiting for finances, waiting for direction, waiting for the prompting of the Holy Spirit, being instant in season and out of season. This is where the team learns about each other’s gifting, and God can perform the miracle of UNITY in THE Spirit. SO just Wait……..They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, the will mount up with wings of eagles, they shall run and not be weary…………..so JUST WAIT.

Donations can be made to YWAM Paris link http://ywamparis.com/donate.html

Being reconciled to God

 You know we talk a lot about salvation. We even desire salvation for friends and Family members. But do we really press in to pray for these that God has placed in our path; for one reason or another. The guy we work with, the girl at the grocery store, the homeless man we pass as we drive to work each day. These are all divine appointments. Over the years I have heard Christians say,” Well, my ministry is not to the lost. I have a healing ministry, I’m not an intercessor. Well, the bible clearly states we are to be like Jesus. Hence, he was and is the great intercessor making intercession for us continually. Do we really have the heart of Jesus for those that are lost and wandering in a word full of confusion?

See it takes obedience to intercede. It’s not convenient to pray, well at least not in the flesh nature. It is our spirit that makes intercession. Jesus tells us “love never fails”. His love is unconditional. It’s not based one’s performance level!!!!! He loves us and he loves those that he has placed in our eyes view. Jesus told the father to keep those that he had given him. He also said he prays for us, but he does not pray for those that he has called us to pray for.

Yes, we all get pretty busy. Jesus understands where you and I are in the scope of life’s things. Some of us are in hard places, suffering loss and heartbreak. You and I look for instant gratification, and we want instant results when we pray. But, frankly God’s timetable is not our time table. When we start to intercede, for the one that God has directed us to pray for; he starts to show us what to pray for and how to pray for them. Now granted, when you have been praying for an individual for about a year and you still see no fruit, you tend to give up and go on to someone or something else. Stop: don’t give up: HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS.

He recently spoke to me when I was praying for one of these little lambs for some time. I was frustrated because I did not see a change. The Holy Spirit made it clear to me, that his love for this individual was not based on the individual’s performance……He loves this one, unconditionally. Therefore, my heart must be aligned with the Heart of Jesus…..not looking for anything…or any signs, but just pressing through and on for this one in the spirit. God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son……Is our love unconditional, can we carry the burden for the lost; even when we see no fruit? Are we willing to say that his BANNER OVER US IS LOVE; therefore, the banner over the individuals he has placed in our path is his pure love shall we continue to ask Jesus to reconcile that one to the father?

This is what the missionary does. They go into unchartered waters and bring the love of Jesus. Not looking for a reward or something in return, JUST Bringing JESUS and HIS PURE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. The Holy Spirit can work with that surrendered saint in order to touch the heart of those that are lost, because they have no Agenda. Souls are saved through the power of God’s love, as these faithful servants feed the hungry and cloth the naked, Reaching out their hands to the unlovable , the unwanted, and the unclean. Maybe, I can’t go to Africa, or Asia, to fulfill God’s great commission. But he has given you and I our own mission field. Let’s be diligent and not weary in well doing, for if we faint not we will reap the benefits.

What is you mission field? Is it in your workplace in the USA? Is it on the streets of Paris or Marseille? Or have you been called to a mission ministry in YWAM or some other mission. Where every God has placed you….Do the work he has set before you with all your heart and soul……and trust GOD to do the saving….His ear is not deaf unto our cries, nor is his hand shortened that it cannot save.  You and I intercede and trust him to do the rest.

God bless you my blogging brothers and sisters!!!!

The Journey

I have not had a chance to write in several months. My heart is still for missions and the people of France, and an organization called YWAM. But I also have a heart for those that have been wounded and bruised. So today we taka a different journey..one that lead inward… 

All of us have wounds in our life that can’t be erased easily. They affect how we approach every aspect of life. God desires us to be whole. He is able to deliver us from our pains and wounds. First we must come to the revelation that we are in need of healing. We often say that Healing is for someone else, we fail to see the connection in our own life. We look at the ones who have more trauma than we have. Our pride helps us to stuff and burry our emotional state until it ruins our image of who we are, and any relationship we are in. Hence we become slave to our sorrows.

How liberating to be free….we dream of this..but fail to see that we  are bound by our hurts. It is so much easier to blame someone else for out condition; remaining trapped in bitterness and forgiveness. The journey to the fountain is a personal passage each of us has a choice in making in order to be cleansed and set free. “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1)

THE JOURNEY OF FAITH

Looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. The journey of Faith is a lifelong voyage. One really can’t say how the journey starts; but rest assured the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. It is up to us to embrace that truth. The more truth we embrace the more our faith grows; Just like a plant grows when it is watered. Not all journeys are the same. Each of us is unique and individual to the plan and purpose that God has for our life. Therefore, we cannot compare someone else’s faith journey with ours. We can experience a bond of fellowship, a kindred spirit, and a love bond with those that walk on the same path as we do, but our course and growth in our faith is our own unique experience.

God will call all of us to places where he stretches our faith. One of those places is trusting God for provision. A missionary lives by the hand of Gods providence. This requires prayer, asking God to provide and Warfare to remove the obstacles that hinder one from receiving from God. Then thanking God for the gifts received. Simple right? Not always. This is where God stretches our faith…….in the process of waiting. They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength….. Through the process of waiting our faith grows, and we see the Father for who he really is a patient loving provider.

YWAM Paris is readying themselves for the trip to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam; their faith is being stretched. They are in the process of waiting for God to provide all the finances they have need of. As givers (you & I), God is stretching our faith to become joyful givers. We have a golden opportunity to grow when we give. Why not give now?

For Ywam send you donations to: Email gemparis19@gmail.com they can direct you to a paypal account

 

Words from Jemima: Marseille

Dear friends and Prayer-partners,

Greetings again from Marseille ! It’s raining….yeah ! … the Lord is cleaning up the city… !!

Here’s some news from France:

 

LYON: the YW..AM staff leaders conference was wonderful ! Some 280 people from various bases in Western and Central Europe. 3 days of worship, prayer, praise, intercession, sharing, eating together, networking…. and LOOOOONG walks (3 hours per day: from hotel to meeting, from meeting to dining-hall, from dining-hall to hotel, from hotel to meeting, from meeting to hotel…. ). BUT great walks, along the Rhone river, looking at house-boats and, in the evening, admiring the lit up city.

We met in a old protestant cathedral and when 250 + on fire for God people start worshipping, then the heavens roar ! At times, I looked at the walls of the cathedral, and wondered, but those walls were strong. And it must have been powerful in the Spirit because at the very end of the conference, I had this strange encounter: we were all getting ready to leave, small groups still huddled together, saying their good-byes, exchanging addresses.. when this young man unexpectedly sprang up in front of me:

“What on earth is going on here ? Isn’t this a church ?”

“Sure, it’s a church”

“What are all these people doing here ? I can feel something powerful. Isn’t church normally boring ?”

“Well, it can be boring, but not if people are on fire for Jesus. That’s what you’re picking up here. “

“I’m not interested in Jesus. But wow, something is oozing out of you all. It’s awesome… I’ll just hang out here and pick up the good vibes… “

He didn’t want more info, so I left him to “ooze it” out… God will send him another encounter.

Back in Marseille… my two cats mercilessly ignored me when I returned.. so maybe I really should get myself a dog… nice to have someone welcome you back home…. let my Garfield’s fight it out with a dog…. blahh…

More news another time….

Many many blessings, thank you for prayers, support, friendship and let me know how I can pray for you…

Jemima

Donations for Jemima may be sent to: Pay pal account set up for Truth & Freedom Ministry9all donations tax deductible) Paypal account ppaddy54@comcast.net. All the funds will be transferred down to Jemima.

 

SETTING FORTH TO PREACH THE GOSPEL YWAM PARIS

As the YWAM Paris team prepares for their DTS(Discipleship training school). I had some thoughts I wanted to share with those of you following this blog.  Christianity is under attack worldwide. When I was growing up people of faith were respected and had rights. Today you can’t mention the name of Jesus in public without being silenced. We live in troubled times; Wars and rumors of wars and Extreme changes in the weather patterns.  Many of the scripture foretell of the days we seem to be living in. WE seem to be coming to the end of an age.

However, Jesus said to be of good cheer for he has overcome the world. Sometimes, we as children of the king forget that we were bought with a price, because we are influenced by what we see around us. However, we have a great heritage; we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, therefore, we become a partaker in his divine nature. We have a legacy that cannot be destroyed, BECAUSE IT IS ETERNAL; Hence; the need for all to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 What is the Gospel? Is it the salvation experience, or the words of Jesus that where written 2000 years ago? Jesus told his disciples to preach the gospel to all the ends of the world. When Jesus walked as a man, he was a living example of the word come to life. He showed love, mercy, and compassion to those he touched. He healed, delivered and set the captives free. He didn’t save anyone. Salvation belongs to God.  He was the perfect atonement for our sins through his shed blood. But, he did offer those he affected a way to life eternal through repentance and following HIM. Paul says we are to be epistles not written with pens and ink, but living examples of how the power of God has transformed lives. We don’t do the work, we live the work…….That’s what these modern day disciples of Ywam are preparing for, being lively living stones. They are setting forth on a journey to BE JESUS where ever there footsteps lead them in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Won’t you help them? They need your prayers, and your support. If you can make a financial commitment or offering, I know God will bless you. Contact the link below:   Email  gemparis19@gmail.com

YWAM/PARIS COOL OUTREACH VIDEO

Check out the cool video that YWAM/Paris did for their mission’s outreach 2014. I promise you will love the artistic creativity.

http://youtu.be/d96nFGfhfEQ