tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21472056935542058062024-03-13T06:29:39.035-07:00JonathonS.A MISSION TO THAILANDJonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-12780205835460638432012-07-02T23:04:00.002-07:002012-07-02T23:04:52.628-07:00In Jesus Name.<span style="font-size: large;"> I had the amazing chance of going to the north of Thailand. The first leg of the trip was just up to a town did not know its name but it was on the ocean just south of Thailand. We stayed at a retreat for missionaries called the Juniper Tree. It was very relaxing and much needed for us all. I met missionaries from India, and Pakistan. There were many other countries represented but those were the ones I remembered the most. Unfortunately I really did not get to talk with many of them for very long, as we only stayed for a few days and I just did not have the chance.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Then we went to Bangkok for a church conference. We got to stay in a hotel that was alright but after the Juniper tree it just seemed a little on the dive side. The location however was the best because it was just a few steps from the church where the conference was. The worship leader was so cool, had so much joy. Though I did not know the words or songs it was easy to worship with. The conference was good as well. After the conference on the first night we were hungry. Walking around the immediate area we found that nothing was open. Nothing except one bar which none of us wanted to go to because it was a real shady bar. Plus it was next to the hotel and the church so on top of not wanting to be in the bar we were hoping that no one from the conference would see us there.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> After a little debate on whether or not we should go in there hunger won out. It was James Jordan and I, for the girls were tired and wanted to go to bed. The bar did have food but it proved to be everything we had expected. It had bargirls and ladyboys loud karaoke music and just felt really oppressive in there. We ordered are food and waited and waited. The longer we waited the less I wanted to be in there. Finally the food arrived. The music was so loud that when we prayed for the food we had to pray really loud just to hear it. Just at the end of the prayer the song stopped and all you could hear was a really loud "IN JESUS' NAME." I am not one to super spiritualize everything but it really changed the atmosphere in there. When the music came back on the turned it down, it just felt different in there. As we were eating though the music came back up and things resumed as they were before we got there. I know that if only for a minute maybe more the name of Jesus changed the spiritual climate in that bar.</span><br />
<br />JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-82648135187864491862012-06-08T23:35:00.002-07:002012-06-08T23:35:41.425-07:00Jesus would look in their eyes.<span style="font-size: large;">I went to Patong the other day. We go their a few times a week to worship on the street, and pray and walk around. Patong is the place in phuket that is notorious for prostitution and drugs and parties. We have been looking around for a place for a church plant and God had directed our way to a street in the red light district. This street is where all Ladyboys do their business. It was hard walking down that street. There were bars on both sides of the street. On one side of the street all the Ladyboy's come out to try to get your attention. In the bars across the street are a bunch of white men looking at the ones they want to rent for the night. Heavy, the air was thick. And as the Ladyboys would come out to meet us I was not able to look in their eyes. Not that I wanted to look down on them. I just did not want them to think I was there for what they thought I would be. I did not know how to look them in the eyes. How? When all they know is rich white men come and use them for their own gratification. The prostitutes both male and female are trying to do just one thing. Survive. Live as well as they can. I found it hard to look in the bar girls eyes as well. I pray next time I will be able to look them in the eyes because I know that Jesus would look them in the eyes.</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-8070535911806398242012-05-30T09:35:00.001-07:002012-05-30T09:36:54.198-07:00Reflections<span style="font-size: large;">God is so Good. I mean really good. Patient, caring, loving, longsuffering, faithful, gracious. Every word I have to describe Him wouldn't be enough. He has fulfilled promises, prayers and supplications beyond measure, and that is just my testimony among who knows how many billion others. When I first got to Thailand my friends took me to a beach and I got to swim in the Indian Ocean. The beach looked like something I have seen in pictures in Hawaii. The ocean clear and blue. Water was warm like bathwater. I remember swimming in the Indian Ocean thinking, " Isn't this wild, not ten years ago I was homeless now I am in Thailand." He has fulfilled so many more prayers since I have been here I am staggered, absolutely staggered, by His Grace over my life. I Bless God. I did not know how blessed I am, maybe still do not fully yet. I just want to remain thankful for all He has done.</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-37149682807881639652012-05-23T10:53:00.003-07:002012-05-23T10:53:44.702-07:00If you had one wish<span style="font-size: large;">We had the most amazing night tonight. We went out to the streets to meet some friends we had met the other night who live on the streets of Patong. Now a little info on Patong it is a notorious red light district where well.........lets just say that place is notorious. We went to take some food to people we had met on the street the other night. There were probably five of them living together on the street with two children A few of there names were Gun, Oo, Golf, and Dang, I don't know exactly how to say or spell there names as my Thai pretty much non existent. We had just only met them the other night and didn't know much about them, so we took some food and while it was a little awkward at first with nobody speaking we began asking them questions having Jordan and Lexi interpret. Asking things with an interpreter can be challenging as well because you have to keep all the concepts simple sentences short. We asked them how long they had been on the street where they were from you know stuff like that. We learned that they all wanted jobs but during the off season it was harder to find them. Then it dropped in my spirit to ask "if you could have one wish what would it be. " They all answered "a home" The father of one of the children then added, " It is fine if I live on the street I just want a place for my child." We then told them that we serve a God who listens and answers prayer and asked if they would let us pray for them, which we did. They are so sweet. Pray for them with us. Pray for provision and homes for them. Most importantly that they come to no Jesus. Tonight was such a huge blessing!</span><br />
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<br />JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-48859692015790780582012-05-17T10:25:00.001-07:002012-05-20T10:09:16.771-07:00South of Thailand.<span style="font-size: large;">James and Judy took me to meet the pastor of the church that they are under. Romyen Church in Thailand. He is just a wonderful brother in Jesus. A warm smile and a huge laugh that is just contagious. He pastors around twenty churches in the south of Thailand, including home fellowships. Just a real pleasure to be around. He had really won me over when I asked him what vision God given him for the churches around there. He replied he didn't really have a vision, he just really loved the people there. He went on to explain that not many pastors do not want to work in southern Thailand because of the danger of terrorism. It is a predominately Muslim area in the deep south. They have had a lot of terrorism attacks as well. He had asked me to share about worship with his worship team. Very humbling since this was the first time I had been even remotely in a place that I could be a danger because of my faith. I mean what do you say to a body who faces persecution about worship. I did my best anyway. The pastor recently led a family of Egyptian Muslims to Christ. Since then the family had to move to the north of Thailand because they were receiving death threats. So lets join in prayer for the Southern Romyen Church. For protection and provision and Christ to be received among the Muslims. I got to eat and worship and pray with this church just so sweet, so amazingly special.</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-73219650230287875472012-05-17T10:04:00.002-07:002012-05-18T18:20:37.592-07:00The Whirlind of Thailand<span style="font-size: large;">Got off the plane, hot and muggy, different smells and sounds. A little disconcerted until I saw my friend James had made it to the airport. After a week I have learned a little. First, there are traffic laws but they are more just suggestions. Traveling around is a series of near misses and close calls. Second, the people are so amazing. Eating and hospitality is a big deal. People who make a fraction of what people make in the states will not stop serving great food. Third, Phuket is a dangerous place for someone trying to serve God. A modern day Sodom and Gamorrah. A city that rents or sells outright her children to rich foreigners for a hefty profit. Not everyone is like that in the city mind you. A lot of really nice people just trying to make a way. It still had my head spinning most of the week, but i really love it. Such an amazing time!</span><br />
<br />JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-26797681310238987152012-05-11T09:02:00.002-07:002012-05-17T10:31:44.164-07:00The trip over.<span style="font-size: large;">This flight could not have been much better. I met a new friend Naga, who was flying to malaysia for a funeral of a nephew who died of lukemia. She was very nice and really well traveled so she showed me what to do at all of the airports we stopped at. It was really cool just getting to know her. She told me all about her family and what it was like being educated in malaysia and coming to america and her family. Really well traveled, makes that flight every two years. Invaluable advice about the culture. Just seemed that God had her there to make the trip not only less confusing but way more bearable.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">God is so Good.</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-6969212639800755362012-05-06T23:40:00.001-07:002012-05-06T23:40:47.458-07:00What do I give?Sorry it has been way too long since my last post. Sometimes I get on and try to write thing but just draw a blank. Anyway, the Lord has recently been asking me "If I don't have any food or anything monetary to give what will I give people." If anyone reading this doesn't know what I do well I live at City of Refuge and we serve people with food and prayer and worship. We always have something to give. Weather it be food, clothing, or prayer. Now when I am blessed to go somewhere where I don't know a language and have very little monetary to give the Lord is asking me this. When thinking about it I think it is just myself, hopefully whatever God has put inside me that is Him. Trying to spread joy or just spend time with someone, maybe singing a song. I don't know but I get the sense that this is going to be a very stretching time in a way. In another way it really kind of suits how I have lived my life "back in the day." Well when I younger I used to travel a bit. Any how I am just a few days away from finding out. What an awesome adventure this is going to be!JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-41349346723290516692012-04-17T21:11:00.001-07:002012-04-17T21:11:44.938-07:00God is FaithfulGod is so faithful,<br />
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The Lord has been teaching me to trust Him. Especially in the small things. Don't get me wrong He has done huge things in my life lately. Still I get the sense that He wants my trust for every little thing. Now He is teaching me in the thing I have been failing at. Just trust Me. Still I worry about stuff, my visa, switching planes, failures and everything else my mind wanders off to when I don't focus on Him. Any time my focus is off who He is, what He has done, His goodness, His Love, His faithfulness, I begin to fear. Still even then He says just trust.JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-19900253555504830272012-04-02T20:32:00.001-07:002012-04-02T21:49:10.359-07:00The Lord is my Provider<span style="font-size: large;"> Well what can I say other than God is good. He has provided all the support I need for my trip to Thailand! He has been so gracious to me! Even though at times my faith would waiver and I would entertain thought's like, "maybe you didn't hear right." Even so God is incredibly faithful. I am so incredibly blessed by everyone's obedience and generosity. Praise be to God! Thanks and much gratitude to everyone who in any way sowed into this. I am going to get my ticket to Thailand in the next few days. I will be blogging throughout the trip and posting when I update through facebook. I still need much prayer so if you think of me please shoot one up for me. </span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-42674072835668348502012-03-25T22:51:00.001-07:002012-03-25T22:51:18.221-07:00Progress report<span style="font-size: large;">Everything has been going well so far. Though not as quickly as i would like. I had imagined when God had led me to do this it would be a bit easier. However, when The Lord is trying to develop faith in a person I think it is probably designed to be quite stretching. I have never really been that good at waiting. So please pray for me that I would just be encouraged as well as an encouragement to people around me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-73065011652420126632012-03-11T22:26:00.001-07:002012-03-11T22:26:03.637-07:00The emotions of God<span style="font-size: large;"> Till recently I have always viewed God as kinda stoic. You know, sitting up there in heaven really serious and kind of angry. Thinking about Jesus the other day, the spirit started bringing up scriptures to me about the emotions of Jesus. Luke 10:21 Jesus rejoices in the Spirit. In the greek the wording suggests shouting and leaping with joy. In Mathew 14:14 Jesus is moved with compassion. That word is splanchnizomai and basically means emotion from your guts. To be moved from inside with deep compassion. Splanchnizomai is directly the cause for at least five miracles in Scripture. From driving out money changers to weeping when Lazarus died Jesus is filled with deep emotion. When I also think of the Scripture when Jesus says "I only do what I see the Father do." I am amazed to think of God the Father jumping for joy, moved with compassion, even weeping with us and for us.</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-91946208279646906622012-03-02T22:55:00.000-08:002012-03-02T22:57:29.454-08:00Storms in life<span style="font-size: large;">In a bible study this week I we studied in Mark chapter 4 the story where the wind and waves obey Jesus. And a particular part of a verse in it stood out to me. When the disciples were scared and the ship seemed to be going down. They wake up Jesus, who is asleep in the boat, with this comment, "Teacher do you not care we are perishing?" It sounded somewhat familiar.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I had a particular storm in life and when going through it, well it just didn't seem to me like God really cared. Just could not see Him past my pain. Jesus saw me through the storm, got me to the other side. I think that is part of His lesson to me today. His promise to bring me to completion when I choose to follow him. Though at the bible study I could imagine him say "How is it you have no faith?" Wonder if His rebuke was that they didn't think they would get to the other side, or that He didn't care if they perished in the storm.</span><br />
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<br />JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-58736738906691153972012-02-26T22:55:00.001-08:002012-02-26T22:55:05.636-08:00More financial blessings this week I now have 480 dollars for the trip! Only need 2020 more. Praise God! <br />
JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-9133939855864610852012-02-21T12:36:00.000-08:002012-02-21T12:53:12.146-08:00Pressing in.<span style="font-size: large;">I was reading in the Word the other day and God gave me a daydream of sorts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> There was a multitude of people around this Man. He seemed like he was in hurry but could not walk very fast because of the crowd. A woman was desperately trying to get through the crowd, who were mostly men. She wasn't used to physical contact. As a matter of fact, she was considered unclean due to a physical ailment which eluded the physicians of her day. Nevertheless, she steeled herself plunging boldly into the crowd. Fighting every inch that would take her closer to her goal. Purposed with the thought, "if i can only touch His garment I will be made well." Squeezing herself into every spot she could fit herself, closer, and closer she drew near. Then, finally she seized the corner of His garment.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> A warmth shot through her body! Deep within herself she knew, she was healed. Immediately, the Man stops, loudly saying, "who touched me, who touched my clothes." Someone replies "everyone is touching you, how can you ask that." The crowd parted like the Red Sea leaving only her and Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Scared and trembling she fell before Him. On her hands and knees, looking toward the ground as she told Him her story. Slowly, she dared to look up. He was half smiling almost marveling at her with a look of love and compassion that really took her aback. "Daughter," He said, "Shalom, your faith has made you well. Go and be healed of your affliction."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is a Scripture in Mark that I have often meditated on. When God gave me this picture of it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">it took on a bit of a new meaning for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">About a person who was pressing in for God,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">About a person who didn't let culture and fear sway her from her goal,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">About a person who was desperate, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">About a person whose faith took action About a person God honored.</span><br />
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JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147205693554205806.post-6468553387164116412012-02-14T22:21:00.000-08:002012-02-14T22:22:44.057-08:00Hey,<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I believe the Lord has been calling me out to a deeper trust in Him. As I have been obedient to what I believe He is saying He has given me many confirmations to His Words He has spoken to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">One of the newest confirmations is got my first contribution of 280 dollars! Only need 2220 dollars to go.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Praise God!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Jonathon</span>JonathonS.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16262675558872387828noreply@blogger.com0