Like the title says, so much has been going on since the major update I last posted. Let's get started.
Answers to prayer:
1. God is preparing me for leadership and that I believe I am growing in my sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading
2. I believe God has been doing the same for Bonnie, my co-leader
3. THIS IS HUGE!!!! ALL MY SUPPORT IS IN, AND I ALREADY HAVE A SURPLUS! God indeed answers prayer (Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; James 5:16b)! More on this to come in this entry.
4. I will now be making phone calls to donors to thank them for their support. What a blessing!
Elaboration on 3 and 4: Alright, God has provided a small surplus of funds thus far, and I have sent out about 60 more support letters as of today. I am incredibly excited and grateful for this opportunity. Supporters are more than faces, people with money. They are partners in this ministry. They are part of a team that desperately needs their prayer and financial support. I am grateful and honored that my supporters have the opportunity to affect the ministry in the Czech Republic that is bigger than myself. They get to help send others and support the ministry as a whole. What a blessing! You have been part of the answer to prayer of many other interns.
Thank you so much for praying. We are seeing God answer prayers in incredible ways.
Prayer Requests
1. Continue to pray that Bonnie and I walk by the Spirit and grow in wisdom as the internship approaches. We both are striving with God in prayer to be Godly leaders this summer.
2. Many other interns still need support to come in. Please pray that God would provide for them to go this summer.
3. I have two big papers due this coming Monday. Please pray that I would not do them for a grade but that I would learn and grow from doing them and that they would prepare me for ministry this summer.
4. Please pray for God to provide my sister with enough money to attend Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
5. Please pray for the believers we will be encouraging and teaching as we travel throughout the Czech this summer. We will be in the cities of Bohumilice, Strakonice, and Tabor.
6. Please pray for the lost we will be preaching the gospel to and building relationships with. Our desire is that many would come to salvation that God may be glorified.
7. Please pray for our team member, Katherine. She is seeking the Lord for discernment on whether or not to go to the Czech this summer. We really want her to come, and we are praying God would provide financially for her, but we ask that His will be done and not our own.
What a week it has been. Friday, the 17th, I had about $2,000 for the Czech. On Monday, the 27th, it had more than doubled! Not only did God answer prayer, but he blew my expectations out of the water, which is what God usually does.
That's all for now. Enjoying school and friends and life in general here. Can't believe I leave in four weeks.
Also, feel free to comment on here, email me, or call me. I would love to here what is going on in your life. Pray for you and pray with you.
In Christ,
Jonathan
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Major Updates
Wow! A lot has gone on since my last update. This necessitates some context before I jump into prayer requests and then more details.
I have been promoted to co-leader of the intern team this summer. I will be leading alongside Bonnie Boyd who is going to the Czech for two years. This means I will be a part of the training and decision making and spiritual care of our team in a greater capacity and with more responsibility. This is an opportunity I am extremely excited about. Bonnie is a great young woman of God, and to have the opportunity to learn from her and lead alongside her is such a blessing.
Also, we now know who is on our team. Currently, there are four of us: Bonnie, my friend Cory Dimler, Katherine Robertson (from Arkansas and goes to Baylor), and myself. The Josiah Venture staff is also looking for one or two Czech interns to join our team. What a great team. I am also incredibly grateful and excited to serve, serve with, and be a part of leading this team.
On to prayer requests and answers to previous prayer requests after. "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results" (James 5:16b), and your prayers are doing just that. Thank you!:
1. That God would continue to prepare me for this new leadership and that I would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading
2. That God would do the same for Bonnie and fill her with supernatural wisdom as the summer approaches.
3. Support: I, Cory, Katherine, Bonnie, Dan (another intern), and Amanda (another intern) are all raising support, and all of us need more. I currently have $2,015, and I need $4,500 by May 1st. All the other interns are at about the same level or less, and we all have the same deadline. Please pray that God will provide for all of us to go to the Czech and minister this summer, that His name may be praised and many would come to salvation.
4. I will likely be making phone calls to potential donors this coming week. Please pray those conversations would go well, and at the very least I would be able to have a good time of prayer with those I call.
Answers to prayer:
1. I am nearly completely better from my cold. Thank you!
2. More support has come in.
3. Junior/Senior banquet was wonderful, and everything was great.
4. I have been praying more and being more sensitive to the Spirit's leading in this area, and I am seeking out intentional time in the World. Thank you.
Stories and such:
Life has been quite a ride lately. It is increasingly difficult to make time for the important small things - prayer and reading scripture, fellowship, phone calls, and letter writing. The stuff that may only take an hour or less, but there are no due dates or grades, and those things that do have due dates and grades at least are much bigger and seem more important (papers, reading assignments, meetings, etc).
Junior/Senior Banquet (JSB) was great. The guys looked sharp, and all the girls were absolutely beautiful. Dinner was nice, and Dr. Dyer's message was good. It was about suffering and how it produces sanctification and wisdom. He used the illustration of block of steel. Just as it was, it would probably be worth a few dollars, but if it was melted and hammered into horse shoes, it would be worth about $30. However, if it was melted down and made into needles, it would be worth about $350. However, if it was melted and made into high tension springs for Swiss watches, it would be worth about $2,000. This upward value produced by blast furnace after blast furnace and shaping after shaping. What a good picture of sanctification and wisdom through suffering.
Our group at JSB went bowling and to IHOP afterward. It was a ton of fun.
I have been taking Romans with Dr. Zuber this semester, and it has been incredible. I have learned so much and the Spirit has spoken to me in many ways through His word and the wisdom of Dr. Zuber. We just finished Romans 6 (No, we won't finish the book, but his depth is worth it.). I wish I could give you all of it, but I can't. I will give you what will hopefully carry into some good study of the book for yourself.
It comes down to indicative and imperative. The indicative is reality. It is what is true. It is what you ARE. The imperative is what ought to be. It is the implications and commands. Too often, are Christian walk puts imperative before indicative, which is completely wrong. Doing this builds our foundation not on Christ but on what we can or can't do, which we all know is no foundation at all.
Romans 1-6:14 is indicative. Read that again. Romans 1-6:14 is all about what IS. What Jesus has done. Who we are as Christians. Paul makes sure this foundation is firmly laid before any imperative is brought up. In short, here is the indicative: if you are a believer, Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again three days later. Through this He righteoussified (justified) you. This means you are justified by grace through faith ALONE. This means you stand in the righteousness of Christ. This means you died with him, were buried with him, and were raised with him, and God views you as such. Thus, you are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, and thus, His righteousness. Christ died to sin, and you ARE dead to sin. This means you do not need to die to sin or you are dying to sin. It means you ARE dead to it. This is a fact, it is reality. This means you DO NOT have to sin anymore. We were once not able to not sin, but now through Christ's work, we are now able to not sin. Living out of this truth, out of who you ARE produces sanctification.
Now, the imperative: Stop sinning! Just stop it! Christ has brought you to new life. Don't hang the dead corpse around you and drag it around. Christ has given you sight. Don't cover up your eyes and claim to be blind. Christ has given you hearing. Don't cover your ears and claim to be deaf. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIN ANYMORE! You have been broken free from sin and death's chains.
In addition, do not struggle with sin. This will only frustrate you. You are DEAD to sin. Instead, struggle with walking by the Spirit (Romans 8), and by doing so, you will sin less, you will gain moral discernment. Live as who you really are (Romans 1-6:14). Don't try to defeat sin with the law, with a list of do's and don'ts (Romans 7), but instead learn to walk by the Spirit (Romans 8).
What a message, the message we are called to preach and teach, the message I will be bringing to the Czech, the message I am called to tell my friends, the message you are called to tell your friends. May we step out in trust of the Spirit, empowered by Him to reach the world. This is THE message. No other way of salvation for this life and the next exists. May we live boldy as the Spirit has empowered us to do. You are Saints my brothers and sisters. You do not have two natures. You are no Jekyll and Hyde. You are alive to Christ, united with Him, and dead to sin. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
I have been promoted to co-leader of the intern team this summer. I will be leading alongside Bonnie Boyd who is going to the Czech for two years. This means I will be a part of the training and decision making and spiritual care of our team in a greater capacity and with more responsibility. This is an opportunity I am extremely excited about. Bonnie is a great young woman of God, and to have the opportunity to learn from her and lead alongside her is such a blessing.
Also, we now know who is on our team. Currently, there are four of us: Bonnie, my friend Cory Dimler, Katherine Robertson (from Arkansas and goes to Baylor), and myself. The Josiah Venture staff is also looking for one or two Czech interns to join our team. What a great team. I am also incredibly grateful and excited to serve, serve with, and be a part of leading this team.
On to prayer requests and answers to previous prayer requests after. "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results" (James 5:16b), and your prayers are doing just that. Thank you!:
1. That God would continue to prepare me for this new leadership and that I would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading
2. That God would do the same for Bonnie and fill her with supernatural wisdom as the summer approaches.
3. Support: I, Cory, Katherine, Bonnie, Dan (another intern), and Amanda (another intern) are all raising support, and all of us need more. I currently have $2,015, and I need $4,500 by May 1st. All the other interns are at about the same level or less, and we all have the same deadline. Please pray that God will provide for all of us to go to the Czech and minister this summer, that His name may be praised and many would come to salvation.
4. I will likely be making phone calls to potential donors this coming week. Please pray those conversations would go well, and at the very least I would be able to have a good time of prayer with those I call.
Answers to prayer:
1. I am nearly completely better from my cold. Thank you!
2. More support has come in.
3. Junior/Senior banquet was wonderful, and everything was great.
4. I have been praying more and being more sensitive to the Spirit's leading in this area, and I am seeking out intentional time in the World. Thank you.
Stories and such:
Life has been quite a ride lately. It is increasingly difficult to make time for the important small things - prayer and reading scripture, fellowship, phone calls, and letter writing. The stuff that may only take an hour or less, but there are no due dates or grades, and those things that do have due dates and grades at least are much bigger and seem more important (papers, reading assignments, meetings, etc).
Junior/Senior Banquet (JSB) was great. The guys looked sharp, and all the girls were absolutely beautiful. Dinner was nice, and Dr. Dyer's message was good. It was about suffering and how it produces sanctification and wisdom. He used the illustration of block of steel. Just as it was, it would probably be worth a few dollars, but if it was melted and hammered into horse shoes, it would be worth about $30. However, if it was melted down and made into needles, it would be worth about $350. However, if it was melted and made into high tension springs for Swiss watches, it would be worth about $2,000. This upward value produced by blast furnace after blast furnace and shaping after shaping. What a good picture of sanctification and wisdom through suffering.
Our group at JSB went bowling and to IHOP afterward. It was a ton of fun.
I have been taking Romans with Dr. Zuber this semester, and it has been incredible. I have learned so much and the Spirit has spoken to me in many ways through His word and the wisdom of Dr. Zuber. We just finished Romans 6 (No, we won't finish the book, but his depth is worth it.). I wish I could give you all of it, but I can't. I will give you what will hopefully carry into some good study of the book for yourself.
It comes down to indicative and imperative. The indicative is reality. It is what is true. It is what you ARE. The imperative is what ought to be. It is the implications and commands. Too often, are Christian walk puts imperative before indicative, which is completely wrong. Doing this builds our foundation not on Christ but on what we can or can't do, which we all know is no foundation at all.
Romans 1-6:14 is indicative. Read that again. Romans 1-6:14 is all about what IS. What Jesus has done. Who we are as Christians. Paul makes sure this foundation is firmly laid before any imperative is brought up. In short, here is the indicative: if you are a believer, Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again three days later. Through this He righteoussified (justified) you. This means you are justified by grace through faith ALONE. This means you stand in the righteousness of Christ. This means you died with him, were buried with him, and were raised with him, and God views you as such. Thus, you are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, and thus, His righteousness. Christ died to sin, and you ARE dead to sin. This means you do not need to die to sin or you are dying to sin. It means you ARE dead to it. This is a fact, it is reality. This means you DO NOT have to sin anymore. We were once not able to not sin, but now through Christ's work, we are now able to not sin. Living out of this truth, out of who you ARE produces sanctification.
Now, the imperative: Stop sinning! Just stop it! Christ has brought you to new life. Don't hang the dead corpse around you and drag it around. Christ has given you sight. Don't cover up your eyes and claim to be blind. Christ has given you hearing. Don't cover your ears and claim to be deaf. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIN ANYMORE! You have been broken free from sin and death's chains.
In addition, do not struggle with sin. This will only frustrate you. You are DEAD to sin. Instead, struggle with walking by the Spirit (Romans 8), and by doing so, you will sin less, you will gain moral discernment. Live as who you really are (Romans 1-6:14). Don't try to defeat sin with the law, with a list of do's and don'ts (Romans 7), but instead learn to walk by the Spirit (Romans 8).
What a message, the message we are called to preach and teach, the message I will be bringing to the Czech, the message I am called to tell my friends, the message you are called to tell your friends. May we step out in trust of the Spirit, empowered by Him to reach the world. This is THE message. No other way of salvation for this life and the next exists. May we live boldy as the Spirit has empowered us to do. You are Saints my brothers and sisters. You do not have two natures. You are no Jekyll and Hyde. You are alive to Christ, united with Him, and dead to sin. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Prayer Requests
Just prayer requests this time, in no particular order (can't truly say that though, guess there is somewhat of an order):
- That support funds would continue to come in. God has currently provided $915.00 through generous donations, and I need $3,585.00 more.
- That I would be sensitive to the Spirit's leading and teaching these last 5 1/2 weeks before I leave. I am completely convinced that what I am going to learn and experience during this time is essential to my ministry this summer.
- I would be devoted to prayer. That I would intentionally seek out times of communion with Christ.
- Junior/Senior Banquet is this Friday, and I and the other guys in the group want everything to go smoothly and for the girls to have a wonderful evening.
- Nik and Cory are also raising funds, and they both still need more. Please pray that God would indeed provide for this summer.
- I have a bad cold, and it has affected my energy level, and it makes daily tasks for tiring and annoying.
Thank you for praying. Money moves material goods and services, but prayer moves the sovereign King and Savior of the universe. Thank you.
- That support funds would continue to come in. God has currently provided $915.00 through generous donations, and I need $3,585.00 more.
- That I would be sensitive to the Spirit's leading and teaching these last 5 1/2 weeks before I leave. I am completely convinced that what I am going to learn and experience during this time is essential to my ministry this summer.
- I would be devoted to prayer. That I would intentionally seek out times of communion with Christ.
- Junior/Senior Banquet is this Friday, and I and the other guys in the group want everything to go smoothly and for the girls to have a wonderful evening.
- Nik and Cory are also raising funds, and they both still need more. Please pray that God would indeed provide for this summer.
- I have a bad cold, and it has affected my energy level, and it makes daily tasks for tiring and annoying.
Thank you for praying. Money moves material goods and services, but prayer moves the sovereign King and Savior of the universe. Thank you.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
6 1/2 weeks to go
Again, prayer requests first, followed by those more interested in stories and details/have the time to read longer blogs.
Prayer requests: My friend Cory Dimler has been accepted to Josiah Venture and will be going to The Czech Republic. Please pray that he will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's lead in all aspects of his life as Jesus prepares him for the wild road of ministry this summer. I ask for the same prayers for Nik Walborn and myself. Pray that I would continue to grow in understanding of the Gospel -- Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and the salvation he offers through justification by faith, both being an incredible grace from Him, greater than I will ever conceive. Please pray for support to come in for my friend Nik Walborn and Cory and me, being thankful for whatever extra God provides for any of us because it will be able to support any who need more. Please pray that I continue to be diligent in my walk with God, remembering that He is the center, the rock that makes the ripples in the lake of my life. Everything ought to flow from Him, and I desire this to be true each moment of my life.
It's hard to believe I will be in another country in 6 1/2 weeks. This semester has been kick in the face. It has definitely been the hardest semester yet, and I believe even that is preparing me for this summer. I am pretty sure this summer will be the busiest most pressing time of my life to date, and I believe God is teaching me to experience spiritual rest in the midst of the lack of physical or emotional rest.
In preparation for the summer I am reading Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll, and I will be reading his Death By Love as well. These are both to give me a further grasp of Jesus Christ, his life, death, and resurrection. My responsibility as a believer is not to convert anyone. That is the Holy Spirit's responsibility. My responsibility is to preach the gospel, which means I need to get it right. I will be preaching the gospel to many teenagers who have never heard it before, and by God's grace, even when I get it wrong the Holy Spirit still works. It is amazing that he has called me into this legacy of standing for truth and preaching the gospel.
I read of Athanasius today. He is pretty much the one responsible for making sure the doctrine of the Trinity became just that, Christian doctrine. Those preaching heresy had political power, and he spent 17 years in flight and exile, all the time writing against the heresy and for the truth. I thought to myself, "God is calling me to a legacy of witnesses such as Athanasius. Who am I to be called to such a task?"
This Good Friday I am reminded that it was for my sin that Jesus died (1 Cor. 15:3), and indeed [his] grace is sufficient for [me], for [his] power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9). It is with this confidence and hope that I take steps boldly into the future, putting faith in the in Him who has promised to be the power in my weakness.
It is incredible. My brother in Christ, Cory, is going to the Czech Republic. Nate had sent me an email asking me to continue casting the vision of the summer internship and JV to guys I knew because they still needed more guy interns. I asked many people, and then I asked Cory. God works in incredible ways. He went through two international ministry opportunities, and God brought him to JV. It is incredible to see my brother taking up the mantle of Christ and taking His message to the lost. I am incredibly grateful for his friendship and the opportunity to serve alongside him, whether on the same team or knowing we are both seeking the same goal - the glory of God in Christ - in different places in the country, separated by time and space but together in spirt. The same goes fo rNik Walborn as well. He is a brother I have been blessed by beyond measure.
I have grown more and more thankful for eternity. Not only to see my savior face to face and live with Him forever, but I get to spend lifetimes unending with brothers and sisters who have gone before me, walked beside me, and come after me.
Prayer requests: My friend Cory Dimler has been accepted to Josiah Venture and will be going to The Czech Republic. Please pray that he will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's lead in all aspects of his life as Jesus prepares him for the wild road of ministry this summer. I ask for the same prayers for Nik Walborn and myself. Pray that I would continue to grow in understanding of the Gospel -- Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and the salvation he offers through justification by faith, both being an incredible grace from Him, greater than I will ever conceive. Please pray for support to come in for my friend Nik Walborn and Cory and me, being thankful for whatever extra God provides for any of us because it will be able to support any who need more. Please pray that I continue to be diligent in my walk with God, remembering that He is the center, the rock that makes the ripples in the lake of my life. Everything ought to flow from Him, and I desire this to be true each moment of my life.
It's hard to believe I will be in another country in 6 1/2 weeks. This semester has been kick in the face. It has definitely been the hardest semester yet, and I believe even that is preparing me for this summer. I am pretty sure this summer will be the busiest most pressing time of my life to date, and I believe God is teaching me to experience spiritual rest in the midst of the lack of physical or emotional rest.
In preparation for the summer I am reading Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll, and I will be reading his Death By Love as well. These are both to give me a further grasp of Jesus Christ, his life, death, and resurrection. My responsibility as a believer is not to convert anyone. That is the Holy Spirit's responsibility. My responsibility is to preach the gospel, which means I need to get it right. I will be preaching the gospel to many teenagers who have never heard it before, and by God's grace, even when I get it wrong the Holy Spirit still works. It is amazing that he has called me into this legacy of standing for truth and preaching the gospel.
I read of Athanasius today. He is pretty much the one responsible for making sure the doctrine of the Trinity became just that, Christian doctrine. Those preaching heresy had political power, and he spent 17 years in flight and exile, all the time writing against the heresy and for the truth. I thought to myself, "God is calling me to a legacy of witnesses such as Athanasius. Who am I to be called to such a task?"
This Good Friday I am reminded that it was for my sin that Jesus died (1 Cor. 15:3), and indeed [his] grace is sufficient for [me], for [his] power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9). It is with this confidence and hope that I take steps boldly into the future, putting faith in the in Him who has promised to be the power in my weakness.
It is incredible. My brother in Christ, Cory, is going to the Czech Republic. Nate had sent me an email asking me to continue casting the vision of the summer internship and JV to guys I knew because they still needed more guy interns. I asked many people, and then I asked Cory. God works in incredible ways. He went through two international ministry opportunities, and God brought him to JV. It is incredible to see my brother taking up the mantle of Christ and taking His message to the lost. I am incredibly grateful for his friendship and the opportunity to serve alongside him, whether on the same team or knowing we are both seeking the same goal - the glory of God in Christ - in different places in the country, separated by time and space but together in spirt. The same goes fo rNik Walborn as well. He is a brother I have been blessed by beyond measure.
I have grown more and more thankful for eternity. Not only to see my savior face to face and live with Him forever, but I get to spend lifetimes unending with brothers and sisters who have gone before me, walked beside me, and come after me.
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