Pastor Jay //

This powerful, moving story captures much of the struggle in communicating the Gospel to unreached peoples that have no written language.

It is the story of some IMB journeyman missionaries that have spent the last couple of years learning the language of one tribe in Mali so that they can create 30-60 Bible stories for the tribe. One evening, the chief asked them to pray for rain. As they bowed to pray, a breeze swept across their faces and thunder rolled in the distance. God showed his power that day to the Senafo people.

The rest of this story can be found here at Commissionstories.com

From Our Trip #4

Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. . . . What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer . . .

-EM Bounds’ forward in Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret

Shoots and Ladders 3

Originally uploaded by pastorjay_photoalbum

Do you feel like life is full of ups and downs? I despise this game, but I love playing it with my daughter. It is so funny how you can be doing so well and hit a down-slide or be doing so bad and hit the big ladder. There is really no skill involved in this game. The best part about this game is that it must be played with someone else. In the midst of playing the game, you get to laugh together and fret together over who will finish first. It doesn’t really matter who wins. We are all really to be rooting for one another.

Phil. 3:14 says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Life has so many surprises, but without the shoot and ladders that interrupt life, it would be way too predictable.

Note: I won the game, but my opponent is still in the background spinning.  She kept playing alone until she finished.

The Rose Story

I would encourage you to listen to this incredible story of how we actually keep people from hearing the Gospel instead of showing them the true love and mercy of Christ.

The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: HIV/AIDS.

Our team is headed home from South Asia. We had a good time and we were able to do a lot of education. However, I think we received just as much education. I only have about 1500 pictures. Here are a SELECT few from the first couple of days:

I came upon this amazing sight today. These men are about to walk out the door and follow up on a slew of personal decisions that have been made among the youth on  Wednesday nights. Pray for them. Join them. Thank God for them.

Some had asked that I post my pictures here from the support rally for the family of fallen soldier Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G Kelley.

From 2009-02-07 Soldier Funeral

I find it disconcerting that the Secretary of State continues to confuse the public with ballot language. Ms. Carnahan, please honor valid initiative petitions without twisting it. It makes it appear that you are trying to sway the public in another direction.

Press release from the Missouri Roundtable:

MISSOURI ROUNDTABLE FOR LIFE UNCERTAIN AS TO SECRETARY CARNAHAN’S BALLOT LANGUAGE

St. Louis, MO - January 30, 2009 - Late yesterday evening, the Missouri Roundtable For Life received notice from a member of the press that Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has issued ballot language for our initiative petition.  The Roundtable has yet to receive notification from Ms. Carnahan’s office.  This is at least the second time in this process that Ms. Carnahan has communicated with third parties before she has communicated with the filers of the petition. (more…)

If you are obeying the commands of Christ, you will probably find yourself feeling out of place in a world that does not follow Christ. In fact, you could say that if you are feeling very comfortable in this world and not out of place, you may not be living like Jesus would have you live. That’s difficult to digest, because we all want to “fit in” to some degree. Ultimately the place where Christians want to “fit in” will be heaven, since we will be spending an eternity there.

I read a story last week that caught my attention on this very subject. A tour was being given at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum when a woman mentioned that she was raising a particular type of cactus in a pot on her New York City apartment balcony. Another tourist was surprised at her being able to raise the delicate cactus in a non-arid environment and enquired about how she kept it without over-watering it. The NYC cactus owner replied, “I subscribe to the Tucson newspaper and every time it rained in the desert, I gave my plant some water.”

When we become Christians, earth is no longer our “natural habitat.” Our hearts and lives become more dependent on divine help from heaven. We have no idea how wonderful heaven will be. Before we get there, we need to be actively watching for heaven’s news here on earth. Heaven notices the events of earth. According to the Bible, heaven erupts in rejoicing when someone accepts forgiveness (In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10). The Book of Hebrews reminds us that those who have gone on before us become a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on in the race of life. (Hebrews 12:1) In the daily grind, it is easy to lose sight of the works of heaven around us that only God can do. Prayer, Bible reading, and worship are our subscriptions to the news of heaven.

I find that this story about the cactus also reminds me about prayer. Even from a distance, prayer actively engages me in the events of the world. I can participate in what God is doing around the world through prayer.

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10.