Cool story to report -
Yesterday, in the midst of my normal temping routine, I had the opportunity to pray for Annette. She is the lovely lady I am helping out at the Powerco right now. The Powerco has taken on a support person for Annette, because she has serious pain in her neck, back, wrist, and shoulder, from a car accident. She is limited by doctor's orders to only doing 4 hours of work, 4 days a week....so thus I am covering for her.
Yesterday, she came in to work in a lot of pain and instead of just talking about praying for her....I actually did, with another Christian that works here. Right there is the lunch room. She is a believer who has actually been healed of other injuries before, so faith was high. Though she didn't feel much better after we had finished - we both felt encouraged in God. He is faithful, He is loving, He is good.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Mission
Just thought I'd share an exert of a book that I have been reading. I really liked these thoughts about missions:
"Missions is less about the transportation of God from one place to another, and more about the identification of a God who is already there. It is almost as if being a good missionary means having really good eyesight. Or maybe it means teaching people to use their eyes to see things that have always been there; they just didn't realise it. You see God where others don't and you point Him out.
Perhaps we ought to replace the word missionary with tour guide, because we cannot show people something we haven't seen.
Have you ever heard missionaries say that they were going to "take Jesus" to a certain place? What they meant, I assume, was that they had Jesus and they were going to take Him to China or India or Chicago, where people apparently didn't have Him?
I would ask them if if people in China, and India, and Chicago, are eating and laughing and enjoying things and generally being held together (by God)? Because if they are, then Jesus, in a way that is difficult to fully articulate, is already present there.
So the issue isn't so much taking Jesus to people that don't have Him, but going to a place and pointing out to the people there the creative, life giving God who is already present in their midst.
It is searching for the things they have already affirmed as real and beautiful and true and then telling them who you believe is the source of all that. " I am here to tell you where I think it comes from...."
And if you do see yourself carrying God to places, it can be exhausting.
God is really heavy.
Some people believe that God is actually absent from a place until they get there. The problem with this idea is that if God is not there before you get there, then there is no "there" in the first place.
Tour guides are people who see depth and texture and connection where others don't. That is why the best teachers are masters of the obvious. They see the same things we do, but they are aware of so much more. And when they point it out, it changes the way we see everything."
"Missions is less about the transportation of God from one place to another, and more about the identification of a God who is already there. It is almost as if being a good missionary means having really good eyesight. Or maybe it means teaching people to use their eyes to see things that have always been there; they just didn't realise it. You see God where others don't and you point Him out.
Perhaps we ought to replace the word missionary with tour guide, because we cannot show people something we haven't seen.
Have you ever heard missionaries say that they were going to "take Jesus" to a certain place? What they meant, I assume, was that they had Jesus and they were going to take Him to China or India or Chicago, where people apparently didn't have Him?
I would ask them if if people in China, and India, and Chicago, are eating and laughing and enjoying things and generally being held together (by God)? Because if they are, then Jesus, in a way that is difficult to fully articulate, is already present there.
So the issue isn't so much taking Jesus to people that don't have Him, but going to a place and pointing out to the people there the creative, life giving God who is already present in their midst.
It is searching for the things they have already affirmed as real and beautiful and true and then telling them who you believe is the source of all that. " I am here to tell you where I think it comes from...."
And if you do see yourself carrying God to places, it can be exhausting.
God is really heavy.
Some people believe that God is actually absent from a place until they get there. The problem with this idea is that if God is not there before you get there, then there is no "there" in the first place.
Tour guides are people who see depth and texture and connection where others don't. That is why the best teachers are masters of the obvious. They see the same things we do, but they are aware of so much more. And when they point it out, it changes the way we see everything."
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Home from Israel
After 27 hours in the air, Dad and I have just arrived back in New Zealand. We truly are at the ends of the earth out here in NZ, in fact I'm not sure if there's anywhere else on the earth that you could fly further to get to from Israel than NZ. As you probably know G W Bush and a remnant of other world leaders have converged on Israel this week for talks, we were glad to get out before the ball started rolling. Security was super tight. Army, Police, and check points everywhere. The Jerusalem convention centre, where we had The Call, was the place they are meeting, right next door to the hotel we were staying at, so you can imagine the chaos around that part of Jerusalem. Yep, good timing to leave.
Well, it was definitely a life changing week for me as I walked the Land that Jesus walked, looked over Jerusalem, sat on the mount of olives with our IWT Int'l leaders and met and prayed, walked the old city and the new, and met the Jews and experienced their culture and way of life. I believe that I will look back on this week in the years to come and see just how significant this time was in regards to what God is doing in my generation all across the earth. It was a time packed with rich times in God, strategy meetings, a 12 hour solemn assembly, walking the land Jesus did, and connecting with people from all over the world. It's quite hard to describe in a few sentences all of what went on, but i can say for sure my outlook on life, the way I view the bible, the way that I approach life in these days has changed forever.
I remember one of our meetings was held on the Mount of Olives under a tree, looking over the Kidron valley past the thousands of graves towards the city of Jerusalem and the gates to the city(old city) and Mount Zion. As we waited in quietness, my heart trembled as I flipped open my bible to Zechariah 8. this is what it says:
"Again the word of the Lord came to me. This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with Jealousy for her...I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain".
I was totally overwhelmed as I read this scripture, and it was like waves of Revelation crashed into my spirit revealing Gods heart for Israel, and his people. To be honest, there is nothing in the natural that is special about the mount of Olives, Mount Zion etc, they're not outstanding in the natural. What makes them special is that God they are chosen by God, and I'm telling you, you can feel Gods Jealousy for that city, the place that the Lord will return and rule over the earth from. It was crazy to be there on the Mount of Olives knowing that one day soon the very Feet of Jesus will stand in that very place and the Mount of Olives will be spilt in two forming a great valley. (Zech 14:4).
And, As I looked from the Mount of Olives across the hill country surrounding Jerusalem, I remembered Psalm 125:
" Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore."
WOW!
Theres a lot to digest from our time in Israel.
Here's a few pics of some of the highlights.
View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives over the Kidron Valley.
The Call. A 12 hour solemn Assembly. Incredible time.
Jericho.
The Wailing wall. The last remains from the temple walls. People have been praying in the shadow of this wall for hundreds of years.
The streets of the Old City at night time. Skinny eh?
Check out the electrical wiring! That's just asking for trouble.
Speaks for itself.
The tomb is empty!
The garden of Gethsemane as it is today.
They say some of the olive trees are up to 1500 years old.
Dad and I up the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives.
We had a few hours off one afternoon so we ripped accross to the dead see to check it out and go for a quick dip. Great times. It's 400 ft below sea level. VERY salty, and you don't have a choice but to float. Tip: Don't shave on the morning you go to the dead sea, if you do, you'll know about it.
Well, it was definitely a life changing week for me as I walked the Land that Jesus walked, looked over Jerusalem, sat on the mount of olives with our IWT Int'l leaders and met and prayed, walked the old city and the new, and met the Jews and experienced their culture and way of life. I believe that I will look back on this week in the years to come and see just how significant this time was in regards to what God is doing in my generation all across the earth. It was a time packed with rich times in God, strategy meetings, a 12 hour solemn assembly, walking the land Jesus did, and connecting with people from all over the world. It's quite hard to describe in a few sentences all of what went on, but i can say for sure my outlook on life, the way I view the bible, the way that I approach life in these days has changed forever.
I remember one of our meetings was held on the Mount of Olives under a tree, looking over the Kidron valley past the thousands of graves towards the city of Jerusalem and the gates to the city(old city) and Mount Zion. As we waited in quietness, my heart trembled as I flipped open my bible to Zechariah 8. this is what it says:
"Again the word of the Lord came to me. This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with Jealousy for her...I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain".
I was totally overwhelmed as I read this scripture, and it was like waves of Revelation crashed into my spirit revealing Gods heart for Israel, and his people. To be honest, there is nothing in the natural that is special about the mount of Olives, Mount Zion etc, they're not outstanding in the natural. What makes them special is that God they are chosen by God, and I'm telling you, you can feel Gods Jealousy for that city, the place that the Lord will return and rule over the earth from. It was crazy to be there on the Mount of Olives knowing that one day soon the very Feet of Jesus will stand in that very place and the Mount of Olives will be spilt in two forming a great valley. (Zech 14:4).
And, As I looked from the Mount of Olives across the hill country surrounding Jerusalem, I remembered Psalm 125:
" Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore."
WOW!
Theres a lot to digest from our time in Israel.
Here's a few pics of some of the highlights.
View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives over the Kidron Valley.
The Call. A 12 hour solemn Assembly. Incredible time.
Jericho.
The Wailing wall. The last remains from the temple walls. People have been praying in the shadow of this wall for hundreds of years.
The streets of the Old City at night time. Skinny eh?
Check out the electrical wiring! That's just asking for trouble.
Speaks for itself.
The tomb is empty!
The garden of Gethsemane as it is today.
They say some of the olive trees are up to 1500 years old.
Dad and I up the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives.
We had a few hours off one afternoon so we ripped accross to the dead see to check it out and go for a quick dip. Great times. It's 400 ft below sea level. VERY salty, and you don't have a choice but to float. Tip: Don't shave on the morning you go to the dead sea, if you do, you'll know about it.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Call Jerusalem
Here are a few pics from The Call Jerusalem! It sounds like it was great day.
Convention Center
Globe
Misty Edwards leading worship
Convention Center
Globe
Misty Edwards leading worship
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Footage of the Wailing Wall
The Wailing Wall
Josh standing at wall. You have to wear those things on your head.
Check out these signs - sound familiar?
The church they have built on the supposed site of the cruixifiction
The place where Jesus dead body was supposedly laid.
Here is a short video clip of the Wailing wall in Jerusalem. This is the last remaining wall from the original temple.
Josh standing at wall. You have to wear those things on your head.
Check out these signs - sound familiar?
The church they have built on the supposed site of the cruixifiction
The place where Jesus dead body was supposedly laid.
Here is a short video clip of the Wailing wall in Jerusalem. This is the last remaining wall from the original temple.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Into it...
We spent most of the morning in prayer in a room overlooking the old city of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It was great to be seeking the Lord from this place, asking Him for the blueprint to continue to reach nations large scale with the gospel. Had some great dialogue and reports from all around the world.
I just have to give mention to the food here, it’s fantastic. The hummus, bread, pastry’s are incredible, best I’ve ever eaten, that’s for sure.
All in all a great day of meetings, and a short stop at the Western Wall on the way back. Its been awesome to connect with some of our leaders from all around the world that I haven’t even met before (Denmark, South America), helps see the bigger picture of what Misty and I are a part of and puts faces behind phone calls and emails. It’s also been fantastic to connect with so many quality people from all over the globe that have converged on Jerusalem for this amazing time (1,800 people from 116 nations).
Looking forward to tomorrow.
I just have to give mention to the food here, it’s fantastic. The hummus, bread, pastry’s are incredible, best I’ve ever eaten, that’s for sure.
All in all a great day of meetings, and a short stop at the Western Wall on the way back. Its been awesome to connect with some of our leaders from all around the world that I haven’t even met before (Denmark, South America), helps see the bigger picture of what Misty and I are a part of and puts faces behind phone calls and emails. It’s also been fantastic to connect with so many quality people from all over the globe that have converged on Jerusalem for this amazing time (1,800 people from 116 nations).
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Pictures!
The City
Another View of the City
Overlooking the Dead Sea
Covered in Mud
Floating in the Dead Sea
Army Everywhere
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Jerusalem
What an incredible place to be. Jerusalem. I have never been to or experienced the atmosphere of a place like this. It’s amazing in every aspect of the word. Incredible to walk the land knowing Jesus walked the very same land. The bible has become alive to me in a way like I never thought it could. Our first night we were staying on the 10th floor of our hotel which is near the centre of the new Jerusalem. When we woke up in the morning and looked over the city, you can almost see why Jesus looked over the city and wept for it. Luke 19:41. WOW.
We had a day off yesterday before everything gets rolling in the morning. When Marty and James arrived we took a trip over to the Dead Sea via Jericho. We had a very entertaining tour guide, who described various things to us on the 45 minute trip. Security was heavy as it was the public holiday acknowledging the 60th Anniversry of Isreal becoming a State.
The Dead sea is nothing like you have ever experienced. You literally have to float, you simply don’t have a choice. Weird. We had a great time together catching up before heading back to Jerusalem.
After dinner, a couple of Marty’s friends from Ohio, from his executive committee for IWT and I cruised down to the old city, the real deal! What a place full of history! The atmosphere was intense, with security guards everywhere. We walked around for an hour or so fairly lost, before we ran into a a guy who used to be a tour guide, whoi ended up giving us the most comprehensive tour of a lot of the city. We went to the the churches where they say Jesus was buried, cruxified etc….even though people are skeptical of the sites accuracy, I was overwhelmed as we walked into the tomb, a very sobering and intimate experience. Just knowing that it was close enough to the real site was enough for me. Our guide then took us on the walk from where Jesus was tried and beaten, and where he carried his cross all the way up to the hill where he was killed. We stopped at all the significant sites representing the key moments of his walk up the hill. That also was very sobering.
The evening finished with a stop by the wailing wall, which is the last remains of the original temple. They say it is the retaining wall. Incredible!
The whole hotel is choka with people that have come for the God TV tour; I think there are over 1,000 people here from all over the world.
We’re all looking forward to our meetings which kick off today. I’m sure we’ll be spending much more time in the old city after the meetings wrap up. Pray for us if you think about it. Much going on here.
We had a day off yesterday before everything gets rolling in the morning. When Marty and James arrived we took a trip over to the Dead Sea via Jericho. We had a very entertaining tour guide, who described various things to us on the 45 minute trip. Security was heavy as it was the public holiday acknowledging the 60th Anniversry of Isreal becoming a State.
The Dead sea is nothing like you have ever experienced. You literally have to float, you simply don’t have a choice. Weird. We had a great time together catching up before heading back to Jerusalem.
After dinner, a couple of Marty’s friends from Ohio, from his executive committee for IWT and I cruised down to the old city, the real deal! What a place full of history! The atmosphere was intense, with security guards everywhere. We walked around for an hour or so fairly lost, before we ran into a a guy who used to be a tour guide, whoi ended up giving us the most comprehensive tour of a lot of the city. We went to the the churches where they say Jesus was buried, cruxified etc….even though people are skeptical of the sites accuracy, I was overwhelmed as we walked into the tomb, a very sobering and intimate experience. Just knowing that it was close enough to the real site was enough for me. Our guide then took us on the walk from where Jesus was tried and beaten, and where he carried his cross all the way up to the hill where he was killed. We stopped at all the significant sites representing the key moments of his walk up the hill. That also was very sobering.
The evening finished with a stop by the wailing wall, which is the last remains of the original temple. They say it is the retaining wall. Incredible!
The whole hotel is choka with people that have come for the God TV tour; I think there are over 1,000 people here from all over the world.
We’re all looking forward to our meetings which kick off today. I’m sure we’ll be spending much more time in the old city after the meetings wrap up. Pray for us if you think about it. Much going on here.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Hong Kong
G'day! Signing in from Starbucks in the centre of Hong Kong, a metropolitan city of a population of over 7 Million. A massive concrete jungle of sky scarpers galore, massive train systems, huge bridges, double Decker buses and people everywhere. As we drove down the main street at 10:30pm on Tuesday night, it was absolutely pumping with just about every shop open and people everywhere. It's probably up there with one of the most incredible places on earth that I have ever visited. It's very efficient, and it seems to me like everything runs like clockwork. Anyway, only here for about 18 hours and will be jumping on a plane to Israel in about 6 hours time. I'm sure that will soon take the highest ranking in my books as far as the most incredible place I have ever visited. What an incredible opportunity!
Pics, and more to come.....
Josh
Pics, and more to come.....
Josh
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