Base Camp - Day Two

ACTUALLY WRITTEN ON: 7/19/09

I am so amazed just what God had taught me here at Base Camp. At first you hate base camp, but eventually realize what they are doing is 100% nessecary.

This morning during bible study God taught me something, God has a mysterious plan for us (Ephesians 1:9).

God then challenged me. When I first here, I was so selfish about eating and adjusting to the Japanese traditions but God chewed me out this morning...this is for Him...NOT me at all. In order to connect with the Japanese people, I will have to step out of my American Mind and into a servants mind. I will have to be like the Japanese, now they are the majority. This is their country... their culture. I have to not only try theirs ways, but do their ways in order to teach them the bottom line: the Gospel. I have to become round or like the Japanese.

We as missionaries are the hope of the world. We all realized something today, God had been in Japan, He has been their since the begining. Other missionaries have also been in Japan and walk the streets we will be walking on, they have already said prayers over these people and even certain people. The work began long ago and we are helping and countinuing that work.

Here's a scenario, let's say I start to pray for a certain Japanese person, and let's say while I am in Japan, they don't get saved. At first I thought that be crushing but, it sort of it but not completely...Romans 15:21 says "Those who have never been told about Him will see, and those who have never heard of Him will understand". That motivates me so much to keep trying both in Japan and at home. Because we can (I know this is overused) plant a seed in someone.

Our pastor gave us an idea today, he had as create a scaleline from -10 to 10. -10 meaning someone is very unwilling to accept Christ, 10 being the opposite, 0 just being acceptable. I hope to use this in Japan and back at home.

Our camp pastor challenged us, at first you HATE base camp but he laid a scripture on our hearts this morning, Romans 15:17-18 "So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesud has done through me in my service to God. Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me...". Wow, that just hits me in the chest, I've thought this trip was about me at times...it's nothing about me! It's all about glory for God. And then I was taught something else...The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). My suitcase, iPod, me, this trip, and the Japanese are His! I own nothing, everything is His. That's a new mindset for me. The only thing that can own us besides God... Idols and Satan. I ask God today to take away ALL my idols today.

Though I started out hating Base Camp I am now so appreciative of it, they truly do prepare you. iGo wants you to be biblicaly prepare, and that they've done. God put Romans 15:20 on my heart, "My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name if Christ had never been heard, rather than where a church had already been started my someone else". We are called to the nations and our home!

God has rocked my world in the past 48 hours and I haven't even actually left for Japan yet. Oh today...I hate an American peanut-butter jelly sandwich, never loved one that much.

Keep praying please! I love you guys! Pray for the iGo Team!

He is the God of Tokyo!!!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod]