Hello to all of you.
I was at a meeting tonight, one of our open to the public meetings here at the YWAM base. We have a time of worship, a few other things and then a speaker. Tonight the speaker gave a word related to the situation of the global economy, and other things in our lives we may feel are insurmountable problems/concerns. The basic statement was "what does God say". We can tend to worry about these things so much, and fear can grip our hearts. But none of these responses are from the Lord.
As I was listening to them speak, I started to think about the past few years of our time in YWAM, and some of the things that I personally have seen God do. I just felt God impressed on me to write to you all a short simple note to hopefully encourage you. I sat there and just felt God really reminding me of what He actually does say - about Himself, about us, abut the world.
All of these stories have come in relation to a time of prayer. Allof them have at least a touch of the miraculous about them.
Some of them are very recent - the ones in Indonesia just last week. Some are in years past, but are the ones that came to mind as I wrote.
1. In Jakarta, the capital of the largest muslim nation in the world - we as a base have seen over 800 people come to the Lord since January. This is the latest city in our Megacities focus. (for more info. see our website www.ywamperth.org.au ) In the last few weeks, we have seen the number of people getting saved there slow down. This is not what we want, so in our wednesday weekly staff meeting, we prayed directly into this area. A day or two later we started to get reports again of numerous people getting saved and miracouously healed. One man prayed for had big lumps all over his head. As the team prayed for him, they saw the lumps disappear before their eyes. There is also a Muslim lady who is going to be baptized this saturday after getting saved this week. these are just two of many salvations and healings....
2. We have seen phone contact and communications restored somehow, in the war torn country of Chad. It enabled us to arrange an airlift for one of our outreach teams there to be able to fly out. After hours of trying to establish communications with the team inside the country, We prayed as leaders in our weekly leaders meeting, and got a call from the team a half hour later...
3. We now have local chinese YWAM staff with YWAM Perth going out as missionaries from China! (we have a permanent team in China....) Who would have thought this 20 or even 10 years ago. A number of them have been here in Perth studying with us. This country is set to become the largest missions force the world has ever seen!
4. One of our school quarters in the week leading up to outreach expenses being due - as a staff we gathered and prayed and saw over $200,000 come in in one hour to meet different needs of plane fares and ground expenses.
5. I can't even list the number of healing I personally have seen or even prayed for for people. Everything from jaws and teeth being moved into position, to chronic fluid retention, to neck and back trouble, to chronic fatigue, to chronic pain - all being healed by the power of God.
There are many more things I could write, and you could add some too perhaps. But throughout scripture - God constantly says to "remember what I did..."
When I start to worry about something, - I have trained myself to actually go to prayer with it. To give it over to the Lord and let Him loose on the situation. If you find you have been worrying - can I encourage you to change that into prayer. Spend more time in prayer than in worrying. Don't let God go. Be persistent and dialogue with the Lord. He is mighty and Loving! WHat a wonderful combination.
"The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name." Psalm 33:16-21
Be encouraged.
Love from all the Ellis family as I write -
Jen
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Coming Up for us:
Coming Up for us:
The next 3 months will be busy. We have a number of different things on:
Jen – I will be continuing to do some staff training, as well as speaking in a couple of our Discipleship schools. I will also be looking after our English For Missions school the first two weeks of April as the leaders are overseas leading other training initiatives. Also looking at leading a kids outreach team in July or October. This will be to Jakarta, Indonesia.
Owen – continues his hard work in the accounts area. One massive project at the moment is our search for a new property to house 500 staff/500 students. Looking at multi millions. Feel free to pray for him! This whole area of a long term property purchase for YWAM Perth is very time consuming for Owen (and others).
We both would also appreciate your prayer for our roles on our leadership team here. Often there are very urgent and major incidents that happen, both locally and overseas.
The next 3 months will be busy. We have a number of different things on:
Jen – I will be continuing to do some staff training, as well as speaking in a couple of our Discipleship schools. I will also be looking after our English For Missions school the first two weeks of April as the leaders are overseas leading other training initiatives. Also looking at leading a kids outreach team in July or October. This will be to Jakarta, Indonesia.
Owen – continues his hard work in the accounts area. One massive project at the moment is our search for a new property to house 500 staff/500 students. Looking at multi millions. Feel free to pray for him! This whole area of a long term property purchase for YWAM Perth is very time consuming for Owen (and others).
We both would also appreciate your prayer for our roles on our leadership team here. Often there are very urgent and major incidents that happen, both locally and overseas.
The devil is a mongrel
Hello from Perth!
February, 2008
Lately I have been considering and remembering a message given by a long term YWAM leader. I heard it some 15 years ago, but lately it seems so pertinent. The title of the message was “The devil is a mongrel.” A number of incidents lately have really brought this home in a new way.
Friends who have been long term missionaries going through incredible pain. As well as the death of a long term leader in YWAM Australia from a disease contracted many years ago while overseas, pioneering a new work there. Not to mention 4-5 major situations that have happened within YWAM Perth and our overseas teams in the last 2 months. A couple of these things requiring emergency airlifts of different kinds. So, I look at these things and realize once again that the enemy has a plan for each of our lives. He is strategic, and he brings death, loves to steal and destroy. So often we can be tempted to view the nature and character of God through our circumstances. And sometimes they are pretty grim and difficult. I felt to write about this-not just the incidents, but to encourage you in prayer. God does nothing unless it happens in the place of prayer first. Prayer changes us and situations we are praying for. It is the only effective way we can do battle against the enemy and his plans for our lives and the ones we love.
This doesn't mean however, that life is without grief or challenges. The above incidents I mentioned have to do with some of the most godly people I have ever known. I guess I felt challenged again in my prayer life. Do I just sit and take what the devil wants to dish out to me, my family and friends... Do I need to fellowship with his thoughts in my mind... No, because “The devil is a mongrel.”
I personally have written down more prayer items in my journal. Committed to pray for them. Waiting to see an answer I can write beside the date I started. Personally, I find if I am worrying, thinking wrongly a lot about a situation and/or person, I am generally not given to much prayer about it. I try to change the ratio so the prayer comes way out on top! So, I hope in a round about way – that encourages you!
Jen
February, 2008
Lately I have been considering and remembering a message given by a long term YWAM leader. I heard it some 15 years ago, but lately it seems so pertinent. The title of the message was “The devil is a mongrel.” A number of incidents lately have really brought this home in a new way.
Friends who have been long term missionaries going through incredible pain. As well as the death of a long term leader in YWAM Australia from a disease contracted many years ago while overseas, pioneering a new work there. Not to mention 4-5 major situations that have happened within YWAM Perth and our overseas teams in the last 2 months. A couple of these things requiring emergency airlifts of different kinds. So, I look at these things and realize once again that the enemy has a plan for each of our lives. He is strategic, and he brings death, loves to steal and destroy. So often we can be tempted to view the nature and character of God through our circumstances. And sometimes they are pretty grim and difficult. I felt to write about this-not just the incidents, but to encourage you in prayer. God does nothing unless it happens in the place of prayer first. Prayer changes us and situations we are praying for. It is the only effective way we can do battle against the enemy and his plans for our lives and the ones we love.
This doesn't mean however, that life is without grief or challenges. The above incidents I mentioned have to do with some of the most godly people I have ever known. I guess I felt challenged again in my prayer life. Do I just sit and take what the devil wants to dish out to me, my family and friends... Do I need to fellowship with his thoughts in my mind... No, because “The devil is a mongrel.”
I personally have written down more prayer items in my journal. Committed to pray for them. Waiting to see an answer I can write beside the date I started. Personally, I find if I am worrying, thinking wrongly a lot about a situation and/or person, I am generally not given to much prayer about it. I try to change the ratio so the prayer comes way out on top! So, I hope in a round about way – that encourages you!
Jen
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