man...God is good. Saturday I was dying on my Finance h/w
and God sent my buddy Cat to help me get thru the first section,
then He sent my other buddy Mary (financial analyst 4 earnst n' young)
to help me get thru the other half. Then i prayed for an easy teacher
and i got DR.TORODE..whom most of yu don't know, but he totally
gave our whole class grace to do only the review questions n'
not the self test CRAZY mathematical algebraic calculustic..blah blah
problems :oD !!! yay!! woohooo!!! so i got 3 weeks worth of h/w
done b4 my trip to Argentina tomorrow & yea...i feeeel GOOOOD
duna duna duna dah..i kno dat i would now (like the song) neways..
below is my prayer letter for prayer support as i'm off doing some
kingdom work in Argentina Oct 23-Nov 2. thanks 4 all ur prayers
out there..n' yeah if you goto the ghiradelli website yu can sign
up for a $7 free coupon for a SUNDAE :oP enjoy!
i'm going off 2 get some good ol' argentina STEAK!!!
asta la vista baby...!
Dear Intercessors and prayer partners (heya! heya!)
I write this letter asking for your fervent and dedicated prayers
as I head off to take over the "nation" of Argentina (literally). From
Oct 23 to Nov 2- I will be on the front lines with Harvest Evangelism
ministries to strategically transform the nation through the marketplace.
I can't explain to each of you the magnitude of this project~but
in short, "through prayer evangelism, strategic outreach, and working
along side with every major pastor, local church and 400 missionaries
from around the world we will embark to take over the 24 provinces of
Argentina simulataneously (at the same time) for God's glory."
Many of you have heard how in the past decade entire CITIES have been
swept into revival in Argentina, now w/ the economic downturn, the
body of Christ in Argentina & around the world are stepping out in faith
and unity at this 'KAIROS" moment to take over the entire NATION.
It has been my dream to visit the Argentina revival for the last 4 years. In
God's timing He has sent me off through a series of miracles to be a part
of this historic event. Truly, I believe God is bringing me to Argentina to show me
that what He can do in Argentina He can do in North America and even more so
the Bay Area which is my heart.
I will need major prayer for the following....
1. Traveling mercies and safety to & from
2. God's impartation, revelation and strategic purpose for me there to be understood
in clarity and downloaded into my spirit.
3. To serve the pastors and the lost in Argentina in His anointing and strength
4. For team unity & protection from the enemy for the international missionaries and local pastors
5. Signs, wonders and miracles to break out in every province and THOUSANDS to
be saved through Radio, TV, ministry to the poor, prayer booths in the marketplace,
outreach to the youth (clubs, cafes, parks, schools, etc), outreach to Top Business men,
& open air crusades in every province in Argentina.
6. I would have discernment to the spontaneous leading of the Holy Spirit
7. Apostolic mantle for city transformation, unity and revival be imparted to me and other
missionaries from San Jose to take back to the Bay Area.
8. Protection for my family, The Waiting Place (church), & financial provision back home
9. That a NATION would be reached & God's end time purposes to take over nations would be
activitated to a level unseen.
10. That I would hear and obey the rhema Word of God every moment, every day. HIS WILL BE DONE!!!
*For those of you with a prophetic sense, please ask the Lord where the battles are at and pray
strongly whether for cities, business men, govt., youth etc..do battle in the kingdom 4 me and the lost.
God bless you all & thank you for your prayers. I know this trip is God even though
I don't know what to expect. My church of 12 or so college aged kids when hearing I needed
to raise $950 in less than 24 hours sent me off with an offering of $2400.00 (they sacrificed it all)
to send me as a seed for a future revival to be reaped among the youth in America, let it be so.
I'm so proud of them & thankful for the body of Christ! Lets win Argentina together in prayer.
Praying in full armor and getting ready to hit the front lines.....><>
Totally dependent on Him,
Jaeson Ma
PS...
Below is a detailed overview of the trip strategy and focus.....
Here's the scoop on Argentina:
The Harvest Evangelism XIII International Conference in Argentina is not just a conference but also a nation reaching exercise. Its two main thrusts are the raising of a canopy of prayer over the entire nation on the first weekend and the transformation of the city where the conference will be hosted the following week to serve as training ground in developing a prototype for the participants to emulate when they return home.
What follows is a bird’s view of the major activities involved in reaching a nation through the transformation of the marketplace.
1. The textbook for the conference is “My City- God’s City” which identifies 7 tracks as the premier channels to bring transformation to the city: pastors, business, government, education, worshippers, youth, and intercessors. The main objective is to lift up Jesus all over the city to change the spiritual climate causing Satan to fall down so that demons become subject to the Church and the lost are able to force their way into the Kingdom of God (See Luke 10:2-9 and 16:16).
On October 25 the international delegates will travel to Argentina’s 24 provinces to participate in united rallies, which will be connected by TV to convert the nation into an Electronic Cathedral. II Chronicles 7:14 will be the agenda for this Solemn Assembly. Political and marketplace leaders will be given donations as tangible expressions of the love of Christ and the commitment of the Church with the city and the nation.
The following day, Sunday, October 26th, during the day the international delegates will minister to their unsaved peers in the marketplace and in the evening they will participate in local church meetings. The next day, Monday, the internationals will return to Buenos Aires to regroup and debrief in preparation for travel to Mar del Plata on Tuesday where the conference proper will take place on October 28-31 with participation of delegates from all over Argentina and neighboring countries.
During the conference the principles outlined in “My City – God’s City” will be implemented DIDACTICALLY and PRACTICALLY to strategically mobilize the 7 tracks listed above to bring transformation to the host city and for visitors to go home equipped and inspired to implement it in their own cities.
2. Top notch representatives from the 7 tracks will be scholarshipped from Argentina’s 24 provinces to the conference in Mar del Plata - a minimum of 4 per track, resulting in a minimum of 28 per province. Likewise members of the Church in Mar del Plata as well as the 300 international delegates - Latin Americans, Brazilians and English speaking - will be organized by tracks.
3. The conference begins Tuesday at 5pm with a preliminary meeting at the covered arena for all participants (locals and overseas) to connect with each other in order to conform their track. This will be followed by the opening ceremony at 7 PM when the vision for a New Argentina will be presented via a theatrical presentation.
In Mar del Plata there are already 700 neighborhood Houses of Prayer. Every 10 of them will charter a bus to transport its members to the stadium for the evening meetings, about 2500 people total. The 40 leaders from each one of the 24 provinces plus 300 internationals will add another 1,260 people resulting in a grand total of about 4,000 participants. This group will be imparted, envisioned, equipped and commissioned to work in the transformation of Mar del Plata as a practical and didactic exercise.
4. The evening rallies will take place in the stadium and the day sessions at the Sheraton Conference Center where each morning from 8 am till 1 pm the participants (locals and visitors) will meet by tracks in training and inspirational meetings until 1 PM. After lunch, at about 3pm, each track will minister all over the city as follows:
WORSHIPPERS, Every 2 blocks there will be a group worshipping and singing in the marketplace - the heart of the city - for a minimum of one hour. During the second hour in a centripetal thrust they will gradually connect with other groups until reaching a central location for one hour of combined praise and worship. In addition there will “mobile” worshippers riding on to sing and bless the passengers. On Friday all worshippers will come together to conform a massive praise choir during the closing rally in a central park.
INTERCESSORS- while the worshippers carry on these assignments, the intercessors will focus on 2 key objectives: manning intercessory tables in public places – one every 10 blocks - and prayer expeditions to key sites (city hall, schools, taxi and bus terminals, hospitals, police and fire stations, etc.) On Friday afternoon intercessors will also facilitate a major prayer fair at the site of the closing rally.
YOUTH. The youth will minister strategically in schools, clubs, cafes, Internet cafes, clubs so that the impact, like in the case of the worshippers, will multiply itself throughout the afternoon. On Friday afternoon they will hold a public march leading up to the site for the closing rally.
MARKETPLACE. There are 3 components to the marketplace - government, education and business – and each one is a track in itself. 878 marketplace ministers representing these tracks were commissioned in Mar del Plata on July 4th to pastor the corporations they work for. The top 70 will host a meeting designed to attract non-believers in the workplace in a coffee or lunch setting for the visiting peers to talk shop and minister to them. These meetings will take place on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and will climax with a major evangelistic lunch on Friday. Everybody will be encouraged to attend the closing rally on Friday afternoon.
PASTORS. The pastors from outside the city will connect with the pastors in Mar del Plata to work together in the different aspects of the city transformation process. Also meetings for impartation and sharing will be organized for pastors during the conference.
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT. To ensure the greatest efficiency possible the following logistical support will be endeavored:
RADIO. A secular radio station – connected to all three local Christian stations - will be contracted to minister to the city day and night. Youth, pastors, intercessors, worshippers and marketplace ministers will cover each one of the 24 hours. The possibility of linking the broadcast to neighboring cities to widen the impact is under study.
TELEPHONE COUNSELING HOTLINE. A telephone hotline center will process calls from seekers. A high volume of simultaneous calls is expected since in addition to extensive media advertising attractive signs placed at each worship location and at intercessory tables all over the city there will be signs stating “MAR DEL PLATA IS GOD’S CITY. HE IS IN TOWN. CALL HIM AT #number”. Intercessors will man the phones and process the calls to lead callers to the Lord. For immediate follow up all callers will be directed to the closest intercessory station and to the evening meetings at the stadium on Wednesday and Thursday and the closing rally on Friday afternoon.
PUBLICITY. It will consist of a blitz combining billboards, buses marquees, pamphlets, flyers, newspaper, radio and TV adds to emphasize that God is in the city and people should call the counseling center and attend the different evangelistic events.
4. OPEN AIR EVANGELISTIC RALLY. On Friday afternoon from 5 till 7 pm all tracks will mobilize the greatest amount of people possible to gather at a park a few blocks from the stadium for an evangelistic meeting with Carlos Anacondia. This meeting will be held in the afternoon so that as soon it is over the crowd will proceed to the stadium for the closing rally and commissioning of ministers to change the nation. Buses will transport people from the 700 neighborhood Lighthouses of Prayer in addition to residents from neighboring cities.
5. DONATION OF CONTAINERS. A minimum of 5 containers carrying medical supplies worth in excess of two million dollars will arrive in Argentina on time to be distributed among the 24 provinces. The governors of the 24 provinces or their representatives will be invited to Mar del Plata to officially receive the donations and the Mayor of the city has made available all official facilities for this purpose. In addition important donations will be given to the city of Mar del Plata as part of the transformation thrust.
The primary objective of the XIII Harvest Evangelism International Institute is two fold: to raise a canopy of prayer over the nation the first weekend and to convene a national and international gathering of top notch representatives of the 7 tracks for four days in Mar del Plata to implement prayer evangelism in order to bring transformation to the city and in so doing develop a prototype for the launching of similar processes all over the nation and the world.
thankQ!!!!
Tonight was one of the most special and humbling days
of my life. As I write these words I don't even know
what to say, but tonight I truly experienced the meaning
of "laying down your life" for your brother.
Tonight, I experienced what it means to "sacrifice" and
why sacrifice is so pleasing to the heart of God. The
Lord taught me a lesson tonight, to not doubt young
people, but to believe even a youth can do anything.
I received an offering tonight from my little church of
12 or so young people for $2440.00 to support me
to goto Argentina and experience revival next week.
My heart is so in awe and absolutely astounded by their
sacrifice in giving all that they had to see a dream of
mine come true.
The story behind this mission trip goes back 4 years.
When I was 18 years old I read a book called
"That None Should Perish" by Ed Silvoso. This book
talked about how a city in Argentina of 600,000 with
less than 5% Christian transformed into a city of revival
with now more than 40% Christian~ through the power
of prayer and unity. I never heard up to that point
that an entire city could be transformed by the glory
of God just like the book of Acts. This story of revival
gripped my heart so bad, it became my heart cry for
the city of San Jose for the last 4 years. Oh God if you
did it in Argentina why not in San Jose?
Since reading that book I have always desired to visit
Argentina and experience first hand this 15 year revival
that is still going on. All over, entire cities in Argentina have
come to Christ changing the entire face of the society. From
government, business to education God is tangibly present
everywhere.
Every year Pastor Ed Silvoso who's international ministry
is based in San Jose takes hundreds of people from all
over the world to experience what God's revival in Argentina.
I've always wanted to go, but never had the money or time.
2 months ago after reading Anointed for Business by
Ed Silvoso I begin to burn with a passion to see the
church restored to the marketplace. I heard Ed was doing
not just a city reaching effort this year in Argentina, but
a "nation reaching" effort. Where next week oct 24-Nov 2
every province in Argentina will be doing a simultaneous
prayer onslaught, community outreach onslaught,
evangelism onslaught in every province with thousands of
churches all over Argentina proclaiming Argentina for Christ
through radio, tv, prayer fairs, massive crusades in every
city and state at the same time to see the entire nation
of Argentina reached for Christ!!!
I wanted to go, but I thought I probably wouldn't be able
to because my mom was practically out of work, I am unemployed,
and the trip cost was like $3500. But one night while I was
praying I had this "crazy thought" as I asked God to show
me if I was to go or not. I prayed, "Lord I know this is crazy
but if Ed Silvoso who I don't even think knows who I am asks
me personally to goto Argentina I'll take it as a sign you want
me to go." This is crazy, but the next day the youth director
of Ed Silvoso who is my friend calls me out of the blue and says,
"Jaeson my boss Ed Silvoso gave me strict orders telling me to
tell you, 'you better tell Jaeson Ma to get his butt to Argentina
because he needs to be there!" I was in total shock n' awe...
I didn't even know Pastor Ed knew of me? He must of heard
of some of the minstry I've been doing with young people in
San Jose or something....
Anyways, even after this I still had doubts because of my current
financial situation and having just come back from a Singapore
mission trip. This is where the story of sacrifice begins....
Ted Haas who is the chief intercessor for Ed Silvoso and now attends
my church told me, "Jaeson the Lord told me clearly you need to
goto Argentina so you have to have faith to believe the money will
come in and be set on going." I told him, "I don't know, my family
is struggling financially, I am personally and I have so much school
and ministry." For some reason, he didn't care and knew in his spirit
I was suppose to go.
This week I already thought I wasn't going because the deadline
for the registration was past due and I haven't raised one cent.
Ted calls me yesterday and says, "Jaeson we just got someone
to offer you the plane ticket to Argentina and we at Harvest
Evangelism (Ed's organization) will pay half the bill for you if
you raise the remaining $1350.00 by Friday 5pm. I was grateful,
but said, "How am I going to raise $1350 in two days & my
finances are tight?" He told me I need stop thinking with doubt
and my poverty mentality needs to broken. I need to believe
God for the higher vision and know God will provide.
Even till this morning I was in doubt. I asked a group of business
men for an offering and they could only offer me $10??? I called
and told Ted, "I'm sorry but the money is not coming in." He then
tells me, "Jaeson I just got Pastor Sam (my co-pastor) to seed
$300 and Benjy (youth director Harvest Evangelism) is committed
with his wife to seed $200 more. You are now at $925 to raise!"
Even then I doubted again and said, "well I don't know who else
to ask?" He said, "God told me you are to ask Soul House to send
you to Argentina!" I told him, "Soul House??? They are a bunch
of college students with no money, don't do that to them!" Ted
responded with a rebuke telling me not to doubt the young people,
but I did. He told me he didn't care, but he would come to our
discipleship group tonight and tell them the situation and believe
they would give more than enough.
Well, tonight Ted did come. As I sat and listened to him talk
to my group of college guys about sending me to Argentina
I wanted to run and hide feeling ashamed to ask my little
group of 6 guys if they could fork out some cash to help me
do God's work in Argentina. I doubted they could even give
more than 20 bucks.
But all of a sudden as they prayed for God's will to speak to
them on how much to give I saw two of my guys Alex and Sean
who both themselves are having a hard time paying bills take
out all they had in their wallets. Others began to pull out their
check books and I wanted to weep.
The girls came out from their accountability group shortly after
and when hearing the challenge also began to pray asking God
how much to give? All of a sudden as we sat in the middle
of the office they all felt strongly that they were to send me
to Argentina as a prophetic act to believe God that the revival
in Argentina would happen among the young people of San Jose.
I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw each person pledge one by one
offerings to give to me, throwing their offerings on the floor
in the middle of the room. I can't explain it, but I felt so much
love, so much sacrifice, so much faith, it was beyond what I
have ever experienced. I fell on my knees and began to pray
and at that moment I felt the presence of God come so strong,
but not only His presence, but His pleasure. I finally understood
what it meant by why sacrifice is such a pleasing aroma to the
Lord. I watched as this little youth church of 12 or so college
students pulled out all they had to sacrifice and send their young,
faithless pastor to serve God in Argentina.
One by one the cash, checks and pledges fell to the middle of
the floor. Checks for $200, $182, $411, $27, $300, $1000???
Oh my God, I was in utter brokeness and humble repentance
to the Lord for doubting that youth could sacrifice and bless.
DO NOT LOOK DOWN UPON YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU ARE A
YOUTH! DO NOT SAY I'M BUT A YOUTH! These words kept
ringing in my head. As I continued to pray tears began to
break out among my brothers and sisters, as we realized
this is what it means to lay down your very life, to sacrifice,
to give all that you have and all that you got for your brother,
for the sake of the Cross, this is what it means to be a family
of Christ.
My heart broke and is still breaking because I know most in
that group of 12 or so are struggling financially, but somehow
they gathered the courage and faith in God to give all that
they had. Just like the widow with only 2 mites whom Jesus
commended to have given more than anyone else in the temple,
because she gave all that she had. That is sacrifice and this kind
of giving is pleasing to God because it takes faith. Indeed,
it does take faith to please God and tonight I know God was
smiling and pleased over that offering of $2440 from a group
of young college kids.
There pockets were empty, but there hearts were full. I'm heading
off to Argentina next Thursday night and its because my little
church of 12 college students decided to give everything they
got to see revival come to their generation.
Can you believe they gave me over and above $1500 more than
what I needed? I told them I would put the rest back in the Soul
House account, but they told me, "Jaeson just keep the money
and use it to help your mom pay rent, we love you." I love you
guys too!!!!!!!
Tonight indeed was another turning point in our ministry. We have
not only changed our church name to "The Waiting Place" but that
seed planted tonight was a seed of revival. It was a seed that broke
the head of the serpent and the stronghold of poverty over our
minds. For from this day forth God will pour forth so much financial
blessing from heaven into this ministry that we will not be able to
contain it. In order that we wold feed, clothe and provide for the
poor and the needy all over our city, our nation and the nations
of the world. I believe it. Why not?
Lord thank you for Sean, Alex, Tyrone, John, Kevin, Timmy, Erica,
Amie, Laura, Tamika, Ashley and Patty. These are the ones you
have given me and may I love them the way You loved your disciples,
that the world may know that You are Jesus Christ the Son of God!
thankful.
humbled.
in awe.
luv You Daddy!!!!!!
Students in Missions
by Kevin Little
"The evangelization of the world in this generation" This bold and zealous watchword characterized and motivated the Student Volunteer Movement, the most potent student mobilizers in all of history. From its outset the SVM called students to commit their lives, first, to the person and lordship of Christ, then, to taking the gospel of Christ to the unevangelized portions of the world. Students, looking for a cause worth giving their lives to and moved by the Holy Spirit, committed themselves in unprecedented droves to the evangelization of the world in their generation. At one point of its history, 75% of all female missionaries and 70% of all male missionaries were volunteers, who had been called to this pursuit by the SVM. In its history, the SVM was responsible for over 20,000 missionaries on the field, not committed to going but on the field. 20,000 college students had actually abandoned their dreams for the adventure of following Christ's heart to the nations. Four times this number, over 80,000, remained at home, supporting their fellow volunteers as well as increasing missions education.
Small Beginnings
This mobilization effort began in 1886 as a result of a random outpouring of God's Spirit at a summer conference in Mt Hermon, New Hampshire. The focus of the conference, led by D. L. Moody, was evangelism and Bible study, not missions, but the hearts of Luther Wishard, the organizer of the conference, and Robert Wilder, a senior from Princeton, longed for a nationwide movement of God's Spirit in the production of missionary zeal. At the beginning of the conference, Wilder pulled together eighteen other men who had committed themselves to going to the unevangelized portions of the world for daily prayer and conversation on the topic of world missions. By the end of the conference, this small group of missionary zealots grew to one hundred individuals, nearly half those in attendance. Although Wilder was only responsible for drawing only eight or nine of these men, multiplication occurred in an amazing fashion as men recently stirred by the flames of God's love for all men quickly spread that flame to others around them. Each of these men signed a declaration that read, "We, the undersigned, declare ourselves willing and desirous, God permitting, to go to the unevangelized portions of the world." From the momentum of this event arose the Student Volunteer Movement.
Catching Fire
Desiring to promote and conserve the missionary zeal that took root at the Mt. Hermon conference, Robert Wilder, accompanied by a fellow Princeton grad, toured the universities of the United States sharing the story of Mt. Hermon as well as challenging students to join them in their declaration. In the 1886-87 academic year alone, over 1,500 men and women signed the declaration. Once again, the power of multiplication was evident, for during the second year following Mt. Hermon, without the aid of a second deputation, the number of volunteers who had signed the declaration increased from around 2,000 to 3,000 during the 1887-88 academic year. God was moving the hearts of college students to give up their petty crusades and to lay down their lives for God's pursuit of the heathen.
Those who toured the campuses of the United States for the SVM, beginning with Wilder, presented a message that confronted complacency and excuses and that gave students a goal to which they could cling and pursue. The SVM advocates put the burden of proof on the students who wished to stay rather than those eager to go. Robert Speer, the advocate that followed Wilder, presented it best when he used an allegory of a drowning man. The one who sees the drowning man must explain why he stays on the bank, not why he dives into the river. In the world-wide cause of Christ, a similar situation exists. These students were called by Christ to "go and make disciples of all nations;" however, they lived in a nation that had been discipled, while other nations had not yet been discipled; therefore, the student who chose to stay in his discipled nation was forced to explain why the Lord had called him to that path, while the student who chose to sign the declaration and to go was simply obeying the commands of Christ. This argument caused men to confront the commands of Christ and the role they would play in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Also, the SVM advocates, after its development, called these students to a goal that was clearly and simply stated. This gave students a north star to pursue. "The evangelization of the world in this generation" became the watchword of the SVM. Students responded to the challenge of these advocates because they knew what they were giving their lives to ("the evangelization of the world in this generation") and they knew why (Christ commanded them to go to those who had not yet heard).
Conclusion
Today, these conditions remain. Christ's command to go and make disciples has lost no authority during these one hundred years. His command remains binding upon his people, for all the nations have yet to be reached and discipled. For this reason, the burden of proof once again falls on those who would choose to stay in an evangelized nation. How does your life fulfill Christ's Great Commission? This is the question you must answer whether you stay or go. At no point in history has the watchword of the SVM been nearer to fulfillment and within the grasp of a generation. We, like the students of the past, are called to make the evangelization of the world in this generation our heart cry and the purpose of our life, to the glory of God.
Lord, I pray that You would send this generation, start with me.
"The Haystack 5"- Prayer Meeting
"Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards, they simply unveil them."
- B.F. Westcott
It was 1806 and divine circumstances were about to reveal to the world its new unlikely heroes. Samuel J. Mills, James Richards, Francis L. Robbins, Harvey Loomis, and Byram Green were about to decide their destiny. These five students at Williams College in Massachusetts found themselves in a time when revival and awakening were sweeping across America and this small college town. There were many prayer meetings being maintained by students. One, to which these five men belonged, met in Sloan's meadow north of the college. On a hot Saturday afternoon in August these five left to pray and discuss William Carey's small booklet, An Inquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen. It was a controversial book that laid on all believers the weight of responsibility of world missions. There were threatening clouds in the distance, but the group met faithfully despite the thunderstorm that was approaching.
As they discussed world missions and specifically the needs in China, their attention was focused so intently on their responsibility to the unreached that they failed to notice the speed with which storm had approached. The young men were too far away to run for adequate shelter and were soon trapped by the angry thunder clouds. Within minutes the sound of the thunder was deafening and the pouring rain and strikes of lightening drove the students to scramble for the first shelter available - a haystack. Even as the storm rolled over the five continued their building discussion. Beneath the cover of the haystack, Samuel Mills, the leader of the group, continued to insist that the gospel must be taken to the lost in Asia.
All were inspired to act by Mills' passion except for Loomis, who argued that it was too dangerous in China. "We must wait until they are civilized," he maintained. Samuel suggested that they make it an issue of prayer, and they began to pray over the wail of the storm. All prayed except for Loomis. Mills, remembering the objections of Loomis, prayed, "O God, strike down the arm, with red artillery of heaven, that shall be raised against a herald of the cross."
Finally after singing a hymn, Mills looked at the others, and over the roar of the drenching rain, and with flashes of lightening reflecting in his eyes, cried out, "We can do this, if we will!" Something broke loose in that moment within the hearts of all five. All pointed back to that moment as the one that changed them forever. The five later consecrated themselves to full devotion to the Great Commission and taking the gospel to all the nations. They felt that it was the job of the American church to send its own missionaries and proposed to the General Association of Massachusetts that the first American missions agency be created. Their desire was granted, and in 1810 the agency was named, "The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions." Adoniram Judson was among the first five men that the American Board sent to Calcutta, India. Mills went on to inspire the creation of several other mission agencies and works such as The United Foreign Missionary Society, the American Baptist Missionary Union, and the American Bible Society.
This Haystack Prayer Movement became known all over the surrounding area, especially among college students. Samuel began a group in 1808 called the Society of Brethren, which bound its members together by the single-minded purpose of giving themselves to extend the gospel around the world. Several missions societies began to spring up on campuses all across the U.S. in the footsteps of Mills.
Years later, several women purchased with one gold dollar, the spot of land which Bryam Green identified as the location of the haystack that day. Today the Haystack Prayer Monument stands at Williams college as a reminder of what God did, not only in the lives of the five, but also in the life of Luther Wishard 80 years later. Luther, inspired by the Haystack Prayer Movement, initiated the mobilization of 100,000 college students through the Student Volunteer Movement. That moment in 1808 under the haystack was the spark for the greatest missionary movement that the world has ever seen.
They were ordinary young men - college students. Life forced them to search out their life purpose, maybe before it was too late; before the world had a chance to steal away their passion and talents into other great endeavors; before the roots of careers, and comfort grew too deeply into the American dream. These five had no idea that all of history was watching that day and what weight of responsibility lay on them. God uses moments like this, not to test our hearts, but to reveal them. He is unveiling to us what holds our true loyalty. Neil McClendon says, "Life's interruptions are God's invitations." Heroes like this are made, not born. Let us press on to know Him deeply and know His heart so that in times of testing and interruption it might be revealed that our heart has been replaced with His. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Out of the deepening of our passion for His renown and glory will come an overflow: our lives heralding a message to the world, "We can do this, if we will!"
A New Beginning.....
What can I say? God lets me eat humble pie so I can die.
Death to self, death to self and more death to myself. :oD
These last 10 days have been humbling, yet at the same
time freeing. How do I explain? Have you ever thought
how when you finally surrendered yourself to the Cross
was the day life started getting "unpredicatable?"
Last weekend and last week in general was one of those
unpredictable times I'll never forget. For some background,
I received two dreams. In one dream I was driving on
the Golden Gate bridge in my 65 mustang. All of a sudden
I came out of the car, onto a raft and I watched my mustang
crash under the bridge into the water. Yet, I wasn't concerned
at all about the Mustang, only for my two friends in the car. One
was the camera man for my TV show and the other a good friend
from my Christian college. I got them both out and was just happy
they were out. Then in a second phase of the dream I was in a
staff meeting with my core team and they weren't listening to me
talk, so I got frustrated, yelled, went out the room and came
back singing a song "Jaeson is dead, I am dead, halelujah Jaeson
is dead," or something crazy like that. But I was so elated as
I sang. I sang my core team walked out of the room.
In another dream last week I was again in my 65 Mustang with
my core staff. We were all planning to go somewhere, but I told
them I had to get something back at my old church so I would
meet them at the destination. Well, they got in their cars and left,
and I turned the key to the ignition in my Mustang but the
key broke! So I took out another spare key, but that key broke
too! All of a sudden I was just driving around the Student Union
of San Jose State in a square, over and over again on neutral.
The interpretation:
Many times "cars" represent our "vehicle for ministry" in my
case it was my Mustang which I highly esteem. In both
dreams my "vehicle for ministry" was destroyed or put to
a stop. Both dreams my "core staff or team" left me and
I was left alone. Yet, I wasn't disturbed in both dreams from
the ministry crashing and being put to a stop?
Make a long story short, God stripped me of half my core
staff last week, gave a prophetic word through a brother
that we had been working in our own strength to do
God's ministry and that we were going no where fast.
Humbling? yeah. These last 5 months we have prayed
ourselves to death, planned programs to death, fasted
to death, promoted to death, done everything to win
the lost and have come up short with little fruit and alot
of people tired. The end outcome was a realization that
God was calling me back to my first love. To love God &
to love those He has given me. To do these two first before
I even think about loving the lost. I guess you would laugh
if I told you a few days after my dream and surrendering
the ministry to God I lost both of my keys to the San Jose St.
student union ballroom (where we do ministry) and I still
have no idea where they dissapeared?
In utter brokeness the Lord led me spontaneously to
LA for a conference at Harvest Rock last Saturday.
I was not planning to go because I was scheduled to
speak in Oakland at the Business Mens Fellowshp breakfast.
Before I went to LA I spoke at the BMF event. I was impressed
in my spirit to speak on Jeremiah 1:5-8 "Do not say I am
but a youth." As I spoke and shared my heart cry for revival
in this generation the power of God broke loose in the room.
John Davis a revivalist from Brownsville Pensacola spoke
after me and shared, "Alot of us pastors do do do, but in God's
eyes its just a bunch of "do-doo" (haha!) he then spoke
in the coming revival the Lord is restoring His church to bridal
love and Jesus in the first place!" Fire broke out over the room
and many people were slain in the spirit. I knew God was speaking
to me, to return to my first love, but also not to be in despair
for the promise of revival in this generation would still come to
pass; with or without me.
At 3pm I decided to buy a Southwest flight to Burbank. It was
foolish because I had already missed the first 6 days of the
conference, but something in my spirit said I had to go. My
friend Ben Hui picked me up and we were given seats near
the front of the auditorium. Cindy Jacobs (international prophet)
was the scheduled speaker. She was also the one who gave
me my first major prophetic word 2 years ago. Funny thing,
is much of what she prophesied over me I had begun to doubt
because much of it had not happened yet.
Well, she starts her message but first asks Vineyard Technology
(15 staff) to come up for prayer. (This is the company that has
me heading up their youth foundation) Surprised, I go up with
them and as she prays for each person, she finally gets to me.
I knew she didn't recognize me from two years back and all
of a sudden she prays something like..."the youth, you are
called to the youth of San Jose, Silicon Valley." Then she
said, "He's a Jeremiah, a Jeremiah, do not say I am but a youth!"
It was short, but it meant the world to me. You see, the 2 page
prophetic word she gave from 2 years back the first page
dealt w/ me being called as a Jeremiah or a prophet to this
generation. It was confirmation to me, the word the Holy Spirit
spoke to her from years back, was indeed the word of the Lord.
The next day, Cindy gives another word to Harvest Intl Ministries
(the apostolic network our church plant is under) and speaks
to Pastor Lou Engle, "H.I.M. is going to the greatest churches
on the university campuses of America, you have prayed and
fasted at the Call gatherings, but now the Lord is opening the
doors for prophetic evangelism on the university campuses!"
She had no clue, that our church plant at san jose state is
the first church plant under H.I.M. on a university campus. My
heart was beating like a 100mph and I wanted to cry, because
the Holy Spirit has shown me again and again He is about
to birth another student missionary movement among the
campuses of California to reach the ends of the earth w/ the Gospel.
Pastor Che called the congregation to repentance and a new
commitment to evangelism. He then called me on stage telling
the crowd we had just started a church plant at san jose state.
Cindy was in awe. Later Pastor Che told me, Cindy had no
clue I was from San Jose or even an H.I.M. pastor. God was truly
encouraging me.
The crazyiest part of the trip was after that session Pastor John
and Michelle the associate pastors asked me to go eat lunch
w/ them. At first I couldn't because my flight to leave was at 3pm,
but something told me to delay my flight to goto lunch. So I did.
We went to Korean BBQ and I told them my vision to plant
"house groups" (house churches) among students in the
Bay Area. Later they took me to their "huge" house in Diamond Bar
to drop off their two sons before we returned to the conference.
This is where it gets crazy....
As I walked into their home, into the hallway, into the kitchen,
all of a sudden dejavu hit me like a ton of brics. The presence
of God fell upon me so strong and the awe of God enveloped
my being. I had seen their house in detail in at least 2-4 dreams
in the last 9 months. I then told Pastor John, "I've seen your
house in my dreams, I know it, when i walk up these stairs
you will have a long hallway connecting to the other side
of the house and such and such rooms." He bore witness
in his spirit as I spoke and sure enough, his upstairs was
exactly as I described it. I began to ask the Holy Spirit,
"Why are you showing me this and how does this connect
to the dreams I had?"
In my dreams I was in their house running around and
having fun with tons of young people all over the house.
People were just hanging out everywhere. I remember
waking up each time and asking myself, "Who's house
is that Lord, why are you showing me this house?"
As we were driving back to the conference the pastors
wife spoke. "Jaeson its interesting, but when you told
us your vision for house churches among youth people
at the restaraunt, we were going to tell you that the
the reasons we are pastors today at HRC is because
the home you were just in was a house of "renewal"
for over 3 1/2 years. Basically, it was a house church!
We started a small cell group, put it in the bulletin once
and for 3 1/2 years hundreds of people came from
far and wide, we have no clue how they heard about it!
And just like in your dream there were young people
all over the house. We had simple worship, bible study,
and we ministered prophetically and delivered many
people. Pastors and homeless people would come
to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit and we even took
offerings for the poor. Our home Jaeson was a literal
house church and that is where we learned to pastor.
We believe what God has burdened in your heart is
what the future church of North America is going to
look like."
I was in utter amazement. I could not even speak
for the Holy Spirit was confirming to my heart
indeed He has called me to see the book of Acts
happen once again, even in this generation.
Oh, and btw..when i went back to the conference
Pastor Che prayed for a women with a leg shorter
than other in front of me and I watched with my
own eyes her leg grow it to normal length!!! Only
the power that is in the name of JESUS!
Even with all this encouragement, the Lord spoke
to me clearly about the future. Indeed, I am
convinced without a shadow of doubt that the
vision He has given me will be accomplished with
or without me. God is going to release another
Jesus movement among the campuses of California
and new churches will be planted for this generation,
and ultimately unto the nations.
But as for me, I've learned its not in my time, my way,
or my strength. Surely, it is only by His Spirit that
anything will be accomplished. As I worshipped during
the worshp time, I was on my knees and the Lord
gave me a vision.
I saw an American eagle with a snake in its mouth. I
asked the HOly Spirit what does this mean? I then
closed my eyes in silence again and this time I saw
a map of America and thousands of American eagles
hovering over America w/ snakes in their mouths.
Then the Lord quickened Isaiah 40:31 to me...
"But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their
strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they
will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not
be faint."
The Spirit of God spoke clear as day to me..
"Jaeson if you will teach this generation to wait upon
me they will never be defeated, but always victorious."
It was like night and day at that moment for me. AHA!!
This was the secret of the Lord for my life, to teach
this generation to wait upon the Lord, to practice
the discipline of silence and total dependence on God.
no more programs, no more planning, no more entertaining,
no more anything, but to simply learn to wait, to enjoy God
and to let Him initiate ministry, by first being ministers to
Him. I'm still not sure what this will all look like, but my
passion and desire now is not to build a great ministry,
or even plant churches, but rather to teach this generation
to practice the presence of the Holy Spirit and from that place
of "first love" and "intimacy" I believe the greatest ministries
will spring forth all over the earth. Let it be so Lord..
I have nothing to my name, nothing but You.
this weekend in LA was supernatural...i'll update asap
