Make Your Choice

Sometimes it is hard to really face the reality. A friend of us is just running an exhibition about "faces". Her eight faces speak a language in itself. Every face is different and has a different "message" 
The same applies when we "face" challenges of a special type: You have to see the facts and their message to you. 
No matter what you think, feel or tell yourself, you always have a choice in life. In the case of a day where you want to crawl back under the doona, you absolutely have a choice to make.

Will you allow external circumstances such as deadlines, a difficult boss a huge workload or a challenging relationship to dictate how you live your life on a daily basis? Or will you stand up, take responsibility for how you feel and do something to change the situation? The people who have most so-called “success” in life (and I say that because success is a very subjective term) are almost 100% likely to fall into the second category.

For a Christian there is another dimension in life which goes far beyond the sole visibility of physical facts: Christians stand before the Almighty with their life they are aware that their "success" lies in Christ and what he did out of love for us. They "face" the fact that there is sin in their lifes and the holy Creator must punish sin. 

Unforgiven sin results in aggression, intolerance and cements the absence of peace. - For followers of Christ know the real "success" if this word could ever be used in that connection is their faith in Christ, which is enough to have God's forgiveness to be applied to their lives too. This often requires an almost heroic decision. Many so called "heroes" never did this decision and therefore lack true heroism. - They were told to show everything they can, but were unwilling to give God, who has given them such strength, the glory for it.

There is a need to taking responsibility for yourself, your actions and therefore your outcomes, but the outcome is not the sole guarantee that you all did it right, there is also much grace from above int that, yet with a thankful heart to the LORD you get  yourself back on track and firing on all cylinders.

Cultivating the feeling of being a victim and blaming everyone and everything else around you for what is going to change something, it is rather the sure way toward disaster as word history shows.  If something isn't working for you, seek help; advice; assurance; whatever you need to assist you in moving the situation forward. Only YOU can take the responsibility to know when a situation needs to change, and go about making those changes. - 

Sometimes life's success can be determined by the answer to the question: to whom give I face? This however lies rooted in a deep decision whether I am willing to accept the call of the Creator to be his special child and to face the reality and the life he has prepared in an unique way for me/for you. 

As we prepare for a time in Europe - the creative Elijah's Hut ministry through which the "Giving Face" Exhibition was made possible in Taipei will have a short break.  Pray that its pictures, when sold, continue to underline this message in the places where they will be put with the question: to whom do I give "face" with my life?

A Word from SEND International's International Director worthwhile to reflect:
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16).

Feeling some days like you are a sheep among wolves? Yet this is exactly where Jesus is sending us. If we are going to those places which are least reached, they will naturally be resistant, dangerous, difficult places. “Therefore,” Jesus says, “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” I’ve always had an aversion to the association Jesus makes with snakes here, since my immediate reaction is to think back to the snake in the Garden of Eden. Yet when I think about chasing snakes as a kid, they always avoided me, trying to get under a rock or into a bush. I think what Jesus is saying here is that we need to be vulnerable as we proclaim, but when the wolves lunge, step aside. When they open their mouths, don’t jump inside. Like “doves” don’t give them any reason to accuse you of injustice or immorality. Courageous in witness, yet avoiding unnecessary persecution. Jesus frames these instructions with repeated affirmations of the value of the messenger and the importance of the message. We are sent by Christ (16), given words by the Spirit (19-20), assured that there is salvation at the end of it (22, 28), confident that God will vindicate and judge (23, 26), under God’s care (29), and valued by God (31). The overall message to us? “Do not fear” (19, 26, 31).

This is a sobering passage, yet one filled with hope. We are valued and loved. We are sent by our LORD Himself. We need not fear when things are tough, because He has promised to be with us to the very end. Feeling like a sheep among wolves? Remember who has sent you, and what He has promised to you. Then be fearless and shrewd and innocent.

While all kinds of ministry activities are important and necessary, “missions” is something unique. God draws us into His heart as we grow in Him. With that drawing in we also experience a sending out toward those He loves and for whom He died. When God’s sending carries us across cultural and linguistic and world view boundaries to places that are beyond the reach of the local church for the sake of discipleship and church planting, we call that missions.

Off the bookshelf
In preparation for one of those mission conferences, I reviewed the book “Missions in the Context of Violence.” This volume is a compilation of presentations given at a gathering for mission leaders and mission educators. In one chapter the author relates a poem written by a recent martyr in Iraq. In describing the missionary heart, she writes:
The missionary heart
Cares more than some think wise
Risks more than some think safe
Dreams more than some think practical
Expects more than some think possible

She later concludes “I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience.”

We are called by a Savior who has given His all for us, and who asks us to give our best that others might live. Thank you for your obedience to this call.

Warren Janzen
SEND International
mobilizing God's people
engaging the unreached
establishing reproducing churches

Prayer Requests for the Month April

1. CCEA:
Next preparatory meeting with church leaders of the expat church committee branch for the Franklin Graham Festival is at April 8th. The course „Life with Jesus“ and „Operation Andrews“ are going to be printed in several languages, as well as introduced into the respective churches.- The result should be to have enough coworkers ready to do the follow up and preparation fort he four days from October 30th-Nov. 2nd.

2. TECC:
2.1 Currently praying to share the bilingual gospel of Mark well and that we can soon begin with the next project(depends on a donation of 21,000 NT$ ) to have 10,000 bilingual Gospel of Mark for the Indonesians as well.
2.2 May the new material in Cambodean help the 3000 Cambodean expat to find Christ.

3. SEND TW Taiwan Sending Council:
3.1 For good preparation of the team willing to go to the Batandao/Philippines (about 30 people). We still pray for applicants for Japan, Spain, Ukraine and Siberia (the later with Martin Hartley) and two career missionary applicants.
3.2 Please also pray for two more council members and wisdom to assist the locals in developing this council.

4. Mission Teaching/mission courses
4.1 The preparation of the students at CPES for a 21 hours bloc course about cross-cultural mission at Danshuei, as a service from the missiondepartment of CCEA (June 3-6).
4.2 Two other courses are being prepared for printing at the Taosheng Theological Seminary. Before teaching in fall will begin again, most of this printing preparatory /correcting/checking work should be over.

A Word from WARREN JANZEN, General Director of SEND International

Greetings from the Farm! I trust this finds you well.
In the Word:
In Daniel chapter 11, a dream is interpreted for Daniel. The forecast for God’s people is for storms, many and mighty. Yet in the midst of these wintry weather conditions we find nestled into the text some reminders of God’s control. Speaking of the kingdoms and personalities that will rise and fall we find the following: “It will not go to his descendents…” (vs.4). “…he and his power will not last.” (vs.6) “…but only for a time.” (24) “…to no avail because an end will still come at the appointed time.” (27) “Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.” (35) “At the time of the end…he will come to his end, and no one will help him.” (40, 45)

Amidst all the political intrigue, the brutality of war, and the suffering of the innocent is that constant backdrop of God’s sovereign timing. There is an appointed time. World events are under His control.

In Isaiah 45:6-7 we find a declaration of God which embraces, like bookends, the “stuff” of this world. “I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD who does all these things.” From light to darkness, from well-being to calamity, all are in His hands. This morning as I meditated on this passage and prayed for you and your ministry, I prayed with boldness because of whom we serve.

Off the bookshelf:
Over Christmas my sister-in-law put me onto a book about communication. Although it is a book on preaching, I believe it has a broader application. “Communicating for a Change” by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones seeks to establish a roadmap for the solid preparation and memorable delivery of a message. The book opens with an allegory which leads into a presentation of the principles. Perhaps the most distinguishable aspect of this book is its focus on preparing talks around a single point. The authors write, “In a one point message it is essential for the communicator to know the answer to two questions: What is the one thing I want my audience to know? What do I want them to do about it?”

Whether you are preparing and delivering messages regularly or giving talks to a variety of groups, I think you might benefit from a review of communication techniques offered in this brief but articulate book.

In the office:
As you receive this message I am attending the annual IFMA LeaderLink training seminar. This is my second time to participate and I am especially enjoying the free evenings which are spent drinking coffee and talking shop with the other SENDers who are attending. Last Thursday (prior to LeaderLink) we held a “think tank” at the I.O., considering with a group of people (from both inside and outside of SEND) what it would look like for SEND to be more deliberate and integrated in developing our leaders. We worked through a conceptual section defining the leadership role, an informational section examining how leaders in SEND are formed, and then a creative section where we considered alternative approaches (and especially delivery systems). My aim is to develop a clear plan ready to present and implement by the November Directors’ Council meeting.

On the home front:
This is the last week of basketball before we move into the track season. It has been a winning season for Kenton (11-4). Next week he will join his older brother who has been training for track throughout the winter. Looking forward to those long track meets (really!). Bryan is in the middle of the college search, writing his ACT and SAT this month. We are learning a lot about the process, and enjoying talking with Bryan about his interests and future plans.

“I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD who does all these things.” Take courage and move ahead boldly, for we serve the only God of the universe.

In His grip,

Warren Janzen
General Director
SEND International
Starting, Serving, Supporting