As I’m sitting on the plane right now, I can’t help but reminisce about the last week while being in Belize. This year our team has seen so many exciting events unfold in front of us. During the team’s last meeting we went over what we learned in Belize, and I was surprised to hear from my roommates what they have learned this week. I learned that Belizeans are a group of people who needs to be prayed for throughout the year, because without prayer they will not have salvation. During Pastor Brian’s sermon this morning, he said something that made his sermon not only to apply to potential missionaries, missionaries, upcoming STM members, and even the Belizeans. His sermon was based from Exodus 3:11, 4:1, 10. He based his sermon on the 3 F fears, The Fear of Failure, the Fear of Foolishness, and the Fear of Fatigue. For the fear of failure he said that the fear of Moses could have prevented him from freeing his people in Egypt. Similar to us, if we have the fear of failing to do the Lord’s work, then we will not be able to free God’s people from Satan’s grasp. Moses was also afraid of the Fear of Foolishness, he was afraid that if would embarrass himself, but we need to remember that if this embarrassment conquers our lives, then we will never go out of our personal bubble to minister to God’s lost sheep. Just imagine if Peter didn’t feel embarrassed that he knew Jesus, then maybe those people around that fire would have known about the miracle that is God. The third fear is the fear of Fatigue. Personally this fear conquers me every time I go out into the mission field. This fear will always prevent anybody who wants to do God’s work but feels incapable of doing it. But if you don’t try then nothing will happen. My encouragement would be to remember that every time we try to minister to someone that is a mustard seed being planted into someone’s life. Just like someone this week tried to convince a Jehovah’s Witness that God is the true way, but didn’t go to well, we need to remember that in his case we put the shovel into the ground. Similarly to the Belizeans and the Chinese we may have planted mustard seeds in the ground, but the work of God may develop through other missionaries that will continue to go. With all these events we have experienced it would seem to be almost like the work we have done is so small that we may not have impacted to community too much, but short term missions trip are known to not only develop the places that we go to, but ourselves as well. I can say with confidence that I am proud of our younger members, who has grown in faith just by participating in our ministry to the Belizeans. So I challenge the members of our church who has one of those Fears, to pray, and take the next step to be fishers of men, and fulfill the Great Commission.
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16 ESV
Thank You all for the support you have given us before, during, and after our trip. On behalf of the entire team I would like to say you are all awesome people. If you would like to hear more about our trip, then I would like to invite you to our sharing meeting that would be announced later.
Prayer Items:
• That we continue to pray for Belize so that they may know God
• Pray for the basketball court so that it may encourage teamwork among the youth hostel kids
• For the Chinese church so they would continue to grow and continue to love God
• For Stephanie (our chef) so her upcoming marriage would be a happy one.
Thanks,
Jonathan Hsu
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