The Key

He's a servant of God...

He's a frontline missionary...

He's working alone in the mountains...

He's doing the best he can...

He needs your help...

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Travis Sharon is working alone in a remote village, and he has a seemingly impossible task ahead of him.

He needs to build a new school building before rainy season makes the road impassible...

That is probably going to happen in less than two months...

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Travis needs someone to go and help him...

But whether God wants you to go or not, there is something that each one of us can do.

"...prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence."

The key is in your hand... will you use it?

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In Exodus 17, the Israelites were being attacked by the Amalakites, and so Joshua led the able bodied men into battle, and Moses and Aaron and Hur, fought in a different way.

"With arms outstretched toward heaven, and holding the rod of God in his right hand, Moses prayed for the success of the armies of Israel. As the battle progressed, it was observed that so long as his hands were reaching upward, Israel prevailed, but when they were lowered, the enemy was victorious. As Moses became weary, Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the enemy was put to flight. (Patriarchs and Prophets p 298)

This is an example of the power of intercessory prayer.

And that, my friend, is the key that you hold in your hand...

YOU can pray for Travis... and you can pray for someone to go and help Travis...

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Are you willing to pray for Travis?

I'm not talking about just saying a prayer... I'm asking if you will pray, for Travis?

Specific things to pray for: Strength, wisdom, and courage.

Join me, in praying...

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This video shows some of the realities of what it's like for Travis...

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And this video is about the school itself. 

If you'd like to learn more about the work Travis and his family are doing, please visit: Sharonfamily.org

http://stockarch.com/images/abstract/concept/hand-holding-big-iron-vintage-key-6826

Travis, Travis! Wake Up!

This story took place last October while I was in Thailand. Truly a life changing experience...

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I thought I had a clue what I was getting myself into, but really I didn't.

600 miles on a motorbike is a long trip... 

We were going to visit Travis's school, and I knew it was going to be a trip unlike any other...

But I had no idea how different it would be!

We started off in the evening and drove till midnight...

Then we stopped in a Songthow stop to sleep for a few hours. (Essentially it's a few benches with a roof over it where people can wait to ride on a truck called a songthow. It's one of the most common local forms of public transportation.)

At 4:30 AM we took off down the road again...

We drove for about 12 hours, and then stopped to spend the night with one of Travis's friends.

After supper, they laid some pads on the floor for us, and we promptly went to sleep...

And then life got interesting!

I woke up, sat straight up and became aware of a severe pain on my back.

Instinctively I vigorously brushed my hand across my back hoping that the pain would stop...

But it didn't!

So I brushed my hand again, and the pain stopped...

I realized at that moment that something had bitten me!

I heard it moving away from me and I knew I needed to figure out what it was, so I grabbed my flashlight and shone it where the noise was...

And then I saw it...

A small snake moving very quickly away from me!

I only saw it for about a second, so I couldn't identify what kind of snake it was...

There are some really poisonous snakes in Thailand, and as the realization came to me that I just got bit by a snake, I couldn't help but wonder if I would die in a few minutes.

What would you do in that situation?

I prayed a very short, concise, desperate prayer... And then decided it was time to wake up Travis.

Trying to not wake up the other people in the house, I said... "Travis, Travis! Wake up!"

He didn't move a muscle or even stir in his sleep...

Very shortly I realized that that wasn't working, so I decided that vocal and physical stimulation was needed, so I started poking him, and telling him to wake up!

That worked better.

He opened his eyes and looked at me, and then he closed his eyes again...

So I decided to pull out all the stops...

"Travis! I've been bit by a snake!"

That worked!

He sat straight up and said "WHAT?!"

I asked him to look at my back and see if he could see the bite marks...

So I pulled my shirt down from the neckline and he looked, and then said that it wasn't poisonous...

Phew! That's good!

And then he said, "Actually I didn't see any bite marks, I think you're just feeling things."

I assured him that I felt the snake bite me and there was no mistaking it!

So I had him look farther down my back, and sure enough there was the bite mark.

Thankful for confirmation of the bite, I sat there wondering if the shooting pain I felt from that area was in my imagination. (It felt something like a bee sting only worse.)

Travis started looking under his pad to make sure there weren't any more snakes hanging around, and then stated that we should go back to sleep!

It took awhile, but I finally did go back to sleep.

The next morning I woke up and the first thing I thought was: "I'm alive!" What a wonderful feeling!

When Travis woke up I asked him to look at the bite location again to see what was there.

He looked and saw two fang marks.

That means it was a poisonous snake!

I looked at Travis and said: "You mean to tell me that I was bit by a poisonous snake last night and I'm still alive?"

There isn't a human explanation for it.

I was bit by the snake, I felt venom going in, yet there was no swelling, and no lasting ill effects!

My best explanation is that God sent some angels to plug those fangs and only let a little bit of venom in...

Just enough to make me realize that it's a miracle...

It is only because of God's power that I'm alive right now, which means that He has a plan for me...

If satan had his way, I'd be dead... But God's not through with me.

And because God saved my life for a reason, the only thing I can give in return is myself...

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What about you? You don't have to have a near death experience to serve God...

Jesus died on the cross to save you from sin! We all are bought with a price, the magnitude of which, we can't even comprehend!

Jesus gave His life for you, what are you willing to give for Him?

I have found that the only way to find true joy is to follow Jesus...

And I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to exchange short-term pleasure, for eternal joy and peace... 

Which will you choose? 

Black suit - Bamboo floor - India

I sat down on the bamboo floor on the outskirts of the group...

My computer was set up on a table and there was a video playing.

The video was of me playing my senior piano recital...

I wanted to show the video to the students at J.E.M.M.S. (Jason's English Medical Missionary School) because all they ever saw me playing was a keyboard, so I figured they should see the real thing!

I was curious to see the reactions of these students who had never seen a real piano.

And the most interesting reaction I got was this... One of the students said:

In America you were living in a much higher class, and you come here and live in the jungle and sleep on a bamboo floor. Why teacher?

I'd never really thought of it that way before. True, I was wearing a black suit playing on an expensive piano, in a really nice church...

But going from that to sleeping on a bamboo floor, didn't seem like a big difference...

At first...

But as I tried to think of it from their perspective, I could see the contrast...

Yet I didn't really question the decision to sleep on that bamboo floor... to live in the jungle... to help the people... to share Jesus with them...

I found way more joy serving God in the jungle, than I ever did from wearing a black suit, and playing a nice piano.

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That took place 3 months ago.

Shortly after that I returned to the US to be at my brother's wedding.  (It was a beautiful wedding, you can see some pictures on Beth's blog.)

And then I returned to work with Jesus for Asia...

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Shortly after I arrived in Thailand last June, I wrote a post entitled "Why?"

And now that I've returned to America, I want to share a few things that I learned...

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In the absence of technology, life takes on a much deeper meaning...

I love the jungle...

Riding on a motorbike for 400 miles in one day is a fool-proof way to get saddle sore...

God takes care of His children...

I should be dead right now... It's only a miracle of God that I am alive right now... (Look for that story in another post)

God is an ever present help in trouble...

Working for God is the only way to have true joy and peace...

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Now that I'm in America I wish I was in Thailand...

But I'll be going to that part of the world before too long!

March 18 is the day that we fly!

Myself and 3 other guys will be going to India to visit several Jesus for Asia projects and shoot documentary films of the work that is being done, and the work that needs to be done.

I'm excited about our trip! We'll be gone for about a month and I believe that God is going to do great things.

Please join me in praying for our trip, that God will provide everything that we need, and make it a very productive trip.

Unwilling student

It was time to teach my 1st and 2nd graders...

And as I began to teach, I was having great difficulty keeping their attention...

From all outward appearances, they didn't want to learn English at all!

It seemed to me, that they were far more interested in trying to be naughty, than in learning anything from me...

As I was thinking about what I could do to capture their attention...

A thought came to me, that instantly stopped the complaining in my mind...

Not only that, it was a sound rebuke...

How many times does God want to teach me something...

But I just don't want to learn...

Or He asks me to surrender something...

And I just don't want to...

Far too often, what I want is the first consideration...

But what we too often forget, is that...

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. ~ 1 Corinthians 7:23

Christ died to save us from our sins...

What right have we to follow our own path and do our own things, when Christ payed the price for our sins?

This is my prayer...

Teach me thy way, O Lord, I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. ~ Psalm 86:11

(And for all you teachers who are reading this and have tons of ideas of how to keep the attention of 1st and 2nd graders... why don't you come and put those ideas to work, because God hasn't called me to be a classroom teacher... I came, because no one else would...) 

How will they hear?

I was sitting in a minivan ready to start the trip… 

In the row of seats in front of me sat an older Thai lady…

This particular town had a number of large idols set up beside the road…

And as we passed, this lady respectfully bowed to each one in worship… 

And throughout the trip wherever there was a shrine set up on the side of the road, she bowed to each one… 

Now, let me ask you a question… 

Was she bowing to those idols, because she wanted to, or was it simply because that’s all she’s ever known? 

Has she ever heard the name of Jesus? 

I don’t believe she ever has… 

What about the many hundreds of people who were in the bus station? 

Maybe a few of them have heard, but the large majority have never heard about Jesus… 

What about the millions of other buddhists who have never heard of any other way? 

What about the 2.9 BILLION people in this world who are completely unreached by the gospel? 

How will they learn about Jesus? 

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Romans 10

Verse 13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

Verse 14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 

Verse 15: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things! 

Verse 16: But they have not all obeyed the gospel… 

We have neglected those people who are dying without Jesus… 

Jesus said, “GO ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) 

Friends we have disobeyed Christ’s command… 

We have failed God…  

Jesus asks us the same question He asked Peter, do you love me? (John 21:17)

If our answer is yes, then we must do what Christ commanded Peter…

“Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” 

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I want you to imagine a little scenario… 

Instead of being born in a 1st world country, you were born in a 3rd world country… 

Instead of growing up in a loving family, your parents died of aids and you’re living with a group of orphans in the local landfill. 

Instead of going to school and then college and getting a good job, you’re forced to pick through the trash looking for anything of value, hoping you can make a little money to buy at least one meal for the day. You will live this way the rest of your life, because there is no opportunity for you to have a better life. 

Instead of being born into a Christian home and believing in Jesus, you’re a Hindu, not because that’s what you chose, but because that’s all you’ve ever known. You have an empty feeling but have no idea what’s missing, or how to fill it. 

What if that was your life? Would you want someone to come and tell you who can fill that empty spot in your heart? Would you want someone to come and tell you about Jesus?

“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 16:31)

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I’m going to ask two very specific questions… 

And I want you to think about them… 

Because they have eternal significance, either for you, or the people you could reach if you did go as a missionary. 

How will they hear if you don’t go? 

Who will go, if you don’t go? 

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“The very life of the church depends upon her faithfulness in fulfilling the Lord’s commission.” DA 825

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BE a witness… 

BE a missionary… 

Bridge Collapse!

It was really just going to be a hike in the jungle...

Up the trail we walked...

Then we got to the creek...

With a bridge across it... a bamboo bridge! (it looked kind of old, even though it was built only 9 months ago.)

We took off across the bridge... Jason in front, then Hannah, then Sarah (she was holding Destiny) and then me, and a couple students behind me...

Then we heard it...

CRACK!

The bridge started to sway a bit...

And then make steady movement downward!

And the bridge came tumbling down!

We rode it down and it stopped right above the water.

Sarah had grabbed the railing with one arm and Destiny with the other and just rode it down.

Within about 5 seconds Jason, myself, and one of the students were all reaching to get Destiny.

Jason got Destiny, one of the students on the other side helped Sarah up the slippery bridge and I followed.

No one was hurt except for a few scratches...

God is good! And the rest of the hike was fun as well!

Just another day in the life of a missionary!

And then I got to thinking about it...

Sometimes God asks us to go over bridges that look impossible to us...

But we have to trust him completely...

He doesn't promise that the bridge won't collapse...

He promises to be with us. (Matt 28:20)

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

The lowest part of where the bridge fell is where Sarah ended up. 

Instant idea

For the second week in a row, halfway through class…

I ran out of things to do to fill the time… 

So I sent a prayer to heaven… 

And I got an instant response… 

An idea for how to fill that class time… 

And for the second week in a row… 

It worked… perfectly! 

I’m learning more than I’m teaching, which is the way God planned it I think. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9