Justice Water with Jamie

Our first lecture of the Engage DTS 2013 was yesterday and we are now into the school!  Donna Jordan from Medicine Hat is speaking this week about "Hearing the Voice of God" and it is fantastic to have a woman who so lives what she teaches in our class.  I have gotten to know a few of the students fairly well thus far and am so excited about who we have- they are honestly fantastic.  Please be praying Ephesians 6:19-20 for me.  "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador [not currently in chains].  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."  A few of us have been trying to go out evangelizing fairly regularly and sometimes I feel fairly tongue tied (which isn't very common for me haha) so would really appreciate prayers for boldness and that the Lord will speak through me.  This applies to our one on one times with students also, some of the stuff that we talk about is stuff that I really have to rely on the Lord for wisdom in.

Last night, we had a night of worship in the prayer room and the Lord healed over 30 people!  Some of the injuries were small things like sore backs or knees, but there were a few healings like scoliosis being healed and a meniscus that had been badly injured being healed (and that guy and I went for a walk afterwards and he was doing totally better).  Praise God eh!  

I have been doing a study on Amos lately and have been struck by how many similarities I see between our current culture in North America and Israel/Judah during the time of Amos.  This isn't really the most encouraging parallel as within 30 years Israel was permanently dismantled by Assyria and Judah went into exile 140 years after Israel.  Amos was a shepherd- not a professional prophet by any stretch- and the Lord showed him what wickedness Israel was walking in and what they had to do for repentance.  It starts out by pointing out the evil of Israel's neighbors only to jump into the stuff that Israel was doing- basically putting all their pagan neighbors to shame.  A few analogies that have stood out to me are "...you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy..." (4:1), "Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more.  Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years... boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do..." (4:4-5), and "You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground." (5:7).  He then harps even more about their sloth and complacency in chapter 6, emphasising how useless their entitlement is when they are allowing people to starve while they live in wickedness and pride.  It is really cool though, how God always leave a way for redemption, saying "Seek good, not evil, that you may live.  Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is.  Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.  Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph." (5:14-15).  When we are walking as God's chosen people, His church and bride, we are also called to be His hands in a hurt and dark world and to show his love to draw the world to repentance and to relationship with Jesus.  

My brain sorta burnt out there so that is the end of that thought for now.  I hope that everyone who reads this is doing really well, I am so blessed to have you guys supporting me.  Please be praying Ephesians 6:19-20 for me.  Love you all,

Jamie