Hey my friends and family! (If you read only one thing in this letter, please read the last verse)

So I wanted to send you another update from Taiwan about what’s happening here and hopefully be an encouragement to you. I have been learning so much and feel like I have a gold mine stashed away in my heart and head that is building up. There is a statistic that only 20% of Christians in America have read the whole bible cover to cover and only 40% have read the new testament. I must admit that I have been part of those statistics and it makes me wonder what I don’t understand. Praise God that this is not going to be the case any longer.

Over the past 2 weeks we have studied and charted Romans and 1 Corinthians for a week each and wow these 2 books are like finding diamonds in a gold mine once you understand what Paul is saying in context and why each thing is being said. I could probably read either one of these 2 books for the rest of my life and still get more from them. There are some difficult passages through the bible that seem strange, and if you don’t understand them from Paul’s perspective then I agree that they are confusing. However, like I said, upon understanding them in context, it’s like finding a diamond in a gold mine.

My English class is learning so much and improving daily and we all got to talk about homelessness last night which was an awesome an impacting topic. I felt like they understood so well the point of love in the conversation and I pray that they become intentional in love. 6 people came to know Jesus last week, praise God!! and I pray that they grow and gain roots in the truth.

There is a song that I heard called “I refuse” and the lyrics talk about the refusal of sitting around and doing nothing. They talk about being intentional in regards to what God has called you to. Some of the lyrics are:

“I refuse to sit and wait around for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself.

I could choose not to move but I refuse.”

I don’t wanna live like I don’t care about people and their lives. I want to live in response to what Jesus gave to me for free and what he offers to everyone else for free also.

We need to wake up each day and make an active choice to encourage people and to spread the gospel of Jesus life, death and resurrection. And every single day making an intentional effort to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called as Gods people.

I think this song is talking partly to the fact that too often people sit in a gathering and think to themselves that they will just focus on their own lives and someone else will go out and share the gospel. While all those “someone elses” are thinking the very same thing about the first people. The result is that the people in this situation on both sides become self focused and think only on their relationship with Jesus which is awesome to build, but it produces little fruit from our lives outwardly. Each moment we need to focus and make a decision to open our mouths and share with and encourage others. It is safe to assume that “Someone else” probably isn’t doing it. It is you that is called to do it and you that needs to.

Although Jesus commands that we go into all nations and preach the gospel, my encouragement for this moment for everyone is love people with intention, give generously, earnestly desire love. Wake up each morning with a new idea of how you can be a blessing to others around you. Over all, listen to what God directs you to.

I myself have been a person during times of my life thinking that someone else will do these things, that I don’t need to or thought that I am not the most qualified person for the job so I should leave it to the people that know what they are doing.

That is also a choice. A choice to do nothing. Paul says to be a good steward of the gifts we have been given and part of being a good steward of the gifts God has given us is living them out and taking action, Not just thinking or talking about it.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. – 1 Corinthians 4:20

1 Corinthians 16:14 sums things up – Let all that you do be done in love.

Love is the answer-Humility is the key-Jesus is the way

Your friend and brother, Jacob President