Hello my friends, my family,

      Over these past weeks I have been through many different emotions as God is teaching me more about Him, His word, and about myself. I have asked some questions to begin processing and have not answered them all yet so here is kind of where I am going to process with you if that is ok. Below are some of these questions:

(I will also give a bit of an update at the bottom)

Processing section
1.     What am I learning?

The last book that I taught in the bible school was James and it really revealed some places I am lacking in. Last year, when I first studied James inductively, it seemed like I had it figured out but man did I need to take a humble pill. Teaching a book like James forced me to realize how little I knew of it, which is the same story for every new book that I teach. Studying it, memorizing it, dissecting it, and above all, practicing it to have a thorough grasp and be able to teach it is an experience that, for lack of better words; “wrecked me”. It exposed parts of me that I didn’t expect. It humbled me and it changed me. I really wish I could just write a book on James alone and go through it with every person over and over. There is never an end to how much we can learn from the perfect word of God.

Which brings me to the next thing that I am learning about. The perfection of scripture.

Throughout my life growing up, I don’t think I really understood or believed that the bible was perfect or that I needed to consider it “all” for life. I may have taken bits and pieces here and there and only applied the things that I wanted to apply, usually not even understanding what they really meant. I was a deductive bible student and not a very good one at that. I listened to a nice thought here and there and would try to apply it to my life but didn’t bother searching scripture to find out if it was true or not. I was lazy by merely listening to a pastor tell me something and considered that as good enough but I didn’t think it was worth my time to read it for myself. My mom would tell me scriptures and I would brush them off thinking “that’s nice for you, mom, but that isn’t how I do it”. Because I didn’t have a high view of scripture, I had a weak foundation. Although I believed that God was number 1 in my life, the truth really was that I had become my own God. Picking and choosing what I wanted to believe from the word and ignoring the rest.

This was a huge problem and I didn’t see it or understand it. I was irresponsible with the word. That fact alone made me disobedient. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul tells Timothy to do his best to present himself to God as one approved. A worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. We also need to do this and I was not rightly handling the word of truth.

I really want to keep going on this thought for a while but for the sake of this update, I will move on. I would encourage each person who reads this to open their bible to Psalm 19 and read it, memorize it, meditate on it. It is all about the perfection of God’s word.

Also as a book recommendation, read “The inerrant word” by John MacArthur. This is the book that I am currently reading and it is helping me grow in my understanding of the word in it’s perfection.

There are other things I am learning but I will just have to write a book one day I guess. It is so hard not to pour out what God is growing me in.

2.      When do I thrive?

I can answer this one simply I think. The first thought that comes to mind is when I am teaching the word, counseling someone, helping encourage someone in their faith, etc. When I am being used to serve others in these ways but also in physical ways with repairs and such. I thrive when I am able to speak God’s truth into individual lives and when they are interested in the Lord. I thrive teaching English as well and I noticed last night while I was teaching English to a group of 4 people, they began asking about Christianity and it opened up a door to teaching them about Christ, which was very fun because we talked about King Saul, King David, Solomon, what being anointed means and was for, what a prophet is etc. These are people that I teach every week and I hope that through this, they will ask more questions and get to understand who Jesus is, and through the initiative of the Holy Spirit, receive Christ.

I’m getting excited sitting here writing this

I met a young American man recently who is a Christian and eager to know the word more and we spent the day on Sunday together talking all about the Lord, the bible, and going through it bit by bit. It pumped us both up and made me more excited to keep doing so, meeting others also who are interested in learning more. The greatest part is that the more I am asked about scripture, and the more I get to teach, the more I learn myself. My knees are literally bouncing as I write about this haha. (It’s also nice to be able to speak English with him and know that there is complete understanding)

3.      What do I feel lacking in?

Recently I have felt like I am lacking in energy in certain areas but I probably am lacking in patience the most. Patience in more than one area. There are things that I desire and God has simply told me to wait, which is a difficult thing. How long?… right? Another area is regarding responsibility. One thing I value is work ethic and effort. Laziness in the area of responsibilities definitely tests my patience when I see others behave this way. So yes, I am trying to learn how to draw out of people more effort in their given tasks and trying to learn how to remain gentle toward this.

Sometimes I seem to do well in this area and other times I clearly need to grow here. I am seeking counsel and understanding from those around me that are clearly more patient than I.

But really, there are so many more areas that I am lacking in and need to grow in but this is just one area that is highlighted at the moment. I pray that I will remain teachable and humble and willing to be corrected in this. Proverbs 12:1 comes to mind haha.

Another verse that comes to mind in regard to patience is also in 2 Timothy 4:2 when Paul gives his final charge to Timothy to preach the word before he dies. Paul’s final words include these in that verse: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. This doesn’t say “with a wee bit of patience” or “with intermittent patience”. This charge requires “complete” or “all” or “great” patience.

4.     How can I grow?

That’s the question eh? Well to start, I am taking the advice of wiser people than I am and reading the book “The Inerrant Word”. I am also taking advice by memorizing scripture which is not easy by any means but so far I have been very blessed by it. I am taking opportunities to practice patience and working at remaining gentle within these opportunities. Extremely important though and above all, I am seeking the Lord and looking to Him for guidance and strength in all areas. Cultivating a daily quiet time and staying consistent in that, building a stronger relationship with the Lord and practicing what He teaches me little by little. Being molded slowly into a more refined man that is able to be used more by the Lord.

5.     What is the point?

Simply put: God’s kingdom and God’s glory. To be more and more equipped to serve Jesus and love on people, proclaiming Christ in love that issues from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith, following my Lord and living my life for Him and His glory unto death. There is a phrase I once heard on my first mission trip to Nepal and that was “burn the boats”. This referred to military battles when a navy/army would come to shore and the military leaders would charge them to burn the boats behind them to make sure that they had no option to retreat. They were completely committed to the battle. Either they would see victory or they would perish trying.

This is what I did when I left for this call on my life. The boats are gone, there is no running away, no retirement plan, no settling down in the cabin in the woods. Unto death, I will finish the race that God has put in front of me. The point is to glorify the Lord and bring more people to the knowledge of Christ through preaching, teaching, reproving, exhorting etc. as the Lord guides me. Paul says to Timothy in 2 Tim 1:13 – Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Paul lived, loved, endured, and died for the sake of Jesus and the salvation of others. Even in prison he preached the word of Christ boldly.

“Follow the pattern” = “Live your whole life for Christ”.

 

6.     What do I need?

Jesus

Quick update section:

·         Recently, many people from the school and I went to Taitung which is in the south of Taiwan to help clean up after the Typhoon and wow is Taiwan a beautiful place. They still need lots of help and there are more typhoons that will come but for now they seem to be doing alright, Praise the Lord!

 ·         I just finalized my visa stuff for Taiwan and in 2 weeks will have my long term visa which will enable me to get health insurance and eventually be able to get possible needed surgery on my knee as it has been injured for quite some time now. Praise the Lord! (Please pray for healing as I have not been able to do any real exercise for a while due to the pain)

·         In Oct I will be flying to Mongolia to teach 1 Corinthians at the Bible school there as they have a great need for teachers. It will only be a week long trip which God has miraculously provided for!! Praise God! I’m pretty excited for that but there is still a lot of study needed before I am ready to teach this book.

·         The Bible school here is currently studying Exodus and they are pretty overwhelmed with the workload but I am confident that God will enable each and every one of the students to grow and learn well. Please pray that they stay strong and run the race well.

·         English classes and ministry at the Rock is going well. That is where I spoke with the group last night about Christ and the Bible. Such a cool group but none of them are believers yet. Please pray for open hearts and minds.

I love you so much and hope to hear back from you. It’s always encouraging to get an email back just saying hey or anything really.

Love – Humility – Jesus

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Jacob President