DAY 5 - "Penetrating Thailand's Darkness” - November 28, 2018

Today is Day 5 of our Spiritual Adventure of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM) and all of the various unreached people groups in and around Northern Thailand. Thank you for joining us for this great time of seeking the face of God on behalf of millions who have never heard the message of our Lord Jesus.

DAY 5 - November 28, 2018 - "Penetrating Thailand’s Darkness”

God wants to use ordinary people like you and me in the process of building bridges to the hearts of people that God can use to draw them to Himself. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16

If we are serious about following Jesus and becoming fishers of men, we must consider the concept of preparing for the harvest through being the salt and light of Jesus. As any farmer knows, if we want a harvest, we must do the hard work of preparing the soil and getting the soil ready for the seed to be planted. A farmer can have the best seeds in the world but if the soil is not ready, the seeds will not produce anything.

I am convinced that one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of evangelism among people who do not know Jesus is the whole process of changing “attitudes” of resistance to Christianity and building bridges of friendship, and trust on a foundation of integrity. This can be done through a number of “platforms” and “organizations” that reflect the love and light of Jesus and one of NTIM’s most influential and successful ways of doing this has been through the platform of a legitimate English language school that isn’t a “front for evangelism” at all but teaches English with integrity and is registered with the Thai government through the Ministry of Education of Thailand.

Yet the byproduct of teaching English with integrity and as the salt and light of Jesus is trust, friendship, blessing, and an opportunity to speak into the lives of lost people. This is the “part of evangelism” that I most often equate with “plowing the ground” and “preparing the soil.” The soil must be prepared if we are to reach the lost.

God used the Lighthouse Language School in the past when we first moved up to Chiangrai and began to implement “Operation Chiangrai” as a part of the IMB family. 

But sometimes God has bigger and better things in mind that tend to flourish when God’s people are given the freedom to follow the dreams and visions God has put in their hearts and are empowered to do what God has put in their hearts to be done and all of it to be done with the single focus of honing God by being obedient to His calling to advance His kingdom. We are so thankful for those good beginnings.

But since 2005, God has brought NTIM and Grace Language School into existence and is using them in much greater ways that we ever thought possible. Please pray for NTIM’s Grace Language School and the relationships that the field workers intentionally develop with their students who do not know our great Savior. Pray that these “M” teachers will continue to intentionally witness and share the love and message of Jesus with their students.

Over the years God has blessed us with some awesome Western partners who teach English well and God is continuing to provide us with some awesome Western partners who truly want to join God in making disciples of some of the least reached people in our world. Today we want to ask you to pray for each of our Western teachers by name who currently serve Christ through teaching English at Grace Language School and are what we call “Front Line Workers.” Please pray for God’s blessings on the following teachers at Grace Language School: Keith, Taran, Glen, Alexa, Nicole, Michael, Hope, Jodie, Derek, Jodi, and Brian.

Pray that we would be unified and very intentional about all that we do and that we would constantly join God in what He is doing in the lives of our students and be watchful for those open doors to naturally be a witness for Jesus.

Prayer Example: “Lord, you have told us to be salt and light. We want to thank you for Grace Language School and those that serve as your salt and light to the nations. We ask that you might bless these servants of yours in all that they say and do so that the lost in Northern Thailand might be drawn to you and be open to the good seed of the gospel. We ask that you would send more of your people into the fields to teach at Grace Language School so that more of the unreached peoples living in Northern Thailand may have a chance to taste and see your goodness and glorify your great name. Please sustain, strengthen, and encourage the “M” Teachers that have moved from the USA and Canada to reach the Thai people. Help them be good reflections of the love and light of our Savior. Help them to sow the seeds of evangelism widely and faithfully through their relationships and please provide them with the needed financial resources to keep them serving and thriving on the field. We pray this in the name of Jesus.”