What Is On Your Heart and In Your Prayers? – July 11, 2015

One thing that is clearly on the heart of God and should be on the hearts of every person who claims to follow Jesus is REACHING THE NATIONS WITH THE LOVE AND MESSAGE OF JESUS.

 

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find a consistent thought pattern that communicates the message that God loves all of the peoples in every part of God’s world. We also find passages like Eccl 3:11 that says, “He (God) has set eternity in their hearts (hearts of humans everywhere)…” God truly has placed in the heart of every man, woman, and child, in every place on this planet we call earth a desire to know the one true and living God. The sad reality that needs to grip the heart of every follower of Jesus is that not everyone in God’s world has heard this great message.

Please think about that for a moment. Not everyone in God’s world has heart this great message. There are places in God’s world where millions have never heard of this great story of how to be reconciled with God. Most of these people live in what is known as the 10-40 Window and represent most of the red areas on the map below. These are the least reached UPGs.  

My family lives in one of those places today. Yes, we are Americans and I was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama but for the last 16 years, our family has lived in the heart of Southeast Asia in the country of Thailand where millions of people from dozens and dozens of unreached people groups have never heard the message of Jesus Christ. These millions of people made in the image of God and for the glory of God have been trapped in thought patterns and in ancient beliefs and traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation that have kept their entire families from the light of the gospel for thousands of years.

According to the Joshua Project website, there are over 67 million people from over 83 different unreached people groups living in the country of Thailand alone. Your heart, your prayers, your financial support, and some of you reading this message are needed to reach them. God is already at work but we are asking each of you as followers of Jesus to partner with us in what God wants to do with these nations (unreached people groups). 

Over the next couple of days, we will be sharing with you about several of these specific people groups that we believe God wants us to focus upon in a greater way in the coming days. Please join us over the next several days in praying for the nations with clarity and insight and with God’s heart in mind.

As we begin this short SEASON OF PRAYER for the unreached, we at N.T.I.M (Northern Thailand Impact Ministries) will be sharing with you some of what God is doing among the nations in and around Northern Thailand. I am reminded of what The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I Will Surely Give You the Nations….” Let us begin with praying with this verse in mind. 

  

Prayer Example: “Oh, Heavenly Father. We know that You have set eternity in the hearts of the millions of people from hundreds of unreached people groups living in and around Northern Thailand. You have strategically crafted and equipped NTIM to serve a strategic role in reaching many of these people groups with the message of Jesus.   We pray and ask that You might be pleased to use NTIM Thai national partners and those who partner with NTIM to take the gospel and message of Jesus to many of the Unreached People Groups living among them especially in this upcoming Christmas season. 

 

Help them to be your salt and your light and to begin breaking down the barriers of resistance that have kept them from opening their heart to our great Savior Jesus. We pray that you would provide the much needed resources both in personnel and in finances that they will need for this great task and that you would challenge your people to give and to take this opportunity to store up treasures in heaven for the sake of the kingdom. We pray this in Jesus name and for the expansion of His Kingdom and for the glory of God. Amen.” 

Your Servants to the Nations in and Around Northern Thailand,

Michael for the Team

Donations can be sent to:
Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM),

P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA
or given online at our main website:
www.gontim.org 

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3)charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, darkness is everywhere, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives.

Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving People in God’s World in the heart of Southeast Asia through acts of love and compassionate is what NTIM and our ministry team is all about. Here is a video summary of our work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBYHjbnn8zE#t=60 

4th Of July Perspective from Michael

To all of my American Friends I just want to wish you a very Happy 4^th of July and I want to give you possibly a different perspective “On The Times We Live In.”

Yes, I have spent the last 16 years living in the heart of Southeast Asia and love Thailand and the awesome Thai people. But make no mistake. I am an American citizen and I love my home country but I would also say that living in another part of the world has given me a much broader perspective than many of you reading this note.

It has been my perception given recent circumstances with the current political climate that most Americans think that our traditional American culture is collapsing and no longer exudes Christian values and principles. Most Christian Americans seem to be fearful that we are living in a post Christian era. BUT I DO NOT SHARE THAT PERSPECTIVE.

Yes, there are many bad things happening in America today but let me assure you this climate is far from being a post Christian climate. The church and Christians still have a huge influence on our country today.

Let me explain. I love Thai people and have committed my life to joining God in making disciples from the very non-Christian country of Thailand. Thailand is considered the most thoroughly Buddhist country in the world and its influence in the life of the people living in Thailand is tremendous. Over 95% of the Thai people consider themselves Buddhist and there is very little Christian influence on the country as a whole. America is still very much influenced by Christians even though we are going in the wrong direction today.

I just want to say…. STOP PANICKING . . . . GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH THIS GREAT COUNTRY and let us repent and turn back to the Lord and He will heal this great land of America. I want to remind you of the passage found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that says “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

May God bless America and May God bless all those who seek to influence this world for the sake of the kingdom of God.  Happy Birthday America.  

Your Servants to the Nations in and Around Northern Thailand,

Michael for the Team

Donations can be sent to:
Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM),

P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA
or given online at our main website:
www.gontim.org 

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3)charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, darkness is everywhere, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives.

Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving People in God’s World in the heart of Southeast Asia through acts of love and compassionate is what NTIM and our ministry team is all about.

CHANGE YOUR WORLD – Joining God in His Mission to Transform Lives

As I write this update, I still have jet-lag and am sitting in the mission house at SMBC in Vestavia Hills in the great state of Alabama. I am reflecting on the good news we received a couple of days ago from Thailand. The good news is that Jesus is still transforming lives today! What a great joy it brings to my heart to realize that God invites ordinary people like you and me to join Him in what He wants to do all over the world. I want to introduce you to “Nok.” This is a picture of Nok and Phet, my Administrative Assistant in Thailand, that was taken just this last Sunday, June 7, shortly after the Sunday service at Baan Athitaan Church. Yes, I am here in Alabama for the summer, but for the last 16 years we have lived in Thailand. God has planted us in an area where there are numerous unreached people groups.

One of my “vocational/work” roles in Thailand is serving as the Director of Grace Language School (GLS) and as a teacher. Last week, before we left for America, I was teaching the level 4 class. Nok, who is one of my students, is sitting on my left in the red shirt in the picture below. Ball, who gave his heart to Jesus recently, is sitting to my right. 

Nok received a scholarship to study English with us when she came to our large Christmas program at Baan Athitaan Church this past Christmas 2014. Nok is a university student at Rajabphat University and is from an unreached people group known as the Lu Mien or the Yao. 

There are about 44,000 Lu Mien people in Thailand, but including those living in Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and mostly China, there are some 1,604,000 Lu Mien people. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Asia. The Joshua Project website indicates that this is one of the least reached people groups in the world. Yet, God is at work among this unreached people group in Thailand. Most of you know that Phet is also from this unreached people group.

We have known Nok for over a year now and for most of that time she has been “learning” about Jesus and studying the Bible with Phet and studying English with me as well as with others. She has been very open to hearing about the gospel and God has been working in her heart helping her to see and embrace the truth of our great Savior. Jesus has been knocking on the door of her heart wanting to come in and this past Sunday, Nok opened that door and Jesus went in. I want you to understand one of the things that I know from living and serving in Thailand. Nok’s decision to become a follower of Jesus was not an easy decision. If my memory serves me right, like most of the people we see come to know Jesus, Nok is the first person in her entire family to become a Christian! Friends, like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.” What do I mean by that? Let me tell you a little about where I live. 

We live in the most thoroughly Buddhist country on the planet. It is also considered one of the most gorgeous places on the planet with both beautiful mountainous areas as well as some of the prettiest beaches you will ever visit. It is a country that is rich in culture and history and made up of over 66 million people from over 110 different ethnic/language/culture groups that all consider themselves part of the “Thai” people. Many of these ethnic groups are some of the least reached people groups in the world. When one of these precious people gives their heart to Jesus like Nok did this past Sunday, we rejoice and thank God that He is allowing us to be a small part of His mission to transform lives. Please take a moment and pray for Nok as she begins her new walk with Jesus and for Phet as she meets with Nok each week for Bible study and discipleship. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to be ordinary people whom God is pleased to use for His purposes for such a time as this. 

STATESIDE TIME FRAME FOR JOHNSONS – June 3rd – August 23, 2015

We are here in the Alabama area for most of the summer to rest, and to reconnect with family, friends, supporters and supporting churches on what God is doing and to expand our partnership base. If you know of any small groups or churches that would like to know more about what God is doing in Thailand and would like to have us share or speak, please let us know. You can reach us by email at pray4ntim@gmail.com.

Another reason we are here in the US is because we have planned our “stateside” times around our children’s graduations from high school. It’s hard to believe our oldest son who was not quite 2 when we left for Thailand has now graduated from high school. Just a couple of weeks ago Joshua graduated from Chiang Rai International Christian School and will begin a new chapter in his life this August at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. We are very proud of Josh. Please pray for Joshua as he adjusts to life here in the USA and to life at Liberty University.

Update  on NTIM’S Land Situation

May 6, 2015 was designated as our day of prayer and fasting for our land situation. We feel that we are at a very critical and pivotal place in our ministry and are in need of establishing a more permanent “Beach Head” for our work. May 6 was indeed a day of Prayer and Fasting and on May 7, I gathered all of our staff together to see what God has said to each of us. I was expecting for God to do something spectacular and show us a piece of land, but man’s thoughts and God’s thoughts are sometimes quite different. 

What I heard God say to me was more in the form of a question something like this: “Why do you continue to get ahead of My leadership on this. Be patient. Trust me with all of your heart. When I am ready, I will show you this piece of land but for now, live out Proverbs 3:5-6 and wait on Me.” Wow! That was surprising, but was at the same time refreshing. As our staff discussed things it became clear that the Lord wanted to establish this “Beach head” but we were going just a little too fast and getting ahead of the Lord’s timing. Please continue to pray for us as we “wait upon the Lord.”

TEAM FROM FBC FLORENCE, MS – AWESOME PARTNERS

We are very grateful for the partners and friends from various churches, and individuals all over the world who support our family and team of partners in God’s work here in Northern Thailand. One of our key partners is from the great state of Mississippi from a town just south of Jackson, MS called Florence. FBC Florence is made up of folks who love Jesus and who have fallen in love with the Thai people as well. Folks from FBC Florence have traveled to Chiang Rai numerous times to serve with us, including one partner who has come out 8 different times. We are deeply grateful for FBC Florence and their commitment to help us reach the Thai people for Jesus’ sake. FBC sent a team in May to help us expand our ministry at Grace Language School and Baan Athitaan Church. Thank you FBC Florence for your partnership with us for the sake of the gospel. Here are a few pictures of our time together. 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST – FINANCIAL PARTNERS NEEDED

Most of you know that we are Southern Baptist Missionaries but do not receive any support from the Cooperative Program or the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Like most missionaries today, we have to raise our own support. God has graciously provided us with supporters who give financially so that we can do what He has called us to do, but we are in need of additional financial supporters who would be willing to support us on a consistent monthly basis. The reality is that we cannot do what we do without financial partners like you. If you are not one of our monthly supporters already, please consider becoming one and joining us in a very practical way in what God is doing to reach some of the least reached people groups in the world?

Prayer Example: “Lord, we have been reminded today of how You are at work building Your church in Northern Thailand and using NTIM to reach into some of the least reached people groups in the world with the gospel. We thank You for allowing us to be a part of seeing many young people give their hearts to Jesus. We thank You for allowing us to see how You are using 1^st generation believers to reach and disciple other 1^st generation believers. We thank You for Grace Language School and how You are using them to reach out not only to Thai people but to Chinese, Laotian, Burmese people and many others.  We do sense that it is Your time for them to establish a more permanent beach head and to say to the forces of darkness that God’s work through NTIM is there to stay. We ask that You would open the storehouses of heaven and provide NTIM with the needed resources in money and personnel and land to do all that You have put in their hearts to do. Please guide them as they seek for the piece of property that can best be utilized for Your purposes in that part of Your world. We also ask you to raise up more financial supporters so the Johnsons can continue the work you have called them to do. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.”

Your Servants to the Nations in and Around Northern Thailand,

Michael for the Team

Donations can be sent to:
Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM),

P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA
or given online at our main website:
www.gontim.org 

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3)charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, darkness is everywhere, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives.

Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving People in God’s World in the heart of Southeast Asia through acts of love and compassionate is what NTIM and our ministry team is all about. Here is a video summary of our work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBYHjbnn8zE#t=60