WALKING WITH JESUS - INSIDE OUT

I am writing this in Narita Airport (Tokyo) during my 12-hour layover waiting for my flight to Honolulu. I will Post as soon as I can in Hawaii.

Wow, my time in Bali flew!

I did not have any church meetings or seminars, all the churches are busy with Christmas Programs.

I did not know if I would be sitting poolside (although it is rainy season here, most of the rain has been restricted to night, and mornings have been great for sunbathing. Yes, I have not yet been infected by the modern notions about how bad sun is for you. In fact, now I am seeing some health programs beginning to acknowledge that the body badly needs sunshine, and people always covering up in no. 30 sunblock are showing negative effects.

[In that regard, and appropriate to my general theme 'INSIDE OUT I did have a black, rather flat mole on my shoulder which bothered others (in America only) when they saw it and was beginning to bother me. So I began to speak to it, and command it to shrivel up and fall off. Over three weeks of daily doses of this, the spot, about half inch in diameter gathered itself up into a smaller, but higher lump, and then fell off! Praise the Lord! I had the thing for several years. This is really a true story!]

BALI SCHEDULE
I am having difficulty remembering, so great and powerful have been the experiences those few days.

Arrive Tuesday (Dec 12) evening, make contact with friends, appointments.
Wednesday was a quiet day, attended Legian English Service Christmas program practice in the evening, had dinner with some of the group after.

Thursday: Met with Rita to develop blog site. Evening Bible study (8-11PM) with small group. Message: Making your Mark as you Live your Life. Point, you do leave a mark, whether consciously positive or unconsciously destructive. You can choose to be aware and produce desired marks.

Friday morning: encounter with Jimmy the Swede (story was first posting) which took all morning until early afternoon. Lost my time in the sun with that one. Good choice, though.

Susi arrived from East Timor and we talked over the phone and made appointment for Saturday noon.

Friday evening I went to bless a new house. They have a nice rooftop area whose drains were not working, with resulting water stains below. I was able to unplug the drains so no more standing water. Well, I am still basically a problem solver, though not so often operating in the engineering or management realms as before! This was a four hour task, travel and dinner included.

Ebi also arrived from London though we did not connect until Saturday evening, and only met on Sunday morning at church.

Saturday lunch with Susi. We are excited about possibility of my coming to East Timor next June, as well as what is happening as God brings people to her here in Bali and also in Timor, people hungry for God who receive Jesus and need spiritual feeding, which God provides through her to her great delight and amazement!

Sunday in the restaurant we prayed for one of the group, and one of the waitresses was watching with great interest. I asked her if she wanted prayer, and she said yes. She was visibly touched and said that a great weight had lifted off her! Another waitress was attracted and asked for prayer (small restaurant, no other customers), and she was even more visibly moved by the prayer. If you aren't offering to and praying for people, I highly recommend it. People are searching for answers, are searching for life, and we have it to give in Jesus. They are hungry for the touch of Truth.

Monday I met again with Rita and we reviewed Blog Site details and mapped out a plan for a web site. Ebi joined us as we took care of this business and also talked other things. I took Ebi to a reliable money changer. Carmen and Emie came by at 6 and we had dinner in the same restaurant we prayed for the waitresses Sunday. We were very enthusiastically greeted! During dinner we reviewed some more the Genesis story and its relationship to our lives and situation today.

I was talking with my friend Ebi - he asked how I can stay 'up' when I have no support - I live and travel alone, no visible backing. He is having trouble being in London without backing.

First, I do have backing, though they are far away and seldom in contact, I have strong prayer partners (thank you all).

More importantly, I do not rely on backing for my emotional support and encouragement. I rely on the people directly ahead, in time and place. When I pray for people and see changes in body language, facial expressions that blossom, and eyes that light up at the name of Jesus, these are the things that strengthen me, confirm and renew my purpose in life and dedication to that purpose. These are the things that lift me out of depression and tears.

When I forget this purpose, and look for support from behind, from the past, I have discovered I will often be disappointed. I am never disappointed when I look forward with purpose, for Walking With Jesus is never ever boring!!

This is INSIDE OUT living, living from the power and with the purpose of the ONE who lives inside, by whom all things were created, and who is still creating. I shape and mold my environment, my environment does not control me!