From selling homes to making last minute decisions this tuition free DTS has proven that God is God and he is Jehovah Jirah. For myself I started off with only having 2 weeks rent and nothing more. For many students it was not having any money towards outreach. But seeing the generosity of their team members and fellow students God has provided and maintained us throughout the faith journey. 62 students 30+ staff living in the kingdom culture by relying on the kings generosity and favour. Faith has been given a new name in the community of YWAM Bethlehem radical love radical faith radical joy. Stepping out in faith although it seems hard in the natural is helped by the focus on the victory of the end.
At Hope Centre we have been learning about the end times or eschatology as it is known. Having a concept of what will happen, knowing what to look for in the season of the coming of Jesus. We need to making sure we are ready and have our oil and lamps shining. For the world will be a dark place full of deception and deceit much more than it is today, and you can see it is increasing rapidly. So what do we who call ourselves Christians do while we wait for the return of the King? We grow in love with him, we lean on him and we show others his beauty. How do we do this? By being a daughter or son of God, not by doing but by being. Not by seeing but by believing. Having this concept of the kingdom in mind helps me through the tough days I face. Knowing that there will be no more tears or pain or darkness or temptation. None of it will be there, even death will not be a memory. Because of the joy and goodness, because of the worth and delight of Jesus we will be all consumed with the fire of God, we won't have to long for him to be with us because he will be forever. Our feeble minds can't comprehend forever because it's not meant too, our hearts though have eternity written on it. (went on a bit of a rant)
DTS is just about over (a few days left) for this half of the 2013, students will be leaving to go home some will return others will pursue what God has placed on their hearts. All in all the tuition free DTS will be marked as a success, an accomplishment with a picture. We started off with a blank canvas not knowing how to do it or what it would look like, now as we have placed strokes of paint and the picture is coming into view. Family, Love, Generosity, Extravagance, Worship and Prayer, and Intimacy being the centre of it all. Looking back at all the days planning and prayerfully spent makes my life surreal, not comprehendable by the worlds standards of living. But we are called to live by the spirit as Jesus did, doing only what the father tells us to do and walking in HIS strength to accomplish what he desires.
Excellence has been pursued in this DTS to make the experience even more meaningful and lasting. Graduation will be in a couple of days and many staff are spending a lot of time and effort making decorations and planning a great night to finish this tuition free DTS, we hear in our staff meetings that other YWAM bases are looking at our base and wanting to live radically; to reach more people, to impact them the most, for it is from a heart of generosity that love flows.
