We climbed up “Buddha Hill” (which is a mountain with a Buddhist temple) and here is a view of Pattaya!
I was praying that God would just give me a work or a revelation about this month in Thailand that I could grasp on to. As I was reading Isaiah 7, verse 14 really spoke to me. It’s such a random little verse, but great. In the midst of a chapter filled with news about war and chaos, there comes this little verse. So it’s all about how Judah and Israel are going to war with one another. A kingdom that was once united is now struggling and fighting against one another. The chapter goes on and says that these things will not stand and that God will not allow this to pass. Then comes the verse, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Then it goes on and says more, but I couldn’t get past that verse. And God told me that this was what I needed to focus on this month. That in the midst of chaos and in the midst of hardship, Immanuel is here. Immanuel means “God with us.” And yah, He is here with us. He is here when things are tough, when the oppression is heavy, when people have bad attitudes, when you’re up against something as big as the sex slave trade.
I love how that verse comes after what happened in Isaiah 6. God was looking for someone to send to earth to proclaim His word and He sent Isaiah. I love how right after that, it says that God is sending His Son to be with us…so that we don’t go alone. We are never alone- even in the darkness of Pattaya, Thailand or anywhere. Immanuel is here and changing things.
So I was really touched by that name and just prayed that God would reveal Himself to me as “Immanuel.” Wow, He really has. I keep getting confirmations that this is what He wants to teach me. First, I was reading this random book and one sentence jumped out at me. It said, “The knowledge of “God is with us” will change our perception of everything.” Yah, it will change our perception of everything. Praise God. Knowing that God is here and fighting for us does change our perception of everything. Then, last night, we were on the prostitution street and there was a Christian concert we went to. One of the only songs I understood was called guess???? “Immanuel.” The guy just kept saying “Immanuel. God is with us!!!” And God just kept saying to me that He was there and He is here. The oppression is great, but God is here. This ministry seems overwhelming, but God is here. I don’t feel like doing something, but God is here. There is division, but God is here. There is temptation, but God is here. That’s a big deal. I love that…because it does change all of our perceptions.
Did you know that the song “God of this City” by Blue Tree was written about Pattaya? The band was here several years ago and got permission to play in a bar. They started playing this song and it has caught on. The song says “Greater things are yet to, greater things are still to be done in this city!” So now everytime you hear that song, pray for Pattaya, Thailand and for the people that believe Immanuel has better things to come for this city!
