fightforETERNITY

Spiritual Bankruptcy!

2012-01-10T15:12:00.002-05:00

Life Abundant

We often have a wrong view of the Christian life: we either see it as a path marked with intense persecution and suffering or as a mundane life filled with rules and regulations that one must religiously follow in order to “please God” and be a “good Christian.”

My dear friends, this is a LIE! If you think the above is true, then you have been tricked by the devil. He has told you something that is untrue in order to keep you satisfied with a lukewarm Christian life life—ensnared by the lusts of the world and enticed away from the glorious riches that we have in Christ Jesus! Yes, it is true, Jesus was a man of many griefs and sorrows, but He was also the most joyous person that walked the earth! It was for the JOY set before Him that He endured the cross, despising its shame (Heb 12:2). Even in His greatest hour of turmoil, He was filled with joy; a joy that comes only from the Father, a joy that is stronger and mightier than all the forces of hell; and this joy is ours in Christ! This same powerful joy overflowed into the lives of Paul and Silas despite the extreme persecution they faced as they sat in a dark and gloomy prison. While all the other prisoners in their cells were drowned in hopelessness and misery, Paul and Silas were filled with the glorious Light of the Father! In fact, this very joy, resulting in thanksgiving and praise, was what God used to break open the prison doors and set the captives free! Ultimately, this joy is a testimony in the life of every believer that Jesus Christ has been resurrected from the dead! Oh! This is a joy that can never be taken away from the believer; indeed, it grows in its breadth and depth for all eternity! Even in the darkest circumstances this eternal joy flows out of God’s people!

The devil steals and kills and destroys! But Jesus came that we may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). The devil knows that if he can trick a believer into thinking that the Christian life is boring, mundane and empty he would keep them ineffective for Christ!

What is this abundant life that Jesus speaks of? It is a life that is filled with meaning where a person is more than just satisfied, they are overflowing! Before we were saved, we were without God and without hope; we gave our attention to many vanities and frivolous things despite which our lives remained empty and without purpose. We did these things because we knew nothing better; we lived in darkness and had no idea of the glory of God. But, for those who know who God is, it is impossible to go back to these things: our eyes are opened to fact that God is far more worthy of our attention!

Jesus says that for those who believe in Him, streams of living water will well up in him into eternal life . Think of how a fountain of water starts off with small gushes, but eventually grows and grows until it cannot be contained and is literally shooting up out of the ground! This is how our Christian life should be like, a life overflowing with the spiritual riches of Heaven that can never be taken away that keeps increasing for all of eternity.

Spiritual Bankruptcy
If this is true, then there is a crisis in the Church today: we are spiritually bankrupt! The church should be a place filled with the glorious riches of Christ. A place filled with love, joy, peace, hope, righteousness and power filled the very presence of God Himself. A place where spiritually hungry people can come to taste and see that the Lord is good. In the Old Testament the manifest glory of God would rest of the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and then when the temple was built the glory of God filled the temple so that the priests could not minister (1 Kings 8:10-11). When Christ died the veil covering the Holy of Holies in the temple was torn and now through Christ we become the temple of God and His presence dwells and flows out of us! However, it seems like the above is not true. We have a lot of things in church: we have nice buildings, we have nice programs, nice people, nice pastors, nice preaching and good food but we are lacking spiritual riches. Going to church is a routine—a mere chore—and services are dull and empty.

We have forgotten that the Kingdom of Heaven is not something that can be seen. Instead, it is a spiritual reality inside the life of every believer. Jesus says that “the Kingdom of heaven is within you.” (Luke 17:21) Moreover: “The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). In this passage, believers were judging other believers because of what they were doing outwardly. Paul wanted to point out that what is most important is not what you do outwardly (following rules and regulations) but the inner reality of divine joy, peace and righteousness flowing outward. This can only come from a true change wrought by the Holy Spirit and a believer continuing to abide in Him.

On the outside, we have the appearance of growth and life, but on the inside we are rotten and dead! We do not have the inward reality that Paul writes about in the letters; we do not have this life overflowing that Christ speaks of on the gospels! We try to shake it off and think that it is okay, reason with ourselves that we have it or try to produce it of our own effort, but the truth speaks: That in the midst of all the churchy things we do, all the programs and activities: we feel empty and have a desire for something more, for something deeper! For many believers, Jesus does not truly satisfy though we say He does. As a result we try to satisfy ourselves with the World thinking that this is all there is and fail miserably in convincing the World that Jesus saves. The worldly people wonder why they should go to church when the church is going to them!

This spiritual condition is the exact same description that Jesus gives the church of Sardis:

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God” (Rev 3:1-2).

When we look at the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, is it important to understand that the Word of God is not limited to time but endures forever, even before they were written or revealed to us, they existed (just like before gravity was discovered, it existed). So, the letters to the seven churches are not just letters addressing these specific churches in Apostle John’s time, but also give us understanding to the spiritual conditions of the Church in the last days. The Church of Sardis had a name that they were alive, but were actually dead! On the outside, things look like they are going well: services occur regularly, prayer meetings are held, people are baptized…but the core of it was rotten and the lives of people are not changed! There is no love for God, but only empty action! Families are still broken, couples cold and indifferent and children are still rebellious, but, alas, everything is covered with a guise of religion. We are like spiritual zombies! On the outside they have all the characteristics of looking alive, they walk, move around and sometimes utter words, but they are dead on the inside; they have no heart! You can’t connect to them as you connect to living people. In the same way, a zombie church has not heart. They cannot connect with God’s heart, and yet this spiritual heart connection is critical for life! A person can make do without an arm or leg, but they cannot do without a heart. After all, a person with a beating heart who is unable to move is still better off than one who can move but is without a heart!

In fact, without a heart, the mind of a person, no matter how intelligent, becomes useless. A church or person may even know and speak the right things but still be dead. Many churches are like this. They know and speak correct doctrine and theology but lack the power to conform to it. They talk much, but cannot do much; in short, they have no power! People sit in church and hear the truths of God’s Word week after week, but it is powerless and has no changing effect on them. It is a dead word that falls on dead ears instead of a Living Word that brings a dead heart to life.

This preaching of truth without power falls short of the standard that God prescribes for His church! The church should give the world a picture of what the Kingdom of heaven is like. As 1 Corinthians 4:19-20 says, “The kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.” When someone speaks for the Kingdom of God as one called by and sent from God, there is power in their words! The power of Heaven is upon them; a power that reveals what is in a person’s heart and confronts them with the Truth, the very realities of God’s Word! A power that like Christ calls the dead man Lazarus out of the tomb or like Ezekiel prophecies the dry bones to life ! It stirs the hearts of lukewarm believers, encourages the hearts of faithful followers and convicts or provokes the heart of the unregenerate. When light shines in a dark place, there are only three reactions: flight, fight or life.

A powerless Church is a tragic thing! They cannot stand up against the forces of the World. They are laughed at and cannot fight back and, even worse, give in and compromise! The devil laughs at it, and it brings shame to God’s Holy Name.

So what is the solution to this spiritual problem? The answer lies simply in trusting in God and not ourselves! We trust in our programs, our logic, our preaching and even our friendliness to win someone over to Christ. We forget that we have nothing in ourselves, that we can give nothing to these people except for Christ alone. We have nothing to give because we have nothing, and we have nothing because we do not ask, and we do not ask because we do not see our need for it or turn a blind eye to it because of pride and so we continue in this poor pitiful state! Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” Indeed I believe that a good portion of what is called the Church is under a curse because they trust in themselves over God and refuse to turn to Him! These churches will continue to fall into spiritual decay like the Israelites before the exile until they are destroyed or repent!

Many Christians today do not have spiritual eyes and are blinded by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. This causes many fights and quarrels within the Church as people compete and fight one another to advance their own selfish interests. When they pray, they pray with selfish motives. They ask God to prosper their own plans done in His Name. When we try to do God’s work our own way and get Him to endorse it, it will never succeed! God will not give His glory to another and will not be used or manipulated by Man’s selfish interests!

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (Jam 4:1-3).

Later on the same passage James gives us the solution to this problem:

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail” (Jam 4:7).

We must admit our spiritual bankruptcy, repent, submit and humble ourselves to ask for what we lack! Only then will we have spiritual eyes to see our spiritual need, and finally receive the joy, power and life Jesus promised.

Ask and You Will Receive

Asking with spiritual eyes is a key principal in God’s Kingdom! Jesus say ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full (John 16:24). Notice that the result is so that we may be FULL of joy in contrast to being empty! Asking is not a one time thing, but a continual thing. We must moment by moment go to God’s throne of grace in order to receive what we need to be sustained spiritually.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16)

Every moment of our lives is our time of need! Paul preaches that, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The reality is that we can only live in Him. Just like we must physically live in an atmosphere filled with oxygen, so we must live spiritually in God’s grace. Just like we breathe in air every second, we must breathe God’s grace every second. Think about it, when an astronaut goes to the moon he does not go anywhere without a suit that can supply him with oxygen, heat and protection in the darkness and desolation of the moon. He is from a different world and cannot survive in this one without a suit. In the same way, we are from the Heavenly Kingdom and cannot survive in a dark, fallen world without abiding in Christ and hiding ourselves in the Rock of our spiritual life support (salvation)! He was the only one who could take on the forces of darkness head on without protection, and so He sent us Himself, in the Holy Spirit, for us to abide in!

God wants a people who are dependent on Him. When He led the Israelites through the desert, He provided just enough food for them daily so that they would learn that “Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut 8:3). If the Israelites collected too much manna it would go bad and become full of worms. This is the same for God’s people today; He gives us enough grace to live victoriously in Him day to day. That is why Jesus teaches His disciples to pray “gives us this day our daily bread.” This is not just true of physical bread, but so much truer for our spiritual bread which is Christ Himself. He is the Bread of Life.

Dependency was one of the main characteristics of Christ in that He was completely reliant on God the Father to provide and sustain Him both physically and spiritually! He came down as a helpless baby and left Himself in the protection and care of the Father in Heaven. He did nothing apart from the Father and lived second by second in that reality. We are to follow in His example!

The reason why we are lacking spiritual blessings is because we are too full of the World! We are too full of ourselves to receive from God. This is why the first beatitude is blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven! When we are poor in spirit and dependent on Him, then we can receive the riches of the Kingdom! However, we are so deceived with the blessings of material wealth that we do not see our need for spiritual wealth. Many of God’s people today are filled with too much self.

Self-sufficiency—
Self-righteousness—
Self-accomplishment—
But no self-denial.

People ask once from God and then go away thinking they are okay, but this is just not true. Just like you cannot survive with drinking one cup of water or breathing one breath of air your whole life, so going to God once will not be enough to sustain you. In the same way, many believers think that they are alright because they have repented once and received grace; they think that they are set for the rest of their lives! This is also not true. Paul specifically prayed prayers for each of the Churches to be given more from God.

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” (Col 1:9-10)

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:17-18).

If this was true for the early Church that stood in the face of brutal persecution and turned the entire ancient world upside down for Christ how much more now? Could it be that the reason why large parts of the Church today is not having as much of an impact on their generation as in generations past is because we simply have not asked God and our comfortable with our spiritual deficiencies? I believe one of the key reasons why the early church was so mightily used of God is because they were poor in spirit! They were a people dependent on Almighty God! When Peter and John were beaten and threatened for the gospel they got on their knees and prayed for power, prayed for boldness so much so that the place they prayed was SHAKING! When was the last time your church had a prayer meeting that shook the earth, opened the floodgates of heaven and sent an alarm through hell!

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

There are many things in which a believer individual and the Church corporately must ask God for in order to receive! If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)

The church is supposed to be a storehouse of spiritual riches where a world that is quickly decaying spiritually can go to be fed. Just as how God sent seven years of abundance and raised up Joseph in Egypt to supply food for all people during the following seven years of famine, so God prepared Christ and gave Him to His people, graciously bestowing on us the riches of Christ, that we may have an overflowing supply of grace and power for a hopeless world that is heading on a maddening course into eternal fire.

This is the verdict: the Church must go and approach the throne of God’s grace again both for themselves and for the dying world around them!

Encountering the Magnificence of Jesus

2012-01-03T10:52:00.003-05:00

I. JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION
A. A magnificent obsession is an oxymoron (a contradiction of terms). Almost every obsession the human heart has is destructive. However, there is one obsession that liberates us and brings us into our destiny, fills us with spiritual pleasure, and crowns us with God’s glory (Heb. 2:7).

B. My basic premise is that there is no aspect of God’s grace that more powerfully transforms our emotions or satisfies our heart than when God, the Holy Spirit, reveals God to the human spirit. The most transforming, exhilarating, motivating reality in the kingdom is Jesus Himself!

C. Christianity is actively pursuing a Person and actively resisting sin, sickness, and Satan. It is more than escaping from hell, obeying a code of conduct and fulfilling a ministry assignment. Many live a “defensive Christianity;” they focus on sincerely resisting darkness, but do not aggressively pursue Jesus. This approach is weak and ineffective and does not change our heart.

D. Many in the Church think of Jesus mostly in terms of One who forgives them and “stamps their passport” so they can go to heaven. They only see One who heals, provides, directs, and blesses circumstances. He is much more. The best-kept secret in the Church is Jesus’ magnificence.

E. Paul gladly gave up everything as he saw the magnificence, the excellence, of Jesus! If we can see what Paul saw about Jesus then we can live like he lived. Paul gladly gave up everything to see more of Jesus’ magnificence, to feel the power of it and to be lost in wonder at who Jesus is. When we see who Jesus is it awakens love and drives out the spirit of weariness and depression.
8I count all things loss for the excellence [magnificence] of the knowledge of Christ Jesus… (Phil. 3:8)

F. The Spirit longs to be our escort into the treasure of the deep things of God’s heart. The Spirit is the only One able to escort us into the deep things of God, and He will only lead us on His terms.
10The Spirit searches…the deep things of God…12We have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (1 Cor. 2:10-12)

G. The Spirit came to glorify Jesus in our hearts by revealing as much of Jesus as we are hungry for. He gives based on our hunger. He will not force-feed us.
13The Spirit of truth…will guide [escort] you into all truth…14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. (Jn. 16:13-14)

H. My goal for this series is to convince people that the knowledge of God is:

1. The most powerful and pleasurable reality anyone can experience.
2. The most costly treasure to pursue, but the most valuable and lasting one.
3. The most neglected issue in the kingdom (zeal for Jesus will seem like an error to many).
4. The most emphasized truth of the Holy Spirit in the generation in which the Lord returns.

II. THE FOUNDATION OF THE VICTORIOUS CHURCH: THE MAJESTY OF JESUS

A. Jesus’ first teaching and prophecy about the Church’s foundation, function, and sure victory (Mt. 16:13-19) was centered on the question of how the leaders viewed Him (Mt. 16:15). The Spirit is asking the leaders of the Church the same question today. No question is more important.

13Jesus…asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah…” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter…said, “You are the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus answered…“Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father…18On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom…whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Mt. 16:13-19)

B. The people had many different views of Jesus just like the Church does today (v. 14).
1. John the Baptist: A holiness preacher with great dedication who fearlessly spoke the truth
2. Elijah: A prophet who confronted the powers of darkness with supernatural power
3. Jeremiah: The weeping prophet of compassion who tenderly cared for the people (Jn. 8)

C. A Church built on truth about Jesus (v. 15): To operate in power (v. 19) and victory (v. 18), the Church must be built on the “rock of truth” about Jesus (v. 18). The primary battlefront in the kingdom is the truth about Jesus. We must proclaim the Jesus of the Bible, not the counterfeit Jesus of American culture. Christ means “the anointed one,” “the messiah.” There are many implications associated with the Christ, the Messiah, as described in Old Testament prophecies.

D. A victorious Church (v. 18): Prevails over the gates, or authority, of hell on this earth. This includes victory over the darkness in the heart and body, and in every sphere of society. A powerful Church (v. 19): Releases God’s power to “bind” (stop) demonic influence and to “loose” (release) God’s blessing in prayer.

E. The most important question in your life is: what do you think of Jesus? (v. 15). Not, do you like Him? But, who do you imagine Him to be when you are quiet and alone? Our thoughts of Him are too few and too low. A low view of Jesus keeps believers in bondage with a dull spirit and trapped in spiritual boredom. The power of our Christian experience is found in interacting with the person Christ Jesus. Jesus is a glorious person, yet so many do not enjoy relating to Him.

F. We are to introduce people to the glory of Jesus and the adventure of discovering His splendor. The only way to keep from losing ground in our spiritual life is to gain new ground in our understanding and experience.

G. My youth leaders told me I could not be a mature Christian without growing in the knowledge of God. They told me to read The Knowledge of the Holy (by Tozer). Tozer taught that what we think about God is the most important thing about us. The most revealing thing about the Church is found in her ideas of Jesus. Her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid. A hundred lesser evils are caused by this one great lack of the knowledge of God.

III. BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF JESUS

A. The “beholding and becoming” principle teaches us that whatever emotions we behold (by study and meditation) about God’s heart for us are imparted to our heart for God. When God wants to empower us to love Him, He reveals Himself as the One who loves us.
18Beholding…the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image… (2 Cor. 3:18)

B. God is raising up ministries to bring the Church to the knowledge of the deep things of Jesus. We must focus on the person of Jesus in our ministries. The most neglected subject in the kingdom of God is God Himself. Instead, we talk about relationship skills, leadership principles, economic principles, ministry skills, and how to be happy and to make life easier, etc.
8To me…grace was given that I should preach…the unsearchable riches of Christ… (Eph. 3:8)

IV. FIVE CONDITIONS FOR CULTIVATING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (PROV. 2:1-5)

A. In my early ministry, I was in anguish over my inability to grow in the knowledge of God. I determined not to be content to know a person who knew God, but to know God myself. I decided that I wanted to go deep in God, not just read biographies about others who did. As I pursued this new vision, I was confronted by the lack of the knowledge of God in my life.

B. While on a college ski trip on Jan. 2, 1975, a new believer asked me how to have a quiet time.
1If you receive My words, and treasure My commands within you, 2so that you incline your ear to wisdom…3If you cry out for discernment…4If you seek her as silver and…hidden treasures; 5then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Prov. 2:1-5)

C. Condition #1: We set our heart to walk in full obedience (if you will receive My words v. 1a). To receive His words means to obey them instead of refusing or neglecting them.
1If you will receive My words... (Prov. 2:1a)

D. Loving Jesus must be on His terms, including a spirit of obedience (Jn. 14:15). The Spirit is the only One who can reveal Jesus to us. If He is quenched, we will not grow in revelation of Jesus (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thes. 5:19). Prayer and fasting are not a substitute for obedience.
15If you love Me, keep My commandments. (Jn. 14:15)

E. Condition #2: We meditate on His Word (if you will treasure My commands, v. 1b). In the Old Testament, commands, statutes, and precepts are often other ways of referring to God’s Word. We treasure God’s commands by filling our mind with His Word.
1If you will...treasure My commands [Word] within you... (Prov. 2:1b)

F. We dialogue with Jesus as a person—we have conversation with Him—as we meditate on the Scriptures. It is not enough to study the Word—we must give our heart to God and receive from Him as we read it. Scripture gives us the “conversational material” for our prayer life.

G. Condition #3: We must have a teachable spirit and an open heart (if you incline your ear to wisdom, v. 2). This speaks of humbling our heart to learn from the Word instead of resisting its meaning or limiting it to one small facet of our understanding of the Word. The Lord can bring those who are humble into more truth about Him. Many who are zealous for God lack a teachable, humble spirit. We easily pick up biases from those we grow up with.
2If you…incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding... (Prov. 2:2)

H. Condition #4: We ask for more revelation of God (if you cry out for understanding, v. 3). We must actually pray for revelation of God (Mt. 7:7-8; Eph. 1:17).

3Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding... (Prov. 2:3)

7Ask, and it will be given…seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened… (Mt. 7:7)

17That the…Father of glory may give…revelation in the knowledge of Him… (Eph. 1:17)

I. Condition #5: We are to be diligent in our pursuit of God (search for her as treasures, v. 4) and to pay any price in seeking for more of God. We must spend long hours in our search for God. There is a deep correlation between the amount of time we spend with Jesus and the measure of encounter that we have with Him.

4If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures... (Prov. 2:4)

J. Jesus is our greatest treasure, but is “hidden” until we seek for more of Him
with all our heart. The Spirit will escort us into the divine treasury of the magnificence and beauty of Jesus. Our life is to be a treasure hunt into the knowledge of God, which becomes our very gold.

2Attaining to all the riches of…of Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures… (Col. 2:2-3)

24You will lay your gold in the dust…25Yes, the Almighty will be your gold… (Job 22:24-25)

18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire… (Rev. 3:18)

K. A kingly spirit searches diligently and refuses to be denied. God draws out our love and hunger for Him by hiding. Searching for God includes prayerful study of the Word with fasting.

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. (Prov. 25:2)

L. God’s promise: We will understand the fear of God and the knowledge of God (v. 5).

5Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. (Prov. 2:5)

Note: I recommend Corey Russell’s book Pursuit of the Holy which focuses on Proverbs 2:1-5

notes by Mike Bickle

Trust and Obey

2011-12-03T23:14:00.002-05:00

In a business meeting, the leader is the one who directs the flow of how it should be run and in what order. So, when the Body of Christ gathers together doesn't it make sense to let the Head lead the meeting and direct it?

It would be wrong and weird if the boss walks into the meeting and it has already started; the employees are the running the meeting without him and then start telling him what to do. If this continued, they would be out of work because they aren't giving the boss the honour, respect and obedience that is rightly his.

In the same way, when we as a Church gather, we seem to like to plan how the meeting is run ourselves without waitng for the head (through the Spirit) to lead us. We take this even further and plan whole outreach projects by ourselves and then ask Him to bless it.

Thankfully, God is merciful, patient and faithful. However, there are consequences to our disobidience! One of them being a lot of work but little fruit. We sow much but harvest little!

When we do God's work God's way in God's time on God's conditions, we will receive God's blessing, God's power and God-sent results. When the disciples listened to Jesus despite their previous failures and weariness and threw their net on the other side of the boat, they had such a great catch of fish they couldn't handle it themselves. When we fish for men where we want, when we want and how we want, we will find very little success. Simply trust and obey, there is no other way!

The Preacher

2011-11-27T00:04:00.003-05:00

So just something that the HS brought to my mind as I was sitting eating and pondering.... on the preacher's job in the body. (My church has been looking for a pastor)

The preacher’s job is not only to preach a sermon that is theologically sound and understandable to the congregation. If his message succeeds in communicating truth to the people, but fails to move them to conformity and obedience to that truth, he has only done a small portion of his job. The preacher must have the power of God’s Spirit on him to such an extent that his preaching fans the flame of God inside the congregants’ hearts with increasing might and stirs them in their innermost being to zealous action. In short the congregation must be EDIFIED! The job of the preacher is to build up! If he fails in doing so he has not done his job (Eph 4:11)

This, dear brothers and sisters, the true test for a successful sermon is not that people understand the message or feel that it is an important truth to apply to their lives, nor that their flesh was entertained for an hour and they had a good laugh—but that they are brought deeper into the very life of Christ Himself! That the dry bones are refreshed, renewed and jolted back to life every time they attend service and don’t go back to being a heap on the floor! That the sanctuary breaks out into whole hearted praise to the Creator and King by the encouragement and exhortation of the preacher!

At preaching of Haggai the prophet, the people were stirred into action to rebuild the temple of God. The Word of the Lord comes to Haggai the Prophet to tell the people to stop living comfortably while the temple of God is in ruins!

“Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke by the commission of the LORD to the people saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.” So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God” (Hag 1:13-14).

God used the prophesying of Haggai to stir the people from a place of gross indifference and apathy to the things of God into zealous obedience! O, and what apathy they had! The people walked past the ruins of the temple day after day going about their own business without even giving so much as a thought to it! It was literally right in front of their eyes! But, is it not the same now as it was back then? God has so little room in the lives of His people. He is left out amidst all the business of religious life. Sure, people may extend an invitation to Him here and there but it is mostly just a formality and after they have paid their respects He is soon left out again.

If only we had a preacher who could stir God’s people into action to rebuild God’s spiritual temple that is now in ruins! To move people away from all the activities, programs and man-made schemes to push religious agendas and into lives of personal devotion, consecration and holiness unto the Lord!

But I ask you, was it a onetime deal? Was the preaching of the sermon just once enough to keep the people obedient? No! Haggai had to preach to the people regularly to renew their zeal and fervour for the Lord!

“And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying* of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia” (Ezra 6:14). [*Note: some translations use preaching instead of prophesying.]

The key word here is prospered! The people were not only able to successfully complete their task but they prospered; they were blessed; there was an increase in their life! And this is true of preaching: it causes the hearers to prosper spiritually and to walk more and more into the fullness of God in the victorious Christian life. So, a church under a preacher who can truly preach will be built up into a living temple of God (1 Pet 2:5)! In fact, in the Bible, it is the way God has ordained it, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12).

This is seen beginning even in Ancient Israel during the time of Moses. God ordained that there would be two silver trumpets for summoning the congregation, breaking camp, going to war and rejoicing in worship. God even said that they needed to sound the silver trumpets so that when they went to war and when they worshipped him they “may be remembered before the Lord” (Num 10:9-10). The ones who blew the trumpets were the “sons of Aaron” who, besides the High Priest himself, were the closest to God’s holy place and could handle the holy things (Num 10:8). These silver trumpets were blown by people who ministered and heard from God himself!

And the fact that these trumpets were made of silver is significant because in Proverbs 10:20 it says, “The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver”. The trumpets of silver were a shadow of better things to come: the voices of the righteous that are called to summon the congregation and lead them in the direction they should go. So, the preacher is the trumpet that moves the people into action!

And think of how foolish the preacher is! He is like a trumpet that makes a lot of noise and rouses people (often annoying them), but God has indeed chosen to use the foolishness of preaching for His glory (1 Cor 1:21). He uses it to turn the hardened heart of a sinner into the humble heart of newly born again infant. He uses it to call back the wayward sheep who have wandered miles and miles away from the path, back into the green pastures and still waters!

Think about it: a wild man in the wilderness dressed in camel hide, eating locusts with long hair, preaching at the top of his lungs a message of repentance in order to prepare a generation for the coming of Christ! That man is John the Baptist the last of the Old Covenant prophets! If John the Baptist had a ministry of preaching repentance under the Old Covenant that came with so much power and conviction, how much more should the preacher today under the New Covenant? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! (2 Cor 3:9) for He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6)

God’s people should not be easily satisfied with servants who can preach a sound message; they must desire servants whose prayer life can lead them straight into either the blazing glory of God’s Throne or the tender heart of Christ each and every time. This is the only way for a church to thrive spiritually.

Many preachers can move the emotion of men and can reason with the intelligence of men but few can move the hearts of men unto obedience to God! For it takes a man with the burning heart of Christ to move a sinner toward repentance. It takes a man with the humble gentle heart of Christ to lead sheep father along the narrow path. These characteristics cannot be gained with much study or with masterful oratory skill, but can only be formed by being with the Master Himself in the secret place of prayer! How much is learned of His character and how much His character changes you the longer you are with Him. As one opens themselves to His chastisements and corrections of Him and does not shrink away in prayer.

How many preachers are willing to do that? How many preachers are willing to give up their time, give up their other religious responsibilities to sit at the feet of Christ? To do what He does so that he will be able to lead His congregation to Christ and not astray? It is the best thing to do! If only we could learn from Mary and Martha! As a pastor named Leonard Ravenhill has said “If the preacher isn’t praying the congregation is straying” If the sheep at the head of the flock stops following the Sheppard and turns aside, all the others behind him follow! O what a glorious and fearsome responsibility the preacher has! It should not be taken lightly!

Sadly, the standard has gone down and the majority of people are content with lukewarm, lifeless preaching and do not wish for things to change. But, perhaps even more alarmingly, they do not think that there is a problem. Thus, the truth we find in Scripture is true: in the last days men will always find someone to tell them what their itching ears desire (2 Tim 4:3). So the problem is not with just the preacher but with the people who desire to hear what the preacher says. The people do not desire to be moved into a deeper life with Christ but are satisfied with a lukewarm spiritual life.

The first thing people do is run away from the preacher who preaches truth without compromise and with conviction! They lock him away and don’t let him preach for fear of his fanatical ideas spreading. They wish to stay comfortable in their religious lives and institutions.

A dead preacher will produce dead preaching.
A lukewarm preacher will produce lukewarm preaching.
A religious preacher will produce religious preaching.
A Spirit-filled preacher produces life-giving preaching.

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:45).

A dead congregation will be satisfied with dead preaching.
A lukewarm congregation will be satisfied with lukewarm preaching.
A religious congregation will be satisfied with religious preaching.
A living congregation can only be sustained by life giving preaching!

This same principle can be applied to a preacher who preaches truth but lacks the power to move people into action. Here the people desire truth and religiously pride themselves in this over Christ. They hold to the very doctrine of Christ but lack His heart. So: a powerless preacher will produce powerless preaching and powerless people.

All the above is the spiritual reality that we face today.

The book of Revelation sheds light into this. Many may think that Revelation was only written for the specific seven churches, however these seven churches actually point to the diverse church of the last days. Each church reveals a different spiritual condition. For instance, the Church in Sardis had a reputation of being alive even though they were actually dead while the Church of Smyrna were encouraged to not fear but by faithful unto death during their tribulations (Rev 2-3).

So then the question of the time is this: What do you desire? Do you desire the truth of God's Word? or something lesser? In these days that we live there are so many different teachings and roads that seem right, that it is truly a test. God will only be found by those who truly seek Him with all their hearts (jer 29:13) who love truth and nothing else. These people are the ones who will find God or rather be found by Him.

When a congregation wants God and wants revival, then they will seek a godly preacher to lead them. What kind of congregation do we want to be? One that is dead? One that is lukewarm? One that lacks power? Or a congregation that can contend with the forces of hell? A preacher can only bring the congregation as far as he himself has gone.

With so much being said on the preacher, I don’t want you to think that the congregation is exempt from responsibility. The pastor’s well being is in the hands of the congregation. The relationship is one of interdependency.

It is easy to talk about these things and just look at preachers without looking at ourselves. In a paraphrase of Watchman Nee, God’s power is like an unstoppable train, but it must run on the rails of prayer. In the same way, preachers can be used mightily by the Spirit for God’s work, but the congregation must pray. Apostle Paul himself, though he never ceased to pray, knew that he needed the combined efforts of the whole body for God’s power to be released in his ministry. He wrote, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Eph 6:19). And again, “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints” (Romans 15:30-31). Paul knew that he needed the prayers of his brethren in order that his work may be acceptable to the living saints who needed living messages! For the whole to work, each body part must play its role. The congregation’s prayers need to be as fervent—“strive with me…”—as the preacher’s in hunger for the power of God to move in each meeting.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” (Heb 13:17)

So then we must all hold each other accountable in this task! Christian you must first ask yourself what is it you desire? A pastor who can lead you Christ, as pastor that will lead you astray or a pastor that can only lead you half way?Be wise in who you decided to follow!

If you are in a church and you sense that there something wanting in the preaching of your pastor. Do you pray for Him fervently for him to receive what he is lacking? Or do you disrespect him and oppose him thinking you can do a better job? Should be not Care for, respect and love him as a brother

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other (1 Thess 5:12)

Will you not humble yourself, love this brother and wash his feet for his sake, your and the congregation? Love builds up! Knowledge only puffs up! (1 Cor 8:1)

Pastor, are you depending on the power of Christ to lead the congregation or on your own strength, talent, knowledge, theology?

Do you labour in prayer for them or are they half hearted and of secondary importance?

We must keep in mind that unless we remain in Him we can NOTHING of eternal significance! (John 15:5)

Though it may seem that you are doing quite fine without Him or with so little of Him, on that our work will be shown for what it really is, be it gold, silver, precious stone, wood , hay or straw, things that will last through the fire or burn away to ash.

I pray that you have been blessed by this!

In Christ

Evangel

Calvinism and Armenianism

2011-11-09T14:30:00.002-05:00

I definitely agree with what you’re saying: the Scriptures and doctrine are both critical to the faith and it is one of the ways that we can know false teachers from real ones; another way being by looking at their fruit (Matt 7:16). I am encouraged by your zeal for the truth of the scriptures and doctrine, it is needed in the age of Christianity that we live in and is something we are commanded to do! As Paul writes to Titus, “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” (Tit 2:1)

I think there is a misunderstanding on what I was trying to say so allow me to clarify; I wasn’t saying that doctrine isn’t important. I was trying to point out that correct doctrine in itself is not sufficient but that the truth of the doctrine must go past merely head knowledge and into the heart of the Christian so much so that changes his very character and person, and becomes his reality – not just ideas and concepts. I think perhaps the point where we are differing is that I believe at the very core of it, it is not about knowing scripture and having correct doctrine. Though those things are essential, it is not be all end all of what makes a godly Christian or minister. There is something deeper that transcends the written words themselves, and that is knowing the very Person of God. Again I don’t disagree with what you are saying; I am in full agreement with it, I just want to expand on it as I think it is important to the original Calvin/Armenian discussion, please bear with me as I communicate my conviction on this as it does relate.

It is not the Bible itself which allows someone to know God but the Living Spirit behind it through whom it was written (2 Pet 1:21 1 Tim 4:1). The Word is Alive and active (Heb 4:12) it speaks, it moves, it is the very thing that sustains us right now (Heb 1:3)! However God uses the written word (the Bible) as a medium to reveal Himself. We can see this in examples in the Bible, the most well known being the Pharisees who memorized the written word but crucified the Living Word Himself (Christ). Another example would be with the secular study of Scriptures! How can we have scholars reading the Bible, spending hours pouring over the Scriptures and then coming to the conclusion that God is a homicidal maniac and then teaching some very skewed heretical version of the Bible and God? It is because they did not have the Spirit (the Person), who wrote the Words, teach them! It is the Spirit that guides us into all truth (John 16:13) and we are all taught by God Himself! (John 6:45)

I would say that there are people in countries where it is illegal to have a copy of the Bible that know God better than we do here in the west. They may have only read a few excerpts here and there that have been scratched down of the actual Scriptures and they may not be as theologically knowledgeable but they have such a heart-reality of God in their lives and such child-like faith not based on what they know but just on Him, that God hears and moves mightily in those places! There is a difference between knowing a person and knowing about a person. If I came up to you and said “Hey I know Obama” and then you said awesome take me to meet him and I went to the front gate of the White House saying “I’m here to see Obama, I know him” Obama comes out and says I don’t know this guys he’s a maniac and I said “What do you mean, Mr. Obama, I know that you were born in 1961 and that you’re the 44th president!” Would they let me in? No, because I don’t really know him I just know a lot about him. This is the same with God! It would be scary if someone spends their whole life studying and debating doctrine and at judgement day Christ says, “I never knew you” and the guy starts to splurge out all his theology that he learned through his whole life…But to no avail.

I think my main point is that at the end of the day we are not following doctrine but a LIVING RESURRECTED PERSON who leads us by His Holy Spirit! When I said “not to get caught up in doctrine” I am saying that we can focus so much on it and miss the Person who wrote them which is what eternal life is: KNOWING GOD AS A PERSON (John 17:3)! However, as I said before, don’t misinterpret what I am saying, because these things (doctrine) are important! They serve as guidelines to knowing God.

Truth is a Person not a set of doctrines (John 14:6). When we see Truth as doctrine, as either one thing or the other, black or white, Calvinism or Armenianism, it will never fit together completely and end up causing division. But if we see Truth and pursue Truth not as doctrine but a Person, then we will start to understand these deep mysteries of God a little more and be united in true fellowship instead of divided over doctrine!

This is why having sound teaching in a service does not necessarily equate to church fellowship. The truth of God can very much be preached while the congregation is as dead as zombies. Instead, I would say sound teaching with the Spirit of God working in the hearts of people into conviction, worship, corporate prayer, repentance and reconciliation = fellowship!

When you’re evangelizing to someone you’re NOT indoctrinating them to believe a set of statements but you are trying to get to them to know a Person! It is impossible introduce someone to a person you don’t actually know, they will be able to tell right off the bat if you know them by the way you talk about them! In fact, if I knew someone as a close friend and you knew about them and we start talking one day about this person I would quickly be able to tell if you actually know this person or not!
Bringing this all together: yes, we can identify false teachers by doctrine and Scripture but more importantly, if we know Him, we will be able to tell if another knows Him or not. This can be found in John 10:
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them … (14) “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

The sheep (that’s us) KNOW his voice and does NOT recognize a stranger’s voice! This is very comforting!
1 John 4:1 says to test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone into the world! What’s interesting here is that it says to test the spirits and not the doctrine! I believe this is because behind every false teaching there is a false spirit! Though we can point out how false teachers are false through scripture (and this is beneficially) we cannot win by arguing with doctrine alone! This is because battle not of flesh and blood but against real principalities of darkness (Eph 6:12)

Taking this back to Calvinism and Armenianism. I don’t think it is as simple as “God is sovereign” or “Man is sovereign” in salvation. Like I said before, it’s both and it works about perfectly as God is perfect – but again, it’s a mystery (the sermon from the first post covers this really well I don’t have time to explain as it would be too long). Right now we are not able to fully understand as it says in 1 Corinthians 13:9-11, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears...Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." But perhaps one day we will.....

For myself, I will focus on understanding and knowing God in the way that He created and wants me to know Him right now, and not concern myself with matters to great for me.

I read this passage in Psalms 131 the other day:
My heart is not proud, O Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

I think the whole Calvinism and Armenianism topic may be one of those things that we should not spend so much time on, but rather trust God like children, trust that His ways are perfect, and just obey what He says in scripture without having to understand how it all works!

I think many times we are like children who when our parents ask us to do everything we just keep asking, “WHY, WHY, WHY?” and we never get anything done because we’re so caught up in the “why”. In fact, we may go and asking our siblings, “Why?” and they have an answer that is different than ours so we end up arguing about it instead of just doing it! Meanwhile, our parents just want us to stop complaining and arguing and just do it because it’s what is best for us and the world – to just trust and obey! Which was the point of the very first post (LOL).

If there are any questions or concerns on what I said just post lol

In Christ
Evangel

Israel

2011-09-26T23:59:00.002-04:00

Israel and Endtime Prophecy? - Thoughts, Comments, Concerns...

At the York House of Prayer something that we pray for on a regular basis is the nation Israel and the Jewish people. This is something that I have believed we needed to be praying for as I knew that they need to see Jesus! However I think God has been showing me recently that its a lot more than just that there are many endtime prophecies concerning Israel both in the New and Old testament pointing to the lastdays. I am a little new to this as I have not been led to this until recently. I would like your input into all of this and your beliefs.... I am going to post a few things from the Word that I believe has yet to be fullfilled:

Romans 11 I will post a few key verses here feel free to look it over yourself

1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”[a]? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way[e] all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

So basically from what I understand a part of the endtime prohecy in the bible is that once "the full number of gentiles has come in" or turns to Christ they will intern reachout to the Jews who will repent and beleve in Jesus and become a literal nation on earth ruled by God.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10

1When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3then the Lord your God will restore your fortunesa and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. 6The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers, 10if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

So in the book of Deuteronomy there are a set of curses for rebelling against God and blessings/promises for repetence that leads obdience for Israel.

Throughout the OT the above was fullfilled to the letter ex. eatting own childrens flesh (cf. Deut.28:53, Lam 4:10).
We see a pattern of rebellion-->discipline/judement of God -> repentence --> forgiveness, restoration and blessing on the land once again...

The last Nation wide "Revival" or repentence of the Jewish Nation is recorded I believe in the book of Haggai, Ezra and Nehemiah. From that time one there were a few prophets and then nothing to the point where Israel once again fell into rebellion in the time of John the Baptist and Christ. Some people did repent but the nation as a whole did not soooo my conclusion is that the curse from all the way in the book of Deuteronomy is still in effect for Israel because they are still in rebellion to God. However I believe the promise for restoration still applies so that Israel will once again be a strong ruling nation under God and more specifically under the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

These are just a few verses and passages that have to do with Israel and endtimes so yeah if you have anything else please share

Achan

2011-09-26T23:58:00.002-04:00

So I was listening to the book of Joshua and the Holy Spirit gave me this really awesome insight/ revelation. I hope this edifies you guys....

God is HOLY!

25And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. Joshua 7:25

So imagine that at your church things are going amazing people are coming in and hearing the Word repenting and growing in faith, when you guys worship the presence of God is there and the whole congregation is edified. God is blessing your evangelism efforts, every time your church goes out to evangelize people get saved, healed, baptized and go bring all their other friends and family to hear the gospel. No one in the church is in need of anything because everyone is caring for on another. The fellowship you share with your brothers and sisters is sweet and rich. You look forward to regular meetings with the saints.

One day all that just stops. The pastor isn't getting any insights from scripture, the worship is dead and monotonous, people are apathetic to the gospel and feel sorry that your a Christian, discouragement and fear come over the whole church, people stop going to regular meetings, the church starts to enter in debt...

And you guys pray God help us and He answers THERE IS SIN IN THE CONGREGATION.

You guys quickly start to find out who it is.....and you find out that its your best friend. He was secretly stealing money from the church.....

God says He must die stone him and his family and then burn him and all his possessions...

You guys all take him outside the church along with his family and you VIOLENTLY STONE HIM. You are crying and mourning. THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING YOUR KILLING YOUR BEST FRIEND or even your own BROTHER OR SON......

But deep inside this you know this is right. There is a cry inside you that screams: this is good, this is just, this must be done. God is Holy and the sin must be purged from among us......

So the above is a little bit of a stretch I admit and its not a good representation of what the Israelites were really going through during that time as a whole. The point of it was to try to help us understand the reality of the situation in the passage.

The closest parallel I could come up with to Achan's sin is stealing money from the church because if you read the passage before all the things were to be devoted to destruction (Joshua 6:21) So as an act of worship.

This story does give us an idea of the HOLINESS OF GOD and how that was a very REAL thing to God's people during that time and STILL is.

We are God's people today and we need to have the same attitude towards God's holiness, however we also have something greater: The revelation of GOD's LOVE through Jesus and how His mercy triumphs over judgement.

God's grace is poured out on us abundantly on us because of Christ so that We (personally) do not need to kill someone in our congregation who sins, however what does happen is that God's blessings can be withheld because of sin both corporate and personal.

I believe that one of the main reasons why we don't see God working the way we read about in the bible is because we are not fully obedient to Him as the church and harbor many other idols above Him.

Just like the Israelites failed in defeating their enemies so we are failing in winning people to Christ and many people are apathetic to God. In fact many sit in the pews week after week without even being moved a little by the love of God or their own sin.

With that in mind let us also remember that when God was moving in the early church in the book of Acts, there was also a case where people in the church were killed for their sin Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1) There have been cases recorded during powerful workings of God that people were also struck down for pretending to be filled with the Holy Spirit when they were not.

Service vs Relationship

2011-08-05T00:43:00.000-04:00

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:17...-20

Dont place your hope, expectation, joy and identity on what you do for God or even what He has done through you, but rather rejoice and find your identity in your relationship with Him, in knowing Him for that is what eternal life is

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

Servants

2011-07-25T11:55:00.002-04:00

We are called to be servants of the gospel (and Christ), this means we do everything in our power, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, to lift up the gospel and to maintain the integrity of the gospel message. We are not to use it to exalt ourselves but as servants we serve and go underneath to hold it up and support it. This ...of course is a privilege and honour. It is not a necessity as God is not served by human hands but will exalt His own name on the earth! He doesn't need us! But what is amazing is that He calls us His friends who know His business (John 15). When your friends with someone you know what they are up to in a casual way there is NO PRESSURE to impress! In fact if your working for a friend you get "hook ups" If your friend is the manager of McDonalds and asks you to work for him you will probably be able to get more free food than the rest of the people and more flexible work schedule! Jesus is our friend. He shares with us what HE IS DOING and then lets us be a part of it and gives us privileges that would only be His in the Kingdom! (like the manager to the employee friend)

The sad thing is that today many people (even Christians) use the gospel to exalt themselves above the gospel (and therefore Christ since it is HIS gospel) and use it for selfish purposes such as influence, money and reputation.They step on others in the name of the gospel to make themselves look more righteous. This is a huge temptation for all believers! But a true servant will allow himself to be STEPPED ON for the sake of the gospel! We need to be like the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus stepped on to see Christ! Or Like John the Baptist having the attitude of being less to let the Bridegroom shine or even like Paul who considered himself a slave to the gospel. Christ says that He who wants to be great is to be a servant and first to be a slave of all (Mark 10:43-44)

When we read about the church in 1 Corinthians this is exactly what was going on! Believers were using the gospel and spiritual gifts to exalt themselves instead of Christ, using His name to build their Kingdom and there were many fights in the church! Paul rebukes them:

To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 1 Cor. 6:7

He is saying that it is better to let yourself be wronged for the sake of the gospel and the name of Christ because this was going on in HIS church the very place where there should be love! They were actually hindering the gospel NOT serving it!

Hebrews

2011-07-16T08:06:00.000-04:00

The first concern was that a lot of us look up to other pastors and teachers to derive our beliefs, this is a good thing! However it can also be dangerous if you blindly follow one person's view. I started to write on this because it looks like to me that many people are following what well known pastors believe, taking stances on things without testing the Scriptures for themselves and asking God. More specifically, views on the Holy Spirit, gifts, miracles, etc. (More on this later.)

More importantly, before I go into what I believe on those things, I wanted to encourage everyone to seek God and His truth for themselves and not take any pastor (even a one that is known to be sound in teaching) at their word! The whole point of Christ's death was so that the veil could be torn that was separating man from God, so that now each person who has faith in Christ can have direct access to God and know Him for themselves. The promise that we read in the Bible is this, found in Hebrews 8:10-11 (as quoted from Jeremiah 31:33-34),

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
   after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
   and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
   and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbour,
   or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
   from the least of them to the greatest.

Teachers are important; they are given to the church in order for it to grow! However, they are not to be the person that the church follows—Christ is the head. When we start to follow other people and not Christ, problems arise. In fact, when we read 1 Corinthians, it is exactly what was going on in that church, it was divided and there were many fights and factions because they were following different people (Apollos, Paul, Peter) and holding them in high esteem rather than seeing them as servants who are there to help them and trying to seek God for themselves.

I think the problem is quite simple, it’s a heart issue. The question we need to ask ourselves is this:
Do you want someone to tell you about who Christ is?
Or do you want to talk to Christ yourself?
Do you want someone to talk about how wonderful Christ is in their life?
Or do you want to know and experience Him for yourself?

Do you want man's praise for knowing theology or do you want to just know Him despite what man will say about your theology? In today's Christian culture, we can read endless books that tell us about Christ but still not know Him intimately for ourselves! I have stressed this before and will do so again, Jesus warns us to “beware the yeast of the Pharisees.” He says this in all four gospels and warns His disciples! He knew it was a trap that believers could easily fall into; head over heart is a key characteristic of legalism.

God promises numerous times—in the law and the prophets (cf. Deut. 29:4, 1 Chron. 28:9, Jer. 29:13)—“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” In the New Testament, Christ Himself promises, “Ask and you will receive, seek and your will find!” (Matt. 7:7) The key word is ‘seek.’ He doesn’t mean seeking him as a side thing or something you do during the leftovers of your day. Rather, he means it in the sense where nothing else matters to you except for seeking that one thing (cf. Psalm 27:4). Like Jesus’ parable of the merchant who sold everything for pearls (cf. Matt. 13:45-46), we must seek God like that! Oh, how many people don't seek God but are satisfied with a second hand experience of God that comes from another person? The whole point of Christ's death is that the veil was torn so that all could have access to Christ!

(I am going to sidetrack a bit here to touch a little on why the OT is relevant and why all the promises made in the OT are still applicable today. Feel free to skip this section! There has been a strange teaching and thought going on in the church that the OT was for the past and that the NT is the relevant section of the bible that is more important. This is not true it is all equally important as the bible tells about God's nature and His nature is unchanging! What someone does tells those around them who they are. Their actions show what is on their heart. This is the same with God what He does tells of who He is! Whenever God does something small that may not make sense to us or seem insignificant we must not overlook it! He did it does it a reason, and this action tells us who He is! For example God decided to use a donkey to speak to Balaam, why? (lol I don't have time to go into that right now :P) As mentioned before God's nature is unchanging! Therefore all the promises made in the OT still apply in the NT. There are several verses that support this in the NT:

For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to our glory of God through us
2 Corinthians 1:20

There are some promises in the bible which were transitory and ultimately fullfilled in Christ however there are some that are still in effect today for example the promise God made to Noah that He would never flood the earth again. Another example is the promise that would follow someone who honours their parents. In the OT we read:

"Honour your father and mother as the LOrd your God has commanded you so that you may live a long life and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving to you" Deut. 5:16, Ex 20:12.

Paul quotes this promise in his letter to the Ephesians (6:1-3)

Chidren obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother- which is the first commandent with a promise - that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

There are promises that God makes to His people the Israelites, the questions is, does it apply to us? The answer is yes the above example shows that it does. The promises that God made to His people in the past (the Israelites) are the same for His people today. We were grafted into the New Covenant and thus are parttakes in the grace given to the Isrealites through Christ (Romans 11)

It says in the bible that "the Word of the Lord endures forever" (1 Peter 1:24) This was quoted by Peter from Isaiah. We will see many times in the letters that the OT would be quoted to support something the author would be saying! This verse shows that what God says is aways true forever despite what we think or how we may change its meaning!)

One very important belief is in the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit! I am very alarmed that there are so many who do not believe in God's power at work today! It says He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) so why would the God who did miracles in the past and give the Holy Spirit in the past not do it today? A key doctrine that is lost today is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. When people nullify it, they are essentially ignoring large parts of the Word of God; this is skewing it to fit their own taste.

For myself, I cannot help but testify that the gifts do exist; it is as sure and real to me as my salvation and conversion. So, I want to testify that I was freed from my addiction to pornography the day I repented and believed and continued to grow in grace. One day, a few months later, I was reading the book of Ephesians on a bus and suddenly the Spirit of the Most High God came upon me and I felt a fountain of joy in my heart! It was the Spirit bearing witness with my spirit. He was pouring His love on me (Romans 5) and I started to speak in tongues. Before that, I had heard of the gift of tongues and thought it was cool, but that day it became real to me. I did nothing myself; I was just seeking God and He gave it to me. I was a little freaked out at first because the logical side of me was confused and my heart was doubtful, but it didn't matter because it wasn’t about me or who I was but, rather, it was about God working through me.

I know that my girlfriend wanted the gift of tongues for a while because she had trouble expressing the deep parts of her heart in prayer. I told her how speaking in tongues makes expressing your heart to God easier. So, she started to ask God for the gift of tongues; as it says in His Word, “Ask and you will receive.” I was shocked when she started to speak in tongues; God gave it to her only after a week of asking daily!

Jesus asks the Pharisees in Matthew 9:5, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” The answer is that is it is easier to heal a man physically! What is greater than God raising a man from the dead physically? Is it this: God raising a man from the dead spiritually. The greatest miracle God can perform is to raise someone who was dead in their transgressions and make them alive in Christ! Turning a heart of stone that was once blind and rebellious to God and make it into a heart of flesh that desires to obey Him! I am so amazed that Christians who profess that God made them alive cannot believe the ‘lesser’ miracles that He does such as spiritual gifts or physical healing. Think about this! He raised you from the dead! He can do anything!

One of the greatest problems in the church today is the sin of unbelief! Hebrews 3-4 shows that God brought His people out of Egypt and performed many signs, miracles and wonders but still His people would still not believe. I wonder are we like that, God takes us out of the Egypt of sin and we still don’t believe in Him! If God’s own people don’t believe, how can we expect the rest of the world to believe?

Mind vs. Heart

2011-07-09T21:49:00.001-04:00

Hey just something the Holy Spirit was teaching me today that I felt the need to share with you all!

In the reformed community we have the right truth (more or less) however, we reverse the order in which we should learn it. Many times we spend so much time on learning correct theology in our minds, however it doesn't connect with our ...heart and thus we strive in the flesh to practice these theological truths in our day to day lives by remembering them in our minds and it fails.

This is because the understanding of these truth should actually come from the HEART, Then to our mind and out of our mouths.

When it comes to the great theologians they did not come up with the doctrine from a scholarly study using human means. Instead they were gifted by the Spirit to communicate biblical truth to the rest of the body. They understood the truth in their HEART first and then from there to their mind and to preaching or writing.

We can know these truths in our head but only God can bring it to life in our hearts.
Many people know that Christ died for our sins, few believe they are sinners (its heart issue)

ex. "The foolish says in his HEART" (Psalm 14) note he says in his heart, not head!)

Love the Lord your GOd with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!" (Luke 10:27)

The order in which Christ says it is of course important Heart to soul then to the mind. So yes the mind is important as well!

When we have truth in our mind and not the heart it could become dangerous because it gives us the illusion that we are growing and spiritual when the real test is the fruit of the Spirit. In short theology becomes an idol and a way for our flesh to boast.

1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 1 Corths 8:1

The line here I want to key on it is knowledge puffs up but love builds up.

What this tells us is that when interacting with other believers it is not wrong to talk theology, but the more benefically thing to do is love them, better yet "speak truth in love"

How do we know its in love?

Ask yourself: By me saying this will it make me look good or God look good and turn the eyes of this brother or sister to Christ?

That being said you may still feel pride in doing so HOWEVER
...that does not mean you were not doing it in love because God works in our weaknesses but also because love is not a feeling but a choice.

Our unbelief as believers in miracles that we hear about such as healings and other things and our uncomfortable feelling in Spirit filled meetings comes because we have learning in our minds but our hearts are still filled with unbelief! We are trying to understand the impossible and the unlimited in our limited minds. When we try to understand God and His might in only our fallen minds..it doesnt work we will have a brain fart. We can only see God rightly in our heart through faith by the Spirit of Christ.

Lord, Do It Again! from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

approaching God's Throne of Grace!

2011-07-04T03:19:00.002-04:00

When approaching God in prayer, most people only make it to the outer court, few people make it to the inner court and even fewer people make it to the throne and fewer still, stay before the throne long enough to be changed by His glory (those who do that really receive grace to impact the kingdom in mighty ways).

The LORD said to Mo...ses: "Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Leviticus 16:2

In the OT, there was the outer court, the inner court (Holy place) and the Most Holy Place (inner inner court). The worshippers and gentiles could only go into the outer court. The priests to the inner and the High Priest to the Holy of Holies where God's glory (literally) would rest above of the Mercy Seat (or Ark in other translations)

The thing is now with the blood of Jesus our great High Priest ANYONE can approach the throne of grace in the Most Holy place its OPEN, thats why the veil was torn in the temple when Christ died!

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

We're told to approach the throne of God's grace, but many times we don't make it that far... in prayer, how many times do we stay in prayer and wrestle with God long enough that He blesses and gives us spiritual strength to walk with Him for that day?

Thye closer you get to the sun, the hotter it is. God is holy, The closer you get to God the more of His holy light He shines on your life, the more the impurities of the heart are burned away. However this is not a pleasant experience so most Chrisitans stay far off in the "outer court" where its "safe". But those who stay in the back don't get to see the full glory of God! (its sorta like being at concert but being in the very back except God is 93849384 better)

"Our God is a consuming fire" As Christians we must daily offer ourselves as sacrifices before God on the altar to be changed by Him so that we are ready to see Him face to face.

Fear God Not Demon or Man

2011-06-30T01:59:00.002-04:00

So I was praying today and the spirit of fear came upon me.
I started to ask God for help and looked up at the sky to see the stars in the sky and realized that God was BIGGER

I then started to fear God while at the same time fearing demonic spirits and fear.
Except my fear of God was greater so I got on my knees and prayed in fear
Fear to pray because of demons but fear not to pray b/c of God

I realized that in the scheme of things I am at the very bottom but I also remembered that the aazing thing about God is that even though I fear Him, He is my helper and fortress from my enemy!

2011-06-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

http://evangelandevelyn.posterous.com/archive/6/2011

Servant of All

2011-06-24T01:09:00.002-04:00

16Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; th...ere is nothing false about him. John 7:16-18

The hardest thing and most vital thing anyone who is called to be a minister of the Most High must learn to do (in addition to pray) is to walk before God and not before man. The man of God must not be swayed by the opinion of the people whether positive or negative but must continally seek to gain God's approval.

The man must be a servant of all to be great and a slave if he is to be first (Mark 10:42-43)

He must bear in love and be able to endure persecution and slander from amongst his own brothers and sisters in the body and then the world. He must allow himself to be stepped on in order for others to see Christ.

Lets take two people who made the greatest impact for God.

Jesus Christ Himself was the most EXALTED of ALL HUMANS. Yet many considered him demon possessed and crazy in His time (John 7) He was discredited by the "church" (or the equivalent during the time since the real church was not born until Christ died. A better description would be the institution that was supposed to stand for God) through the major religious leaders.

1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me 1 Cor. 4:1-4

Paul made himself a SLAVE to all and considered himself to have no rights. He truly walked before God and did not care if he was judged by people!

The churches that he started would turn on him and call him a fake even though he was the real deal! (read 1+2 Cor for reference)

. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 2 cor 6:4-8

He daily faced the burden of the churches all over the world whether they loved or hated him whether the accepted or rejected him (2 Cor 11:28). His only goal was to present a pure bride to Christ 2 Cor. 11:2)!

1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me 1 Cor. 4:1-4

Many look at numbers as a sign of a sucessful minister. Though this could be a good sign many times it is not true. For the man of truth the definition of a sucessful ministry would be for him to walk before God without compromise despite the numbers till the very end. (Lets rememeber Jeremiah, who walked before God during his whole ministry yet had a grand total of 1 convert that is described or a small handful if any)

Going back to being a servant of all:
Jesus was the greatest servant who held the whole world PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE under Him in the one critical moment on the cross in human history!

The cross of Christ was literally THE WORLD on His shoulders. WHat helps me is the greek myth of Atlus who held the world up. I imagine that in Jesus x290293209

Christ was truly the strongest since no one had the Spiritual strength to do what He did but Christ Himself.

But WE ARE CALLED TO BE LIKE HIM.
This is the analogy I have thought of:

The human pyramid.
THe one top gets the glory but is always the weakest and smallest
The ones at the bottom are the strongest and get no glory
though in reality the bottom ones are the most important.

in the same way the spiritually weak are held up by the spiritually strong who allow themselves to bear the weight of the weak at their own expense

They bear with the weak's sins until the weak can mature and start to support others for themselves.

The stronger you are, the LOWER you go!

This is what discipleship is or a good part of it bearing with infants until they are strong enough to take up their cross and follow Christ!

Many Christians can do no work for Christ simply because they are still trying to DENY themselves!

He is the Lord Forever His Truth Shall Reign

2011-06-21T14:19:00.001-04:00

He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.
Psalm 9:8

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

...Although in the days that we live in there are so many different types of teachings out there. The truth of God remains constant. We might wonder why God allows so many of these teachings that have half truths in them to lead so many astray but He allows it because He is merciful and because in the end despite how fallen man has distorted His Word, it will come out on top proving to be the LIVING INFAILABLE WORD OF GOD!

"He is the Lord forever His truth shall REIGN" (From the worship song He is Exalted)

When Christ comes the light will expose all the darkness and lies of the enemy. On that day, some people who were thought to be holy and pious will be shown to be frauds. While other people thought to be crazy and heretical will actually be shown to be the ones who were truly the ones who loved Christ.

The body (in the state at it is in now) will be so ashamed that they caused so many divisions within themselves over disputable because they'll be able to SEE CLEARLY that they were actually all brothers and sisters all along!

Mount of Transfiguration

2011-06-21T14:08:00.001-04:00

Why did Moses and Elijah appear on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ?
Lets take a look at what they did:

Moses led God's people out of captivity and was the mediator of the first covenant between them and God

Elijah led God's people out of a great time of apostasy

Moses and Elijah were the only two prophets who had a 40 day "wilderness" experience similar to that of Christ.

Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days
Elijah travelled for 40 days and nights with food from only ONE meal (1 King 19:7)

On the Mount of transfiguration it says "They spoke about his departure," (Luke 9:31)

That means the glorfied Moses and Elijah was having a conversation with Jesus about what He had to do!

Christ would:
1. Establish a new and better covenant with God's people and be the mediator of that covenant

2. As a result would lead many Jewish people out of the apostasy of their time

Elijah and Moses was giving Christ counsel on how to do what He was going to do!
(Jesus learned just like US He had to learn things from the bible like us too)

So basically
Moses+Elijah = Jesus

My Generation is Aching for YOU

2011-06-12T04:51:00.004-04:00

WOW my heart is just so burdened for the youth right now.
they are so lost.

I was just praying for a bit and the Lord just lay this message on my heart:

...The reality of heaven and hell is already apparent NOW

We taste a bit of hell in all the loneliness, fear ,anxiety, depression, emptiness Those times in the secret place times when were apart from other people
That multiplied by infinitely its all that in addition to the fact that you can no longer go and take comfort in the things of the flesh.

For example, those times when you are depressed or sad so what do you do? you try to ignore or hide it in food, friends, porn, sex

In hell you can't take comfort in physical things because your physical body is consumed in fire as well.

Its like we try to put a bandaid on a gaping gash that needs stitches but even worse. We try to use temporary physial solution to try to solve an ETERNAL spiritual problem. That is why the humanism psychology, counseling is SO DECIEVING today and really, is INEFFECTIVE. As written in Colossians 2:23

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

How many of our youth today are just depressed or apathetic like all the time? (especially in the church)

My friend was saying how the biggest lie the devil tells the youth today is that God is boring and its so true the generation before has failed in telling their children the praiseworthy DEEDS of the Lord

We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.
Psalm 78:4

18Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:
Psalm 102

They have instituted Christianity so much
People should come to church and come face to face with the AWESOME SOUL CRUSHING TRUTH OF GOD and the beauty, glory and majesty of CHRIST with eyes of fire, hair white like wool, a sword of righteousness coming out of His mouth, a face that shines like the sun and feet like red hot bronze (that is NOT boring)....He totally pawns Cloud, Squall and Tidus..... instead of having their eyes glazed over by a watered down neatly packed and delivered a "sermon" on "how to live a better moral life without God (or with God on the SIDE and not at the centre)

Clearly that is an impossibility since only God is good and love comes from Him. (1 John and the story of the rich young ruler and Jesus)

We are so encaptivated by LIES like obssessed with the FALSE reality and fantasies of videogames, movies, television dramas and novels.

How many of us find comfort in watching T.V. instead of reading the bible?
How many of us "lose ourselves" in these things over Christ?

I remember before I was saved I used to watch anime series after anime series like I never wanted it to end because I would be so EMPTY after.

What does the bible say about these things?

How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah Psalm 4:2

also

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
Psalm 24:3-4

Key lines are lift soul up to idol and swear by what is false!

Swearing by what is false is simply believing and basing your life on a LIE whatever that maybe. (your in denial of the true reality of your life)
Brothers and Sisters

We need to seriously PRAY and intercede for them it looks like such a crazy impossibility, but God WILL turn the tide and hear us if we stay faithful in prayer.

Like even now if you don't have anything to do on Saturday mornings come to Markham Chinese Baptist Church for a prayer meeting =)

prayer

2011-06-11T20:19:00.001-04:00

If there is one thing a Christian should do before he dies is to learn to pray.

The diciples went and asked Jesus to teach them to pray, not to teach or preach or heal or prophecy or evangelize but to PRAY. There must have been something in the way Christ prayed that made the disciples want to have the kind of relationship Christ had with the Father. Christ was a man devoted to prayer first and then to ministry He knew that He could do nothing apart from the Father, how come so many Christians today think they can do Christ's work without following His example of prayer?

2011-06-06T01:02:00.001-04:00

God put Himself into flesh at the time of incarnation. Today God has put Himself into the church. His
power and work are found in the church. At the time of the four Gospels, God did not do anything apart
from that flesh. All of His works were committed to the Son. In the same way God has entrusted all of
His works to the church. He does not do anything apart from the church. God does not work
independently; He works exclusively through the church. From Pentecost until today, God's work has
always been carried out through the church. Just as He committed Himself wholly, unequivocally, and
unreservedly to one person—Christ, He has given Himself wholly, unequivocally, and unreservedly to
the church. How great the church's responsibility before God is! The church can limit God's work; it
can limit God's release.
- Watchman Nee

On Relationships

2011-06-03T18:18:00.001-04:00

A godly biblical relation isn`t as simple as the submission of the man to God and the woman to the man but rather God leading the relationship through the man and the man submitting the relationship to God. The woman then sees the image of Christ in the man and naturally submits. In this way she is subitting to God. If the relationship is more important to the man than God the man will end up hurting the spiritual growth of the woman and himself. In other words if the Man is not submitted to God it affects the relationship in a negative way since the Man and women is once flesh. The reverse is also true if the woman is not submitted to Christ because of sin she will not be submissive to a godly man and will be a hinderance in his pursit to Christ instead of an encouragement.

Of this woman the proverb is true:
A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; Pr. 27:15 and
Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. Pr 21:9

Check Eph. 6:21-33 for further reference

This is why it is important dear brothers and sisters to not just find a Christian to marry, but someone who PURSUES CHRIST in other words a Man or Woman of God. The relationship must be Christ centered. Meaning the relationship starts as a result of FELLOWSHIP and not by carnal means.

What does this look like practically
Well everytime you get together the conversation is like 90% theology and yo ucan naturally PRAY AND WORSHIP with that person with out feeling awkward.

In Christ,
Evangel

An Exhortation to Pray

2011-05-31T15:52:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to exhort everyone on the importance of prayer since we are a stubborn and obstinate people and need constant reminders to stay on track!

In hell God does not hear the cries of man despite their screams of torment for all eternity. In the land of the living. He hears the prayer of all ppl as soon as they on Him and answers.

When I was discussing this with my friend Judy K Jo she was saying how Heaven is WAITING for the people on the earth to PRAY so that it can send something DOWN!
In heaven we don't need to pray anymore cuz we'll be in the presence of God so the only time we can pray is when were STILL ALIVE.

What kills me is that we're so foolish that we dont take this grace of prayer seriously and pray so little. We looked at it as an obligation when its the EXACT opposite! Its actually a priviledge WE GET TO APPROACH THE GLORIOUS THRONE. We don't earn brownie points with God for praying!

The Christian life is impossible to live without prayer. Sadly many Christians do not live the life they are called to live simply because they were to prideful to ask for help to do it. Many times we focus on the things we need to do for God when we fail to recognize that things only get done through prayer.

We try to do this event and that thing for God with little or no prayer when all that really needs to happen is for God to BEAM down His power on ONE event and then an explosion would happen.

Jesus lived 30 years on earth before He started His ministry, was His life wasted?
NO
Because He moved in and with the Father
It says in His Word For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:28

Imagine we if we all lived and moved IN HIM every second of our lives! Every word we speak and every action we make.....
WOW things would get done

Prayer accomplishes this it clears up the connection between the vessel and the Potter the more you pray the more you live your life IN HIM and the more you naturally do what He wills and the more you are used.

Parable Ten Virgins

2011-05-20T02:49:00.004-04:00

So I was freaking out trying to make sense of this parable.
I always assume that the insights that come to me right off the top are to obvious and easy and so there must be some sort of deep revelation that I'm missing out on. I think a part of me wants to look smart. So I kill myself trying to figure out what it is. (because there is a deeper revelation, but it only comes with God and most of the time when I'm not trying to understand but I'm just reading)

When it comes to understanding the bible, it can go so deep and wide with the same truth! Thats whats so amazing about it! Each person filled with the Spirit has a different revelation from that same truth! Mind you, understanding only comes through the Spirit and not any fleshly means!

I was really surprised when I found out my insights which I thought were obvious had an impact on people! I think I'm so used to reading and understanding right away that I forget what it was like reading the bible as a new believer....confusing, boring and frusting.

Now I love His Words so much!
As the Psalmist says: O How I LOVE YOUR LAW
and Jesus says Man does not live on bread alone
and His Word is a LAMP to my feet like wow everything makes sense through His Word!

So here is the passage:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Insights:

Bridegroom - Jesus (as mentioned many times in the bible)

Comments:
Reminds me of the song Give me Oil

Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp I pray
Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning burning burning
Keep me burning till the break of day!

Observations
- the virgins all knew about the bridgroom and were invited
- they all had burning lamps when they left
- only at the last minute was there a distinction between them!
- the foolish virgins knew about the oil yet did not go back to get more
- this took place at night since the foolish virgins asked for more since "theirs was running out" indicating that it had been burning previously for it to run out!

Questions
- does midnight mean when the night turns to day or during the darkest part of the night?
- Why did the foolish virgins wait until the last minute?
- What does sleep mean?
- How do lamps work? What does trim mean? --> like make it glow brighter?
- how come they were all virgins? What does that represent?

Application:
- One cannot depend on the oil or faith of another to save them! Each person must have their own faith! That is why the wise virgins could not share with the foolish! Many times people depend on the faith of their family or friends but don't have any of their own! At the end we can only save ourselves and no once else! As mentioned in Ezekiel the righteousness of a father will not affect his son

- The foolish virgins looked exactly like the wise until the last minute! The different between the two is that the wise anticipated a long wait and thus took extra oil where as the foolish thought the bridegroom would come soon and anticipated it to be an easy thing. Many people expect following Christ to be easy and so they do not prepare themselves..... They didn't have enough oil to last through the NIGHT! (the most critical moment!) Many times people look like they love CHrist but they don't have what it takes in the critical moments!

- Sleep in this parable is symbolic for the everyday troubles and pleasures of life since BOTH wise and foolish virgins fell asleep this is something that ALL people must go through this makes sense as waiting for the coming of Christ is not an easy thing! We must still go through this life! This is spiritual sleep. Since this parable represents spiritual things the reality in the parable is the spiritual and the "sleep" is the physical.

However Jesus warns His disciples not to get caught up in the dissipations of the world and to in it but not of it. The foolish virgins slept as their oil ran out! In the same way this represents those who get caught up in the world and don't watch their oil! Whereas the wise truly live as though this world were not theirs!

Since all the virgins slept through till the coming of the Bridegroom, this extra oil must be something that one gets BEFORE they set out on their journey! Many times people who profess Christ will see something in a true believer that they do not have and brush it off. In the sameway the foolish virgins were with the wise how come they did not ask sooner or go back to get more oil?

I can imagine that they were waiting for a good few hours before they started to become drowsy! They were probably also talking with each other! The foolish virgins had plenty of opportunity to go back and get more! But they did not. In addition to this there was a warning call thats when the foolish virgins set out! Indicating there was some time between the warning and the coming of the King! However the last call is still too late, we must be prepared BEFORE that time!

The door was shut to the foolish indicating that they were not saved and therefore did not make it into the Kingdom wedding feast! There is only one shot, we need to be BURNING when the bridegroom comes.

We are to be people who prepare the way of Christ in this dark world by lighting a path for Him to ride through! (Just like the virgins who went out to MEET the bridegroom) and John the Baptist "John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light." John 5:35

The last admonishment in this parable is to keep watch or be alert in other translations. It reminds us of Jesuss words to His diciples "keep watch and pray" A good test to see if someone is of the world but not in it and who truly has oil (oil meaning the Spirit) is this:

After going through the busy routine of life where does that person find their rest?
In the world or in the Lord as the Psalmist says "My soul finds rest in God alone"

One with oil will in a sense find their rest in another Kingdom and not in the world. They are waiting expectantly for His coming! When we pray we are waking up to our real life leaving the dream of the world behind us.

WOOO

2011-05-14T23:50:00.004-04:00

soo I was finally able to share my testimony with my co worker and manager @ Tastee's!

I was also able to openly declare my faith to my co workers @ the KBBQ house....

They just laughed at me when I told them I couldn't work because I was going to PRAYER MEETING LOL but whatever haha I was able to share a small part of my testimony after with a co worker I drive home

buut man its soo dark there
my manager is a lesbian who lives with her wife (shes the guy)
my other co worker was suprised that I was still a virgin @ the age of 19
and than I had no girlfriend

He asked if I masturbated a lot since I didn't have sex and I told him I used to but not anymore cuz I became a Christian.

He was telling me how he had sex with three girls on the same day and was boasting about how tired he was....

reminded me of
For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:16

I just need to pray for these people
It seems impossible but nothing is impossible with God and Christ Himself hungout with the worse of sinners

I think I would rather be there than in a church. (its worse in there somtimes except everything is under the whitewash of religion)

soo tired but I actually like working

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecc 9:10

its strangely satisfying especially when you have Christ!

CC is coming up, need to PRAY and intercede for it!

past few days

2011-05-07T10:35:00.002-04:00

So basically i've been working a lot for the past 2 weeks. almost non stop
my schedule is basically 11-3 @George's Tastee PRAY 9-3 @ Korean BBQ House.

Its been pretty crazy I'm not sure why I'm working this much.
A part of me sorta really wants to go to the highschools and evangelize (they need it so much)

I've been focusing on trying to be light in the work place
so working HARD at everything

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:17

and without complaining!

Do everything without complaining or arguing,so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe Philipians 2:14-15

I think wherever I go I just feel love for the people around me who don't know Christ. Its hard, they are so lost!

I was able to share the gospel and my testimony with one of my co-workers but I really just want them to believe! So ive been praying everyday for them

My boss knows that Im Christian he teases me and calls it a cult, but I know that hes actually really open and looking. I stil need to find an opportunity to really talk to him!

a lot of the times people worry about the WHERE and the WHAT and use that as an excuse from being light in their everyday life.

For God so loved the WORLD that He sent HIs one and only Son

I heard a pastor say for God so loved OUR little world that were part of with people in it that only we know that He sent His one and only Son......

So yeah!

Spirtual Warfare/ A+ Lawns 4 Christ pt. 2

2011-04-20T19:45:00.002-04:00

So I don't know really where to start right now, everything is very overwhelming. I believe that what Spirit has taught me through my experiences over the past couple of days is extremely important for believers who want to make an impact for the Kingdom in age that we live in. I used to be scared of getting critized by other believers about my beliefs in Christianity and the convictions I have, but now that is less of a concern to me. As I believe His sheep hear His voice and will not follow the voice of another (John 10) or John the Apostle as he writes to the believers

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him. 1 John 2:27

and as Christ Himself said
If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. John 7:17

Basically the point of the verses is that those who truly are of God will know what is from Him and what is not!

I am willing to bear with criticism, something I have feared for quite sometime. As the Word says:
Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. Is. 51:7.

So...
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches Rev 2:7 (a line repeated multiple times in scripture)

Paul's letters contained so much spiritual wisdom yet most could not understand it and distorted it because they were trying to intepret it in the flesh with their own wisdom and not with the one that comes from above (James 3:9). If we just asked for understanding we would receive it (Luke 11:13)

He (Paul) writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:16

How should I start? Lets start with the Spiritual reality North America is in today.
The reason why we have the story of the Israelites in the OT, is so that we can learn from the mistakes of the people who were a part of God's first covenant. We (believers) are part of the New Covenant that is much better than the first. Its like an upgraded version 2.0 (Heb. 7:22)! We can see that when the first covenant was first established, God's people would experience the blessings and the power of God to the MAX! The Israeites were led by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. In the same way after Christ resurrected, the church in Acts was full of signs, miracles and wonders! The presence and power of God was so powerful in the church that Ananaias and Saphhaira were struck dead. It always starts out good...
but.... as time progresses the faithfulness of God's people diminishes. The Israelites started to follow other gods and so God sends prophets to tell the people to turn back. The power that was once with His people is no longer with them. This isn`t because God is faithless but because the people`s lack of faith. "He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him"

(as we put more of our faith in Him and are obedient, he shows Himself more and more. Peter had to take the first step onto the sea before he found that he could walk on water!)

When the faith of God`s people begins to go downhill, God starts to send prophets to turn the people back ! So in the first covenant Israel enters the age of the prophets. There were periods when the Israealites did repent in "mini revivals" Examples are see during the reign of Hezekiah and Josiah most notable as well as in the book of Haggai, Ezra and Nehemiah.

This is where we are now....a parallel time to that of the prophets. There have been revivals like those of Hezekiah, however it has been a long long time since the last one and things are getting progressively worse. In fact when you read the book of the prophets many of the things that the prophets were saying to the Israelites applies to us.

A few things that stick out to me....

Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Ezz. 22:26

My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge Hosea 4:6a

We don`t understand who God really is, we have such a distorted picture of Him that it allows us to live our lives without distinguishing what is holy and unholy, its all grey to us.

Truth is lost amidst a whole pot of different ideas, philosophies, religions, sociologies, psychologies. The tricky thing is that its not completely lost, its just changed tiny little bit or things are added so that it still looks right and feels right. The prevailing attitude is to accept everything and not to offend anyone by being exclusive.

(Its like the story of Elijah and prophets ``there is death in the pot!` 2 Kings 4:38-41
In this story the prophets had to be fed so someone went out and started to gather many different things to put in the stew. However they added a wild vine and used some of the gouards from it to make the stew. There were good things in the stew but also things that bring death making the whole thing bad! It was solved when Elijah put some flour in the pot, symbolizing bread as in Jesus the bread of life to make it good. The pot was saved in the end! There is still hope but more on that later )

So everyone is careful in what they say. Its easy for a Christian to accept these things as its not that people are against the beliefs of Christianity they just believe in everything else. Its only when we push for the truth that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to father except through Him (John 14:6) that we run into trouble.

In this this type of world we live in we must be lovers of truth and SEEK IT WITH ALL OUR HEART! Its only when do that we will find it (Jer. 29:13)

Let's talk about spiritual warefare:
In this type of enviroment, it is different than in places where the gospel is new or has never been heard.
NA has heard the gospel and knows what it is. They have just rejected it. We need to be prophets who will stand for the truth of the gospel 100%

(the Spirit of Glory in this type of warfare is different than the one of physical persecution and martydom (1 Peter 4:14)
it is beautiful and unique in the way the Lord has appointed the difference is similiar to Stephen vs. Jeremiah but not 100%. God is ALWAYS doing a new thing Is. 43:19 (but in the same way) haha God is just like that =) i.e. there are so many people that are the same but people are all so different in infinite ways ~ same with new creations!)

So after the background information onto what I have learned concering spiritual warfare and witnessing....

Monday:
Exams are finally done and now that they are I have no excuse not to go live my faith out more!
I keep thinking about Paul Washer's testimony of how he used to and evangelize for 12 hours completely spent out on the work of the Lord
So today I woke up early...well I planned to wake up @ 5:30 but ended up waking up @ 7:00 am
went to school and prayed for a good three hours. I was convicted on being ready for the day that I die. I was reminded of the backpack skit and how I need to pack up the worldy things.
kept thinking that I am not ready to see God I still have so many attachments
Our lives really are nothing and all the human connections that we have end the day we die
naked we come from out mother's womb naked we depart ecc.
spent a good hour and a bit working on a bible study/sermon
on trusting in the Kingdom of the world over --> story of asssyria invading Judah during Hezekiah's reign.....the world tempts God's people to cop out with an offer that seems like God's way but isn't! (more on that later)
then I walked out to the student center with the intention to preach.....didn't really get there. I sat in the stairway that overlooked the people and worshipped and prayed and started to read the bible outloud ....
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5
first a bit of Proverbs then the Beatitudes
It was heavy. Every second I read felt like death to my body yet Christ was giving me the grace I needed to continue...
read read read ...pray for strength keep reading. I thought what I was doing was pretty normal until my friend who told me afterward said it sounded unconventional to him at first. He was skeptical that it would work until he saw people going up to me to talk. He told me it was something that he wouldnt do because it sounds crazy and would make him look crazy.

For me I thought that looking crazy was sorta what came with being a Christian....
1. We need to see with Spiritual eyes

Seeing with Spiritual eyes (to me it actually seems pretty normal) I tend to always see things in the Spiritual. In the Spiritual His Words are a double edged sword, I can undersand how someone in the flesh will see it but In the spiritual I see it as "people who are spiritually dicerned" or the unspiritual man as Paul writes of in 1 Corinthians 2: 14-15

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:

We cannot be spiritually discerned in this day and age but we must see with spiritual eyes through HIS Word and not anything else. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Sometimes we tend to use the lense of the world to read the bible and when we do that the Word fail us because there is no longer any power in it anymore. When we see with spiritual eyes, we ACT with spiritual eyes and when we act with spiritual eyes to the world it seems like complete foolishness.

As the wisdom of God is foolishness to man and the wisdom of man is foolisheness to God (1 Corthians 1:20-25)

That is why we are called fools for Christ. The light shines in the darkness and the darknnesss has not understood it" (John 1:5) so it looks like foolishness to them.

2. Lift Christ Up and depend on Him
When it comes to evangelizing, hit and run isn't always the most effective way of reaching out. There are so many people and there are some that are seeking God but many who do not have open hearts. When Paul was witnessing he would speak to all who would listen.

but "when Christ is lifted up he shall draw all men unto himself" John 12:32

Jesus says that He will make HIs diciples to be fishers of men. When we go into the world we are fishing people out from a huge sea of sin. When you go fishing, you never know what you are going to get and sometimes the fish dont bite. Now you can go and cast your line out randomly and hope that you will catch something (and eventually you will) or you can go to the spots where you know the fish are biting. Better yet what if you could attracts the fish that will only bite.

He that winneth souls is wise Proverbs 11:30

We need to be wise when it comes to the method of winning souls! When we lift Christ up, He draws the fish that will bite and all we have to do is reel it in.

How do we lift Christ up, praise and worship, reading His Words, preaching, spoken word etc.
When Christ is spoken of it immediately demands a response in the hearts of the hearers. His name is an offence toward those who do not believe, but life to those who do.

His Words are living and active and will accomplish what He desires!

3. Dont trust in Human Wisdom
We cannot trust in our own human wisdom to win the battle. We cant trust logical arguments, archeological evidence, reason, philosophy NONE OF THAT! That stuff is from ourselves not God! The power of the gospel is in the message received through faith not anything else!

You see trusting ourselves is trusting in the WORLD even though it doesn't SEEM that way, remember the devi is a deceiver he masquarades himself as an angel of light. It seems SO RIGHT like its GOD'S way when its not. Check out the story of King Hezekiah Isaiah 36. It really gives a example to learn from when it comes to trust in the world (Assyria) vs God.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

4. Understand the Spiritual World

Which Brings me to Tuesday. My second day aerrating lawns. I was placed in a van with a confused Muslim slash person who made up his own religion based off of that, 2 Mormon brothers and 2 Catholics.

Started to talk to to Mormons about Christ and they agreed to everything I was saying but.... its like they didnt get it. I felt like they were trying to hide. Everytime I said the word Mormon they would say Christian. It was interesting talking to them though they go on missions trips and yeah do the exact things as us. Its sorta scary. To a non-CHristian it would be exactly the same thing.

Anyways started to work and came across a house whose door was covered in Catholic literature. The main point describing the importance of Mother Mary.......I couldnt ignore it so I knocked on the door and asked about it:

A women had a large crucifix around her neck (heavy spiritual bondage) she was telling me that they pray to mother Mary because she is Jesus mother and Jesus cant refuse his mother. She used the story ofthe wedding at Cana to back it up. I explained how it says that Jesus is the mediator between God and man and then started to explain how Jesus says to pray to the Father in Heaven ...but she sorta shut the door on me.

I left sorta feeling discouraged first the Mormons than the Catholics both Christian both use scripture both not true. So I prayed and after walking around feeling discouraged the Spirit of the the Most High flooded in with faith and power and suddenly I was like wow this is real there is POWER behind the truth and FREEDOM everything else has nothing.

Spiritual forces are strong because we are so weak and oblivious in the flesh
Rampant decieving spirits are at work.

1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-4

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Colossians 2:23

the key difference between a fake spirit and the HS is that a fake one cant free people from sin!

Religion is the most deceitful spirit! (Whats scary is that the vybe is rampant in the protestant church today)
In the car on the way home, the conversation quickly turned religious

The Muslim --> religion is good everyone is against religion people need to believe in god
(to the secularist) "How come your so offended everytime I say Jesus" (implying that he is against religion)
Its so true right? but its coming from someone who doesn't have the HS but another thats really close.....
The problem is that it still originates in the flesh

The Muslim spirit is strong it just keeps going and going and no one can over power it --> (he kept being asked to tone down, in a polite way) but he kept going and going in Quaran it says this and that and all these stories.

secularist- Was trying to explain colonialism and how religion was used as a way to control people in a very detailed and well thoughtout way. He told the confused Muslim, you have a lot of good ideas but you need to get a university education.

Lets be serious its actually just another religion disguised to make it seem like it all has to do with facts but not really because it gets to the point where you need to have faith to fill in the blanks.

Mormon Spirit -> the spirt of religion but now as strong and driving as the Muslim --> very evasive, doesn't like the light so covers things up and runs away and say "No I'm Christian" but not really you just called yourself Mormon.

the seeker - just trying to listen to all the different opinions, they were catholic by name but were pretty much just uh pagan and were open to everything. Its interesting becaue they had a stronger interest and attraction to the gospel over everything else

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:12

The Spiritual world is real, there are forces that influence people who do not have the Holy Spirit in them.

see whats crazy is that on the surface all these ideas, religions (spirits) all seem contradictory but they're actually all working together against the one truth --> the gospel of Jesus Christ
The devil is the mastermind behind all these things because "he is the father of lies" (John 8:44)

I guess he doesn't really care what people believe in as long as its not the true gospel, but I'm thinking he would want more people to believe in religions that have a stronger sway.....

4.1- Demolishing Spiritual Stonghold with truth and love!
I was filled with so much love for them. They really needed to know the truth of the one true living God amidst all of the LIES.
I wanted to show them love so badly so I ended up buying hamburgers from MCDs for all of them.

This verse makes so much sense now
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:34

The love we have for Christ is seen in our love for others. Our love for others shown through our actions. We love because He first loved us. So we give back to Christ by caring for his people. Jesus says to Peter: Do you love me and then says feed my sheep if you do!

So my act of love is like giving hamburgers to Christ! LOL

I really wanted to tell them what the truth was! But I couldnt get the message in everyone else was so loud. I felt the love of Christ so strong and I knew that He was so much stronger! I just needed a chance to speak. So I started to pray and as I did I decided that I would ask for a chance to voice my opinion at the end of the car ride.

Whats interesting is that because of how I acted at work and the hamburgers I had gained favour with the boss and he new I was a Chrisitian. When I asked to give my opinion he wanted to hear what the Christian perspective was and made every else shut up.
Its like Agrippa with Paul or Caesar with Jesus. The person in the position of influence is open and supportive. Jaeson Ma talks about having someone in the position of influence to help you.

4.2 - Wait on God
Gods voice is quiet and constant it does not force itself on people, it needs a platform to be heard.....
I was really tempted to jump in and argue with the conversation. My flesh really wanted to refute all the arguments. But there are these two verses from Proverbs that stuck out to me.

Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 26:5

Gods wisdom is foolishness to man so when we answer arguments from God when things are heated we will not look smart
but if we speak the Words of God with ears that are open then a seed can be planted.

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Provebs 19:2

When it comes to ministering to people we must WAIT on God.
Slow to speak quick to listen and slow to become angry is key (James 1:19)
Many times we fall in the temptation to just refute and blurt out our own ideas. Speaking truth is good but it needs to be done in love and humility that comes from the wisdom Spirit and not from our flesh. We need to keep in mind it is not how much we say but the power behind them brought to life with the breathe of Spirit. One grain of truth is enough to pierce into the heart when used effectively. We do not fight as one BEATING THE AIR AIMLESSLY! But we speak with purpose!

Slow down and listen in love.
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. Proverbs 10:19

4.3 He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world . They have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:14-15

Continuing my story.... I kept it really simple I shared my testimony of how I called myself a Christian but wasnt free form sin and asked the people in the car if they were free from their sin because it is for freedom that Christ set us free and it says not to be yoked any longer by a yoke of slavery. I also addressed the issue that Jesus says He is the only way and that all religions are not the same, since it was the religious people who killed Jesus. I spoke really plainly and honestly and at first people would try to interrupt but my boss would make them stop but afterward the Word was doing its thing and everyone had nothing to say after I was done.

Weapons of righteousness: Shield of faith that presses into enemy ranks and defend from their opposing ideas. Sword of the Spirit to cut through the lies. BOOM all other ideas and spirits are nothing when faced with the true gospel power through the Spirit of TRUTH

5. Keep Watch and Pray to have oil to burn
Its important that those who want to stay awake with oil in their lamps are PRAYING. "Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation" Peter did not pray so he fell away. If he did pray he would not have. I don't want to be legalistic and tell people how long they should pray, but honesty the more time you spend in the presence of God = how much you are changed by Him the degree that you are changed by Him = how much of His Kingdom you can bring to the world around you.

In other words we should be people who go into the presence of God and come out broken so that we can go out with that power on us into the world. The kingdom of heaven a not a matter of talk but of power! The degree to which you are humbled is is the degree to which God's power can be manifested through you.

When you go into the presence of God you cannot leave unchanged.
When you are broken the holiness of God you come out with the holiness of God on you
When you are broken by the sovereignty of of God you come out with the sovreignty of God on you
When you are ravished with the love of GOd you come out with a love for those around you.
and its translates into the way that you talk and the way that you live.

We literally bring the Kingdom of Hevaen to the people as it is in our hearts. and from there come the signs wonder's and miracles that follow those who believe.

Prayer is also important because it gives you the tools needed to fight in this kind of enviroment. ``You fight your battles on your knees`` Its in prayer that your sin and doubts surface. Its these times that you need to persevere through. Many times in prayer we go through times of dryness where many doubts come in and we feel discouraged. This is God`s way of preparing us. We fight the doubts and bring them before God so that when we go into an enviroment of relative truth we can be full of faith to speak the FULL truth.

Other thoughts and Prophetic Insights....

I remember when I first recieved the Spirit, the Lord called me a few days later through a legit prophet. I was called to my people.
At first I did not know what it meant I thought that I just had to go to the front of the stage and pray and people would get saved, but not really. It was a longterm calling. After a whole year of praying and fasting I think things are becoming more clear.

I really believe that my people first refers to the Chinese Chritian Community, but even more so my generation (millenials) and to be even more specific "the people" that is emerging in Canada RIGHT NOW.
Canada is a Nation of MANY Nations from almost every tribe, tongue and people from around the world.
Right now everything is so segregated and people are very cautious and protective because of the many differences. This makes it extremely hard to share the gospel. However that is with the first generation of immigrants, the second and third generation however are starting to be form a new cultures of different cultures. Ideas and philosophies are clashing and something is going to emerge amidst all the rubble....will it be Christ?

Again in these days we are scattered
the church in North America is under underground and the lack of unity dimishes the power of the body.
praying and worshipping together is key to BREAKTHROUGH!

I believe that the next generation needs to rise up. It is already starting to stirr bit by bit according to God's timing but we need to pray and ask for Him to send a FLOOD of righteousness!

Already the generation before us is passing away....
Paul Washer, John Piper, David Wilkerson, John Mccarthur,Francis Chan, Lou Engle, Mike Bickle, Jaseson Ma, Mark Cahill and many others......

These are all men that God has chosen to lead the true body during the times that we are in now and of course many others not mentioned, but these are the ones He has made well known according to His purpose.

From what I know all of these people are of the baby boomer generation or older, the youngest (Jaeson Ma) is Generation X (the generation preceding ours) The thing is these people are getting old! They won't be around much longer. Jaeson is the youngest I think, he's like 30.

In the next few years we will see a shift. I don't think the Lord is going to raise up big "generals" in His army, but rather small commanders or as Lou Engle put it "fighter jet pilots" Its just logical when we look at it from a battle perspective. With so many more people in the world its hard to mobilize so many people if they are under one general. They need to start breaking off into smaller units to be versatile and fast on the HUGE battlefield!

It has been pretty much guerilla warfare in NA for the longest time. Small attacks on enemy flanks here and there, but its like hit and run. There have been a few complete victories but nothing on a massive large scale. A few mini revivals ex. UCLA.

Don't get me wrong there's a place for the "generals" there have been many in the past William Booth, Jonathan Edwards, Amy Carmicheal, Watchman Nee and many others. We're gonna see people rising up at their proper time as God sees fit
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him Psalm 115:3...... and what pleases Him is ALWAYS GOOD!

But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Ps. 75:7
and a man can only receive what is given to him from heaven. John 3:27

I am not quite sure how things are going to play out but this I do know..

6“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Haggai 2:6-7

And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions
Joel 2:28

One of my greatest desires is to be able to meet together with all the youth God is calling to pray and worship. Hes gonna SHAKE the NATIONS and the desired of all nations will COME! WOAHHHH

Out to the People

2011-04-15T23:06:00.003-04:00

1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up[a] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
4 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
5 “Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdom[b] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

13 Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
Proverbs 9

Wisdom and folly call to the people of this world
Very few listen to Wisdom for her voice is soft but steady and constant
Many listen to Folly for she is loud and abrasive. She flaunts herself for all to see while Wisdom stands with tender dignity.

Christ says broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter it. Narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few find it.

But WISDOM! What a precious gift!
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:9

It is sweet, it is life giving, supplying!
The fear of the Lord is the beginnng of wisdom
That wisdom found in Christ! To know it, to chase after it for all eternity
What a joy!

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3

Lord you are more precious than silver
Lord you are more costly than gold
Lord you are more beautiful than diamonds
and nothing I desire compares with you.

funny story

2011-04-13T22:58:00.001-04:00

so I was praying by a field near UHS and someone called the cops on me cuz I was there for so long.
I had to get ID checked LOL

Keith Green

2011-04-12T11:59:00.001-04:00

So I came across this evangelist-musician that the Lord used in an awesome way in the 70's and 80's.

My Eyes are Dry

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood

There is a Redeemer

There is a Redeemer,
Jesus, God's own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One,

Thank you oh my Father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
'Til the work on Earth is done.

Jesus my Redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Hope for sinners slain.

Thank you oh my Father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
'Til the work on Earth is done.

When I stand in Glory,
I will see His face,
There I'll serve my King forever,
In that Holy Place.

Thank you oh my Father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
'Til the work on Earth is done

2011-04-09T23:19:00.003-04:00

You know those times when your in deep communion with God and suddenly the fear of the Lord grips you and you want to curl up in a ball and hide in a corner, but then you realize you can't escape Him?

A+ Lawns for Christ!

2011-04-07T23:57:00.015-04:00

So I haven`t really blogged something in a well thoughtout way in a long time. Partly because I`m lazy and don`t have time and partly because nothing has really happened that I felt compelled to blog strongly. Today is one of those rare days......

I woke up early in the morning, 5:30am to be at the meeting spot by 8:00am. The job I had taken up was one of those sketch jobs where you get a lawn machine and go door to door asking if people in the suburbs want to get their lawn arrated. You make a commission of how much you do and get paid cash the day of. Its good way to make good money in a short amount of time and the hours are flexible, perfect for someone like me who needs money for school but has a lot of other things that takes up time. One can imagine what kind of people this kind of job attracts, something I had in the back of my mind but didn`t really think much of until I was thrown into a van with 7 other guys I didn`t know and a driver tell us what we need to do. They were all punk kids like me in their late teens early twenties all looking for some quick cash. There was a wide spectrum of interesting characters. I didn`t think much of it at the time since I figured I wouldn`t see many of them again after the day as the shifts are all sporadic and different.

Two hours after being picked up we were on the streets of a rich suburb in Brampton dragging our arration machines around, trying to make a sale!(I had no clue where we were since get dropped off us to whichever neighborhood we work in that day. In regards to the logistics of the job, I knew what I was getting into, a long day of walking around going door to door soliciting to people. I got exactly that, the first few hours went by pretty fast I zipped by 5984390 houses knocking and talking to the people that happened to be home.

What did I learn: the spiritual climate of the suburbs is very dry and dead. Everyone is scared and distrustful. Its like their comfortable, wealthy lifestyle has built up a huge fortress between them and Christ. I felt like I was LITERALLY in a desert. Spiritually, Physically and economically (business wasn`t doing so well).

There is so much spiritual oppression. People are like an lion with a splinter in his paw caged in a zoo. They want help. You can see in their eyes that they are in pain and want a way out, but they are too scared and end up lashing out when someone walks in to help them. Someone has to approach them very carefully, gain their trust before the lion will extend its paw for the splinter to be extracted.

Many are waiting for someone to come to them...

Housewives are scary! Many were actually home taking care of the children and couldn`t make a decision about the lawns because their husbands weren`t home. They were soo oppressed. Especially the Muslim and Hindu ones. The whole cultures stemming from those religions are spiritually oppressive and toxic both for the men and women.

After talking to so many housewives it has confirmed my conviction:
I will never be able to survive with a worldly spouse. The pride of woman is a scary thing. Hard to explain right now just think of the picture of Sarah laughing at what God said when He told her she was going to have a baby compard to Mary.... night and day

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 1 Peter 3:3

I need a woman who loves God period and actually loves Him none of those woman with a Sarah faith, they laugh at God (many in the church have that) I haven`t seen many with a Mary faith, faith and humilty that is summed up in joyful praise

My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior Luke 1:46-47

“Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. Ecc 7:27-28

I can see the godly beauty of a woman a mile away....
godly men attract godly woman
carnal men atrract carnal
lukewarm men attract lukewarm women

Anyway after that little blurb, (I have one on godly men as well which I feel is twice as lacking as women)

After many hours of very unfruitful physical labour feeling very empty and dry, I started to think to myself: Here I am going house to house being constantly rejected working for this company that I have just joined for the purpose of making money. Why the heck can`t I do the same thing for Christ and store up treasures in heaven? I started to try to share my faith with a few people who rejected my sales pitch or whose parents weren`t home.

WOW! When you are obedient to God in faith to Him despite whatever circumstance you are in, He is Faithful! God did some crazy stuff.

At one door there was a kid who was a ``Christian`` but not really since everyone is Christian or Catholic. I ended up sharing my testimony with him to bring out the point that faith and deeds go together. The Spirit started to work like crazy. I could feel it convicting him and breaking down spiritual walls. He starts asking question after question and I could literally see the light come into his eyes. I'm pretty sure he would`ve accepted Christ on the spot if I asked him, except I`m sketch on that so I told him to get on his knees alone and pray. I sat down and talked for a good hour with him. He was so confused, there were so many things he thought about Christianity that were so wrong, many regarding what is right and what is wrong. Its this view people have because truth is lost in these last days. There's a ``famine if hearing the Word of thr Lord``

Another guy was an older middle aged man who happened to be out chilling by his garage. He owned a big house and believed in himself.

``Sir I`m asking people today if they would like to know the way to eternal life``
``we make our own way, just make money enjoy it and believe in yourself``
``Sir the world and its passions fade away, naked we come from our mother`s womb naked we depart``

The Spirit was EMPOWERING ME I felt Him LITERALLY
arms me with strength and make my way perfect.
make my feet like the feet of a deer; and enable me to stand on the heights.
trains my hands for battle; so my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Psalm 18:32-34

Everything the man threw at me, religion, moralism, pride, human wisdom
fended off with the Word of God in power.
I really felt the Spirit working in a man who had lived life and seen many things but had a hard heart that depended on himself.

The Lord gives victory to His annointed Ps. 20:6

I didn`t end up making much 30 dollars for 12 hours of work (WOW)

During pick up the conversation turned into religion, the end of world and Israel.
WOW there were so many lost people working with me I felt like I was literally in the heart of the darkness of Toronto and the thing is I felt so at home!

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" Matthew 9:11

Speaking truth and being light just suddenly became so natural, so incarnate. I was part of the community. It was no longer this huge divide between ``us`` and ``them`` I was accepted by them and I loved them. They were so lost. All late teenies, early twenties with this ideal and that religion mixed in with some star trek, psychology and other religion.

atheist, muslim, baptized, drop out, smoking pot, Spanish, black, yellow, white etc.
the weird thing is they loved each other more than we love each other at church.
we are so judgemental at church, but here no one judged each other they all knew something was wrong with them and they genuinely tried to help each other be better people

They were smoking and a whole lot of other things, they come from so much brokenness addictions, insecurities

I really wished Jesus was there to talk to them
and then I realized HE WAS
All I had to do was let Christ live through me

Fairer than the Sons of Men

2011-04-03T18:35:00.003-04:00

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Genesis 6:6

the sons of men were beautiful (we are beautiful)
just as a sidenote Sons of God is not talking about angels but the offspiring of the chosen line of Seth (God's faithful people)Its supposed to show how they corrupted themselves by being yoked with the rebellious race of Cain and others.

The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. Psalm 115:16

the glory that was given to us we took selfishly and abused....
The sons of men play, sing, dance, act admiring themselves as they do but sing and dance in vain for what sing for is unworthy. What they look upon is fleeting.
and so we worship ourselves and set out own understanding and wisdom against who He is. What was given to us to understand Him we use against Him.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:5

however He is fairer as we are only reflections of who He is

You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever Psalm 45:2

and we reflect whatever light He has shone on us whether it be nothing so that we are in darkness, a little or a lot.

As the moon reflects the suns glory so we reflect God's glory.
The brighter the sun shines on the moon, the brighter the moon shines
The moon has no light in itself, but the Sun is always shining and does not dim down.

We are like rays of light from God formed into a human body (a vessel/lamp to carry it in) The light is beautiful but will fade away unless its constantly connected to the source!

For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 1 Peter 1:25

The ancient forces of darkness that was active in Genesis....is still active and at work today.
It deludes us to worship ourselves and the glory that was given to us (the earth)

Blessed Be the Lord

2011-03-27T20:49:00.003-04:00

My God
Who trains my hands for battle who trains my hands for war!

For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
Psalm 18:39

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Romans 13:14

Power to fight the powers of darkness comes from the Lord!
Prayer strengthens your heart to stand and speak truth.

Especially in the family
The devil wants to kill that the most and succeeds
the church is full of broken families
when it should filled with Christ worshiping families

recently I have learned that so many of the people I am friends with at church...well their Christian parents are always fighting and some are on the edge of divorce

no wonder the children are so apathetic to Christ...
Their parents who profess Christ don`t have His love

and the next generation is thirsty for the One true living God!

Father I ask of you this day come and heal this land
Knit our hearts together that your glory might be seen in us
Then the world will know that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Let us be one voice that glorifies your name!
Let us be one voice declaring that your reign
Let us be voice in love and harmony and we pray O God grant us unity!

We Need More Prayer

2011-03-25T23:55:00.003-04:00

WOW my heart is just so broken right now,
how come there is no power in the church?
people walk in week after week still BOUND BY SIN
its like the power of the cross is gone

We just need the Spirit to come and CONVICT no more theology
the gospel is known, theres just no fruit
we say its up to God but we don't pray like it is.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:5

key word: sowing in TEARS!

I am soo grieved of people not KNOWING who God is
HIS POWER TO SAVE! TO HEAL!

Letter to the TC Community~

2011-03-23T23:55:00.002-04:00

HELLO TC PEOPLEZZ,

So all of you guys know me in some way shape or form from being a part of TC! WOOOO
Anyways this past confernece has been my EIGHT STRAIGHT ONE!! LOLLLL

I would like to thank ALL of you for your dedication to the Lord in serving at TC with me for the past few years! It has been AWESOME and I believe you do it because of your love of Christ and your desire to make the gospel known!

Since this is my eight year I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the conference and want to share some things with you!

I actually wasn't going to participate this year but I felt a huge burden to and so started to for this years TC intensely and persistently this past year. Throughout the conference I continued to pray constantly and really felt the Lord revealing some things to me.

I feel strongly the need to express these things . To confirm my convictions, I have taken the time to talk to other youth pastors, coaches, believing participants and mature believers outside of the conference, all of whom share the same convictions I do. Please don't take this in the wrong way. My intent is not to attack the leadership or you, but rather to shed some light from the Word on how TC can be more effective in doing the Lord's work as well as on things that are hindering His work from truly being done. Just want to let you guys know that I prayed for each and every single one of you guys and love you a lot! I really want you guys to grow in your faith and know Him even more whereever you are at in the faith (as long as you ARE growing!).

Being a “product” of TC, as a part of it for eight years, I have come to realize that the altar calls are very unbiblical. We try to use ways to get people to “convert” such as long, drawn out pleas and melodramatic music to appeal to the emotions. For my first few years at TC, I was guilt-tripped into responding. I had no idea what was happening. After going through 15 minutes of a gospel track and saying “Yes” to a set of questions, I was brought in front of the stage and proclaimed a “Child of God” as those around me cheered enthusiastically. When I read the Bible, there were no long altar calls; the gospel would be preached and people would be convicted, as it says in Acts 2:37, “When the people heard this they were cut to the heart.” Paul says to the Thessalonian church that, “our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1 Thess. 1:4). Looking back at my “conversion” experience, I was not convicted of any sin; I just felt bad about things in my life. However, at that time, it felt right to me: I cried and felt very emotional during worship along with many other people.

I recently came across this passage: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter” (2 Cor. 7:10-11). I believe that I had worldly sorrow. I was sorry for the consequence of my sin but not over my sin. I was still chained to the sin in my life. I would still do religious things and pray, but there was no new creation, no change – no fruit! “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation” (Gal. 6:15). Looking back, I can honestly say from my own testimony that I was not a “Child of God.” just a fake. I want to admit now publicly that the testimony I told a few years back was a complete lie. I was the biggest hypocrite ever (and I didn't even know it, I seriously thought I was a good christian) Its crazy cuz I would be sharing about the right stuff and preaching the right stuff and people would be complimenting me about what a great example I was. Straight up I've only been saved for 1 year and 7 months.

I think a large reason for my experience was the result of the way we go about ministry; we rely too much on our own methods, wisdom and power instead of God's. “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 4:6). We need to rely on the power of the gospel itself through the Holy Spirit’s work. As Paul says, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

It is important to discern the spiritual realms on a day-to-day basis, but so much more so at a large conference such as TC – especially during the response times. I do not mean this in an “over-spiritualized mystical” type of way but rather from the Word of God. All true believers should have some level of spiritual discernment. For His sheep hear His voice and will not follow the voice of another (John 10:3-5). This same apostle who penned this gospel commands all believers to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). Christ Himself says, “And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). That being said, I believe there is another spirit at TC that is not the Holy Spirit but an imposter. It gives people reactions that look good but aren't truly good because there is no fruit (Matt 7:16). We must keep in mind that Satan is a deceiver and masquerades himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). The Bible mentions different spirits: deceiving spirits (1 Tim. 4:1), Hosea 5:4, Zechariah 13:2 and others. I am not saying that the Holy Spirit doesn't work at TC because He definitely does; I am saying that we must be cautious and discerning. We are in the last days and many false teachings will come and have already come (1 John 2:18; 2 Pet. 2; 2 Tim. 4:3)!

Taking this to a practical level, there are a few things that can be modified:

(1) The gospel must be preached to its fullest extent, something that I feel was lacking at this year’s conference. The speaker of the conference is very important (please, don't misunderstand me; I'm not here to bash the speakers at TC this year).

However, in loving honesty, the messages that were spoken by both speakers were watered down. The sermons I heard talked a lot about God's love (which is good and necessary). However, not once in the call to response was sin, the consequence of sin or repentance mentioned explicitly. This made me uneasy, especially when masses of people started responding. The gospel was without its power and its edge which, in short, makes it another gospel that, though is very close to the true gospel, misses the mark!

God warns us through the Apostle Paul, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal. 1:6-9). And again through John, “And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Rev. 22:19). Although this passage was referring to the book of revelation specifically, the deeper spiritual meaning can be applied to God's Word in general.

The theme “Answering the Call” was awesome and very necessary! However, the message about evangelizing was lacking. It is not as simple as sharing the gospel message, but living it out! In fact, the way we live and our devotion to the Lord is a large aspect in sharing the gospel (1 Tim. 4:16). We are not only to believe and have people believe, but to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). The cost of the cross, the crucial part to being a disciple, was not mentioned (Matt 16:24). The last essential part that was missing was the power of the Holy Spirit! The sharing of the gospel takes supernatural power because its work is a supernatural thing (Acts 1:8)! He is the one that gives us power and boldness (Acts 4:31).

(2) As I was talking to one of the coaches, he mentioned how the night before, students were answering “The Call” but when asked what “The Call” was, they had no idea. They were just at the altar to “Answer the Call.” After, the coach had to go through the whole gospel with them.

The one TC I remember was TC 2008 Sr. Pastor Arthur Wong was preaching a very convicting message intertwined with his testimony. He asked, “Who is on the throne of your heart?” I immediately knew that Christ wasn't and felt bad, and so responded. When brought to counseling, I asked the coach, “I can't give God my heart, am I still saved?” The coach didn't know and so he just prayed for me and I was brought back up to the sanctuary.

The volunteers, and especially the coaches, need a fuller grasp of the gospel, both in knowledge and heart. The deeper our understanding of the gospel, the more we are transformed by its power and have the power to impact others, as it is a double edged sword (Heb. 4:12). A part of the armor of God is feet prepared with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace – we need people with hearts deeply changed and prepared by the gospel in their inner being and life (Eph 6:15). If there was greater intention to disciple, through solid teachings from the Word and prayer, for all the different teams there would be this deep change. However, I haven't really seen this from my past 5 years as a volunteer.

Perhaps if we had biblical teachings on discipleship, along the lines of basic spiritual disciplines such as living a holy and consecrated life, prayer, evangelism, understanding the Holy Spirit, interpreting Scripture and what the gospel is and isn't it would help us grow as a body!

(3) Back to the topic of the power of God instead of ours: the last thing I see that can be changed is fervent, persistent and desperate prayer. When we truly understand that it all God's power and not ours, we will come to Him in prayer! Yes, we have some prayer (and that’s good), but the attitude we approach it with is not correct, we put all our hope in the conference and come up with a false idea that God only works at the conference. In some ways, we idolize the conference over God. We pray a lot more right before and during TC. It’s as if we put all months of hard work into the conference and, as an afterthought, we ask God, "Please bless all this hard work." It seems that everything is suddenly "more spiritual" at TC and a very spiritualized culture is developed but ceases after the conference. This is dangerous as it can lead many people astray thinking they are "good" when in reality they are not. Effective, biblical ministry should be an overflow from our devotion,worship and prayer to God; as a response to who He is, not the reverse! God looks at the heart not the action, the sacrifices He desires is a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51). The sign of a body truly broken and dependent on God is constant ferverent prayer throughout the year and an active desire in the sharing of the gospel. We can see this pattern in the book of Acts as the believers constantly devoted themsevles to prayer (Acts 2:42) In fact the apostles would pass on other faucets of ministry to other people to concentrate specifically on prayer (Acts 6:2-4)!

This is vital, as the Lord has been speaking this message in supernatural ways through different believers. More specifically the mesage of praying for revival! The TC sketch "Fix You" was a piece that came from God; literally. The piece was created (quite fittingly) from a solid time of seeking the Lord in prayer. When the piece was first presented in practice, immediately the Spirit manifested itself to me as a confirmation of His will, after speaking to another believer afterward we found that we had both felt the same confirmation. The media team really experienced the full message of the piece when many of us were convicted one night during the conference of sin in our lives, we have never prayed so much in one night. The one line that was imprinted into our minds "Lord there is so much pain, would you send revival."

In fact praying for revival is biblical and a theme that prevails in scripture!

6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the LORD,
give yourselves no rest,
7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth.
Isaiah 62:6-7

Everytime the Lord sends healing to the land it was always after the people would repent and cry out as He promises "if my people who are called by my name would humble themselves then I would hear from heaven and come heal the land." Even after biblical times this theme is apparent, and not surprising as He is the same yesterday today and forever! (Heb. 13:8)

Samuel Mills was a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts in 1806, when he met with four friends for prayer about revival and world missions. When a rainstorm hit, they took refuge under a haystack and continued to pray (thus becoming known as the "Haystack Five"). "When the rain subsided, Mills stood up, slammed his fist into his hand, and announced, 'We can do this, if we will!'" These five young collegians stepped out in faith and not only initiated the first nationwide student movement, but also began the first six mission agencies from North America.

At the age of 13, Evan Roberts began to seek the Lord in prayer, he would literally pray unceasingly (1 Thess. 5:17). When he was 26, revival came to his hometown in Wales. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers, "Send the Spirit now for Jesus Christ's sake," and, "Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake." God's Spirit came so powerfully that 100,000 people were born again.

One of the biggest revivals ever recorded, the Shantung where 900 000 people got saved occured after the missionaries repented of hidden sin in their lives and started to hunger for the power of the Holy Spirit. "For several years there had been an increasing hunger in the hearts of most of us to see more of the Power of the Holy Spirit in our work. We had been taught in our seminaries that if we ever got any souls saved it would be through the work of the Holy Spirit. We knew the doctrine of the Acts of the Apostles, but we were not experiencing it as we knew we should. After the Chinese Southern Army came in during the year 1928, and so much of our work showed up as “hay and stubble” most of us were willing to “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that He might exalt us in due season"

I feel the need to formally address the issues that came up during last years TC, namely the words that I spoke during the altar call of the junior conference. (since this relates to the theme of prayer) I can testify that it was the Lord who spoke through me. It wasn't anything I planned or anything I would've normally done as I had just recently been born again few months prior to this. I am a very self conscious person and speaking out the way I did was the last thing on my mind. A huge burden to pray was placed on me during the message, so I started to seek the Lord in prayer, its hard to describe my experience as I kept praying the burden kept getting stronger until I felt power coming from my inner being out into my mouth to speak! "You must pray, you must pray the King is coming, the King is coming! (glory to God)

I would like clearify, as the Chinese Christian community is conservative and I don't know where you stand in regards to these matters, that what happened was completely biblical. It is not just in NT but starting with the OT as prophesied by the prophet Joel thousands of years ago "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions, Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days (Joel 2:28-29)

Peter spoke of the fullfillment of these words at pentecost (Acts 2:17), but how much more more true is it now as we are closer to the last days than he was 2000 years ago! God is so amazing He is always faithful to His Words! When it comes to spiritual gifts it can be seen that the gift of the Holy Spirit is sometimes separate from the conversion experience. The disciples had to wait for the Spirit after believing in Jesus as He commanded them to wait for it (Luke 24:49) In other instances some believers did not even know about it and had to be told before receiving it (Acts 19). Paul commands believers to be orderly in worship an as "the spirit of prophets are controlled by them (1 Corinthians 14:31) However in that instance and another when the Spirit was poured out fresh they immediately began to manifest the gifts simultaeously (Acts 10:44). I believe that is what I experienced. When it comes to prophetic utterances Paul says "Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said" (1 Corinthians 14:29). Which is important since there are many false spirits.That being said the message the Spirit spoke was one that was completely biblical and exalted His name!

We should take it seriously as He chose to speak it to the whole TC community at that exact time. He indeed is coming soon we must be ready and have oil in our lamps (Matt 25).

What I've come to see is that TC is a small community and we are very much in our own bubble. I fear that we may have produced a generation of TC-Hype-Addicts and not a generation of God lovers who love Him with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength and want to make Him known in their schools and homes. .

God has blessed you guys and given you an awesome responsibility and burden over the souls of many youth! It reminds me of the parable of the talents. "For everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" (Luke 12:48b). Again, it is my deepest hope that none of this is taken in the wrong way because I say these things with as much love as possible and through much prayer. My greatest joy and desire is that you will be able to do more to honor the Lord so that we will not be ashamed at His appearing (1 John 2:28).

In Christ,
Evangel Tam

Body, Soul, Spirit Sunday School Class

2011-03-10T22:52:00.013-05:00

The pictures are in order from bottom to top!

WATCH

2011-03-05T00:56:00.005-05:00

Jesus Awareness Week

2011-02-28T21:03:00.002-05:00

SO today was the first day of Jesus awareness week at York!
I was a little taken a back at the REPENT T-Shirts in large writing that were ordered for the events. But I sucked it in and decided to kill my shame for Jesus =) LOL

THe worship walk was sooo AMAZING! We worshiped and handed out tracks but God was with us the WHOLE WAY!! It reminded me of how Paul and Silas were prasing God in prison and how God set the prisoners free while they were doing it. It also reminded me of the story of King Jehosaphat when he appointed men to sing praise at the head of the army and how God sent an ambush against their enemies. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

We ended right in the middle of Vari just when students were changing classes and we did a spoken word on repentence and lukewarm Christianity. My friend Yomi got up to preach for a bit and then we started to evangelize except I had to leave and do bible study.

A lot of people were laughing, a few intersted and others encouraged. Funny thing is I didn't really care that much about what people thought.

The YHOP is starting to get more intense! Everytime now! soo exciting!

Word for the Millennials

2011-02-22T22:11:00.003-05:00

Generation Y (1984+), We're a lazy, apathetic, indifferent, selfishly spoiled, empty, lost, sexually immoral, faithless, lukewarm generation. Our postmodern neoliberalistic thought laughs at the most High Most God and will be the death of us. But He can take you from your hell bound path, dust you off and turn you around to be a generation with clean hands and a pure heart, a people of His very own that loves Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength for His glory in these last days.

Lets pray and contend for this generation~

Love

2011-02-19T21:34:00.002-05:00

its funny..... I have experienced God's love in such a tangable way in the past, but I have never really been able to fully accept it in my ....spirit.

i've actually been living by works for so long but I was always sustained by His grace.
Its really hard to accept God's love after I have leaned so much about His Holiness, wrath, glory

I guess the reason why I don't want to accept His infinite LOVE is because I don't want to except His infinite WRATH for all of eternity.

If I allowed myself to fully accept His love then I would have to live in the reality of His wrath as well for each person in my life....

and the thought of it is too PAINFUL too BEAR
its hard to love.

its painful to love
when we are called to love GOd and to love others
its a call to die to ourselves....thats what love is.

I don't want my souls to have to agonize over the many that are perishing
I dont want to bother with bearing with believers who are still maturing....

I think I'm finally getting this revelation in my spirit along with .....a deeper revelation of His Son....manifest through Us ....its CRAZY

but its not even about that.
He's so much stronger!
I barely contain the love that He's filling me with!
Even when I try to contain IT LEAKS OUT JESUS LEAKS OUT OF ME EVEN WHEN I TRY TO SHUT HIM UP INSIDE

CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO IS LIVNG IN ME
HE'S CONTROLLING ME MORE AND MORE
LIKE A FREAKING LOVE VIRUS
HAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAH

The Spirit

2011-02-19T00:04:00.004-05:00

of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:19

Jesus was reading off of Isaiah and fullfilled this prophecy. He was the perfect veseel. but even in the OT the Word of Lord would come to the Prophet (basically Jesus, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God ..and became flesh) Sooo Jesus would be manifesting Himself through thr prophet.....

and now in these last days the Holy Spirit comes into the hearts of His people and gives them that same anointing to preach, to heal....
Jesus living INSIDE us

I`m a vessel....
ugh its soo trippy like His Spirit will come down on me and give me courage to preach to worship to evangelize in public unashamed.

Like a rider and his horse.

but even when I go out
I`m always driven to a point where I wonder where is the power of the message of the cross for it to come not only in words but in POWER and DEEP conviction!
(1 Thes. 1:5)
and it brings me back to my knees

1. because I don`t have enough love when I preach or evangelize
2. I could talk to 3409 people and without His Spirit it is useless

most people KNOW the gospel but its sooo dry.
I want to see the power that I always hear about. I thirst for it..
Sometimes its soo REAL to me LIKE AHHHHH

the key really is a prayer revival movement amongst His people

to `Stand at the crossroads and look ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, We will not walk in it. Jeremiah 7:16

``When His people believe the world will believe``
- super anointed pastor in Indonesia.

we are at the mercy of God
Why Lord do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you Is. 63:17

The Man on the cross is Joyful

2011-02-07T22:53:00.004-05:00

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

God takes the most wreched thing in the world and makes it beautiful
He takes the most painful thing to endure and makes it a joy.
He makes this possible through Himself and beckons everyone to follow Him in doing the impossible.

He truly is a God full of mystery and wisdom that none can fathom!

The Urgency that leads to prayer

2011-02-04T23:53:00.001-05:00

Throughout the ages, there has been a been a common theme that appears concerning the relationship between God and His people. That “if my people who are called by my name would humble themselves then I would hear from heaven and come heal the land” This is the promise the Lord revealed to King Solomon for His people. Despite the changing nature of people, God is unchanging and is always faithful to His promises. The whole of the Old Testament revolves around the people rebelling then humbling themselves and God answering their cries. The way He answers is always different and shows His immense wisdom in choosing the perfect solution for that specific group of people.

The first outcry that broke out was when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt
The Lord sent Moses and led them to the promise land

In the times following the entrance into the Promise Land
The Lord would sent judges to come deliver the people from the hands of the enemy

In the times of the kings….
The Lord would grant victory and prosperity to the Land when the King would lead the people into repentance. It says in the book of Chronicles that the Lord gave him rest on every side.

In the times following the exile…
He sent Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild the city

Before the Lord would answer, the people would be in a place of complete brokenness.
They would gather from every town throughout the country to seek the Lord.
The book of Lamentations a whole book devoted to Lamenting before the Lord …

“How deserted lies the city once so full people….How the gold has lost its lustre”

And again in the book of Joel
“mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth….Put on sackcloth, O priests and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend a night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God….Declare a holy fast a sacred assembly.

“Even now declares the Lord return to me with all your heart with fasting and weeping and mourning”

The people would only turn to the Lord in their most desperate times, despite the countless warnings that were given to them ahead of time by the prophets. They would refuse to listen and would mock them until it was to late. In fact there are only two times from my reading the scripture that the Israelites just listened and obey. Once during th reign of King Asa and the other in the time of Zerebabbel.

Finally God sends Jesus because everyone else He sent the prophets before Jesus weren’t able to solve the problem. Jesus tells us this is the parable of the tenants.

This theme of crying to the Lord does not change but continues in the New Testament

Jesus says:

“How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while is he with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."

Jesus is referring to the future church.
We see that the early church would be praying
When Peter was in prison “many gathered and were praying. The early church would be praying for strength and boldness after John and Peter were beaten by the Sanhedrin.

In the book of James, he describes a church that is full of many disputes and fighting and he tells them to turn their laughter into mourning and to weeping and your joy to gloom Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and he will exalt you

In the times following the bible, the same theme would also be prevalent in the church. Every great revival ever record in history started with people praying and crying out to the Lord in desperation.

Samuel Mills was a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts in 1806, when he met with four friends for prayer about revival and world missions. When a rainstorm hit, they took refuge under a haystack and continued to pray (thus becoming known as the "Haystack Five"). "When the rain subsided, Mills stood up, slammed his fist into his hand, and announced, 'We can do this, if we will!'" These five young collegians stepped out in faith and not only initiated the first nationwide student movement, but also began the first six mission agencies from North America.

At the age of 13, Evan Roberts began to seek the Lord. When he was 26, revival came to his hometown in Wales. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers, "Send the Spirit now for Jesus Christ's sake," and, "Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake." God's Spirit came so powerfully that 100,000 people were born again.

It says in the book of Hebrews
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

With these great testimonies of faith, What will our response be? Can we live up to the standard set before us by our predecessors?

Brothers and sisters, it is time for us to awake for the hour of our salvation is closer than when we first believed. We are in the last days there is not much time left. We are in desperate times, a time where the harvest has been eaten by locusts, a time when we are surrounded be an army to large for us to fight. We must understand the times we are in and the pressing urgency if we are to spread the Word of God effectively in our lives. If we are to pray with the conviction and power that we are commanded to pray with in His Word.

Awesome Spirit Filled Songs!

2011-02-02T14:45:00.003-05:00

Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning on her beloved?"
-SS 8:5

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 8:38-39

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
-Matthew 28:6

and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
-Revelation 5:5

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly " Amen Come, Lord Jesus.
-Revelation 22:20

As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
- Ps. 103:15-16

The Testimony

2011-01-29T19:09:00.002-05:00

Of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy Rev. 19:10

What great mysteries of God the book of Revelation holds!
In it the fullness of His glory is revealed!

In the days of past the Spirit led the Prophets to prophecy of Christ, Speaking through the Spirit of Christ

In the last days at the culmulation of the ages, after Christ has risen, we who are witnesses of His glory through faith,testify.

This testimony given to us by Him is the Spirit of Prophecy.
The final prophecy of His great return.

Everytime we witness and tell of God's power in our lives, we are prophecying the final and greatest prophecy to be fullfilled.

We are essentially in a way prophets of Christ

George Fox

2011-01-18T23:24:00.003-05:00

The Reformation fires of one hundred years before had burned themselves out. Among the clergy there abounded much education, loose-living, and ease. The Protestant church had a name to live but was dead. George Fox did not enjoy any personal direct communion with God until he was nineteen. Then for some time his soul was full of strange longings and continual reachings out after God. The Christians he met did not possess what they professed. So deeply was he grieved and distressed over examples of their hypocrisy that he could not sleep all night but walked up and down in his room praying to God. He sought help from man but found none. His relatives did not know what to make of George. One kind soul said that marriage was the remedy for his melancholic state of mind. Another preferred the view that he should enlist in the army. A third believed the use of tobacco and singing psalms would bring relief. No wonder the seeking soul thought that his advisers were all "miserable comforters." One man, supposedly experienced in the things of God, was "like an empty hollow cask" to George Fox. Seeking the advice of a clergyman, Fox accidentally stepped on the minister's flower bed, whereupon the angry cleric flew into a rage.

Finding no help from men, Fox gave up seeking from that source. With the Bible as his guide, he began looking to the Lord alone for help. Slowly the light began to dawn upon him. He was led to see that only those who had passed from death to life were real believers in Christ. Once and for all Fox settled it that "being bred at Oxford and Cambridge did not qualify or fit a man to be a minister of Christ." When George Fox was about 23, he began preaching to others the truths revealed to him. He was mightily used of God. Thus he came in the nick of time "to save the church from deadness and formalism, and the world from infidelity." He was sent of God to call the church to real spiritual worship. Fox began his preaching with a limited education, without any special training, and without special advantages of any kind. He so preached that men got the shakes. The name Quaker was attached to Fox and his followers because of the quaking of the men who came to scoff but stayed to pray. Though he made others shake, no man could make him shake.

Walking bare-footed through the crowded market at Litchfield, England, this man in the leather suit upraised his hands and voice, shouting, "Woe unto Litchfield, thou bloody city! Woe unto Litchfield!" He feared neither man nor the consequences of his tirade. At first the crowd was amused, then serious, then terrified. Here was a man with unquenchable zeal. He had "heard a voice." Beat him they might, cast him into prison they would, mock him as a madman they laughingly did. But still he proclaimed the message of Christ. Shut out of churches, George Fox made a stone his pulpit and preached to the crowds in the streets. Taken from the street meeting to the jail, he made the jail a cathedral to declare the wonderful works of God. Often he was found praising the Lord in a stinking prison cell. From judge to criminal, from Lord Protector to kitchen maid, Fox bore a burning witness. "He iterated the British Isles," says one of his biographers, "preaching and protesting as no man before him had ever done. In his preaching he wore out clothes, horses, critics, persecutors, and eventually himself." Many times Fox prophesied of future events that were revealed to him. Visions often came to him. Once in Lancashire, England, as he was climbing Pendle Hill, he had a vision of a coming revival in that very area. He "saw the countryside alive with men, all moving to one place." I have worshipped in the old mullion-windowed meeting house erected after the great visitation of God in that area.

In personal appearance Fox was a large man with remarkable piercing eyes. His words were like a flash of lightning. His judgment was clear, and his logic convincing. His great spiritual gift was a remarkable discernment. He seemed to be able to read the characters of men by looking at them. He likened the temperaments of people to a wolf, a serpent, a lion, or a wasp. He could meet a person and say, "I see the spirit of a cunning fox in you." "You have the nature of a serpent." Or "Thou art as vicious as a tiger." Fox was far in advance of any other person in his day. The great secret of Fox's power was his faith in God. He started with scarcely any advantages, but soon he influenced the whole world for God. His one desire was the extension of Christ's kingdom on earth. Through his influence England, Ireland, and Scotland were soon ablaze. In 1661 several of his followers were moved to go beyond the seas to publish truth in foreign countries. In 1664 he married Margaret Fell. In 1670-73 he sailed for the West Indies and North America. Though he was persecuted even there, the work spread. No religious or political reformer was ever imprisoned as many times as George Fox, and oh, what prisons! But his times in prison were missionary labors. Not in solitary confinement, he always had a congregation. But he made converts. His fame spread and people came in crowds to hear him. A distinguished American governor, Livingston, was justified in giving the following elevated opinion of "the unshakable shaker": George Fox alone has, without human learning, done more than any other reformer in Protestant Christendom towards the restoration of real, primitive, unadulterated Christianity and the destruction of priest craft, superstition, and ridiculous, unavailing rites and ceremonies.

He left us an example of fearless, devoted service that alas, but few have ever tried to follow. "He saw hell and heaven, God and judgment with such a clear vision that he was forced to go out in season and out of season to snatch poor sinners from their awful doom. Constantly he appeared just where nobody expected him, blocking the road to hell and pointing the road to heaven - and all because he was completely delivered from all regard for public opinion and utterly impatient of useless routine." How cities throughout the world today could be made to quake by workers as full of God and faith, as reckless as to their life and interest and comfort, as determined to wreck the devil's kingdom as George Fox was!

Excerpt taken from sermonindex.net

Enough

2011-01-17T18:55:00.004-05:00

All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
Ecc. 1:8

The Lord God is the God of every human spirit. He speaks and the peoples in the cities shout and dance. But in the world we live in He has departed and our souls are disconnected from the Creator. So we naturually and sinfully look to the things of the flesh.

The darkness is very great so great that we do not even realize it.
We do not realize the sinfulness of our sin unless God in His mercy reveals it to us.

One of the great grieveances of humankind is that they are deceived into believing that the things they lack in the flesh are better than what they seem.

When I fast, food looks so much better and everything in my mind craves it, but when I stop fasting it's never as good as I thought it would be when I was fasting. In fact my spirit is more alive in the times when I am fasting then when I am not.

I realized that food doesn't really taste that good.
I used to feast after I stop a fast but after I had eaten my fill. I felt worse then when I was fasting.

When I fast, I realize my vulnerability and dependency, then I can understand God's sufficiency and sovereignty. When I understand who God is then I can love and do His work.

My friend ask me "Evangel how come you're ok with being alone so often?"
I didn't really realize but I guess I do spend a lot of time alone.
It's not that I do not enjoy relationships, its that there comes a point when they tire me and I would rather spend time with the Lord.

When Jesus says Seek First His Kingdom and His righteousness
Only when your whole being is focused on God, can you enjoy the things he created without indulge in in sinful excess and with the blessing of God. and so the last part is then all these things will be added unto you

The Lord created the good things as life to be gifts, not to be nesscessities.
As we learn and mature and are refined then we can say

The Lord is my Sheppard, I shall not be in want

In this hour

2011-01-12T22:15:00.003-05:00

in the last days there be many false teachers, teaching false doctrines
dry springs that cannot fill but entice the flesh

something along the lines of....we all have brokenness.
and this secretly makes the carnal mind compromise so that they don't think they don't have to confess that their heart is full of wickedness because they're just in "brokenness" but NOT in anyway rebellious.

creates.. needy people who walk into the steeple
put a band-aid that says peace peace when there is no peace, but in truth there is no proof of salavation no spiritual fruit..love joy peace, hate, anger, disobedience, lust all the same somehow... wow
dead bodies enter the "house of the Lord" no joy
trying to work something up, but no faith because deep inside the mind is a mess trying to look the best but no peace for the wicked.

Come generation wake up
o NO this cannot continue enough is enough.
don't let the devil continue to deceive you.
cuz if something doesn't get through the world is going to be through
even now light getting slimmer, world getting grimmer if those who confess Christ aren't being the light than we are in a serious plight.
fews years now when this generation is on the world its gonna be horrible, something resembling hell.

are there none that will stand and fight?
see no power in these last days.
no soldiers only defeated ......believers? disciple? sorry don't what to call them don't want to disgrace the name I guess just the in betweens...lukewarm
caught up and locked up by the weeds of the world, blinded to spiritual realities
caught up in TV, media they all have worldly ideas opposed to the gospel. spewing out lies.......so why is the light so ready to compromise and suck in the world?
If the darkness inside is light how great is that darkness.
don't those who love the Lord hate evil? then how can they willfully gaze and enjoy it, lust it?

without holiness no one will see God.
so either the definition for holiness has changed or there are a lot of frauds.

thinking they so holy they got it going
might know the Word inside out but not knowing Christ. like the pharisees in John 5
lacking Spiritual power cuz they've strayed from heart of the Father.

can't pray....they don't "feel" it
but of course they still followers of Christ
I guess they got it soo right....they don't even need to depend on Christ
I mean isn't prayer taking to God.
no prayer no relationship with Christ......simple right?
I love Jesus?
no you don't cant even talk to Him for one hour.....

Beware the devil is roaring....
keep WATCH.

Its too hard?
have you even got on your knees to ask for more?
don't receive because you don't ask.
don't receive because your heart is whack.

this generation.....is gonna be blown away like the chaff.
common people of God we need to stand in the gap.
get on our knees mourn and fast.
cuz if this keeps going .... we're not going to last.

a famine is in the land.
everthing is dry like sand.
its like God has closed His hand.......

so is anyone going to start asking for
water?

streams of living water?
There is River who's streams make glad the city of God.

I'll Walk With Him Always

2011-01-01T17:23:00.000-05:00

The sheep know the voice of the shephard!
One of the biggest concerns I have is how there are so many false teachers out there! Some of them are very deceiving and are extremely hard to discern! I am always worried that immature belivers will be led astray and confused because of the many different voices. It also makes me very discouraged, there are so few people who teach the Word of truth and when it is preached not many people listen. It feels like we're losing the battle!

Many times I will see fellow belivers trying to preach or teach but they do not do it with the power of God but rely on their own strength to teach God's Word. They have not really been taught in their heart what they are speaking on so it is very dry and dull. This is also discouraging because many sermons that I hear are lacking and therefore unfruitful.

But the Lord has reminded me:

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ....I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
-John 10:2-5,14

No matter what if the voice of God isn't in the person preaching, the sheep won't respond to it! Jesus is the true Sheppard but He shares His heart with His people and calls some of them to be temporary Sheppards. When He does, He Himself manifests power into the person so that when the person ministers through teaching,preaching, leading Christ can be seen in Him and through Him!

Sometimes someone will be preaching and the theology may be right, but it seems sorta boring or a bit off. Other times, right when the Pastor speaks, my spirit in me stirs and is very attentive to every word that he has to say.

The Lord is my Sheppard I shall not want.
He makes me lay down in green pastures
He leads me beside still waters
He restores my soul and leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name Sake...
His rod and His staff that comfort me
-Psalm 23

When we make the Lord our Sheppard we will never want anything else. He will lead us to the things that we need to thrive on; the green pastures and still waters. The Sheppard knows the where the greenest pastures are and where the waters are the clearest and cleanest for us to drink. He will not lead us to waters that are rough and dangerous but rather waters that ar calm and safe. As our trust in the Lord increases and learn to follow Him more intimately, He will restore our souls more and more, piecing back together our whole being and leading us down the path of righteousness. Many times we struggle with not being able to hear God, we find assurance in the conviction that He brings to our souls each time we sin. The Lord uses His rod and staff and disciplines those He loves. We should be concerned if we do not feel convicted when we sin or if we can easily brush off the conviction. This desensitization is a clear indicator that we are not in line with the heart of the Sheppard.

Jackie Pullinger

2010-12-29T01:57:00.006-05:00

http://media.sermonindex.net/14/SID14690.mp3

Marie Monsen

2010-12-29T01:02:00.002-05:00

One of the outstanding instruments God has used for the reviving of the churches in northern China is Miss Marie Monsen. One of her own coworkers describes her coming to Chenping, one of the stations of the Norwegian Lutheran Mission in Honan, in effect as follows:

How God Prepared Special Instruments for Use in "The second of November of 1931 we were in Beginning and Carrying Forward the Work of the pressibly gladdened by the news that Miss Marie Revival. Monsen had returned to our field and was then at Nanyang. The early summer of 1927 God had sent her from Shanghai to Manchuria and later to Chili, Shantung, and Shansi. In these various places God had used her in a marvelous way for the reviving of the churches. "It seemed strange that she should thus be taken away from us to be used in the reviving of the churches elsewhere while we were longing and praying for a revival on our own field.

"Our older missionaries had quietly but tearfullly striven with God in view of the deadness of the churches. But with the news of God's visitation of the other churches our prayers took on new life. With every letter from Miss Monsen our prayers received a new impetus and became more intense as the time went on, until finally they were in the nature of distress calls. God, who is no respecter of persons, can not but send Miss Monsen back to us and make use of her among us as He has used her in the northern provinces.

"Then the news reached us that she would be with us at our annual conference at Chenping from November 13 to 15. There was a general feeling of expectancy as we journeyed to this meeting, and we were not disappointed in our expectations. It was a never-to-be-forgotten experience to have her again in our midst.
"Already at this meeting it became clear to us that God had fashioned Miss Monsen into a seasoned soul winner through the experiences she had gone through in the north, and that she was in possession of a power from God that was well nigh irresistible.

"The first text she used was from the third chapter of the Gospel of John, `Ye must be born anew.' The greater part of this address consisted in short questions, cast forth with holy, penetrating seriousness: `Why are you a Christian? Is it not that you wish to enter heaven? What does Jesus say here? "Except ye be born anew, ye can not enter the kingdom of God." Ye can not, ye can not.' These words sank like lead into the hearts of the listeners.

"The next text was from Rev. 20. 12, about the sins that were written in the books with such clear ness. `Also in Jer. 17. 1 we see that your sins are written "with a pen of iron" on the tablets of flesh in your hearts so that no one can erase them.'
"Other texts were, Mark 14. 3-11, about Judas. `He was a preacher of the gospel; he was a member of the church; he was a disciple. But he was false; he was a thief. Are you a preacher of the gospel, or are you a thief T

"She aimed in the first place at our leaders and the workers in our congregations. She spoke from Prov. 28. 13, about covering one's transgressions. All are born with an inclination to cover their sins. Other texts used were, Is. 59. 1-4, `Your iniquities have separated between you and your God': Is. 64. 6, `Our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment'; 1 Cor. 6. 9, with the question, `Is this a catalog of your sins? Read and find out if your sins are there.' Also Mark 7. 21-23, with the same question and the same admonition.

"Then came John 1. 14, `He is "full of grace and truth," He will not permit you to remain full of falsehood and deceit.' And Is. 1. 18, `If you will only acknowledge your sins before God they "shall be white as snow."' Finally there was an address to believers about being in the will of God. `The unsaved have God's will behind them. The saved have God's will before them. Some are in God's will; others are outside of it. They try to stretch God's will so as to make it conform to theirs.'
"At the end of each service she took her place near the door, and few were those who managed to get by without having the question asked them, `Are you saved? 'It felt like the thrust of a sword,' they explained afterwards. After the next meeting they received another sword-thrust, `Are you still on the road to destruction.
"Many came to see her and to confess their sins, but she sent them away, some as often as three to four times. They were not in a condition of real need. `Pray that God's Spirit may enlighten you concerning your sins,' was the admonition they received to take away with them. She never tired of admonishing us, `Do not gather unripe fruit.'

"After the annual meeting there was a special meeting for workers and leaders. Those who were present told of the powerful working of the Holy Spirit manifest at these meetings. During the course of the meetings Miss Monsen spent one night in prayer before she could find courage to step up to Pastor Han Liu Ging and tell him she was afraid he did not have life in God. He came under deep conviction and after two days found release.

"He said afterwards that there was something that melted within him when she took him aside. He felt the love of God was impelling her and that he must give in. Later on he became Miss Monsen's helper during a series of meetings, and is one among those God has used to further the revival.

"Pastor Liu Dao Sheng was another leader who had been used of God with much blessing. At these meetings he also experienced a renewal and em-powering. His eyes were opened to the need of bringing people to the point of being saved and re-leased from the power of sin. Together with others who had experienced renewal, he began immediately to enter the work as a definite soul-winner. Liu Dao Sheng became Miss Monsen's chief helper as long as she remained on the field of the Norwegian Lutheran Mission, and he is perhaps the one God has used the most since her departure.
"Miss Monsen's plan was first to destroy the false security of the church members. She spoke of the various kinds of patches the unsaved used to hide behind when they tried to persuade themselves they were saved. Then she spoke of sin, one sin at a time. It had cost her several days of prayerful struggle before she became willing, as she expressed it, to `descend into the miry cesspool of sin' in connection with the sixth commandment, against adultery. But it turned out that one of Satan's well-nigh impregnable strongholds was at last broken into when this particular sin was brought out into the open.

"Another text that was laid heavily on her consciousness was, `It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.' People by means of this text were placed face to face with God.

"Finally, the words of gracious promise from the Scriptures came as balm on open sores. `Unless He, who was without sin, had been made sin for us, God could never have said to the sinner, Come, when you are in earnest about your sins, God, who can not away with sin, will speak words of comfort to your heart.
"At each series of meetings there was no pronounced movement or great visible result. She was ever alert to hinder strong emotional outbursts, or public confession. Everything was done quietly. After she was gone it became evident that God's Spirit had plowed deep furrows. We could begin to gather in the harvest of souls."

As we ponder this gripping narrative by one of Miss Monsen's co-workers we are bound to ask ourselves, what is the secret of the power this worker of God possesses? Is there anything in her nature or bringing up that would give a clue to the effectiveness of her service? What means did God use to bring about such marvelous results in her own life, and through her in the lives of others?
We are indebted to another of Miss Monsen's coworkers, Mrs. Karoline Samset, of Laohokow, for some intimate touches regarding her youth and early training and first impressions on meeting her before she was sent out to China as a missionary under the N. L. K. Board.

"Miss Monsen was confirmed in the church of Sandviken in the outskirts of Bergen, Norway, under the charge of Rev. Grimnes, the pastor of the church, who was of great spiritual help to her during these formative years. Elder Tormod Retterdal of the China Society was of especially great help to her in a spiritual way. According to her own testimony she never tired of listening to him as he always had so much to offer."

It appears that from early childhood Miss Monsen loved to wander about among the mountains and hills of her native land, and when school vacation arrived she always set her gaze towards the high mountains. The majestic Jotunheimen and other tall peaks were familiar places loved by her.
The year she was to take her examination for teacher's certificate she was too young by one year, and it was just at this time that she came to clarity regarding her call to the mission field.

It was in 1898 in the Laksevag church in Bergen that Mrs. Samset first learned to know of Miss Mon-sen, who was later destined to become her close friend and co-worker. The Rev. Prydz was occupying the pulpit and the text was, "Thy kingdom come." During the course of the sermon the preacher mentioned the name of a young woman who had sought for acceptance by the China Society to be sent to China. The Board had asked her to testify as to her spiritual life and outlook. During their conversation, the Rev. Prydz and Miss Monsen had both agreed that it was impossible to explain just how they had become heirs of the kingdom. The main emphasis in his sermon at this time was on the kingdom of God within us.

The following year we find Miss Monsen at Lovisenberg Hospital and Training School in Oslo as the choice of the China Society's Board for work in China. Through a friend whom Miss Monsen had nursed, Mrs. Samset came for the first time into direct contact with her. She relates:

"It was evident from the first moment of contact with her that Miss Monsen was an unusually gifted woman. She possessed considerable originality of mind, and, as a rule, was never found treading the beaten paths. In contact with the deaconesses at Lovisenberg she was never afraid of expressing her opinion freely. In those days such behavior was not always well received, so she had many heavy burdens to carry at that time, but she was always ready to take the part of those who were weak.
"She wrote to Brandtzeg, then General Secretary of the Board from Lovisenberg, `Verily, you have sent me to the North Pole.' He replied, `Yes, but I know that you have both pick and axe so you can dig yourself out again.' She made it, and when she was the hardest pressed, the head physician came to her assistance.
"From that time on her life was unusually rich in experiences. She grew up in a home where she was supplied with only the necessaries of life. Money has never appealed to her as of any worth. She has always been willing to extend help to such as were in need. `Prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven.' She has done this and the Lord has never permitted her to come to grief.

"She has gone to the steamships without money to buy a ticket; she has traveled by rail across the United States without provisions; she has made a journey to the Northland without a steamer berth. `Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of.' This verse came to her at one time when she was suffering from hunger. She was led to a loaded table without the payment of money, and afterwards was in a position to help a fellow traveler who was on his way to tell his mother that there is no God. She has stuck to the promises, and God has never failed her. But to surrender everything unconditionally into the hand of God is not a lesson that is learned in one day. She has had to go through the deep waters to come to the place of utter dependence on God.

"When she came to China in the fall of 1901, her health failed her. She fell down a stairway in Shanghai and sustained a concussion of the brain, and when she arrived on the field she was taken down with a bad attack of malaria, so that even her life was despaired of.

"She was very much handicapped in her language studies the first few years. She struggled against the malaria, and her head gave her constant pain. During the summer of 1906 she was healed through prayer. Since that time the Lord has been her Great Physician, and she has needed His help on more than one occasion.
"Something that has always stood out before me as remarkable is her prayer life. She has always been an early riser, and the first two or three hours of the day have been holy to the Lord. The precious dewdrops from the Lord's altar have sustained her step by step on the way of sanctification.

"As a co-worker she was always sympathetic and considerate, and, on the whole, easy to get along with. Her aim was to go the way of the Lord and do His errands, so that also out here it was never a question with her of following the beaten paths. Consequently there were times when some stood wondering and questioning. But that it has paid her to follow the way of the Lord and to be in His will, that has been amply shown by her life during recent years."

This sketch of the life and work of Miss Monsen would be entirely inadequate if we left out all reference to an experience she had in the spring of 1929 when she was marvelously kept during twenty-three days of captivity at the hands of a band of sea rovers who had captured the ship she was traveling on from Tientsin, to meet an appointment to hold meetings at Hwanghsien in Shantung.
The story of this adventure in faith and dependence upon the Lord was told by Miss Monsen in her own characteristic way in an address before the Peitaiho Conference in North China, July 29, 1929, and recorded in a booklet, "We Are Escaped," published by the China Inland Mission in 1931.

In reading this wonderful testimony to God's faithfulness and power to help those who trust fully in Him, we are impressed by the place and value of prayer in the scheme of God's government of the world, as well as by the wonderful provision of God for our every need, if we are only willing to trust Him to undertake for us.
There is no doubt but that Miss Monsen's experiences during those twenty-three days on that bandit-ridden ship were a means in God's hand to prepare her for greater work for Him during the years that followed. The narrative is full of interest from be-ginning to end.

From China in Revival
By Gustav Carlberg
excerpt from Chapter 3; Revival

grace working through...

2010-12-21T20:15:00.002-05:00

Paul says...

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10

God's grace works through the Christian! This is has nothing to do with us!

Its by the grace of God that a Christian receives revlation of His Word.
Its by the grace of God that a Christian can pray for hours on end
Its by the grace of God that a Christian can fast, preach, prophecy, worship, evangelize etc.

God gives different graces to His people so that He can be glorified!
He is the one that makes the person great or small. Our job is just to be faithful in whatever He has given to us!

Isn't that great news?!
It means that I can stop trying to be perfect and understand that its not about me but what God is doing through me. Even when I screw up I glorify God! (not that it gives us an excuse to sin)

After realizing this grace. I can finally stop trying to do things so that I can be "good enought to preach/teach" but I can just DO IT IN FAITH because its God working through me.

It sorta kills the pride that I had but it is also a relief!
I can stop worrying about every word I say and action I make to "look good" and just be!

The Fragrance of Life

2010-12-20T11:34:00.006-05:00

We live in a dry and parched land. The bible says “the wicked live in a sun scorched land” (Ps. 66:8). The spiritual reality around us is very bleak.

Just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, so we are slaves to sin. Day after day we sweat in the desert of Egypt. All around us is sand and above us is a blazing sun that sucks the water of life out of our bodies. We long for a drop of water to quench our thirst but we find only sand. There is absolutely no water for miles around that can give us relief. In the same way, our spirits long for a drink of water but we find nothing.

In the world that we live in, we are deceived. All of our hopes, desires and longings come to nothing. (Ps. 112:10). We are like dream, a phantom, our life is but a vapour (Ps 39:6, James 4:14). Everything around us is fading away and decaying. The world and its passions fade away (1 John 2:17a)

They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. Psalm 73:20

This world is God’s worst nightmare. As humans our sinful minds come up with some of the most twisted and disturbing things. I am reminded of movies such as the Matrix or I, Robot where the humans create artificial intelligence but after awhile they rebel and start to kill people and suddenly we are plunged into chaotic world where the robots rule. In Resident Evil we try to create life through a virus but the virus turns everyone in zombies that eat human flesh.

When I think about it, this is exactly what happened to God. He creates life and we screw it up. This virus called sin enters the world, turns everyone into zombies that kill, lie, cheat, steal, hate, lust and now we live in a dark and godless world.
I can imagine God looking down at His once perfect world, in utter distress because his creation has turned into little demon monsters. But what gets me, is that it says we’re a dream not even real to God. Its like He’s going to wake up one day and we’ll all be gone, just a figment of His imagination. That’s good for God, but horrible for us.

But in this time when God is “sleeping”, He is also restoring people through Jesus and preparing them for the time when He awakes and brings back the real world. When God’s Kingdom comes those who are part of it won’t even want to remember any thing that happened in this old life.

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. Isaiah 65:17

As we come to understand the calling that we have and are changed into citizens of Heaven, the world around us becomes our worst nightmare. We’re not of this world anymore but aliens and strangers in a foreign land (1 Peter 2:11)

However in the in between time, God in His wisdom has appointed that the Children of God live in this spiritual wasteland; it’s not easy. Every we wake up and cry:

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water Psalm 63:1

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 84:2

We look around us and our soul is in utter distress at the wickedness around us. Like Lot living in Sodom.

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) -2 Peter 2:7-8

But even though our soul is in distress we are the only ones with water in this dry land. As we go from this life here on earth to Heaven we literally bring heaven down to earth. As we pass by these dry places we pour water around us. Everywhere we go, we bring life.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:5-7

It says in the bible that we are the fragrance of life (2 Cor 2:16). When people who our hungry and dying smell the life in us they are attracted to us. The awesome thing is that we don’t have to do anything; we don’t have to be perfect for this to happen it is God’s grace that works in us to act in order to fulfill His good purpose (Phil. 2:13). What we need to do is to worship God and be faithful. He takes care of the rest. The above passage says those who’s strength is in the Lord. It means those who completely trust God and draw strength from Him.

As God’s Children we must learn to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. His faithfulness is our shield and rampant. He’s the one that rescues us and even though all around us people may be falling to into sin’s deceptions, He promises keep us safe from evil. A thousand may fall at our right hand, ten thousand at our right side but none of it comes near to us. We sit and watch in awe and give thanks for what God is doing for us.(Ps. 91)

He gives those who trust in him a bubble of grace and the way we gain this bubble, is when we put down our own barrier of sin and pride and allow God to work through us.

Before we believe we walk around and live in the sin all around. After we believe we walk around in a sinful world but are no longer deceived and caught up in it. Our hearts are changed (the red dot) but we will still sin because our flesh is still weak.

The passage says from strength to strength. In the New Testament it says we are being transformed from glory to glory to His image (2 Cor 3:18) and that we are being renewed in inwardly day by day though our outward bodies are wasting away (2 Cor. 4:16). We are so focused on God that we don’t even realize that He’s using us to bring life, we just pass by, our eyes fixed on the author and perfecter of our faith Jesus (Hebrews 12:2.

One of the keys to bringing life to a lost generation is humility. God is looking for people who are humble enough to admit they need God and truly understand that they’re nothing without Him; because of this they just obey. In the bible of there are many great men and women of God who did amazing things and we tend idolize them. We think that they’re super holy people that we can never be like. But what we don’t see is that these people were humble.

Moses was the humblest man in all the earth (Num 12:3). It would make sense that the humblest man would be the man most used by God. Moses was so humble that when the Israelites were opposing him in the desert he fell facedown before them. The people were about to stone Moses but he didn’t care about man; He had no pride. God’s glory appeared over the tabernacle and Moses started to intercede for his enemies so that God would spare them. People would probably think twice before messing with Moses after that. But Moses didn’t do anything he was fully focused on God (Num 14:1-24)
We need to be careful; there are many people who try to work for God but not many who are humble enough to be used by Him. Many will say on that day: Lord Lord, did we not prophecy in your name and in your name drive out demons? And He will say depart from me, I never knew you (Matt. 7:22)

In Noah’s generation no one was seeking God, every one was evil. God was grieved and was about to destroy man. But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord he was a humble and righteous man. It says he was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). So you have to imagine that throughout the 100 years or so Noah was building the ark, people would be watching (it’s pretty hard to hide a giant boat) and as the people came to see Noah, he would be preaching to them! In the end, his obedience and perseverance is what saved the whole human race!

The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:5-8

Our generation is quickly heading toward the days of Noah. And when God decides to wake up, the world is not going to know. Jesus says that when He comes again people will be living their normal day to day lives.

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37-39

The bible prophecies that despite everything that God tries to do to warn people, they will still not repent of their iniquity (Rev. 9:21). We need to be the people who will find grace in the eyes of the Lord. The people who can partner with God to bring His will into existence because he does not find pleasure in the destruction of the wicked (Ez. 18:23) and it’s His will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4)

As in the days of Noah, the same spiritual reality exists today but instead of a flood it says:

That is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12(NASB)

God sends them a powerful delusion. The word flood in Hebrew is mabbuwl and it means deluge which is the root word for delusion. The delusion overwhelms us and is extremely powerful. The most powerful delusion isn’t people who believe in different philosophies or people who clearly live in immorality but it’s the delusion of religion. Jesus warns us many times to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees (Matt 16:6). In the Old Testament, God says that He would rather have people live in outright opposition to Him than wear a mask of religion. In the days of Jeremiah, both Israel and Judah were living in opposition to God, but Judah still pretended to worship God.

The LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. Jeremiah 3:11

To be faithless is better than being unfaithful!

The story of Peter gives a good example of someone who was deluded by religion. Right before Jesus dies Peter boasts that he would die with Jesus after Jesus clearly told him he would deny him. Peter’s response should have been to repent, but instead he put his trust in his own flesh and religion. Jesus brings Peter to pray with him in the garden of Gethsemane to test him and as a way for him to keep watch so that he would not fall into temptation later on in the night! Peter fails this test and when the time came he was so disconnected from God that he tried to kill a man with a sword! It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that Peter fully understood what God’s intentions were.

and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:39-42

When the end comes two people living together on earth will suddenly be separated. The person who is swept away will not understand until it is too late! In context of the passage, the one who is swept away is the one who fell into judgement. In the spiritual sense, those who do not know God are already swept away, the people that you go to school with the people that you work with.

Some people take this passage as a reference to the rapture. Paul does write about rapture “those who are alive will be caught up in the clouds” (1 Thess. 4:17) When it comes to the rapture we as Christians must understand that it will not happen before the tribulation period. The Left Behind series isn’t biblically accurate.
Jesus prays not for God to take them out of the world but that we are protected from evil.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:16-19

God’s desire is that we would be in the world as agents of light (Matt 5:14). In the last days we are to be sent into the world to be witnesses, to be the Noah to our generation that is being swept away by the delusion.
Submit to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). We need to stand and resist the devil not just run away! Jesus doesn’t leave us unequipped to do this. He covers us, He also desires us and He edifies us to do His work!

Jesus is in heaven with his crown of glory. We are on earth far below…

1.When we sin Jesus covers us in His blood so that we can stand in His presence (the black lines are sin that comes from our flesh)

2.Jesus desires us and shares His heart with us. The strength of the communication line depends on the individual person and is always being broken and re-establish because of sin (the black lines.

3.Jesus also edifies us to bring us to be where He is in heaven. He speaks truth in our lives to encourage us to keep running!

The key to resisting the devil is through pray and worship by God’s power not ours! Humility comes from prayer. Leonard Ravenhill a famous pastor has said “A man is only as great as his prayer life.”

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Luke 4:5-8

The strategy the devil uses is to deceive is to get people to worship themselves, to gain glory for themselves. The devil tried to tempt Jesus to glorify himself and not give glory to the Father. Jesus knew that His kingdom wasn’t on earth but that the he would take the Kingdom of the world for the Kingdom of God. Satan has the authority and glory in this world. He’s the prince of this world. When we fell we gave the glory that was originally meant for humans to glorify God to Satan. Satan gives that authority to whom he pleases the politicians, judges, artists, journalists etc and they use that authority to glorify themselves. The exaltation of self is actually worship to Satan.

Where there is light there is no darkness. When we worship God, the spiritual condition in air in hearts change. Through faith, the power of Christ dwells in us (Eph. 3:17) so that we are able to evangelize effectively.

When we first believe our hearts are changed but weak and can’t do much. As our faith increases through worship Jesus gives us strength and the power in our hearts get bigger so that we can shine light into the dark places. Eventually the faith that we develop stays in our hearts in our day to day lives!

Wherever we go we are to be the fragrance of life. We do this simply by submitting or leading in a way that glorifies God in the places of influence we are in families, Workplace, school etc. by submitting we open up a door of grace for God to work.

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 1 Peter 3:1

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.1 Corinthians 7:12-14

The family is the basic foundation of human society. In the household, if the parents are believers they are able to effectively minster to their child. As long as the child submits their parents they are “clean” If the child is a Christian, through their actions they can also minister to their parents.

In the bible the word heaven is shown in three different contexts. Once to refer to the place where God dwells Our Father who art in heaven (Matt. 6:9), Another time to refer to spiritual forces of evil outside of the physical realms For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12) and another to refer to the physical heavens (space and sky) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Ps 19:1) Paul writes about an experience where he was caught up to the third heaven. (2 Cor. 12:2) From this we can conclude that there are three “heavens,” God being in the 3rd heaven, Satan having dominion over a spiritual realm “heaven” that can delude people on the earth and the physical heavens which we can see. Of course God owns everything and is at the top. When we pray God ends us power directly from where He dwell and pierces the spiritual forces in Satan’s realm. The parents receive this grace from God and can pass it to the child. The mountain represents the area of influence.

In the marriage relationship the wife through submission in a Christ like way is able to minster to her husband and the husband is able to minster to the wife by leading her in a Christ like way. This can only happen if the unbelieving partner is willing to live with the believer. The actions of the man or woman is what God will use to save.

The relationship between Father and Jesus is reflected in the relationship between the man and woman as well as the relationship between Christ and the church. The Son loves the Father and so submits to Him, the Father loves the Son and so gives Him all authority to Him. In this way the relationship is circular! In the same way the wife submits to the husband but the man loves the wife and so brings her up to his level!

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. Titus 3:1

In the school and workplace the same concept applies. When we live godly lives we gain the respect of those in authority to us and through the respect we are given opportunities to speak truth and minister to them. As Jesus grew he was able to gain the respect of those around Him even as a child! (Luke 2:52)

The one who is lower on the structure gives grace to the higher and the relationship between them is one full of grace.

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us 1 Peter 2:12

In our friendships we are also able to minister in an equally yoked relationship. We can share our lives and live out our faith in a more personal way.

Not only can we minister to non-believers but also other believers as well. When David was being hunted by Saul, it says that Jonathan helped him find strength in God (1 Samuel 23:16).

Christians restore the disorder that is caused by our sin. A key way that we administer grace is through good works. It says in the bible:
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. Titus 3:14
As we seek the Lord we must also be ready because the doors are open for Him to work as He pleases through our lives.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect 1 Peter 3:15

Remember setting Christ apart in our hearts always comes first! If Christ is first than it is easy to give a genuine love filled answer to those who ask!

Jesus Loves

2010-12-15T07:01:00.005-05:00

the little children all the children of the world!
Red and yellow black and white they are precious in His sight!
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." Luke 18:16-17

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. Matthew 11:25-26

Only children can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who believe become children of God. When Jesus says we need to be born again, He meant that we become like children again. Not everyone who is a child is a child, and not everyone who is old is an "adult" The children of God are chilren at heart! God turns our sulf-sufficient "adult" like hearts into childlike ones that can understand and know him.

Children, just believe and trust whatever their parents have to say. They don't doubt or question or try to argue with them. They understand that they are dependent and need their parents in their lives.

Adults on the other hand are very skeptical.
They judge and analyze every little word that is said and love to give their own opinions on different things because they want to make themselves look good. They are "grown ups" who have everything under control. They don't need to listen to their parents, because they already know everything. Their pride drowns out the voice of the Father.

But its only when we become like children and LISTEN that God can truly reveal Himself. We are all very adult like, even children have this heart inside them. If you go to an elementary school children all want to be first, they all want to look the best to be the smartest. They can't wait to be "grownups" It is only God who makes a child a child so that He can show them who He is.

When children listen and obey their parents, they stand out among the otherkids!
They may not understand why they need to do the things they are told but eventually they grow to see how their obdience has lead them to excel amidst their peers. They might be teased along the the way, but in it was far more worth it. The hours they put in studying instead of playing led them to be honoured in front of their peers as the valedictorian.

As Children of God, we need to learn to be even more childlike! As we listen to our Father and humbly obey, we are exalted because His blessings are seen in our lives by thouse around us.

Heart Breathings

2010-12-14T16:56:00.002-05:00

(excerpt from Leonard Ravenhill)

The need of the Church today is for spiritual
millionaires who can bring down the wealth of
the world above on this stricken church age.

It is my solemn conviction that the Lord put
the Church to groan in this groaning creation
(Rom. 8:26) that she might reach millions who
would otherwise groan for eons in a devil's hell.

Are we (who still have coals of fire on our altars)
measuring ourselves by the fireless altars of
neighboring churches instead of checking on
the praying blaze of our saintly forebearers?

THE NAME OF CHRIST
If we today could rediscover
The virtue in that Name,
The victory in that Name,
The violence in that Name,
We could set this world alight for God.

A sermon born in the head reaches the head;
A sermon born in the heart reaches the heart.

No Christian is greater than his prayer-life.

The pastor who is not praying is playing;
the people who are not praying are straying.

The two prerequisites to successful Christian
living are vision and passion, both of which are
born in and maintained by prayer.

The ministry of preaching is open to few;
the ministry of prayer - the highest ministry of
all human offices - is open to all.

Prayer grasps eternity!

The understanding soul prays;
the praying soul gets understanding.

The secret of praying is praying in secret.

Elijah was a man skilled in the art of prayer,
who altered the course of nature,
strangled the economy of a nation,
prayed and fire fell,
prayed and people fell,
prayed and rain fell.
We need rain, rain, rain!
The churches are so parched that seed
cannot germinate. Our altars are dry,
with no hot tears of penitents.
Oh for an Elijah!

Elijah was a man
subject to like passions as we are,
but alas, we are not men
of like prayer as he was.
His whole life is summed up in two words,
"He prayed." (James 5:17)

Watch and pray,
or rust and decay.

No amount of prayer
will deliver us from temptation,
but it will deliver us in temptation.

Prayer is the language of the poor in Spirit.

The self-sufficient do not need to pray;
The self-satisfied will not pray;
The self-righteous cannot pray.

Prayer produces courage and joy
to do God's will
even if tears are shed doing it.

The man who kneels in prayer
has some standing before the Lord.

Many ask God for help.
Few ask God for mercy.

We need preachers
who can preach up a storm,
but our greater need is for pray-ers
who can pray down the fire.

Most Christians pray to be blest
few pray to be broken.

Prayer is not argument with God
to persuade Him to walk our way,
but an exercise by which He enables us by His
Spirit to walk His way.

Who can tell the measure of God's power?
Prayer is as vast as God
because He is behind it.
Prayer is as mighty as God,
because He has committed Himself to answer it.

in all godliness

2010-12-12T19:31:00.008-05:00

train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
-1 Timothy 4:7b-8

In all things godliness has value.
When Jesus says to seek first the Kingdom of heaven and then all these things will be added unto you,this is what he meant.
The godly are not those who are morally perfect but those who seek the Lord with all their heart soul and mind. Striving against themselves, the world around them, the forces of hell and even life itself to know this God. Who is this King of Glory? A life that is living with this very purpose without compromise will be honored by the Lord For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully commintted to Him and He rewards those who diligently seek Him As they seek they receive grace to live a life of worship. They are enabled to live a disciplined, self-controlled life filled with power, love in all holiness and in every aspect of life.For our God is indeed All in All and an all consuming fire.

So that in everything we do we can truely do it in the Name of our Lord Jesus.

Today I wrote an exam, and sadly had to skip church to do so. After writting the exam I was surprised at how easy it was! I hadn't really realized it, but the grace God had given me to be disciplined in my prayer time overflowed into discipline that produced good fruit even in this life! When I look back on it, I studied a lot, 13 hours straight of productive studying and not once did I waste time on mundance things.

I always think that I am doing behind in school because I don't think I spend many hours on it. It always seems to be the last thing on my mind. Surpisingly, I received 2 papers this past week and reeived an A+ and A- on them. After looking back on it, I actually did put a lot of work into them without even realizing it.

Whats also strange is that my relationships with other people are so much better! I make friends very quickly without even realizing it. I'm so filled with God that I want to talk to people and don't mind sharing my life with anybody and everybody.
I'm reading the bible I always hear about encouragements to endure through suffering and about all the trials we must face and yeah there are those times but then there are these times and I can't be helped but stand in awe.

Thoughts....

2010-12-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

The human that is in relationship with God is innately aware of their nakedness before Him; both in the physical and spiritual. They live their day to day lives with a deep understanding of His sovereignty. They are found speechless and sit in reverent awe as they meditate and accept that God is familiar with all their ways, thoughts, actions and words. They look at themselves and wonder how dust can become a living being that can understand. Their lives are marked with a peace and rest accepting that their days were already set apart for them before they were even created. This trust and understanding gives them no fear in being obedient and following whatever God places in their hearts to do. They need not seek acceptance or approval from any person because they know their immense value. Their Creator spent an eternity thinking of them before they were and knit them together with the utmost care, cell by cell. They were born out of His deep intimacy and love, in His most hidden places that only He knows of and understands. With this in mind, they are content in any circumstance and are able to love others as the love of their Creator flows through them.

The Creator-creation relationship is indeed a unique one, unlike anything a human can comprehend. It is not as simple as a person looking at a colony of ants going about their work. The person would have to be able to dwell in, understand, empathize, enjoy and share in what each individual ant was doing simultaneously. The Lord has infinite thoughts for every person and His thoughts are all equally infinite for each of them; He is all in all. Each relationship with each person is uniquely different yet has a familiarity with each one, much like how the relationship between different people are different but also similar.

When one understands God’s sovereignty, they cannot help but see how sinful they are in every little thought, action or feeling that opposes this sovereignty. A yearning to want to be obedient is placed in their hearts. They willingly open their whole being to their Creator so that they can be searched and conformed to His ways no matter how much it may hurt them. Their love for the Creator is greater that their pride and so they are willing to allow themselves to be shamed if it means a deeper understanding and relationship with God. The relationship sparks a passionate zeal for those who live in complete enmity to this truth. They love the Lord so they will despise those who hate Him and mock His name.

In contrast, the one who is dull to God lives their life as a restless wanderer. They go from place to place trying to escape the grasp of God’s sovereignty in their life. The very thought of that God is omnipotent makes their spirit uncomfortable. Like Cain who built cities and hid himself with the many distractions of life and like Adam and Eve who hid among the bushes, so the person will surround themselves with spiritual places to hide. Although they try to hide, there will be no peace in their hearts until they submit to God.

As God’s people, we are a restless people. It is difficult for us to sit and wait upon the Lord. In our times of prayer our hearts and thoughts are scattered and in our reading of His Word we find trouble in meditating and understanding. This leads to an unfulfilled relationship with the Lord and many times we leave empty when we should be overflowing. We must forced ourselves to slow down and cast each anxiety on Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strengthen. Only then can our hearts be open for the Lord to fill them!

(Psalm 139)

2 Chronicles 16:9

2010-12-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully commintted to Him.

The Bride and the Harlot

2010-12-08T21:25:00.004-05:00

Children of God,

We, the Bride of Christ are being made pure and white without blemish or stain. For He has ravished our heart with His love and desires to bring us, to take us to His home, a place where we will behold His glory. His banner over us is love and He is teaching us, preparing us for we are His beloved and we are His. We wait expectantly for great wedding feast of the Lamb that will soon take place!

Make yourself ready! The bridegroom is coming soon! go buy oil quickly for He shall come like a theif in the night while people are living their day to day lives. Suddenly He shall appear on a whitehorse, the rider Faith and True! Don't be found naked! Clothe yourselves with fine linen,the righteous acts of the saints. Buy refined gold as a worthy gift, a dowry for the bride. Adorn yourself with precious stones that are worthy of the Lamb. For she shall be called chosen and faithful, tried and true.

Children of God,

The devil deceives. For as the Lord is preparing Himself a pure bride, so the devil is raising up an imposter, a fake, one who shames the Bridegroom and His Name. The Great Harlot of Babylon. With passion dripping from her lips she is quick to indulge in immorality. She despises her sister and becomes drunk on her blood. She has given herself to countless lovers, allowed her self to be a dwelling place for demons and unclean spirits. Yet with a proud smile on her face she laughs and says I am not a widow, I have no shame, I need no husband.

There is a battle raging for this generation. Will we become the harlot or the bride? The harlot cannot contain her desire and goes to pleasure herself in everything possible. The bride waits patiently for the bridegroom staying faithful to Him. In this hour not many are waiting they think they can compromise, let one little spot stain the linen. Others think that don't need to be dressed, they can sleep till the Bridegroom comes and when He does, they will be naked having nothing to offer Him.

Jesus gave His life for us and when He returns He deserves a return. Will you have something to offer Him? or will you be found poor and needy on that day?

Is He really worthy to you?

(Songs of Soloman 2:4, 2:16, 4:9 Rev 17-19)

I've Got the Joy .......

2010-12-05T21:38:00.007-05:00

O how I love Jesus! O how I love Jesus!
O how I love Jesus! Because he first LOVED ME!
To me He is so wonderful and I love him!
To me He is so wonderful and I love him
To me He is so wonderful and I love him because he first LOVED ME!

I wish I could worship God all the time.
Sadly I have to live life.
I look forward to the times when I can minster before the Lord.
I would not be able to survive if I didn't have that time.

Spiritual attacks are very strong lately.
It comes out of nowhere anger, jealousy, hate, depression
BAM BAM BAM BAM
It gets to the point where its a struggle to function and only by grace can I get through it.

God gives JUST ENOUGH grace so you can get through it but doesn't do everything so that you need to struggle to make it through.
Its confusing when you feel the love and grace of God overflowing through your spirit till the point of tears WHILE your going through some major suffering.

I can't help but rejoice!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

I keep thinking on how I am being made clean and that all the sin that I hate so much is being removed and it brings me joy!

O the wonderful cross! O the wonderful cross!
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live!

In all the times of crying out to the Lord and praying for the loss souls,
a part of me is happy because I'm going through what Jesus went through.

Each time I force myself to pray for that person one more time, my love for them grows and I scold myself later for not doing it sooner!

I CAN EVANGELIZE MORE OFTEN NOW TOO!!!!

The Lord is definitely moving and I am excited to see what will happen in the next little while.

Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning!
Give me oil in my lamp I pray!
Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning burning burning
Keep me burning til the break of day!

Day to Day Life in the Lord

2010-11-28T13:34:00.005-05:00

This week I have been increasing my prayer time and found more strength to do God's work. I can see how the Spirit that is within is me is indeed more powerful than he that is in the World. The religious people both fear, respect and hate me for these various reasons. The other day I was praying and a Muslim told me to quiet down. I apologized to him and he said no need to apologized that we are the same. It is very disheartening to see how great a veil is over his eyes that he cannot see the difference between his god and my God.

Everyday Friday the belivers at York go out to evangelize. The Lord has been giving many people open hearts and it is always an encouragement to see people so receptive to the gospel. One persone we talked to however, had no faith at all and grew up in the church but later on left. His view was that all religions are one and the same. I got very frustrated at him and lost my self-control. I was very bold in telling him the word of truth "there is no peace for the wicked." I then I made a very offensive remark to him and quickly left. I was immediately convicted for not showing love the way I was supposed to.

I am very thankful for MANY strong believers who love the Lord at York!
In my times of trouble if I just pray with ONE of them immediately my spirit is strengthened in the Lord!

After evangelism, we walked to the religious center where we found 2 believers worshiping the Lord with all their heart in the middle of public area!
Immediately we were unified as the body and joined in worship! The Spirit descended so strongly that as we were worshiping the Muslims were shaken in spirit and scared to ask us to stop praying so they could continue with their prayer ritual! Praise the Lord! We all left with joy in our hearts that day!

Another time as we were worshiping and the sanctuary was filled with a joyful noise unto the Lord, I looked and there was a Muslim man seeking God in desperation outside. I went out, sat down and suddenly felt such a great love and sorrow for this man. He was so close to God yet so far........

He lifted his eyes up to the sky shaking his fists while holding a rosary and going through the beads. I had talked to him before. He had a strange belief that mixed both Muslim and Christianity together.
I had to say something

"Sir I have a message from God for you! You need to stop trying so hard and just believe that God did everything for you through Jesus already!"

I explained the problem of the pharisees and left with peace in my heart.

The theme for that night was religion vs faith.
In the joyful assembly of worshipers, some church christians walked in and stared like a group dead bodies. A brother told me his burden. We knew a part of them wanted to join in but couldn't...
They quickly left a little shocked.

The other day
I walked into the CCF office and found an old asian man there. I was confused as to why he was there and how he got in. He told me he was looking for people to pray with and that this was the only avaiable time he had to do so.
Immediately I knew the Lord had drawn him there.
I could sense a the spirit of unity in that place so I quickly told him that we could pray together next week at the same time!

Monday's, I do bible studies. I usually text the same people to come out to them and keep getting rejected time and time again. Usually only two people come. This particular Monday, I decided to take a break and make up an excuse that I had to much school work to try to get people to come. I mean why bother people who don't want the word of the Lord? As I sit down to do work I get texts from people who suddenly decided to come that day! As I was teaching, a Muslim girl who shares the office with CCF whom I had talked to before (she caught me while I was praying), stayed to hear the words!

I am more spiritually sensitive. On, Friday I could sense a deceiving spirit within another believer. We were going to evangelize together, but it felt off. He suddenly interrupted me as I was explaining the gospel because he didn't agree with something I said. I talked to him afterwards and foundout he was in serious doubt about the divinity of Jesus and the trinity.....very close to Jehova's witness.
I knew something was wrong because when I talked to him the night before he said that he didn't "feel led by the Spirit to be praying" He started to misquote all these verses from scripture. If this was me a few weeks ago I would've left. But somehow I stay and was able to rebuke from scripture. I tried to call another believer who was strong in the Word and faith to help and of course the other believer started to feel uncomfortable. The spirit in him knew that it was no match for the Spirit of Truth! Nonetheless we sat down and talked it out.

In KNA, the councilors are more unified! We actually prayed together for the FIRST TIME on Friday. The theme was living water right out of John chapter 4. As Chung started to share I suddenly felt a huge spirit of oppression and deceit. The religious one that makes you feel good but doesn't bring about repentence and gives a false illusion of faith in Christ by replacing it with emotion.
I kept praying that God would sweep over the refudge of lies and floodover all the hiding places. Then something broke in the spirit of some of the youth. I was really skeptical at first as to if this was TRULY the work of the Spirit and now some other Spirit, but the youth started to share their burdens, everybody was unified and free to talk to one another and we all felt drawn to prayer. I remembered "where the Spirit if the Lord is there is freedom"

I am also very happy that some believers I have been praying for are starting to seek the Lord more in their life by praying more. I can see the change in their hearts in the way that they pray already!

So yes these are all very small things when it comes to the work of the Lord! But to me they are VERY BIG!

Observer+Partakers

2010-11-27T20:42:00.006-05:00

Isn't God amazing? He created people to observe and parttake in creation!
To understand AND experience.

Its perfect.
As we understand we worship as we worship we experience
Never ending for all eternity

In day to day life I find myself marveling at how simple people are. I tend to sit and watch people socialize and eat and wonder at how good it is. Then I realize that I am exactly like that and not any different.

Its funny how we all know innately these simple rules of life. Most of the time unspoken
A gift.
Its funny because we all observe the same things.
We see ourselves in each other, especially our sin and insecurties
and we all know how it should be.

I look to another man and realize im the same.
no different.
then I have a hard time getting over the fact of grace
and can't helped but be overwhelmed
with thankfulness and sorrow
when I realize that I really I'm no different

I used to think that my insights were better than others
that my observations were better
but they're really all the same.
but writing it down really helps!

MuD PeOpLe

2010-11-25T16:07:00.007-05:00

Mud people
cursed to work the earth
Cain and Abel
the first victims of this curse
no peace for the wicked

day after day toiling away
What does it mean for whom do I work?
In a sun scorched land.
no peace for the wicked

Jealous anger and ones dead
murder, blood that screams retribution
the other restless wander of the earth
no peace for the wicked

few generations wickedness spreads
Lamech strikes many dead
no lament
montrous blood lust
scares wives to submission
no peace for the wicked

Same story here today
Mud people
under the same curse
go go go mud people go
here to there restless wanders on the earth
no peace for the wicked

No more than beasts
little more than apes
carnal minded
flesh
no peace for the wicked

from vainity to vainity
from flesh to flesh

bound to lusts
food, sleep, sex, work, relationships
no freedom from the curse
unsatisfied
not willing to admit
no peace for the wicked

animals uncontrolled
its a zoo with the cages broken
untamed, insane
lawless spirit
drunken wine stupor
no peace for the wicked

vainity comes out
of our eyes, nose, mouth
oozing out a putrid stench
that only the the flames of hell can quench
yet we still fill our soul with more
and it comes out twice as loathesome as before
no peace for the wicked

o Mud people
can't you see?
thinking we own the world
caught up in pride
soon there will be no place to hide
no peace for the wicked

though made a little lower than the angels
by grace
still reflect
the soul of understanding
yet cut off from life
no peace for the wicked

1040: One Hour

2010-11-24T11:52:00.005-05:00

Could you not keep watch for even one hour?
Keep watch so that you will not fall into temptation
-Jesus Christ
(Matthew 26:40-41)

If everyone who went to 1040 seriously prayed for only ONE hour everyday
Revival would started to happen.

Its really alarming how little believers pray on a regular basis and because we don't pray we rely too much on our own wisdom and knowledge to do God's work. In the end it doesn't do anything because we're not remaining in Him (John 15)

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ' Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.
-Apostle Paul
(Philipians 3:17)

So we're supposed to follow the example of Paul or those that live like Paul.
I want to be like..... who? Jesus.
Who reminds me of Jesus?

Jason Ma says he prays 4 hours a day and the Chinese pastors told him that it wasn't enough, that he had to pray 6 hours.

So I'm going to try to pray 4 hours a day from now on!

I am sooo tired right now.
I also have no voice left. I am going to sleep NOW
and then work like mad tomorrow.

When will the Lord awaken the sleeping people?
When will He stir up their spirits?

time is ticking......

At all Times.

2010-11-19T23:55:00.002-05:00

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will continually be on my lips.
Psalm 34:1

I think David was serious when he said continually.....
There are times when I need to sing praise to God or I feel my soul dying.
Everywhere I go........... its like a massive ball of spiritual power wanting to explode till the point where I HAVE TO LET IT OUT

Wether it be in praise or preaching, teaching, exhorting.

When John Piper says missions exist because worship doesn't ---> so true.
Everywhere I go its getting to the point where I can barely keep myself from wanting to TELL people.

21 Days

2010-11-14T21:43:00.002-05:00

Today is the end of a 21 day fast I was involved in with a group of passionate believers at York. We're contending for Revival! No meat or sweets, media. I decided to cut dairy and eggs too. So my diet consisted mostly of hummus, rice, choi, rasins and nuts. It has been AWESOME getting together to pray everyday and to cry out to the Lord all night on Fridays. The Spirit has really poured out His blessings on us.

I don't even miss the food I gave up, God is SO MUCH BETTER! In fact, I feel so much more energetic and meat sorta seems gross to me now XD.

The Lord has really helped me grow in these past few weeks. He has given me so more revelation as well as strength to witness and serve in His name. When I look back on a few weeks ago compared to now, the fruits of the Spirit have increased quite a lot and it makes me so happy that I am being changed to be more like Him! It was such a struggle to love other belivers and to be humble. In one of our meetings it was prophesied that I needed to humble myself and that God want to do great things through me. This was actually prophesied twice by two different people and I have been getting that prompting in my heart. I still struggle to be humble but now I find that my love has truly increased for them, this is reflected in the fact that I no longer "give up" on them but I'm able to bear with them more. When spiritual attacks come or when sin starts to creep up with extreme feelings of envy, hate or lust, He protects me from them and I can feel Him surrounding my soul so that I don't have to be trapped by all these feelings and spirits from hell.

The Spirit is so much stronger in my life now, The way it manifests in my being is more frequent and for longer periods. I am still confused as to what to do in these times though. I also find that I am naturally praying more and more everywhere I go.
A part of me is actually really scared because I know that I'm going to end up doing something crazy things for the Lord and that is going to lead to persecution.

The truth is I'm SCARED. I'm scared of the jealous feelings other believers will have when they see the amount of grace the Lord has given to me.(I know this because I get like that too and I hate it) I'm scared of being alone, of losing friends that are not walking with the Lord. I'm scared of belivers who just think I'm out of it. I'm just scared of what people think and thats the truth. But what scares me the most isn't what people think. I'm scared that they won't ever be able to understand and experience God in the way that God wants them too! I'm scared for them, that when they die and truly see God they would regret their whole life for the rest of eternity.

I'm so thankful that God has placed me at York where there are believers who understand me and accept me and are like me.

There are many things I don't understand. For example, why not everyone who believes? How come the Lord brought me so far and not others? God's grace is the same for EVERYONE! I haven't done ANYTHING. So one of the conclusions that I have come to is that people have just settled and are MISSING OUT on THE FULLNESS OF GOD. This makes me really sad. They are THORWING AWAY THE GREATEST TREASURE EVER FOR VAINITY. The world is so DECEITFUL.

Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be that name. May your name truly be revered and KNOWN, Not just tossed around.
May you be gracious to us let the light of Your face shine on us.
Let my generation catch a TRUE GLIMPSE of YOUR GLORY.

Spiritual Warfare: Be Equipped

2010-11-11T13:16:00.010-05:00

The Devil, the roaring lion is on the loose you gotta beware of the things he's trying to do. Because his lair is everywhere thats not been sanctified through and through by the Spirit of truth.The principalities of the world desecarte God's holy temple as in all the people of the world filling their mind, heart souls with countless ideologies mythologies and philosophies. Even what that call scientific fact is most of the time whack, illusions and delusions made up by our fallen mind. I walk through the halls and enter a Spiritual relm where it seems like the light is way to dim to be found because all around are people promoting their gods: from parties, charities, politics, hobbies, concerts to down right frauds. Just the other day walking round York, I saw a huge sign telling people that Christ didn't die, that it was all a lie. People started crowding around, angry especially those that didn't believe because even at the mention of His Name it causes people's souls to feel displeased. Yelling came from a man whos god was liberalism telling off the Muslims to stop stepping on other people's religion.

Spiritual warefare is all around you need to stay awake, be sober minded or you'll drown in the dissipations and day to day tribulations of the world's passions. Many are sleeping and its time to awake, the hour of our salvation is closer than when we first believed. Don't be deceived! Awake O sleeper and Christ will live in you and through you to transform you.

Stand watch on the towers of Zion don't rest until the Lord sends His powerful legions in to the dark regions where spiritual forces are holding the people up and locking down their souls. Call on His name until the Warrior arises and pushes back the forces of darkness with the sword of righteousness.

So soldier you need to be equipped lets go through the basics of what makes a Christian click.....

First things first don't involved in civilian affairs. If you are, then you gotta beware. The devils going to take your double minded heart and weight it down with troubles so that you can't even start.To be clearer, it means that everything else comes secondary to your primary objective. In fact you're so caught up in the work of Christ that you don't even notice or care too much about whats going on in the drama and problems of everyday life. When your not weighed down by the world's strifes then you can start to shine your light.

Lets talk about your basic battle gear. The Lord has a hosts of weapons that He wants to give if you can bear. You see armour is heavy to put on so you need the strength to wear it and the strength comes through PRAYER. Its like training for a long distance race, when you first start off you can barely pace, you quicky burn out and become a disgrace. But as you develop your body to persevere, your lungs start working better, your body more efficiently and soon you can run hard and fast without having to struggle and gasp every step you take.

The breast plate of righteousness covers most of your body, most importantly your heart which is where the enemy wants to pierce so dearly. So its important that you're living a life that is HOLY. If your not living a life separate for God, as soon as you take a step on the field your quickly picked off.But if you got your breast plate on, you can walk boldly and shamelessly out on the field. You don't have to be afriad of anything the enemy has to wield. A righteousness life is what convicts and guards your rep from the devils tricks.

Don't leave your house without you're shield of faith. Its the very thing that will keep you safe. With your shield you can push the enemy back as well as repell his evil attacks. You see, the firey darts of doubt and fear can maime you and if you don't have your shield the flames are going to burn you. With just a little faith you can go a long way breaking through the ranks that can't seemed to be swayed.

Remember to put on your belt of truth. Without it, everything else will fall through the roof. It holds your armour together making everything stick without it, your faith will grow horribly SICK! Holding on to truth is what we need to do because a misplaced faith are like holes in the shield, letting arrows pass through causing us to yield. For example, just the otherday a sister in the faith made a horrible mistake. A part of her faith wasn't on proper doctrine, the devil took the chance to try to take her out, placed some serious doubts. It got to the point where she broke down starting crying "God doesn't exist so why I'm I even trying?" But by the grace of God she got back up because of faithful soldiers who were there to back her up. While we're on that point its extremely important that we don't give up meeting, a cord of three strands is not easily beaten. Praying and worshiping together regularly is the very thing that gives us Spiritual vitality. Petitioning for the each other will keep the devil off our shoulders so that we can grow bolder and not be smoldered by falling into sin.

The next thing we need is feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.As we come to understand the full extent of the gospel from the glory of God, judgement, our depravity, the flames of hell to His tender love, grace and mercy, ours hearts are melted and molded in humilty. The pride that we hold burned away through His Words of purity. The change character is what will allow us to use our feet to speak, work and move effectively and with urgency.

We can't forget the helmet of Salvation we receive this through Christ's propitiation. It protects us from the fatal blows to our heads that are meant strike us dead! Salvation is forever, because of the cross nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. We can be struck down but not destroyed persecuted not abandoned. We can get back up and keep fighting again no matter how many times we get beat up.

The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God is what we have to rebuke the other false gods. For it to be effective you have to let it do its work. Remember its double edged, it needs to pierce through you and change you before it can use you to shine into the hearts of the lost. Then when the enemy attacks with his sword of lies then bang bang bang you can meet them stroke for stroke you can fend them off clag clang clang and slice through and expose the illusions and strongholds of their soul.

The last thing that needs to be addressed is how to pray in the SPIRIT... well the truth is that it comes with living in holiness. Remember the body is the temple of God, so the Spirit dwells in our heart, mind and soul. But you see we can easily quench the Spirits flame if we decide to fill the temple with things that descrate His Name. Remember God dwelled with His people in the desert? The people could be seen with the glory of God with them, but they had to stay CLEAN!

In the same way the biblical concept still applies today! The things that you watch, to what you do with your time, to the friends that you have you gotta be careful. cuz honestly 99% of the stuff on TV belongs in the trash. Its easy to tune out the voice of truth amidst the many temptations of youth. As we get rid of the other voices outside then we can start to hear the one voice that lives inside that will counsel and teach us how pray in truth.

are you ready to fight the fight to run the race? Its not easy it will take all your might and you'll lose all your rights but its worth it because its for Jesus Christ~
(Ephesians 6)

O God

2010-11-08T22:33:00.004-05:00

my depravity is becoming greater and greater in my conscious reality.
it reaches the heavens like a stench in the sky.
im amazed and dumbfounded that I haven't been squashed like a fly.
So I looked around and start to see that we are all like dust on a scale.
and honestly our pride is bigger than that of a whale.
All of us put together is like a single breathe
but when asked to give thanks to the Creator, we won't even confess
When we compare ourselves to the eternal God who doesn't need to rest
We always get tired, thirsty and hungry its clear that were a mess
Our life is like a vapour thats quicky blown away
but to God 1000 years is like a second, even less than a day
Yet we go on with our lives we say to the potter that we are not the clay
but that everything happened without a Creator's say.

I eat the dust like a worm on the ground.
Even though I know I was once lost and I'm now found
When I think about these facts its hard to get my mind around it
cuz most of the time I'm still confounded
that I'm still so blinded to the glorious God who saved me and is all around me.
but that a part of me still doesn't want to give Him the glory.
I am poor and needy I got nothing good on my own.
The things that I have, I have from crying before His gracious throne
Im amazed that He is so generous every time I ask, He gives charging no interest and responds super fast!
He is faithful to the end, even when I'm not. Its clear that without His love my thirsty soul would rot.

My knees hit the floor before the King of Glory, My heart jumps for joy, thrilled to be a part of His story. My soul longs for more as I gaze at His beauty. He's the one treasure that I've been looking for.

Random Updates.

2010-11-04T22:22:00.004-04:00

I needed a place to pray, except the Muslims took over all the rooms so I decided to sit on a bench and pray behind a Muslim booth trying to convert people. I was there praying and singing for one hour. When your in the spirit nothing really seems to matter to you anymore so I was sorta surprised when I Muslim guy asked me what I was doing and I happily told him the gospel. Except the pharisaical spirit blocked it from true understanding...its the same when talking to all Muslims. If your not equiped the spirit seriously causes you to feel weak and doubt A LOT. My friend told me thats her experience whenever she talks to them (my friend is still new in the faith). The theological points she gets right but its just serious spiritual attack cuz they always throw the same arugment from man's wisdom which is:

1. How can Jesus be God and man?
2. The bible is distorted and altered how can you know its 100% true?

What sorta scared me is that the spirit of the Muslims is rampant in the Chinese Church.

What else?

hmmm well here are a few verses that have been speaking to me:

From Jeremiah:

10 To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen to me?
Their ears are closed[a]
so they cannot hear.
The word of the LORD is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
Chapter 6.

11"They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,
Saying, 'Peace, peace,'
But there is no peace.

20"Harvest is past, summer is ended,
And we are not saved."
Chapter 8

From Isaiah

13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
Chapter 28

9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Chapter 55

1Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Chapter 59

19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.20Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Chapter 60

6On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent
You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
7And give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Chapter 62

7Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.8Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.9Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
Chapter 66

Be strong and courageous

2010-10-24T23:01:00.002-04:00

9"Have I not commanded you? )Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9

7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

30Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:30-31

1I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
2My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:31

Prayer is key!
After they PRAYED they were filled with the Holy Spirit and were able to do God`s work!
Our strength comes from God! He gives us a spirit of power and love and self-discipline!
When we wait on him we will renew our strength! Day by day!
SO when you feel like you want to act in faith but are too scared....PRAY!

When

2010-10-16T23:01:00.002-04:00

I pray.....

I am suddenly whisked into another world, another dimension.
Where the reality that I live here on earth becomes a dream and what once seemed like a far away faith in God becomes real. It is here that my hidden life is revealed. It is here that I am in true reality. My spirit appears before the throne of God most High, while my body stays back on Earth. As I pray, the spiritual becomes more real than the physical and soon has control over the sin of my flesh. As I force myself to stay in the presence of the Lord, I slowly change..... Nothing else matters anymore save to please Him, to adore Him and to know Him better. I am utterly broken and in awe of His presence washing over my spirit. I cannot fathom His being, it is a mystery and my greatest joy. My body yearns and my soul thirsts for the great sustainer of my existence. I worship and give Him control of my body, it starts to move according to the billions of worshippers beside me all in perfect sync exalting the Glorious King. Here, He is the choreographer and teaches me to dance for Him. Here He is in control of all things. Every creature before His throne, every worshipper before His presence, He knows and directs. Strange songs come forth from my mouth like a fountain that has been blocked with the refuse and is now ready to explode. I sing songs of joy. My mind does not understand the foreign syllables that are sung, but my spirit knows the meaning behind each phrase. They are the songs of the city of Zion! Whose meaning only those born in Zion the city of God, the New Jerusalem can understand.
I start to cry out to my God and interceede for the lost, among me I am joined by millions of other intercessors around the world crying out to The Most High to pour out His mercy and grace on the world. Our prayers go up to Him and He strengthens us with peace, joy and boldness to do His work. We continue to minister by the house of the Lord until we are filled to the brim overflowing with love.
and still even then we cry out once more for the lost and broken, for the fallen and deceived. AGAIN more more more perhaps this time the Lord will answer, perhaps this time He will finally pour out His annointing and Spirit and heal our land
Send hail to sweep away the refuge of lies, And waters to overflow the hiding place.

My body is getting restless. It cannot endure this kind of concentration and discipline for that long. With my spirit filled, I leave and zoom out to see the most breath taking, majestic, awesome, fearsome, beautiful scene.......

Far grander than the displays of the heavenly bodies
Far more brillant than the light from the sun
Far greater thant the vast dephs of the ocean
It is indescribable
It is the very throne room of the Lord strong and mighty.
The Lord mighty in battle.

Please Watch!

2010-10-16T00:43:00.000-04:00

Why Blog

2010-10-12T23:04:00.001-04:00

I really don`t have much to say.
Just click the link and pray.

http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=19020&commentView=itemComments

Look Up!

2010-10-11T20:09:00.002-04:00

Today I read all day about the Greeks for school.
SO0o0o0o DISTURBING to the max!

I seriously wanted to spend the time in prayer cuz I could feel my soul dying, except the work has piled up. So I endured and made do with singing worship songs in between readings.

I also tried to do family devotions today
except my father was too tired and my sister just yelled no.

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
Psalm 18:32-35

Dust.

2010-10-07T13:52:00.003-04:00

O Lord its from the dust that you made me
and its from the dust that you raised me.
You sustain and me together every atom, cell and hair on my head
Every decision that I make from the time that I wake till when I go to bed.
You are the most sovereign, high above all things. Nothing can match your infinite glory. So as I worm on the ground my knees hit the floor I scream for your mercy as if I were a whore, cuz that's what my people all are. By your grace, let me marvel at your glory and be a part of your story.
I know that my life is hanging delicately in the palm your hands
Every tick of the clock it brings me quicker to the day that I will stand
before you sitting on throne of judgment. Every aspect of my life laid bare before you in a second.

I pray that my eyes won't grow blind to your beauty, power, majesty all of who you are stretching from all eternity.
I pray that I will never compromise and listen to the devil's lies. Make me bold in the faith so I won't go astray and play it safe.

People trying to tell me that You're something that You're not. People thinking that they got it, that they're hot when they're not. They tell me that I'm too hot that I need to cool down but the way we're doing things isn't doctrinally sound. So I need to sound the bell to the watchtower so the blood isn't on my hands even of they refuse the demands that are written in the living Word at least they can't say that they never heard.

Oh no! doubts thrown at me from all sides. I'm barely holding on, this is a hell of a ride. Gotta hold firm to the truth of what you have revealed me. Need to be a good steward of the grace you have given me and you have strengthened me with Your all surpassing joy. In my heart I know that I don't need to cool down but need to heat up and not cover light that I was given to shine though it be blinding to the darkness of the people all around its the only way to show the lost how to be found.
O Lord I don't want this task can't you give me something less whack but
If you're at my right hand I won't be shaken though the world around me be quaking.

Rejoice!

2010-10-05T20:49:00.002-04:00

In the Lord ALWAYS! I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philipians 4:4

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
Philipains 3:1

When was the last time you rejoiced? Like soo filled with joy that you couldn't help but dance, sing, shout to the Lord?
Paul says its a "safeguard" as in it is IMPORTANT to rejoice to guard against spiritual attacks the devil wants to throw at you!

If your not able to rejoice
Something is WRONG spiritually.Check your life!
Are you seekng the Lord daily and taking up your cross?
or is the world sucking the joy out of you?
You can't be filled with God's blessings if your filled with the world!

because the fruit of the spirit is LOVE THEN JOY THEN PEACE!

A Generation......

2010-09-30T23:14:00.010-04:00

3Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face--even Jacob. Selah
Psalm 24

We need to be the generation of the Lord!
We need clean hands. We need pure hearts.
This is NOT EASY

The other day I was at one of the most intense worship gatherings ever. The Spirit came because the people in that room were seekers of the Lord Almighty.

We had someone exposit Psalm 24 into three points and everyone was AMENING to the following:

1)Coming Together in Unity – Psalms 133 – where the brethren gather together in unity God commands his blessing. Acts 2:1-2 - they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

We need to gather together to WORSHIP and to PRAY. We need to do nothing else but those two things when we meet seeking the face of the Lord together and waiting upon Him. That is what true fellowship is. It isn`t socialing. It isn`t doing fun activities together like cookng. (we have changed its meaning in today's culture so much that it isn't biblical)

2)Consecration – 1 Peter 1:14-16 - As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

We need to set ourselves APART. To be holy means to be separate. This means separating yourself from the junk of the media. Cut it out of your life! If your filling your mind with that stuff, its gonna affect your soul and your heart. The Holy Spirit is gonna be effectively quenched in your life because your already full of unholy junk. Consecrating ourselves also takes sacrifice. We need time to BE with the Lord in the place of worship. So this is going to mean spending less time with friends and being WISE with the time you do have. Don't waste it. Spend as much time with God as possible.

3)Consistency in Prayer – James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This is key. Jesus spent soo much time praying and it is mentioned in the gospels countless times. When the apostles first started their ministry they prayed.

3 Brothers, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them. 4 Then we can give our attention to prayer and to teaching the word."
Acts 6:3-4

In fact they gave other work that was NOT prayer and teaching to other men.
Paul also says:

2 Spend a lot of time in prayer. Always be watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

All the great men and woman of God in the past got on their knees and PRAYED.
Prayer shows your humilty and dependence on God. The more you pray the more you are showing your need for God. The less you pray the more you think you can do it on your own.

If you do these things and PERSEVERE in them God will start to use you
If you don't you can bear no fruit and you'll be wasting your time.
Because Jesus says:

5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me. 6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.
John 15:5-6

How are you remaining in Jesus if you aren't praying?
How are you remaining in Jesus if your living a life that isn't holy? If your hung up on girls or guys or school?
How are you remaining in Jesus if you don't gather to worship Him or want to worship Him?

There are many people who are serving God but they're not living holy lives.
There are many pastors serving God but they aren't praying.
There's no power when they speak, they're faith is weak and their teaching is border line heretical. They're scared to preach truth because they fear man and not God.
They fear because they do it on their own strength.
and we wonder why the church is so stagnant?

Don't be like the generation of our parents.
Seek God He will strengthen you and uphold you if you trust and obey Him!

Need More

2010-09-26T17:47:00.006-04:00

So we need more prayer
soo much more prayer.
we need more intercessors for the Sunday school class
its going well, the Spirit is moving BUT we still need more
and the only way is to pray pray pray

in the words of JW
"I don't care who at the moment I am desperate. I'll take prayer from ANYONE
a half heart Christian, a new believer a strong believer give it all to me God will sorta it out" LOL

Honestly more prayer.
I don't know how else to emphasize this

Wake Up O Sleeper

2010-09-24T20:53:00.006-04:00

We are sleeping in the land of the Valley of the Shadow of Death
but we need to awake because the hour of our salvation is closer than we first confessed
why is everything here soo messed? Its like we're ok settling for less.
A demon is locking us down
Chopping us down throwing us around.
and we got no might to fight back because we don't believe the Word of truth
To breakthrough the chains the enemy got around us.
To cut through the lies that the devil has sown into us.
There's no way that we can win unless we are actively killing sin and living the Words out and having it change us within.

Where Christ is supposed to be the center
but we just give face and don't really embrace
what the Lord set out His church to be like in the first place.
The foundations not build well
so honestly it means that many people are going to slip down to hell.

You see revival is happening everywhere else in the world.
Even in the States cuz some of the youth there knows what it is to fear the Lord.
They getting together everyday to fast and pray thats why we're hearing revivals in the biggest universities like UCLA.
Can't you see its NOT OK. We need to go ALL the way.
No more half hearted half truth half prayer cuz if we're like that then I am starting to get scared.
I am in fear of the future of the church.
____________________________________________
started a bible study group today.
praying for it. It went really well God definitely spoke to the hearts of the people.
People are so hungry for the truth but no has been feeding them.
they went to CCF but they were intimidated.

Spending every spare moment I have in prayer.
Need more strength from the Lord.

Talked to one of the leaders from a Christian group
That I went to visit the other day.
It was very Spirit filled with many mature believers.
Blew me away with stories of small revivals.

Guy I talked received some words through the Spirit
it was encouraging cuz he was revealed exactly what I was going through and told me what I needed to hear It was also a confirmation that what I am doing is correct.

"It is blessed to not take offense"

WOOO

2010-09-23T23:13:00.005-04:00

Prayer finally makes sense now.
I always thought something was missing when I prayed.

Unless

2010-09-22T17:22:00.009-04:00

the Father draws them...

So today.
I felt like God wanted me to pray for the Muslims at my school (and there are alot)

So as they were doing their worship in the sanctuary
I slipped in the back and started praying for them and worshiping.
The Muslim faith is ridiculously strong. All I saw were chains of oppressed people held under the curse of the law...the curse of Ishmael.
As I worshiped I started to sing to Jesus loudly as they were doing their rituals.
The Spirit gave me strength because there was no way I would've be able to do that.

I talked to one person about Jesus afterwards but its like a stone wall.
They can't accept Jesus as God and that God is Jesus.
but almost everything else about the Christian faith they believe.
I'm starting to have a heart for these people. Which is scary because well when I think about all the barriers..... even if one believed, when the rest found out they would be out to get me lets not even start with their family. But a part of me knows that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.

Only God can change hearts and bring them to true repentance

There is crazy spiritual warfare and I feel like I have no power. The devil got these people tightly locked up.

I was told worshiping Jesus is a sin.
and that's what I was doing explicitly XD

Christ Can Dwell

2010-09-20T22:16:00.008-04:00

In our hearts through faith!
God lives in us!
The more we learn of Him and believe the more we EXPERIENCE HIM in our hearts!
that is sooo sick.

but most of the time we dont believe or we refuse to believe because what His word says because it is so contrary to our sinful nature! When in reality His Words are what bring us to life! Its LIVING!

It takes spiritual strength to be able to have the faith to accept hard truths!
thats why Paul prays:

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
Eph 3:16-18

but when we do and we EXPERIENCE IT we are TRANSFORMED to be more holy and sin has less control in our lives as it says

3For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [[d]full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).

4By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.
2 Peter 1:3-4 Amp.

Our personal knowing or experience of Him is what sanctifies us.
Which can thus be translated to a law like
As faith increases
Christ also increases

now to exercise faith that changes takes sacrifice because in order for you to receive something in faith, you have to make room for it in your heart which means taking something out to make room!

=)

Faith

2010-09-17T00:43:00.006-04:00

Faith.
Many times we fool ourselves into thinking that we have faith because we have knowledge of the faith or we have faith because of how we are feeling.

But when it comes down to it:

You either have it or you don't
We either choose to act in faith or we don't

When it comes to faith we trust what we believe more than what we can rationalize in our minds and more than what our emotions tell us. For the Christian, that faith is equal to obedience to God because we trust in His Words more than our own understanding.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight"

The catch with this passage is that we cannot do NOTHING and trust in God with our whole heart. If we do, than we are trusting that our own understanding is God's understanding and thus we create an excuse NOT to exercise faith but rather to live in our own understanding.

For example, "I don't know if I should talk to this person if God really wants me to talk to this person the person will talk to me or God will show me a sign"

If we say we truly trust then we have to trust Him enough to do what He says. We cannot sit back and say "He's got it all in control" He does in one sense but in another the way His redemptive work is done is through us. We are His letters that can only be read when we open ourselves up through faith.

For example, "I know I should be talking to this person because the Lord commands that I go make disciples of all nations and the only way that can possibly happen is if I share my faith with them. I'm scared but I'm going to trust in what God says"

Its about being faithful to Him. It doesn't matter so much the how or what or the results but rather the heart and desire to please and then obey. All of us will fall short when it comes to the how and many disagree on the how and what and none of us are ever sure of the outcome.

6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.
Romans 14:6

it is the relationship that we build with God that matters. One where we stick with Him through everything good and bad wether He chooses to use our faith or not. It does not matter for "The righteous will live by faith"

We could end up like Jeremiah..
no one ever listened to what he said throughout his whole life

or we could end up like Nehemiah
who saw God raise back his people from captivity

Every second of our lives we can choose to act in faith or not.
and everytime we genuinely act in faith we build on a foundation that will last

Its like building a relationship with someone, everytime you open yourself deeper to that person you get closer to them likewise everytime you open your heart to God and obey Him you get closer to Him.

Think of the infinite possibilities and potential to walk with God in 943949304 number of ways! and as we our faithful to Him He will prove Himself faithful to us.

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Mathew 17:20

small acts of faith leads to bigger acts of faith which leads to deeper intimacy with God because your depending on Him more and more and more
6I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:16

Christ dwells in our heart through faith!

A lot of the times the reason why Christians don't have the joy and peace and love that abounds in the heart that is mentioned so many times in the scripture is because their faith in God is either really shallow or incorrect.

Which is why the Psamist prays to God to

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5

The ideal Christian is so lost in seeking God that he doesn't realize the powerful work that God is doing through him as He journeys toward God.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b]

7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7

As they are transformed by God's power through their faith in Him, that faith spreads to those around them and they too make the valley a place of springs within the hearts of the people~

Yesterday

2010-09-10T11:15:00.005-04:00

I saw a mighty warrior strong, determined and unmoved. His armour was soo bright that it blinded my eyes and I had to turn away. In one hand he held a razor sharp sword in the other a massive shield. The enemies around him trembled in fear. He didn't even need to move and they were struck down. I thought to myself "I wish I could be like him"

My friend next to me laughed and told me that the warrior was a fool and an idiot. I was confused as to why he would think that until I looked at his face and realized that my friend was blind.

It confused me too see that as the warrior was fighting hordes of enemies he was also being laughed at and spat on.

I saw him at the corner of yonge and dundas square.
Everyday he stands and shouts "Jesus Loves You" to the masses walking by, while handing out Words of life to them written on paper.
I wanted to help him because I knew that when the King comes back, the warrior is going to rule over me and I wanted to get on his good side.
He is afflicted with a mental illness, but one day he is going to be healed and restored with honour and glory and no one will laugh at him anymore.

Yesterday

I saw a prisoner in a high security prison, body was wrapped in chains so thick that you couldn't see her body, only chains. She was hated by everyone and hated by those around her. The twitches on her body and the slur of her speech told everyone she was a drug addict. Her eyes told me that she was a prostitute that was unashamed. They wanted her dead. She was the most despised thing in all the world.

I saw a person, a creation of God so lost, whose glory so far gone that she does not even realize because she has never seen or even tasted what she was supposed to be. Well she does but the chains cover her eyes, keep her locked down so much that she cannot even cry for help. I also saw the grace of God sustaining His creation by His grace waiting to hear her voice, so that if she even calls out in the smallest bit for help He would come down and smash those chains into pieces.

I looked and saw my friend who sitting beside me
and what I saw scared me because she was the same as that person I saw.
maybe even worse off

Paganus

2010-09-10T01:48:00.008-04:00

I think that I'm allergic to the secular culture... more like its death to my soul.
what I have learned is God's grace and faithfulness

13if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
2 Timothy 2:13

so many times during the day I had to worship and call upon the name of the Lord. I wish I could've sung louder but I was in the middle of the most randomest places

7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—
2 Peter 2:7-8

that is the story of my life everywhere I go.

My lack of prayer has killed my discernment and I have done some stupid things which I regret.

so today I lied in order to get a girls number for frosh bucks ....I have absolutely no excuse, it really scared me that I compromised so much.
and so many other things that I would only know because they are in my heart ......

My lack of prayer has been due mostly to fear and apathy
The more I pray the more I am changed and the more I am changed the more alone I feel. It also hurts like hell to pray, because when I do I am faced with the harsh spiritual realities that I would like to ignore. The problem is that I can't because I see it everywhere I ago. I see it just as much as I see physically. So what usually happens is that I try to ignore it until I get extremely overwhelmed and cry to the Lord.

Lord have mercy.
My only hope is in You
My soul find rest in You alone

Frosh Day 1

2010-09-07T13:50:00.002-04:00

So on too the rest of my frosh experience.....
Basically I died inside because of the intense amounts of profanity and slander against other colleges and sexual connotations... well more like blatant sexually degrading comments. However throughout the whole thing the Lord gave me great insight and I saw through the people: Drawn to evil and encouraged to do evil by each other, enjoying for a short time the power of using words to cut and belittle but still having their consciences convict them and in the end leaving them empty only to cover it up by talking about it afterwards giving approval to each other. I found it so sad that people we're so quick to hate on others of different colleges because they were told too. Its like they could not survive without some sort of chaos happening. It was what they enjoyed, what they thrived on.

I was wondering why I even decided to go and started to think to myself that I was wasting my time when I could be at home spending time in prayer with the Lord. I didn't want to make friends because my own heart was not open to them. I am a very shy person and don't care much for small talk but I forced myself for a bit and then gave up because it I was not getting anywhere and to be honest found it to be vain.

So I started I sat down to read my bible and a girl who was beside me asked me what I was reading so I told her.
"I'm reading the bible" (secretly hoping she would ask me more questions) she responded "O" in a thats cool way.
The girl, who's name was Mona was really sociable, bold and so naturally attracted people to come. Soon there were people around us and we were talking. I was able to slowly open myself up. I learned that the reason why I wasn't making friends was because I was afraid to show people who I was knowing that I was naturally salt and light because of the grace of God and also knowing that darkness hated light and so I let my imagination take my fear out of proportion.

As we we're talking I was revealed that one of the reasons people are drawn to evil is because they have never known the light. The other reason is because they're evil. So while one part is attracted to people with light and other part hates those with light because they themselves do not have it (as with Cain and Abel and as with Issac and Ishmael). These two things are in constant battle with one another most of it hidden within the heart. However, it comes out in small pieces because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. When people witness they are welcomed because of the natural attraction to the light or persecuted because of the natural hate to it. For the Christian, we become more and more and sanctified as we come to a better understanding of the light and experience Him through faith in His Words. Since the latter reason for evil has been taken care of through the change of heart that the Spirit brings about from stone to flesh, the first part (lack of understanding) is the only reason that is left which through His grace we can grow into.

As I slowly let myself be myself I found that I was able to make friends really quickly and noticed that my new found friends were attracted to me. They just wanted to be accepted and as I let more of Jesus live out through me I was feeding they're human needs naturally while enjoying they're company. I was given spiritual insight to their lives and immediately felt a great love for them even though I only just met them. I so desperately wanted to TELL them but knew that it was impossible with God so I needed much prayer before making any decisions. I befriended a girl from Bangladesh, a girl from Guiana and a guy from Portugal. Two of them were Muslims and one Catholic (though not really understanding it).
Hopefully I will have the chance to get to to know them better during frosh this week and to share the gospel with them.

On the bus ride home, I was able to evangelize to a commuter froshie on the bus.
Another thing that I learned was that in our society today people are so HUNGRY and open for truth. They are not so much opposed to it as they are apathetic towards it. This is partly due their lack of knowledge of what the gospel is. They don't reject the gospel as much, they just categorize everything as one and the same. If there were people who would actually live the gospel out people would listen. In a world with no absolutes, absolutes standout.

I also was very confused at times as to how I should act.
especially during the cheering and the party at night
What does being holy unto the Lord really mean?
There is this balance I need discernment on because it doesn't make sense to just leave. Jesus hung out with sinners and they we're probably doing some sketch things while He was there.

Frosh + The Church

2010-09-06T23:45:00.008-04:00

So its disturbing that they did a thorough search for alcohol and checked EVERYONE and then had hundred of condoms on tables beside the punch bowls to give out 0.o

I find it SCARY that frosh reminds me of TC except with swearing.
I also find it scary that the way the student body is run @ York is similar too if not exactly the same way we run "fellowship" at MCBC with the exception that we throw in a short prayer between things to make it religious and "God centered" and then a few bible verses taken out of context and slap a theme on it and say that we learned something about God when in reality its we learned about what we would want God to be like and what we think He should want us to do.

The whole concept of raising up leaders and getting them to be active....
Its NOT biblical its actually a socialogial thing that has been implemented in secular educational circles and then transferred to the "church"

The biblical model is more like this:
God's grace appoints leaders in the church and they teach and rebuke while everyone else listens. (1 Cor 3:10, Eph 4:11)

Yes Paul was Timothy's father in the faith BUT Timothy also received the gift through the laying on of hands and so is encouraged to "fan into flame the gift of God"
He is then taught to teach the other men (even older men so age makes no difference in God's eyes) to live by the Words of truth. Yes there are elders and deacons BUT their function is to take care of the social needs of the church and running of the church.

While I am on this one thing that is distressing me to no end is the fact that we are literally killing the youth @ MCBC by playing games with them when they are STARVING spiritually for the Word. Its like we're sending them through a death machine called religion and we popping out pharisees like crazy who have absolutely NO DESIRE for God. This is partly due to the fact that they have no proper understanding of who God is due too the lack of proper teaching and also due to lack of prayer of regenerated believers in the "fellowship".

and we use excuses called:
"they're not ready" or "we have to show them love through relationship first" or "the change is too quick"

Wasn't the sermon last Sunday on CASTING out?
well what if Peter said
"I don't think the fish are ready yet" or "hold on let me just talk to the fish first and build a relationship with them" or "we've never let down the nets after we've taken them back up.... the change is too quick"

then I guess we would have no story.

See the NET is the Word of God its the only thing thats gonna get us any fish and is the only thing that ever has. His Word will NOT return to Him empty it WILL accomplish what HE desires and some of the seed that is scattered will fall on good soil and its not our job to worry about where it's falling but rather to SOW in faith.

Are we placing too much of our faith on how well of an institution we have?
or are we placing our faith on His Words and setting forth the truth plainly?

Don't Get Yourself

2010-09-06T00:23:00.006-04:00

Killed during frosh week
was what a person at church told me today as a joke
I was hurt, but the joke was actually funny so I laughed. What I pictured in my head was sorta a bit ridiculous.

When I think about it though
I would probably be too scared to do anything slightly close to getting me killed (like preaching as the froshes are partying it up)
For me doing the following is going to be a challenge:

Suffering for Doing Good

8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For,
"Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."[a]
13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear[b]; do not be frightened."[c] 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
-1 Peter 3:8-12

Living for God

1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

Suffering for Being a Christian

12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[a]
19So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
-1 Peter 4:1,12-19

1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
-Psalm 1

Read through Exodus and Leviticus over the past few days.
Learned a lot from reading all the laws, the way the temple had to be made to the passover and the 10 judgments from God.

When God appeared to the Israelites on Sinai no could approach Him or they would die.
All the laws that needed to be kept shows God's holinesss and the reoccurring theme is "to be holy because I am holy"

the standards for holiness for the Israelites were so high and we need to understand that God never changes. His holiness is still the same and His standards are still the same.

But it seems that we've forgotten that and compromise so much in church today.

Let us Stop to Reflect

2010-09-04T00:11:00.002-04:00

One year ago.........
I didn't think I would get through it but I did by the grace of God only to find out that it just gets HARDER not easier.

I'm basically at the same point in life that I was one year ago:
A new stage in life.

Very similar which I find sorta nostalgic.
Except this time its different

This time I have nothing left
but God.

I don't care about anything but two things:
1. Persevering and clinging to God through this stage
2. Working for the Kingdom and not wasting my life

Some Fruit

2010-09-02T00:08:00.002-04:00

Ok I don't want to sound too excited but I am.
cuz I just found out that someone who I have been praying for and caring for and teaching the bible too accepted Christ FOOO SERIOUS and its like one the last person anyone would ever expect!

so I am happy because it means that I am on the right track and connected to Christ (John 15)

ummm I'm also sorta relived because one of my inner fears was always getting into heaven and then having no fruit as in no disciples made.
but now I can say that I have made one disciple. Well not me but the grace of God working through me but yeah you get what I am trying to say.

Treble in Fear

2010-09-01T10:09:00.003-04:00

Yesterday = some crazy spiritual warfare
I was in a deadlock

laziness, apathy, fear overwhelmed me.

anyways this is my story......
I knew I needed to come before the Lord to pray but I was too lazy and kept procrastinating eating food, sleeping, listening to Christian hip hop.

As I was listening to this song.....

and the Spirit revealed to me the Holiness of God and the fear that the Israelites had toward Him in the Old Testament. Finally all the weird things that they did made sense in such a real way. In spite of that I still ignored going to God.

Finally I forced myself except I didn't really pray with everything so I had to force myself. I also felt like ..... my prayers were useless and pointless and that God wouldn't hear them or that I was so sinful and it kept me coming to God

So I started to meditate on 2 Timothy.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:6-7

1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1

15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

I started reflecting on the grace of God and how all encompassing it is.
To be strong in the grace..... means to let yourself receive that grace
then I thought of how much God has blessed me with so many Spiritual gifts and how I wasn't really fanning it into flame. Then I thought of how everything that I am is by the grace of God all the good that I have been able to do for Him. So then I started to realize that God does everything and thats when my prayers started to come to life and I was taken to throne of God and I suddenly realized that His infinite holiness still stands today and I started to get scared except I remembered that the righteousness of Jesus was imparted to me so I stayed and reflected on that.

I was too scared though frig the sinful part of me wanted to sleep so I went to sleep. But I was still meditating on all these concepts and then suddenly bam
The Spirit brought a part of my spirit into His presence. It was so powerful, all encompassing and it kept getting stronger and stronger and I thought in my heart no more God I can't take this and it stopped.

I learned though that you can't escape God only ignored Him Psalm 139 still stands true for all of us to this day. I also learned that time is irrelevant when it comes to the Father. Its all about your heart and faith. Time is a space of grace created by God in order that we might seek Him.

I am so frustrated at how dull my heart is toward God so much of the time and I am distressed that so few people fear the Lord.

Sanctified Music

2010-08-31T17:03:00.003-04:00

I never thought I would listen to music on my I-pod again
but now that I have discovered this things called Christian hip hop
That has changed.
They preach the bible and make into nice catchy songs so IT STICKS IN YOUR HEAD

You know when you have a catchy song stuck in your head and the lyrics are ungodly?
so then you don't want to sing it?

well you shouldn't be listening to it soo much that its stuck in your head in the first place BUT

Now you can have the bible stuck in your head and you can sing it as loudly as you want cuz you're spreading the light hahahaha awesomeness

guys like
shai linne, timothy brindle, believen stephen

theres a lot more~

Build it Proper

2010-08-30T18:06:00.003-04:00

No other foundation can be laid except that of Jesus Christ. So we need to ask ourselves with what are we building our life?
For we are God’s temple in which He dwells. We are His house.
And the first thing we need is to have a solid foundation and we call that salvation receiving God’s grace through faith.

But for most Christians they receive a solid foundation but then start thinking after that they can build on it with their own hands but what they’re really building with is sand. But you see your life was already paid for at full price and so you can build with nothing save for faith in the finished work of Christ. If we receive salvation by grace then it only makes sense we also receive sanctification through grace and that the only way to build the kingdom is through His grace of course all by faith.

Because what we build on is going to be tried by the fire and what is going to be left? Will we build with wood or straw or hay the very things that will be burned away? Or with gold, silver and costly stones the very things that are founded on Christ alone and that are truly worthy of His throne.
So are you building in faith, on the grace of the cross? or are you building on flesh trying to save face to your loss? Things like man’s philosophy, religiosity, sociology, psychology, or churchology?

Things like just focus on the relationship but don’t let your light shine bright don’t say anything about your faith in Christ cuz if you’re just nice that’s the very things going to bring their soul that is in strife from death into eternal life! If we’re like that, we’re getting a bit whack not evangelizing the way that the bible says in fact we’re on the line of acting like a cult so we got people coming to church thinking their good but they’re false converts.

Because if your building on mans wisdom, you’re doing no work your probably doing more hurt. Though it seems like your training converts but deep inside the person’s spirit is still trapped in sin and hasn’t been cleansed within because the Holy Spirit’s work hasn’t been done for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is true freedom.

So we need to start getting on our knees and crying out Father please because we know that the only way that souls can be cracked and be brought back to the Father, The only way the Kingdom is gonna come in someone’s life is nothing short of a miracle like the one that resurrected Jesus Christ.

Not with all these concepts of talk that turn the soul sour but of a demonstration of the Spirit’s power because the Kingdom of God is not about talk but of power. See the true workers of Christ don’t need all these books created by the wisdom of man like Purpose Driven church or how to win fast converts, how to teach Sunday school to entertain by watering down the truth of Jesus’ Name, worshiping God with style but where all the book that teach on self denial?

Cuz if we’re using these things as tools to work for God we’re actually being used as a tool by the devil and we need go back to looking like fools for the wisdom of man is foolishness to God and the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.
Because the bible is the only book that’s reliable and you don’t need any other book to help you exposit the truth because you have a deposit of the Holy Spirit within which teaches and guides you into all truth if you really seek to know the truth. He’s the line that sends the truth of scripture thats in your mind to your heart and then translates it to your spirit cuz its something that you have inherited by faith.

We need to kick it old school like the holy saints of the past who we’re brutally harassed because the Word of God and its the only thing that will last and has lasted throughout the ages despite all the misinterpretations of the pages. Cuz culture will change and is constantly being rearranged so being relevant or eloquent is like fumbling like an elephant when it comes down to God’s eloquence.
We don’t use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. But by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience and in God’s sight.

So if you think you got it right with a lot of fancy theology and epistemologies, these things that please men. Then maybe you need to resolve to know nothing but Christ crucified, because pharisaic knowledge is the biggest form of idolatry within the church. Knowledge that puffs up not build up and zeal without knowledge is dangerous but useless knowledge is contagious and strangles, mangles, entangles the work of God.

and setting forth the truth plainly may seem a bit insanely contradictory to what we’ve been taught in church lately. But let’s not do what makes sense in the eyes of the world but start to realize that we can’t compromise. Instead we need to trust in God like the Israelites who marched around the walls of Jericho 6 days and their faith was a little fazed on the way but in end they trusted and obeyed and so God made their path straight the huge stone wall came crashing down down down right to the ground all in the city died except Rahab who’s faith in God was what got her saved.

Only proper faith is going build the Kingdom up everything else is a waste it’s going to turn to chafe blown away and He that does not gather scatters so don’t be a detriment to the Kingdom cuz many want to be teachers of the faith but they play it safe and know don’t what they’re talking about its the very thing that 1+2 Timothy warns us about that’s why you need to read the bible for yourself.
So let’s build our lives on the promises of God who is faithful and true.
And let me just say I say these things out of love because my joy would be to see that on that day you won’t be one that’s just barely saved barely escaping through the flames but that you built your life on the truth of Jesus Name.

Enter the Rest

2010-08-29T00:14:00.003-04:00

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
Hebrews 4:1-2

It hit me today that not being able to enter God's is such a terrible thing.
because today I had so many burdens on my heart that weighed so deep.

Like the burden for the lost people around me
but also the burden of always WORRYING about it and thinking of all these things I had to do or I should do but I'm not doing and I really just wanted to be free from them.
like maybe if I said this or that or prayed more or prayed harder or prepared my sermon more or was able to open up more then these people would listen and live their lives for God.

but the next part of this passage says....

3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.' "[b] And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work."[c] 5And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
Hebrews 4:3-4

God is SO BIG
in one way He has already finished His work and in another He is still working
so for us who believe in one way we rest knowing that God has finished it but we also work knowing that its not done.

The hard part is figuring and discerning and
I dunno its just weird.

I can pray and worship God
but I also pray and cry to God.

and I have no clue which I should be doing!
cuz I feel guilty if I'm not crying and enjoying God instead but then I feel like I'm missing out on something God has given to me when I'm always crying or that I'm not getting the full picture!

0.o

The Heart of the Psalmist

2010-08-28T01:11:00.002-04:00

Whom have I in heaven but You?
There is none I desire besides You.
Show me your ways and teach me your paths
guide me into your truths and teach me.
Let my heart not be drawn to evil
and keep me from willful sin
O Sovereign Lord I am greatly afflicted and so to you I cry
Save me or Lord for the sake of Your name
Cleanse me and wash away my sins
Remove my transgression far from me so that I may be free
and songs of praise and joy to the Lord my God.
May the peoples praise You
May the peoples praise O God.
and Your salvation be made known to all nations
teach me to number my days that I may gain a heart of wisdom.
Grant your servant strength to do your work for his spirit is weak

foolishness

2010-08-27T00:33:00.004-04:00

So today I lost my self control and decided to pick a fight with my dad on the issues involving the second coming of Christ. Which was so stupid because not only was I doing it because I wanted to be right and didn't really care about my dad, it also hurt my family because we were arguing so much about it.

In the back of my head 943094 verses came up that totally warned me to stop and not be a fool but of course I didn't listen.

SO now I feel like an idiot and very ashamed of myself
I let myself get caught up in "disputable matters" and in knowledge that puffs up and doesn't build up.

1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
1 Corinthians 3:1-4

if anything this taught me that even though I am right and can prove it with like 2930293 bible verses at the end of the day if its not done in love its a useless and it does more harm than good.

It Feels

2010-08-22T00:15:00.003-04:00

good to trust in God.
and to serve Him in faith
because He gives you the strength to work for Him
and blesses you for it.

it also feels good to know the truth about God

as I grow in the grace of Jesus Christ
I am being released from all the legalistic, superstitious practices that I was brought up in the church to believe in.

So many things are attributed to God when they AREN'T.
and its very freeing to UNDERSTAND in my spirit faith and grace and apply it to my life.

So many things I used to think
for prayer I used to think that the more I pray the more God will hear/answer as if it were by works. When really I pray through grace to receive even more grace for the work of God to be done.

I sometimes think that for when I work for God as well
when really God wants our worship when we do these things like prayer or serving
we do it in faith with all our heart soul and mind

Sometimes we say we do things in faith when were not

for example in the way we witness or preach we use other methods to try to bring people to God or entertain them
many fancy philosophical, psychological, socialogical things

ex. building the relationship, not really true. Sure the person might be more patient with you in listening if they know you but for a true working of the Spirit it doesn't matter as long as the message is being proclaimed in truth and love with prayer and faith.

actually the way you live your life is more influential then the relationship
(1 Peter 2:11)

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."[c]
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25

we don't use anything but preaching the truths of the bible
and prayer for His Spirit to bring forth faith in the lives of the people we speak too so that His name can be glorified.

1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
1 Corinthians 2:1-3

If you look at my older posts you should be able to see a progression
from a very worldly understandings of God that were almost or basically heretical to a more biblical understanding of who He is

to the praise of His name!

Lack of

2010-08-21T00:14:00.005-04:00

self-control destroyed me yesterday.
the computer is a dangerous thing for your spiritual life.
it can become like a super idol where you can worship anything and everything all at the same time! The T.V. is just pure well junk 99.99% of the time

I started off with just checking my emails (which I do way too often)
and then I just clicked on Wongfu and started to watch..and watch and watch
and the stuff wasn't anything violent or sensual but it still convicted me like crazy as I was watching it because it definitely didn't glorify God
anyway I ended up watching till like 2:00 am
and the whole time there was like a heavy spiritual force in my heart
so that afterward I felt so condemned and guilty that I couldn't pray that night and the feeling stayed until I finally shook it off and cried to the Lord with all my heart!

I have these spurts where I am crazily self discipline+control (as it says in the letters to be)and just pray and then I get discouraged and give up and lose it all.
and then I have to do it again because my spirit feels so dead.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
2 Peter 1:5-9

So I need to PERSEVERE at being self controlled as it says in the verse and that will lead me to be more godly because I am living a life of servitude.

Also I must always remember that the Lord is FAITHFUL and will not condemn me based on what I do because I did NOTHING in the first place!

this is NOT EASY.
especially with today's culture where the main problem is no self control!

Let me introduce

2010-08-19T00:31:00.002-04:00

my best friends to you.

we'll really I have none.
none that I know personally
Jeremiah seems pretty close to me these days
except well he had it a lot harder than me.
I'm sorta just we'll barely passing
He was soaring with flying colours

maybe I relate to Timothy more?
just a young man learning
except I guess Timothy was already pretty bold and courageous

Jonah?
hmm yeah well I'm not running BUT
He definitely preached one heck of a sermon to the Ninevites
nawww we're not that tight.

John the Baptist?
hmmm probably more like him he was a pretty straight forward repent and be baptized person yep probably more like him except well I am currently not as straight forward and lack a lot of biblical sword to rebuke. hmmm

Is Anyone Still Alive?

2010-08-15T20:39:00.002-04:00

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
Psalm 42:4

I long to seek the face of the Lord with the multitude
but where are they? where have they all gone?
are there none that understand? Any who seek God?
All have turned aside.
The bride scattered among the wolves
like sheep to be slaughtered
helpless and weak too afraid and mocked by those around them

Who will witness the Lord with me?
Who will cry to the Lord and seek His face with me?
Who will cry over the lost with me?

Let us proclaim a time of fasting and prayer before the Lord
Let us set a time and meet in the courts together earnestly with a pure heart

Today another has decided to leave. What I am I to do?

It is a fire in my bones
it screams..... SACRIFICE
be made a spectacle in the procession of saints as the onlookers observe and laugh.
there is no other way.