An Update

For those that read this, I am very grateful.  An update on life.  Things are very normal for now.  Class, work, class, work.  I am very ready to be done with school.  The thing with school, is that you can't leave class in class.  Your work follows you everywhere, stuff lingers, the things that need to be done, papers, presentations, quizzes, it gets old.  But I am making it through.

Many ideas have come to me, and many people have told me, wherever I decide to go, God will still be there, I can go far far away, to an island somewhere and God will still be there.  That is good to know.  I was pretty sure I was going to do YWAM for awhile, but that changed.  Mission work while it is exciting, needs to have a constant passion, and that I do not have a constant passion for, that I am so willing to pay the money to do work, it seems like a great experience but I have been struggling trying to understand if that is where I should go or not.

The sun is shinning through my window the first time today.  I see the faint shadows of the bars on my windows against the wall.  It's nice to have sun, though it is cold sun.  Life just keeps moving forward, and the seconds keep moving up, up, up to 60 then falls back to 0.

Kingdom

On Saturday I did something with a friend that I normally wouldn't do.  I felt led to be bold in my life, and confidently do some Kingdom work...  A friend and I went downtown Chicago, to Millenium Park, and had signs that read "Can I Pray For You?"  We sat at a small table, and we went global.  People from all over the world came.  One guy from Kenya, another from London, a couple from Montana, who did mission work in the Czech, it was awesome.  I noticed that everyone was a believer whom stopped by, and they were young, in their 20s and 30s.  Also, a guy stopped by, referring this generation as an "army" of believers... my view is a little different, yet it ties it all in...

I do believe our generation will be the generation that will lead this world out of much of the problems it is facing today, as well as be the leaders of tomorrow in the next 10-20-30 years.  We are being shaped right now into people of integrity, understanding, compassion, justice, mercy, ethics, and PASSION.  Soon things will be in our control, under God, and we will be making decisions.  But is our generation, particularly the generation of believers, an ARMY?  Sure, we battle many things in our lives... not necessarily all physical either.  Much of it is spiritual.  So do we fight?  Yes.  Every believer will have to fight to some extent, as Jesus is not necessarily the most treasured person on this earth right now by every human.  Many are taken by idols, and other things that take Jesus' place... we normally have to fight to keep our hearts from being captive by idols, such as relationships, material things, pride, lust, alcohol, partying, etc, etc.  BUT, are we just an army?

I believe we are like a Kingdom, WITH an army...  Not everyone is meant or gifted to fight spiritual warfare, and some have this spiritual gift called intercessory prayer, which is prayer for many things, but more of a "battle" type of prayer... Some are better at discerning the spiritual realm, others prophecy and we ALL have more than one... so an army of intercessors could also be very diverse in their other giftings, such as worship, spiritual direction, discernment, etc. Though we need all of those gifts in an army, we also need them to glorify Jesus, and unify with God...

We are a Royal family in the Kingdom of God, and God loves us and sees us just as that:royalty.  THAT alone is a reason to celebrate!

Dreams

Dreams...  today at church, they talked to us about dreams, and how God's dreams for us is so much bigger and better than our own dreams for ourselves.  Vision is important as well.  What is God's vision for our lives?  This I am still trying to figure out.  The world seems to expect us to have this down and known about ourselves, but what happens when we actually DON'T have it figured out?  I think it is safe to say that I am not the only one, unsure at age 21, however I believe, and have faith that God will soon make it clear.  What are some ways we seek clarity?  1. Prayer and fasting... 2.  An asessment of our spiritual gifts... 3.  Walking in the spirit.  4.  Working in the spirit. 

1.  Through prayer and fasting, we seek clarity and put our total reliance on God.  Instead of food for a day, replace the meal times with God time, read the word, listen to sermons, read books, utilize powerful materials, seeking out His kingdom.

2.  What are we good at?  What can we do, for the rest of our lives, and not get paid for?  List what you're good at. 

3.  This is a hard one.  Audibly say to God, I submit my entire being to you and want to be flooded with your spirit.  The spirit of God, the governor of our beings.  Take life a step at a time, and do it under the power of the Holy Spirit.  We are not our own after this.  We are exalted!

4.  Working in the spirit...  after submitting ourselves, we walk, but when we start our work days on Monday, or whenever, in class or whatever, we forget.  We must be changers of the way society works, by loving in ways nobody has seen, or ways that are rarely seen.  We influence in our workplaces, we care.  We evangelize when the time is right.  Our work ethic is improved, our strength is greater, our endurance is greater, and our attitudes are moved and shifted into attitudes of Shabach!  Glorifying God in all we do, thanking Him, counting our blessings, and sowing more!  Thus reaping more.  Amazing how this stuff works.  And I will never ever have this all figured out.  None of us will.  God is so mysterious, yet so easy to love, and so simple, everyone can connect, yet no human being will have His ways figured out. 

We have the victory, and God will not move us into victory, He will move us BECAUSE of victory!  Why?  We already are victorious. Thanks to Jesus. 

Basically we have our full potential in us, we just need to access it by prayer, and acknowledgement of our gifts.  There is more to life than what we see, people.  There is so much more.  So much mystery, newness, beginnings. 

What God is Saying...

So I have not written anything, probably because I have not been inspired.  This summer has been kind of a drought.  But I have noticed the strength that has come of it all.  What is God saying?  I am trying to listen for God, and His voice is not always audible.  He can speak in many ways, and through other people.  God has said a few things through various ways

* This year is going to be a year of blessings, as last year was difficult yet I stayed dedicated to the Lord.
*This year God wants me to know how much He loves me, and that will be through a variety of ways.
*He may want me in Chicago an extra semester...
*Never underestimate what God  can do....


That is a brief summary, more to come.

A Quick Note

We're in a time where resources are hard to come by.  We are in a time, when it is essential that we differentiate ourselves, and see and embrace the differences in our character and vision.  Imagine is everyone had a vision for something, and built upon it to manifest into their greatest potential.  If everyone did this, our world would be such a thriving place.  Especially if it was all done for the good of one another, not to harm one another.  God did not design us to follow the norm of one another.  What IS acceptable anymore?  It gets confusing.   Life is so much more and has so much more to offer, life is good ultimately, and God wants us to live good lives!  Of course we will struggle, and there will be hard times, but the good should overpower the bad.  After all, God knows our every desire and need, and will fulfill them as we ask.  This should be celebrated and acknowledged!

Faith

Introduction:  In the Kingdom of God, we do not necessarily see the spiritual realm of what is going on, as we do in the physical realm.  God strengthens our hearts and minds to be in alignment with His heart, so that the power of the Holy Spirit is manifested and the Kingdom is established into reality.  What we do not see is in fact more real than what we see.  God is so much more real than this world can be.  God is so real, we can’t wrap our minds around the glory and goodness and love of God.  What I want to talk about is faith today.  Let me speak this scripture from The Message:

              Hebrews 11:1, 3: Faith is being SURE of what I hope for and CERTAIN of what I don't see...  By faith I understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

              When I was in High School my first couple of years I struggled with making friends.  People would put on acts, as if they were my friends, so I would open up to them, just to have them turn and use that against me, and this happened more than once.  My faith in God, and humanity in general, was hindered to the point that I lost hope in people.  I had God, and I could not see beyond the circumstances I was in.  In this time, I would pray and ask God to send me some good people, kind people.  Friends, people I could hang out with.  After serving at a church camp one summer, I found that there really were good people out there, and I could be loved.  One day, I was praying and playing music in a small practice room in my school when a girl came in, asking me to join her band.  By the end of the week, I had 7 friends, soon to become my 7 very good friends.  God answered my prayer, I had the Kingdom faith that He would follow through, I proclaimed the Word, and I gave the situation up to Him, and He worked it out. 

              Romans 15:13: May God, the source of hope, fill me with ALL joy and peace by means of my faith in Him, so that my hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Big Idea:  God wants to strengthen our faith.  In the Kingdom of God, faith is the currency, and love is what we do.  God wants to pour into your hearts hope, and faith that will become stronger, the more time we spend with God. 

              Romans 10:17 Faith comes from LISTENING to this message of the good news- the Good News about Jesus Christ. 

              Romans 5:2: Through Him I have access by faith into this grace in which I safely stand.  And I rejoice and exult in my hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 

Point 1:  Faith is strengthened by speaking His word, the power of our words will do wonders. 

Mark 11:23: Whoever says to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!" And does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.

2 Corinthians 4:13-15: And since we have the same spirit of faith in accordance with what is written ‘I believed therefore I spoke’ we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you.  For all this is because of you, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to overflow God’s glory.

By Speaking the word of God, we back up His promise that He made us. The promise, whatsoever we ask in His name, it shall be done.  We can say to the mountains in our lives, to be thrown into the sea, and recite the verse, which even though God knows our hearts before we speak, this will show Him that we are truly serious about what we desire.  When we ask our parents for something, they will ask us ‘Why do you need this?’  Thus, we give them an appropriate answer as to why we need it.  God is our Father, we are His children.  Our relationship with God and our intimacy with God ought to be so strong, that we can come to Him as if He were our loving parents.  Jesus spoke in the gospels.  When Jesus healed, He had faith, AND He spoke for them to be healed.  In Genesis, God said and it was. 

Point 2:  Faith is most important when we cannot see beyond our current circumstances.

Hebrews 11:1, 3: Faith is being SURE of what I hope for and CERTAIN of what I don't see...  By faith I understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.  

In times of tribulation, or our bad seasons in life, this is the test that God puts on our faith.  God will reward our faith in the end, but for the time being, we must maintain our faith, and strengthen it, and remember that what we have asked for, we have already received in Jesus’ name as He shed His precious blood for us, and ascended into Heaven, sending down the Holy Spirit into our hearts.  Our faith will strengthen the more time we spend in prayer and fasting with God. 

Luke 2:40: I am growing and becoming strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God is upon me. 

Point 3:  Faith is essential and comes to us by hearing the word of God.

Romans 10:17: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God

Matthew 13: 19, 23: As I hear the Word of the kingdom, and grasp and comprehend it, ...it will indeed bear fruit and yield a good return.

We need to cleanse ourselves with the Word of God.  The Bible has stories, and insight, wisdom and helps us gain understanding as to how our faith is lived out.  We must love one another, and follow the principles and teachings of Jesus, this will strengthen our faith. 

Close:  Faith is essential in our life with God, and in His Kingdom.  It is our currency, and it is not about us.  It is about how we can best serve the Kingdom and bless the Lord.  If we have faith for a sports car, for the sake of having another car, that is not the right kind of faith, we need selfless faith, and a strong foundation is found in His Word. 

Spiritual Governance

Sometimes I wonder what the Kingdom of God will look like when Jesus comes back to fulfill His Promise and rule over the world.  Already anointed people are rising up all over the world to proclaim, and equip people by the masses for God, and ushering in hundreds and thousands of new citizens into His Kingdom.

We are citizens.  A part of God's royal family in His Kingdom.  Our spirits, are governed by the Holy Spirit on this colony we call earth.  The Holy Spirit convicts us, and makes us go 'Ouch!'  The Holy Spirit also gives us rest, and comfort.  But we operate by our hearts, and our minds help us function at our potential.  Imagine. Dream big.  With God ALL things are possible.  He can make things happen that we would never dream or dare to hope for ourselves. Why?  We are in His ROYAL FAMILY! We are sinners, and imperfect beings, yet by the grace of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed into a spiritual realm of glory and gifts beyond our ever creative imaginations.  One day, when we all operate in the Holy Spirit, our anointing, and our ideas, will ALL be to glorify God, and one another, in a perfect world. Where good is seen and felt, and lived out. Praise God.



Generation

I just want to speculate on some things about this generation.  This generation, the one I am in, saw the internet evolve, as we grew up in grade school.  We saw technology morphe into such a necessity, it becomes 2nd nature to us.  Ipads, Ipods, I_____s what we have available is so cool and fascinating, access to communicate on a new level anywhere, anytime. 

It seems like we are in a highly relational time, where new inovations are being designed as I write this.  New ideas, new relationships, and new ways of doing business.  Our world is getting smaller, our big world, is getting smaller! 

But what really gets me, is the importance of networking and the power behind that.  Relationships are becoming so important, communication, and the art of communicating is going to be essential in our ways of life.  The internet sweeps us into a new plane of life, while physically we can be anywhere we wish.  This generation is passionate about justice, and humanitarian interests, soon we won't have wars, but intercession into places where persecutions take place.  Our motives will once again be established to where they ought to be.  Of peace, of justice, and of love. 

The leaders will hand down their titles to us one day, and it will be our turn to move the world.  It's essential that we know that, and that we realize our turn is coming.  Which direction will YOU make the world spin?

Confusion

Today, I have nothing in particular I feel I ought to write about, just a Sunday afternoon.  It's cold, sunny, and one of those days where time just can't go slow enough.  Dealing with circumstances in which one is not satisfied, no matter how or what they do, can be frusterating.  The response has something to do with adjusting the attitude, think different, etc.  What if I have tried that?  What if, I daily try so hard to be happy, yet seem to not quite achieve it because of where I am at?  Can thought seriously transform the circumstances around you, to the point where you go from not content, to happy? 

I think the thoughts are more what you tell yourself, vs. the situation.  If I'm lost in the forest, and I keep saying, "Life is great!  I LOVE being lost!" Will I soon, love to be lost and have a blast?  Or, would it be better for me to say "I can't stand this, but I'm good with direction... I'm not beyond what I can handle..."?  

Life can be confusing.  So can many other things in this world.  I'm glad to know that the confusion does not last!

Faith n' Stuff

I'm starting to learn how God can provide, when I do not necessarily ask for anything.  An example, I gave $2 as an offering, and got $20 in the mail as a gift.  The night before when the offering was given, prayers were spoken over the money, and provision was spoken over us.  While this is still new, it is an interesting side of "Christianity".  I say that in quotations, because I often ask myself, what IS a Christian?  Am I even one?  Sure, I am a believer, but Christianity is a religion, and is seen as one by many.  While that is a misconception, Christianity has become in a league of its own.  Should we not break down that name, and open up our arms in love, and see Jesus as He is, and who GOD is?  So many of us proclaim our faith, but forget that faith is also needed in times of despair and loneliness.  This is where many of us- including myself, lose hope at times.  Life is good, it is so easy to say Praise God!!  But what about when it isn't so good?  I am still in a somewhat uneventful season in my life, it has not been where I feel the potential lies.  However I know I need to be here now, and soon will step up to the next level, hopefully a much better one at that. 

Is your faith in the source?  Or the resource?  Like anything, we cannot function or excersize our faith based upon our blessings, but we must base it upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, whom is the cornerstone, and will ALWAYS be there.  The Holy Spirit, ALWAYS in us as we invite into our hearts His power.  That is where our true power is.  With that, our faith is rock solid!  Though our faith will never be perfect.  Humanity has flaws and frusterations that won't cease until the day He comes to establish His Kingdom for eternity! 

Eagle

A Native American belief is that the Eagle is a brother who flies closest to the creator, and His wisdom, vision, and courage are all gifts that we all possess. 

Aristotle and Pliny wrote that the Eagle would test its young, by facing them into the sun.  There was a belief that the Eagle was the only animal capable of looking directly into the sun. 

These two symbolic pieces alone seem like good reasons to be like Eagles!  When we see birds fly, we see them fly in a big 'V'.  When they migrate, they go in a large group.  The Eagle flies higher than the rest at 30 mph, and dive at 100 mph.  The Eagle is normally seen, flying solo. 

I'm not advocating living alone all of our lives, I am simply thinking about how we go about life, as birds, or Eagles?  The Eagle carries much dignity, respect and honor however it requires sacrifice.  Likewise, in order for us to be leaders, and lead a life that takes us beyond our dreams, we must sacrifice a little.  Do things out of the norm.  Not fly in the 'V' with the rest of the birds, but go the way we feel led to go by the Son...  

We can be Eagles in our jobs, in our faith, how we live out our faith, our spirituality, every aspect in our lives, we can be the Eagle.  

So... are YOU going to be that Eagle?

Wisdom

God made a covenant with King Solomon, and said to him, that He would do anything Kind Solomon wished.  He promised King Solomon ANYTHING.  First of all, look at the goodness of God there.  That shows that God is love, and God wants us to live a life filled with joy, and satisfaction with the knowledge that we cannot have that without God.  God offered this to him in order that King Solomon may lead according to God's will, and be an influence as a leader.  Out of everything in the world he could have, he asked for wisdom.  WISDOM. 

God says okay, because you have asked for wisdom, not only will you recieve wisdom, but you will be a King, over a prosperous city.  King Solomon, soon had opportunities in his life to surge forward, he built his kingdom, then he built another, soon becoming an entire city!  A city built on wisdom!  As wise as he was, he used his wisdom for the betterment of his city, and became the most prosperous and flourishing cities for many years.  We forget that God blesses those whom seek after good things in our lives, like wisdom.  Wisdom takes us further than we can fathom, and will work through us, along with His spirit to go and perform wonders, and speak prophecies, and proclaim goodness, and love upon eachother.  We learn kindness, we learn discernment.  Here is wisdom:

*Discernment
*Kindness
*Knowledge
*Understanding
*Prophecies
*Healing words
*Guidance
*Inspiration
*Motivation
*Etc.!

Wisdom.......  do YOU have her in your heart???

Freedom

I woke up this morning feeling bitter.  I think sometimes we all get this way at times, when things in life just aren't moving fast enough.  It can be hard living in the middle of a season in a wilderness.  It has not been instant however, God has been showing me that things may not be where I would like them to be at this moment, but I am set free from so much.  So many things I have allowed myself to be taken captive by, have been loosed, and I have been able to stand up, and walk away, saying "You have no place in my life.  Leave, or I will!" 

Let's look at a city for example...  a city is not transformed over night.  Buildings take tons of work, and time to be remodeled, and tons of investment to afford this.  Likewise, being healed is like investing time in prayer, and surrounding oneself with people of greater knowledge, hope, and whom are at the places you desire to be in yourself.  Once you are in their place, you can then reach to those in your place at one point. 

I believe I have been set free of a few things so far, however have quite a way to go.  I still get down.  I still want to lay down, life is still hard, and I notice things around me, that may or may not be directed toward me, yet they crush me no less.  It can be so hard to find hope, however in these times of brokeness, the real healing takes place, the real character is formed, and the real liberation is happening.  A city is being reformed, restored, and exalted.

God Seems Distant...

   

These are all photos I have taken by the way.  You will see random photos time and again!

-Gordon

The world is in turmoil right now in many different nations.  Many are coming up against their leaders in violent acts, which can become a very dangerous and vital situation.  I notice things in my own life that seem like they shouldn't be going on.  We cry out to God in confusion and pain, seeking mercy, and His love, and power of the Holy Spirit to get us through and beyond our situations.  But why then, does He seem so distant?  It's like driving to the top of the mountain on a highway, it seems like you never reach the mountain you have seen for the last hour.  Little do we realize, that mountain we could already be on our way to the top.  God is at our side through it all.  I think of Job...

Job 38:33-37:Do you know the laws of Heaven? Can you impose its authority on earth?  Can you command the clouds so that a flood water covers you?  Can you send out lightening bolts and they go? Do they report to you "here we are"?  Who put wisdom in your heart or gave the mind understanding? Who has wisdom to number the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven?     

No worldly being is able to make a situation different, when we cannot make it different on our own, it is all God.  Since Jesus came and died for us, He sent a "counselor" a "comforter" known as the Holy Spirit, which makes this profound existence of God even closer than we know.  He is in every situation, yet not always summoned.  God seems so distant sometimes, hard to reach...

Sometimes we forget that God is at our side no matter where we are, or what our situation is.  Why then, does He not always respond to our pleas and cries right away?  Test.  Testing our faith.  Satain tested Job, by stripping him of everything, to the point of his own wife telling him to "Curse God and die."  Satain tempted Jesus at the begining of His ministry, while He was in the wilderness.  Telling Him about bread, offering rulership, etc.  God was there that whole entire time.  God was watching us, and keeping us going, though we may not have felt it, or realized it at the time.  All of the violence going on, there is no real answer for.  I cannot claim it is part of God's plan, nor can I say it is not.  Times like these do allow God to work miracles in different peoples lives, and can be seen and witnessed on a whole new level.  As upsetting as it is, God can work in the worst of any situation.  We need to summon Him, and the power of the Holy Spirit!

Currant

Today, walking across the famous footbridge that divides the North Park Campus diagonally, the North Branch was higher, from all the ice and snow that has melted.  Usually, well naturally when the water rises, the currant is stronger, so much I could see it churning, the water suddenly becomes this force that one can only imagine how quick it could pull you.  While it was rainy today, on a nice warm, or even hot day, one may consider cooling off in such a spot.  Well... maybe not actually, it's pretty bad.  Point being this:  What is your currant?  What is pulling you strongly, and rapidly away from God?  The battles we face each day, are the currants in the rivers, the constant swirl, between good and evil, in the spiritual realm.  Influences, temptations, things that seem harmless, they seem great.  Do we see them carrying us away from God?  I notice, usually later on, realizing my eyes were closed, because I was already underwater.  I didn't see.  Jesus made the blind see, and He set the captives free.  You better believe He will pull you out of a currant, time and time again.  His power and love are thousand times greater than anything one could imagine.  Many times chosing to get "caught up in God's love" may sound kind of funny compared to what the currant has to offer.  Just remember the river is full of the healing water known as the blood of Christ, which is never ending, a well that will never run dry. 

Relevancy

Today I had a realization about how the Bible works.  The Bible has been translated for thousands of years, yet totally inspired by God.  God, an all knowing God.  An eternal God.  Would you say that what God says through Jesus, is similar to what He says now?  Even before Jesus.  Jesus is a savior and a blessing for the universe, not just our world.  The planets were etched in detail by GOD.  I think it is very easy for us (myself as well) to look at the Bible and see some parts as irrelevant.  'This was when the dinosaurs lived, why think that NOW?'  :) I just thought I would start this off by mentioning that.  We forget how real the Word of God is in our world today.  We may not slaughter goats and drag the bloody carcasses to church on Sunday, that was before Jesus, and Jesus came to redeem us, and provide a way to God that we no longer needed to do those sacrificial rituals.  Regarding relevancy, Paul says in

 2 Colossians 2:4,5 "I am saying this so that no one will decieve youwith persuasive arguments.5 For I may be absent in the body, but I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the strength of your faith in Christ."

The world today has become more and more secular, and we need to be very careful.  Science has replaced biblical explanations in many ways.  While science can be very effective and useful, it can also lead many astray in what some believe.  Roman culture was very much this way in the time of Christ.  How intriguing it would be to be in that time! 

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.  For in Him the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily, and you have been filled by Him, who is the leader over every ruler and authority."

Now that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the world in which we live.  I don't think believing in Jesus ought to restrict us from enjoying the creation, and inovations of man kind- whom are- remember- created in the image of God. 

In 2 Colossians 3:12-15 Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint about the other.  Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you ought to forgive.  Above all, love- the perfect bond of unity.  And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were calledin one Kingdom, control your hearts. Be thankful!

Flipping through and praying for inspiration today, I just found some treasure in 2 Colossians. 

The world is a place we can be free in.  Free from sin, and free will.  God does not restrain us.  But we must remember even though we have free will, we are all citizens in His great Kingdom, and in one body ( I view body as a gathering) By doing the best we can, living the best life, and seeking first His Kingdom, our lives will improve, and even through hard times, we will make it through stronger than ever. 

The Holy Spirit

Have you ever been doing something, and a peace rushes over you unlike anything you have experienced?  The Holy Spirit is present, and though His spirit is present, healing is not complete... as that takes time.  But it is gaining headway, momentum, a feeling like no other...  It's a love that can't be understood by the human psychological mind.  It's an energy that no green vegetable could nourish.  It's a realization, an epiphany of various things in our lives, that we could never figure out ourselves.  It's the Holy Spirit.  This is what Jesus sent as our counsel as He ascended into Heaven.  This is the part of Jesus, that Unified Him with God... Come, Holy Spirit!

Don't Demolish!

When I was down in New Orleans, in particular the Lower 9th Ward, I saw a lot of destruction, a lot of wounds still left untouched.  I saw family photos in rubble, I saw mold, embedded in what once were sheltered studs. I saw steps that led to nowhere but a vacant lot, with Mother Mary guarding the front steps.  I saw so much, that brought out some things that have come as a realization to me, and is something needed to be said about others. 

Humanity sees what we cannot have, and for some reason feel like we need to try it.  Adam and Eve saw what they could not have, and followed the deception that there was no harm in 'trying to find out'... It is one thing when you know what you're doing,and know your boundaries, and limits.  It is a different thing when you don't.  Through these times, we break.  Maybe not immediately.  It takes repetition, and worldly justification, but eventually we find ourselves in a position we never would have once imagined we would have to be in.  We become broken, introverted, timid beings, trying to get through each day, each day is a stretch, a struggle. 

Life becomes a chore to live, and memories linger in our minds that we would do anything to not remember. 

This is liberating:  by the grace of God, and Jesus, we are healed, forgiven, and exalted higher than we deserve.  Because He sees the best in us, only the good.  He knows we sin.  He knows our past.  He knows our current situations.  Through and through He will heal, and restore us.  That picture of the house that says 'Don't Demolish' is not only us, when we feel so broken and lost, that is what Jesus pleads to us, and His desire for us to not allow the sins and struggles people deal with, to demolish our relationships and views of who they are.  Especially if they can say they made mistakes.  They were not mistakes at the time of their sin.  They did it.  But when one is humbled before the Lord, and can be able to say "I messed up, God..."  THIS is when the integrity begins, and starts to grow once again.  They can become extraordinary in all they do, living blamelessly, using the mistakes they can now understand they once made, as tools and stories to tell others.  For inspiration.  For hope.  For reaching out.  We are all unique, and it is so common for us all to feel alone in all we do, even though our struggles are and can be quite similar if not identical. 

By the power and love of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are liberated into unknown levels we have ever imagined!

Discipleship

This picture was taken when I was down in New Orleans on a missions trip.  Painted on the side of an old house, it really hit home for me.  I think about things a lot. This is my first post, and it is the first time I open up to the world, doing something I sincerely have dreamed of doing for quite some time:  inspiring people, giving people hope, connecting with people through writing, and music, as well as my photography.  While this does not have the music, it can do the first 2.  At least I pray it does hit somewhere close to home with some of you. 

So many times, churches get all over leaders, because they mess up in their lives.  Absolutely, they always should be held accountable for their actions, however sometimes we forget that our human nature is that we are imperfect beings.  The influences of this world are powerful, and many times opposite of what is expected of leaders.  It is a constant battle.  A spiritual war.  Temptation has been present since the beginning.  Romans 2:14-16 When outsiders who have never heard of God's law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God's yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences. Paul wrote Romans, and was a true disciple of God.  Although he was just as human as everyone else.  He knew that we all sin, knowing full well what we are doing.  He also knew that Christians sin sometimes more than non Christians.  Christianity is not relavent in my opinion.  Christianity has been given a name that is destroying itself.  People misconcieve a 'Christian' not as Jesus came to show the world. Many people are starting to see Christians are Pharisees.  Romans 3:10-11: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God, All have turned away...  Don't let this discourage you.  This gives us hope, because our standards are not set that high.  Jesus loves us amidst our struggles, and is here to forgive, and by our faith, and adoration and response to His grace, we are cleansed and given new beginnings every day.  Romans 6:14 For sin will NOT rule over you, because you are not under law, but under grace!  Praise God, because we are so blessed.  Paul was a leader, very much involved in ministry, and his life was dedicated to Christ.  He even says in Romans that he sins, and does even what he himself does not wish to do, but the enemy can overrule control.  By faith in Jesus, by our forgiveness not only for others, but ourselves and knowledge that we will fall, and God still adores our very souls... we are in great shape.  We all have a spot in His kingdom. 

I am not perfect myself.  The world is full of things that I love, that may not necessarily be the greatest things in the eyes of God.  My attitude is not right.  I am a sinner, saved by grace, and we ought not see ourselves as 'sinners' but disciples.  Believers and non-believers we share this title, because we are all on a journey together.  Disciples are followers.  In the Jewish traditions, there would be disciples assigned to a rabbi, whom learned from the rabbi.  Humanity are disciples, some of life, some of Christ, some of other religions, we are all doing our best to get through what is known as life.  That is beautiful.  Let's embrace our beautiful imperfections, and find hope in the realization that for every failure we find potential, and opportunity for growth.