You May Be The Only One

          I have a few things to say, first being to watch out for second-hand faith. Pete Grieg just touches on this in Red Moon Rising. So much of our relationship with God is dictated by what others tell us about him and how things are supposed to be rather than us learning directly from God. This being through prayer, meditating and reading specifically. I am not saying other inlets are bad but they should not be the whole of your spirituality. The Holy Spirit was sent to us as the great teacher, who better to learn from then him. God loves to teach when we abide in him.

         Now my recent personal experience with this. As I was praying today I began to intercede for several of my friends. Two of my friends I have made it a routine to pray for their salvation. Today I decided to spend a longer than usual time in prayer so i was naturally interceded for more of my friends. Yet it grew on me all those who are lost and need saving. So I simply decided to pray in group because it is quicker, it dawned on my that likely, I am the only person praying for them. Who will intercede for the lost? Who will pay the price, the hours of prayer for the lost souls? It is a large order to fill, and fortunately salvation does not depend upon our ability to pray, but it no doubt has an impact. Well that's all.

 

This Made me Laugh. All of Creation haha

For the Sake of His Name

For the last year or so, a large sum of my prayer life has been dedicated to the Hope for All Peoples of the Earth. Since my trip to Mexico Caravan Ministries I have had a heart growing for the lost of the World. MCM teaches a lot about the unreached and impoverished that fill up the proportion of our World's population. Naturally a consistent prayer of mine has been that Jesus would provide workers for his Harvest. Beacons of light to, with the power of Jesus, overcome darkness. And God has surely answered my prayer, certainly not how I would have expected, yet, I don't know anyone better for the task. Just recently I learned that my Youth Pastor will be leaving for Southern Asia with his wife next Fall.
    As difficult as it will be to say good bye to them, I know it is for the better of The Kingdom. They are leaving to a much more difficult life for the sake of God's glory and the satisfaction of the Nation, what better lesson than this could they show? They have not merely taught to follow God where he leads you but they are doing it themselves. Their life is a living testimony of what it is to follow Jesus. They have been such a blessing in my life. Surely it will all be worth when at the feet of the King we, with all peoples of  the world, bow before his throne.
     The community we have had has surely been a glimpse of what Heaven will be. As we must set it aside in this near future, I know we will even sooner be able to enjoy Perfect Communion for an eternity. What a noble work the Lord has called them to do. Works cannot express my love and excitement for them. Surely he will use them for the Salvation of a Nation. Their reward will be full in heaven, all who have left home and family, denied life for death in Christ, and carried their Cross will have life to the fullest. All Blessings to the King with all authority, may he pour out his power upon them to have authority over demons, sickness, and all evils of that Nation. May Hell break apart at their feet.

Carry Your Cross, Die to Yourself

 

What if God left Town?

I am only 4 chapters into Red Moon Rising and I can honestly say it's helping me take a better look at my walk down the path of light. In the 3rd chapter Pete Greig makes a personal statement about his own spiritual life when it was in somewhat of a struggle, "I think there's a danger spiritually, for many of us, that if God packed up and left town today we might not notice until tomorrow, or worse." (30) I think many of us may agree that this is true of ourselves. Having read this early in the morning it challenged me throughout the whole day. I noticed how little I depended upon God through prayer. I was stifling work of the holy spirit through worldy distractions and a lack of single-mindedness. I think it comes down to not having our identity fully in Christ. Our nature's have not yet conformed fully to being those dependant on God. This is something I hope dearly to conform to quickly. I suppose it simply means a single-minded heart consumed with the will of our father, the furthering of His kingdom. I guess my challenge is to surrender yourself fully to God, where to refrain from being with him is to surrender activity and the ability to function. Hudson Taylor got it, and now he has passed his secret to us, "the simple, profound secret of drawing for every need, temporal or spiritual, upon 'the fathomless wealth of Christ.'"
Let us cast all upon our Savior and show the world the providence of Jesus.

Red Moon Rising, page 30
Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, page 16

The God of All Comfort

     Last night I began reading Red Moon Rising. Those who have already read it may agree how powerful some of the statistics in the first chapter are. For example, "Almost a third of U.K. teenagers have been drunk twenty times or more, and more than 35 percent have experimented with illegal drugs." Or how about a convicting one, "It currently cost 2.2 million dollars to air a 30 second commercial during the super bowl while almost one third of the world's population lives on under 2.50$ a day." Lastly the one that most impacted me, "Der Spiegel magazine estimates that in Germany alone there are at least thirty Internet death forums where suicidal teenagers can discuss the best ways to kill themselves." Pete Greig then writes out several examples of these post that teen's have posted on these sites.
      All these stats hit me like a brick. When I went on a trip to Mexico and lived with the impoverished it felt as though it was a fantasy, as I returned home I stated nostalgically, "Back to the Real World". Yet looking at these statistics I think most of us who live in the U.S. can agree that the lives we live here are the true fantasy. Poverty is the true Reality. We are simply sheltered by the wealth of our SuperNation. Even as one who has tried to be internationally aware it still stuns me to read them. After hearing David Wilkerson's sermon, "A Call to Anguish", it has become somewhat routine for me to ask for Jesus' anguish for the lost and broken. But when he grants my request I am overwhelmed by the pain it brings. I truly believe what I felt last night was just a glimpse of God's anguish for his people, I do not know how I could have recovered from a whole revelation of his pain. As I lied in my bed, my soul was distraught, even in my search for comfort it seemed the screams of the hurting where overpowering the hope I hold inside.
     Feeling helpless and with little hope I cast my head into the lap of my Savior. As I journaled over my pain a rather obvious yet worship-bringing truth became disclosed, I wrote, "I must come to God for comfort in this pain; for His Anguish can only be treated with His Comfort." Logically, God-sized anguish requires God-sized Comfort. It was incredible to see how so quickly Jesus turned my inexpressible anguish into inexpressible joy. Last night I experienced an intimacy with my Savior, a closeness, that I have never felt before. It was so tangible and glorious. Only our God can bring such joy. For he is the only one who satisfies, he is the only one worthy of our worship. All else is truly rubbish compared to him.
       In the time of my greatest pain and sadness Jesus brought to me a greater intimacy than ever felt before. Praise Lord Jesus above all things of this world. For who can satisfy like our God.

Buy Red Moon Rising at http://www.amazon.com/Red-Moon-Rising-Awakening-Generation/dp/0972927662
Check out:
http://stopthehunger.com/
http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn (Review)

Safely Home is a, no doubt, very powerful book. It is a major wake up call for those unaware of the persecution of China's past. Personally it delivered a call to pray. Not knowing anyone living in a persecuted nation or understanding much that goes on, it can be very difficult to pray. Whether it be from lack of motivation or ignorance, their seems to be a barrier of passionate prayer for our brothers and sisters. Alcorn does a wonderful job of giving a face to those suffering. He brought awareness to the struggles they undergo, majorly being the thirst for the word of God. In a country where Bibles are easily attained and there are at least 15 in my house alone I rarely imagine not having access, yet I have begun to cherish it for the magnificence of what it is. Now comprehending it's importance as well as it's low supply in Nation's such as Communist China I feel joyfully obligated to participate in the spread of shengjing (Bible in Chinese). I searched for ways to help at persecution.org and I found one in which you send money for the purchasing of Bibles which in turn are smuggled to the Church under Persecution. The link is posted below for those interested. The major theme Alcorn proposes, "True Gold fears no fire" has stuck rather strongly in my conscience. Oddly enough it has brought me to a point where I can hopefully a pray for this fire upon the Church in America. With such a sea of nominalism it seems trial for the people of God could mean refreshment and revival. Luke warm believers will not stand firm in the midst of bold persecution, only "True Gold" remains. For anyone interested in a very enjoyable read, yet one that proposes a challenge, I highly recommend this book. Alcorn also uses his research on Heaven in a very entertaining way as well as his knowledge of Hell in a terrifying vision.. For those who read it, let me know what you think?

The link for Bibles to the Persecuted: http://www.persecution.org/assistance/bibles-to-the-persecuted/