Kingdom of Heaven, and Prayer week...

Hello!
I did not post last week because I felt that the past two weeks worked hand in hand. One week ago, the topic was the Kingdom of Heaven. NOT Heaven itself. The Kingdom of Heaven is simply the physical acts, and effect of the people who serve Jesus by being the example of what Jesus did, which was serve others. The parable of the leavened bread is a perfect example of The Kingdom. Even though there is only a little bit of leaven in the bread, it is leavened all the way through. Example: if some a church were to build a playground for every one to use, and some of the mothers got together, and started just building friendships, and spreading joy, THAT is the Kingdom of God at work. Then if some of the mothers there found out that one of the families that uses the park is struggling to make ends meet, and they all pitch in to support them in a rough time, THAT is the Kingdom of God at work! When Jesus said "The Kingdom of God is at hand," he meant it. The Kingdom of God is not the Church either. The Church is not a building that we all gather at, but the body of Christ. The Church and the Kingdom work hand in hand. When the Church benefits the Kingdom, the Kingdom will in turn start to bless the Church. That is what I love about how God sets things up! To work hand in hand. Also, in the Lords Prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Heaven is perfect. God desires us, all of us to live within the Kingdom. When we pray, we are to pray as Gods will, not our own be done. Ya, that can be a scary thing, but when we are truly fearing God, we will be obedient to him up to death.


Prayer Week.
This week, we had groups of five people switching off praying every three hours for five days. Literally, the whole week, we were praying. Prayer is so much more powerful then we think. Christians in China pray three to five hours a day. Christians in South Korea pray two to three hours a day. Christians in North America, three to five minutes a day. Look to China! Look to South Korea! Those are the places that Revival is happening! Before every great revival, some one started praying. China, a Communist nation, South Korea, not a Communist nation, are seeing revival, despite persecution, or despite living comfortably, without the immediate threat of Death.
This week, God has Blessed us greatly. People in our group who are Narcoleptic, Celiac, people with swollen ankles, and people with painful knees were all healed this week! Why? Because of Prayer. God wants us to talk to him. It is a two way relationship with God. There is no waiting around for God to just show up. The more we press in to God, the more he will reveal His awesomeness to us. Some times it does not happen instantly. Even if we do not see results, God is still working. One of my leaders went on an outreach and had the group that he lead pray for two hours every day before they started anything. Six weeks went by, and they saw no results of their prayers. Then, they were preaching to an unreached peoples group, and God started to use them like they have never seen before. People were getting healed, and people were getting saved! Some times, we wont even see the fruits of our labor though. Because two people prayed with an eight year old sixty eight years ago, then never saw the boy again, three generations of a family are now Christians. Prayer is essential, the the essence of communicating with God. Through prayer do we talk with God, and through prayer does God answer us.
At the end of the week, we went down to the beach, and sang some worship music for hours. After about three minutes though, we had people coming up to us, and asking us questions. It was great! At one point, there was about thirty people just standing around us, listening, and some were worshiping with is too! We even saw a few non Christians come to know the Lord that night!
God Bless you all!

David

Just some feelings...

These are just some random thoughts that I have been having. Not to be taken seriously or anything.

1. I really miss my guitar.

2. I really miss my Ipod, BUT if I had my guitar, I could play all the songs that are on my Ipod...
3. I even if i had my guitar here, there is no way I would be able to play it because I would also need my amp, and I'm not sure I would be able to lug an amp around Indonesia and Thailand when I am out-reach.
4. I want to write some songs. I cannot do that here because I do not have my Guitar.

5. I miss the good old Mennonite cooking. I should really whip up a batch of Perogies or something.

6. I'm usually in the mood to go play football or soccer or something.

7. Why is there no Ozone layer above Australia? SPF 50 barely keeps you not burnt.

8. I'm in Australia.

9. Water is good for you!

10. Tim Tam SLAM!!

11. Room mates do NOT appreciate it when you are up half the night coughing.

12. People say the funniest things in their sleep.

14. Cordial is best mixed with water. NOT strait up.

15. Why is there no Morning Tea back at home?

16. What will a Christmas without snow be like?

17. Who is Melchezideck?

18. BOOM, Roasted.

19. The Sage of Washington Oaks - The Color Morale.

20. I skipped #13.

Destiny by Design...

Hello!

This week the topic was "Destiny by Design," spoken to us by Ryan Kirk. He opened up the week with a trip to the Graveyard to look at all those who have passed away, and to see how they are remembered by what the inscription on the Gravestone says. This got us to thinking how we would like to be remembered, and other thoughts about Heaven and such. There was a reoccurring verse that went along with his speaking. "Naked I was born into the world, and naked I will depart..." - Job 1:21. This idea about how we should live a life like we have nothing to lose, except the things that will be eaten by moths, or be withered away to nothing by rust.
A lot of the time, we are consumed with our well-being, and storing our security in our materials and our money. God can take it away in a matter of seconds and then where does our security go?
Mr. Kirk also talked about the future. Our future should be involving the gifts that God has given us. If some one is good at Wood working, he would not go and pursue a career in fishing, trying to be the next host of a fishing show. He would use what he has been given, something that has come natural to him, and pursue a career in wood working. Take Barnabas. His gift was encouragement (hence being called the Son of Encouragement). He followed Paul from Church to Church encouraging Paul and the Church. When Paul was fed up with Mark, and how he did not evangelize enough, Barnabas kept encouraging Paul to give him another chance. Two chapters later, Paul was asking for Mark to come with him because, "He is a useful tool to me."
Another point that came across, and struck me like a book was, "how does living with an eternal perspective change the view we have on the unsaved?" How do we view those who are unsaved when we are going to Heaven, and you know very well that those who are unsaved are going to die into an eternity of physical and spiritual anguish? We should never let an opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ slip away. Plant seeds, and save lives.

Thank you for your continual support and prayers. They mean more then words can ever express.

David