So Far...

Hello!

Over the last two months, I've been in a bible school, on the opposite side of the world from where my home is. I can't say I've had a more challenging (Spiritually and Mentally) time in my life so far. Constantly surrounded by a community with little time to get away and live. Always some one around, never any privacy. There is always something that could use a cleaning in the house, and rarely any one ready to clean it. Spiritually, there is much more concious awareness as to an eternal perspective, and the choices that I see people making. Choices that separate further and further from the truth, and from Jesus. Also, to see peoples hard work and labour being turned up in vain. People showing raw emotional love and servant hood being denied by the ones meant to receive it.

As for studying, wake up, read a few chapters of my bible eat breakfast, go to class till lunch, study till Supper, study after supper till bed time, repeat. So little time to do anything else.

But it has also been two of the best times of my life. Being pushed away from my comfort zone into an atmosphere where everyone is working in harmony, in the Sunshine Coast of Australia onlooking a beautiful river. Being able to serve one another in a tangible way, and always looking to help one another out, and being open with one another about struggles, goals, passions, visions.

Being able to be covered in the word of God nearly every waking hour of the day, no where else would I have this opportunity. Also, any time I go out, I've had the opportunity to share in fellowship with some one else who has noticed my bible, and wanted to bless me with encouragement, I have been extremely blessed.

In my studies, the biggest thing that I have been learning, and recognizing is the idea of bowing before Jesus in the throne room of the Almighty, revering him, and serving him. about a month ago, I studied Luke and Acts, two of the books with the most real and practical applications to our lives as Christians. Recorded events and real teachings of Jesus, and his followers. Yet the story does not stop there. after the book of acts, the story goes on. We are Acts 29. we are the people that serve Christ, and seek to see his kingdom furthered, and to help a people who are so lost. More and more what I have been seeing is that if there is no action, no one telling others about Jesus, no one to go out, then there is no point in having faith in Christ. I just finished studying James, and the big thing in James is that if some one has faith, but does not live it out, his faith is dead, and he has no faith. It is the sin of not responding to the call that Jesus has in our lives to out and tell others about him. A theme that runs through Hebrews is how God has spoken to the nation of Israel, yet the fathers had not responded, but continued on. The author of Hebrews is crying out to the readers to not be hard in their hearts, so deaf in their ears to the voice and leading of God. How they will miss the mark because of their inaction. Yet how different are people who call themselves Christians because they go to church every Sunday, and do nothing in between the weeks.

This has been on my heart, and it is more and more what I have been seeing in the scriptures.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which have been prepared before hand, that we should walk in them."

David

Heyheyhey...

So, I'm back in Australia, and should really pick up writing the blog again. I guess people back home want to know what I'm doing...so, here I go.

A little over a year ago, God said to me, "Go to YWAM." So, last September, I went to the Sunshine Coast to do my YWAM. While I was on outreach, God said, "Go back to the Sunshine Coast, and continue with YWAM, and do the School of Biblical Studies." At the time, I was all hyped up to go. I didn't have anything back home to tie me down, no debt, nothing to stop me really. That was in February of 2011. SBS starts in September of 2011, so there was a little bit of a "waiting period" so to speak. During that time, I worked at a fast food joint, serving others, using my actions to witness to people, rather then preach to them. When I started there, I was the only Christian worker there, no one got along, and gossiped about everyone else. When I left that joint, there was a sense of peace, and calmness, and no hostility towards one another. Then I left to go work at Bible Camp, leading two discipleship programs during the summer, and cabin lead the Senior Teen week.

During the 6-7 months that I was back in Canada, I went deeper in relationships with people, and my family to. The first time I left for Aus, there wasn't a whole lot of emotional attachment. Yea, I loved people, and held them in respect as I would my own blood relatives. This time, leaving was hard. Really hard. If I were to use an example, It would be like pulling apart a string or something. Being attached to so many people, then just breaking off from them for a year with a simple tug. I mean, I can still communicate with everyone, and talk to them, but there is a little barrier of an ocean apart from all of them. Its just not the same. But, its necessary for me to do. Give up everything to follow the Lord. give up family, give up money, give up time, give up everything.
Before we can let God use us, we must first be willing to be sacrifices ourselves. Before we can say "God, what is it that you want me to do?" we must first be willing to say "yes" no matter what the cost. This is something of a cliché, you know, "of course we must be willing to do anything." But it's so much more then just words. Soooooo much more. Something that I have only started to learn, and until later on in my life, I'll never fully understand. I don't have kids, I don't have a wife, I don't have a house, I don't have a car, I don't have anything except me to offer. Even before I can have family, I must first be willing to give them up. I'm not going to use the classic Abraham offering Isaac at the altar, because I have no idea how Abraham felt, and have no idea how hard it would have been to offer up the only child he had bore. No way.

The story I will use is any story where Jesus heals people. The common thing that they all have is that Jesus showed compassion on them, and healed them. Then they went away rejoicing, and telling others about the what Christ has done for them. This is all I can do now. Rather then try and dwell on what I might have back home, I can rejoice with the mercies and blessings that Christ has given me today.

God Bless, David.

Habakuk 1:2

² How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?

Last post before outreach.

Hello!
For outreach, I will be with a team of 9 other people, going to Indonesia for one month, and Thailand for one month.
Not exactly sure what we will be doing during these two months.
If you would like to pray for us, please pray that we will not see this as just another part of our DTS, but rather as a chance to serve people as Jesus did, and also for protection. (Spiritualy and Physicaly).
Thank you all for your support, and constent encouragement! I love you all!
God Bless you, and keep you.
David.

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