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The Journey

Some people have been asking me recently “What is the World Race?”

One of my team mates captured it perfectly:

“The World Race is an 11 month pilgrimage around the world. It`s a journey of abandonment, transformation, and learning how to give everything to God. “

(Thanks Jenny)

This is a journey that takes you around the world and back. Helping everyone from the orphaned children in Moldova and sex trafficked girls & boys in Cambodia to the families and villages rocked by Joseph Kory’s army of child solders aka the LRA.

This is a journey that will forever change lives, of those whom we are helping and those who are going. Venturing from places where talking about the Gospel is illegal to the largest slum in Africa.

Placing someone to the frontlines of loving others, giving all of yourself, and truly seeking God. To where there’s nothing left of you and the power that you continue on with is only the power of God.

This is what some people could view as “extreme” Christianity, but I’d say “Go big or go home”. There’s so many people that God is showing me that need help. Weather that’s drilling the village a well or being the arms an orphan runs to for a reminder that there are people in this cold, dark, fallen world that still love.

I can’t not go

As I jump off this cliff of life known to some as the American “Dream”; I leave everything behind myself, in faith that God will change me into the man He would have me be for His glory.

I ask for support, in prayer, in time, and fiscally. I can’t do this alone without a base of people who are willing to give & serve along side of me. If you have the means and call to go, the GO! God will do great things through you. If not then send others to go.

With all your heart, mind & strength.

And he answered,  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind…

Luke 10:27a

Martin Luther, the great Reformer, said, “Actually, the key is to understand that if we obey the first two commandments, we won’t break the others.”

This is the only commandment given by Jesus in the New Testament. The way I view commandments is not what you have to do for God, rather what you get to do as an overflow of the heart because God saved you. I want to look at this commandment and break it down.

To love the LORD with all of your heart & soul:

I look at this, and I know that the heart & soul are different, but I think they sing in tune with each other. This is the part of you that dances with or blasphemes & grieves the Holy Spirit. The reason I believe it is mentioned twice is to emphasize the weight of this.

To love the LORD with all of your mind:

This is what would fall into the category of doctrine, theology, hermeneutics, etc. This is an area that I am very passionate about. To study the scripture with the hopes of learning more about what God has revealed about Himself to us, similar to someone one in a relationship reading over love letters or, more appropriately for today, text messages from their loved one.

To love the LORD with all of your strength:

This is loving God in everything you do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 puts it this way: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This would include things like missions, local & abroad. That you display the grace that God has shown you through your actions. James said that “Faith without works is dead”.

All three of these things are how faith manifests itself, through grace, in our lives; to be without one can be a very dangerous thing.

To love God in heart/soul & in Strength:

This would be to negate loving God with your mind. With this you wind up with people who are spiritual, where they’re “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching” (Eph 4:14). These are the people you want to get asking the questions, that time reading scripture would benefit greatly; as well as having a friend who can answer these questions with them.

To love God in heart/soul & in Mind:

This would be to negate loving God in action. This is someone who will go to church on Sunday mornings, possibly partake in fellowship, but the rest of their week, their life, is unchanged by God. This can be a problem in the American Protestant church as it stands today; where people are Christians Sundays from 9am-12am. I would again point to James 2:17

To love God in Mind & in strength:

This is to negate loving God with your heart & soul. This is the basis of “religion”. Where someone can explain to you, in depth, the doctrine of propitiation but it never has an impact in their life. Where someone can rely on their works & knowledge to get them through but their heart isn’t in it. This is where I have the biggest struggle. I always need to check myself to see if I’m reading the Scriptures to learn more about God so I can have a better relationship with Him or to check myself to see if the Scriptures & Theology have become a functional idol. These would be like the Pharisees, referred to as “a brood of vipers”

If we fall into one of these categories, we need to come back to God & ask him to fix us, to renew us in heart, mind, & body.

Give me your eyes

Brandon Heath has a song called “Give me your eyes”

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

I’ve prayed this over and over; I can’t help but look around.

Here’s what I see

Kids dying of lack of access to water, sanitation, & food

Orphans crying out for someone to love them

Children stolen from the villages to fight in a war that is not theirs

Haitians living by the tens of thousands in tent cities

Men acting like boys

Women acting like prostitutes

Fractured families & broken homes

Religious people in despair because they broke a rule

Prideful religious people turning away people

The lost seeking to escape further into the darkness

It greaves me

Down to the core

It greaves me

Before I had the stance of I am just one person, what can I do.

I closed my eyes.

I covered my ears.

Josh Wilson’s “I refuse” nails this:

I don't want to live like I don't care

I don't want to say another empty prayer

Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else

To do what God has called me to do myself

I could choose not to move

But I refuse

I’m just one person; all I can do is impact those lives near me and anyone who God puts in my path. I know the answer that can help them all.

Kids dying of lack of access to water, sanitation, & food

Generosity of the church to help those in need & knowing that, one day, all of their needs will be met (Revelation 21:4)

Orphans crying out for someone to love them

The love of the Father above (Matthew 19:14)

Children stolen from the villages to fight in a war that is not theirs

Redemption & healing for ALL though Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-5)

Haitians living by the tens of thousands in tent cities

Joy through suffering in Christ (Philippians 1:29)

Men acting like boys

Becoming Godly men with responsibility, compassion, humility, honesty, etc (Watch this)

Women acting like prostitutes

Becoming Godly women with faith, wisdom, strength, honor, etc (Watch this)

Fractured families & broken homes

Drawing the center of the home around the One who can never be broken (Colossians 3:17)

Religious people in despair because they broke a rule

Strength, knowing that salvation is an ongoing process that God does in us (Philippians 1:6)

Prideful religious people turning away people

Humility, knowing that salvation was done for you, not by works of yourself (Ephesians 2:8)

The lost seeking to escape further into the darkness

The light of the world (John 8:12)

This is the Gospel, that Christ is the answer for all things, but know that there are people who will speak against you. There are those who would imprison or kill you if you bring this message. There are people who will oppose you; they will be your enemy. Love them, pray that God would save them and let their hearts be melted by His love.

“The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.”

An old Puritan saying

Would you give up your salvation?

I’ve been taking some time off from blogging to focus more on my reading, listening to sermons, & reading. I would suggest some books:

Humility by C. J. Mahaney

True Religion by Palmer Chinchen

I came across a very heavy passage in my time in Scripture.

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

Romans 9:1-3

Go back and read it again & let it sink in. Paul, writer 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament, said he would be willing to be cut off from Christ (grace & salvation) to see the Israelites saved. Would you be willing to give up your salvation if it meant that one person would have grace shown to them?

Who would it be?

Would it be your brother or sister?

Maybe a son or daughter?

Your parents?

A close friend?

Would you do it for a total stranger?

Would you be willing to die? Would you be willing to spend your life living, so someone might know the hope, love & peace of the one, true, living God?

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

This is what Christ did, as part of the Trinity, came into creation adding humanity to His divinity. He lived the perfect life as an example to us; teaching us to love God with all of our heart, mind, and body. Then we nailed Him to a cross. As he died of a heart attack, he cried out in a loud voice:

IT IS FINISHED!

Unjustly the Father poured our His wrath on the Son, so we could be justified. He did this so that Christ’s righteousness would be ours. He laid in a grave for 3 days, then rose up conquering death & the flesh. He died so that you might put your sin to death & live in Christ for all eternity.

Salvation doesn’t start when you die, and it doesn’t end when you die. It started when God knew you in eternity past & plays out into eternity future. He knows everything about you, everything you have done, everything you’re doing and everything you will do. It is an ongoing process.

And I am sure of this, that that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

Keep the faith, knowing that God has worked in you, is working in you and will continue to work in you, but don’t get a big head about this. Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), but be grateful & praise Him.

Go tell others, bring them hope, love, joy & peace.

Go show others, serve them, through trials & persecution.

Reflections

There is a light in this dark world

We are all mirrors

We are built to reflect

But what will we reflect?

Turned to the perfect angle we reflect the light into the world

Turned full back to the light we cast a shadow

How will we reflect God’s light to this world?

We are imperfect as mirrors

We are broken

We are dirty

But even the dirtiest, shattered mirror still reflects light

The light does not wait for the mirror to become whole

The light does not wait for the mirror to get repaired

God wants you to come to Him dirty & broken

So that He can make you clean & whole

One day the stains on our surface will be wiped away

One day the cracks will disappear

One day we will be transparent

To show the light perfectly

How can you reflect God’s love to someone?

What did He do for us?

He laughed.                                                                                        We laugh.

He loved.                                                                                             We love.

He cried.                                                                                              We cry.

He prayed.                                                                                          We pray.

He gave.                                                                                              We give.

He taught.                                                                                           We teach.

He sent.                                                                                               We send.

He died.                                                                                               We die.

      He rose.                                                                                      So we will also.

We are to reflect Him, so that He will be made know through us.

God has chosen you.

Reflect Him.

Reincarnation aka the art of procrastination

Reincarnation, the idea or belief that when the body dies the sould will leave that body to be bourn into a new one. There are many times I wish this was true, think back on how many times you have thought “I wish I could go back and change that” or “I wish I had done something different there”. I mean my life is riddled with areas I wish I could change. Situations I wish I could have changed the outcomes, love I wish I had chased, time waisted on futile persuits I wish I could have back. I know that who I am today has been shapped by the potter’s hands and I wouldn’t change a moment of it, some lesions are hard learned.

I will give the Buddhist & Hindi are correct when they say “Life [without God] is suffering”, but reincarnation is the art of procrastination. If someone told you that you could go back, you could try again, it would be cool, but it would also say that your choices in this life don’t really matter. So if you do really bad, its not really that bad; adversely this means that the good things done in this life aren’t really good. So there’s no real reason to do good. I mean, let’s look at this logically.

If you believe in reincarnation:

If you haven’t done anything with your life other than sit on the couch, eating potato chips, watching TV, letting the world pass you by then die of a heartattack from clogged artries. Cool, maybe you’ll come back as a physical trainer, climb mount everist, go skydiving, etc

You missed that connection with the girl you really like, maybe you can catch her in another life.

There are those who are lonely, maybe if they kill themselves they’ll have a life with more friends.

There are starving children in Africa. Good, they’ll die soon and maybe they can be reincarnated as an obease American child.

A person was born with a disability or handed a bad lot in life, well maybe they did something bad in their last life.

There’s something in the back of your head screaming “NO! THAT’S NOT RIGHT!”

Reincarnation is a scape goat to free yourself from conviction & responcibility. You won’t feel convicted if you didn’t do something or did do something that wasn’t “right”. It frees you from responcibility of doing the “right” thing.

Conviction comes from God, to ignore that feeling inside of you saying “this is wrong” is to ignore God.

” And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

John 16:8

We need to make the absolute most out of this life. Help as many people as we can. “Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Apple

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,”

Hebrews 9:27

I hope this lights a fire under your butt. There are people suffering out there, they need help.

The end point for a for someone who believes in reincarnation would be “let them die” or “kill them and put them out of their misery”.

The end point for a follower of Christ would be, “They’re dieing. We need to help them.” The proper response is to get up and GO! GO! GO!

Live your life like you’re dieing, cause you are.

The least of these.

This is a poem that was written by a Moldavian orphan.

Our parents work hard abroad
And have for many years
We have to grow up without them
But this fills our eyes with tears
~~~~~~~~~~
Mother, who will care for me if you are away?
Our home will have no master, father, if you chose not to stay
~~~~~~~~~~
I miss my parents very much,
I am feeling so alone
I want no money or no clothes,
I want you to come home
~~~~~~~~~~
Mother, who will care for me if you are away?
Our home will have no master, father, if you chose not to stay
~~~~~~~~~~
Parents, can you hear us?
We need you to come home
Other people’s slaves were made
When you leave us on our own
~~~~~~~~~~
Mother, who will care for me if you are away?
Our home will have no master, father, if you chose not to stay

This breaks my heart. Where there are those who might not have the warmest coat or blankets for the long, harsh eastern European winter. Where there are those who might not have the best food available to fill their tiny stomachs. Where there are those who might not have the best facilities to house these orphans. The one thing that they want, the one thing that they crave… is love.

I can’t stand by doing nothing while even one of these kids shiver through the night.
I can’t put on my jacket to keep warm without thinking about the little ones who cannot do the same.
I can’t eat one meal without thinking about one of these children who maybe going without.
I can’t look at the place I live, with climate control to keep the cold out, without knowing there are those who cannot enjoy the same.

I can’t live one moment of my life knowing there are those out there who have not been loved. God has shown me love in abundance. I want to take this love to those without.

If you have been moved at all, if your heart breaks, if you cannot stop crying at this thought then do something about it.

Go bring love to these children.
If you cannot go, send others who can.
So that you may know you are helping.

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Jesus


If you can't go help send me:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Nic%20Wolfe&tuid=5500301

My lesson in Humility

I must apologize because I realized that my last post sounded harsh. I know that because I follow Jesus people will be offended, but I need to watch out where that offence comes from. It will either originate with their rejection of the truth. For example if someone is lacking on hygiene and try to tell them humbly & politely “I don’t mean to offend you, but you may have forgotten to take a shower today.” This person will either welcome this information and go take a shower, or they could get offended because you called out something they didn’t want people to notice. The other scenario would be the way that you tell someone. If you walk up to this same person and say “Man, you smell like you stepped in dog poo. You need a bath, stinky.” While it may be true this is the proud or arrogant way to do it. So again I apologize and ask for your forgiveness that I was speaking proudly.

I would like to explain this in a more humble way. There are two major ways to sin, omission and commission.

Sins of Commission

To commit, to partake, carry out, complete, or do and act that is against God. I know that most of us are familiar with this. The heart of sin is idolatry. I know what you’re thinking “But I don’t have any statues”. Idolatry is to place something or someone in God’s rightful place as ruler over everything in our lives.  To find out truly ask yourself “Who is in control of your life?” If your answer is “Me, I control my life.” You are prideful and you idolize yourself (James 4:6). Another way to find out is truly ask yourself “What drives my life?” or “What do I spend the most time doing or thinking about?” Is it sex, money, power, religion, morality, missions/ministry? Are these things bad? No.

Sex with your spouse, in a godlily marriage, is a beautiful thing (Song of Solomon), but extramarital relations in thought & action is adultery (Matt 5:27-32).

Power is needed to make global changes (Rom 13:1).

Money is necessary for survival in this world, but do not chase after it because God will provide (Luke 12:6-7; Matt 6:24).

Religion & morality are great when we focus on God and not about relying on it to get to heaven (Eph 2:8-9; 1 Tim 4:1-5).

Missions & ministry are part of what we are told to do (Matt 28:16-20), but if you focus on ministry more than actually spreading the love of God it can become an idol (Matt 10:19-20; James 2:14-26).

There are a lot of good things, but to take them and put them over God is sinful.

Sins of Omission

The immediate reaction to this would be to then lock yourself in a room so that you might not sin by action.

“Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17

And people might say that there are people that haven’t heard what to do, but because of God’s grace everyone has a conscious. So we all know the difference between good and evil, but let me clarify if you may have forgotten:

There are those who are hungry in the world. Feed them.

There are those without water. Drill them a well.

There are homeless. Shelter them.

There are orphans. Love them.

There are those who are naked. Clothe them.

There are those in jail. Visit them.

There are those who are sick. Give them medicine & care for them.

There are those in oppression. Free them.

There are those in despair. Bring them the hope.

There are those in need. Help them.

If you can’t physically do so enable & support others who can and you will go with them.

Matthew 25:36-41

I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. 'Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

We are all sinners.  Give in to that feeling, that conviction. Tell God you’re sorry, and actually be sorry. Ask Him to change your heart and give you new motivation for Him. Take His love to others.

More on this can be found here:

Doctrine series “The Fall: God Judges”

Why not just pull the trigger?

EDIT NOTE: before reading please view this post

There are those who don’t know the tragedies and horrors of the world. Like the fact that there are kids dyeing in Africa from malaria, something that is completely curable with very little medication. There are children dyeing all over the world from lack of access to clean water and sanitation. I have no problem with these people, they’re just unaware that these things are going on. Part of what I have to do is inform these people who don’t know. Once people know what is going on they will react one of two ways.

The first is those whose heart breaks. They hear of a little girl being captured by the LRA then is forced to bite to death another little girl and they start crying. They want to find a way to help; it burrows into their soul so deep that they can’t look away. These are the people who will tell others about what is going on. They will make sure that everyone knows. They are the ones who become expatriates to help those in need. They will sacrifice anything and everything they have to help. These are the dedicated ones. These are the ones who care. If your reaction doesn’t quite match this then you probably fall into the other reaction.

The other reaction people will have is that they don’t care. These are the people who hear about a little girl in Cambodia being sold by her grandfather to a sex slave trafficker and say “Oh that’s sad, someone should do something about it.” Then they assume someone else will take care of it. By standing by and doing nothing it enables those who are committing these acts to continue. It is saying that it is ok for these things to happen. It is to stand beside these genocidists, fighting for them. Enabling & empowering them. These are the people who would sit idly by as someone beats a child to death or rapes a defenseless woman. This brings up a good question.

How do you react?

This isn’t a question that is just answered by words it is answered by action.

The words that you answer with are in prayer & commitment. Pray that things change and make a verbal commitment to help. This is followed by action.

The action response is to sacrifice; the sacrifice of your life, to go and physically help in any way possible. You leave all that you know and all your comforts to help those in need. I can understand that not everyone can do this; in fact I know that very few will be able to. So those who cannot go need to enable those can.

To enable those who go, with money and time. Giving time to learn about what is going on and keeping up with it and telling others what is happening, so that no one may be ignorant of the suffering and the help that is needed.

Or you can react with those who do not care… but remember who you are killing when you say you don’t care.
 

A message of giving

Luke 1:1-4
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

I love this passage for multiple reasons, aside from the fact that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” this passage speaks volumes. There were many people in the 1^st century that wrote about what Jesus did while on earth, 4 of which were picked by God to persevere the ages to bring us the words of Christ. The Gospel of Luke was written by a well educated (within the top 1% of the populous) doctor. He left his practice to investigate ineptly the works of this Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Through the investigation and testimonies of eye-witnesses it was shown that He was the God-Man, savior and redeemer of mankind.

Both Luke & Acts open with an address to a Theophilus, which means “loved by God”. It is presumed that both books were commissioned & paid for by this man. This means that he funded Luke’s life & travel during the writing of these books. If Theophilus had decided that there were enough gospels written or that someone else would take care of it not only would we not have the Gospel of Luke, but we also wouldn’t have the information listed in Acts. So even though Theophilus didn’t pen either book they would not have been possible without them.

But like Luke I will be making sacrifices. Luke being one of the better educated people in that day had the opportunity to be a very wealthy man, most likely leaving behind a home & possessions, but he spent his life perusing Jesus. This is what I plan on doing; I will give all that I have to be able to go. I ask that you would become part of this ministry. I would ask that you be my Theophilus and enable me to go through prayer & donations. Anything given is greatly appreciated, if you can spare $5, $10 or more I would appreciate it. I would ask that you remember everyone who would be touched by this mission.

Donations can either be made directly to me or through the following site:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Nic%20Wolfe&tuid=5500301
(all donations made through the site are tax deductible)

You don't have baggage, you are baggage.

Imagine this.

You find a program that lets you live abroad for very little cost. They let you know that part of this program is that you work while you’re in these areas. You prep yourself for a year long trip, get all of your documents in order, get your contact’s information, and set your flight. You’re excited as the plane lands Heathrow in London. You take a cab to the flat where you’re supposed to meet your contact. You’re welcomed in, set your stuff down. You start chatting with your hosts, share a few drinks. You start to feel groggy & pass out.

You wake up in a much different side of town. A very shady flat where the wallpaper is falling off the wall, you have an old, stained mattress on the floor. You have no idea where you are or where your stuff went. Your “host” informs you that it’s time to start paying back for your trip. You immediately protest to what they have done to you. This man who brought you here beats you and tells you that you’ll do as he says or he’ll kill you, after all he did pay a good amount of money for you. You’re kept in this place for a few weeks, nightly getting beaten & raped. This man brings over other people to do the same thing to you.

One day you see an opportunity to escape. Knocking out your captor and run for it. You run for blocks until you find a police station. Out of breath you try to explain to the officer about what has been happening to you. The officer listens and they take you into the back. After some time the officer asks you for your identification. You think about it and you know it’s with your belongings, wherever they are. They are more interested in your citizen ship, rather than what has happened to you. They label you an illegal immigrant & throw you in jail for being in the country illegally. Your captor finds you and pays your bail and you’re back in their custody.

This is the story of an estimated 2.5 million people. This is what it is like to be a victim of Human Trafficking; some people get tricked into this by promises of moving from a 3^rd world country to a developed country for a better life. Others, normally children or teens, are sold into this by their parents. There are quite a few that are kidnapped and forced into sex trades or manual labor. The majority of people are 18-24, although 1.2 million of its victims are children.

This is normally a rare situation for an American citizen, as there are things that can be done, like going to the US embassy in that country. There are many people who cannot do this, they are normally tracked down by the trafficker and forced back in.

The Adventures in Missions organization has programs that are a safe haven to these people. One of the things I could be doing on the World Race is helping out with this program of counseling and ministering to these victims.

I would ask for your prayers on this trip, but any donations would be helpful. You can donate at the following link:

Click here

God give me strength

I feel God calling me to some dangerous places, He has given me courage to no fear the things that would destroy the body. He has broken my heart for a lot of things.

To help those affected by the LRA in Uganda, DR Congo, Central African Republic & Sudan.

To help & encourage the persecuted church in any and all ways possible.

To help those who have experienced human trafficking.

Through the World Race program I am able to go to Uganda, China, Cambodia. and other places. I will always ask that you pray for me as I go do these things. I ask that you wouldn't pray for my safety, but pray God's will would be done on this trip.

Any finical contributions would be greatly appreciated. You may donate at the following link:
Donate

Where am I going?

So for most of you who have been keeping up with this, I got accepted to the World Race program.

I will be spending 11 months abroad. The possibilities of what I will be doing is endless. Helping orphans, making clean water wells, working with sex trafficked women, construction, teaching, hospital visits. Doing all things to the glory of God.


I will continue to update this blog, but I will also have another one on the World Race site. I will try to keep both up.


Here are all of the countries that I'm going to (I plan on writing about each country)

I would ask for prayer. Not for safety, but that God's work would be done. I have taken hold and continue to pray for the mentality that Paul had.



Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

I will continue to ask for prayer. If you are able to help fiscally, anything and everything helps, and I greatly appreciate any donations. http://ow.ly/3qmud

Pray for me

I feel like God has called me to go. I cannot stand by and let someone else do what God has called me to do myself.

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I know I have said I request prayers. These are the areas that I would ask you pray for me.

I do not ask that you pray for my safety, but that you would pray God would take me where He wants me to go, even if this includes dangers & hardships.

Matthew 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I do not ask that you pray that Christianity would spread, but that I would be able to boldly proclaim the Gospel and that many would be saved & that the Gospel would spread.
 

Ephesians 6:19-20

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, 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.

All I want for Christmas...

I've already got my 2 front teeth, so I had to think hard about what I want. They follow in no particular order, just what I quick access to.

First would be any kind of donation to my World Race fund.

Second would be any one of the books on my Amazon wishlist.




Third would be a donation to Gospel for Asia or Life Water.

Stop selling Jesus

Let the Gospel speak for itself.

God created me.

I have separated myself from Him. I've been judgmental, a liar, a slut, lazy, religious & prideful (and the list just keeps getting longer). And by doing this I would always be separated from Him.

God loved me and knew I would do this and because He desired a relationship with me He sent His Son to take the punishment for me.
He revealed Himself to me, so that I would know what He did for me.
He changed my heart & my motives so that I would love Him.
And He can do the same for you.

There are so many people who try to sell Jesus to their friends, family, co-workers, & congregation.So I have to ask what is the point of doing this? Jesus is not a commodity to be bought and sold. I see a lot of preachers making God into a piñata. You pray to Him and He'll give you whatever you want.

A seed sower doesn't plant the seed, and then immediately stare at the ground and expect a plant to spring up ready to be harvested, do they? I say don't put people in a high pressure sales situation "Well I've told you about Jesus, do you want to accept Him?" Maybe have them pray "the prayer" or walk "the isle"?

Just remember there was another man who tried to sell Jesus, for 30 silver pieces. So before trying to sell Jesus think which team you're on.

And I'd say let others believe what they want to, no matter how tolerant or intolerant it is. Because:


1 Corinthians 5:12-13
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."



(I would like to say I'm not against the Jesus action figure, I think its funny.)

The next step

I received the call that I've been accepted to the World Race program. I am so excited I could barely contain myself on my drive home from work yesterday. I wanted to dance in the street in my "ephod".

The next thing I’m looking to do is getting accepted to the pastoral internship at my church. The main reason I want to this is so I can have a very well defined view of theology. Even if I do not get the internship I will take refuge in the spirit that God will give me the right words.

Luke 12:11-12

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

I would request that I would be in your prayers & encouragement while I’m approaching this opportunity. I ask that you would pray, not for my safety, but that God’s work would be done through this trip. I would ask for prayers that, if it is His will, the way would be provided.

Luke 10:2-4

2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

I will do everything I can to carry the finical burden & trust that God will provide. If you would like to make donations, they can be made here.

See the Invisible. Hear the Silent.

Imagine this (you may want to imagine this as one of your children, niece, or nephew). You’re 5 years old. What are you doing?

Are you playing tag with your friends? Having tea parties?

You wake up one night to hear a scuffle.

Wake up to find that your parents have been killed.

Suddenly you’re approached by an older kid, maybe 10 years old.

They’re carrying an AK-47.

They tell you that they’re the one who killed your parents & that you have to come with them or they will kill you too.

You’re walked to a truck and loaded up with other children your age.

They’re crying because they’ve just gone through the same thing as you.

It’s very late, maybe 4am. You’re pulled out of the truck and lined up.

They grab the child next to you & cut off their arms & legs then split them open & cut off their head.

They give no reason why they did this.

Another child starts crying; they grab them and do the same as the first.

Welcome to being a soldier in the Lord’s Resistance Army.

If you’re big enough you’re outfitted with a gun. If not you’re given a whistle and become a flesh shield.

You’re then forced to do the same as the person who killed your parents & if you resist, try to escape, you will be killed.

You see this day after day.

These are the Invisible Children.

These are the Falling Whistles.

Are you thinking this is grotesque?

Are you thinking this can’t be real?

Are you thinking this needs to be stopped?

Good, but right now you’re only one of 5000.

How many people would hear about his and just pass on saying "Someone else will take care of it."

Someone else has taken care of it, since 1987 someone else has taken care of it.

23 years.

Maybe it's time for others to stand up as well.

President Obama and his advisors are now creating the first-ever comprehensive U.S. strategy to help see LRA atrocities ended, and its content will impact the future for hundreds of thousands of people.

Your voice can help make sure the President's strategy includes the major investment of new resources and leadership needed to achieve peace by signing the pledge.

As Christians we're called to help the oppressed.

As a human we should show compassion for those weaker than us.

God is good

Had my interview with the people who do World Race. Things went well, but even if I am not chosen to go I will praise God.

God is good.

In all things, God is good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20

He has worked through me, not because of me but despite me.

I will praise him.