Forever Forgiven

up North

2011-06-08T02:12:00.000-07:00

Well right now I am up North fishing off of Langara Island on the tip of the queen charlottes.

The job I have as a night deck hand gives me ample opportunity to think and pray and talk to God (and sometimes myself) quite a bit. One thought that struck me today is what I want to talk about today.

So being up here it really puts you in a different situation as far as communicating with people. There is no cell service and the only way I am able to communicate with people is through the weak internet that I get on occasion.

With not much going on socially other then gutting fish and making lunches, you really look forward to talking to people or reading messages from them. This excitement gets to a point where having that conversation or reading that message from someone your expecting becomes the absolute highlight of your day. 15 minutes of Facebook chat, or reading a lengthy message from someone becomes what your day revolves around.

On the other hand it can put you in an awkward position when you come to realize this excitement isn't necessarily reciprocated. Someone comes online to quickly check their Facebook, and you want to right away start a conversation and see how their day is going. Or you get a short message back from that person, and everything inside you wants to send this huge message telling them about your day and asking how they day, week is going. But to them this is just a quick 5 minute check up on their Facebook. After a while of receiving less then enthusiastic messages back, or a brief conversation consisting of the brief courtesy conversation we have become so accustom to, you soon realize that the people you want to talk too or message are not as excited as you.

because of this you find yourself hesitant to start that conversation as not to be a burden to someone, being someone they "have" to talk to. Instead you sit their waiting for that person to initiate the conversation so you know they want to talk to you as well. While inside you are dyeing to converse with that person. You realize what is the highlight of your day, is only a little part of their day, or their week. It can sometimes come to the point were it is a duty they are fulfilling to reply to my lengthy message just to be nice.

now I don't write this to have a big pity party but to paint an honest snapshot of my life right now in a way that you can clearly see the two perspectives. Now I want you to replace me with Jesus. This is what I had the Holy Spirit illuminate in my heart tonight while brining bait for tomorrows fishing trip.

How often is Jesus sitting there, waiting, wanting to talk to us. His entires day revolves around that five minutes we may or may not give Him. Be it a journal entry, or a prayer, or worship, or simply setting time aside to talk. It absolutely makes His day, as a matter of fact He is so passionate about this personal time with you that He died on a cross to make it possible.

Now like myself, Jesus will not push or prod to get meaningless conversion. No one wants a sympathy conversation, or have someone talk to them because they "have to", (although Jesus and myself at this point will take those conversations when we can have them :) ) but Jesus wants to be engaged in meaningful two way conversations with the people He is so madly in love with.

But how often are His people only popping into devotions to "check up" on things. Or how many times is our time with God just a very small part of our week while it is the very thing His week revolves around?

I was challenged to really evaluate when and why I spend time with God. Am I as excited to meet with Jesus as He is to meet with me? Are you as excited as He is?

thoughts on devotions

2011-03-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

March 5th 2011

Today i was reading through Matthew 13 and had a couple thoughts for those who would care to listen.

The first bit of thirteen has the parable of the sower, Matthew 13:3-8 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." I'd Like to take a second and notice a couple things about this parable. Jesus later explains the parable in verses 18-23 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²²The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Things to notice

Every person gets a seed. In life every person has the same opportunities to respond to Gods call. Now we may not have the same amount or to the same degree but the word is clear that everyone will have an opportunity to "receive a seed". Be that through general revelation, or special revelation, we all are given that opportunity. The seed is not the variable in this parable the condition of our "soil" or hearts is. Now this seems to be a no brainer when it comes to salvation but as christians what is the soil of our heart like, because Jesus is constantly giving us His Word. Through sunday services, youth services, our devotions, each week there are plenty of "seeds" given to us. Is the soil of our hearts hospitable to them, or hardened towards it.

Another interesting thing. The first two scenarios we see the seed being stolen, or the seed spurts up but then falls away. The thing to notice is the language used when talking about the third seed. I think through being to familiar with this parable we miss what it says. We assume the first three scenarios the seed dies or is taken away but lets take a closer look at it.

verse 21-But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Notice the last phrase. "he quickly falls away".

Now lets look at the next verse- he one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

See that? It doesn't say the seed was stolen or he fell away. No; Rather the soil has made him unfruitful.

A seed can be planted and grow, and still be unfruitful. My heart breaks with the realization that far too many christians today who are well planted and grown are unfruitful. They have been in church for ages, yet they remain unfruitful. Why? Because of the condition of their hearts. What a tragedy.

Today I have taken my heart to God and asked Him to make sure that there is nothing in my life that I allow to "harden the soil" of my heart. This is a practice I have found absolutely vital, not only as a leader but as a Christian. You MUST keep your heart in a constant state of brokeness and surrender to God. Nothing will de-rail you faster than taking it into your own hands and thinking, "I'm ok, I got this."

well once again I got through half of what I wanted to say and its to long again. Until next time...God bless

thoughts on devotions

2011-02-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

haven't blogged in a while so I thought I'd share some thoughts on my devos this morning throughout matthew 6-8.

6:3-4- But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

- This is something I find my spirit and flesh always fighting over. Everything we learn growing up encourages us to do good deeds or perform well, to get a reward or get noticed. Study hard, and get good grades. Practice hard in a sport, to get more playing time from a coach. Sadly in many peoples situations, perform well as a child and finally get attention from that parent you so desperately want it from. This is an area that we as Christians needs to constantly and consistently be watching in our lives. The tricky part is, much of keeping this is check in your own life, deals with motives and your heart. You can have two people picking up garbage in the community, but at the same time have two different motives, one our of a servants heart really wanting to serve their community, the other hoping a parent teacher of friend will drive by and see them and think better of them.

6: 4,6,18,- the phrase and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. is repeated 3 times in chapter six

- first thought is, if Jesus found it crucial with His limited time on earth and with people, to repeat 3 times and allude to many times, about the importance of the "secret place" and that the father is found in the "secret place" why is it that this is the first place a christian neglects in the business of life? Coincidence? I don't think so. Just as Jesus found it vital to mention this principle over and over again, the enemy know the power of the secret place as well. Today's life just seems to be getting more and more busy, and with that always seems to come a neglect of our quiet time with Jesus, and then we wonder why we don't see God in our days or we just don't "feel it". NO DUH! I get so frustrated with myself when I again and again find myself saying that, as if Christianity was about me "feeling like it", and Christ dying on the cross was to increase MY comfort. I can be so selfish sometimes! I know that if I am going to be the man that God has called me to be, I need to be with the Man I am called to be like, Jesus!

- Second though on these 3 verses is, no matter what happens in the secret Jesus promises to reveal in the open. Be that a sinful secret or a committed relationship with Jesus. Be the revealing of it, during this life time, or that day when we stand before Jesus. I think it is going to be a very surprising day, when we see the people we all saw as "righteous" on the outside, and then we see what was really in their heart, and the people we have all overlooked, Jesus calls them up with a smile and reveals the lifetime of a well build relationship with Jesus. What does your secret place consist of?

6 :8- For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

A great quote from Jack Hayford sums up my thoughts on this verse nicely, "persistence in prayer is not commanding God, rather solidly presenting a request whose items He longs to distribute."- Jack Hayford"

Well this is getting longer then i thought so Tomorrow I will see if i can get through chapter 6,7,and 8 lol

God bless, hope something God spoke to my will speak to you!

quick thought on Hebrews 10:11-14

2011-01-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

While doing a study, and a writing on Hebrews for class I came across this little passage and it jumped out at me.

Hebrews 10 talks about Christ as our priest who gave one sacrifice, that begin Himself, that satisfied sin once and for all apposed to the O.T. priest's who sacrificed everyday, and still never paid for sin.

I love how it says the priest worked everyday with many sacrifices and yet never fully paying for sin. While on the other hand Jesus, did one work and now sits down beside his father. We can see the correlation to Christ finish work, or our earthly attempts at sanctification that are at best only ever and unfinished work.

Anyways that's not what I wanted to blog about that's just interesting.

Go down to verse 14 of Hebrews chapter ten, the NIV reads this way, "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." At first glance this may not seem like much but it answers so many question when it comes to people who come to Jesus, accept His saving power in their lives, surrender to Him, yet still struggle with temptations and sin in their life. (not that they willingly or habitually sin) but they still make mistakes. Well does that mean they didn't "do it right" when they Got saved, or they need another alter call or message to "really make it worked this time." While all those things are good it's not the answer.

We read in verse 14 that because of Christ one sacrifice He HAS MADE us perfect, but then later in the same verse, we see the people He has made perfect are in a process of BEING MADE holy.

Salvation is an instant happening, but sanctification is a process. Yes we are made perfect in Christ but we daily walk out and work out our sanctification. We are made, and are being made Holy.

We see today to much, that churches or people theology land on the extreme of this pendulum, and in either case it is unhealthy. We need to allow the Bible to be what it says. Yes we are made perfect in Christ when we call on him and that's a done deal! We also are in a process called sanctification where we are BEING MADE HOLY. it's not an either or its a both and.

anyways just a quick thought for those who'd care to listen.

Who's following?

2010-11-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday in Mentoring Epistles I had my world rocked by God. Pastor Ken's son-in-law was talking about the importance of raising up people. Sometimes we can get a bit overwhelmed by this. I think there are a couple reasons. One, I think we automatically think that it means mentoring 6-10 people, and that will take a lot of time and how do I effectively reach all of those people? And secondly I think we don't view ourselves ready to lead someone. Well both of these worries are not correct.

Mentoring someone doesn't have to be a big group of people it can be one person. As far as feeling inadequate, everybody has somebody in their life that is not as far along on the walk of faint as them, if you just got saved, find someone who isn't saved. This feeling idea of putting off pouring into someone else's life is a mindset I believe we need to get over.

I was doing a character study on Gideon yesterday and the one thing that God spoke to me was, While Gideon was cowering in the Wind press threshing wheat, (not where you thresh wheat btw) hiding from the Midianites, God comes to him, and does not address Gideon as the man God saw, but instead called Gideon as the man God saw inside of him.

God did not call him a wimpy scared boy, hiding from his enemies trying to save just enough for himself, no, He called Gideon a valiant warrior, because that's what God created him to be!

God has greatness planned for every one of us, that's not to say you can do what ever your want. but you can do what ever God has called you to do!

Anyways, with that in mind, God really spoke to me, to be intentional with mentoring in my life. I felt called to for the rest of my life every year, have at least one younger guy, who God points out to me, and take one year, and intentionally live life, get involved in his live, and help see the plan of God in his life realized, and after that year, hopefully he'll be in the place where he can go and do the same.

God pointed out the need in my life to raise up the next generation, who are people today that are around you that you could be calling greatness out of?

quick thought before class

2010-11-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

Judges 6:1-12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. ²Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. ³Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. ⁴They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. ⁵They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. ⁶Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.

⁷When the Israelites cried to the Lord because of Midian, ⁸he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ⁹I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. ¹⁰I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

¹¹The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. ¹²When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Look hear at Gideon's response when God speaks, verse 13: But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”

We see this response all throughout judges and in many cases the new testament. Israel will turn away from God and serve other gods, and when times get tough they blame God! I find myself getting so fired up reading this, wondering how stupid they could be, and how they can think that it's God's fault when it is obviously their sin and stupidity that has lead them into the situations their in.

As I was going through these emotions while doing a character study on Gideon, God spoke to me and said this has been your life. I was a little taken back and confused. "God I've never served idols, we don;t even have other gods."

The truth of the matter is there are Idols in all of our lives. One of my favourite pastors to listen to, Pete Wilson, just preached a sermon series on the Idols we have in our live, not if we have them, but which ones are our "go to" Idols. Anything we look to, to give us what God should.

While thinking about this God spook to me and said this is what sin does. Sin will always elevate your view of yourself, and blame God for your circumstances. With Gideon, the sin Israel was in, made the circumstances they found themselves in, God's fault, instead of the fruit of their doings.

Sin will always contort and distort our view of ourselves, and our perspective on who God is!

Jesus Please

2010-10-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Why is it that when things are great I think that is by my own doings? Why is it that I don’t cling to Jesus for dear life until mine or someone’s depends on that clinging? How is it that we live life with an awareness of God but not with a desperation that says, "God if you don't come through, its game over."

Having this experience with my cousin, getting a phone call saying Luke's been in an accident, and might not make it, and to pray. My prayer life went from normal, to a whole other level of desperation. Instead of asking God to move and leaving it at that, Luke's life depended on God moving. Even now when doctors say that he has 1% chance of walking again, NOTHING else will do but Jesus. It is a completely different sense of helpless, but at the same time faith building experience. Understanding that all the times I have said and prayed, "God I know you love us", I am nor desperately depending on that truth that says Jesus You love us so I know that you care. Or the nonchalant prayers of "God I know you can heal, so Lord please heal", I know find myself standing on nothing else but that truth with absolute desperation saying Jesus You can heal, so please heal.

I find myself self not falling back on the prayer I normally do, words don't mean anything, phrases, or how it sounds is regardless at this point. Since I found out about Luke the one of the only phrases that I have been able to pray is, "Jesus Please...Jesus Please." Ifs a scary and humbling occurrence when everything you pride yourself in and stand on, comes crumbling down when tragedy happens, and the only thing you find yourself able to stand on is Jesus and who he is... When your prayer are usually longer, and by somehow using certain words or having certain passion you feel like they are better prayers. But when push comes to shove, and you really need God to move, all you have to say, beg, plea, is Jesus please.

So Jesus, for Luke, please... For his back, Jesus please... For him to be able to walk again...Jesus please!

What does it mean to be "in" something

2010-09-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

The last couple days I haven't been able to get away from the word "In". Every time I go to do devotions, it pops up everywhere. What it means to be "In" something. In the likeness of something. More specifically what it means to be "In Christ." I believe is means sooo much more then just being a Christian.

Paul's Christology emphasizes this constantly. The importance of being in Christ. I still can't adequately describe the picture of this that God has given me, but I'll try a little bit hear before class. One picture I get of being in something is like those bouncy balls. You know the ones with little dinosaur, or spider or some animal in the centre, surrounded by the clear jelly of the bouncy ball. (if you don't know what I'm talking about as a 3rd grader their bound to have one in their backpack...I do) Anyways, this is one picture God gave me of being "In" Him. That dinosaur only goes where the rest of the ball goes. It can't just decide to go its own way and peace out. Every where it goes, does and how it does it is dependant on the surrounding bouncy ball.

I believe we are called to be much like this dinosaur in the bouncy ball, the only difference is God has given the a ability to go outside of that covering or "clear bouncy jelly" and do it our own we if we'd like, but we are called to live inside of Christ in such a way that anything we do, say, or how we act is completely dependant and Christ and who He is. When people see us they shouldn't be able to help but see Jesus.

There is much more on this idea of being "in" something I plan on expounding upon but ill do that later.

Just a though for you!

What is really important to you?

2010-09-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Pete Wilson is a Pastor from Nashville who's blog I follow and from a distance consider him somewhat of a mentor in my life, this short clip on his blog today rocked me. Check it out!

soo turns out I can't post it, so ill give you the link check it out and then come back :) it is the video with the title "Empty promises mashup"

anyways the one phrase He said that just floors me is "When good things, to become ultimate things they eventually become destructive things"....WOW. In the world we live today this could be a number of things to a number of people. This could be your family, your position at your church, the church, money, fame, work. Anything that we put more importance on that Jesus.

After this I am taking some time today to evaluate is there is any good thing I'm letting become and ultimate thing before God in my life. I encourage you to do the same, and when you get it, write it down!

Thoughts from my online course

2010-09-18T22:07:00.001-07:00

Well this year I am taking an online course at P.B.C and am LOVING IT. Out of the few online course programs I have checked out, this is by far my favorite, it is so well done, and for an online course has done a very good job at making it more then an educational experience but an interactive character developing experience as well.

Anyways the course I'm taking this semester is "Vision Leadership" by Pastor Frank Damazio. After listening to this weeks lesson the one thought that has stuck with me was this.

Frank was talking about how as pastors and leaders we needs to have "Prophetic eyes" so to say, and as leaders we need to have vision for the church. Not just were it has been, or where it is, but to be able to see past current situations or seemingly un-surpassible economic or personal crisis, and to see where God wants the church to be. As leaders today we need to be able to see the next few steps, to Get a hold of Gods vision for the future for the church. If you can't do this, you don't have any business leading a church, people or your own life for that matter. It is so well demonstrated to me at CBC, Pastor Frank and the leadership team not only teach this, but exemplifies it extremely well. They saw this economic crisis coming before it happened and made the necessary cut backs and adjustments needed and now in a time when other churches are struggling or closing, we are growing and expanding. It is so encouraging and educational to have the opportunity to be under leadership like this for the time being!

It also challenged me in the season I'm in now. As a junior high leader, small group leader and dorm leader. I can't just be stoked on the momentum of the ministry right now and just be happy that God is moving, as a leader, I need to have prophetic "Holy Spirit Eyes" to see into the future to help administer more momentum and more growth for the people I lead. The quickest way to become the limit or bottle cap to Gods movement is to simply have eyes for the now and not the future. Leaders need a God thought, Holy Spirit inspired and empowered vision for the church, the ministry they serve in, there families and their own lives!

Thoughts for the Day

2010-09-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

Quick thought before bed

Preparing a sermon outline for class today, looking at Matthew 5:1-16

Looking at this scripture really blew me away today, I will sum up the back ground of this scripture.

to paint a background i want to quote from this commentary- "Being a master Teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism of the scribes and Pharisees. He began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer. The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within. "

Now Jesus grabs the attention of every person in the crowd when He utters his first words, "Blessed".

"Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: “Blessed.” (The Latin word for blessed is beatus, and from this comes the word beatitude.) This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant “divine joy and perfect happiness.” The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead"

It is fascinating to me that the Pharisees had put so much time and effort into creating the an idea of righteousness that was culturally accepted and believed, but with one word from Christ's lips, flesh created doctrine of righteousness is shattered!

After looking at this I am convinced that as Christians today we are called to speak to age long lies and strongholds, being full of the Holy Spirit, and speak words of truth and see the strongholds in today's society come crumbling down! I find it fascinating that the Pharisees obviously disagreed with what Jesus was saying, but could not argue his Truth.

Even if people want to rebel against God and what is right, when the truth is spoken in humility and power, they cannot deny it or fight against it. Being created by God, in His image and like Him, there is something inside of them that cannot disagree with or fight against truth when it is presented!

It is so encouraging to be able to rest in the truth that the power of the gospel does not rest in my articulation or intellect, but the power of the Gospel is in the truth which it proclaims. The Power of the truth is in the person who is truth, Jesus Christ.

In the times we live in with relative truth, and the perversion of right or wrong, as Christians we can rest assured in the fact that God's word is absolute truth, and that truth (Gods word) does not come back void! I don't know about you but this instills so much faith and confidence!

Not all "good" things are "God" inspired things

2010-09-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

So starting this semester I found myself in the same frustration I normally do. Starting another semester, and through ministry meetings, youth meetings and school leadership meetings, I hear of all the opportunities and needs of the church and different areas of ministry, and I feel the need, and tugging on my heart to do everything. My frustration is never that i don't have enough time to do the things I've committed to do, it is that I don't have time to commit to more things. Going to school for 20 credits, working 20 hours a week, being on student leadership, being a leader at junior high, and being involved with the worship ministry, I feel myself wanting to be more involved in every area I am already involved in.

Especially with my junior high guys, I sometimes feel like I am not being a good enough leader because I can't spend more time with them or invest more time in them. This then leads to the demonising of work, which is not right but always what I seem to default to haha.

Well this is where I found myself today, beginning my third year, I feel that for some reason I should be more involved with things than I was last year. Overwhelmed I started thinking of ways to make more time in my schedule so I could do more, Mainly campus clubs with my junior high guys.

Anyways, for homework today I was reading the book, "Church Unique" written by Will Manicini, and the first chapter was talking about church leader's and how to find out the culture of your church, and how to cast Your churches vision, not trying to cast vision of a different successful church on your church. When I was reading this God spoke to me about my situation.

Its not that the things I want to be more involved in are not what He is doing, but they are not all what He is calling ME to do. Now this is a concept I am very familiar with, but I find it funny that I need to keep learning this lesson.

Something I want to look more into is what to do with those "wantings" in your spirit you do feel God is calling you to, but you don't have any more time in the day to do what you feel He is calling you to do.

anyways that's enough for tonight.

The Art Of wanting more of God.

2010-09-12T23:46:00.000-07:00

Just a thought from today. As I said earlier this semester has been unreal! God is doing some powerful stuff everywhere in Portland. Today we had record numbers in our Sunday morning junior high tracks, not sure on exact numbers but close to 70 junior highers that are stoked on Jesus and not afraid to tell everyone they meet about the Love of their lives! On all three campuses we've been having record numbers of people for youth on Wednesdays. Two weeks ago we had 23 kids saved on all three campuses, AND THEY STAYING AROUND which is the most exciting part! I am starting a two twenty two group (222 our small groups based off of 2 tim 2:22) with two of the junior highers I got to lead to Christ last week so I'm very excited about that. I find myself desperately seeking God lately asking him to teach me how to lead the junior highers and now my peers as I am a dorm leader this semester. Asking God to show me how to serve my dorm mates and having to spend more time to not only hear God's voice for myself but for the guys I'm serving as well. It is a very humbling experience when you find yourself in leadership and feel completely unqualified, but I guess it just keeps me plugged into the source right.

Anyways the thought of the day that has been in my head is this:

Since I've been here the theme of chapels and worship services has been going deeper and wanting more of God. During worship at our GU leaders meeting tonight, during free praise, I was just asking God for more of him, and I stopped and I heard God say very clearly, "If you want more of ME, I need more of you." This shook me to my core as I realised that God is always there. He is constant, we are the variable, to ask for more of God is kind of an oxymoron when you think of it. If we want more, then step closer. Now I understand that God reveals more of himself to you over time and that it's not wrong to ask for more of God, but it was interesting to hear God say it that way. Too many times I cry out to God for more of him, but He is standing there saying "then I need more of you, more of your will, more of your mindsets more of your habits, more of your time, more of your emotions, more of your heart, and in doing so You get more of ME".

I don't want to ever be in a position where anything is off limits to God, this in fact terrifies me because there are certain things that I know will cost, but I've come to a point where it cost to much not to. It will cost my junior highs to much if I haven't given all of myself to God. It will cost my dorm mates to much if God doesn't have every area of my life. It will cost my friends, the lost, anyone I come in contact with far to much, if God doesn't have all of me. You see our lives were never intended to just be about ourselves, although we can be deceived into thinking that what we do or don't only effects us and our relationship with Christ. WRONG! Everyone you come in contact with, saved our not, depend on you to be fully submitted and surrendered to Christ. It is so much bigger then ME, I or Myself.

Who Knows how long...

2010-09-11T23:02:00.000-07:00

Well i have decided i want to start blogging again, for how long??? Who knows, but in the mean time this is what has been going on in my life.

I recently just finished 100 days on a fishing resort/ ship up north, 20 miles south of Alaska at a place called Langara Island. This was the worst and best experience of my life (more on the best end of it). There was great fishing, most of the crew was amazing and it is just gorgeous up there. What was most interesting was what God changed in me while I was there. I still can't adequately communicate what God has done quite yet but I'll try.

One thing for sure that God changed in me, was to make me realize how important it is to treat women with respect in everything I do, (save the Amen's mom). This is very Ironic because being on a ship, well lets just say it's just not the most wholesome place to live, but through that God really birthed a passion in my heart to just go all out, in respecting the women in my life, with what I talk about around them, how I talk, what I do around them, and my humour. Anyone who knows me or is close to me is probably laughing at this point, because we have probably had the conversation where you told me this exact thing, but i guess i just take a little longer to grasp certain concepts :)

The second thing that really stuck with me was to "slow down". I really have a new found passion for people, and when with them, BEING WITH THEM. Not on my cell phone, not thinking about my stupid busy life. I realized how much we in today's world with facebook, twitter, and cell phones, we are so connected, but so disconnected from the people we are with every day, for coffee or conversation. I really felt God showing me that this is something I need to improve in my life. I don't ever want one of my junior highers, friends, family, or a complete stranger to think that I don't value them or what their saying, because I have a stupid cell phone in my hand looking at a text from someone or a tweet that adds nothing to my life, but only takes away from the quality of conversation and relation of the person I'm with.

These are two of the many things that came as a result of my summer. Another thing that I am so very glad changed was worship for me. It's brand new again! It's like I just got saved, and when I go to worship its so easy and my mind is so focused on Jesus and not distracted by the service, or how I'm looking to the people around me, or if I should be raising my hands or not, or if I don't worship a certain way people will think somethings wrong. (all thoughts that went through my mind on a daily basis during worship, and I'm sure many if not all of you reading this can relate) After life on the ship and going 100 days without worship all the distractions were gone and I could see Jesus clearly when I worshiped again. I love it and am determine to keep it this way.

well I don't want to make this to long so ill stop hear tonight.

Back home

2010-05-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well I'm back home for a week and a bit, Got a chance to hang out with couple buddies Ian and Kip did some fishin and loved it!

All day today I have been preparing for my sermon on worship tomorrow for youth. Kinda funny timing because brother the other day named Devin Bender ( Don't personally know him, but from conversations with him, he seems to be a passionate follower of Christ who is hungry for more, check out his blog Commented on my poem I had written about worship, so when Adam asked me to speak on worship I laughed.

It was been a great study, started with a word study of the Greek and Hebrew word behind our English word for worship. That alone has been sooo rich, now I'm really asking God what to grab and speak on. I could speak on this topic for months, but I only have 20 minutes (which if i can stay within that time period will be a miracle in itself haha) to speak, so really seeking God as to what the teens need to hear and what needs to be spoken and what doesn't need to be,

Thoughts on worship so far:

Really convicted by studying the OT and worship, and how it wasn't worship like today, it represented the surrender and laying down of their lives to someone or something. Today so many of our minds stop at the music for 30 minutes during a service, when in the OT it meant a life long commitment of their actions, time and money. IT was everything to them, and I believe God still very much desires it to be!

Using the first occurrence principle led me to Gen 22:5 were Abraham said to his servants, "wait here, me and the boy are going up to worship" With the understanding that Abraham was about to go sacrifice his son, and what this meant. This was everything to Abe, his future, his lineage, EVERYTHING, and he was about to go obey God's request to give it all to Him, and Abraham called this Worship!....wow.....(dear Lord help me get to this point and mindset)

Those are a couple thoughts that challenged me today, like I said I could go on for days. But just thought id share that thought for those who would listen.

Thank you!

Chillen with Jay

2010-03-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it is my spring break, a week of no classes and work, just family friends, a welcomed break:)

We are at a coffee shop called "wired Monk", a great little shop in Surrey, I must say it's very "Portland" haha.

Jay is doing some studying/ preparing for a class, He's looking at colossians 4:2-18, pretty fun stuff! It has been great being able to spend time with him. If you would have asked me when we lived in the same house if spending time hanging out with my brother rather then my friends on spring break would have been very high on my "things to do on spring break" list, I would have laughed. It is so awesome to see what God has done with our relationship, how He was healed offenses and wounds, wounds that I mostly was responsible for, and take our relationship to where it is now. I would no doubt consider Jay one of my best friends, and a mentor in how to live life. As far as where I will end up and what I'll be doing, I have no clue at this point, but what ever and where ever, I really hope i get a chance to be in ministry in any facet with Jay and Kels again.

I am so thankful to have two brothers that I am privileged to call brothers and friends! God is so good.

Well I was just doing a bit of personal studies, and ended up looked at my blog that is extremely dusty due to the lack of maintenance I have shown it for the past 6 months lol. I found myself reflecting back on my blog on Intimacy, And found myself experiencing some of the same emotion I had while writing it and some new emotion as well, I don't say this to toot my own horn, but I encourage you to read it and ask God what He wants to speak to you through it. Going back and reading it i find it hard to believe I was the person who wrote it lol God definitely gave me a lot of grace to write that, thank you Jesus you are soo Good!

Anyways I am excited for this spring break, I am thinking about starting a character study on Paul, I will try and keep you updated on that, no promises though :p

passivity??

2009-10-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

Just a thought, not something thing I have studied yet (I'm starting to) As i was taking a pee today I asked myself, what kills passivity, and passion popped into my mind. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. If passivity is lack of willingness to do anything, remaining disconnected and un-motivated to fully follow Christ (what Canada is full of), Then Passion would combat that head on. Passion drives past the signs that say stop. Passion pushes the limits and beyond the limits. Passion allows you to do things when the odds are stacked against you. Passion will get you off you spiritual but and force you to pursue what your passionate about. Soo in a society that is completely passive when is comes to their relationship with Christ, my question would be, what are you passionate about?

Intimacy!

2009-10-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

This past week the theme of intimacy with Christ has been hitting me over the head over and over again. Through Pod casts, and Chapels, the idea that Christ has been deprived of the intimacy He so much desires with His wife. Hosea 2 talks about how Israel was unfaithful like a harlot, an unfaithful bride. In the beginning verses we see God explaining how He will discipline His bride to get her to come back to Him, but then starting in Verse 14 we see the tone of scripture turn to a redemptive feel.

Verse 14- 14 “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.16 When that day comes,” says the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’- New living translation.

The message phrases it this way:

Verse- 14 “And now, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to start all over again. I’m taking her back out into the wilderness where we had our first date, and I’ll court her. 15 I’ll give her bouquets of roses. I’ll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope. She’ll respond like she did as a young girl, those days when she was fresh out of Egypt. 16 “At that time”—this is God’s Message still— “you’ll address me, ‘Dear husband!’ Never again will you address me, ‘My slave-master!’- The message.

The saddest downplaying of the Cross today is that Christ died just to forgive us of our sins. Christ died for Intimacy! If you can't see/feel the passion and heartbreak in these scriptures I question if you can feel emotion at all. Far to many times Christian treat the cross as a get out of jail free card. If salvation was the only reason Christ died after he rose again He could have said "alright i did it, peace out ill see you in heaven." there would be no need for Him in our lives after salvation. Salvation is only the beginning

Now this next bit is intended to offended with the purpose of self reflection, I have been mauling this thought over all week.

In my opinion the Church today, Myself included, is a Whore, or Harlot as the Bible phrases it. Now before you completely close me out, hear me out.

How many of you picture your wedding day like this:

You stand their staring at your bride/ husband you have waited for your entire life, and you say to them, "I promise to be faithful for my entire life and give myself fully to you." only to hear in response, " Well that's a load off my mind, but I'm not going to promise that, for the honeymoon period ill be faithful while I am still twitterpated with you but in all seriousness I will probably be with you on Sunday's, maybe Wednesdays if my nights are free, and if the hockey game, friends, or TV don't win over you, possibly one other night a week. All the other nights I will have other lovers that i will give myself to, I will still call myself your wife, and you my husband, and if anyone asks I will put on a front like everything is OK, but in reality I will have many other Lovers." ABSOLUTELY NOT, that would probably be the end of that relationship correct.

Before you get to judgemental, take a second and observe the Church and yourself, as the BRIDE of Christ.

How many times do we get all fired up and passionate about the things of God like a Honeymoon period then burn out, and other Lovers such as, socialization, work, friends, seduce us away from our Intimacy with Christ. Further yet how many times do the Church give themselves to Pornography, Lust, Affairs, Disbelief, Disunity, Half participation, Rebellion against authority at any level anything less the full comitment? We have given ourselves to other lovers. Yet on Sunday and Wednesday or a Bible study, we will cry out for Intimacy with Christ. Praying prayers such as. God we want to see you move, we want to see your Kingdom come, We want to see miracles. And if asked by anyone we will profess to be the Wife of Christ. Yes if someone were to ask "are you a christian" your response every time would be yes, and you will put up the front that everything is perfect in your marriage with Christ.

Throughout this week I have spent my time on my knee's or on my bed in tears and repenting for being an unfaithful Harlot in my relationship with Christ. But if we look back to Hosea 2 we see the promise that Christ will take us into the wilderness, and it seems like we are in the dry times of our lives, or the dessert seasons, He will speak tenderly towards us. Then we will give us our vineyards back, and we will see fruit in out lives again. I don't have time or room in this blog to exigent this whole passage tonight, although i think i May and blog it. But in verse 16 we see the promise the Israel, The Church, I, will no longer call God master, but Husband!

WHAT A PROMISE! Yes God died to forgive you for your sin's and you have turned to Him, but their has been no intimacy, God has not been able to know you like He so longs to. I'm left to wonder, if we spent less time begging God in our 2 days a week for miracles and Him to move, and more time every single day growing in our Intimacy with Christ if we wouldn't see His Glory in a new way, If we wouldn't see more miracles, If we wouldn't see His Kingdom here TODAY.

Please I beg you, put away your Idols, Put away your other lovers, and become fully committed to Intimacy with the LOVER of your soul.

Sorry if i have offended anyone, If I have, it was not my intention.

All I got to Stand on

2009-10-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Validity of the Word of God and it's Author.... is that doesn't make you want to make sure you know who your God i don't know what else will.

I was doing one of my "intro to counseling" assignments, and I had to write a response paper on "Secular counseling leaves little to no place for the Bible in therapy. How would you explain to a non-Christian why you would choose to counsel from the Bible instead of from a secular point of view?" As I thought about this, I could only come to the answer of, I have to believe that the bible is true and the claims that it makes are true, and that it's Author is who the Bible says He is.

If either of those are not true, we are all screwed....I don't know about you but that make be a little anxious at first realization. If either of those two facts are not 100% valid and truth full, Everything I have given my life to and play to give my life to, all my parents money, all my time and effort to, was all for nothing... That is so like God! I love it.

The Bible wasn't kidding when it said God will use the foolish to shame the Educated of the world. Imagine having a debate with a physiologist that has their doctorate and listening to them go into great detail who they believe what they do and how they try and prove it, in elegant and convincing manner and language, and your only response is, well I believe God is real, and His word is true, and the Bible says all I need is the Bible. ITS SOO FREAKIN SIMPLE!! I dunno if I am able to communicate what I'm trying to say as clearly as I can I wish I could.

All that to say this, I believe two things. God is who He says He is, and the bible and everything it claims is absolutely true. If any part of that last statement is false.... I'm a lier. HAHA I LOVE IT.

Thank you Jesus for making it simple enough for me to grasp

His presence....Wow

2009-10-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

I am doing a passage study on Exodus 33:12-23, I had to choose a passage in Exodus, and ever since Pastor Scott preached on it this summer.

The passage is when Moses tells God that he and the Israelites will not go unless the presence of God goes with them. Moses had such a high value on the presence of God that he refuse to go any further if the presence did not go with him. He ask God, "Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" WOW! God had promised to send angles, mircalces signs and wonder before them, all of their enemies and trials would be moved out of their way, and that the would receive their destiny, yet Moses and Israel refused to move without the Presence of God.

So why are Christians found seeking miracles, or signs and wonders? Why are a majority of our prayers focused on asking God to remove the obstacles between us and our destiny? Are we holding a higher priority on what God is doing for us rather then spending time with God. The fact remains if we have healing, miracles signs and wonders and receive everything God wants for us, but do not have the presence of God with us, we are not distinguishable from the world.

So as I go to finish my word study I would like to challenge you to take a sober evaluation of your life (I know I will). Is the majority of my time talking to God focused on asking God to do things for me, or is it just spending time with Him? Am I more focused on my destiny or making sure I am in the presence of God daily? (by the way if you spend time in the presence of God it is IMPOSSIBLE to miss EVERYTHING God has for you.) I know I need to up the amount of time I spend just basking in the presence, how about you?

2009-10-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

ok justtttt to clear things up i wasnt saying my mother doesnt laugh, she most of the time is the one to make me laugh!

Should I be paying rent?

2009-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well once again I find myself sitting at Starbucks with my amazing, Chai Tea with one Pump of white Moca, doing homework. I have gone to Starbucks to do homework every day since last Monday. I either need to seriously work on being productive and not get distracted with other things (like blogging) or I have wayyy to much homework. By the way all the assignments I have been working on i have gotten 100% in so something is working. Unfortunately the amount of Starbucks is working against my bank account which leads me to remind people I am still accepting Starbucks gift cards!!

Well on to Study about Alexander the great and write a paper..... that is due tomorrow and i have to read 20 chapters in Genesis and all of Exodus. I love college.....Thank Jesus for websites that read the bible to you!!!!.

Free B of the Day:
If you having a ruff day where nothing is going right, like work was today... JUST LAUGH, I know this is tough for people like my mother, but I don't know if you have ever noticed, if someone is trying to be serious with you and confront you, If you can get them laughing (like i try and do to my dad...) they loose all the air in their balloon and just laugh. Same is to be said with work. If you want to scream, cuss, or punch a baby, Laugh instead, realise that God is still on the throne, He is still mighty to save and at 4:30, or 5:00 for you 9-5ers, you get to go home!

What Leadership!

2009-10-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

WOW!

I am soo blessed to be under a leader and pastor like Pastor Frank Damazio. Today at our Annual Leaders meeting as we were being inspired and having vision cast for the next year I was absolutely blown away by pastor Frank. He truly is a Leader who is laying down his life for God's Church,

From realising the need for Change and asking for younger leaders to come and give insight and teach him how to reach this next generation. A man that is willing to preach things that go against his humanity but knowing that this is what God has to say and want to speak, decides to go against his preference and preach it anyway. Not only obey and preach it, but with passion and zeal. It is soooo easy to follow a leader like this! Not only was I encouraged and inspired for this next season of ministry at City Bible Church in Portland Oregon, But for a split second as I looked at Pastor Frank I heard God say, "Now THAT is my leadership, and THAT is what I have called you to." All i could say was wow....wow

I am soo thankful for where God has chosen to grow me in this next season of life!

Other updates:

- in the last two days i have done a 19 page "Word study" on Diligence
- I have finished a 8 page "Book study" on Jude
- I have watched Portland State football team get owned
- Cleaned some gutters for people
- Attended my first "Pearl Campus" church service
- I have adopted Ashley's I-pod

Free B of the Day-

I had to pee in the Girl's washroom today at Starbucks because the men's bathroom was our of service....Girls bathrooms are just weird I'm not sure what it is, the smell, the look or just knowing I am not in the right place (there is a sermon serious in there somewhere!)

BUCKS

2009-10-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

Once again, for the 6th time this week, I find myself spending my night doing homework at the ever so accommodating "Starbucks". Hannah is working today so all I had to do was walk in and say "the regular" and she started my, Grande' Chai Tea with one pump of white mocha (closest thing to heaven Ive experienced!). Little things like people remembering my drink give the small town feeling to a big city. I LOVE THAT.

I love being able to sit at Starbucks with my laptop and watch people. I see a good hundred people a night come in and order their drink and leave or stay and talk. Each person a different story, some with a smile, some without, but everyone the same with a God given destiny on their lives. How exciting is that! What is more fun is watching fellow PBC students come in and being able to watch the prescience of God in their lives radiate the room. You can literally see the change in the demeanor of the employee behind the counter after serving these people. How powerful is the prescience of God and how important is it that we, each day, set aside time to meet with our heavenly father, because when we do, WE SHINE. There are Starbucks restaurants, grocery stores, work places, bus stops FULL of people who are absolutely desperate to come in contact with someone who has come in contact with the Father. So when you get your daily fix (i mean Starbucks), be sure you are aware and look with your spiritual eyes and live Christ!

Free B of the Day:
My personal pet peeve, is Christians who will go to a restaurant or public service place, and when everything doesn't go exactly to their perfect standards, they let everyone and their manager no. SERIOUSLY SUCK IT UP!!! You are ambassadors of Christ, if you drink is wrong, instead of being a baby about, ask God why he's keeping you their longer? what does he want you to do. Be happy you get the OPPORTUNITY to be Christ to that person longer. Instead of complaining, try something crazy like tipping them and thanking them for the SERVICE they do FOR YOU.

Chapple

2009-10-02T16:41:00.002-07:00

today's chapel was amazing!

Joe brought a word about when we are in trials that we need to focus of Jesus

One point i never saw the way he presented it was. In Matthew 14 we see the story of Jesus walking on the water.

In verse 22 we see Jesus telling saying, "Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away."

You see when the disciples found them selves in a storm that threatened their lives, they were exactly where Jesus called them to be.

When we find ourselves in a storm and we think that Jesus has forgotten about us or we are not doing what we should be doing, stop and ask yourself where God has called you to be, if you are we He called you to be, then in the midst of the trials and testing and pain and suffering you're in, is exactly were Jesus has called you to be! So trust in Him.

Also realise, that the storm did not stop until peter STEPPED OUT OF THE BOAT, in faith. When Peter asks Jesus , "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." This was not Peter doubting Jesus, this was a Child of God who was absolutely terrified of what He was in, but he Knew if it was Jesus that He could save hi. This question is a Faith question that says, Jesus no matter what I'm in, if you're in this I'm coming your what through hell or high water, through depression, through confusion, through temptation, through frustration, through failure, through relationship problems. IT DOESN"T MATTER cause if it you Jesus, I'm stepping our of this boat! I realised the need in my own life, to only ask one question in the case of trials or confusion. "Jesus, is this you." and if it is that is all the confirmation i need.

After He gave this exhortation we began to worship and the prescience of God was so freakin thick in that chapel i could barley stand. (now I am the first skeptic when i hear that, but I'm not kidding it felt like shamu was sitting on my shoulders.) In these past two day's I have experienced His prescience like I never have and it is absolutely addicting, all I want to do is go and enter into that all day. (but i can't cause i have classes and my mother would kill me if i start failing...again.)

Love you all talk to you soon

Chapple

2009-10-02T16:41:00.001-07:00

Jeremiah 20:9

2009-10-02T00:11:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 20:9 "But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."

Dear Jesus,

Would you create in me a flame that would burn so hot, I will become weary if I try and hold it in. A flame that burns for righteousness, purity, and your set apart holiness. Lord let a passion burn inside of me that would combat an apathetic spirit head on. God would you inspire your people, your children, to fan into flame the fire that Jeremiah talks about. Would you raise up a generation that would stand on your word and walk fully in your spirit to see your kingdom come today. Lord for Canada, would you set a flame under our but, would you call out to Your bride and wake her up and open her eyes to the state she is in, and the state of the world around her. God would we not care more about our comfort zone than our neighbour who will spend an eternity away from you. God would we not, as created beings, put our feelings above your feelings of a broken heart for the lost. Awaken us to the absolute stupidity in which we think we don't need to share the Gospel because someone else will. It is the pastors job or the "spiritual persons" job. Would you break the churches heart for what break yours. Would we not hold onto traditions that were long ago dead and in doing so miss what you are wanting to do today. Help us not to insult you with our complacency with the state of our church and our relationship with you. God confront us when we are OK with seeing the same faces every single Sunday for years. More so when we do not like the amount of new faces we do see. Lord forgive us for not giving our all to you, weather we be a pastor, teacher, plumber, baker or business men. Keep us from the lie of Satan that would say that we are not called to ministry or sharing the Gospel in our everyday workplaces and everyday lives. Dead Jesus we repent for when we justify staying quite about how you saved our lives because we feel uncomfortable or are afraid of how we will be viewed by others. Lord I want to see people saved. I want to see people saved. I want to see your children reconciled back to you. I want to rejoice with my bothers and sisters when they come to a loving father. I want a church were healing are expected and not a wishful thought. I want to see a church that is an example of your greatness not an enemy of it. A church that exemplifies your purity, not one that spits in the face of it. I want an inheritance of millions of people who have come to know you through a generation that "GOT IT". That finally died to self, truly picked up their cross and lived for you. Dear GOD! I refuse to insult your with small requests. I recognise your great wealth that is matched with a greater generosity to give to your children, so Jesus if i could ask for one thing, I want to see millions of people to come to know you and learn to serve and follow you!

I'm Back BABY (for now)

2009-09-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

well i have been inspired by Perry Nobel's blog and want to blog again.

I will later as I am studying at starbucks doing a word study on Dilligence. good stuff

Favour!

2009-07-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the office today and God got me thinking about the last leadership conference that Graham Cooke spoke at on Favour!

I had to ask myself, am i still CONTENDING for favour? Am I seeking God for His favour in everything i do? Or am have I just forgot about what God has said through this prophet?

How are you doing? I encourage anyone who still reads this (sorry for not blogging as much, not saying I'm going to start again either) But how are you doing. I encourage Antone who has that word Graham Cooke gave, listen to it and allow you spirit to once again be stirred and lets contend for FAVOUR!

The Day I Died, March 28th

2009-03-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

With my mouth I say I want to know you
But my life doesn't always say the same
My spirit thirsts for you
While my flesh indulges in what it wants
I don't want to want the thing I do
I want to want you

Why does the world never seem to be crucified
While only my savior does
What needs to die lives
What needs to live is dead
I want to you to live in me.

I'm so sick of the ping-pong lifestyle
It's one or the other, this choice I have to choose
Lord, I can't stand to keen nailing this stake in your hand
Jesus, take the whip from my hands
I can't do this by myself
I need you grace, I need your strength
Take whats in my head, and make it whats in my heart
I want to want you Jesus

Jesus help me to climb up on that cross
and stop nailing you to it
I want to live you Jesus

The Choice is tonight
all the way right
or all the way left
Sold out for you
or fully turned away
Both is no longer and option
I want to live sold out for you.

On this day I die
So that you might live
Take your seat upon your throne
As I take my place upon my cross
Today is the day you reign
Today is the day I die
No longer I but you
No loner mine but yours
Lord, I'm living for you.

My Banner

2009-03-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

My Banner

My banner over you is love
Test me, is this not love
Have I not loved you?
Have I not cared?
Why do you hurt?
Why do you fear?
I’ve given you all you need
Just take it
Just embrace it
It is more then enough
Break down all mindsets
Put on a child like faith
Put on my banner, freely given
It is only freely received
You can’t earn it,
In trying to you destroy it,
By running you ignore it
Just receive my banner for you today.

The Redeemed

2009-02-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

We are the Redeemed

The Glory of the Lord

The Joy of our salvation

Is becoming our strength

We'll never be the same

We are the Redeemed

We cannot be silenced

We will not back down

given life from death,

Grace from blood

We'll never be the same

We are the Redeemed

Watch the Lord silence the angels

just to hear our song

The angels can't

The Demons Can't

The earth Can't

No one else can sing our song

The song of the Redeemed

The power of broken hearts

made whole in Love

The sight of fallen men

Picked up by Grace

We'll never be the same

We are the Redeemed

not by might, not by works

But by love, but by Grace

We are

Because you are

We can

Because you did

We have

Because you gave

We are the Redeemed

Because you are the

Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder

We can't ever be the same...

muddy day of work....

2009-02-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

So we started tearing out Ivy at work today, it was supposed to be a little one day job, but apparently we are taking ALL of the Ivy on the hill which will take a good month.... NOTTT stoked.

Pastor Franks Message

2009-02-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

Pastor Frank had a great message on strong Worship.

Talking about complete abandoned in worship and whole heated worship. The one thing he said that i loved was that he has had people come up to hm saying "if you didn't always force people to raise their hands and stand up all the time and sing out, the church would grow." "people don't like when you always tell them what to do during worship." I love his response. "Have you considered another church, let me help you find another one." I love being in a place were worshiping, lifting our hands, singing a song of praise is not an option or a style of worship but what God has called us to do. I don't have time to go over everything, maybe in a message some day??

We just had our super Sunday night at the church that was amazing. it was the end of 40 days of fasting and prayer for the church and it was such a great time of free worship and hearing the plans god has for this church. They are looking into buying Mall 205 and selling the Rocky Butte campus. They are still in the very beginning stages of this but the announced this tonight.

Besides that I'm doing pretty good. School is starting to pick up which is nice.But i got to get studying so ill talk to everyone later.

tri cities continued

2009-02-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

sorry it took so long to continue this blog but it's been crazy. I missed today cause im feeling like garbage, so if you could pray for that it would be greatly appreciated.

Anyways tri cites was amazing. Chris's family and friends reminded me on home. Burbank, where he lives, is a little hick town just like Courtenay and all you do there is hunt and fish. When it gets a little warmer their going to take me bass fishing which im pretty stoked about. here are some pictures from the weekend. we only took like five pictures. next time ill bring my camera and take some pictures of the city and more family. it is beautiful there.

tri cities

2009-02-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

Well this last long weekend me and my buddy Chris went tot he tri cities and had an amazing time. had some bomb fires and what not. His family is pretty freaking sweet. i gotta jet to class but ill put some pics up l8er.

update

2009-02-12T17:04:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone, how are you? How is life back home? what is God doing back in the promise land?

Well just a quick update with me, life is starting to settle down and get back to routine with GU finished. Been hitting up the gym 5 days a week and it feels great. I had i great meeting with Pastor Bryan Davis, which turned into a 2 and a half hour convo, he's Canadian and a canucks fan so it's all good. So yea that's about it. The college has a big basketball game tonight, so i think imma suit up Pastor Scots read suit.

Generation Finished

2009-02-08T16:46:00.001-08:00

Well what a couple weekends. Seeing around 8000 teens and youth groups come, worship and be impacted by God was quite the experience to say the least. On the other hand i am very pleased to say it is done, lol serving in a conference that big can really drain you, but it was well worth it.

Now it is back to the grind with normal classes and work, and hopefully blogging :P lol.

2009-02-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

So today was a pretty chill day, I only have two classes Monday's, but today i ended up working 8 and a half hours painting a room at 217 so it felt way longer. I can't even explain how stoked i Am for G.U this weekend and to see everyone coming up for the conference.

This Wednesday should be interesting as well for youth, not only because of all the people that got saved this last weekend, but we are having "Merge" which is when all four campuses come to Rocky Butte for a service. This Wednesday we are honoring Pastor Doug and Donna Lasit. It should be a blast.

Logos!

2009-02-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well for personal Bible Study this semester i decided to do the take it on the software through "Logos". for those of you who don't know what it is. It's pretty much a christian library of every translation of the Bible, encyclopedia in any language, any study book you could imagine. The disk has some 600 books on it.

I have been playing around with it and is so much fun. It's kinda like a google Christian resource. You type in any word and u can do a word search in the Bible of every place that word is. You can do a definition in any language, you can look up any book that talks about that word or subject, and reach the articles or books. And i just started checking it out. Apparently they do seminars so teach people all of the way to use this program. Sooo amazing.

After this Weekends conference i felt led to do an in depth study on the Holy Spirit and research what can quench the flow of the Spirit, in and individual, a Church and a movement. Well i typed in Holy Spirit and God 7 pages of scripture references. 10 different books written on different aspects of holy Spirit. and like 20 pages of different articles. I spent all yesterday doing some research I'm really loving it. Everyone in a while i will give you and update.

For today i encourage you to read psalms 51, and spend some time taking it apart, it blew me away yesterday.

O p.S our Senior Pastor is currently speaking to a Pastors conference in Japan, a little fun fact for yea lol.

I had my numbers wrong

2009-02-01T01:04:00.000-08:00

I need to apologise and correct my last blog. I said there was about 500 Kids that went up for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, after talking some of the leaders i realised my number was really wrong. it was 500 it was more like 2000, from where I was, I couldn't see everyone. God is soo good!

End of GU week one!

2009-01-31T15:23:00.001-08:00

What an amazing, life altering weekend. I feel bad trying to describe it because there is no way of portraying what happened in words, it just would not do it justice.( but I'm on here so I'm going to try). Well today Pastor Frank Damazio spoke on the Holy Spirit, and I have never wanted to jump scream, raise my hands and amen a message as much as this. It is amazing that a man of his age can speak right to the heart of 4000 teenagers, I love how God's Kingdom works that way. About 500 kids got baptised went to forward to get baptised in the Holy Spirit. about 50 kids came down to first get saved, then baptised in the Holy Spirit. It was amazing, I Got the privilege of leading a young man to Christ today. I still am amazed that out of all the tools God could use to save the world, he picked me up, and said "This will do just fine." I am getting even more stoked for next weekend, Just a word of the wise to those coming down for the conference. RAISE THE EXPECTATION. Becasue I can guarantee as high as you can put it, it's not high enough for what God is going to do.

There is so much I want to say, but don't know how. In me personally God has spoken so clearly to me this weekend, most i won't be sharing because I feel it's not time to, but to guard them in my heart and wait for Gods timing. What was really encouraging, is that almost every theme of each message spoken, God, in the past month, had been speaking to me already. I love how He works, and I'll never get tired of it.

Generation Unleashed

2009-01-30T23:22:00.000-08:00

Generation Unleashed, has been AMAZING. I really cant describe, what God has done and is doing in me. From Pastor Doug, Pastor Donna, Pastor Mark Estes and tonight Pastor Jude. It was unreal. Pastor Jude's message on The Church. and how it is God's plan and what he is using. And that the church is the most powerful, most advancing most attractive thing going. that it cannot be put in the same group as a group or organization. It is far more. It is ever advancing and ever increasing. That we need to be committed, ready to die for the local church. That the local church is the one instrument God has chosen to use today. It was soo good to here someone preach the importance of the local church.

here are some vids of worship... which has been out of this world.

Two Days until GU

2009-01-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Well, I am currently in class, as super stoked on the Generation Unleashed Conference. (More so the second week, because im pretty sure that crowd will be better looking.) But today i think for work we will be getting ready for the conference with other the Volunteer group. The stage is now set for the conference we saw it during Passions and Values with Pastor Frank, which by the way is so amazing getting to listen to him and receive from him ever Tuesday morning. Just a little update for all of you.

Just a picture of sean and Mika in class

who's the thief

2009-01-25T22:56:00.000-08:00

Apparently there was a thief over the break. my garbage can went missing, some close, and i just found out today that someone had been messing around with my guitar. They took a string off of it, and now the pickup that Pastor Corey put inside of it has been messed with.PRETTTYY STOKEEED!

if there is is anything you want to pray for me , it would be patience at this point as i am furious!

Im pretty sure who it is, so i plan on asking them about it tomorrow.

day 2

2009-01-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

Well today was day two of the fast, it doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday, but still more then all four days of my last fast.

Today Pastor Frank spoke on the sermon series "strong". He was talking about personal discipline, and the strong hold, if we are not careful, we can allow to stay in our lives. H talk how a toe hold , turns into a foot hold and then turn into a strong hold in our lives. He addressed some pretty intense and sensitive subjects, but it was soo good.

Besides that, i owned today in a poker game against Tim, Chris and Chad.(Not for money of course, its not allowed).

A quick Quote I heard today from one of my Mentors- Righteousness & Justice -- it's not either/or, it's both/and!

day 1

2009-01-24T16:39:00.000-08:00

Day one of my fast... it is definitely a lot harder than the last first day. I am absolutely starving haha. But Jesus is still on the throne lol.

Besides that, were all getting ready for GU. pretty stoked I am serving the whole first week so i can chill with the youth group coming from home.

cell phone

2009-01-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

sooo yesterday after work i jumped in my truck to drive back up to my dorm. When i got to my dorm i realised my phone was missing. so i backtracked my steps and found my phone opened up in the parking lot with two sets of tire tracks..... needless to say i backed over and then once again drove over my phone.... sooo im waiting to get a new phone...

youth tonight

2009-01-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

Youth tonight was really great

Shawn and I went and picked up two kids who can't get rides to church. There names were Anthony and Donovan, they were pretty cool and come from a lower income neighbourhood. So we pick them up for youth and drop them off every Wednesday for youth. I'm excited to see what God does in those relationships.

At youth there has been this one kid, Joel, who has been a problem, so he was given the choice of leaving the youth group or sitting with me every youth night upfront. Tonight was the first night of that and it went really well. The kid is 16, has a kid, not sure how old. He came up to the front with me worshiped and I gave him a bible and note book of mine to use, and he took notes and everything it was really cool. For whatever reason I seem to draw the troubled kids here... lol.

And at the end I went up for the alter call to pray for people and I got to opportunity to lead a guy names Austin to Christ. I'm meeting him sometime this week to have coffee and give him a bible, so if you could be praying for him that would be great. His name is Austin and he's like 16.

leaders meeting

2009-01-20T22:36:00.000-08:00

Today we had an all City Bible leaders meeting and it was unreal.

Pastor frank just went over the growth and the things God has done through city bible this past year and it was sooo encouraging. In the last 2 months of 2008 they raised more then $600 000.00 faith harvest offerings. In a time when most churches tithes are suffering or disappearing City Bible has not noticed a decrease.

After pastor Frank has all the people feeling called into full time ministry come up and get prayed for. There were about 15 of us.(he laid hands on me... no biggy) and it was just really cool praying with the leadership of that church.

As one of the newest members of the leader ship team, i went and found the oldest member, and elderly ladywho has been attending the church for over 50 years. I introduced myself to her and she invited me to her prayer meetings on Saturday. Im looking forward to checking it out.

Abortion Rally

2009-01-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

Today at church they had a promo video announcement of an abortion rally.

So i went down there today with a couple girls. It was pretty cool there was about 8000 people in the downtown square. It has been 30 years since they passed a pro abortion law and since then 500,000 babies have been aborted so it was a memorial kinda thing. It was really cool to be around and got the chance to witness to some people walking by.

Gym blast out reach

2009-01-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

Today we are having a Gym Blast type of event, for a youth outreach. playing dodge ball, magic carpet rides and stuff like. I was kinda interested in getting involved to help serve so I talked to Ben about helping. Well as of this afternoon I am MC'ing the event haha. Luckily i have a bit of practice with gym blasts. After that all the kids are invited to watch the basketball game at the college. It should be a lot of fun and a great opportunity to reach the un-churched kids around the neighbourhood.

If all of you could be praying for this that would be great. Also If any one who Read's this blog or if you know anyone that has old clothes, jackets, or blankets that you would be willing to collect for the homeless outreach here that would be amazing. I'm trying to figure out a way of getting them here, but if there is stuff to pick up, ill find a way to make it work. The homeless outreach here has a huge need for blankets, and clothes, men's and women's. I emptied out a lot of my closet today and any donations would be great.

If so let my know, comment on this, email me : dbaeliason@hotmail.com or call my cell 503 953 6043.

thanks a lot. have a good one.

God still speaking

2009-01-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

Just something cool that happened today in chapel.
during free praise I was just seeking God for what he wanted me to focus on this semester. I was reminded about what I heard Ken Gill talking about during a night session at the staff retreat. He talked about going to the mayor and asking what is the greatest need. Right away God showed me a picture of me talking to the mayor of Portland, ( I had no idea who the mayor was, or if it was a man or a women.) And all of a sudden God showed me that he was a homosexual and started telling me how to ask what the greatest need is and to let him know im praying for him,my witness would be me loving and serving him. It was all seemed kinda weird and little far fetched... or so I thought.

Later today I was talking to Christina (a girl who runs a street ministry and also attends our college) and I told her what Pastor Ken Gill had said about going to the mayor and asking how we could serve him and what not. When I heard what she said next I was blown away.

She said oh, well that sounds cool, but it may be a little tuff or weird. He is a homosexual and extremely liberal. Well needless to say my jaw dropped as I remembered back to the vision and word God gave me in chapel earlier today.

Soo I plan on getting a meeting with the mayor as soon as possible and seeing how we can serve him and pray for him.

my roomate

2009-01-16T15:34:00.000-08:00

Well like I promised I will elaborate on my roommate.

He is from Chillawak, his name is Andrew. He's 18, and does enjoy long walks on the beach. ( just kidding)

He seems like a really chill guy, (nice, easy going). Its been fun getting to know him. He apparently does magic shows and he showed me some of his stuff, he's pretty good. Hopefully fourth time is the charm as far as roommates goes, although he is only planning to come for one semester.

We also had our first chapel today, which was UNREAL. It's good to be back to the college and worship as a family again. The worship, praise and word, by Pastor Ken, was amazing and powerful.

But I need to put my food away so I will talk to all of you later

I didn't die, I just took a break

2009-01-15T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well, my winter break was amazing, had a lot of fun. It was really great to see what God is doing at our church back home.

My trip back was surprisingly quick and easy. I didn't run into any traffic so it was a breeze. Arrived to the chaos of which was registration. I just finished this afternoon.

Youth last night was really Good, we are starting a sermon serious called "seek", talking about how we need to learn to better seek God in our devotions and prayer life. It also goes along with the church's 40 day fast. We are not expected to fast 40 days, but in the 40 days choose something to fast. I am fasting three days before each unleashed conference. I'm really excited.

BUT I must go and start organising my room.

Oh I have a new roommate from Chilliwack, i'll talk more about him later

Let's play six degrees of separation

2008-12-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

Pastor Scott would like to try an experiment based on the theory of 'Six degrees of separation'. Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is an average of six "steps" away from each person on Earth.
This means that we should be able to get in touch with anyone, anywhere in the world.
I thought it would be a neat experiment to try with our little blogging community to see where we could reach, who we could reach, and how long it would take.

For this to work though we all need to get involved. His first "step" will be to you, and then the second "step" will be you going out to the people you know, all working towards a common contact.

Since we are just getting started I thought we should start with something fairly general and then get more specific as we go (if it works!). So to get started I am going to pick a city in Canada where I don't know anybody and see if we can get someone from that city to contact Pastor Scott. To verify that the individual is in fact from the selected city we need to get them to take a picture of themselves holding the local newspaper and I will post that picture on my blog so that everyone can see what we have accomplished, and how long it took us. I'm guessing about one week.

As a little incentive for your efforts I will award a $5.00 Starbucks card to both the person from the city we choose who contacts me and, whichever one of you starts the chain to get to him/her.
In the spirit of Canadian unity I am going to select a city from the province of Quebec. I'll let you know which city on Saturday morning, but I wanted to give you a heads up so we can all get ready for our little experiment.
This should be fun, but remember, without your participation it won't work. Wherever you read this blog from I want to invite you to join in. And once the city is announced, begin working through the contacts you know - family, friends, co-workers, church connections and let's see what this little community of bloggers can accomplish.
The selected city will be posted on Saturday morning at 7:45 am.

1 semester down

2008-12-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

wow, what a ride this last four months were.

This last four month have been some of the most exciting months of my life. Seeing God move, heal, teach, and love on me and the people around me was amazing. As good as it was there, im very excited to be home and watch God move here as well. Last night was so encouraging to watch the new people and couples in our church go up that I have never met. I love going away and coming back and meeting new people and seeing new faces. It is so good what the body of Christ is growing, it just fires me up.

BUTT i have to go drop my little bother off at school. ill see all of you later.

pictures for mama

2008-11-23T13:35:00.001-08:00

Not Feeling so Good :(

2008-11-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what's wrong but haven't been feeling very well. I'm stuffed up head, I have stomach pain, and what not. Would appreciate your prayers.

Today was kinda fun but kinda "crappy" at work. We had to dig up a sewage pipe at work (in the pouring rain). Once we got to the pipe, it was broken so I spent my day digging in poo. lol. well not all poo mostly mud, but you get the point. lol. BUTTT it was a good workout.

School's almost done, and although I like it here, i'm sooooo ready to go home. I can't wait to see everyone. I'm going to hit the hay and try and sleep off , well what ever it is I got lol.

Love all of you.

2008-11-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

People are often unreasonable,

Illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway

People may accuse you

of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,

you will win some false friends and

some true enemies;

Succeed anyway

People may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,

Someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness,

They may be jealous;

be Happy anyway.

The good you do today,

people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,

and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis.

it is between you and God;

It is never between you and them anyway.....

Jesus Culture

2008-11-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend the Jesus Culture CD " We cry Out", it is currently working me over every time i listen to it. I have never listened to such an amazing, and timely CD in my life.

Long Weekend

2008-11-08T11:53:00.001-08:00

Well because of Veterans Day we get Monday off so i'm pretty stoked. Last night went to an amazing conference type thing an hour out of Portland. The worship was soo free and powerful it was great! Today we're off to the Portland State football game in about an hour. They're playing Montana, apparently a pretty big deal... i dunno. (they don't have a hockey team so I don't know how they can be a big deal.... anyways.) So yea i'll let you guys know how it goes.

Last night I was worked over by how much God loves us. Like he is obsessed, possessed, consumed with love just for you. And it's not this controlled quiet controlled manner love where he's sitting on his throne, and with no emotion says, I loved you so I sent my son to die for you, I love you so much....

Jesus is OBSESSED with love for you. He is like a little school boy on Christmas morning. He gets up early to open your present of time. He hopes you will give him that present. No matter how many times he waits empty handed, every morning, with the same excitement the same smile, the same jitters and the same obsession, he waits for us to give him that gift of time. God showed me a picture of a little kid bouncing screaming yelling, his whole being was possessed with joy and excitement, and God showed me that this is his love for us, he can't contain it.

Just a little revy God gave me I thought i'd share.

Love you guys!

Update

2008-11-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well things are going great. God is sooo amazing, I love it, haha.

Tonight is youth and I'm pretty stoked and excited for what God's going to do. I'm covered in stain, all day at work I was staining wood so its all over me, GREATT time.

Classes have been going awesome. We're really starting to experience Portland weather. It's been raining hard the past two days, but I'm from the Island sooo I'm used to it. There it about 17 inches of fresh snow on the mountain, so this weekend we may make a treck up there and build a kicker. Uummm Obama is now the president of the country I reside in, people are already estimating how long until his assassination, which its really ridiculous, but it has already almost happened, sooo pray for his safety.

That's about it, I'm off to try and get some of this stain off of me. Love you guys.

All night prayer meeting!

2008-11-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

Well last night was the all night prayer meeting from 11 -5:15

What an amazing and powerful time. I have never experienced such an atmosphere of hunger for God and for God to move. When we all first got there, there wasn't even really an official start. People here are so hungry as soon as we all gathered we just started praying in groups and worshipping without music. When the worship team came in they kinda slowly started playing music and we left from there.

From 12:01- 1:01 I felt God telling me to not speak one word in English, and only speak in tongues. First of all, I've never had an hour pass soo quickly. It was amazing. You get to the point where you feel your spirit is so built up you could move a mountain with your faith and the feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and by about 40 minutes it just becomes apart of you. You begin to think in English, read the Bible in English while your spirit is constantly praying. By 50 minutes we were praying in a group of four and God had showed me two visions for the two guys. I was dying to tell them, but I wanted to wait until the hour was over. When it was I bursted open and told them and began to prophesy over them both.

When you "loose" your ability to speak in English, praise him and tell people about what God is doing in your life, you gain such a passion and hunger to speak, to tell people about what God is doing. It really made me take more seriously ever word that comes out of my mouth, and to make sure it is edifying and glorifying God.

Well after that it went through intercessory times of prayer, the prophetic was constantly at work, people being healed physically and emotionally. We had a time of prayer for lost ones, and God broke my heart to the point of tears even for the lost ones of others in my small group of four people we were praying with. We had some reflection times, and some POWERFUL praise times.

And then before you knew it it was over. It was soo Good. Through out this night God really revealed to me the fact that we never have to try and convince God to work, or save our lost loved ones, or heal someone, which many times we get in the mindset of thinking.

God showed me a vision of a pipe line, one line being God and all his love and power just the majesty of God, the other end, the receiving believers who don't know God, the people who need healing and provision. In between the two was a very tiny gap, and this gap is us.

For whatever reason God choose to work through us. We don't need to beg God and convince him to move, God in constantly asking, begging us to ask him, because when we do , we place ourselves in that tiny Gap in the pipe line, and release the flow of the things of God.

God has been constantly revealing to me the Greatness of Him and his love. I have committed to not go a day without feeling and walking with the presence of God. At least five times a day setting apart a time and just asking God to wash me in his presence and saying , "God I need to feel your presence so I know what your doing".

God is soo good and is moving soo much.

( oh yea its, 5:30 p.m. i just woke up. lol)

O and what was really cool, at one point we all had Communion, and as soon as i took Communion, God called me out of my fast. What an amazing way to break a fast, by taking the bread of life, signifying not giving into the demands of my flesh, but taking part in the death of my Fathers flesh.... God is soo Good, praise him

Love you guys

all night prayer meeting

2008-10-31T12:13:00.001-07:00

tonight PBC is having an all night prayer meeting after the carnival going on. Pretty stoked, should be a lot of fun.

Pastor Jack preached in chapel today and ripped it up. He spoke concerning the prayer meeting and on how we need to be:

1 Expecting
2 Waiting
3 Warning
4 Unified

It was such a good message, and we are expecting God to do miracles and amazing thing in our lives and in this city, this nation (my nation...Canada). It is so exciting seeing the body of Christ wake up, and moving in what God has called each individual to do.

well 2 1/2 day of my fast. going pretty good, yesterday i really wanted to eat, not so much because I was hungry, I realised it is more of a habit and routine and if feel like somethings is out of order. But it is a good disciple to make sure by flesh gets in line with my spirit. soo keep praying for me for strength. lol

love you all,, but its time to go to work. have an amazing day

2008-10-31T00:06:00.000-07:00

wow... i find myself trying to go to sleep, but not being able to. I keep thinking about home. and wishing i could be there to express what God is doing in my life.

He truly is my redeemer, and everyday i am being saved. God is soo good, if you're constant reader of my blog you may get tired of hearing that, but i won't apologise.

In a world that constantly throws around so many false accusations, names, and thoughts about My God, I refuse to stay silent. I WILL speak of MY God the way he was meant to be.

He is good, it is by his nature in which we have a measuring stick for what is good. It is who he is, part of his DNA, he defines it.

His mercy....his mercy, allow me to take my next breath with hope of having relationship with a perfect loving father.

He is just, magnificent, powerful, wonderful, prince of peace, my everlasting father, my counselor, my friend, the lover of my soul, and only he knows how to truly love my soul.

He is so Good, and i can't do anything else but praise him.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end.

Choose to praise him...while you still have the choice

one day down...

2008-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday after class I went to start eating, and after I had made two amazing grilled cheese sandwiches and was bringing the first one to my lips, I went from starving, to the feeling like if I ate another bite I was going to puke. At that time God told me to start a fast.

Well as you could imagine I was THRILLLLED (sarcasm). As my mom knows very well, I don't do fasting very well. soo today was the first day and I'm doing good. Every time I get hungry I pray the scripture of Jesus at the well, when he tells the disciples, I have food you don't know about. Every time I get hungry I pray that and ask God to fill my stomach, and the hunger pains stop.

As for how long the fast is... i'll let you know when God says enough is enough.

Love you all and praying for you. God is soo amazing, so loving, and soo good. Press into what he has for you.

Not only in my life but everyone on campus, God is moving. The time is now. I'd go so far as to say, look for old prophetic words over your life and pray them into reality, because the time is NOW!

Love you guys.

God is sooo good

2008-10-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Well today was un real!

Pastor Ken ended off our first class with a "heavy", going in depth about the technical workings of the cross and what it would do with a human body. It left the class completely silent when he left. Glenda (his wife) came in, noticed the atmosphere, and started the class off with some worship.

After an amazing time of worship this one guy in our class, Jared, asked for us to pray for him. Jared had been loosing his sight and his hearing slowly for the past ten years. (He later said that he had just accepted that one day he would be deaf and blind.)

We started to pray for him and I was standing in the back row. I heard God tell me so clearly to go and put my hands on his ears like ear muffs. So I got out of my seat and brought it to Glenda. She ok'd it so I went and prayed for his hearing (a simple prayer) and then Jared opened his eyes and said. "O my God I can see perfectly again, and I can Hear." His sight and hearing were restored 100%!! When we all sat back down he told the class about how long this had been happening, and when someone put their hands on my ears he said he felt a warm sensation go through his ears and then like a "popping" sound.

God completely healed his ears. God is soo amazing!!

Through the realization of the cross and what Jesus went through. I found myself talking to Jesus, and saying I never wanted to hurt him again. I never want to make him go through that and I had a revelation of how big God is. A revelation of the Power that raised Christ from the grave, and the love that kept him on the cross. It was in that mindset and realization where I heard God tell my to go and put my hands on his ears.

God is soo huge, and we fully don't realise it. I challenge you to at least 5 times a day, get a revelation of Gods presence in your life. Ask to feel God's presence in your life. We need to have that realization constantly.

This is just the beginning! Youth was sooo powerful tonight. A bunch of people got saved, there was like 300 + kids there. God is soo amazing and he is moving. HE IS MOVING. Are you willing?

In Class

2008-10-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

Just chillen in between classes

we had passions and Values today with Pastor Frank, he was talking on Brokenness,

we then had Life of Christ with Glenda Malmin

and we just had Basic Doctrine with Pastor Ken Malmin

and we are about to have Personal Destiny with Pastor Doug. Pretty stoked ..not gunna lie.... HOW YOUUU DOIN

My weekend!

2008-10-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend was pretty sweet.

Saturday morning I had the opportunity to try out Pastor Ken's new pressure washer on his deck.(it actually was fun, and I'm gunna finish the rest after work today). As the bible says, God rewards those who work diligently, and so I was rewarded with a home cooked meal from Glenda(pastor Kens wife). At about noon he had me stop and he took a couple of us guys to a Portland State Football game.....Which was the BOMB!. so many sweet hits and runs. (I think if I pursued football, i'd defff be pro by now.) but anyways. . .

Yesterday- once I got the outline of my essay done, the rest of it was cake and I finished in like two hours, all went well.

So yea that was my weekend!

2008-10-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Currently writing an essay on:

The impact of a Mother/ Son relationship.

Unfortunately things aren't going as smoothly as I would like.

Life been pretty good. I found out the Brandon is moving to squamish today, that was kinda a downer.

Besides that life is going great

love you all

What a Week!

2008-10-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well this week has been crazy!

Monday night I had to read a book that I forgot was due Tuesday and an essay on the book with paragraph responses for each chapter. I found out this was due at 7:00 Monday night.

We also had a basic doctrine mid term exam Tuesday.. needless to say it was a crazy night. But I got in bed by 1:00 am and everything went grand. The exam was perfect and the essay was good.

Besides that stuff is kinda crazy, but still good. It was my sis's b-day today, sad I couldn't be there. Miss you Kels.

My weekend

2008-10-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well this weekend was really chill (just want I needed)

Friday we just hung out, played some basketball, then went downtown and walked around. Saturday I slept until 11:00 ish, when my wonderful mother woke me up with a well and welcomed phone call. We l8er went to Natalie's and watched some movies and worshiped for a bit.
Today Pastor Mark ripped it up on the podium with a message on purpose, dealing with the "connected" series we have been doing.

Thing's are starting to get back into a routine here since I my visit back home. I still miss home, but God has been bringing me closer to friends here which is nice.

It is different, but a very welcomed different, to be able to just bust open a guitar in a group of friends and in a matter of seconds, be in such an intimate worship session in a living room, or on the beach. It's so effortless, and God has really been teaching me about how worshiping him should be.

He has also been teaching me how to worship him, without music. He's been stretching and growing me when I learn to worship him in my school work, with honesty, integrity, hard work and diligence. He is teaching me to better worship him with the intimacy of my personal devotions. It is really exciting, and I challenge all of you to stretch yourselves and broaden your ways in how you worship Your Saviour. Don't limit it to music.

slow dance

2008-10-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kidsOn a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rainSlapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each dayOn the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had timeT
o call and say, 'Hi'

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,I
t is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music.

My Trip Home

2008-10-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Wow What a Blurr!!

This weekend went by soo fast it was crazy. I went to bed at 1:30 a.m. Thursday and woke up at 2:30 A.M. Thursday to get to the airport because my mom had told me it would take three hours to go through the airport .... well half an hour l8er I was waiting for 2 and a half hours at the gate for my plane. Lol it was great seeing everyone, although it was wayy to quick. I was never homesick until I came home but now I'm missin it pretty bad. It was great seeing everyone and hope to see you soon!

2008-10-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just sitting hear at Paige's house, (Cali's sister). It is her birthday so a bunch of us are chillin here. I'm very excited to be coming home, back to a place where I'm the same as everyone lol and I can say eh without getting weird looks.

I dunno if it is just because I am coming home, or if its just been long enough away from home, but I'm really getting home sick. I love the things that God is doing in my life, and the school here, but there is something about home that I miss

I can't put my finger on it, but people are different here. I just really miss home.

Just an update on what God has been speaking to me about:

- He has really been opening my eyes in why I ask to hear His voice. I have always prayed that God would speak to me, that I would hear his voice more clearly. God really opened my eyes to my "motive" or "heart" behind this. I realised that I ask to hear Gods voice, just to hear his voice and when I hear his voice I tend not to follow through with what He has spoken.

And in talking to other people around campus I have found this is quite common. As Christians we need to stop asking God to speak just to hear his voice. When we hear his voice, we need to do what he has said. I have found in my life when God speaks and I don't act on it, he will stop speaking until I do act on it.

- God has also been really growing in me the prophetic, partially because of the prophetic ministry class I am in, but also in everyday life, I am hearing His voice and getting words for people a lot more. It is very exciting.

Well I should stop being antisocial and get back to the group..

See everyone soon.

Second trip to the Coast

2008-10-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well this weekend, we went to the Oregon Coast again and it was insane.

We stayed in Natalie's parents condos, had the girls cook every meal for us, we attempted to surf but the waves were to big to get out. It was a lot of fun.

I'm very excited to come home this weekend, and it looks like I'm going to be able to go to church which I'm very excited about.

I'll try and load my pics from the weekend, but I first need to catch up on some homework and unpacking.... see everyone l8er.

Miss you guys already!

2008-09-29T19:14:00.001-07:00

Well today I got to See Jay, Kelsey, Pastor Craig and Shanda, Pastor Matt, and Rich and Amy.

It was really great seeing everyone.

Mama:
Thankyou so much for the drapes and pillows (and a little cash flow). The curtains fit great i'll put a pic on the blog soon to show yea.

Mom:
Thankyou so much for getting everything together, love you, miss you and see you soon.

Miss you guys!

This Sunday

2008-09-28T14:31:00.001-07:00

This is quick and short,

I got the opportunity to hear Larry Stocksdale... pretty intense. An amazing speaker!

God is good continued...

2008-09-28T13:54:00.001-07:00

Well Friday's Chapel was outstanding. The presence of God was unreal. God is really teaching me to hear his voice more clearly which is AMAZING.

We had a guest speaker who also had an amazing word.

I'm going to briefly give you the jest of it, if you want the actual references comment on this blog and ask.

The message had two main points, the first one was that in ministry your need to rely on God's promotion rather than man's promotion or when you think you "deserve yours".

The second point was out of the passage Mark 5 When Jesus heals the demon possessed man and sends the demons into the pigs.

When we continue to read this passage, I always got very confused.

There was this demon possessed man, who was crazy, he was so crazy that he prevented people to pass through the part of town where he was.

Yet when Jesus delivers this man, the people beg Jesus to leave. I never understood this passage until this Friday. I had never made the Old testament and New Testament connection.

You see if you look back in biblical history to the book of Deuteronomy, we see two tribes who stay on the East side of Jordan because they know that it's safe. They said it is safe for our families and our livestock. Joshua said that was fine but they must fight and then they can go back to the land on the east side of the Jordan.

Fast forward a couple thousand years.

Jesus crosses to the east side of the Jordan, and does a miracle when he delivers a demon possessed man.

But where does he send the demons? he allows the demons to be cast into the livestock and in doing so their livestock dies. The demons ask to attack the one thing that the tribes had held back from God, their livestock.

The one thing that held the two tribes back from the promise land was the lack of trust that God would take care of their livestock.

These people, when they saw Jesus do this miracle, were afraid of this change and power.

Follow with me for a second, possibly taking it out of it's context, but the people in reaction to their livestock dieing, ask Jesus to leave, once again missing out on the Promises of God in their lives.

What is your "Livestock" the thing you're holding onto, causing you to only go half way?

"What you hold back from God, trying to preserve or protect in the past, will become the target of the enemies attack in the future"

God is Good

2008-09-27T00:34:00.000-07:00

youth paper

2008-09-24T06:40:00.001-07:00

So I have been in college for about a month and a half now and I have come to the harsh realization of the limits to positive thinking. No matter how hard I tried to make my paper write itself, it didn't work sooo 9 hours later ( 6:41 a.m) Sean and I finally finished our Youth Ministry paper and are preparing for what is now, and early morning run...... interested to see how far I make it in my day before crashing.....

Moral of the story, don't be and idiot and procrastinate papers.....

On the bright side, we definitely had some good heart to hearts tonight.

IKEA coffee table

2008-09-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

Bought my first piece of furniture today..... she's reeeeaaalll purrdy!

The Church Connection

2008-09-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today's message by pastor Frank was a really great message.

He continued on the series of "connections" and last week was the Christ connection, and this week was the Church connection.

We went threw the book of Ephesians and looked at where and how God views the church. Pastor frank addressed how that many people will look at the church as either boring or they seek the church to fulfill their own needs instead of looking for where they can meet a need.

The one quote he used that really hit me was this:

" I thought I had a problem when I had no shoes, until I saw the man next to me who had no feet."

He used this to explain how if people stay concentrated on their own problems and come to church to get "THEIR" problems solved they will miss the opportunity to witness to the people with "no feet"

quote's

2008-09-20T00:17:00.000-07:00

" A man who can read the New Testament and not see that Christ claims to be more than a man, can look all over the sky at high noon on a cloudless day and not see the sun.
- William E. Biederwolf

" I believe Plato and Sorcrates. I believe in Jesus Christ." - Coleridge

"Every step toward Chirst kills a doubt. Every thought, word, and deed for Him carries you away from discouragement."- Theodore Ledyard Curler

What's up!

2008-09-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

Well i figured it had been to long since my last blog so here's an update

Work,

Well we finished painting the sprinkler system in the church, and we are now onto putting in the new carpet and putting on stone on the caffe walls. I've never done either so it is a nice learning experience and I'm picking it up pretty quick. Both our bosses have expressed there appreciation in how us Canadians work so hard and fast.

Church,

We have youth again tonight, last week was a really good night as far as numbers, I think it was like 260 or something. I am very exited to see how tonights numbers are and see if it is consistent. Sunday went well, we're starting a series based in Ephesians about "Connections". Pastor Frank is doing an amazing job.

School,

School is going GREAT!. The classes are becoming more meaty which is nice. I'm keeping ahead of the game so its not too overwhelming.

So yea that's about it, I'm off to youth. i
I'll pray for you guys back home tonight at youth as well.

pics of the Coast

2008-09-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

here all the pics i promised

more snowboard stuff for wayy to cheap

2008-09-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

Oregon Coast

2008-09-13T23:38:00.000-07:00

Today we headed out to the coast to hit up some surfing and skimboarding. It was a well needed time for relaxing. The water was freezing but it was sooo beautiful out there. I'll try to add some pics tomorrow.

see yea guys l8er

saweeeeet bindings

2008-09-10T23:31:00.000-07:00

soo i have fell IN LOVE with craigs list. i found the sweetest bindings. soo i took some pics of them.

bye pastor Doug

2008-09-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

Well ...
We found out this week that Pastor Doug Lasit will be leaving to plant a church in Denver in about ten months. Pastor Frank told the whole congregation Sunday, and today in our personal destiny class Pastor Doug talked about it a little more.

At first I was pretty bummed. Pastor Doug was a huge reason why I decided to come to pbc, to be able to learn under a man of God like him. At the same time though it is pretty exciting hearing him talk about it and what not.

BUtttttt its dinner time and I'm hungry. I'll talk to everyone l8er. love you guys.

life

2008-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

WOW
What an amazing couple days. I won't go into great detail about it all, but just threw la few little everyday things God has shown Himself so great to me in these last couple days. I am beginning to fall more in love with Him. I am having my understanding of Him expanded and stretched. I am building patterns of discipline in my life that are drawing me closer to him. And to be completely honest... I am so excited. I have never gone this in depth with Christ. I have never had my understanding stretched this way. Through classes and lectures, through my devotional time, and just listening to the voice of God.

I am starting to see, once again, that in my everyday conversations, God just comes up. Whether it be on msn, on the phone or just in person. I just want to thank everyone for their continual support in prayer and in every way.

Quickly here is something that was really cool in OT survey today I'd like to share with you.
We were talking about the patterns in the bible with the old testament and the new. The first is the pattern in what happened when moses came down from the mountain with the first stone tablets with the ten commandments.

Mount Sinai
Conditions: Wind, Fire, Voice
- People
- Giving of the law
- Tablets of stone
- 3000 died
- Birth of the covenant nation

The second part is when the disciples and other's were in the upper room waiting for the Holy
Spirit -

Acts 2
Conditions: Wind, Fire and Voice

- People
- giving of the teacher
- Tablets of the heart
- 3000 saved
- Birth of Christ

This blew my mind, particularly the way how our teacher "Lanny" delivered it.

I don't

2008-09-06T22:44:00.001-07:00

I don't worship Him,

because He is worthy,

Although there is no one more deserving.

I don't worship Him,

because He is powerful,

Although with an utterance from His lips,

The earth was shaped.

I don't worship Him,

Because He died for me,

Although threw His death and resurrection I am able to.

I worship Him,

Because when in His presence,

And faced with His glory,

The only thing I can do....

Is Worship.

-Daniel Eliason

Daniel Eliason

2008-09-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

2008-09-05T16:55:00.001-07:00

1. “Never does human nature seem so courageous and so wicked all at once as when we stand before the Cross of Jesus! The most enthusiastic hopes, the most profound humiliation, have found their inspiration there.” – Phillip Brooks

"Open up your Flood gates"

2008-09-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

If there was ever a time to stop praying or singing that phrase, today was the day lol.

Today at work there was a huge flood. As we were painting the new sprinkler system in the main foyer of the church, a 3 inch cooper pipe broke and a fire hose like stream of water sprayed all over the new construction area in the new cafeteria.

So me and Tim got off the scaffolding and ran over to check it out. I was kinda confused why everyone just watched it and didn't try to stop the leak, so i took the phone and I-pod out of my pocket, jumped up onto the counter and tried putting the pipes back together.( I don't think I have ever involuntarily swallowed so much water in my life. lol) Finally I got the two pipes back together but there was still water spraying out. I was left holding this pipe for what seemed like 20 minutes until the water was shut off.
The end result....the concrete floor in the front entrance was flooded, some of the offices, and all the new construction in the cafe was soaked.

Never a boring moment in maintenance lol

First Day in Maintenance

2008-09-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Well today was the first day on the new job.

I am no longer cleaning toilets for Jesus, I'll be fixing them lol. I started maintenance today and its pretty sweet. We got the tour of the whole church. I got to see things that "Mike", the maintenance guy, said only about 20 people have ever seen. I walked around up on top of the dome's and a lot of cool stuff.

I decided to post a quote about jesus everyday for you all to chew up and meditate on

Today's quote is:

“Nothing will do except righteousness; and no other conception of righteousness will do except Christ’s concept of it.” – Matthew Arnold

Daniel Eliason

CURRY

2008-08-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

WOW

There is this couple from India that cook in the kitchen. Today they made like real curried chicken.... CHANGED MY LIFE( gave me a little heart burn, but it was worth it) It was really good. Sooo im pretty much done all my homework for the week so I'm currently just going to have a nap. Talk to everyone l8er

A little touch of Portland

2008-08-30T14:04:00.001-07:00

Last night i went out with some people to walk around downtown Portland for a bit. It was pretty sweet and here are some pics f the night.

CAMP

2008-08-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Wow
Camp was amazing! It kinda freaked me out at first, they drive you out into a complete desert with absolutely no green vegetation to be seen. and then all over a sudden, in the middle of no ware in this valley, is a beautiful green patch of land which was camp.

It was a little different for me this year. I am used to being able to get to know everyone there by the end of the week. It is a little harder when there is 700 teens to get to know, but besides that it was amazing. They have a zip line that is the biggest zip line in North America that starts up the mountain and ends in the lake. They have doom buggies called "Ridge Runners", a huge pool with a high dive, and a massive gymnasium. We were served at meal time which was again a little different for me, but we didn't have to tip so it was all good.

The sessions where amazing! i have never felt the presence of God is such a strong way. It was also amazing having the privilege of hearing Pastor Doug, Pastor Frank, Pastor Nesiem and Pastor Ken. These men of God are phenomenal speakers. God really did a huge work in me and in my heart this week. He opened my eyes to some of the little things in my life that i was allowing to stay. Mindsets that needed to change, not huge sin things but just the way i think about things. God is really taking me threw a period of purifying my mind, and my heart. to the point where it becomes spotless. It is an exiting time and a ruff time all at the same time.

For Instance, Pastor Frank talked about the little things that we allow to stay in our lives and how they will effect us down the Road. He used the example of the Guy who wrote "Healer" in Australia part of Planet shakers and was on the Hillsongs latest album. This guy had faked having cancer for two years. He lied to his family, church, and people around the world. Well pastor frank explained that it wasn't that one day he came up with this master plan out of no ware to deceive everyone. It probably started as a teenager with not telling the whole truth. With exaggerating the storey just a bit for a better effect. The root of dishonesty starts off slow but if we allow it to stay in our lives it will grow. Pastor also talked about how the sin in our lives no matter how small, if we allow it to stay in our lives, will one day be reviled to everyone. Holly Spirit will bring it to light down the Road. Even with Tod Bently, He didn't wake up in the morning and decide to divorce his life for a girl he worked with, but when allowed, no matter how small, sin will grow inside of us and sooner or later God will reveal that to the world around us.

It really challenged me in a couple of ways to really make sure the stories i tell are completely true and i realised, due to partially myself and also some people i hang around, my stories sometimes aren't 100% honest. God also challenged me to become more and more humble and focus of him and what he thinks of me instead of worrying about what everyone else is thinking of me.

So, i challenge you to take some time and ask Holly Spirit to tell you if there is any "Little thing" in your life that he wants you to deal with. Better now then later on and in the public.

well I got to get going on some homework but just a little prayer request could everyone be praying for my Grandpa and that what ever is wrong in his body would be healed and everything would do ask God has planned it. Thanks a lot

Love you guys