Something Worth Dying For

I am so torn up inside. I want something worth fighting for. I want to see a church that truly reflects the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. What is the Church? I once heard the church called my mother who is a whore.

The church is like a whore. So full of problems, mismanagement, sin, and all these other sorts of junk that weighs it down, that constricts it, that causes so many people to get disillusioned with it. That hurts people, that causes the gentiles to blaspheme the name of God.

Yet at the same time, the Church is like my mother. The one that has given me life. Without my 'mother' with all her faults, I would not know Jesus. It has been there in my darkest times and pulled me out of the pit.

Yet there is this burning desire in my heart, this tremendous holy discontent to see the Church, universally rise up to what it is called to. A church that preaches the word, boldly, clearly and concisely. A church that loves one another and lays down their lives for each other. A church that brings people into their lives and shares their hope and their warmth with one another. A church that cares about the individual and not the numbers. A church where there are miracles, where lives are changed daily, where people are added to their number each day. Where serving God is a JOY and not a chore.

God please, I beg you, move in YOUR church. Please do something. I don't know how to take it, I don't know how to support when I see so many faults. God I just want to share about you, God I just want to see people come to know Christ. Everything else is secondary. God I want to see YOU glorified, magnified. Loved.

God it's not just about Sunday, it must flow on to our daily lives. There must be an opportunity where the Church can act as the body of Christ. Where it can truly be the hands and the feet. God there is no point in a church that solely focus's on Sunday. There must be a church that brings people into their lives, that loves, edifies, builds. God there must be true friendship and fellowship built up. A sharing of lives and love.

God please have mercy on us. God give us wisdom. Lord, help me to grow in my patients and humility.

Jesus. I need, I want, I live for You.

Traded

Traded from me,

Time with you.

The years have flown

Yet we still play the same tune.

If I had a wish,

Oh but one

My wish would be

To turn back to when we begun.

To share laughter,

To learn everything from you,

Yet instead it was traded

For a private school.

Yet there is no bitterness

Only sorrow

We realise too late

The time was borrowed.

No longer a tie between

My sisters, you and me

Traded just like that

God let us go back.

God it is only in you, that I find myself, my place, my home. God it is only in you, that I have my value, that I have my purpose. Jesus, but by your grace, there go I.

Long time no see

Wow, it has been almost 8 months since I last made a post on my youth blog.

Well even if no one ever reads this, it is a great opportunity for me to glorify God and give Him the praise and honour.

UPDATE


I've moved to the university group and under the leadership and guidance of Andy Leake who is doing an awesome job. He is a great man of God, 34 and single :D for all you who are single, female, Godly and willing to come to Adelaide for a missions trip :D

Anyway, youth is still on, same time same place! It is being run by my good friends Nick, Joe and Vivian. Youth group has been able to grow in so much depth because of these three. They are taking Youth group to a place I would never have been able to do myself. I am so honoured and blessed that the kids get great leaders such as these guys to lead them.

I think the main thing that I wanted to talk about tonight was contentment in Christ.

I see so often in ministry and serving, so many people striving to please either God or Man. I know that there is a part of us that always wants to be encouraged and complimented from others and that is okay. But when we start to serve Christ in order to recieve applaus from anyone but Christ himself, we miss the point.

Our reward becomes other peoples approval and our joy and peace in Christ is sold cheaply for a few words.

I don't say this because I am perfect, but rather I say this because I myself have done that in the past. So much i've strived so hard and for all the wrong reasons that although I got the job done, i missed the heart of God.

The heart of God is so important. God's heart is one of love. He doesn't want us to strive in order for us to win his love. He just wants us to receive His love.

Imagine, if you had a child, or imagine your nephew or neice. Imagine that you love them dearly and you want to give them a hug. But they said 'wait, let me do the dishes first, or clean my room first, or get a glass of water for you, only then I will allow you to hug me, because then I would be worthy of your love'.

That is totally wrong thinking, we love our children regardless of what they do or how they perform. Yet we view God in this same manner, we assume that if we cannot or do not perform, we cannot recieve God's love. But God is faithful and just to forgive when we repent of our sins. He then seperates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. Then He loves us, just as we are, just where we are.

My encouragement, is stop striving. Allow God to love you, rest in Him.

3 am

Any time you receive a phone call at an odd time of the day, be prepared for God to do something.

I just received a phone call from a person that use to come to our church a long time ago but fell away and got involved in some occult things. She was getting in really deep to these things and she want's out and didn't know what to do or who to talk to. She tried others, but none answered.

I just had the cool privillage to lead her back to Christ. Rebuking a lot of things from her, i really felt the presence of God when i was praying for her. Hopefully by God's loving grace she comes back to care group today and comes back to church on Sunday! If your reading this, please pray for her. God will know who your talking about.

Isn't it cool when God lets us into His adventures, even if we lose a little sleep!

Thoughts from the heart.

God;

I wish I didn't so often feel like an island
I wish that I could trust You more
I wish that I could understand Your timing
I wish that I wasn't so self centred
I wish that I could be a better leader, a better man

I wish that people could see past my hard exterior
And know that i'm just like them

I wish that I could better express myself


But when all my wishing stops
When all my self efforts fail and I come back again
You smile and just open your arms
Then I rest in Your embrace

A President, a Vision, A God, A Destiny

I just watched the acceptance speech by Barack Obama for the presidency of the United States of America. I have to admit, i sat in awe of this man, as he displayed great leadership and vision. He called on the American people to come together, to be as one, to unite. Through that unity and sharing a common vision, they will be able to grow as a nation and as a people. I was so inspired that I thought to myself 'I should go to the USA, and become a citizen!' ^_^

But i started to think to myself. This man, this leader, as great as he may be or may become. He is still a man. His destiny, his life, his everything is in the palm of God's hand and it is God who gives him his talant and ability. It is God that raised him up and it will be God that sustains him.

If God can take this one man, to make such an impact on a country.

WHAT CAN GOD DO WITH HIS CHURCH?

God's Church is greater and more important than any man, women or country. The Church is greater and stronger than any military and any force in the world, whether seen or unseen.

God is going to glorify his church. God is going to reach out to the world and influence His world through His church.

Therefore... where is OUR faith, our VISION? Where is our trust in an ALL MIGHTY GOD.
GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS...

I was talking to one of my friends who is in our CCM group for Adelaide Uni, and i was sharing with him. I was saying, why can't CCM be 1400 people strong. Adelaide uni has about 14,000 students. Why can't CCM have a tith of the students. Why not? Let us pray in such a way, that we believe that we have the power and bless of an ALL MIGHTY GOD on our side.

Let the Church wake up from its slumber. Let the Church repent of its lack of faith. Let the Church rise up and take its place. In the name of Jesus.

Let us pray in faith, let us pray in belief. God move in our nation.

Blown away by God!

I just wanted to testify about the awesome things that God has been doing in Youth Group!!!

We started our saturday night services last month on the 4th, and so far have had 5 meetings and it has been such a rollercoaster for me!

God has definitly been working on many of my own insecurities and issues, but at the same time, i really see the hand of God moving in this group!

First of all... i want to state, all this is possible because of God. I am not talented enough nor gifted nor anything that would allow me to do this in my own strength. God has used a weak vessel like me, to have influence on a community. God has honoured our prayers!

In the last two weeks, God has done a miricle! HE has doubled the youth group, TWICE in just two weeks!!!!!

This definitly is not because of me, because if you ask my friend who helps me, i was sooo discouraged before group tonight, everything seemed to be 'falling' apart. Yet God is growing me and teaching me to trust in Him by displaying his awesome grace to me!

Only 2 weeks ago we had 6 youth, then last week we had 12... now this week we had a huge
24!!!!!!!!!! PPPPPRRAAIIISEEEE THE LORD!!!!!

It was so awesome and so scary... when i picked up '15' kids in a bus not suited for that many (i had kids sitting in the boot -_- )
i saw Damien (guy helping me) and i had a look on my face of 'ahhh help!!!
Neither of us have ever led a group that size, but God was sooo faithful, graceful and loving, and we ended up having an absolutely fantastic time!

I am so overwhelmed by God's faithfulness. I believe God is going to do bigger and better things with this group! Now i just need to pray more!!!!!! Please if your reading this, pray for us. We need all the prayers we can Get!

'With man, this is impossible, BUT with GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!!'
amen

Would I Be Willing?

I have just come back from a 'party' that some of the african youth were having at there place. It is probable the same as any other young persons party. Young, loud, and of course, the music just isn't as good as it was in my day.

But as i was sitting there and watching people. Kids that i know confess to know Christ, and others who by the way they act... could be possessed ^_^ just kidding.

But i was thinking to myself, what would I be willing to do for these kids to come to know Christ?

Would i be willing to give up a couple hours a week of my life, would i be willing to put my career second in order to see Christ come first in their lives? Would i be willing to spend myself for these kids, even if only 1 comes to Christ, even if none come to Christ. Would I be willing to give all, in order for them to have the opportunity to know Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

I was really inspired by Mother Terressa when she said;

I am not called to be successful

I am called to be faithful

That really hits to the core of my being. I am a very driven person and i eagerly desire to succeed yet that desire to succeed has been a stumbling block to me so many times. When it comes to the Youth Group, am i willing not to have 'worldly success' (numbers, acclaimation, etc) in order to have spiritual success?

Honestly, there are days i really struggle with keeping the focus on God. It is so easy to lose sight of what is important. It is so easy to get caught up in the ministry, rather than the relationship with Christ.

God, please work on my heart, and the hearts of my friends who serve with such diligence. Help us to run the race in such a way as to win. Help us to be in line with Your heart. Help us to keep our eyes focus on You. Amen

Maddison Grace

This is my little niece, there was another video in earlier posts, but here is just a couple more photo's and video's of my niece. It's awesome to watch someone learn and grow. Hopefully my little niece will come to know Jesus later in life :)






Baby in pram

I really like this photo. That's my sister and her partner, Kelly, MG, Steven

Aren't parents horrible :D
^_^

With Christ In The Vessel

Here's a video of 'With Christ In The Vessel'

We've gotten to the bit where you don't say the words :)