A Taste of Heaven

This past week, I heard a quote about Jonathan Edwards, an 18th century Puritan preacher who was said to have taken 10-15 minutes every day just to sit and dream and mediate on what Heaven might be like. I have found that even in only being a Christian for about 3 and a half years, it is so easy to focus on doing stuff and getting tasks done such as disciplines of the faith (Studying the Word, Prayer, sharing my faith, Scripture memory, etc.) that I often get weary because I'm running the Christian marathon often with my head down. We must never forget what the prize is that awaits us. In some sense, we have already received the prize in knowing Christ since eternity begun in November of 2007 for me (John 17:3), but there is much to long for and look forward to when my God and Heavenly Father calls me home to Zion to dwell with Him forever. One day, I will be in the presence of my God who bore the cross in order to adopt me into His family. 


This morning as we worshiped through song at Covenant Church in Singapore, I opened my eyes to see a young boy no older than 12 or 13 who has a form of autism jumping with arms high worshiping his Heavenly Father as his earthly father was doing the exact same thing right beside him.  In this instance, I could not do anything but imagine that this must be a glimpse of the beauty of what Heaven must be like. Also, I was overwhelmed with joy to be reminded of the Gospel and Jesus always saying things like  "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Jesus died for the most unlikely of people and I know this because He died for me.


My prayer this Sabbath is that you will all be refreshed by the gospel that has saved you if you are a child of God, and that you be reminded of the promise of what is to come. That even though all believers who wish to be Godly will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12), our great God and Savior will bring us home to Zion to dwell with Him and worship Him forever.

First Day on Campus

Well today was our first day on campus. The 6 of us who will be at our University got a tour and was able to hang out, eat, and just explore some. I loved it. Classes start on Monday so the campus will be crowded (Matt 9:36-38). This week the Lord has been tossing some big punches at me really showing me a lot, specifically with my self dependence. Being a task oriented person pushes me to go go go, and rarely do I have compassion. I desire to be a man who is Spirit dependent who humbly trusts and asks his Father to provide and move rather than continuing to labor in my own strength.
Please continue to for my heart to be filled with compassion as Jesus' was and that I would constantly be trusting and asking His Spirit to move in the lives of the lost.

God of ALL Nations

Today is our teams second full day in Singapore. This morning we attended a local church we are partnering with called Covenant Church. The people and service was amazing. Walking in, this was the first foreign church I have attended since I became a Christian 3 years ago. To walk into a congregation with hundreds of people from so many different countries nearly put me on the ground. I was so quickly reminded that the God that came down from Heaven to reconcile me to Himself, is a God of the NationS. Now its ridiculous to think, He is using  me and other broken people to make a name of Himself in every country and corner of this world that He created. I was also reminded this morning of God's relational intimate side. Yes His might and power is infinite, but His grace and desire to make Himself known to me is just as real. I'm so thankful that He chooses the word Father, when identifying Himself with me.
Please pray for my pursuit God through His word this week. That I would experience Him in ways I never have pushing me to be a man who fights to master the word in order that I would know my God better.
Secondly pray that God would use me and our team to turn Singapore upside down for the sake of the Gospel, as we will be heading to campuses this week.

I love yall and  I thank my God in all my remembrance of yall (Philippians 1:3)

Isaiah 54:3 "For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left. And your descendants will possess nations and will resettle the desolate cities.

The team and myself made it to Singapore. Thanks for all the prayers and support. After 23 hours in the air and other traveling we are settling in and excited to get out and going. Much more to come soon. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

Singapore, here we come!

 Well tomorrow at this time, I will be boarding a plane headed to Tokyo, Japan and then catching a flight to Singapore. 22 hours of flying will give me much time to read, journal, rest, and dream about what the Lord might do in and through me and the CCP team this summer. 
This past weekend, I was studying something I often find myself going back to, the cost of discipleship. Jesus speaks in Matthew 10:34-46 about the cost for someone to be His disciple. I was comparing this passage with Luke's account in Luke 14:25-35. Both state Jesus's bold claims clearly, but something hit me really hard in Luke 14. He mentions that if anyone wishes to be Jesus' disciple, he/she must hate their own life as well. Matthew describes this in v38-39, but it really took some heart searching and meditation to consider all the ways in which I still love my life. From the idolatry of wanting acceptance of people or often the idol of success, I am very much after my own name to be made great as well. Even in the midst of doing great things such as evangelism, scripture memory, and other things, I so often want to make a good name for my self as well. It was very humbling as I thought and prayed through the mindset of Isaiah 64:6, that even our righteous acts are like filthy rags before our great and Holy God.  However, it was very refreshing and comforting that after confession, I was reminded that just as my salvation was not earned or merited to me through my performance, neither is my relationship and intimacy not destroyed by my pitiful performance, as the more I seek the Lord, the more I see my brokenness and need to a HUGE and Gracious Savior since my sin is so great.
Please pray for my heart to be much more broken and much greater hatred of sin. I want to be a man who is constantly being sanctified and this translates into loving the things more that God loves, and hating the things that God hates more. I love yall and pray that each would bee comforted and humbled with 1 Timothy 1:15b - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

One week till Go time

Well today marks the one-week countdown till the Cross Cultural Project (CCP) team leave to head out for Singapore. I have long been awaiting this trip since October and am so excited to go. This weekend the CCP team and I will be traveling to Daytona Beach, FL to meet with share a presentation about what our trip is about and what we are trusting God for to the Summer Beach Project. For the last three summers, I have spent them in Daytona being a part of the beach project and the CCP team and Beach Project have a good partnership as we will both be praying for each other throughout the summer not only as a whole, but there are two guys rooms (8 guys total) that I have been praying for and will be throughout the summer and they will be for me as well.

The Lord has been teaching me the most lately about how He truly does use broken people to do His work. He faithfully provides in his sovereignty and allows us to be a part of bringing reconciliation to the world.  There is no hope outside of Jesus and the Gospel, and I pray that I will be a faithful man to complete the task the Lord Jesus Christ has given me, the task of testifying the gospel of God's grace (Acts 20:24) to all people everywhere.

Please pray for support for our team. I'm not exactly how short we are as of today, but still as much as possible needs to be raised before we go. Also for our trip over to Singapore, that travel and such would run smoothly as we travel 30 hours across the world to as far away from the states as you could possibly get.

I love you all and am so thankful for your support and partnership with me and our team as we trust the Lord to use us to advance His kingdom.