In the past year God has really been giving me such a paradigm shift that I just have to share. Especially during my DTS last April in Kona, God has shown me that He is so much more concerned about us being in love with Him and making Him a priority than He is about me doing good spiritual things.
He has been teaching me that really the first commandment is first for many reasons. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, and we're so consumed with loving Him, we will do anything with joy! We won't do good things for the praise and attention of man, to show off to everyone around us, we won't do good things because we're getting guilt tripped by other people. We will obey God and do what He wants simply because we love to make God happy! We love to please God and bring Him glory!
When we make our priority to be in love with God, everything that Jesus modeled for us to do simply flows out of our love for God. He said in John 14 that if will love Him we will obey His commands. He said in John 15 that if we abide in Him and His love we will bear much fruit, and that will give the Father much glory! This is good news, that the key to being an effective witness to the world and giving God glory is to be in love with Him!
Back in the garden, it all started with love and relationship. God created man on the 6th day, and then on the 7th day He rested, just to be with man. He said about all the other creation it is good, but about man He said they are very good, even before Adam started working. And later, when Jesus is coming out of Jordan river, having been baptized by John, the Holy Spirit comes and the Father says, so everyone can hear, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(Matthew 3:17). Even before Jesus did any ministry, the Father was already pleased with Him! He made the Father happy just because of who He was and because of who God is!
Because we're united with Jesus through his death and resurrection, and we've been given His righteousness, we look like Jesus! Of course, we are only realizing that more and more everyday! That means that because of what Jesus has done, and simply because we have faith and repentance, the Father is pleased with us, even before we do any ministry! And at the end of this age, Jesus will come back to the planet and He will make His dwelling among us (Revelations 21:3). Its all about relationship!
And another paradigm shift that God has given me is that we're not making more workers who will make more workers, who simply perform, work and do the right things. We're making more people who will be with Jesus, who will love Him first and foremost, and then they will do anything He wants! And so actually my goal as a missionary is to connect people to Jesus, to love Him and adore Him.
So to connect people to Himself, God has really been giving me a heart for the house of prayer. Jesus said "for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” I really believe that God is calling His bride to greater intimacy with Him, I've seen it happening in my life and am hearing about it worldwide. God is birthing a movement of prayer and worship like never before! There are so many more 24/7 prayer ministries on the earth than there has ever been! How this looks practically is a lifestyle of prayer and fasting, bible study, worship and intercession with a community of like minded people, and an overflow of outreach fueled by the power and love of God, where more disciples in turn fall radically in love with God, and the cycle continues forever.
Right now I am a part of a community that really carries those values called Fire and Fragrance. Headed up by Andy Byrd, Fire and Fragrance runs the prayer room on campus, as well as several DTS's over the past years with many more to come.
To give you more vision and insight, here is a video with Andy Byrd himself:
Nathan's Adventures with Jesus
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Jesus is alive, in my life and in Haiti!
To be completely honest, I've been struggling. Mostly just struggling with my faith, as the attacks from the enemy come more and more as I near my departure for Haiti. Some days I wonder if there really is a God, or maybe everyone is just making this up. But every single time I begin to wonder, I begin to doubt, I seek out the truth that I've discovered again and again so many times: Jesus is alive!
I thank God that even in my unbelief and weakness He still loves, even when I question His existence after He has does so much for me! I thank God that we are able to seek out the truth, to question Him, because in the seeking and the questioning we will find Him. And I find that very reassuring. Especially today, when we celebrate His resurrection all the world, I'm reminded again that just when it seems that Satan has had the final say, and darkness has won, Jesus Christ will always win. He will always overcome. He did it about 1980 years ago, He's doing it today, and he will eventually have the final victory when Satan goes into the fiery lake of burning sulfur along with everyone else who has ever partnered with Him.
Jesus is capable of overcoming the enemy in any situation. He'll overcome in our finances. He'll overcome in our health. He'll help us overcome in times of suffering and persecution. He'll help us stand strong to the very end. He'll help us love Him more. And one of my favorite things to think about: He'll overcome Satan in the land of Haiti!
So please enjoy this short movie about Haiti, and remember that country in your prayers, because Jesus is capable of completely overcoming the darkness in the land!
I thank God that even in my unbelief and weakness He still loves, even when I question His existence after He has does so much for me! I thank God that we are able to seek out the truth, to question Him, because in the seeking and the questioning we will find Him. And I find that very reassuring. Especially today, when we celebrate His resurrection all the world, I'm reminded again that just when it seems that Satan has had the final say, and darkness has won, Jesus Christ will always win. He will always overcome. He did it about 1980 years ago, He's doing it today, and he will eventually have the final victory when Satan goes into the fiery lake of burning sulfur along with everyone else who has ever partnered with Him.
Jesus is capable of overcoming the enemy in any situation. He'll overcome in our finances. He'll overcome in our health. He'll help us overcome in times of suffering and persecution. He'll help us stand strong to the very end. He'll help us love Him more. And one of my favorite things to think about: He'll overcome Satan in the land of Haiti!
So please enjoy this short movie about Haiti, and remember that country in your prayers, because Jesus is capable of completely overcoming the darkness in the land!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
An exciting change of direction!
Hey friends, family and faithful supporters! It has been an exciting week here at the University of the Nations! God has been stirring in my spirit for some time now to go to Haiti, and I was really hoping I would be able to go with the April Call2All DTS (Discipleship Training School). When it looked like that might not happen, I began to seek the Lord on what His plan was.
I felt like I was to go to this DTS in Port-au-Prince this summer, and long story short I told my leaders what I was feeling, talked to my parents and got felt it was right every step of the way. My previous leader released me and my new leader accepted me, and God worked out everything completely! So while I'm not staffing the entire school, I will still be involved in the Call2All DTS in some way while I'm here. My primary role will be leading worship at the base as well as working in student services, helping students apply to schools.
The DTS I'm now staffing is going to be in Port-au-Prince Haiti! It is an incredible honor to be a part of, as it is the first one that YWAM has done in Port-au-Prince. It will be 5 months long, from June 11th- November 12th. We have an amazing staff, with both Haitians and “foreigners.” We are believing God for 50 students, both Haitians and international. The theme of this school will be to partner with God in making Haiti a blessing not a curse among the nations. If you're interested in taking this school, we would love to have you as a student! God will surely make a way and supply the finances if that is His will!
So I will need to be in Haiti by May 20th, with a school start date of June 11th. I would much appreciate much prayers for myself and the school, as well as for the nation. Another prayer point is the presidential election that is happening today. Lets agree with God's heart for this nation to see it transformed! Remember God uses our prayers to change the course of history! Thank you all so much for all of the love and support that you guys give me!
For more information check out the website: Haiti DTS
I hope you also enjoy this video that will give you a better picture of what the school will be like.
I felt like I was to go to this DTS in Port-au-Prince this summer, and long story short I told my leaders what I was feeling, talked to my parents and got felt it was right every step of the way. My previous leader released me and my new leader accepted me, and God worked out everything completely! So while I'm not staffing the entire school, I will still be involved in the Call2All DTS in some way while I'm here. My primary role will be leading worship at the base as well as working in student services, helping students apply to schools.
The DTS I'm now staffing is going to be in Port-au-Prince Haiti! It is an incredible honor to be a part of, as it is the first one that YWAM has done in Port-au-Prince. It will be 5 months long, from June 11th- November 12th. We have an amazing staff, with both Haitians and “foreigners.” We are believing God for 50 students, both Haitians and international. The theme of this school will be to partner with God in making Haiti a blessing not a curse among the nations. If you're interested in taking this school, we would love to have you as a student! God will surely make a way and supply the finances if that is His will!
So I will need to be in Haiti by May 20th, with a school start date of June 11th. I would much appreciate much prayers for myself and the school, as well as for the nation. Another prayer point is the presidential election that is happening today. Lets agree with God's heart for this nation to see it transformed! Remember God uses our prayers to change the course of history! Thank you all so much for all of the love and support that you guys give me!
For more information check out the website: Haiti DTS
I hope you also enjoy this video that will give you a better picture of what the school will be like.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Why do we pray?
Recently I heard a teaching that really challenged and encouraged me, and I just had to share it with everyone!
This is from Daniel Lim, who is from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOP-KC), which is famous for their prayer and focus on intimacy with Jesus. He was talking about prayer, and he asked us all a question, why so we pray?
He listed a few different reasons of why we pray:
This is from Daniel Lim, who is from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOP-KC), which is famous for their prayer and focus on intimacy with Jesus. He was talking about prayer, and he asked us all a question, why so we pray?
He listed a few different reasons of why we pray:
- We have a need (someone is sick, we need a car, house, food)
- We have work/ministry to do
- The enemy is fighting against us, and we have to do spiritual warfare
- We want to see the lost saved
- We want revival to come in our area
However, one day there will no more need, no more work, no more spiritual warfare! Do we still need to come before Jesus? What then is the reason to come to Jesus?
And this is simple, yet profound: when every demon is bound, there is no more work to be done, no more sickness or pain, Jesus is the reason to come to Jesus.
Jesus is the reason to come to Jesus!
He said that prayer is not a means to an end, prayer is the end. The final destination of every christian is going to be an ongoing worship meeting in heaven. What a glorious day that will be!
So in a world that is so driven by works and getting things done, what do we need practically to truly be with Jesus just to be with Him? What can we have so that we're not always thinking about what we need to do, but just loving being Jesus?
We need the knowledge of God. We need to know that Jesus desires to be with us. Jesus prayed in John 17 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (NIV, emphasis added)
And I really believe that if we see God not as someone who just wants us to serve Him, but also to be with Him, it will radically transform our view of prayer! When we truly realize that God loves us not because of what we do, but because of the way He is, we will WANT TO PRAY instead of having to pray.
If you're having trouble loving your prayer times, and feeling more like its more of a duty, than anything something you like to do, here is something you could pray that I believe could be a spark to your prayer life.
Father who loves me, thank you so much that you loved me so much that you sent your son on a mission out of glorious heaven down to earth. Thank you that you love me even before I love you. And Jesus, even before I did anything for you, you died for me. Thank you Jesus that like a shepherd after a lost sheep you're pursuing me with your love, like a bridegroom chases after His bride. Holy Spirit, thank you that you, the infinite, all powerful God, are dwelling inside of me, and I am your temple. God, thank you for love, and you want to be with me where I am. I ask that you would help me to know your love and your delight in me even more. Thank you Jesus, in your name amen.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
In sickness and in health
I, Jesus, take you, Church, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I, Jesus, take you, (insert your name), for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death brings you to heaven.
Song of Songs 8
6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy[q] unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.[r] 7Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.
Lately at our base we've experience quite a bit of sickness. Nothing serious or life-threatening, but just enough to humble us and bring us to our knees and our beds. And its in the place of weakness that we really do discover God's amazing love.
You see, while we were still sinners Christ loved us enough to die for us (Romans 5:8). "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:5) Jesus said: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) And thank the Lord that the strength of our relationship does not depend on our pursuit of God, but of His pursuit of us!
Because of who He is, Jesus is an unending, unrelenting wedding vow to love us, to honor us, to pursue us no matter what our condition is. What a glorious truth!
I discovered that as a follower of Jesus I have to continually keep coming back to that reality. Even when I'm doing good, I'm fasting, praying, studying the word, evangelizing, giving, and loving, He loves me the same. And when I'm in rebellion, falling into temptation, sick and tired of being disciplined, He loves me the same! When I don't want to read my bible, He loves me the same. When I say no to the Holy Spirit, He loves me the same. When I sleep 12 hours and completing miss my appointment with Jesus, he loves me the same. When I disciple the nations and bring a whole country to Jesus, He loves me the same. When I give all of my money away, He loves me the same. When I memorize the whole bible, He loves the same. He already loves me, is already proud of me, He is already pleased with me. If I never opened my bible again, we would still want to be my friend. God loves me the way God loves God, even when I am as far away from being like God as possible.
This amazing, unconditional, unrelenting love is what keeps us going. Its what keeps us coming back to our first love. So please, wherever you are, just remember the He already loves you. And be compelled by His love, and let it be an overflow of this amazing love that touches the world around you.
And Please pray for the YWAM base in Kona that the God who loves us and can heal us would fill us with the knowledge of His love and His healing power. Thank you.
Song of Songs 8
6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy[q] unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.[r] 7Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.
Lately at our base we've experience quite a bit of sickness. Nothing serious or life-threatening, but just enough to humble us and bring us to our knees and our beds. And its in the place of weakness that we really do discover God's amazing love.
You see, while we were still sinners Christ loved us enough to die for us (Romans 5:8). "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." (Titus 3:5) Jesus said: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) And thank the Lord that the strength of our relationship does not depend on our pursuit of God, but of His pursuit of us!
Because of who He is, Jesus is an unending, unrelenting wedding vow to love us, to honor us, to pursue us no matter what our condition is. What a glorious truth!
I discovered that as a follower of Jesus I have to continually keep coming back to that reality. Even when I'm doing good, I'm fasting, praying, studying the word, evangelizing, giving, and loving, He loves me the same. And when I'm in rebellion, falling into temptation, sick and tired of being disciplined, He loves me the same! When I don't want to read my bible, He loves me the same. When I say no to the Holy Spirit, He loves me the same. When I sleep 12 hours and completing miss my appointment with Jesus, he loves me the same. When I disciple the nations and bring a whole country to Jesus, He loves me the same. When I give all of my money away, He loves me the same. When I memorize the whole bible, He loves the same. He already loves me, is already proud of me, He is already pleased with me. If I never opened my bible again, we would still want to be my friend. God loves me the way God loves God, even when I am as far away from being like God as possible.
This amazing, unconditional, unrelenting love is what keeps us going. Its what keeps us coming back to our first love. So please, wherever you are, just remember the He already loves you. And be compelled by His love, and let it be an overflow of this amazing love that touches the world around you.
And Please pray for the YWAM base in Kona that the God who loves us and can heal us would fill us with the knowledge of His love and His healing power. Thank you.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Its all about Jesus
Jesus has been teaching me something so precious: its all about Him. This life is not about living for people's approval, fame or fortune. Its not even about having fun, or even living life to the fullest, although those are all good things.
This life is about being in love with our creator. Falling in love, and then going where he goes. Abiding in the vine, and bearing much fruit. Being like a tree planted by streams of living water, so that our leaves are always green.
This is my prayer for my life, that I would be solely focused on one things: intimacy with Jesus. Please join me in praying that we would be so consumed with loving this man that our only desire is to love him more.
I really believe that God is calling the church to really put the first commandment first in our lives, and we will see the world truly transformed when our walk is not just about doing ministry, doing good things and not doing bad things, but being in love with God!
So please, pray for the church of Jesus Christ, that we would not be swayed by any other mission, other than loving our precious King.
This life is about being in love with our creator. Falling in love, and then going where he goes. Abiding in the vine, and bearing much fruit. Being like a tree planted by streams of living water, so that our leaves are always green.
This is my prayer for my life, that I would be solely focused on one things: intimacy with Jesus. Please join me in praying that we would be so consumed with loving this man that our only desire is to love him more.
I really believe that God is calling the church to really put the first commandment first in our lives, and we will see the world truly transformed when our walk is not just about doing ministry, doing good things and not doing bad things, but being in love with God!
So please, pray for the church of Jesus Christ, that we would not be swayed by any other mission, other than loving our precious King.
Monday, January 24, 2011
First week of staff training
Hey everyone! I'm here at University of Nations where I am on staff with Youth With A Mission. It has been a week now of being on staff, and it is an incredible experience. I feel like I'm exactly where God wants me to be, and I see His goodness all around me. I've been rejoined with so many good friends, and have made many more. Everyone is so eager to talk and be friends. And everyone has the pursuit of one person on their mind: Jesus.
We spend much time as a campus and as individuals simply being with our precious savior. It is in His presence that we get transformed, we get refreshed and we receive new strength for the new battles. It is in His presence that we find out who we really are, and who God really is. What a privilege to live in the presence of the Almighty God!
Looking ahead to future, we are very excited about the April Call2All DTS. We already met as a school and have been hearing so many good things from the Lord, who is giving us our identity as a school. So far we have 11 staff, and they should all get here early February.
We are in the process of praying for and recruiting students. We are expecting the Lord to send a huge workforce into the harvest fields, and we are hoping for 60+ students in our school. Will you be part of the faithful intercessors who join us in praying for these students?
Also, here is a little more information about the school and how you can join us as we follow the Lord.
Video:
U of N Kona
Call2All DTS
YWAM home page
We spend much time as a campus and as individuals simply being with our precious savior. It is in His presence that we get transformed, we get refreshed and we receive new strength for the new battles. It is in His presence that we find out who we really are, and who God really is. What a privilege to live in the presence of the Almighty God!
Looking ahead to future, we are very excited about the April Call2All DTS. We already met as a school and have been hearing so many good things from the Lord, who is giving us our identity as a school. So far we have 11 staff, and they should all get here early February.
We are in the process of praying for and recruiting students. We are expecting the Lord to send a huge workforce into the harvest fields, and we are hoping for 60+ students in our school. Will you be part of the faithful intercessors who join us in praying for these students?
Also, here is a little more information about the school and how you can join us as we follow the Lord.
Video:
U of N Kona
Call2All DTS
YWAM home page
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