Disciples

I can't believe it's been this long...my apologies to those of you who read this regularly. I have been so overcome by all that the Lord has been doing throughout this summer. What a season for change. We have seen the hand of God so powerfully at work in the hearts of our staff here at Qwanoes; it is astounding. I cannot express the joy that my heart has known this summer, nor the elation at the privilege to be part of it. God has moved in such incredible ways to challenge His followers here to more than what they came with. So many lives are being transformed through the ministry of this summer. Children are hearing and experiencing truth...there is no question of that...but my heart is no doubt shifted to the staff the Lord has brought to us this summer. We have come so far since we began to form in April as we have seen God purge so much from us and prepare us to receive challenge and transformation. There is a hunger and thirst for the Word of God that His spirit has brought about in the last couple months. There is a passionate pursuit of these kids that is changing the hearts of our counselors. So many of our staff are experiencing their lives being literally transformed before their own eyes as God works in them to bring about the men and women that He desires them to be. We are a fallen and fallible people that the Lord has and is using to accomplish His divine will. Praise Him for that! This is a summer about change...about foundation...about establishing a life of discipleship and following after our Saviour. The Lord is moving us from decisions to disciples; followers of Jesus; those who long to know Him, serve Him, become like Him and invite others to do the same. As we are discipling the staff team this summer, our prayer is that they in turn will disciple their kids and establish the true calling of God on our lives that does not involve a one-time decision, but a lifetime of following the Saviour.

"Be Holy For I Am Holy"

How many of us still strive for holiness? Can you honestly say that you are striving for holiness? Why does the Lord ask this of us? Isn't it impossible for us to attain holiness while still living in a sinful world? Is that reason to fall into complacency? Never.
The Lord calls us to be holy, and so we must strive for holiness in all we do! We must never be satisfied with the state of our hearts but always looking to become more like our Saviour. God does not ask anything of us that He does not intend to walk through with us.
The more of this world that we release and let go of, the more room we make to invite the things of God into our lives. Purify your heart. You were made to reflect the Lord, the God of all creation, and you cannot reflect Him when your life is full of the world.

A New Beginning

I've known Leila for a little more than 4 years and had the privilege of witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit in her life as God has tested and challenged her. She was a student this past year with the Kaleo Program and coming in half way through and seeing how she has softened and how God has pulled her out of her former way of life has been such a joy! It has been amazing to see her wrestle these past years and come to a point this year where she realized her need to lay her old life down, forsaking it, burying it and allow her spirit to be reborn.

Leila and I went into the water on Saturday and were able to show those that attended in a physical way what the Lord had accomplished in her life. He has made her a new creation; she has chosen to be raised to a new life! Praise the Lord

Discipleship

“Go into all the nations and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Are we inviting people into a lifelong journey of following Christ or offering them a ticket into eternity? The decisions made by adults, young children or young adults to say a prayer of penance often leaves them with the impression that there is nothing more to being a Christian. In this, we have failed to communicate the message of grace and hope that Jesus brought. It’s not that we simply need to explain better what people are committing to, we need to do a better job of making disciples instead of converts.
Take Jesus’ example: He came alongside twelve men for three years, using every part of life to impart on them the way they are called to live. He taught through his life, the community around them and the environments they were in whether city or rural. Jesus called people to “follow Him” literally, where He went as well as how he lived. Today, our call as disciples is much the same: to walk as Jesus did, teaching those around us through our life and situation how to be followers of Jesus.
There’s nothing wrong with encouraging a commitment, but that commitment is a springboard into a life of following Christ; it’s not the final moment. Unfortunately our society, in pushing for decisions, has encouraged neglect of a new believer once they have made a decision and leaves a hungry child starving for the pure milk of the Word. As believers, we have been commissioned to “disciple” those we are doing life with. We ought never to assume that our job is over because they have made a commitment through prayer. That person is an infant of faith. What would happen to a newborn child if they were left to fend for themselves immediately after entering this world? What were the purposes of Paul’s letters if not to disciple the churches of Galatia, Ephesus, Corinth and so on? He did not simply leave them with the message of hope, he discipled them. True, you may not have opportunity to disciple all whom you are privileged to introduce to Christ, but in sharing the gospel, communicate that this decision is one to follow Christ for the rest of their life; introduce them to a “full life” in Christ, one that comes through being discipled and grown in one’s faith. Do not leave them to starve for faith and hope. Upon introducing someone to faith, give him or her the tools to continue in their faith and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Freedom

Freedom that comes from a life with Christ exalts the God who gave it to you. If you cannot live in freedom from what he has saved you from, others cannot see the greatness of God. It is in witnessing the transforming power of Jesus Christ in a sinner’s life that others will seek to follow. When you take pride in the work of Christ in your life, you exalt Christ. Praise him for the work he has done to set you free from the sin in your life; do not hold onto the chains that bind you but instead embrace the mercy of God and stand on him rejoicing in who you have become because of him! You are a new creation, the old has gone!! The new has come!! Walk in that truth! Embrace that promise! To ignore this is to stomp on the gift of grace in your life. Jesus died that you might be free! Not so that you could continue to feel sorry for how awful you are! Take hold of what God is extending to you and live in such a way that exalts God for his gift!

Exhortation

Where is the balance in a fervent attempt to compel people to completely turn from the corruption of sin and the compassion to do it in a way that they will respond with open and willing hearts? This has been an all too familiar struggle in my life and unfortunately one that has flared disruption and even contempt from some of those I have been responsible for raising up in the truth. A zealous and fervent spirit can quickly offend to the point of hurt or anger and it is not the desire of our Father for us to bring about this emotion in people. In fact, this situation can very possibly do more damage than good. Raising an awareness of the effects of sin in our lives is essential to a life devoted to abiding with and becoming more like Christ (Phil.2:5-11). As teachers and leaders it is vital that we invoke this searching of the heart in a compassionate form that exemplifies the heart of Jesus in our own lives. It is better neither to ignore the effects of sin nor to highlight them to the point of damage, for neither the former nor the latter will result in a deeper relationship with the Lord for the man/woman we are guiding. We must allow ourselves to burn with fervency for the changing of hearts and lives while harnessing that passion into compassion and love to see that person overtaken by the truth of the freedom that comes from a “full life” (John 10:10b) in Christ. The fervency and zealous passion that we feel towards the need to turn and run from sin needs to be harnessed into prayer; our emotions can overflow before the Lord as we break for the state of those we know and even those we do not know. Righteous anger will pour out of our mouths and as the tears begin to flow, we must release these emotions before the Lord that He may receive the brokenness that we feel for those in our path. Most importantly, the anger we feel must not be revealed to those we are broken for unless the Lord opens that door. Love draws people to the Lord and anger, even righteous anger, can easily be perceived as judgment. Although we are not responsible for the perceived emotion that others feel, we are responsible for acting in a way that glorifies the Father who sent us and who empowers us. We have no right to address any issues except by the authority that has been given us through Jesus Christ. Although you may see the truth of a situation, you may not be the one chosen to communicate that truth. Beware of your own ambition! And do not think of yourself so highly that you forget whom it is that you serve.

Canada...again??

Although I assumed my leaving last April was for good, the Lord showed me this past summer that the time to return would come and here it is. I know not for how long only that I am committed until the end of this summer. The Lord has been gracious in calling me back up here for this season, and He has already unveiled some of His reasons for calling me to this place once again. I am thrilled at the opportunities that the Lord has placed in front of me and look forward to this time. I have the great privilege of working with the staffing team to prepare and hire the staff for this summer and then will move into the Head Counseling position once again for the summer. The Lord has been quite specific in His design for me here, and I believe He has a specific place for me this fall as well. I will be excited to embark on that journey as the time draws near.
For now I am in a place of contented peace, knowing that my Lord has drawn me up here for this time and will complete in and through me the work that He has set forth for me to do. I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom as I seek a place to live over the next few months. For now, the Badkes have opened up their home to me, and I have been so blessed to be here. Although I am unsure where the right place is for me the next few months, I trust that the Lord has a place that will suit and ask that you would uphold me in prayer as I seek that out.

Many blessings!