If God is leading you to, jump on in.

www.extremenazarene.org go to staff and I will be the first one. Thank you for your time and God Bless.

Soldier of the Cross

So this is our last week of work till Christmas break witch someone of us are in dire need of. This month has been a very hard one for the Cusco team and just me in general. One of the hard things I have had this month is trying to help / deal with my partner. I mean don't get me wrong my partner is awesome and is a great man of God. But when your with someone every second of the day you just tend to bite at each others ankles, you know? But its so hard here for many reasons. I mean my spanish is not bad but it can defiantly be better but I hate studying. Everyday I am faced with the option to study or do what ever els I need to be doing that day. I'm tempted more than ever to not read my bible and everything will be ok if I don't. I am tempted everyday to go through the motions of my daily work. I am tempted to retaliate at work when people call me names and say My God is not real. I am tempted to get mad everyday when the people slam there doors in my face. If people are not in the word if they take everything as a sign they are going to fall into the trap the devil has waiting for us everyday. Everyday we are pushed out of our comfort zones and if your not ready for that you WILL lose sight of why your here. It's so easy to forget why your here, but we NEED to remember we cant do it on our own. For I am a soldier of the cross and I will not be beaten by the easy why out. I will study everyday to better my spanish, I will be in daily prayer and devotion, I will have faith that my partner will come back after break, I will stay faithful, I will do what you ask of me, I will suffer if that means people are brought to to you, I will because I believe. I mean with all this said, I am reminded daily of how blessed I really am and when I sit and think about it I cant do anything but thank God for what I have, for my family, for my friends and for the new family I have and "all" the awesome / amazing people I have had the privilege to meat and know for the rest of my life. I can do nothing but thank my awesome mighty and powerful God for keeping me in His will and here in Peru. Thank you Lord I am forever yours Amen.

Please pray with me this Christmas holiday about my team and especially for Jorge my partner. He is really having a hard time with a lot of things. He will be returning home this Christmas to visit his family but he will be gone for a month. So please pray that he returns, because God has called him here and I know 100% that he is suppose to be my partner. thank you all and God Bless.

Satan's Dirty Little Secret

So I've been reading this book called Satan's Dirty Little Secret by DR. Morris Cerullo and its been pretty awesome. Long story short: God give Morris a vision a few years ago about this high school that he was preaching at. Before he went in for his second time going in, he decided to pray and deal with the spiritual warfare before he went in. He then had two visions: one about what was about to happen during his sermon, and the other that changed his life for ever. In the vision he saw the school, but out of both sides of the school out of the ground were giant tentacles. They were the thickest at the ground and grew thiner as they towered over the school almost touching. Around and clinging to these tentacles were all the demons that trapped the students: drugs, sex, girls etc. So Morris started to cast the demands out in the Lord's name. And as he did, one by one they flew out with a huge force. But Morris was not sure it was working; he just felt like it was not doing anything. So he looked at these two tentacles and started to pray harder to understand what these two tentacles were. As he did so the vision got deeper and he could now see under the school. The tentacles were thick and as they grew deeper toward each other they grew skinnier and almost touched. and on them were words saying what they were.

One said Insecurity and the other was inferiority.

Insecurity = the state of being not secure, not confident, not firm.
Inferiority = the state of feeling lower in position, stature, or value.

The devil has used these two demons since the beginning of time. It all stated with Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:1-6 explains what happened. I mean, yeah we all know the story but I urge you to read it again. There is a terrible truth in this story.

"Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Thus the set-up begins. The very first step of satan was to call into question the word of God. Everything Adam and Eve knew to be true was based solely on what God had spoken to them. God's Word was their only source of truth. They walked with God and talked with God. He gave them the commands concerning the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve's security was based on the assumption that everything God said was true. God spoke it, and that settled it. She had never even considered questioning the truthfulness of God's Word. Satan's strategy was to set her up, so he could call God's truthfulness into question. So he asks the question as he misquoted what God had actually said. Satan said "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Eve says "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God hath said, 'Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, less ye die.'" Eve now has responded the the false statement. But at this point she was already engaged in a conversation in which she shouldn't have engaged.

Satan was now ready to release the first of the two demon spirits upon Eve. The serpent said "Ye shall not surely die." The first of the two was released. Named insecurity. We knew that everything that Eve had believed was based on the absolute trust that everything God said had been true. Now she is thinking the question "Is God a liar?" She began to feel her whole world crash around her. She began to feel insecure.

Right after this he released the second of the two named Inferiority. He said "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Now Eve starts to believe she is not who she thought she was.

The same two demons get us to day using the same moves over and over to trap us Christians. Over and over, we trip over the same things. Well we need to bring it to a stop. For Satan has no power over us. Our greatest enemy is our bad thinking. Some people would say, "Well I thought the devil was my worst enemy?" Well that would be wrong because he has already been defeated, all thanks to our awesome God. But we need to locate the battle field and locate the enemy. We need to be victorious Christians. And it's everywhere but it is possible. It is possible to have the mind like Christ Jesus. For Jesus never looked at sin with longing. No, I tell you, he hated sin. He had His mind so in line with the mind of the Father that even His senses were repulsed by sin. We can live this way. We can so take on the mind of Christ that even our senses, our emotions, are repulsed by sin. (Hebrews 5:14)

So my prayer is that we all have an experience with the living Word that is so overwhelming, so strong, so good, pleasant, and desirable, that it will forever change the way we think. Amen.

Updates

Updates
Hey everyone sorry its been so long but we still dont have internet yet so im sorry about the no updates. Saylla, Oripesa and Urcos are my church plant sights and everythings going great so far. In all three places this week to gether 21 people have excepted Christ Jesus into there hearts. Praise God!! Jorge and I have also had doors slamed in our face and people say we dont know what were talking about. But let me tell you its worth every second of it.

On My mind

Inferiority = The state of feeling lower in position, stature, or value
Insecurity = The state of not being secure, not confident, not firm

These two things controll us so much and we have let it from the begining of time. with Eve. Genesis 3:1-6
But anyway I would love to go more on this matter but I´m at a internet cafe at the moment and my time is running out. But if lets try our best to get rid of the Inferioritys and Insecuritys in our lives.We cant have them. but God Bless and when I have more time id love to expand on this matter. God Bless

Updates

So it’s been pretty eventful hear Daniel got sent home my partner was getting depressed I’m a little sad and just the devil is really attacking all of us. My partner was a bit depressed just because he did not really understand the meaning of confrontation. He felt like when he was confronted with anything we did not trust him and everyone did not like him. I think it’s a Peruvian thing and also Peruvians care too much about what other people think of them but it’s also because there always being judged. But any way I confronted my partner and told him to quit his attitude because it was affecting everyone in the group. I told him, I said “Jogre you can’t not talk to me we need to communicate to have an affective relationship. I want to help you please tell me how I can. My job here is to plant churches but also to be your partner and help you when you’re down and help you carry the weight of the problem.” After that he felt a bit better and God is good because that was the best Spanish I’ve ever spoke. I’m just a bit sad but excited about moving on Sunday to Cusco. Why you ask well I’ve meet some awesome friends during my 9 months of being here and now I’ve got to move that part blows but I am thrilled to start me work and destroy the thrown of evil in Cusco. Please just continue to pray for both Arequipa and the Cusco team as we push and strive to the goal that the Lord has appointed us to. Thank you God Bless

100%

The Lords been showing and teaching me a lot lightly about giving our 100% to him in everything I do and I know we aren’t perfect I know I’m not perfect. But the lord calls us over and over to give our 100% best to Him. I mean even in Genesis. God says “make an ark for there will be a flood” and Noah does. God give him exact instructions.
Genesis 6:14-16 ( NLT )
“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper. “

Think about how big that boat would be, I mean that would be massive no a day’s let alone thousands of years ago. Now do you think they would have survived if Noah had not followed Gods instructions exactly to the tar drop to waterproof of the boat? If Noah was feeling tired or sick or just being persecuted by other people because he was building this massive thing called a boat, do you think that upset him? I’m sure it did but Noah still gave his 100% into that boat. Are we giving God or 100% in everything we do? I’m not.

So this thing called a Christian walk is more than just reading the Bible and praying for even the Pharisees did that. We need to strive and push harder to give God or very best in everything we do.

There was this wrestling match where I was losing by two points and there was 10 seconds left in the match. The other guy and were so tired that our grip with our hands were weaker than a 5 year olds and every time we would swallow the spit in our mouths or breath it would feel like we were trying to swallow sand paper. If we even tried to spit nothing would have come out. So at that point it was just up to the one person that wanted it the most oooo and I did. It was almost like everything was going in slow motion I looked at the clock and 10 seconds were left. So at my last fighting effort I reversed him on to his back and beat him.

Again I just want to say it comes done to who wants it the most?

Who’s willing to go that extra mile?

Called

So about a month ago God called me to get a Mohawk. Now why you ask? Well in Peru the culture is very different here. In fact it’s so different that if you do anything out of the ordinary or anything “funky” everyone judges you. “You’re a sinner if your get a Mohawk, You’re a druggy” is what I’ve heard. I’ve now been judged by a lot of people. In fact 3 weeks after I got my Mohawk on a normal Tuesday we were having our normal prayer and fasting. The Pastor of my church was there to and he normally was not. But all was going great then the Pastor of my church decided to stand up in front of everyone and said “I’m really scared for Alex; he’s got this Mohawk to get attention… ext.” Basically was condemning me to Hell and saying if I don’t change my hair I’m going to Hell. Now let back up a bit. I talked with him and explained to him why my hair was like this. Ok lets go back to Tuesday, I was mad, how could he not talk to me first? Why would he call me out in front of everyone? I wanted to argue with him right then and there. But I waited till after to show him how it is supposed to be done. So after I asked to talk with him away from everyone. So we did but to make a long story short I Caylin Stevens translating for me because he did not understand me the first time said That I did not like the way he went about this or the fact that he was judging me. At the end I told him “I do not want to argue” but with all due respect I got this hair cut for people like him also that I would not cut my hair until he at least understood what I was trying to convey. The fact that God only looks at the heart and to understand grace. (Acts chapter 15)

So when you’re called by our Lord Jesus Christ to do something no matter how people look at you or judge you just do it. It’s going to be uncomfortable but does God even want us to be comfortable?

“Did God ever intend for us to have a comfort zone? Or is it something we have just created for ourselves because we don’t trust Him enough?”

Just the other day again I don’t know what he was thinking but Caylin a girl on the Cusco team her pastor was trying to get her kicked out of the church into another. Now all Caylin did was disciple other people that did not want to go to that church and confront the Pastor with issues of organization and just little stuff like this. But his argument was that Caylin and Ester/ her partner were having a cell group/ disciplining people that did not want to attend his church but that wanted to attend another Nazarene church. What is that? We are the body of Christ right?

I can’t really explain it but the devil really hates what we are doing here. But that’s another subject for another time. So even if you get kicked out for it or get thrown in jail. So be it. God will take care of it, don’t worry. Just submit to the call God =s laid on your life. From going to college, another country, giving or just getting a Mohawk. Whatever it is God calls everyone to something, no call is bigger and or better than the other.

And if you don’t know your call pray and seek his face and will for your life. He will answer.

Study of Jeremiah

So I just finished the book of Jeremiah and it took about 4 and a half or 5 months. But not because I’m a slow reader (I am) but because I studied it like crazy. I’ve learned so much form it but one of the biggest things I’ve learned from it is how evil this world is and how much we run away from the Lord and really don’t want to turn back.

Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)
This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Jeremiah 18:12 (NLT)
But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

But the Lord still loves us endlessly. This breaks my heart to the core because that was me once. And there are still billions of people out there that have never heard the gospel. They search for things that can satisfy them but NOTHING can satisfy you besides the Lord Himself. The Lord is calling them wants their hearts and love and they just turn and say “NO that is not the road we want”.

Jerusalem is being punished in the book of Jeremiah not because God is a mean evil God but because they have brought it upon themselves. This is Gods last act to try to bring them back Judgment. There was no other way. You can almost hear Gods hurting through Jeremiah like in,
Jeremiah 4:19 (NLT)
“My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries.” I also cannot be still after reading this book and knowing how real Hell is I can’t be still. I have a never ending burning passion for lost people.

I know how much God wants to do something big in my life and I am ready and willing to be used.

Keeping Thing’s in

We are called not only to believe the Gospel but to saturate our minds and hearts in, so that we actually begin to live like we believe in it. Psalms 19:14 (NLT) “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer”. Amen

So when we do things that are not good or have things done to us and we just hold it in because we are not ready to let it go or are afraid of what people might think about us. Well let me tell you if your thinking that you can’t let it go or God can’t forgive you or it would just be better to keep it in let me tell you that is the devil telling you all this. Why you ask?

Because he is scared!!

This just hinders our growth and dampens the spirit. The bible says “Quench not the spirit” The devil wants nothing more than to stop you from reaching your full potential. Also this only robs God of His glory.

(Think about it, when somebody’s giving their testimony and it’s strong and people get saved/ crying and it just touched them on a whole different level. Why is that? Well I’m guessing that they have brought everything into the light and God shined though it and used it for his glory).

“Listen I know it’s hard even maybe one of the most difficult and terrifying things you have ever do but when we do, when we lay our souls out naked and bare for all to see, it forces us out of the shadows, and into the place where life begins”. Tenth Avenue North quote.

This also humbles you to the core. To not lie to yourself or others and really know you’re not perfect and through Christ Jesus anything and everything is possible.
Psalms 139:11-12 (NLT) “I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you”. God already knows everything.

So let’s break out of this self pity and begin to forgive ourselves and deal with our past so we can use it to God glory!! WOO!! How else do we expect to do the awesome work of God that we are so privileged to do if we are not giving our all?

Bench Warmers

So I’ve got a theory, when my buddy was a kid his parents would always get him things to show they loved him. So at the time it was awesome for him. But as he got older he realized he actually just wanted their love. I mean they loved him but they just did not know how to show it. When they would got him stuff they would say later “I did this for you now go do this for me.”

It’s the same God does not just want our Sunday’s or half of us, but the whole package.

Why do we hold back?

Today I was asked how much my church back home evangelizes on the street 1 out of 10 ten being the a ton of times. I sadly had to give them a 2.

What about your church?

If not so much what are you going to do about it?

Why do we make other things more important than the spreading the word of God?

Why do we have passion or a testimony if we don’t use it?

What is your passion? And does it drive you/ push you to be better?

Why do we want to conform to the world when they all hate us? Do we truly know that hell is REAL? It is our job to redirect traffic.

Matthew 28:18-20 ( NLT )
“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 26:16-18 ( NLT )
“Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.
And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles
to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.”

Some people think its ok to just be an “ok Christian”. Well I’m here to tell you it’s not… Gods called us to be so much more. Let’s get out side of the 4 walls of the church and tell people about Christ about His awesome love and grace.

What’s stopping you?

So Easily Hinders Us

In March 18th I was really down because I had screwed up big time. And it just occurred that all the devil has is a tape recorder. What I mean is all the devil dose and can do is try to make you stumble over the same things over and over.

Well I’m very sick of it, Lets stand right now! Rid yourself of all that so easily hinders us.

Hebrews 12:1 ( NLT )
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

The sin that so easily hinders us, if we just did this than the devil would have anymore tapes to play and besides prayer I think the devil is deathly afraid of losing that control over us. I mean he’s going to keep tempting you but stay strong!! Fight it!!

Sin will not have me; I won’t let it control me!

If you fall get back up

I believe us as Christians a called to show people Christ worth it is to suffer, to push to persevere.

How do we expect to have strong enough faith if we fail so easily?

Unite

So June 9th 2010 I was at my young adults group and we were studying Philippians. And I came across this,

Philippians 2:1-2 ( NLT )
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose."

So we have Baptists, Catholics, Jews, Lutherans, Methodists and Christians. We all have the same God but at the same time we separate ourselves. We put ourselves in groups and argue. The Bible tells us to work together with one mind and purpose.

So why don’t we?

Well my theory is that the leaders that formed these groups they based them all off a verse, a verse that they truly don’t understand. Why you ask? Well it’s because they only read the verse they don’t read the whole thing, they pick and chose.
We need to study the word of God and not just take what people say is truth as truth.
We need to stop saying “well my Pastor says or my doctorate says” and start saying my Bible says.

The word is the way the truth and the light and the only way to the father is through the son. The son is the word, “The word became flesh” Jesus Christ.

John 1:1-5 ( NLT )
"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."

If this is true and you believe this study all the word and don’t just believe what people say.

“Don’t read the Bible! Unless you’re willing to let it change your life.”

Never Lets Go

November 17th 2009 I was working as a leader in the youth group and was participating in a game with everyone. The game first started with the girls. They all sat on the ground and us as strong men had to try our best to pull the girls apart from each other. Once they were apart they were out. Well being the strong guy that I was it was not too hard. So than it was the guys turn and well the girls definitely had a hard time but eventually it got down to just my friend Johnny and I. We had lasted; we were the only guys left. So we locked our legs tightly around each other’s legs like pretzels and with our arms around each other. There were at most 17 girls yanking at us from every way. They finally got our arms pulled apart but our legs never let go. But as my arms were apart I never stopped fighting to bring them back together. I fought and strained to bring them back together with all of my strength. For 15 minutes we clung to each other and refused to let go. Then Pastor Jeffrey Hodge stopped it and declared us the guys the winners. I let go and I’ve never felt so relaxed or satisfied in my life, it was awesome!

Romans 3:23-24 ( NLT )
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

The point of the story is that the arms represent us and how we turn our backs on him then after we try our hardest to get back to him. Also how we have and will all fall short of Gods glorious standard. They also represent how we should strive to have an awesome relationship with the Christ Jesus through the trials and tribulations of this world. No matter how hard things are. And when we can’t go any more, the Lord graciously carries us and we feel so relaxed and the most satisfied we’ve ever felt. It’s an awesome feeling. And the last point is that God is the legs, He never lets go.

Are you letting go?

Labor in Him Rest in Him / Update

Hebrews chapter 4 - Rest= kapausis in Greek, The Heavenly blessedness in which God dwells, and of which He has promised to make persevering believers in Christ partakers after the toils and trials of life on earth are ended. November 11th 2009 it was very hard for me to read the Bible everyday actually the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There were days were reading the Bible was the last thing I want to do. At times I would be on the edge of falling asleep, but God kept pushing me through. Now I devour the word of God. I need it and if I don’t get it I usually have one of the worst days ever because I’m relying on my own power. Reading the word of God has changed my thoughts and has become who I am today. Why are we so content with ok, when God has called us to be great? Matthew 20:26-27 ( KJV ) “But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Well like in Matthew, one of the things that make a person great is how and if they serve. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. 1 Timothy 4:12 ( NLT ) “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” This is what I’ve been trying to live my life as until the Lord pointed out this passage.

Update Acts 20:24 ( NLT ) But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. That is when I surrendered my life completely to his will in my life and submitted to the call to Peru in my life. We are bringing the word of God to places it’s never been or has been but it’s been so distorted that the truth was lost. I literally can’t be still my life is worth nothing unless I do the work of God. I will labor and rest in him for all the days of my life. So I’ve been here in Peru now for 7 and half months and Gods been faithful. But I just found out that I don’t have enough support to do the work that God has appointed me to here in Peru. I know founds are tight about I’m asking you if you would pray and see if the Lord is laying it on your heart to give. Thousands of people have accepted Christ and that’s just the beginning. I know 100% that God has called me here. If you so humbly feel like you would want to play a part in Gods awesome plan, and then please contact me. If you feel like God is leading you to give on a monthly basis the average is about a dollar a day every month; or whatever you can do. Some people even do 5 - 10 dollars a month. If you believe that you can step up to pledge any amount for 16 – 17 months please email me at aadams@extremenazarene.org or you can just contact me back on this message. I thank you for reading this and you’re ongoing faith and courage in the Lord.

Accepts us as we are

October 31st 2009

So did you know God is somewhat like a dog? / In a way

I’m meaning no disrespect. But a dog will love you if you’re poor, rich, lazy, fat, skinny or you love to pick your nose, you know what ever right. But of course there are many differences from Jesus and a dog of course too. A dog will give you his heart if you give yours.

But see the beautiful thing about God is that he has already given us his love even thou I know we don’t deserve it. The Lord wants our hearts and is always waiting for us to return. The closer we get to God /Jesus because you can’t get to the father without going through the son first. The more our hearts start beating like his. And when our hearts are beating like His, is when we are truly being the body of Christ.

This reminds me of a story in 1 Samuel chapter 16.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

See in this story the Lord asks Samuel to go and find a man named Jesse who lives in Israel, and then He says “for I have selected one of his sons to be my new king.” So Samuel go’s and finds this man named Jesse and tells him what he’s there to do. So Jesse brings out all his sons. He saw all Jesse’s 7 son’s but still none of them were it. So Samuel asked Jesse if there were any others. And Jesse said yes the youngest in the back. Samuel said get him at once. Once he did God told him right away that this boy was going to be king. Now David was the shortest and the youngest but God looks at the heart and not outward appearance.

God loves us the way we are. My prayer for us is that the Lord can gives us his eyes so we can see as He does.

A Servants Heart

October 22nd 2009 the lord gave me this message for everyone to hear. I preached it in a youth group for the first time on December 17th 2009.

Matthew 20:26-27 (KJV)
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

So in the beginning of the sermon I had people wash their friend’s feet. Then after ward I asked them how it felt to get their feet washed and how it they felt washing the feet of the other person. Both of the people that got their feet washed were very thankful. But then I asked the people that washed the feet how they would feel if the other person was not thankful, but not only not thankful spit in their face and was just well excuse me French but a total jerk about it? Then I said this quote

“How do you know if you have a savant’s heart? It’s how you act when you’re treated like one.”

How do you know when you should serve?

Well one day I was shoveling my driveway. The snow was heavy and wet and to make it better I was shoveling with the shovel me grandpa Adams made and it was all straight and metal. So every time I would pick up a pile of snow it would slide right off. Fun right? Well I was coming down to the end of the drive / the hardest part because the snow plows through everything into a pile at the end of my drive. So as I was digging a maze through the snow I looked across the street. And there lied the drive way of the Nabors across the street coated with a heavy thick blanket of snow. And I felt like God was saying to go over there and do there’s after mine. I mean you could imagine what I was thinking “ya right”. But the lord just kept laying it harder and heavier on my heart. So as I got done with mine I put the shovel over my shoulder and gazed over across the street fighting with myself should I or should I walk my freezing body back inside? So I chose to go back inside. But as I was walking it dawned on me that if we have to ask if we should do it but we know its right than we should probably do it.

So I ran over there nobody appeared to be home which was good. So I started and tried to go as fast as I could. Every time a car would drive by I just kept thinking “o no is that them” And kept trying to think of something to say if they came. Like “um I’m not trying to steal your snow” or things along those lines. But they did not show so I finished in record braking time and ran back to my house and took a shower.

So how do we know when we should serve? “If we have to ask if we should do it but we know it’s right than we should probably do it.

So God calls everyone to different things. But he calls everyone too and gives the ability to everyone to talk about him and his love. So in a sense we are all called to be leaders to stand up for our faith and to work to plant seeds.

So I see Jesus as a leader not just because he had followers but because he shows us what a really leader should be like. And we as Christians try our very hardest to be Christ like. But let us remember Jesus Christ is the master of love and he came not to be served, or be some kind of big ruler but He came to to serve and give his life.

By serving you’re not only being Christ like our also being a leader.

1 Thessalonians 2:8-9 ( NLT )
We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.

One of the things you can learn from Christ Jesus

So on October 8th 2009 I was driving back from visiting a friend and the Lord just hit me with this thought. So we sin and the voice in our head (God) say’s NO DON’T DO IT!!! And well we do it anyway.

Well first thing to let the devil win in this situation don’t get back up then and stay down and defeated. But if you don’t want him to win jump right back up and try you’re very hardest to live as close to God as you can.

Second thing what dose God do after we do this? He blesses us and still loves us. He loves us even when we run from him. Even while were driving the nails into the cross, he still loves us. Like in Isaiah 6:5-8

Isaiah 6:5-8 ( KJV )
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

For we are FORGIVEN through Christ Jesus.

But we need to keep in mind that as God forgives us, we need to forgive the ones driving the nails into our hands. Forgive the ones that are stabbing us in the back. We need to love them unconditionally.

It might be one of the hardest things you have to do but it also one of the most important things you can do.

Thoughts

So October 13 2008 I was really having a hard time because I would be having bad mean thoughts about people. And I felt like there was something wrong with me. But the Lord told me there is not anything wrong. And told me this..

“So when a homeless person walks in on a Sunday and is smelling something fierce, he doesn’t have a lot of teeth, talking to himself and having trashy clothes and hair. Ya you would of course feel bad for him but at the same time you would want to stay away. You say to yourself should I approach him”

So you can’t really control your thoughts all the time. What matters is what you chose to act upon, that is what counts.

And yes you of course can help with what you dwell on when your board but at the same time don’t get down on yourself when you are thinking this way towards this homeless man or whoever is the homeless man in your life.

Who is the homeless man in your life?

Really ask yourself this question. Would you make a choice to ignore him or act upon the love of Christ Jesus?

My prayer for you is that God would give you his eye's to really see and that the thoughts of your heart and minds are holy and pure in the sight of our Lord Christ Jesus. Amen.

Feeling

Hey so October 8th 2008 God put me in the worship ministry at church.But in october 15th I had been praying that God would help me to stop relying on the feeling of him. While I’d be worshiping and leading it I could not feel God any more, but I kept pushing on and trying my hardest to worship but still nothing. After a few weeks I was sick of it and I prayed that God would help me understand why I mean I can’t explain it, it was like when I would worship there was like a bunny jumping and distracting me in my mind like I always had something I was thinking about.

But one day while I was driving my awesome beautiful 1994 Grand Mercury Markey God told me that the feeling from him is like a fire work, something that he gives us for a reason not only just to feel good.

So a fire work is lit, it fly’s as fast as it can to the sky. Burning at a rapped passé whistling till it can’t go any more and explodes with awesome lights and passion. But as time goes by the fire work fades and eventually disappears.

If we are relying on only that feeling what happens when its disappears, when it goes? I figured out that I was actually worshiping the feeling and no Christ Jesus. God was putting that bunny/ thought that kind of distracted me to push me, to drive me to surrender all I had when I was worshiping.

At that point I never had that problem again. And I felt closer to God KNOWING that he is always by my side.

Looking to the past

So I’m starting to put in all my old journal entries from when I really first started changing my life till now. Enjoy!

So I was hanging out with some friends one Friday night and we were discussing our weeks and my buddy Dimetery Stoilofe (yes he's Russian) said "I'm just not as close to God as I us to be. At that moment God gave me this thought, and this is what I told all of them...

I often hear Christians say "o I us to only listen to Christian music pray every day, read the word and just be on fire for the Lord. But right now I just don’t know I just can’t seem to get that close to God again."

"You’re only as close to God now as you want to be"

I have a friend that I’m still praying for named Mike (that’s a fake name for other purposes) and Mike was in a pretty big ministry spot in the church. But he always talked about how there was one point in his life that he was just so close to God and how he us to just listen to Christian music and pray like hours a day. And how he just got to busy and he never said this but I believe he felt that he would never reach that closeness ever again. A year or two later he was burned out and I believe just sick of the whole church and Christian thing and quit his ministry in the church. He now very rarely comes to church and works instead.

So Mike what was wrong with him, what happened? Well I believe one he was not in the word as much or at all and that he put his past relationship on a pedestal so high that he felt he would never be able to reach it again. And it was hindering his growth in the Lord and opened his ears up to the devils lies. For the word says

Phl 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Phl 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Phl 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The main word here is Strain, we need to strain and push forwards or you won’t grow and you will eventually get burnt out or spiritually dry. Stop talking about how you were so close to the Lord and instead act and strain to and for what the Lord has for you know.

The Webster’s definition of strain

Strain = Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension

physical strain = deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces.

(psychology strain)= nervousness resulting from mental stress; "his responsibilities were a constant strain"; "the mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him"

Love

So this morning I read again the Mike Donehey devotional and it was on the song Times. And the message was about that you’ll never be changed by the love of God until you’re completely honest with yourself and how undeserving you are of it. His love is underneath, higher than the heights of our purity, and lower than the depth of our depravity and not one of us is without our need of Him.

What is God’s Love to you?

How are you not being completely honest with yourself?

Do you truly believe that you’re undeserving of God’s love and that through His awesome Grace we are made perfect?

Do you honestly believe he loves you and how much?

All these questions are something we as Christians should know the answer to and ask themselves them every day. But I know that we all don’t know or remember on a day to day basis about the love of God. Our understanding of love is partial if that?
Yes you would die for a friend or a family member, but would you die for ones you hate? For the ones that hate you.
Because my friend did and is name is Jesus Christ. He not only suffered persecution but a huge amount of pain but He did that with the weight of the world’s sin on His shoulders and died while we still hated Him. How great is our God?! How great is His love, how wide, who deep, who great is your love for me?

Here are the words to the song Times by Tenth Avenue North enjoy.


i hear you say "my love is over,
its underneath, its inside, its in between
the times you doubt me, when you can't feel
the times that you've questioned 'is this for real?'
the times you've broken, the times that you mend
the times you hate me and the times that you bend
well my love is over, its underneath
its inside, its in between,
these times you're healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
the times you're hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and *are tempted* to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
im there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
im there through your heartache
im there in the storm
my love i will keep you by my power alone
i dont care where you've fallen, where you have been
i'll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends

Who you Are

So have we strived enough to remember who God is? Well do it, and remember what he's done fo all of us and how Awesome his power is.
Here's an awesome song by The Desperation Band Who you Are just sit back and try to remember who He is.



I won’t be satisfied
I won’t be found alright ‘til I find
Who You are

I’d climb every mountain
I’d travel the deepest valley to find
Who You are

You, You cause the lame to walk
You open lips to talk
You’re everything and that is who You are
You, You calm the storms at night
You turn the dark to light
You’re everything and that is who You are

My Savior, my Healer, Redeemer
That is who You are
Creator, my Maker, my Father
That is who You are

Lie's or Truth?

Hey its me again, So alto has happend since we last chated. I believev the devil is trying his last resort atack on the Cusco group and he's hitting us real hard.

So question how do we know its God speaking to use and not us or the devil? We we can always expect the devil to hinder us when we are doing the work of our God.

Jared Bouton sent this mesage to all extreme staff for encoragement. "I know now is a difficult time for you all! It seems that Satan has really bombarded us with one thing after another lately and, to put it simply, it sucks. It sucks for so many reasons BUT ... it is also encouraging to know that we are a big enough threat to him for him to worry about us! However, I know, I know, I know .... it doesn't make it any easier. I just want you to understand that we can have peace in every situation knowing that God is in control; that we don't need to worry!"Psalms 119:165
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
But its true, it sucks but to think that the devil has to try this hard, were doing somthing right.

I feel like im being bombarded with the devil form this atack, who can some other people think its God telling them to leave when we had 12 40/40's and no we have 6 and they think that it would be better to go somewere els? NO that aint the God its the devil. The devil dose not want use to go to Cusco. The Pastor there is even feeling it pritty bad. Jer 4:19 My heart, my heart--I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. WELL I WILL REFUSE TO LET HIM WIN!!!! HEAR THE LORDS BATTEL CRY IN THE REST OF THIS TEAM.. Join in and fight..... AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate the devil so much im shaking. But we can have peace in every situation knowing that God is in control; that we don't need to worry! AMEN?!

Well please join the Cusco group in prayer. Thank you

Beloved

Mike Donehey devotional”
The disciples must have thought Jesus was crazy. Seriously. I can only imagine their faces. So confused, so perplexed, uncomfortably glancing back and forth between each other, wondering if they had misheard, wondering if someone could help them understand. Meanwhile, you got Jesus, unnerved, unfazed, just sitting there cooly, looking them dead in the eyes, asking them to marry Him. Yes, you heard me right…marry Him. With nothing more than a cup of wine, no less, the Lamb of God was proposing. So you can imagine their confusion right? “Wait. What? Come again? Jesus, you feeling alright brotha? I mean, I don’t think that I’m exactly what you’re looking for! You want to think about what you’re saying for a minute?”
Of course, we don’t see it that way, because we’re not Jewish. But they were, and they did. See it that way, I mean. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” We hear these words and we think Communion, Eucharist, Last Supper. The disciples heard this and they’re thinking wedding bells.
Apparently, “In those days,” when a Hebrew man decided to take for Himself a Hebrew woman, he’d go to his father and say, “Her, Dad. I want to make little rabbis with her.” So then the dad would go to her dad and they’d talk camels, or sheep, or whatever the payment was going to be, and after they’d settled on a figure, the groom would call in all his friends and family, set a table in the middle of a room, set the aforementioned girl down in front of said table, break out a cup, fill it with wine, and set it in front of her saying, “This is my covenant with you, take and drink it.” And if she did, that was her answer. With a simple gulp and swig, she was saying, “I do,” and that was it. No rings, no fancy songs or dinners, just a cup and an invitation. And oh yeah, all their relatives sitting in the room watching. I mean, talk about pressure. But yeah, that was it. Her lips to the glass was the same as saying, “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”
Now, If the girl said yes, “in those days,” she would then go immediately back to her home, where she would be known as, “one who was bought with a price.” It’s true. That was her name. Kind of long and tedious, and extremely hard to shout out in a game of soccer, but that was it. And with her new identity, she would go back to her town, and start preparing for the wedding. And really, she’d just start waiting for future husband to finish what he had to do and come and get her. What was he doing? Well, during the engagement, the groom’s primary responsibility was to build a mansion for him and his bride to be.
Now girls, before you get too excited, let me explain. “Mansion” in Hebrew means, “apartment.” And what’s even better is that this apartment was actually more like an addition, because the groom would build it onto his parents pre-existing house. Yes. You heard me correctly. Their first home would be with the in-laws. And right now, I can just imagine how many girls are thinking, “oh please don’t let me marry a Jewish boy.” It’s true though. He would build his “mansion” onto the family “insula,” which is what they would call the family dwelling. You see, the entire family would just keep building on and building on until you had what was basically a city block, all comprised of one big bustling Jewish family. (And you thought My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad) Crazy, but also true.
Well, as you can imagine, this process could take quite a while. I mean, it’s a house for crying out loud. Some scholars say it was six months, or even a year before the poor guy was finished. And get this, the only one who could decide if it was finished was the father. So he’d be working and working and working, and every day looking to his dad, saying, “Are we done yet?” And I can just imagine the father messing with him. Taking his time, looking it over, and then just saying, “Almost.” Could you imagine? Oh, the agony! And to top it all off, the groom and the bride weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They couldn’t see or speak to one another during the entire engagement, except for one outlet. The best man. He’d be the instant messenger if you will. Taking notes back and forth between the doting couple. And those moments were probably pretty funny. “Here’s your note, ‘one who was bought with a price.’ Check yes, no, or maybe.” Unbelievable.
But you know, how much more beautiful would that day be when the father finally approved? That day when the groom was finally finished, and he could gather up his homeboys, or ‘groomsmen’ as we westerners would say, and imperiously march into his fiance’s town? Oh it was sweet. And that’s just what he’d do. He’d get his bridal party together and they’d come to her house, and without any prior announcement or advanced warning, they would blow a shofar, which was a ram’s horn that served as a trumpet, and upon hearing it, the pining bride would come bustling out her front door and practically straight down the aisle, and into her beloved’s arms. The period of waiting and wanting would be over, and the two would be united at last to consummate their long-awaited union. Joy. Happiness. Little Rabbis… You know, all the good stuff.
So then, back to the dinner table with the 12. Can you sense where this is going? Jesus breaks into this marriage proposal, cup out, wine-filled, offering his covenant with them. They accept. “I do” to Jesus. Gulp, gulp. “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.” So then, what does Jesus do? He explains how they have to spend some time apart. Naturally. Only this is going to be longer than a year. However, the best man was coming. His name? The Holy Spirit. So when Jesus leaves, off to get busy preparing a “mansion” for them, (“in my Father’s house there are many rooms”) He doesn’t leave them alone, but instead sends His own mediator, the Holy Spirit, to keep the messages going between Himself and his Beloved. Meanwhile, the bride is left behind in her town, keeping watch, day and night, not knowing the day, time or hour that the bridegroom will appear. Until finally, after a long-awaited return, and we’re talking seriously, long awaited; centuries and millenniums waited people, after this much awaited consummation, the Father alone will announce that the time has come, and Jesus will be coming back for all His faithful, all who are His bride. With a posse of angels and loud trumpet call of their own, He will take us home, to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And we will share in ever-increasing joy and intimacy with Him forever and ever. As C.S. Lewis so brilliantly articulated, “Further up and further in!”
And people still want to insist that Christianity is no more than a religion.
I don’t know about you but in light of this information, it puts Jesus in an entirely different light. He’s no longer an ideal, or a belief system. He’s a person. And to put it more precisely, He is a groom in love with his bride. And not just any bride, but a wayward, adulterous bride. A bride who is half-hearted at best, chasing other lovers and other interests more than Him. And still, He keeps on loving. He keeps on being faithful, He keeps his promises.
In the Old Testament, He tells his prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, to show everyone the way He loves his people. (see Hosea 3) In the New, He tells us that divorce will never be an option for Him. (Phil 1:6) Over and over and over again, From Isaiah, to Ezekiel, to Ephesians, He tells us that we are not just his children, but we are his bride. Faithless though we might be, we are His, and He is ours.
And like I said before, this changes everything. It changes the way I view prayer. It changes the way I view marriage. It even changes the reasons that I obey. As Donald Miller once said, “it’s a far different thing to break a rule, than it is to cheat on a lover.” I only pray that it changes things for you.

Hey its Alex again well this totally changes the way I view prayer and the reason I obey. But it also changes the way I think of gods and my relationship. I copied and pasted this from Tenth Avenue North’s journal website / there blog, but I believe everyone needs to hear this and live as the bride of Christ.

Tenth Avenue North is pritty Awesome.

So every morning i get up at 6 to spend time with God. And my friend Cailyn (Idk if I spelled that wrong?) Is letting me read a devotional from tenth avenue north. It’s awesome, here’s a piece of today’s.
Quote from Tenth avenue north’s book
“Is Christ a means to an end or an end in Himself?”
In other words,
This Christmas, If you could get everything you ever wanted,
I’m talking, snow, family, maybe a 70’’ plasma screen,
if you could have no more pain and no more crying,
streets of gold, angels in the sky, or a castle on a cloud;
if you could go to heaven and receive relief from your guilt,
healing from your diseases, and safety from your enemies,
but you couldn’t have Christ, would you still have everything you ever wanted?
Would you be happy?
This question blew me away, would you be happy? I don’t know, do we remember what Christ did for us? I mean I’m sure we do but really understand what really happened? What he does for us?


Mike Donehey continues to say “Because, I’ve got to be honest.
This Christmas, sitting by the fire in Michigan,
watching the snow fall and being reminded that I don’t have to earn grace,
the one thing I want this Christmas is to be home.
You can keep your music and gifts and all your movies, I just want home.
As I’ve gotten older, and as the years have gone by,
and as I’ve been disappointed year after year by
the very presents that I thought for sure would bring me happiness,
I’ve begun to realize that this world is not my home.
My life is hidden with Christ, He is my life, my righteousness,
and the very treasure that my heart is aching for”.
So would you be happy? What would you give up to the lord? What’s to precious to you that you can’t give up? Anything?

Why?

Ask yourself.

So why am I a Christian, What makes me different? Ya I go to church, but what’s different on the inside? Am I putting first the kingdom of God or am I getting comfortable? What’s the point of even calling Me a Christian?
So why are we Christians, What makes us different? Well we don’t quit and we never give up and always believe that God is going to answer our prayers. We also never give up on people, even the ones that are the furthest away from the lord. They are the ones that are going to be the strong leaders. And why do we do this because God does it for us.

We love when it’s impossible to love. When your boss (or spouse, parents, class mates or the Devil) is just trying to get under your skin what do we do? We can’t always control our thoughts but we can control what we act on. Showing love is the best comeback, reaction and resolver. I knew it’s the most difficult thing you can do but I’d be willing to bet anything that it’s also the best thing you could do. And plus its one of the best ways to show Gods Love. For example in Matthew 27:64-68 Matthew 26:64-68 ( NLT )
Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy.
What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”
Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him,
jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”

Jesus Christ’s passion for bringing people to the kingdom of God is ours. How do we minister to people on a busy day? Do we pray that God would help us have a good attitude or do we tell our self that we will show Christ like actions through the whole day and that’s it? Well let me tell you it’s great to showing Christ like actions when we’re in your car and we’re letting someone pass us but to have that be our only way to minister to people is a copout. We’re telling ourselves its ok not to tell people about Christ, we’re scared. So what’s the different between us and the world?

Missions statistics from the places of the 10/40 Window

World evangelism statistics: Of the 55 least evangelized countries, 97% of their population lives within the Ten Forty Window.
cheak it out

Unless something changes soon, most of these unreached people will never hear the Gospel. Why? Well, Bryant Myers of World Vision has estimated that only about one and a quarter percent ( 1.25% )of Christian mission giving is going to missions work in the 10/40 Window. Open evangelism is difficult and even impossible because of governmental restrictions in many 10/40 Window countries. Those are creative access areas.

What will you do in the next five days that will move the Church toward reaching people in the 10/40 window with the gospel?
The vision of a dying world: The people in the mission fields
Working on a school report about missions? Here are some facts to use.

Missions statistics from the places of the 10/40 Window:
Center of population:Two-thirds of the world's population -- more than 4.4 billion people -- live in the 10/40 Window.
Unreached and unevangelized: 90% of the people living in the 10/40 Window are unevangelized. Many have never heard the Gospel message even once. There are either no Christians or not enough of a Christian movement in many cultures of the 10/40 Window to carry out vibrant near-neighbor evangelism. If those groups are to be evangelized, believers will need to leave their own culture and enter another one where they will seek to plant the gospel, perhaps even learning a new language in order to communicate. Such cross-cultural evangelism is required because there are people groups with no church movements that are understandable or relevant to them.
Good news: There's a difference between unreached and unreachable. In 1989 there were only four known Christians living in Mongolia. That country now has an estimated 10,000 indigenous believers. Also, Christian television programming can now be received in many closed 10/40 Window nations.
Poverty: Eighty-five percent of those living in the 10/40 window are the poorest of the world's poor. [ PowerPoint on Third World development ]
Good news: Christians delivered more than $1 million worth of food to just one 10/40 Window refugee camp in a recent year. In one North African country that is hostile to the Gospel, abundant rain fell after an Easter service. A local news channel reported, "Christians have brought rain to the desert."
World religions: Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are centered within the 10/40 Window. [ more info ]
Least evangelized cities: Half of the world's least evangelized cities are in this window.

Sharing the Gospel

So what are some reasons we refrain from sharing the gospel? Well a big key the devil uses to stop us is fear and we allow him to. For the word says “
Matthew 10:16-20 (NLT)
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.
When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
For it is not you who will be speaking — it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. So what is there to fear?

The next thing I see is that people don’t make bringing people to Christ a big deal. They put it third or fourth in their life. I was just in Cusco and a short termer named Jessie gave his testimony. And it blew me away this is what he said “My first son died when he was one and I went to the Catholic Church to set up a burial service. The priest asked if the boy had been baptized and I said no. The priest replied then we cannot have a burial service for your son. I was crushed; I hardened my heart towards God and life. I drank a six pack every night. My wife was saved by being invited to a Christian church one night and started praying for me. About a year later the lord started giving me a vision in my dreams. God would take me out of my body with a bright light and would say what do you see? I would look and see people in the distance being carried away to hell, and I would be crying asking God to help as I was trying to reach them. But God replied THAT’S YOU JOB. This happened for 4 weeks then one night my brother came over and I told him about my dreams. At that moment a light came down and shined on my brother, son, wife and I. I accepted Christ in to my heart that night.” Wow … Do we even believe in hell? Because if you did then would make sharing the gospel the first thing on your list. For the word says “
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The 3rd thing that I see is that us as Christians try our whole lives to try and live close to the Lord Jesus Christ. I hear people say all the time I need to focus on getting closer to God when they have been a Christian all their lives. And they don’t put the passion or the effort that they put into trying to get close to God, into growing the kingdom of God. For the word says “
Acts 20:24 ( NLT )
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Awesome Song

Carlos Wittaker, We Will Worship you
We fix our eyes on You, You are God alone
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope
For all we have to lose is our very souls
(Repeat)

CHORUS
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You

VERSE 2
Satisfy us, Lord, in Your unfailing love
Satisfy us, Lord, that You would be enoug
We have nothing here, let Your kingdom come
REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE
Hal - le - lu - jah, Hal - le - lu - jah
Hal - le - lu - jah, Hal - le - lu – jah



Now let’s think, We fix our eyes on You, You are God alone
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope.. Now is that true in our lives? Why do we or should we fix our eyes on him? Because He is God alone, the Lord is what keeps us straight and on the righteous and Godly path. And He is our only hope to do that. But why do this because For all we have to lose is our very souls. I don’t know about you but that’s a big deal for me.

Save us from these comforts, when you sing this do you know what you’re singing? Think about it. That is one of the biggest fears of us all. To be out of our comfort zone but that is where God uses us the most. Why do we fear this? Are we scared to let go control?
Break us of our need for the familiar, Amen!!!!!!!!!!! Why be content with ok when God has called us to be great?

Spare us any joy that’s not of You, Are we willing to give that up? Gossiping, porn, smoking, drugs, certain friends and or this world? Anything hindering us from getting closer to God. That is not pleasing to him. Like “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14
Satisfy us, Lord, in Your unfailing love, Satisfy us, Lord, that You would be enough, We have nothing here, let Your kingdom come. Let us Pray this so that He would satisfy us with his love and that he would be enough. And let us remember that we have nothing on and in this world and LETS BE EXCITED ABOUT HIS KINGDOM TO COME!!!!!!! WOO!!!

I'm guna Believe

John 9:24-41
So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”
“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”
“But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
“Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” .Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
Spiritual Blindness When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

So what happened is Jesus heals this man of blindness and his parents did not even believe him or stick by his side. So Jesus went looking for this man and when he found him he said “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. Wow!! I Believe, I know we do but what do you believe when it counts, when your being persecuted, when you’re so angry you can’t see straight. Do you Believe God can pull you through it? Just yesterday Beth one of the girls on our team got her purse stolen and the purse contained 300 dollars, passport and other majorly important stuff. I prayed and Believed God would take care of it but still in my heart I feared we would never see it again. But Praise the Lord we got a call today that the police not only found it but everything was still in there. Woo! AMEN!! Our Lord is awesome. This is a song that I live by. It's Light up the World By The Desperation Band. Let's BELIEVE!!

Fully Committed

We say we desire to be 100 % committed to Jesus Christ on Sunday, but by Monday, we are back to managing our own lives how we see fit. We blame the world for our lack of commitment. This is no different than an adulterous husband blaming the woman he’s with for bringing him down. Yes, the world is always pulling on the Christian’s heart, but we need to love the Lord so much, that “climbing into bed” with the world is not even an option. How do we get there? It goes beyond applying Scripture to our lives and praying, for even the Pharisees did that, and Jesus came to correct them. This is why we fail; we put limits on how far we are willing to go to love God. We say, “I will pray and read my Bible, and I will even be nice to that person. “ But God never stops demanding a change of the heart and our character. Because we are so messed up, God always has a new challenge for us to become more like Him. We fear stepping out in faith. “You are saved by faith”. We fear the very thing that brings you and me to life while bowing our knees and giving our hearts to Satan by not fully obeying God. Jesus never calls us to be afraid. How can an army win a fight, if everyone is too scared to go to the frontlines? That’s why Satan is able to “win” so many souls. Because they are uncontested. People cry out to Jesus, saying
“I want to know You”. God knows better though, for their life is a true representation of the heart. If your heart isn’t God’s completely, then you will never be effective for Him. Jesus isn’t looking for people who will give Him second best. He has churches full of people who don’t love Him enough to trust Him and love Him and give Him their all. What makes Him really excited is when someone, through faith, fully gives Him everything they have. If a runner isn’t out of breath by the end of a race, he hasn’t given it his best. Have we even broken a sweat yet serving God, or are we calling for more lemonade,, while we ignore the frantic cries of those who are headed for Hell? If this is all that we allow ourselves to do and to have, then this world will continue to die, and we make God appear to be a lie, and His church a mockery.

Dareing to be Better

So the Devil thinks he can win, well not on my watch. We just had 4 people from the Cusco group go home. Witch means that 6 churches wont be planted... Well thats what the devil thinks but he's got anouther thing coming, because my new purpouse. To GROW MORE AND MORE and dedicate my every breath to grow the kindom of God!! For the flesh can not controll me and i wont let it. Just because the Cusco group has 6 poeple now dont mean scwat (Judges 7:1-10), Numbers dont matter because with Christ anything is posible. For with the Lord Jesus help, my partner and I will not only do more than 3 churches but we will over throgh thee Kindom of evil in Cusco!!
1Sa 17:44 "Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!" Goliath yelled.
1Sa 17:45 David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty--the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
1Sa 17:46 Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!
1Sa 17:47 And everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us!"

Forming My Heart

So I’ve been reading and studying in Jeremiah and Gods just been forming my heart like crazy. For example, Gods telling Jerusalem that he’s going to destroy them because of their defiance and ignorance. For God has called Jeremiah the same way he's called me. Like in Jeremiah chapter one says

"Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. "Jer 1:6 "Ah, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." Jer 1:7 But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord. Jer 1:9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. Jer 1:10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jer 1:11 The word of the Lord came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. Jer 1:12 The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.

See here The Lord is telling Jeremiah to be like the almond tree. But why? So I looked into it and an almond tree was known as the wakening tree because it was the first tree to bloom then. So He's telling him to go and Wake people up, it’s like he's called him to be an alarm clock. Because what happens to the alarm clock when it wakes you up at 5 for work? Some people through it, hit it or just press sleep. And that’s what this world is doing, pressing the sleep button. But were called to take the beating if necessary and wake them up.

Comfort
I’ve also been reading the Sermons of Martin Luther and he brings up a good point about comfort. The Lord is our comforter right? This is how Martin Luther puts it, “For what good is comfort, if there is no sorrow and affliction weighing down on ones neck? The fact is, your suffering will not only involve death (that would be trifling and tolerable), but, worse still, those who kill you will think they are carrying out justice, yes, even doing God a service, as though you were in the wrong, not plain wicked murder, but as though a cloud of shame hung over you, with everyone saying: Yes, that hereic got what was coming to him; there was no alternative, and so on. Thus the Lord wishes to indicate that for the apostles and Christians, not even in death would there be solace”. The part that gets me he when it say’s “For what good is comfort, if there is no sorrow and affliction weighing down on ones neck?” Why are we looking for comfort if we are not doing anything to have sorrow or affliction over? I personally think that if you aren’t getting hit by the devil then you’re not working hard enough to grow the kingdom on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Clinging Confidently
But for those of you who are getting beaten or having affliction there is comfort. Even if you can’t find it God say’s “You will find little comfort, but I am not going to let you be stuck under this assault. I won’t lead you into a quagmire to down you; rather, when there is no more comfort to be had anywhere and you are frightened and at wit’s end, then will I send the Holy Spirit who is and is called the Comforter. Have faith and do not despair; do not concern yourself with the judgment of the world, nor the judgment of your own thoughts, but cling confidently to what I say.

2 Different types of Comfort
The first is a worldly comfort, which is false and counterfeit, because it directs a person to rely on material goods, fame, honor, power and the assistance and sympathy of the high and mighty. You, my disciples, Christ says, will get no comfort there, but everything will be against you rather than for you; the world will use its power, honor, goods and wealth to extinguish you. This comfort only brings miserable, poor, uncertain comfort and its temporary relief.
The second comforter s the Holy Spirit, who will comfort you when you are frightened and discouraged, miserable and wretched, forsaken both by other people and by your own hearts. That’s why the Holy Spirit carries the name, because he is a true Comforter who doses not fail. Where there is sorrow and affliction, that’s where you find the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

So this is just a little bit that God is showing me and teaching me. He’s molding my heart into his and it feels awesome! Please continue to pray that God continues to grow me and form my heart. Thank you all for the prayers, love and support.

Think About It

Jeremiah Weeps for His People 4:19
"My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries". My heart writhes in pain for this world that runs away from the truth. In Jeremiah 6:16 says - This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’. What are we doing to change that? Or Are we just going to except it? Because I don't know about you but it cannot be still!!!!! We have heard the battle cry of the enemy and the sound of his trumpets. We KNOW how bad the devil don't want the kingdom of God to grow on earth.. So are we just going to sit by and watch the devil wop us in the war that we have all ready won? Well I'm not! You? heres a video.

Dose God Exist?

Here is a little bit of info iv researched on this exact question.
1. Does God exist? The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.
Many examples showing God's design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter.3 Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet our massive oceans are restrained from spilling over across the continents.4

Water...colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You'll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has an unusually high boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.5

Water is also chemically neutral. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.6

The human brain...simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of your keyboard. Your brain holds and processes all your emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second.7 Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. The brain functions differently than other organs. There is an intelligence to it, the ability to reason, to produce feelings, to dream and plan, to take action, and relate to other people.

The eye...can distinguish among seven million colors. It has automatic focusing and handles an astounding 1.5 million messages -- simultaneously.8 Evolution focuses on mutations and changes from and within existing organisms. Yet evolution alone does not fully explain the initial source of the eye or the brain -- the start of living organisms from nonliving matter.

2. Does God exist? The universe had a start - what caused it?
Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.

Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, "The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion...The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen."9

Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in Physics, said at the moment of this explosion, "the universe was about a hundred thousands million degrees Centigrade...and the universe was filled with light."10

The universe has not always existed. It had a start...what caused that? Scientists have no explanation for the sudden explosion of light and matter.
Now how can God not exist? What are we doing to show that to people? What are we doing to expand the kingdom of God? STOP THINKING AND ACT!!!!! NOW'S THE TIME.

Love Extreme 2010

4 of the people that were baptized
Wow can anyone say amen!!!!! God is awesome. Around 10,000 people came to the mega event and thousands excepted Christ into there hearts. As of the following week after we followed up with everyone, and still doing it. The people we have visited we have extended the invitation to them to come on a spiritual retreat. About 26 people came on this last one and 4 were baptized and everyone decided to be trained to be a disciple. When we brought them back from the retreat there was a celebration and 10 more people were saved then, and we took there info to follow up with them. Gods awesome.!! But in Cusco We had a kids festival one day at a kids home. It went great. So after Calin Asked the group if they wanted to go back to the hotel and rest or go help the other group in the plaza and pass out hot chocolate and info about the new church. And by my surprise they all said "we can get anuf rest in the states we came here to work lets go". So we went, And they were not there yet. Some I gathered the 25 short termers up and we prayed over the land. After ward I had a crazy idea. Lets have a kids festival here because we had the stuff with us and well why not? So we did pretty much eventually got about a hundred people there. We had face paints going, duck duck goose, balloons and puppets also mean wail telling everyone that theres going to be Hot chocolate. Well alot of time go's by and still no hot chocolate, so i had to tell everyone that they could not get the 35 gallons of hot chocolate out there. So we left, but during dinner that night got a call that they made it and served over 500 cups of coffee. It was incredible.

So sorry every one its been a while, but here i am. So far most of everyone on the team are going through culture shock.. But God has kept me strong, but iv been realizing more and more that its the weak that he called. For when I'm weak He is strong. We need to cry out to him everyday and not be pride full. I really don't think culture shock will hit me. I think that's just how Gods formed me over my life so far. Like every time something happens God just lets it roll off my mind like it never happened. God is good AMEN? But i think its for a reason.? I'm not to shure what it is yet? But i will. Please pray for the team, because some of them are just struggling and not feeling close to God. But the thing that they need to understand is that its not about the feeling. Its about knowing Gods already there. You know? I mean its like a video we all just watched, The man told a story about him walking home with his baby boy. But then it started to rain, and his boy started to whimper. Then it started to poor down like when one drop feels like a thousand. At that point a baby boy was SCREAMING and shrieking in terror. At that point the dad pulled his child close to his chest with a blanket raped around him and whispered in his ear and saying "daddy's got you, I love you buddy" over and over. But the baby could not see past the rain past the storm. So even tho we don't fee close, Our Lord is holding us in his righteous all power full hands. Telling us "daddy's got you, I love you buddy" over and over. THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings everyone
Hay everyone I hope and pray everything is well “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you his grace and peace”. I thank God our father for all of you. Everything is going well, I just reasently moved from my Peruvian family’s house To the Zamocola church for my biblical training. On the 17th of May we will be starting our training, and on the 15th of May we also received our Peruvian partners. My partners name is Jorge Solano, he’s the same age as me and he’s pretty cool so far. The language is still a little hard but I’ll get there eventually. On the 16th of May we had our orientation with our Peruvian partners to bond faster and better. One of the exercises was that everyone with their partners had to build something from whatever they could find. So my partner and I built a space ship out of two desks with a few chairs and a blanket covering it. After that we drew a space ship on the board fighting aliens. So without any practice my partner and I explained the drawing and ran together to the space ship we had created together got into it and blasted off, at that same moment we both acted like we were shooting other alien ships down. Faces red and spit flying everywhere from making gun noises, it was awesome. I have no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be partners and no doubt in my mind that one day soon we will be real good friends.

Greetings everyone. Well first of all I could not have made it here if all of you had not heard Gods call to prayer or financial support. Thank you so much for stepping out in your faith responding to the call. I have made it to Peru without any trouble by Gods grace. Peru is so beautiful!!! I have started my Spanish training. God is so amazing; Spanish is already coming rely easy for me. The culture is very different here in Peru, like in the church to greet any of the women u have to give a light kiss on the cheek. I was assigned to a church called Ramiro Priale. The church is not to big, its got a tin roof, stone walls and concrete floor. So When I first saw the church I said “what can I do to help” but there was no need. When church started Gods presence was overwhelming. Even thoe I had no idea what he was saying or what we were singing Gods presence was just so evident. Brothers and sisters God is here, he always was and always will be. As it says in John 1:23 “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, preparing a straight pathway for the lords coming”. Thank you all so much for this opportunity, I know lives will come to Christ because of your faith. I hope and pray everything is well. The devil is has been working Peru for a while, but we are here to destroy that work with the amazing grace of our lord Jesus Christ. When the devil is hailing bullets at us, we stand strong and charge, with a wild war scream. The devil cannot/ will not have the people of Peru. All your prayers are helping so much. The 16th – 19th of march I had a chance to go to Cusco and help. There is so much rain in Cusco that the rain is washing away people’s houses. There was a impact team and I had the privilege to help them do all sorts of stuff (besides construction). We put to gather a fun fair type thing for families, we had par shoot games for them, face painting, praying with people, the Jesus film and after words we hit them with a salvation massage. Over 50 people accepted Christ into their hearts and lives. Can I get an Amen!!! Man it was awesome. Then all the girls went to the woman’s prison and got to witness to them to. I was told there was a great turnout of woman wanting to know who Jesus was. Then the next day the girls went to a girls home to witness to them. This house is for girls of the ages 12-18 years old that have children, most were sexually abused. A lot of girls also wanted to also know about Christ. O man God is good all the time. That same day I got to go around praying for people and their villages. The impact team was there for 2 weeks. Over the hole time in Cusco over 100 people stepped up and accepted Christ into their hearts and lives. Thank You all for faith and your continuing prayers and support. Praying for you all ways love Alex Adams. That was my last news letter for my church back home and to everone els who is prayin or just wana know whats going on. Man this place is so beautiful in never get sick of sayin that. Im in my 3rd month of language school and in a few weeks I get my peruvian partner. Im so pumped about meeting him and getting to know him. I have yet to meet him but it will happen. So Iv told many of you about my frog Juce experiance well heres the video.
The juce was not that bad realy. But if you can drink pureed frog you can drink anything. hah But that was the just the first week we got here. Sorry everyone its took so long to get a blog. I would keep forgetting me password. But i think i got it know. Just recently we showed a Jesus film in the street and about ten people excepted Christ into there Lives. Wow! God is good. The team God has set apart for cohort 3 are amazing. There is a picture of them up top.