The Book of Acts

Hey Friends and Family...

Once again these last few weeks have been an amazing journey. I have been blessed far more than I deserve, with the opportunity to hear from many different men and women of God. Everything that God has spoken through them has penetrated my heart deeply and profoundly. 

During the last four months I have been reading the Book of Acts. I think I am on my 4th time of reading it right now. As I am reading the history of the Apostles, God has been constantly revelling different things to me. 

1) That everyone who preached the Good News suffered. But they all suffered in JOY!

2) The Community of Believers: the way they celebrated together, gave generously (selling everything they had), resolved conflict, prayed for one another, loved one another, and worshipped together. 

3) Whenever people came to know God there was always the message preached and miracles performed. These two were not separated! "Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did(Acts 8:6)." God gave the believers the power to perform miraculous signs so people would come to know him. 

I'm going to focus on #3 and how it is impacting my life...

Before starting TREK I wanted to see the book of Acts come to life. There has been a stirring in me for a long time now that the abundant life that God is calling me to, includes the power of his Holy Spirit. I was given the opportunity to pray with a group over a friend. For years now this friend has been struggling with anxiety and fear. The Holy Spirit lead our time of pray; declaring the presence of the Holy Spirit and banishing the powers of darkness. The power that I felt rushing in the room and the urgency to pray overcame me. I don't even know how to explain it . But praise be to God who "gave us the authority over all the power of the enemy, and we can now walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure we (Luke 10:19)."  

That person has been living in the freedom of being released from his anxiety and fears!!

If this was based on how much faith I had, I can tell you now I would of failed!!

All I did was take Jesus at his word, and did what he commanded us to do... "heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead (Matt 10:8)!" Also if you think you are not good enough to have this power inside of you, ponder this thought: Jesus also gave this power to Judas. 

The reason I say this is I always believed that I didn't have enough faith, or I just wasn't good/holy enough to perform miracles.  

I am excited to use the authority that Christ has given to me. I before said I wanted to see the Book of Acts come alive, and already before I have left it has happened. 

My question for you is the same question that God asked me: Will you take me (GOD) at my Word?

Pray Requests: 

1) That I fully depend on the Holy Spirit and I am continually aware of my thirst for God.

2) I will be living with a German family (mom, dad and newborn) in Bielefeld. Pray that we can connect well together and that it can be a smooth transition. 

3) That we look to God for direction in everything that we will be doing in Germany. 

4) That I can continue to take God at his word and lead people to God through both word and works (miracles.) 

A Ball Game With God...

        One week ago we were given the opportunity to be silent with God for 48 hours. And I was craving this time; I was so looking forward to being with just God. But before we started this time together a man walked us through what are time with Jesus should look like. The two things that I got from it: 

1. If it feels like work, stop doing it!
2. Treat this like your Honeymoon with God

Well I know what a perfect Honeymoon would look like: Watching a Baseball Game! And what do you know I happened to stumble across a softball game and during the game God and I had an amazing conversation together. And it went like this...

God:   "Sit down and watch the game with me!" 

Me:     "Okay"

I noticed something different as I watch watching two different games before me. Game one: really good players; Game two: very new players. Normally watching a terrible game would get me anxious, and frustrated and eventually I would turn it off. But I was enjoying both games, both games made me equally happy!

God:   "It is the same with me to you."

Me:    " What?"

God:  "I enjoy watching you through every stage of life!" 

Me:     Waterworks!!!!

God enjoys watching our "ball game!" We may start off our relationship with him with lots of errors, and not always sure where to throw the ball, Satan may catch us off our toes and get the ball past us, but the whole time God is not looking down on us shaking his head saying "You played an awful game," he is looking down on you with a smile saying "Alright what did you learn from this!"

As we become more mature in our faith and quiet ourselves to hear what the Spirit is saying, our life becomes more aligned with the way God created us to live. But this maturity comes through disciple, practicing, and even failing (Look at Jesus' disciples the first time they tried to cast out a demon it didn't work). 

God overwhelms me again and again with the truth! Why do we at times believe that he is looking down at us shaking his head disappointed with us? That is a lie! He is a God who is sitting down inviting us time and time again to sit down with Him - to rest- and enjoy his presence. Just because he loves being with you!

Prayer Request:

1. That I continue to rest and enjoy God! I was so rejuvenated sitting with God.
2. That I daily lay down my life and ask the Spirit to fill me.
3. I pray that you can also take time to be silent with God, ask him how he wants you to enjoy him.
4. Also for the city of Bielefeld, Germany; as that will be my new home in the next coming month... More news on that to follow.