Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sow What You Weep


Here's a short video by my good friend Chenzy Graziano. 
His dream is to change lives through film, and he's off to a wonderful start.
Please show your support for Chenz by liking this post or sending Chenz comments and encouragement.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Someone to Look Up to

This is J-J. Pastor Ron and his wife Linda (founders of Oasis Ministries) take in children to give them home and feed them. They do not adopt, because the process is very corrupt. Instead, they take the children in and give them guidelines that they must live by. As long as they live by these guidelines, they have a safe home filled with compassion. J-J is Ron and Linda's "grandson" - the son of one of the teenage girls that live with them.

Everyone needs a role model; especially little kids.
I bet you can still remember that person from when you were little.
You wanted to be like that person didn't you?
You wanted their clothes, their accent, their standing with others...
For some, that person was an actor, or artist, and others looked to their older sibling, or a wise relative or friend of the family.

Some regret looking up to that person, and others are still following to this day.

J.J. here has the awesome advantage of a role model who cares about others rather than themselves.
Is there any other reason why people would sacrifice their life and resources to care for people that are unrelated?

And i bet there's someone looking up to you right now...
You may not even know it...

So,
Are you the role model that people will regret looking up to later on in life, or are you the person that cares about others, before he thinks of himself?

The choice is yours.


A big thanks goes out to Ashley Steffens for providing these beautiful pictures!
To read more about her upcoming adventure in Hawaii go to www.focused-on-faith.com.

Or to acquire her service of photographical awesomeness, or donate to her mission, go to http://www.wix.com/ashleysteffens/captured

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Looking Deeper (#5)

Ok. We are beginning to see an attack as it's happening, we are getting better at naming and rebuking the specific medium of attack (anger, depression, lust, etc...).

Now it's time to explore the possibility that the situation has a deeper root than simply a coincidental attack. (One of these deeper possibilities involves being attacked because you are praying for someone else, this will be discussed later).

The root, the deeper problem is called an agreement.
Many Bible readers will find the word "stronghold" to be more familiar, but i have chosen "agreement" to portray a more specific meaning.
Agreements are literally statements, confessions, or...agreements that we have made in the past (recent, or distant) that have a strong effect on our present situation.
And, they can have a devastating long term effect if they are left in action.

Here are some examples:
"God can never love me."
"I can do this if I just push through."
"I will always eat too much."
"I will never get better."
"Well, I guess I won't be getting any sleep."
"I need to do this on my own."

Do you hear your own voice in any of this?
Just think for a second.
What are the agreements that you have made that may be guiding your life even in this very moment...

And can you see effects of these agreements?
Listen

Someone might have abandoned you when you were young, or even yesterday. Maybe there was a time when life felt completely hopeless and you felt abandoned by God.
In those moments, you might have made an agreement.
Maybe the agreement you made is that you weren't good enough for that person to stick around.
Maybe the agreement is that God abandoned you.

Do you see how much hurt, how much damage this can cause?

The result of those agreements might be that you can't trust the people closest to you. It's not that you don't want to; you just can't.

Or even worse, you can't hear God's voice because of the rift that has been created by that agreement.

These are powerful, and not to be taken lightly.

Please Listen!!

You, yes You are going through something like this right now.
You feel as if there is an unstoppable force working against you.
A wall of emotion and years of habit.

Not only that, but there are people who want to help you, and you even want help. But you're so scared to stop -- to step on the brakes and take a look under the hood.
You have tried this before and been hit with a wall of fear, anger, and tears.
It almost seems better just to be unaware of the damage, doesn't it?
As long as we don't have to go through the emotions of dealing with it, maybe we are better off.

No. Please see my heart in this. Please stop and look under the hood.
This is God's will. He wants to bring healing.

He wants to heal you!

Father, reveal and destroy any agreements I have made in the past concerning this situation. Jesus, I am scared to deal with this. Open me up to your healing. I welcome you into this situation. I surrender myself to you. I surrender my hurt to you.

Stop now. Search, listen, pray...














Thursday, February 2, 2012

Kids Being Kids


These 2 beautiful girls are from a preschool in the Rainforest Bush. 
The preschool was started in Belize by Oasis Ministries. 

Families are most commonly seen riding on mopeds--4 or 5 people to 1 moped! The family drops each child off one by one at their respective schools, and then head off to their daily tasks. The market is one highly trafficked area in the daily routine. Because families do not have the ability to preserve the freshness of their food, a daily trip is made to the market.


To read more about her upcoming adventure in Hawaii go to www.focused-on-faith.com.

Or to acquire her photographical awesomeness, or donate to her mission, go to http://www.wix.com/ashleysteffens/captured

















Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Counter-Attack (#4)

After asking God to begin the process of clearing my vision, I identify and pray against (or rebuke) the thief (spirit) i.e. loneliness, bitterness, lust, distraction, etc... 
There is significance in the naming process:
it is nearly impossible to fight an unidentified enemy.

You might be asking: "How do I do That?
I'm glad you asked...
Scripture says that we will know them by their fruit
Therefore, identify the result of the attack, and you have found a name for your thief.









Now I understand the whole concept of "rebuking" has been out of style in Christian circles for quite some time now, but that does not by any means justify this lack.
For a Biblical example, we need look no further than Jesus Christ. We see him rebuking many times throughout the gospels including:

Matthew 17:18 ESV

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.



Luke 4:35 ESV

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.



Luke 4:39 ESV

And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.


Mark 4:39 ESV
And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Luke 4:41 ESV
And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
  • Mark 8:33 ESV
    But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."


    Notice all of the situations that Jesus is seen rebuking. American Christians may categorize rebuking to "those weird exorcist people," but we deviate from Jesus' example.
    Jesus is seen fighting against sickness, chaotic weather, Peter's selfishness, and other more physical situations.
    I think it's time we re-thought our philosophy one this area of being Christ-like. 

    God, give us clarity and confidence in the power of Jesus' name.

    Why has the twenty-first century church in America (and other Western powers) shied away from this part of walking with and believing in Jesus? I will put this up for consideration: If the most powerful man in the world prayerfully attacked the forces coming against Him, why don't we?

    Do we think we are more powerful than Jesus?
    More protected than the only Son of God?
    Stronger than the King of Kings?
    Or more full of grace than the Prince of Peace?

    We sure act like it sometimes...

    Are you stronger than Jesus?
    (I don't believe it)

    Are you nothing without Him and need His strength?--Act like it.
    (Surrender)

    What do you think?

    What do your actions communicate?