YWAM Update: Behind the Veil

I am celebrating a change in the title of my blog, with a change also in my lifestyle inspired by something God shared with me while reading the bible, in Isaiah 42:2

"He will not cry out, nor raise [His voice], Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street."

The insight was this, that Jesus the Son of Man, the Son of God, chose while he was on earth not to promote Himself. He didn't go round waving the Messiah flag and take for himself a Kingdom. He didn't so much as whisper.

What he did do, was NOT THAT. I also have the same view. However, Jesus is not inspired by the same as me - My desire in not promoting myself is because, I am following Him, and living my life according to how He lives. His desire, is simply, to demonstrate, so that I can follow.

He didn't promote Himself because in His heart He was holding out for my love. In Ephesians 5, it says that Jesus, being the leader, died first, this is because He is demonstrating how to follow Him, in laying down my life, because He loves me.

Why would I give a hoot what is happening on the outside, when on the inside, Behind the Veil, He sees my heart. He is beckoning me, giving me identity, by living my life before an audience of one, and His opinion is the only one that matters. In fact, it's better this way! I want to be moved in my heart when Jesus speaks to me, And I know it, because I've experienced this!

I can't tell exactly why I have made this decision, but one day while wrestling in my thoughts and heart, the light bulbed clicked on, and I realized that personally, Jesus is far better than life, that He's my exceeding JOY, and when I am living like this, I am safe and sound. I want to say, that I have TRUE JOY, which is coming from an intimate knowledge of God Himself demonstrated by the Love of Jesus Christ.

This is because He says personally "You have dove's eyes, BEHIND YOUR VEIL" this is a verse from Song of Songs. The phrase behind the veil comes from Jewish wedding custom that when the Husband has left to go prepare a place for His wife, She wears a veil, to show to the world around her, that She is waiting for Him Only, and also to anyone looking on, that's all that she's caught up in. It's demonstrating what is taking place behind what people see

This is the way that Jesus has been moving upon my heart in simply not living anymore on the outside, But only on the inside.

True JOY is when you have let go of the reins to everything, in embracing God with everything, but in that act it is really only a response, and SO, God is much glorified.

John Piper says:

"God is most glorified, when you are most satisfied IN HIM"

So I'm endeavoring to live a lifestyle which is upside down, but proves God's wisdom, being Cross-centred, Christ-Glorifying, and God-Honouring. in other words,

I'm living Behind the Veil

(It's not that I have given up and said "everything is out of my hands" but it's saying "God has a far better plan than I do") This is the only way to live properly!

I've included some photos from my trip north, during January, which I hope you enjoy!

As a Deer

Encouragement for anyone that is going through circumstances where you are being tested for the right words by God, more than others are aware of. Keep on living before His eyes!

Rapidshare link

God works out all things for good

I feel like I need to wait a while to see how this unfolds, but right now I have the peace that makes me think about how fortunate I am to know God. I am patient and still, not thinking about anything but God. So I can start sharing what has been happening without fear.

I've been so excited to share this, without anything even happened yet, that's how profoundly real God's presence has been with me.

I must be filled with the Spirit. The experience left me thinking "I am loved, God has recognized me, I am seen and heard and appreciated" I was planning on heading to Tauranga with Steve, but we had just had a conversation that showed me I was going to be leaving for Tauranga - in the morning without him, God gave me the faith to move mountains. I am loved, God has seen, heard and acknowledged me. If anyone else says any differently, who cares? my trust is in something real and concrete. Not only did I know it, I felt like everyone needed to hear this good news - God is real! How secure am I? If I am whole-hearted and love Him, that is everything. He treasures my heart, he is with me everywhere! I've been contending in the Spirit more than I ever have before, and won some great victories, also made some blunders however the most important thing is being whole-heartedly abandoned to God. He shares me stuff that he has in His heart.

This is why when I came to my parents to tell them I'm not going back to Oxford, and I have a financial debt to pay off - even though I had not heard about it - I had a smile on my face. To be fair, I had heard about it - before december. But it came as a shock after the phone hung up (I'm just being honest) You see, God is really real to me, and the only thing that I think about is God, who I love incredibly. I suppose I could be angry, or even anxious about the change in circumstances but I am not. If I am put in a circumstance that makes God get the glory, then who am I to say "Why is this happening?" - This is just incredible. I should be thinking about it, I should be running off in 100 different directions, but I am not, and this is a mark of God on me. How do I even know what is going to happen tomorrow? I had made a vow to God, that I would say to the people who need to know "God has made it all for good" - in as much as I was able - but now God has done one better, I've been looking for a miracle now I've found it.

You see, I'm going to wait and be still about how God is going to provide financially, as well as confirm me to be a businessman in His Kingdom. I don't quite know how that's going to work out, but I guess I will let God decide that - His presence is my anchor. I totally know what it must be like to be going through turmoil - because I couldn't do it by myself I would be going off in 100 different directions. Whatever God wants to do in me, it's going to come by resting idly in His presence and focusing on the first and greatest commandment, and he is not unjust to reward me for everything that I do while I am here. This poses the question: "In what way does He relate to me? How do I experience the deep things of Jesus Christ?"

I know that it's God's peace because every day I keep on just wanting to sit idle and treasure God's presence more - it's the reason I'm alive - If God totally changes the whole year, the plans I have, then that is good - I am perfectly content with God doing such a thing. His presence is better than my plans. In closing, don't live for yesterday or tomorrow, or today, but live for God's presence. And if He asks you to give something up, don't be slow about it, he's got better things for you - Himself. I want to be an advocate for God's self-sufficiency. He totally satisfies me in every way

YWAM Update: Nothing catches you by surprise!

This will be my 2 year reunion to being sent out to YWAM for the Earthcare DTS in Oxford (October, 2009) I'm filled up to the brim and overflowing, the perfect definition of rest. I feel like I'm in Heaven today

While praying this morning, I committed my finances to God saying I want you to lead me in this, because I want to hand this over to you afresh, turning from self-reliance and dependence. So it was a surprise to come to church and hear the preacher speak about the same thing! No one catches God by surprise! I would like to share the whole story with you.

I walked back to the YWAM base and decided I would go upto the prayer room to study Psalms, however a few people were heading down to the farmer's market in Oxford which runs every sunday. They were planning on going, but I thought there was no time, and I wanted to study the bible anyway. When I got up into the prayer room, one of the backpacker students named Sonja was up there. When I sat down, I remembered, all of a sudden, "this is a reason for rejoicing! God is victorious! Celebrate!" then I wanted to go down to the Farmer's market to spend money. While at the Farmer's market, I kept on telling everyone how God had given me excitement to spend my money.

You see, the whole experience was a setup. It took me straight back to when I was in Israel, when God had said "It's on my tab, go crazy and get whatever you want!" I just want to let you know what it feels like. It's like, He's giving me an unconditional yes! This kind of response is what I have come to expect from God. Directly following the time I spent in Israel, I took Him at his word. He said "I'm going to provide for all your outreach fees before the end of the month" I'm not supposed to go ahead from Him, I'm supposed to be walking with Him, and when I obey what He says, it's a delight. I feel a little pressure coming on as I write this.

The more that God provides, the more I say to God "I fully surrender!" at my weakest point is my strongest. I want to draw attention to a man that is mentioned in the bible. His name is Moses. He had been chosen by God to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. While he lead, God was with them. He would lead them by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. It says that He was a consuming fire among them, and they trembled at hearing His voice, so much they said "we cannot bear it, from this point on do not talk to us directly" It says that they rebelled against God numerous times, and that God, I quote, said "I will destroy Israel as a nation before me and make you Moses into a nation" He must have had a high opinion of Moses. But Moses said "If you destroy them from before you as a nation the nations will say amongst themselves 'God delivered Israel from Egypt only to destroy them in the wilderness' and his name would be blasphemed" From this point on, Israel was safe. But fire would break out against them, and serpents, and destroying angels, and plagues.

What God has done in history, He will do in the future. There will be a time of anguish upon the earth where plagues are poured out on the earth globally, and the interesting power dynamics of being led by God will be openly manifest. The place is not to look backwards, it's to look forwards. If Jesus is coming again, this has to be the most foremost thing on my mind, not the last. For this reason, because I was made for this, for His return.

My dream is to raise up a generation of leaders. What a future! this is my heart for the schools that have just arrived here on base at Oxford, Backpackers and Justice. This means I'm more about the team effort, I just can't do it without others - we need each other to remind of the promises and good testimonies of God.

I really know that God has chosen me - because He's doing everything! That means I can't do anything! I will turn to Him and ask Him what's next. And I just have to look and see what he's done for me. That's actually a promise He gave me while on the DTS 2 years ago. He gets all the attention now! Bless you heaps and I want to catch up!

David and Kindness of the Lord

Hello there,

it's been a while since I wrote here. I am updating to let you know I have a testimony of things that have happened tonight. (testimony of Jesus Christ)

Testimony: glory and praise to God

On Thursday the 25th November after going to church to help with cleaning I waited around and left to goto North City church because I had heard from my friend Peter that Jason Westerfield was conducting meetings at said church and evangelizing in the city during the day times. So because my whole point in being in Christchurch was for God's purposes the thought occured to me to join in with them and see what happens. I rocked up to the church at about 12:30 (prayer meeting went later than expected) and lo and behold they were having worship time. That is good news. Wesley was on the mic praying and so were many others (just not on the mic) I sat down with my bag and started praying also thanking God for how amazing He is, how beautiful, wonderful, I love you. I wouldn't have really expected them to be worshipping so that they were before evangelizing is good. When we had prayed and met with God we piled in cars and I asked "has anyone done this before" everyone in my car had never done it before! God uses anyone it doesn't matter who.

A testimony that keeps on going

I have been reminded of several things recently. One is a scripture in Isaiah 56:5 which says:

"Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off."

I have a testimony to share regarding a podcast I watched on Thursday the 22nd of July, 2010. The podcast is from the Fascinate II conference at IHOP. I am not sure at what time the conference finished, but they were streaming live sessions from their website while the conference was on.