What has God done in me?

This update will not have any photos, I am sorry, I have not been very contientious about finding things that capture my fancy. The good news is, lots of stuff as been happening

I am glad to report, that I have finished a draft of the book that has been on my heart for a while now, “Sound the Trumpet in Zion” about my travels to Israel, and the journey that God has me on since then. Also I have finished the first draft to a book of Poems I have been writing, entitled “Hospital Poems” that have their theme based on what things I have been in circumstantially, but also processing what things God has been speaking to me.

In some ways, I have improved emmensely, in others, I am still falling behind. Let me explain. For instance, after a dinner with a few friends I was filled with the Holy Spirit while doing dishes after this, I went to spend time with Jesus, and pray for my friends. This sure sounds like a incursion with the Lord right? Well I have learnt that I am also involved, because I allow Him to be who He is to me.

But in other ways I am still falling behind. I am still finding it difficult to trust Him. You see, I have been through a huge crash in terms of, “Why O God?” I am happy to actually be asking that question of God. It has at it’s essence something I learned just this weekend. He is my security. You see when I was away at camp this weekend with Young Adults Group, I felt a little out of control in the bad way. I was concerned that I would not be able to spend time with Jesus as I could and should. But it was also a very good time away, where I learnt that I am an adopted Son, and that He has saved me from slavery to sin, this is something to talk about!

Most importantly, I found out that my identity and value is found in His redemption, He has poured out his precious blood, showing me how much value I have that he would pour out His divine blood – more than a lamb, and more than white as snow, that He is the precious and sinless atonement.

It has made me think twice about the things that have been showering over me, in terms of making a ways to improvement and being a healthy vital part of society. I say this with a little snicker because I know that God isn’t interested in things such as these. Not that I’m saying that all of it is bad, but I have learnt that so far as it is about our outward behaviors, it doesn’t actually do anything to changing the motivations. What I’m talking about is how useful my doctors, people and friends are.

In saying all this, I do not mean that I have ignored what God has said about me, in fact that is what keeps me going! But as I learn about what God says about me, I am confronted with the things that are not of God, not just lies, but unredeemed thoughts and they are the things that I am focusing on now.

I have learnt that you cannot change motivations from the outside, it has to be from the inside. This is shown in the way that God has been on my case and is part of a poem that I have written:

I am floating on my feet now I see

They were not like that when I began

I have noticed the times people have used the phrase, “I feel” because I am probing the truth for all that it is worth.

This is one of the names for the Holy Spirit, “parakletos” or “Truth Keeper” it is mentioned in the verse John 16:13

However when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come

The way you can tell someone is not accepting the truth is they will snap at you when you tell them the truth. This is like when someone denies that they do not know everything. As opposed to this, the truth is able to know right from wrong.

The word says that we will love the truth. The truth is accepting of God, because without God, there is no Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. As you might have heard before: “Truth is a man”

We are in a error prone society, one that believes what they want, and is devoid of conscience. When we believe the lie, sin skyrockets. It is not so hard to understand then that as we are advocates for righteousness, so also we need to be advocates for the truth, because I am not going to believe the lie that I can believe anything that I want, the one who says such things is shamefully unaware of authority, which is a respector of God.

I don’t know exactly why I need to share this, but I do want you to know that there is a connection between our being followers of Christ, and lovers of the Truth.

In finishing, I have just a few requests of you.

That you could pray that I would allow God to do what he is doing in me, in terms of security, identity and purpose

That I would have the strength to share my weaknesses with those people that I need to

Times of God would yield answers to the “Why, O GOD” that I am currently dealing with that stresses me out.

I would REST in Him

Parachute Outings

I have had a marvelous experience at Parachute this year. It’s hard to believe it has all happened. In the words of my friend Brian, “You have turned a new leaf” I will go on with what He said: I am reminded of two songs, Boldness of Love by Jimmy Hendrix, and “They will know we are Christians by our love”

Let me tell you a few stories of some things that have taken place. While having lunch with Sandy and Graham (the directors of Voice of the Martyrs NZ) I was sharing my highlight of that day while at the booth (I will call it this from now on)

I had been thinking about China, and it occurred to me there were many human’s rights violations towards Christians in China. Then sandy shared a story of a church in China, they had been harassed by the government, forced to move from building to building to coordinate their meetings. This ended with them finding a forest to meet in. As she was sharing this story I became quite emotional, that was hard to believe! We have a responsibility to stand with them, against the human’s rights violations that are rampant there.

So I came back to the booth. During this time at the booth a man was startled at the use of our stocks, I shared the why behind it that I have a friend who was a witch doctor in Laos – who converted to Christianity, needless to say, it wasn’t good for Him not being a witchdoctor, you see as part of their culture, they tolerate the use of witchcraft. Turning from this is like turning from your family.

I shared this story, and came to what was happening in China, the human’s rights violations that were taking place, and about praying for them. He was very encouraged and courageous to get in the stocks and show where his allegiance lies. That’s with Jesus.

At the end, I said “you know what you just did, you plundered the kingdom of darkness, and brought it to light, would you like to do some more?” you see prayer is none other than plundering the kingdom of darkness in these countries. We have a newsletter that we send out to help people pray for those that are in prison, forced to meet in forests, turned away from their families, and keep praying, after all, It says “remember those who are bound as bound with them in prison” I  believe when the writer of Hebrews said this, he was of course thinking of prayer, because previously he had said “do not give up the meeting as some of you have thought of doing” we are commanded at the end of the gospels to go to every tribe, tongue, people and nation.

I have another story that I would like to share with you. Being at the booth it stirred up some feelings in me, that regardless of my fear of sharing, Jesus gives me courage. This was evident when, as a group of youth came to the booth, I could see they were talking, I said “Can I be forward with you? I have a question to ask of you” They were open so they listened to me. I said “do you know about my brothers and sisters in arms?” They were a bit lost, so I said “There’s only one thing in life that will truly satisfy, when you are convinced death is gain, and when you have something that satisfies in life, this is Jesus, because He himself has shown His great love for us”

Then another guy, who was blown away by us, took me aside and asked if he could pray for me. I will share with you what He said, because I believe you are praying for me. He had a picture of a table full of stuff, and all I have to do is to take it with my hands, that there was a huge table full of things, and confidence is where you can take a hold of it, that God wants me to share from my heart, just as I have been doing.

 

One of the guys who I talked with previously also took me aside and said, “What you did just there, God wants you to do that more, where you said ‘Can I be forward with you’”

There are so many stories of which I can share with you from the experience of parachute. Including this last one, It gave me great joy. I was at the stocks, when all of a sudden a group came by (as I was talking with another group) stopped at the stocks, and had this huge photo frame that they put around the stocks. Well I was right next to the stocks with the chains in my hand and I said “How about holding these” – to which they said yes.

Then after it was all finished I was able to talk with the person who got in the stocks. I said “these chains they put on their hands and feet for days at a time” Then she was surprised and said “I could not hold these for a minute”

I hope you have had an enjoyable experience of parachute by hearing the stories that I have shared with you. All the best from Nathan

The Body Moving

Hello, everyone!

I have some great new news of what God has done for me, while at church today! This is one of those things that makes me grateful I am part of a body - working together. I was talking with my friends, Manny and Sarah today, after being pricked in worship today, because I thought of them while I was singing to the Lord. It was that I wanted to encourage them. When I talked with them,  I shared how I wanted to encourage them - that this is a season of new beginnings for them, because God has given us lots of amazing hope.

This is encouraging me, to be myself, and know that I am valued not because of what I do, but who I am. This was brought back home to me, that after this season of finding out I was to goto Hospital, that what was happening, was worth it, because I was re-energized to finding what is really important, and to know His purpose for my life.

But the realization hit me, that I am currently not doing an awful lot. This made me think of how God doesn't value me for what I do for Him, but who I am, he wants me to know that I am really valuable to Him.

I wanted you to be first to know, because this revelation has healed me of my addiction to video games. That's right, I don't want to be so fascinated by a plot line in a game i'm playing, but I wanted to know what God thinks about me.

This is because I cannot hope to fulfill this God given destiny that I have, without the help of others. In fact, I couldn't keep quiet about it, because it is such good news. This makes everything I do valuable and precious.

Really, I have spent my energy now, that's all I wanted to share with you, so that you can know how I am, and pray for me. What a brilliant part we are in, in the body of Christ! He is making His body work, he finds her both precious and valuable.

So that is all that I wanted to share with you, and would love to have a more definite answer, but for now, I am content to be who I am in Him.

Impacted by a card

This came in the mail for me today. While reading it, I was impacted by what it said. It is a card from the Voice of the Martyrs. I support the persecuted church. This is what it says:

"Thank you for praying for me, supporting me financially, and writing to me with words of encouragement. I am convinced that it is through your prayers that I was able to survive all the trials I faced. I left behind many brothers and sisters in prison, and I ask you now to pray for and help them too; that way my joy will be complete" - From Helen Berhane (Eritrea) who, for almost three years, was imprisoned in a shipping container and tortured for her faith.

I would ask that you remember me, and remember our brothers and sisters that share in sufferings for the sake of Christ. (Hebrews 13:3) Though we are worlds apart we still have this connection, that we are part of one another. This is true for me too. My suffering is a different one, being a kind of absence from knowing and fellowshipping with my brothers and sisters. This is because I have been impacted afresh by the cruelty of living in a spiritually impoverished nation. I am confronted by it every day, in my motives, in my actions and in my plans. Please pray that I would be free of the suffering of materialism and that I could connect with my Heavenly Father, who is my chief joy. I believe that If I just knew of the poverty that I'm experiencing, I would redound with fresh insight and clarity for the sake of the Gospel and Christ's kingdom. It is something that I want to always have clarity on. This is because life does not come from without but it comes from within (John 10:10)

This is all that I'm asking of you for this time. Share with me and my brothers overseas who know what it means to suffer for the sake of Christ. I find afresh that I am wanting to share my faith with those around me, pray that I may have the boldness to do this.

Knowing Him, Declaring His Name

I want to share with you what God has done for me today.

First of all, a few photos

a house just down the street from where I live, what a colourful dwelling!

Perspectives on North Hagley Park, throwing bread to the ducks on a nice sunny day!

A few colourful trees while taking a walk around the park!

Sunset over Central City Christchurch!

Now that we have taken a look at some of the photos I've taken recently! lets get onto the good news! I'm excited to be able to share, that I have found some clarity for the future, through today's sermon at Church. This actually is in keeping with the book I just finished reading, "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. One of the ways in which we can commune with the body of the Risen Lord, is in the preaching of the Word.

God has met me through the time that I have been in fellowship with my brothers and Sisters at church. While walking to church today, I had something drop into my Spirit, "Hand it over to us, we will show you how it's done" This was in reference to seeing more people coming to church and inviting them to don our four walls. There are atleast some expectations on this generation to bring many to know Jesus.

While I have been at Hospital, this is one of the things that I have been encouraged to do, by my Father, testifying of what He has done in me. This is basically, in listening to others. I have been able to submit to my doctors and nurses while they were deciphering what it is that has happened for me. In saying this, I have been able to be a witness to what God has been doing in me. One of the scriptures given to me early on is from John 10:4,5

"And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

I have been relearning what it means to hear from His voice. During the past while, I have been labouring to no avail. What I mean is, while the Good Lord took a nap and I didn't hear from Him, I did everything that I could, to work under the sun. But now that I have heard from Him directly, I have clarity about the direction ahead.

That direction, is in testifying to others what God has done for me, and inviting them into relationship with Jesus Christ.

I have a suspicion that this is what He is saying by His Spirit to the churches after being challenged in this way, during this time that I have been turned around and upside down. Some will say that I need a time of rest, but it is this time! not another! that he wants me to testify of what He's done. He does this in our weakness, it happens that I have done His will.


God has really changed the direction of my life in the past few months, from what I remember before. My heart was not moved by what kind of impact i was leaving on others, this is one of the biggest changes that have come as very important to me through it all.

Here is just a snippet of what God has placed on my heart through this time, they are only a few of the things that I want to share with you, so that you can better pray for me during this time. Now that I have clarity, I can also better answer any questions you have.

I am excited, but also please continue to pray for me. This is because I can speak about these things, but what is really on my heart, is a deep thing, something that I want to get out, but I know that this is the way that God operates, more than once has he called me to WAIT when proceeding forward. It also makes sense in the calling that He has placed for me, which is who I am, not what I do. I have a lot of similarities to Anna in Luke 2:36-38 for she would often wait upon the Lord, and then declare His redemption to Israel. I find a lot of similarities to her.

As you may realize from this, I am getting God's word behind me before proceeding, I recommend this to anyone before they proceed forward, for it is not what we do for Him that matters, but if we are parts of the body, it is His bodily presence that we carry in the world. This gives me encouragement to persevere and know Him.  Thank you for supporting me through my need.