Arrival in North Vernon

When my ministry partner and I arrived at North Vernon, we stopped and ate chinese food. I had vegetable Lo Mein. The food was pretty good, and they had those rolls with sugar on top, and they were very good as well. That afternoon we arrived at our living quarters, and there were two choices of rooms that we were staying in. My friend and I are in the upstairs of a wonderful couple. They have two rooms upstairs that they are allowing us to stay in, and they have DSL, which is really nice considering that I like internet access, and it will also give me much opportunity to keep writing in my blog. I hope to be able to put my journal on here soon as well, but I have not finished copying it. It is absoloutly amazing to think of all the things that God has done for me. I think that when we write them down, they become more real. Now back to the topic at hand. I listened to Pilgrim's Progress, the story of Christiana. Chirstiana is a character in Pilgrim's progress who is in the city of destruction and she gets a letter from the Lord on how to get out of it. When she recieves the letter a friend of hers (Mercy). They all head off toward this gate and when they get there it says "knock and it shall be opened unto you." So Christiana knocks and knocks and finally someone answers and lets her and her children in. (This is a shorter version of the story). After that the door shuts, and mercy is left on the outside, but she knocks and knocks and no one seems to answer. Finally someone does answer the door, but when she gets in, she explains how she felt. She wondered why no one opened the door to her right away. The gatekeeper says that it was the enemy who tried to discourage her, but that if she knocked the door would be opened. I think that is how it is in a lot of our lives. We feel as if God is not hearing us and not opening the door to us, and in reality, He does hear us, but the devil tries to discourage us. Let us not let the enemy have any more ground. Let us keep on knocking on heaven's door. The promise is that the door will be opened. Last night I listened to a sermon on not being a critic. So many people out there criticize and call names, when they themeselves have the same problem that they are accusing everyone else of having. After trying to stay up late and downloading a whole bunch of sermons, I went to bed. The next morning I got up and had worship. While I was having worship, I remembered what I had done in the past when I would have worship. I would read two chapters out of the Bible every morning. Now the truth is that I had stopped doing this for a while, but I felt impressed to read two chapters this morning because of my experience with the story of Christiana. I am starting to realize that we need to be more persistant with God. We need to wrestle with God just like Jacob did. Well that is all for today, check back in tommorow for more:)

He is still there:)

My life has taken a new turn. I am learning that sometimes in life we have to say goodbye to our friends and those we care about because that is sometimes what is best. Yet to my delight, I have a friend who never leaves me through it all. I want to encourage you to know that you have a friend who will never leave you. You may have to make a hard decision in your life, but always remember that Jesus promises never to leave you. He cares about you more than eternal life. After all, He risked it for you:) You are very valuable in His eyes child. Don't worry about tommorow, He will take care of that, and He will take care of you.:)

Psalms 94:14 For the LORD will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear"

I was just going through my days like I was drinking water. I would find distracted bored and alone. Or so I thought. But I am learning that I am never alone. I want to say we, but for the sake of pronoun agreement, I will not. The verse that I want to focus on in particular today is Luke 14, and the end of verse 35. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." There are points in my life where I don't think that God is there, but this verse encourages me to listen more closely. Instead of thinking that I have all the answers in life, I need to listen more. Today I am in the process of learning that a verse in the Bible has many applications. That is so neat:) What else could this verse apply to? How about being lonely. In order for this verse to apply to being lonely it has to deal with the issue. When we are around friends, we usually like to hear what they have to say, right? To be totally honest, we need to hear more, because God is talking if we will listen:) "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

A long time in time

Hi everyone! I know that it has been a long time since I have been blogging, but I know that now is the time to enter yet another entry. It is so amazing how God works in and through our lives and circumstances. After doing an evangelistic series, I did not know where God was going to lead me. However, He has not stopped leading me, in fact, I am getting ready to start a program that is called Mission "IN" possible. I don't even have to leave the country and I am going to get to be a student missionary! I am going to have so much fun! I know that the Lord has His hand in this! Did I forget to mention that this same God wants to work in your life too? I wanted to say that because He does! He wants to be a part of your life and to help you grow:) Always remember this:

" Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:6,7

The day SIN DIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus has destroyed sin, and the devil and his works. Friend, if you are doubting, look up. Jesus raises His hands in victory for you and I, He won! He really won! I want you to know, He won for you!:) He defeated sin for you and I to live. We can walk, and breath and exist because of what He has done for us. He has made an end to sin. I am writing this victory letter to anyone who will read it and those who don't. Jesus has defeated the sin in my life as well. I fell, and sinned, and was accused of satan as having committed the unpardonable sin. Friends, don't you for one moment believe in that lie, if you are worried about it, then take that to Jesus, immediately, He will show you that you have been forgiven. He broke sin to pieces, and took the devil and threw him into darkness and destroyed his works. Jesus beat satan on satan's own terf. Jesus beat satan, in you. The victory is yours, and it is mine. When Jesus shouted "It is finished" He was saying that sin was finished, the devil torturing you with all these accusations is finished, the devil's evil lies are finished, and in the cross we see the justice and mercy of God combined!:) God can still be just and the justifier of those who believe in Him, because of what Jesus has done. "Oh death, where is your sting, oh grave where is your victory? Death has been swallowed up in vicory!" Jesus is soon to come through those clouds and to take you and I home to be with Him forever, not because of what we have done, but because of what He has already done! He beat satan on that cross. Jesus now offers this victory to us. Shall we accept it? Oh, friend, I pray that you will, I pray that you will realize that it's not too late for you. I pray that this letter will impress upon your mind the importance of turning to Jesus right now for help. Don't go to those around you right away. Go to Jesus, He is the one who is speaking to you right now, He is the one who wants to heal you!:) Amazing isn't it, the king of the universe wants to bring healing to you. He is the one seeking for you:) VICTORY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!! GLORY IN THE HIGHEST!!!!!! That's what those angels were singing about in Bethlaham. Jesus reigns supreme:) Though this world may look like it's falling apart, look up! Jesus is not falling apart. His kingdom is an everlasting one:) God is right next to you. God is with you, Jesus is with you, the Holy Spirit is with you, the angels are with you. Don't give up friend, Jesus loves you so much. He gave us victory. He tore apart hell and it's dominion. Jesus ripped it to shreds. Look up you who have just watched a loved one be closed under a plastic casket, and do not expect to see them again. Jesus defeated death. Death is not the end! Jesus is the end!:) He is life forever more! Let us hold fast our profession of faith as the apostle Paul says. You don't have to have hope within yourself, all the hope you will ever need, Jesus has given you on the cross:) He destroyed sin for you and for me. We will live forever, because of Him and only because of Him. Now, that is something to praise His name about!:) Hope is found in the cross, it is not found in our works. Hope is found in Jesus:) Look and LIVE friends. LOOK and LIVE :) Jesus won! He really really won:) My Prayer is that everyone will be able to recieve this message in their hearts:)



Your new brother in Christ:)


Brandon

Why So Much Love?

Today as I sit here typing, I am struck by the fact that God is a loving and caring being. He wants to hear from us, and two nights ago, He reminded me of how much He loves to hear from me. My friend John suggested that I start writing things down and journaling. It was then that I remembered the relationship that I had with God in the past when I wrote to Him. So, I decided that night that I would take pen in hand and start writing to my best friend, and brother in the whole entire universe: Jesus Christ. As I started my letter out, I began by stating, my appreciation for Him taking the time to listen to me, then I asked Him to make the enemy leave. So after that I started my letter to Him, and shared with Him some of the difficulties that I was going through in my life at the time. To my amazement I began to feel more close to God, He actually began to be revealed to me more. Not only did I write, but I would be impressed with thoughts, and Bible verses that I had read in the past. To every question, Jesus had an answer, and for every answer He gave, He gave me the support, and encouragement to recieve that answer. Friend, I don't know what your name is, but Jesus does, and He wants to hear from you. A while back I had gone to a counselor and had poured out some of my heart to them and I had recieved a little help. But one day I was back in Indiana, without a counselor to talk to, and I was being bothered by a whole bunch of issues, they were just wearing me down, and making me depressed. As I cried out to God, I asked for Him to give me a psychologist, I could talk to. Almost immediately, I felt an answer in my heart. "I will be your psychologist." I said, "Jesus, You would do that for me?" "Yes" Was His answer, and so for a while, I would take all my questions to Him, but after some time, I stopped doing that, and my relationship with Him began to slip and start to fall apart. So, two days ago, I decided to start writing to my awesome Counsoler again. After the first day of writing came, then came the second, and as I began to read what I had writtin, I tears began to slowly fill my eyes, and the room got a little watery, as they started to fall. As I began to read, about Jesus taking time to listen to what I am going through, more tears fell, as I realized that Jesus was actually listening, He was really there caring about me, and what I was going through. For so long in my life, I would just feel like no one cared, and maybe that is how you are feeling right now friend. But I want to assure you, that Jesus still wants to hear from you. Go and get yourself a pen, and a notebook, and start writing to Him. He is willing to listen and to give unconditional Love. I recently read in a book, that God is the source of unconditional love. I believe that there is not a single person out there, who is not starving for love. Human love can only go so far, and it is not the source of real love. God is the source. Even if you feel like your love cup is full already, I want to encouarge you to get the love that God has to offer you, and if you have, then I want to encourage you to take the next step. What is that, you may ask, well the next step is sharing that love with those around you. Ask God to give you soo much love that you will not be able to hold it in, that your cup will run over, and I promise that He will. You see, God gives us unconditional love for us to be conduits of that love to those around us. Last night I was talking on the phone to someone, and I was talking about how I had recieved so much love from God, and how people can't love unconditionally, "Well" I thought "Then I guess I can just keep all this love to myself" The next day I was sitting at a table and listening to a cd. The song on the cd was Give me Jesus. I sang along, with the words and was encouraged, but as I got to the second verse, the words went like this "And when I am alone, give me Jesus" As I sung that verse, the phone rang, and it turned out to be my friend Richard, (who, by the way, happens to be all alone, with no one to talk to) Immediately I felt a tug at my heart and this thought entered my mind "Brandon, when You are alone, I am there for you, now I want you to be there for someone else, and introduce him to me, so that he does not have to worry about being alone. I picked up the phone, and after I had talked to Richard, I realized Jesus words, were that He had blessed, me so that I could go out and let Him work through me to be there for others, and friend, that is exactly what Jesus wants for you, but if you don't have the love to give, you won't be able to do that. So I want to encourage you to go to Jesus, He loves you and cares for you! It doesn't matter what you have done, or where you have been, or what you have said, just explain your case to Him, and I promise He will not leave you. Jesus says in John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." Don't be afraid child, Jesus knows what you are going through, He wants to wrap His loving arms around you, and take you into His arms, and comfort you. He loves you sooo much! More than your wildest dreams could ever imagine :)

Jeremiah 31:3 says: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

A Father Everywhere!

Friends, I want to tell you a little secret! I want to share with you something that I have recently discovered. While watching a movie last night, I was struck with the fact that God wants to be a father to us. Yes, it's true! No matter what you're doing right now, it is no accident that you are reading this blog. I want to encourage you that there is a father out there who loves you and thinks the world of you. One reason that so many of us struggle with our concept of God is that our earthly fathers were imperfect, but we are not to look to our earthly fathers for our support as much as to our Heavenly one! He loves us and cares for us like no one else could. 2000 years ago, He sent His one and only son, to this earth. He became a human, just like you and me. He lived in our world and knows better than anyone, the struggles we have to go through. God sent Jesus to our world because He cares about us sooo much. Two nights ago, a friend shared with me some amazing news. You and I do have a father, Yes, I said you. Whatever your name is, you have a father. Even if you don't have a name, He knows your name. When you are laying in your bed all by yourself at night, He is with you, and you can talk to him. He wants to let you know how much He loves you, and to let you know that He will change you. When you go to work, you have a father, who loves and affirms you. When you loose a loved one, you have a father who is understanding and caring. When you fail a test, you have a Heavenly father, who does not scold you for your failure, but embraces you and strengthens you for the next one! When you get fired from your job, you have a father, who lovingly takes you into His arms, and lets you know there are other options out there for you. When you go for a walk, you have a father, who wants to show you all the different things He has made. When you get a christmas gift, you have a Heavenly father who wants to share in your joy in recieving that gift. When you get into an airplane, you have a father, who wants to talk to you and cheer you up and let you know that He is with you. When you are talking with your friends, you have a Heavenly father, who wants to be a part of your conversation, don't leave Him out! He has feelings just like you and I do. He cries and is sad, and He knows what that is like. In John 14:7 Jesus says "If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

You see, Jesus came to show us what our Father in Heaven is like, and to give us eternal life! Wowee! When we are having a hard time, and a low opinion about ourselves, let us read what Jesus has done for us, and How much He loves us. I want to encourage you to well... let me show you what Jesus says:)

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

You see, God wants to hear from you! He wants to talk to you, and He has been working to win your heart for a long time, even though you may not be able to tell all the ways right now. But go to your heavenly Father and ask Him for Help, He will be more than willing to help, affirm, guide,strengthen, encourage, compliment, share time with you. You see, we as humans can not always do this with one another, because we are so busy with our lives, but God can!!! And He wants to share that time with you and tell you how much He cares about you! He wants to heal those wounds that you have recieved in your childhood, and adulthood, and any hood you can think about :) I want to encourage you to talk to Him after reading this, He really really really really wants to talk to you, honestly, just give Him a chance:) I am starting to, and He has been such a friend, and I must say, I like my new daddy! He's amazingly awesome!!!! I want to encourage you to talk to Father, He wants to hear from you, and He has allowed me to share this with you! He wants to see you! Brother, or sister, it doesn't matter, if your still living at home, or on the road, He is looking desperately to see you, He wants to be a part of your life. Run to Him. Open your arms wide, He will give you the biggest bear hug you have ever had! He's waiting for you! Don't wait any longer! Go to Him, talk to Him, ask Him teach you:) I know you have areas in your life, you are unprepared to meet, we all do! But the wonderful thing about Our God and Jesus is that they know what it's like to suffer, and they know what it's like to be called failures, but Father and brother Jesus want to help with the help of the Holy Spirit. Talk to them please! Don't make your earthly parents a substitute for your heavenly ones! Your heavenly ones care about you a million bizzillion, trillion quadrillion, infinity times more than your earthly ones ever could. And the neat and amazing thing about this is, that God cares about them, more than you could :) You see, God is the only one who can really reach someone's heart, and He is the only one they really need. You and I could never hope to meet their needs, but our Heavenly Father, and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, can and will meet those needs. WE ARE NEVER ALONE, Always remember that. No matter what WE ARE NEVER ALONE! God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. So we can throw off those covers and look at ourselves, and know that we are God's children! We belong to the King of the Universe. Jesus gave His life so that we could belong:) Always remember John 3:16,

For God so loved the World that He gave His only Begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.