So, I have been placed in this new role as Team Leader.
My team consists of me and five other amazing brothers and sisters of Christ. I love them.
A lot.
But as soon as I started, God placed me in a trial by fire training.
It has been intense.
But so very beautiful.
And I have been forced to really start thinking about what Authority under Christ really looks like.
It's strange.
So one day, God sat me down while others were worshipping.
And told me about it.
And I wanna share it with you.
If you so desire.
So, here is what He said:
What is true authority under God?
Isn't authority only that you accept humility and do what the Father asks?
Authority under God is literally in opposition to authority in the world.
The world's position of authority is who is on top.
But authority under Christ is who is on bottom. I will become the least of these.
I will wash the feet of those who follow that leadership.
When you accept authority, it is not you doing, but God.
In other words,
You hand over the responsibility to Christ.
It is no longer you in authority but God through you.
Wow.
If ever authority does come from you then it is of your flesh.
And it is sin.
That is bad authority.
I pray that my authority comes directly from my Father.
And that I have the boldness to speak and do it. Amen.
What actually is authority, then?
How is it different from your daily life?
Do those things just said not apply to you if you are not in a position of leadership?
Of course not!
Those same things apply for you also.
So then, what is authority?
It is truly knowing the place God has placed you in.
Pride should never rise from being put under someone in leadership.
For the Lord has placed you in your position to function as He desires.
How can you be upset at this?
He has placed the person above you exactly where He has desired.
To fulfill the purpose He has called in that person.
Who are you to argue with this?
Who are you to be upset at the Lord's decision?
Do you know more than the Lord?
Are you wiser than God?
Are you angry that your father is your father and wish to be his father?
In the same way,
You can not wish to be over someone who God has appointed you to be under. To know authority is to know humility.
We as brothers and sisters of Christ already have authority no matter what position we are placed in.
Because we walk in the authority of the Holy Spirit wherever we go.
Do not get the authority of the world and the Authority of the Spirit confused.
God commands.
We follow.
Let it be so.
That is true humility. That is true authority.
Verses on Authority:
Romans 13:1-7
Titus 3:1
1 Peter 2:13-25
1 Peter 5:3
So, you guys have heard my heart on the before.
Now, I wanna take some time and go into the after. Marriage, if you will.
I know what your thinking.
"He's not married. He's not even in a relationship?
What could he know?"
And to that I say this:
I don't care. I'll speak on it anyways. God can give wisdom without having experience.
If that bothers you, please click the "X" in the corner of this page.
The Lord has been revealing some mind blowing preparations for me.
Little have I thought about what happens after marriage, only what I should do to get married.
But how can you be prepared for something if you do not think about it?
I am determined to be the best husband and father I can be to my wife and my kids.
I sit here and wonder why so many people are getting divorces or found cheating.
You've heard the stats, I won't bother with them. God is above statistics.
Anyhow, I wonder what we are missing.
What happened to the glue that is supposed to hold these families together?
What was the glue to begin with? The glue has been and always will be God.
Yes, yes, you know this already. But do you really?
Do you truly understand what that means.
That means that you must Love God over your family.
Over your wife.
Over your kids.
Yes, yes, of course you do.
But, really. Do you?
It must be unbelievably difficult.
Just thinking about my wife right now, I find myself falling in love with her.
And I havn't even met her yet.
What happens when I have her?
When I can see her?
Touch her?
Talk to her?
How easy it would be to put her over God. And what about children?
I love kids more than anything.
What happens when I have a little girl or boy and get to hold them in my arms?
Or get to lay in bed with them at night? How could I not admire them and love them over Christ?
It would be so easy. The answer to this riddle is strange.
Because if you love your wife or you love your kids over God then that love is lacking.
Where is the source of love?
Where does all love come from? The answer is God.
God is love.
The only true love we have to give comes from Him. So, it's strange, but to truly love someone you must first love God.
If you focus all your love on a person and raise them above God,
then eventually that love will run out. People don't produce love.
God produces love.
Or is Love, rather.
To truly love your wife you have to hold Christ in a higher place in your heart than her.
To show your children the utmost passion you must submit then under God. Your relationship with Christ should come first because through Him
you learn how to best love those you care about.
Think of this.
Would Christ ever leave me completely for another person?
Of course not!
He will never leave or forsake me.
He loves me too much.
How then can I ever cheat on my wife when she is mine?
Or this.
How many times has Christ forgiven me for a thousand offences I have brought to Him?
Literally, an uncountable number.
But He continues to forgive.
No matter what.
How then can I ever withhold Grace from my wife when she upsets me?
No, I will choose to forgive her and give Grace to her every time because it is given to me constantly.
The thing is this.
The closer your relationship with Christ is,
The better your understanding of what true Love is,
The better your relationships will be because you will desire to share love as you have received. As you Love Christ, the characteristics of the Father will begin to become more attractive.
As you see how much you have been given, you will begin to desire to give the same.
I can promise you this.
You can not love truly and purely on your own.
You will fail eventually.
How can you not?
Where does your love come from?
Yourself?
I don't know about you,
But I am not a great candidate for love.
Not in it of myself. We must go to the source of Perfect Love.
Only then can we love others with a pure heart.
Because the Love comes from Christ.
Through us.
That is a huge relief.
Praise God.
So much easier now to forgive.
So much easier now to commit.
So much easier now that I have the perfect example showing me how. God loves you so much.
And because He loves, so also can you love.
Amen.
So I have been writing letters to someone I do not know yet.
Someone who God has prepared for me.
That someone is my wife.
Or future wife, rather.
I got the idea from a sister of mine that has been my friend since I was 12.
She's a brilliant women of God and I love her dearly.
Thanks, Chelse.
For those who know me, you understand that
I am what you call a "hopeless romantic." I love love.
And when I love I give everything.
Because why hold back a gift as beautiful as love.
The only use love can ever have is to be given.
So give it all.
Anyhow, I digress.
Before I wrote the first letter I expected the activity to be a
fun thing I could do for whoever I ended up with.
Just another romantic thing that would "blow away" the girl I chose.
Wow, was I wrong.
Immediately after I wrote the first letter, God started me on a spiritual journey.
It changed everything about how I view marriage.
This is not a joke.
God took away any attraction to any women I see.
Like, no longer do I desire the outward appearance of women. Lust has no place in my heart any longer.
Praise praise praise God.
The reason?
God told me about my wife.
The one He has already chosen for me.
The one He had chosen for me before I was even born.
If He has chosen her for me than she is already mine.
Right now.
And I am hers.
Right now.
Does that not blow your mind?
Do you know how much that solves?
Single people. Hear me. God has someone chosen for you right now.
In this moment.
Set apart uniquely for you!
You do not have to seek.
You do not have to worry about waiting.
He or she is yours.
Now listen to this.
If that is true. If they are already yours.
If you are set apart for them and they for you.
Then to spend any time pursuing or seeking another person is cheating.
It is adultery.
Whether you are with your future wife/husband or not.
Whether you know who they are or you don't.
It is cheating.
If God has already chosen them to be yours for eternity
than why waste time with someone else?
I can no longer believe that it is God's desire that we "test out" people
romantically before finding the "one."
Do you truly believe God wants you to experience
multiple persons before you find your actual love?
Because you do know that the entire institute of marriage is only created
to be an example of Christ's relationship to the Church.
With our relationship to God.
That is literally the only reason marriage exists.
With that, do you truly believe God wants us to experience or seek
other gods or persons or idols before we finally find Him?
If you do you are dead wrong.
In the same way, it can not be His desire that we seek other persons
before we finally find our spouse.
God will not let you waste time with other people
if you are diligently seeking your future spouse.
The first thing you should do as soon as you begin to feel attraction or desire
for a person is to separate yourself from them and diligently ask God,
"Father, is this person going to be my future husband/wife?" He will answer.
God is not going to let you choose someone who He has not chosen for you if you are truly seeking the one He has chosen for you.
That is a big if.
Because you can choose wrong.
*SPOILER*
You can end up with someone who you are not supposed to be with.
You can settle.
If you are not seeking the person God has chosen for you.
The Enemy does not want you to end up with the man or women God desires for you.
Because He knows that will bring you joy and bring Him glory.
That is why God has chosen them. Your joy and His glory.
The Enemy will try anything to separate you from them.
Know your weakness and your strength.
If you are alive, you desire a human connection.
You desire someone to fill your soul with love.
The only options you have are God and people.
Sometimes God just desires you to only desire Him.
God bless the people He has chosen for that.
But mostly, God has chosen people to share love with another person.
To make two people one for their entire lives.
Hallelujah.
Because the Enemy knows the holy desire that God has given you,
he will try to taint it and twist it.
With lust. With sexual desires. With other people.
Even if they are Godly people.
If they are not who God has chosen for you the Enemy can use it to destroy you. Guard your hearts.
Make a decision today.
Sit down right now and pray for your Father to take away
any desire for anyone other than your future spouse.
Waiting becomes so much easier when you realize that they are already yours.
And where frustration for waiting used to be, excitement for what will be explodes.
Do not waste time. Do not settle.
Your future husband/wife is somewhere right now waiting for the day
that you appear in their lives and become one with their souls.
Do not suffer them any longer with seeking a love that is not theirs.
They do not deserve it. Women:
He deserves you.
And you deserve her. Men:
She deserves you.
And you deserve him. Go write a letter.
Tell your future spouse how much you love he/her.
Amen. You lovers, you.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $1,100 to meet my next deadline by April 3rd, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
No running water.
No electricity.
Food I can't even recognize.
Large spiders constantly running around our rooms.
Beds made of mattresses stuffed with dirty rags.
A cold shower once a week.
Never having even an ounce of privacy. Always feeling hungry. Children screaming your name for no reason every second of every day. I live for this, now.
My daily life here is more than I could ever ask for at home. I am blessed beyond what I could have ever thought possible. This month we have been working at an orphanage named Quinta Esperanza. House of Hope. It's a fitting name for where we are. Here in Nicaragua, it is a common thing for daughters to be passed around sexually between family members starting as babies and until they experience they're first period. Every girl that lives at Quinta Esperanza has experienced it.
Millions more that do not live there experience it daily.
If this is how this world is, hope is all we have left.
Hope for something better.
Hope for change.
Hope for Jesus.
Our team has been able to spend all our time with these kids as we live where they live.
There are about fifteen boys and girls ranging from 5 years old to 18.
You wouldn't believe it but the girl that runs this whole site is 22 years old.
1 Timothy 4:12 “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example
for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” Well, she does it. There are two twins, both 5, who are gigantic balls of energy. I love them. One is mentally handicapped and the most uncoordinated person I have ever met. I play with him constantly. The other is mischievous and hyper and hilarious. They are both named Gustavo.
Don't ask me why. They are both products of rape. Their mother and our cook, Reyna, experienced it 6 years ago. Now, she has two beautiful, amazing boys. Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to His purpose.” No, God did not cause that man to commit that act on her. But he worked through it to bring her a family. What a blessing. Praise God. One thing I keep coming back to is hope. Every person who lives here is filled with joy because of their true Father. Because of Jesus Christ. They talk about him constantly. With us. With everyone. They seek the word constantly and make sure to spend alone time with their Dad. They get it. They have nothing at all. Except for they have Him. And so they have everything. They have purpose. James 1:9 “The brother in humble circumstances should take pride in his high position...” I have been thinking a lot about purpose, lately. What is my purpose? To follow Jesus. That is easy. But it gets deeper than that. What is my true purpose? I seek God on it constantly and He slowly tells me. I love that. If I knew everything now I wouldn't have anything to look forward to. But here's my question to you. What is your purpose? If you have Jesus then of course your purpose is to follow Him. I pray He reveals more to you. But how about those that do not have Jesus. What is your purpose then? To make a lot of money and live a comfortable life? To earn fame or authority? To be drunk constantly and to search for a new partner to sleep with every night? To raise a good family that will raise another good family. And then what? And then die? And then fade? Become nothing? Sounds horrible to me. I want you to know. I want you to hear the words from me. You have a greater purpose than that. You have a Father in heaven who loves you, no, he adores you. He created you and He wants you back. You are His. The creator of the universe. He specifically wants you. Everything you search in this world to fill that gap in your soul is worthless. Money will fade. Fame and authority changes and is lost. Your family will die. You will die. But that doesn't have to be the end. You can have eternity. Right now. You can have purpose. Right now. Stop living for yourself. Live for the one who created you. Who created it all. John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.” All other gods, whether material or religious, are false. Know the truth right now. He's waiting for you with open arms. Go find your purpose.
"This is love."
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,500 to meet my next deadline by April 1st, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
Video recap of the ministry our squad did in Honduras. Hope this blesses your socks off.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,700 to meet my next deadline, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
video by ChristopherBeaudoin.theworldrace.org
video by BethanyStanbrough.theworldrace.org
video by TatumPomeroy.theworldrace.org
video by BethanyBernard.theworldrace.org
May this strengthen your Spirits and cause your Souls some laughter.
1. Grace, grace, grace! Everything we do is in God's grace. Everything! Every good thing I have done, am doing, or will do, has been, is, and will be through His grace. If I have a talent or skill it has been through His grace. Or any good deed I have ever done for His glory has been through His grace. May I never forget that and foolishly believe any of my good qualities or actions are by my own doing. 1. If you are in need of some good and interesting conversation, coed bathrooms are where they are at.
2. We should have so much love for our brothers and sisters in Christ that we would rather throw ourselves in between them and an Enemy attack, rather than sit back, pray, and hope for the best. Our love should be so strong that we would rather sacrifice our own safety rather than allow harm to come to one another, whether physical or spiritual. 2. Having a conversation while on the toilet with a girl in another stall isn't as awkward as you'd think.
3. Trials, temptations, and tribulations, though from the Enemy, are allowed by God for our own benefit to bring our relationship closer to God through our perserverance (James 1: 2-4). Start getting excited whenever the 3T's come because you know that God is desiring to teach you something that will bring you closer to Him! Try and Trial's Gain. 3. The reason you put the seat back down is because women can and will fall in.
4. Me-I have spent my life since I learned who the Holy Spirit was, pursuing and loving only the Holy Spirit while trying to ignore God the Father and mildly understanding Jesus. I have been afraid to get to know my Father and so have run to His Spirit (which is still God, but different) and allowed myself to hide from God the Father. May my Daddy forgive me for trying to block Him out and reduce His significance in the pursuit of my walk. I thank my Dad for forgiving me right away and showing me my faults. Now my eyes are on Him. Now, I no longer have a fear of man because my eyes are completely focused on my Father. 4. If you take a shower after a girl there will always be a mini-chewbaca of hair left in the drain.
5. You either feed the flesh or feed the Spirit with everything you do. You can not feed both at the same time! If you are constantly feeding the flesh then when you try to step into the Spirit, you will be pulled back into the flesh. In the same way, when you constantly feed the Spirit, then when you try to step into the flesh, you will be pulled back into the Spirit. When you live in the flesh, the things of the Spirit seem strange and awkward but when you live in the Spirit, the things of the flesh seem strange and awkward. 5. Girls poop does stink.
6. Marriage was solely created to bring two people into a closer relationship with God by exemplifying how Christ is to the bride. How dare we allow it to be only a relationship between a man and a woman. Also, if I looked at my relationship with my wife as I saw Christ's relationship with me how could I ever cheat on her? Christ will never leave me for another. How could I not constantly forgive her? Christ will forever forgive me for my faults. What would a marraige look like if we truly tried to exemplify how Christ cares for us? 6. Men are no longer allowed to leave the stall door open when urinating.
7. God is tired of only the handfulls of people like Billy Graham or great famous missionaries like Shane Clairbourne that everyone looks up to, reads their books and emphasizes their work. Those people are so blessed for what they are doing but we should all be running with them. It is time to bring everyone together to move as one body of the Church. How dare we allow single people to bring the Kingdom of God down to Earth and give them reverence for it but then do not do anything to reach where they are at? God moves the whole flock of sheep as one. Yes, you may move on to the green pastures of His presence on your own, but it is lonely without the other sheep with you. Also, the sheep who choose to stayback and rest but do not receive the greener pastures are going to miss out on the glory of God that they are able to obtain. Imagine if the whole flock moved together as one into green pastures. What nations would change through their power in Christ as one body! 7. Multiply time to wait for the sink and mirror by five if you're behind a woman, rather than a man. (Not a problem, ladies. Just an observation.)
8. If your full identity is in Christ and the goal of your life is to become closer to Him, then no matter what is taken out of your life or what happens, you can continue on. Too often parents can put their identities in their children because they have not focused their identities or their families on God. Then when their children move away they become lost because the person they have lived through vicariously is no longer there. If your identity and desire is to seek Christ in everything, even over your wife and your children, then your identity will never change depending on other's circumstances because it will be set firm in Christ. 8. Explosive diarrhea does not have a gender preference.
9. Me- The Lord held up a mirror to my face and showed me the crititcal spirit I have had my whole life. I had always known about it but never put a name to it. Since He showed it to me I have been disgusted by my own sin in that stature and have had pure Holy discontent. However, the Lord is freeing me from that completely and it is all through His glory and strength and not through mine! Praise God! 9. Tampons. Enough said.
10. If you have sin that you are carrying in your character such as pride, impatience, or anger, you will not be able to rid yourself of it on your own. No class, method, or book will truly rid you of it. The only thing that can truly remove those sins is the grace of Jesus Christ! Take joy in your weakness for He is the only person who can take that away from you, but first you must recognize that sin and desire to change whole-heartedly for His glory. Only then can He cure you and release you from your sin. Again, you can not do it on your own! Praise Him for His constant desire to bring you closer to Him! For your good! 10. There are things I do not want to know about girls.
11. My God is bigger than your god! Nowehere I can find in the Bible does any person try to disprove an enemy god by arguing agaisnt their existence. Actually, in every situation the prophets would only try to show how much greater their God was then the other false gods. Sometimes even ridiculing the other god's lack of power or appearance. (Examples: Elisha; 1 Kings 18: 16-45/ Moses; Exodus 7: 8-13/ Paul; Acts 13: 8-12 & 17: 22-34) Maybe we should stop trying to disprove other religions and beliefs and start allowing God to prove Himself and His truths! 11. Everything you need to learn about living with your future spouse can be learned through sharing a coed bathroom.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,700 to meet my next deadline, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops...so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” -James 1:2-4
Consider it joy?
When you face trials?
That's not what I learned.
Aren't trials bad?
From the Devil?
Meant to hurt and destroy us?
Answer: Yes.
So what then?
God is sitting on the opposite side of a battlefield.
Doing His best to stop these attacks?
But...failing?
That doesn't sound like my God.
My God doesn't fail.
My God is in control. “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven?
You rule over all the kingdoms in the nations,
Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.” -2 Chronicles 19:11 My God wins.
That's it.
So then, God is in control.
Yet, we still receive trials and temptations.
Why?
Well, lemme ask you this.
Are you perfect?
If the answer is no, then you have sinful thoughts and fleshly desires.
Don't worry.
You're in the same boat as all of us.
So then, lemme ask you this.
How do you expect to get rid of that sin and flesh desire?
What's your game plan?
Just to stop?
Give up all that filthy stuff one day.
What about all the things you don't even realize that separates you from Daddy?
Things so engrained into your being that you don't even recognize them.
How do you get rid of that?
Answer: You can't.
Not without God anyways.
Trials suck.
Temptations are hard.
But they are essential to your survival.
God does not cause them. “...For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone” -James 1:13
But He does allow it.
He allows trials and temptations to come into your life. For your good.
Because you can't revolt against your flesh on your own.
You won't.
You like it too much.
You need God for that.
You need His Grace.
You need a test.
To all those who believe they can do it themselves.
You are in a dangerous place.
And you're wrong.
But if God allows those things to happen then it is for a purpose.
If He allows you to endure a trial or be tempted then He has a purpose for it.
And it is always to bring you closer to Him.
That's a good place to be.
Every trial specifically targets a weakness that is keeping you from your Father.
That should change how you view things now.
It sure changed me.
I have been getting excited lately whenever something difficult comes my way.
Because now I look for what God is trying to speak to me through it.
What He wants to change so we can be closer.
If my schedule suddenly changes.
God I give you control.
If the people around me begin to frustrate me.
God teach me patience.
If I start feeling terribly sick.
God let me learn to rely on you.
If my brother is tired of carrying his bag.
God teach me to serve like you.
The list never ends.
My trials never end.
Because my relationship with God will never end.
It must always grow.
Lest I start relying on myself and make a total mess of my life.
I don't care how entitled you believe you are to carefree living.
God's trials are a favor.
Accept them.
Gladly.
As soon as you do,
Your relationship with Daddy will skyrocket.
I guarantee it.
Start seeing every single problem in your life as a challenge.
To learn about yourself and grow closer to your Creator who loves you.
And wants what is infinitely best for you.
It doesn't make it any less hard.
But it makes it worth it.
If you need proof,
look to Joseph.
When he was a boy he was happy.
He had the love of his father and a sweet jacket to go with it.
Then after, he endured brotherly betrayal.
Then slavery.
Then temptation by a married woman.
Then undeserved time in prison.
But then God made him the second most powerful man in Egypt.
And at the end of it all,
he said to his brothers who had betrayed him, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good
to accomplish what is now being done,
the saving of many lives.” -Genesis 50:19-20
God intended.
All of it.
All that pain and waiting.
For the good of Joseph.
And for many other lives.
Praise be to our awesome Daddy.
Who sees the bigger picture.
What a relief.
So don't get discouraged by trials or tough times.
Don't get upset when your plans are changed,
or you lose your job,
or you become sick or injured.
Rather, be encouraged and get excited.
Daddy is about to pull you closer into His arms.
If you would only reach out yours.
Fire burns.
But without the heat, you'll never be refined.
Nothing in this world matters except God.
There is no other goal than to run towards your Father.
Refine me God. Turn up the heat.
I wanna glow.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,700 to meet my next deadline, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
The Lord has been blowing my mind, recently. Or should I say, “blowing my face off.” Seriously. There are pieces of my face scattered throughout Central America. And there is no sign of slowing down. Recovery is futile. ...Bring it on. Daddy has upped His game. Well, my game. He has been revealingmind-blowing, life-changing things to me. Daily. Like, things I could spend a year growing solely in. He is giving me twenty-four hours. And then showing me something else. Things about who I truly am. Or who I need to be. Gifts and blessings He is pouring out on my life. Truths about Him and who He is. Or what He is doing. Or how He is moving. Or how He is going to move me. My future. My past. My present. Him. Tears now have a permanent residency on my cheeks. I did not expect this much so soon. You know what I am doing now? Expecting much more. I wake up every morning expecting my God to shatter my face with some new revolutionary revelation that will change my heart. And He will. And I'll listen. And it'll change me. They're gonna find pieces of my face scattered across three continents after this is over. That's the thing that's crazy. I'm two meager months into the race. And I am completely different then who I was when I started. Like, noticeably. Even people on the race have been telling me how copiously I have grown from El Salvador to Honduras. Praise God. And His ultimate Grace. So why isn't it like this at home? Why did I get to keep my face for so long before? Instead of having it melted off constantly with Holy Spirit realizations. I think it's because of that expectancy. Or lack of, rather. How often do you wake up expecting God to reveal something life-changing to you in that day? How often do you ask God to seriously blow your face off with His love? I'll be honest. When I woke up at home all I thought about was what time work was, or who I was hanging out with, or what cereal I was gonna choose that morning. Rarely (or rather, never) did I think about what God was gonna show me that day. Or what my Daddy had to speak to me to so I could seek Him better. I had a pretty complacent face, overall. Some scratches here and there, but disappointingly still intact. So why now, then? Why now does God fill me with knowledge of who He is every single day? Because I'm on a mission trip? I don't believe that bull for a second. He wants to reveal the same stuff and more to you, too. He wanted to reveal it to me back when I was home. But we have to start expecting it. Start seeking it. Wake up every morning in that expectation of hearing God's voice. I guarantee you He's talking. It comes down to listening. It has always come down to listening. So listen. Here's the thing. I don't want this to just be some blog you read and move on. This has just now become a challenge. Listen to what God has for you. Expect to hear something every day. As God reveals what He has for you. Write it down and share it with this community. Post a comment with what God has taught you. Spread the love. Encourage me. I dare you. Expect that God is seeking you out constantly every day to bless you with more of His wisdom. Go out there and get your faces blown off.
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The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,700 to meet my next deadline, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
Teaching former street kids English.
Walking up to well known gangsters in the most dangerous city in Honduras.
Playing games with young children in a detention center
who were swept unconsious off the streets from all the paint thinner they've inhaled.
Translating testimonies from Spanish to English for former gangmembers.
Hugging and loving on teens who used to hold people at knifepoint for their next high.
Experiencing Jesus' mercy and grace at every streetcorner.
This is what I've been doing the past two weeks.
This isn't some documentary.
It's not a news article you read in the paper.
It's not a two minute clip on CNN.
This is someone you know doing these things.
Bring it a bit closer to home?
I hope so.
Guys...this stuff is huge. It's real. It's here.
Right in our backyard.
I'm not surprised that your surprised.
I was too.
A lot of times people say to me:
"Zach, your so brave for doing this."
or "I would be way too afraid to do anything like that."
I'm sure even while you read that you were thinking something like,
"Wow, I hope Zach stays safe, because I'm afraid for his safety."
But lately I have been thinking...
What the hell are we afraid about?
Yah, these are my boys. I'll keep their names for privacy if ya don't mind.
Kids just like these cover the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Most of them start sniffing paint thinner
and smoking weed at 8 years old and up.
Most of them either have no parents or just their mother.
Fathers are a rare thing.
Kids like this stroll the streets looking for victims to assault
in order to steal a cell phone and some cash to pay for their next
supply of paint thinner.
As they grow up they form gangs that horde drugs and kill for territory.
This is a court where hundreds of youth and street kids came
to play with some gringos and consequently learn about Jesus.
It was absolutely amazing.
But look in the back at the men under the basketball hoop who came too.
Those are the city's gangmembers.
True thieves and murderers.
So of course I walked right up to them and started sharing Jesus.
I know what you're gonna ask.
Were'nt you scared though?
Here's my answer.
How in the world could I possibly ever be scared.
Ya know what?
They should be scared of me.
I have my Father's anointing.
I have the Holy Spirit.
I have eternity.
They don't.
How could I be scared.
How could you be scared?
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
We have the Maker of Heaven and Earth in front of us.
What do they have?
A damned costume they dance around in
to hide behind their fear.
I'm gonna say this again.
We have eternity.
They do not.
To live is Christ and to die is gain?
Sounds harsh?
Nothing truer has been said.
What worlds would be changed if you let go
of your pointless fears and allowed the Holy Spirit
to work through you.
I'll show you one.
This boy used to be a typical street kid.
He's been clean of all that for half a year now.
He's still one of the roughest kids I've ever met.
But now he bakes cookies and wants to start a bakery when he is older.
And He loves Jesus.
And hugs constantly.
These are the things that make me cry.
Oh, and the cookies are delicious.
You do not need to be scared of any person or thing.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by following Christ.
Nothing important to lose, anyhow.
Do you think the Holy Spirit would lead you into danger?
I'll answer that carefully.
Maybe.
But if through that danger one more lost orphan of our Daddy's
welcomes his Father's arms?
Then why not listen?
There's no excuse.
You have eternity already.
You can not die.
You have the best gift anyone can ever receive.
And your only job is to give it to someone else.
You do not need to be afraid of them, whoever they may be.
They need to be afraid of you.
You are a Warrior of Christ.
Raise your banner. Storm the Enemy's gates.
He's got nothing on you.
Happy Valentine's Day!
I know it's a little late but the intent of this blog was for V-day.
And it's the thought that counts right? Women!
This is for you.
I've been learning a lot about my role in a women's life.
Who I was before was not anywhere near enough.
This is my first Spoken Word and it's something
the Lord completely filtered through me.
Literally, while I was writing this in the back seat of our bus,
I was crying because of what the Lord was teaching me through it.
It's called A Man's Promise.
So listen to it, ladies.
Cuz it's from your Daddy(God).
And listen to it men.
Cuz it's what you should be saying.
Amen.
Lyrics (video below):
For all the women of the world today, I'd like to share some words.
And so you know I'm not a fraud I'll say I promise of their worth.
I Promise.
We as males are honored to serve next to you.
You make us better men.
So now we make this vow anew, to bless you until the end.
Of this small poem yes but more than that.
For this time is small and my dream is fat.
My prayers that you'd take more from us.
That we'd be more than "sweet boys that didn't lust."
Wow. Big Deal. That is real but we want to help heal the hurts that you feel.
Which you have received from the men who were fleas and caused that disease.
The thought brings me to my knees.
God please!
Help us to be the release.
For you are worth so much more than the world offers
Or the sins of the fathers who have wounded their daughters
To make you think you must be hotter or fodder a spirit that forces you to believe
you are "not enough," "must be better," or "unworthy in our Father's eyes."
Well those are lies!
That he despises and so I won't hide the truth from you any longer.
So here goes, we're about to rid you of those past woes
So please listen to the words my Father chose to call you by.
You are beautiful.
And you know I'm not just talkin about the clothes you wear
or the style of your hair or the makeup you put on to cover that face so bare
but something so much more sincere.
You know, I could swear that you still fear the things you hear
from the men who are too scared to love and care for the
perfect and gorgeous woman that God has made you to appear.
You are beautiful.
Believe me, no believe God when I say this is the truest thing you will ever receive.
You are strong!
Man, I could sing that song all day long if it would right the wrongs
that society has shouted at the top of it's deceitful lungs.
You are strong.
Or do you think Mary was weak?
No, God chose that blessed virgin because she leaked the Holy Spirit
from the peak of her head all down to her feet.
That's what you should seek.
You are strong.
Now listen, truly listen to this next message I have to bring.
You are worth everything.
I'll say it again. Ya know what, no, maybe I'll just sing.
You are worth everything.
That means that you deserve, no, you have the right
to invite all of God's light into your life and if any man should fight that
or use his words like a knife well that plight is more sinful
than the darkest of night.
No, our words as men should ignite your hearts, make them bright,
cause your souls to take flight, bring you to heights above the frightened mights
of this world that bite you and cause you strife.
What a sight that would be, right?
Even as a joke those words can poke holes in your soul
and invoke those feelings of being less than whole.
So don't tolerate it, it's already too late.
Stop waiting and start creating a standard for yourself
Write this down, hang it on a lanyard around yourself
Instead of leaving it dusty on the shelf it has been on for so long.
You are worthy to be served.
So don't you swerve from that service which you deserve.
Hide your pride and decided against the idea that you can
provide solely for yourself and don't need anyone else to confide in.
Whoever told ya that one, lied.
You are worthy to be served.
If you do not find a man who uses his own hands to bring about
a greater plan for your life, well, ya might as well be sifting sand.
We as men have learned that in order to earn your love we must
yearn for our Jesus and discern how we can bring about your glory.
We don't need a ring to share in your story.
We are your brothers.
And we love you. Dearly.
We hope you never weary of our servitude
and we pray you never stop calling us to be greater men.
With the end of this message I wish to send I beg that you
never pretend to be anyone other than who you were mean to be.
Amen.
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The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
If you would like to donate, I need $2,700 to meet my next deadline, please go to www.theworldrace.org/?tab=support and follow the instructions. It is definitely needed and appreciated! Thanks and God Bless!
