Transparent Reformission

NEW BLOG

2007-05-22T20:23:00.000-04:00

As much as I've appreciated using blogger for Montreal last summer, I will be using Xanga now to communicate what is going on in life and in Montreal this summer. So, the new address is:

www.xanga.com/dwight_bernier

Please check out this site and leave me lots of love this summer, cause why not leave lots of love?

-dwight

New Year's Truth - being known by God!

2007-01-01T18:37:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!
I haven't blogged in such a long time. I believe it to be a reflection of prioritizing during a rather hectic time, not only for myself, but I imagine for most of you as well. But, reading J.I. Packer's book "Knowing God", I encountered a quote and truth that brought much joy to my heart. Here it is. Enjoy, and find complete and utter satisfaction in God.
"There is tremendous relief in knowing that His [God's] love for me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me.
There is, certainly great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see (and am I glad!), and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, He wants me as His friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given His Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose. We cannot work these thoughts out here....He knows us."
Packer, p. 42.

Savor over these sweet words about our Creator, and beg Him to help us know Him, not merely about Him, this year.

Enabled.
Dwight

Speak with Authority

2006-11-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

Here is a poem from the slam-poet genius, Taylor Mali, talking about how our generation sucks at saying what they want to say. We add so many things to our explanations, and ..... well, I think he says it well, and sarcastically, because that is a real 'virtue' of our generation as well.

TOTALLY LIKE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW?
- taylor Mali
"In case you hadn't noticed,
it has somehow become uncoll
to sound like you know what you're talking about?
Or believe strongly in what you're saying?
Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)'s
have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences?
Even when those sentences aren't, like, questions? You know?

Declaritive sentences - so-called
because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true
as opposed to other things which were, like, not -
have been been infected by a totally hip
and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know?
Like, don't think I'm uncool just because I've noticed this;
this is just like the word on the street, you know?
It's like what I've heard?
I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay?
I'm just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty?

What has happened to our conviction?
Where are the limbs out on which we once walked?
Have they been, like, chopped down
with the rest of the rain forest?
Or do we have, like, nothing to say?
Has society become so, like, totally....
I mean absolutely.... You know?
That we've just gotten to the point where it's just like....
whatever!

And so actually our disarticulation...ness
is just a clever sort of...thing
to disguise the fact that we've become
the most aggressively inarticulate generation
to come along since....
you know, a long, long time ago!

I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,
I challenge you: To speak with conviction.
To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks
the determination with which you believe it.
Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,
it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.
You have to speak with it, too."

What a challenge, to make each word count, especially in our sharing Christ with people. Be articulate and allow for Christ to speak through you. I really like the line "To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it." If you really trust Jesus, then speak with confidence about Him, no matter how hard it is - determine to trust Him and not your fears. Speak with boldness, power and discipline - because God has not given us a spirit of timidity!
It's hard to speak clearly, but let's work on it, for the conveying of the gospel. (and saving more of our breath maybe).....

Dwight

Crucified Madonna now a Jewish Jesus believer? (I can't quite figure it out either)

2006-11-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

So, if anyone knows anything about Madonna's recent tour, you would know that she would end her shows with a mock crucifixion, where she was put in the place where Jesus was - kind of like the passion of Madonna. That caused a big stir, especially when she did it near Rome - which is a big no-no in sacramental, traditional, work-my-way-to-heaven candyland (and of course anywhere else either).
And recently, Madonna has nailed down some extra publicity in the adoption of her new child, which I'm not going to go into detail to describe.
But most recently, Madonna has called herself a follower of Jewish mysticism - but that she believes in Jesus too. Madonna has taken the name of Ester as part of her religion and she celebrates Jewish holidays. But she wants Jesus too!
She mentions her new son David, and says that when he is growing up, he can be a Christian and study Kabbalah (the form of Jewish mysticism) too. She sees no issue with that at all. Madonna is trying to make her own belief system out of one that does not recognize Jesus and one that does. So, she wants Jesus involved in her beliefs - but doesn't want to be involved in Jesus' beliefs.
It's amazing what Rick Ross, one of Kabbalah's followers said of Madonna and anyone else that wants to follow more than one "religion", "It's historically and practically impossible for a person to be two religions simultaneously." Weird, isn't that what Jesus said a long time ago.
"No man can serve two masters." - Jesus.
So, Madonna is once again trying to make her own rules on things. But she wants Jesus. May the grace of God be in her life, so that she rejects everything else, denies herself, and take up the cross - and follow Jesus.
Madonna's ideas are so in tune with what the world wants now - Jesus and something else. But it can't happen that way. The only way is Jesus. And He said it.
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." - Jesus.
It's only in Jesus that we can find hope, joy and eternal life. In Christ alone!

Dwight

5 Ways To Be Irrelevant

2006-11-01T09:17:00.000-05:00

I recently received the magazine, OUTREACH, and there is a great article titled, "Got Street Smarts?", and it focuses being culturally relevant and standing for truth. Of course there is a ridiculous amount of information on this, but I think that it is such a struggle to, as the article says, "follow in the footsteps of jesus and walk the tightrope between biblical authenticity and cultural relevancy". But they had an insert in the article, and the insert was written by Heather Johnson (I have no idea who that is) - but I liked it a lot. So, I'm going to put it down here. These are the Five Ways to Be IRrelevant.

Five Ways to be Irrelevant
1. STAY CLOSE TO HOME!
Don't venture too far from your home and church. For fear of being influenced by the strange habits of non-Christians, stay within the safe, known company of those who think like you. By doing this, you're guaranteed to never set a Christian example among the estimated 175 million American unbelievers. Moreover, unbelievers will not be able to teach you anything about their struggles and challenges with their personal faith and beliefs - or lack thereof.
2. READ ONLY CHRISTIAN MATERIAL.
Because other books and magazines may address controversial, challenging topics, stick with only the Bible and Christian classics. This ensures a limited perspective on the world and culture. Steer clear of books like The New York Times Bestseller "THE LANGUAGE OF GOD" by Francis S. Collins, which argues that faith in God and faith in science can co-exist.
3. CONSIDER TECHNOLOGY AS SOMETHING ONLY FOR THE YOUNGSTERS.
Don't worry about new technology - blogging, podcasting, etc. After all, there are only 73 million Americans under the age of 18 who are more familiar with Web sites than books, and more accustomed to iPods than VCRs. By refusing to learn about new technology and how it can be used for more effective means of outreach, you can make sure that you or your church won't be of any interest to today's younger generations.
4. DON'T USE MODERN-DAY EXAMPLES
When you preach, open with corny jokes and use only dated stories to illustrate Bible lessons. Your unchurched or dechurched visitors will have a tough time understanding and relating. If you use the Bible, but then choose to also share secular examples from current movies or songs that many people are familiar with, they might better understand God's message and its applicability in their lives.
5. DON'T MAKE RELEVANCY A GOAL.
As you and your church leaders set goals, don't prioritize relevancy. By doing this, you'll be sure to follow steps 1 through 4.

This is not a rant against the church or anything like that. I love the Church, because it is the body of Christ. But, let's lose sleep over being relevant to the people that God brings into our lives, and contextualize it to our society. Take it as encouragement to move closer to what Jesus did - and not bend from the truth in doing it!

Dwight

Thomas a Kempis - Humble opinion of Self

2006-10-30T12:17:00.000-05:00

So often, I find that men that have gone before me put things much better than I could scribble them down on paper. Their word choices bring out with more clarity and punch the very essence of what they want to get across, where sometimes I feel like I'm just rambling about the so-called important thoughts in my mind. But humbleness and humility is something that is not spoken enough about. As I was drifting through this treasure of a book by Thomas a Kempis, I came across this true, yet troubling paragraph. It brings forth the very meaning behind the warning of I Corinthians 10:12. In our fight for our rights, our names to be known, for us to mean something, for significance, for popularity, and just to be plain cool, look at these worldly virtues in the light of what Thomas had to say.
"If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself." - Imitation of Christ

If we take his words as truth, we must lean heavy on the Lord and not trust in our own understanding, but trust in the Lord with all our might, and love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength - begging Him to help us enjoy Him.

"He must increase, but I must decrease" - John the Baptist

Decreasing.
Dwight

Meditation from Edwards on "The Excellency of Christ"

2006-10-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

Reading Jonathan Edwards is just plain hard and painful at times. But, he does an excellent discourse on "The Excellency of Christ", and I wanted to share a meditation and hopefully tantalize your appetite, and make you desire to read more of him. I suffer through reading this wonderful man of God, but it is so worth it. Enjoy, and enjoy God because of Him making much of Jesus through men like Jonathan Edwards. May we present Christ to the world as most excellent - and seek to know Him more deeply so that He will pour out of us as we live our lives.
"There meet in Jesus Christ, infinite justice and infinite grace. As Christ is a divine person, He is infinitely holy and just; hating sin, and disposed to execute condign punishment for sin. He is the Judge of the world, and the infinitely just Judge of it, and will not at all acquit the wicked, or by any means clear the guilty.
And yet He is infinitely gracious and merciful. Though His justice be so strict with respect to all sin, and every breach of the law, yet He has grace sufficient for every sinner, and even the chief of sinners. And it is not only sufficient for the most unworthy to show them mercy, and bestow some good upon them, but to bestow the greatest good; yea, it is sufficient to bestow all good upon them, and to do all things for them. There is no benefit or blessing that they can receive, so great but the grace of Christ is sufficient to bestow it on the greatest sinner that ever lived. And not only so, but so great is His grace, that nothing is too much as the means of this good. It is sufficient not only to do great things, but also to suffer in order to it; and not only to suffer, but to suffer most extremely even unto death, the most terrible of natural evils; and not only death, but the most ignominious and tormenting, and every way the most terrible that men could inflict; yea, and greater sufferings than men could inflict, who could only torment the body. He had sufferings in His soul, that were the more immediate fruits of the wrath of God against the sins of those He undertakes for." - Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume i. p. 681 (Hendrickson Edition).

May the words of Edwards lead us to love Jesus more and enjoy Him more. May we seek Him first and savor Him as the all-surpassing Value of our life. Read difficult theologians and struggle with me in this endeavor, but ENJOY God.

Savoring the Excellency of Christ.
Dwight

Free Audio from the Desiring God Conference

2006-10-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

Wow!
An amazing, God-centered, supremacy of Christ focused & exalted time this past conference was. It made my mind and heart so full that I didn't know what to do with myself most of the time. What an amazing lineup of speakers and men that just love God these guys were. It was so incredible to sit under their teaching for a short amount of time. It gave me a deeper appetite to search for the deeper things of God.
Anyways.... I could go on and on with how incredibly exhorting it was for me to be under the teaching of the Word from these men, or around the company of the brave Jesus-warriors from my church, or what a joy it was to be so full and filled with God that I couldn't talk at points, I was in awe - but that wasn't really what I was writing about.
I wanted to hook you all up with free audio from this conference. If you live in a postmodern society (which you all do unless you are hiding in a bombshelter still from one of the world wars or living in Cuba, where you have bigger problems than postmodernity), then you need to listen to these messages, because it brings the focus back to Christ for all of them. People need to be saved out of postmodernity, because it is a religion in itself. Don't buy into the idea that it is just a different way of being a Christian. That's crap and don't believe it! Follow Jesus! Share the gospel - because that is what Jesus said to do.
Free Audio:
Desiring God Conference Audio

Praise God for free audio and ministries like Desiring God that provide such things as these. They further my Christian walk more than they realize, I'm sure. Take advantage of these. And for people that don't have highspeed internet or an ipod (Alain, that is you), you need to repent and go and get both of those things, because you can listen to more John Piper, Mark Driscoll, D.A. Carson, Timothy Keller, David Wells & for you Alain, Ravi Z. Go buy one. And for any other people that are too hesitant about investing in these forms of technology - stop being such a sally and go get them, because they help us enjoy God by being able to listen to so many great servants of the Almighty in so much capacity, which fits neatly into our "5th pocket".

Enjoying God.
Dwight

Supremacy of Christ Conference

2006-09-27T19:36:00.000-04:00

So, this weekend, I will be flying out to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a conference on "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World". The speakers will be John Piper, Mark Driscoll, D. A. Carson, David Wells, Voddie Baucham and Tim Keller. Praise the Lord for these godly men that have had an impact in my life and my theology. I praise God for using them and allowing me to get the privilege of hearing and learning from them.
Please pray for these men as they minister to a few thousand people this weekend, and pray for me, that I be so focused on Jesus - the all-surpassing Value of my life. I need lots of prayer. Please, let me know what I can pray for you about.
Here's the link about the conference:

Supremacy of Christ Conferenc

Desiring God - because of Him.
Dwight

Finally.... back out on the streets (just diffferent ones)

2006-09-24T00:11:00.000-04:00

Hello..... sorry for not posting in such a while, but times have been busy, as I'm sure that they have been for many of you. But I have a huge praise, and that is that I am back out on the streets again, sharing the gospel with people. My Saturday nights, after the college-age small group that my friend and I lead, we will be heading out on the streets. Not with the sketchboard yet, but that will be starting soon as well. Portland is in need of some people out there.
We met a dude named Mark tonight, that has been on the streets for 26 years. He claims to be a believer, but I'm not so sure, but he was so amazed that someone was out talking to people about the gospel and Jesus. He said that he has never really had a conversation with people on the streets like we had tonight. Praise the Lord that He allowed us to meet Mark. He took a Bible and wants to start reading it, and it was such a nice start to the ministry that we are going to carry out on Saturday nights and whenever we can.

On a different note, a girl from our kids ministry, Boulevards, accepted the Lord this week! Praise God that people are seeing Jesus for the first time as their personal Savior and Commander. God is being so good and He is so sovereign - over all things.

Tonight at our gathering, I shared "How to accomplish Enjoying God forever". I will briefly share them here as well.
1. Galatians 2:19-21 - Surrender, you're dead, Christ is alive in you
2. Hebrews 12:2, 3 - Fix your eyes upon Christ
3. Hebrews 12:1 - Lay aside your sin
4. Hebrews 4:15 - Draw near to God in prayer
5. Psalm 16:11 - Enjoy the pleasures of God forever

The CHIEF END of man is to glorify God BY enjoying Him FOREVER.

Enjoy God and take pleasure in Him - Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Be a Christian Hedonist!!!!!

Fellow Christian Hedonist.
Dwight

Pray for Montreal

2006-09-13T20:20:00.000-04:00

Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I ask for your prayers for Montreal right now. I miss it there dearly, and if you've been listening to the news today, there was a shooting at one of the biggest colleges in Montreal. I've heard from my roommate there, Alain, and from Tony, the evangelist that I worked with, and they didn't know too much about all the individuals involved yet.
I did meet people that went to Dawson College this summer and I got to share the gospel with a young man that was really seeking just before I left there. There are people from Peoples Church that go there as well. So, as we know, God glorifies Himself all the time, so please pray that God would be glorified by many being saved because of questions coming up because of this tragedy.
This was right down the road from where we worked on the streets, and Tony and the team will be out this weekend. In the wake of all this, please pray for salvation for many, for comfort, for love, for answers and the Answer - which is Jesus.It hurt me much to hear about this - but God is in control of all things. Pray for the believers there - that it would awake them and give them a zeal and an urgency about sharing.
Pray for Montreal, please.

Enabled & Praying.
Dwight
Matthew 6:33

Thus the busyness begins... but praise the Lord

2006-09-06T19:23:00.000-04:00

Well, everything has started! There is so much going on already. Here, I've started my internship, my two jobs, school and next week, I start the childrens and college ministry. But praise the Lord! He is so good.
I want to seek the Lord with all my heart and mind, soul and strength - and find Jesus as my all-surpassing Value everyday! I need prayers for this. I need prayer for direction in my life. I need prayer for what is ahead in the future with ministry and some other areas in my life. I need prayer for what God is calling me to do now. Please, Pray!!!! I want the Lord to do so much in my life for His glory - and for His glory alone.
The temptation is for us to get ourselves in the way of what God wants to do - but this fall, please pray for yourself and for me, that He would increase but we would decrease. I need that prayer for my life.
I know that this is kind of a different type of blog to leave, but I want to keep giving stuff, but I haven't had time, so I wanted to quickly write what I was thinking about.
Please pray Ephesians 3:14-21 into your life.
Ask, beg God to work in your life and be the utmost Value in your life.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot

Give yourself to Jesus.

Given.
Dwight

Strategize with God and Do

2006-08-31T14:00:00.000-04:00

I was just reading an article by my good friends at Cadre Ministries about how to strategically set up what we should want as our goals this year in ministry - or better yet, God's goals for the ministry that He has so graciously allowed for us to be stewards of.
If you are in charge of a ministry this fall, please take some time away from everything and meet with God, to acknowledge that He is the One that the ministry is supposed to point toward, and ask (in my case beg) God to lead you to see the big picture of it all. As the article I read talked about doing this, it used the analogy of putting together a 1000 piece puzzle. As one pieces a puzzle together, usually the person consults the front of the box to see what the end picture looks like. This is how we should go about doing ministry. We should set up things that will show us that we are moving towards what we expected it to look like.
Maybe God's expectations are far beyond ours, and when our expectations are met, possibly God is going to take it to His level - which I'm sure that none of us would ever complain of.
But isn't this such a picture of what the future Kingdom is going to look like. We have a picture of what is ahead and we are working toward Christlikeness, which in the life we will never perfectly attain, but we press on - knowing that there is laid up for us a glorified body, a perfect body that is unable to sin, in a place where Christ fully reigns and there will be no more curse of sin, no more tears, no more death - and our faith is in front of us when Jesus welcomes us - forever!
God has a perfect plan of what He is doing, so may we consult with Him this fall as we head into our ministries - that all should point back to Him, who deserves all glory!
Strategize with God - and DO!!!!

Looking ahead.
Dwight

Surrounded by Favor

2006-08-28T12:08:00.000-04:00

Psalm 5:11, 12 - "But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield."

I am here in Maine once again, and honestly, it feels so weird. It feels like I left so much back in Montreal and now all I have is questions and the future is so foggy. I kind of broke down as I was driving from my parent's house to mine because it finally hit me that I left so much in Montreal. I said to the Lord that He must have something very important for me to learn about here or something important to teach me or for me to do - because I want to be there. But, the Lord's will be done - and I am here now, back in my room.
But last night before I went to bed (I sat up for a while because I didn't know what to do with myself), I read Psalm 5, and verse 12 jumped out at me when David writes of God that "it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield". I realized last night just how blessed I am. I am so fortunate to be surrounded with so many godly people and people that I love so dearly. It is as if there is a shield around me. The Lord has been so graceful to me in giving me so much that I don't deserve whatsoever. But may He reign in my life!
For those of you that I have left for a short while, please know that the Lord has blessed me by allowing me to get to intertwine myself into your lives. May there be many more days ahead. For those that I have returned to for a short while, may we make hay while the sun shines because there is so much work that needs to be done here in Portland.

This past week in Montreal, there were 9 people that accepted Christ as their personal Savior! Thursday night, Tony and I got to lead a 20-year old British dude named Sam to the Lord after 2 hours of discussion. Friday afternoon, I had the privilege of leading a lady named Rita to the Lord in the midst of her confusion of religion/Jesus. And Saturday night, the last night that I was there, praise the Lord that He gave me the privilege of leading a 15-year old Quebec girl to the Lord. Her story is amazing and was a real divine appointment from the Lord. The Lord works when we run after people and fight for their soul.
Praise the Lord for what He is doing in Montreal!
Well, please pray for me as I am back here with so much to meander over in my thoughts, but not much to actually do quite yet. But I pray that the grace of God will flourish in your lives and that you might see Jesus clearer because of significant time spent with Him in His Word and in prayer.
"Seek Him first and all these things shall be added unto you."

From Maine.
Dwight

Not Many Days Left...

2006-08-22T10:46:00.000-04:00

Wow, the summer is gone! It seems like it just began, and now I must return at the end of this week back to Maine. But the Lord is so good and He is going to do so much this week, I`m sure of it.
Sometimes when there is just a little time left or we`ve been doing something for a while now, and we`ve worked so hard at it, but maybe haven`t seen everything we wanted to see happen, we get discouraged or we don`t want to go and try again. But in my quiet time yesterday I came across an encounter that Simon (as Jesus refers to him as here instead of Peter) had with Jesus in Luke 5.
Simon is in his boat and Jesus wants to use it to talk with the people, and he does, and when he finishes teaching, he tells Simon to push the boat into deeper water and cast the nets out again. Simon tells Jesus that they`d been fishing all night long, BUT if He tells him to cast out the nets, he will. And they received a monster catch of fish!
Then Simon saw that he was a sinful man, and despite who he was, Jesus used him to catch a ton of fish. Clearly, Simon could claim no credit for what happened. Then Jesus tells him that he will now be a fisher of men.
This encouraged me so much, because despite who I am, despite how tired I am, despite how much I`ve done, despite how hard I`ve worked - when the Master tells us to go out into deeper waters, where things aren`t safe or scripted, we must go and throw down our nets, expecting Him to bring forth the catch.
Jesus is calling you to push your boat into deeper water and trust in Him, and cast out your nets - because He will make you fishers of men.

This might be my last post in Montreal, but I will update when I return home. Please pray for this last week, as it will be extremely busy. But, may the Lord bless the nets that we cast out.

This past weekend, there were a few guys that came to know Jesus as their Savior as well. Praise the Lord. One of the stories is amazing in how the Lord worked out some obstacles on the street to reach this guy. I love how Jesus works in people`s heart. God is so good! So, I must go now, but please pray that the Lord would bless our going out this last week and that many would come to know Him as a result - and that He would be glorified!

Fisher of men - by God`s grace.
Dwight

Breaking Out was Just the Beginning

2006-08-18T13:25:00.000-04:00

Last night on the streets, one of our teammates met a middle-aged man. He is a believer, but he told the man from our team that he had been living a homosexual lifestyle for some years now. But last night, he came clean and said that he wanted to come out of that lifestyle. He also made it very clear that he is a believer and could never believe that he could go that deep into sin.
So, as I heard the new slogan for this next season of the television show, Prison Break, I couldn't help of thinking of this man, Jean. What is he going to do is just the beginning of a very harsh road ahead of him. But, this is the beginning!!!! Praise the Lord that he stopped last night, listened to the gospel and came clean with another believer of his life that he has been living. Please be in prayer for Jean, as this journey ahead of him will be one of many challenges. May he fix his eyes upon Jesus.
But not only does this slogan pertain to this man and coming out of his lifestyle, but it also pertains to the redemption that we have received and been given by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Being free of our chains and bondage to sin was just the beginning. Now, there is a long, arduous journey that we are on, that is the most satisfying journey that there is. Regardless of the hardships, it is well with my soul, because of the promises that God has given to us.
Today, thank the Lord that your chains have been broken and that Christ is calling you to Himself, wherever you are, no matter what you have been in lately. I love saying to begin again! That is what we are called to do - Begin Again. Remember your chains are gone. Don't try to tie yourself up again!
If the Son has set you free - you are free indeed!

Breaking Out was Just the Beginning!

Journeying in His will.
Dwight

Confusion of feelings, not feelings by Confusius

2006-08-15T15:20:00.000-04:00

Well, it's almost time to go back to Maine. It feels so weird. We had a going away party for me on Sunday night and it felt so not normal, because this feels like where I should be. Everything from now on out until I leave is all about saying good-bye and I don't really like that. I feel like now I am just getting connected to people here and that I'm starting to have impacts on people and I'm being impacted by them - and now I must leave them.
I know that God is not a God of confusion, but I am confused about how I feel. No one can really understand the struggles that go on inside of people in certain situations, so that is why I put that even wise men like Confusius can't pinpoint how people feel about things. So, ya, I'm in a different mood. On top of that, I am trying to put together a sermon for Sunday night on the authority that Jesus has and claimed to have.
It's difficult in the midst of all that is happening to try to figure this all out, but God is good and He will focus me and help me.
There has been some exciting happenings here as well that has interupted my thoughts a little bit too, but God is in control of all that too. Despite circumstances, and despite emotions and feelings, God is still sovereign and in full control of all things, and praise be to Him for that.
But please, pray for me as I struggle through having to leave this place, a place that I love with people that I love, both saved and unsaved. It is going to be hard to leave here for me, I know it! So, I ask that you please pray that God would work mightily in all this.
May the rest of the time here be a testimony of God's faithfulness and His will - not mine! May Jesus reign in my heart and in your heart, and may you abandon it all and love everything less than the love that you carry for God!
Confusion is okay - especially when we give it to God and trust in Him with all our heart and when we don't lean on our own understanding. We must acknowledge Him in all we do and He will make our paths straight.
God is LOVE!

Loved.
Dwight

Rain rain, go away.....

2006-08-12T13:56:00.000-04:00

Last night, just as we were heading out on the streets, it started to rain. So, we parked the sketchboard under cover and were ready to go from there. But it was cold, wet and raining, and most likely, very few people would have stopped at all, because it was miserable out. One of the guys on the team made a horrible prediction when he said, "Well, I guess we're not going to be able to do it tonight." So, we prayed.
Five minutes later, the rain stopped completely and we went on with a great night! Praise the Lord. I really believe that faithfulness has a huge role to play in this ministry. You just go - despite what you are feeling, and despite the weather - you just plain GO, just as Jesus told us to do. Because He said that all authority has been given to Him in Heaven and on earth. He is Lord over the weather. And what came from it all?
Well, we will never know exactly what fruit was derived because of us going last night, not in this lifetime at least; but an 18 year old guy accepted Jesus last night and has given his life to Christ! Praise Him when these things happen! There were many good conversations last night.
I really believe that when Jesus told us to GO, we must just GO - regardless of what circumstances tell.... He will provide!!!
So, what are you still reading this for?
GO!!!! Share with your friends, your family, your neighbors, your city, your country, your world! GO!!! See what God has in store for you and for His glory! GO!!!

Going - In Him and by Him!
Dwight

Whirlwind "Vacation"

2006-08-10T17:19:00.000-04:00

Well, praise the Lord for the fruit last week. There were seven people that accepted Christ despite all the crazy circumstances that discouraged us in the beginning, but the Lord in the midst of what seemed to be a dilemma, delivered and He opened the hearts of seven people! Praise be to Him.
After the long day on Sunday, which was really amazing, I had to get up early on Monday and we left for Niagra Falls! It took so long because of some unexpected things, but it was all good. We got to the camp site at around 8:30pm, and unpacked quickly and put the tents up. I decided to sleep outside under the stars, because it is much nicer to wake up under the ceiling that God created than in a stuffy tent.
So, Tuesday we went to see the falls and what a piece of art God has created. A powerful creation, not to be messed with. God is so good, and His creation is pointing us back to the Creator. It was a praise session for me, and I got some great photos that I will have to put up later on.
So, Wednesday, we hussled and did some sight-seeing and visited some of Tony's family on the way home. I hate sight-seeing by the way, but it was nice to stop where we stopped. But I loved the falls!!!!
So, now I'm back here, and tonight, we will be out on the streets. I came across a stunning passage today. It is found in John 12:42-43.
"Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God".
May this not be our testimony. May we echo Paul as he states in Galatians 1:10, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ". May we confess Jesus and not worry about what may happen to our bodies - but we should fear the one that can destroy both the body and the soul. We should fear God, and not just believe - but confess Him to the world. What do we have to be afraid of?
May we count the approval of men as loss in view of the approval of God. May we aim to savor Jesus, and not petty compliments. May we love humility and despise pride. May God help us to do so!
So, here I am again, ready to see what God has in store for tonight and willing to be expectant of what the Lord is ready to harvest.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal."- John 12:24, 25

Seeking Him first.
Dwight

Answered Prayers

2006-08-05T01:13:00.000-04:00

Tonight, (or this morning) I am left praising the Lord!!!! He is so good to His glory. There were four people that accepted Jesus into their lives today, with three of them being tonight! Praise God. He is so able to do far and abundantly more than we can ask or dream of. He revolutionezed some people`s lives who left coming to the streets tonight with an eternity of death awaiting them, but left the streets with the wonderful assurance that they are saved by grace, through faith - not of their own works, but completely by what Jesus has done for them.
Thanks be to God, and I want to thank you for praying for this ministry tonight. It was a real S.O.S. prayer, because God needed to intervene in a huge way. It was such a blessing to do ministry tonight. Praise God for what He is doing!
Hail Jesus - You`re my King. Your life frees me to sing! I will praise You all my days. You`re perfect in all your ways!
May Jesus hail forever and reign in our hearts, supreme to any other thing or name that could be named.

Jesus freak.
Dwight

Prayer is the language....

2006-08-04T16:59:00.000-04:00

This past week, I was reading Charles Spurgeon's book, "Lectures to my Students", and have been ever so burdened about the need for prayer in my own life. In the front of my Bible, I have a certain quote that has become ever so real to me this week. The quote is from an unknown person, but it says, "Prayer is the language of a man burdened with a sense of need".
What an amazing quote. This week, I have a real sense of need. My heart hurts because of some of the things happening here. Last night on the streets was one of the hardest nights ever. I can't go into the details of why and all that, but I just ask that you pray for the ministry here this week and as soon as you read this! Please, pray! There is a real need here this week. The gay games are here, which adds more junk to a city that is already so secularized. Last night, we had a team go out that is here from Ontario, and they were so shaken up by what happened and the spiritual battles that were happening.
Jesus has simply told us to "Go" - and so we go - trusting that He is the One that will never leave us nor forsake us. God has said many times in his Word "Do not be afraid" or "Take courage". Why? Because people are afraid! Obviously! But greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!
Paul simply wrote (without simplicity to the statement) "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body of the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
Keep the faith! Finish the course! Fix your eyes upon Jesus! These are things that I'm reminding myself and the team this week. "in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
And what an amazing thing an eternity with Jesus will be.
Please pray for us - and for the team here.

Loved by Jesus, Saved by Jesus, Forgiven by Jesus.
Dwight

Jesus, Lover of my Soul

2006-07-30T22:10:00.000-04:00

Praise be to God for what He is doing here in Montreal. Thanks be to the people of my church and all the prayer warriors that are praying for this ministry. Thanks to my Dad, my sister, Geoff, Pastor Josh, Pastor Mark, Elaine, Becky and Anne-Marie for ministering this week here in Montreal.
The more and more that I have the privilege of sharing Jesus, the more I`m finding that He truly is the lover of my soul. This morning, my friend Josh played this sweet hymn of truth. That Jesus really is the lover of our souls. He has shown Himself to be that to of people this week as well.
It was interesting having a team from my church here. It was so encouraging for me to be around people that I love and people that love me and know me and there is a certain familiarity to it all. Yet at the same time, I want to hang out with them so much, that I became absolutely exhausted. This afternoon, I was more tired than I have been in such a long time. But God was good all week.
On Friday night, we got to see two people make decisions for Christ! Praise be to God for Crystelle and Chevik, and that He has claimed them as his own children. There were so many conversations that got to happen as well. This team from my church really stepped out in faith and relied on God and for His words and His strength and for His boldness. It was quite incredible to watch certain people on the team that I thought would have a really hard time speaking on the streets, actually have very meaningful conversations and be extremely effective in their outreach.
Saturday afternoon we weren`t quite sure what to do, but I really thought that we should go out and just have conversations with people on the street without the sketchboard. My dad and Tony got the opportunity to lead a guy to Jesus that afternoon as they were "randomly" talking with people. But God isn't a God of randomness - but sometimes it seems that way to us because there is no human explanation behind it all. We all had great conversations during this afternoon session and it stretched people to approach others with the gospel. My pastor, Mark and I had a great conversation with a couple. As we approached this guy Frank, he claimed to be an atheist, but understood that he needed to really think more about Jesus and who He was - and he claimed no such thing as atheist at the end of the conversation. I think Atheism means laziness to think about the amazement of God and His revelations. Great afternoon.
Saturday night, we set up in the middle of the blocked off area for one of the gay festivals. After I preached the first message, there was a complaint made and the police got involved. We ended up having to move out of the area, but Tony refused to leave without a ticket, so that he could take it to city hall and have the whole thing resolved because it is unconstitutional what was being done. So, after a long period of talking, we ended up moving down the street. Where we ended up was not where we wanted to be, but nonetheless, we ministered. And God was faithful. There was a muslim man that accepted Jesus after hearing a message on who Jesus really was and claimed to be. Praise the Lord that He is faithful to Himself and to His purpose and His plan - despite how we think things are being done or happening. All glory to Him!
Sunday morning - I had to get up early and preach. How hard it is to minister while being exhausted, but God is so good - and He allows us to be strengthened. After preaching, I am so critical of myself, but I must trust that the words that went out will be used by God and encourage, strenthen and edify the believers. I had the privilege of having my dad, my sister and my friend Geoff there as well.
I praise the Lord for this past week. Today, after I got home, I took a 5 hour nap!!!! And now I feel so refreshed! The Lord is good, and He is so worthy of our praise. He is the lover of our soul, and He is seeking more to Himself everyday. May we count everything as loss in view of the surpassing Value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord! Nothing compares! 5 souls have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Praise be to Him for all that He is doing.

Weak. But Strong.
Dwight

WBC is HErE!!!

2006-07-28T10:28:00.000-04:00

A team from my church is here this week!!! It`s so cool to get to minister with people that I love so much and have known for quite some time and it is a sense of home for me, here in Montreal. I don`t have a lot of time this morning to write, but I wanted to talk about some encouraging things that have been happening here....
Wednesday we went to the same park that we were at last week. It was great to get to see the kids again. As we were rounding up the kids for the program, the mother of the two muslim boys that came to trust Jesus last week approached me. I was not sure what was in store for me. But she said, `Thank you guys and thank you for the group because my boys have been reading the Bible all week long.` She also asked if I could tell her boys not to hit each other because they listened.... How amazing is that? God works through people to share with muslim kids, the come to trust in Him, and then their parents are thankful, even though it is contrary to their beliefs in Islam. They said that they were on page 64 in the little New Testament, which means that they are in Mark 8 or 9. In one week, these little kids read through all of Matthew and part of Mark. Praise God for that.

Yesterday afternoon was the first day that the group was really out on the streets. It was good for them and for me. We had some really meaningful conversations and the group got to move out of their comfort zone. This is a group of all adults by the way, not teens. These adults have done so much thus far; it is a real testimony to God. I had the privilege of leading a guy named Dave to the Lord yesterday. Praise God that He uses us like that. Dave lives near me and wants to start going to church and wants to start reading the Bible. So, please pray for Dave.

Last night, we went down closer to the gay village here in Montreal because the outgames are going on right now, which is a huge gay festival and actual sports going on as well. Please pray that the outgames would be a time where people would come out of their sin and realize that Jesus loves them and died just for them. May the love of God submerge and abound over the wickedness that this city is taking part in so generously. May God have mercy on the people here and may He turn the hearts of many.

Today, we go out on the streets again. Pray that God has favor on us and allows us to minister well and to expect that He is going to do far and abudantly more than we could ever ask.

Loved by God.
Dwight

Past few days....

2006-07-26T00:34:00.000-04:00

Hello....
I wanted to quickly jot down some things that have happened during the past few days. I`m completely tired and I need to sleep, but I have neglected to blog for the past few days... so here goes.
Saturday Night:
We went to Trois-Rivieres and worked with a church there doing evangelism out on the street. God really blessed despite the constant trickle of rain that was coming down. A man by the name of Allen came to know that Lord that night, and the church was so responsive to him and his needs. I praise God for them and for their anxiousness about getting out to do evangelism. They passed out tracts even with such zeal!
Sunday:
I worked on my sermon and am almost finished, then the team from my church came. It was exciting to see my family and my church here for the first time really! They showed up a little later than expected thanks to St. Huberts two-hour dinner special and a dead battery. But it`s all good.
Monday:
I took the team sight-seeing. I am the worst tour guide ever, but my friends Elizabeth and Melodie met up with us and spent most of the day until Melo had to depart. But Liz kept with us and we went to visit quite a few places. The group was tired after their day of sight-seeing, but a few of us went to the movies that night to see the 2nd Pirates of the Caribbean. I`m just telling you useless information now, but whatever, I`m tired and I`m gonna keep writing.
Tuesday (today):
Did training with the team. It was good to see the team at the place where they are. Spent a good time in prayer and please be praying for the team as we`re looking for God to really work in their lives. After the training, the team took a nap, and then I brought them to meet the Mansvelds and they did some prayer/observation walks tonight, and got to see a whole new part of the city. They were really moved by what they saw and got to see the city in new light. I was really moved by the team's compassion for the people of the city. The Mansvelds live in the gay village of Montreal, so they are right in the heart of where so much ministry is needed.

Okay, so I know that was fast... But all I could do was give a brief update, because it's been so busy here. WEll, I am going to bed. bubbye.

Tired from the ministry, not tired of the ministry.
Dwight

Lately....

2006-07-21T19:27:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about so many of you lately. I have been thinking about how much God is doing through so many of you to encourage me, and how much He is using you for His kingdom. I praise God for you all - and please, let me know what God is doing in your lives if I haven't heard from you lately.
Last night, a guy accepted Jesus as his Savior and Forgiver of his life. Praise be to God for His increase unto His own kingdom. Tonight, in a matter of minutes, we will be going back out on the streets. Please pray that people would see Jesus tonight in the manner that He has called us to see Him in. Please pray for the preaching, the conversations and that hearts would be open.
Tomorrow - We are going to Trois Rivieres, so please pray that the believers would be encouraged, but that people would also accept Jesus as their Savior!
I have got to go - because we are going to pray and then get out on the streets. So, please, be in prayer for the ministry here and let me know how you are all doing! Keep loving Jesus and be in wonder of who He is!
Jesus loves you.

Dwight

Kids In the Park....

2006-07-19T21:37:00.000-04:00

Tony and I went into the park tonight with a church that is doing a church plant there. We did songs, a message, a memory verse and played with the kids. It was great. Most of it was in french. But anyways, it went very well. The kids were fairly good and all that jazz....
So, after the program, the kids got gospel bracelets that shared how they could accept Jesus and what He did for them. And I got to talk with two muslim children, named Mohammad and Balaad. I got to share and ask them a lot of questions - and they saw that they had a problem - a sin problem, and that the only way that they could have that taken care of is through what Jesus did. And we talked about what Jesus did. They agreed. So, they wanted to pray to accept Jesus into their lives. They both made professions of faith tonight, and being Muslims, that is a huge step.
After, I gave the kids Bibles, and their moms came over and talked with me. I explained what the kids got and that they could explain the bracelets to their moms that night. The moms were so thankful. We told their kids about Jesus - the real Jesus - the Jesus that claimed to be God, and the kids accepted Him into their hearts and lives - and the moms were thankful.
It`s so hard to reach muslims. But God will open their children`s hearts. May He continue to do so! May God reach the muslims - however He will. All praise to Him for opening the hearts of the little children. Please pray for them as this is just the first step, and may their decision be sincere and may God follow them hard!
Kids in the park.... accepting Jesus!

Child of God.
Dwight

Unexpected Phone Calls and Days off

2006-07-18T14:07:00.000-04:00

Well, I am too excited not to write about what I have experienced. So, in the middle of what I am doing, I am obliged by my enthusiasm to write about what has taken place in the past couple days.
So, yesterday it was my day off and I was planning on preparing a sermon which I will have to preach a few weeks from now. Due to limited time during the next couple weeks, I thought I'd take advantage of Monday to write it. But I got a call from Tony, the evangelist that I work with, and he said that a guy named Michael called him. We had met Michael a few weeks ago when the team from Indiana was here. Tony gave him his number, as we do with many people, and told him to call if he had any questions. Well, yesterday Michael called and had some questions. So, Tony asked if I wanted to meet with them. It took me a few moments to decide to go - but I really felt like I should go, and honestly, I remembered the sermon that I heard from the day before about being a servant - and a servant is available. So, I went and met.
We talked for about 3 hours. It was quite a long day of conversation, but it was fruitful conversation I thought. It seemed like Michael had really understood a lot about what we were talking about. He seemed so interested in learning about this all - but when we got to the part of making a decision to surrender and follow Christ, for some reason, he couldn't make this decision. So, we encouraged him to not take a minute longer than necessary to make this decision. And we talked for a little while longer, then brought him back to his house.
So, just about a half hour ago, Tony called again. He said Michael had called him back. And Tony told me that Michael made a decision to follow Jesus last night! And he wanted to meet with Tony tonight just to ask him a few more questions about what is to come. He is going to go to church with me this weekend Lord willing as well. Praise be to God for opening the heart of Michael. He is a 22 year old guy that is now a child of God! Please be in prayer to God for Mike.
May this be an encouragement to all who plant seeds and don't see immediate fruit. Trust God with the seeds and pray for them, and He will do accordingly to His will! I am so excited for Michael and for Jesus, because He is so good! He is my King! I love my King, and He draws people to Himself! Seek Him and His face! He is beautiful!

Kissing the feet of the King.
Dwight

Blessed Are the Poor in spirit.....

2006-07-17T12:23:00.000-04:00

This past week I was thinking about these simple, yet extremely complex words that Jesus said in the beginning of His teaching that we refer to as the "Sermon on the Mount". Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (or God -depending upon which gospel book it is taken from). What does this mean?
I spent quite a long time one night thinking about this statement that Jesus said so boldly and with such authority. And then I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was rereading about Jonathan Edward's spiritual disciplines, and he emphasized meditation upon Scripture, so God allowed me to wrestle through this statement of Jesus.
As I was thinking about the people here in Montréal, I was trying to place them in the category of poor in spirit, because they are so lost. They all have some sort of faith or belief, but with most of them, their source of truth comes from within themselves. So, their faith is in themselves and they truly believe that they are spiritual and that they are far from being impoverished and without depth in their soul. The poor in spirit seem to be the people that are really at the "end of their rope" as Eugene Peterson translates in his Message Remix version. I think there is some real wisdom in that translation.
How does one come to be poor in spirit?
I can't answer this question for everyone, but I believe that the poor in spirit are developed because of a search for meaning or fulfillment - and they feel like they are hopeless in this task, and there seems to be no answer. They have nothing left to turn to, and being at the end of a rope, a person has a few options. One, they hold on to the rope and just keep hoping that somehow the rope extends further and they can keep going. Two, a person could just let go and end the whole "rope walk" known as life; or three, they can let go of this rope that has no hope and allow themselves to surrender to grab onto the rope of Him that will never allow an end - and promises eternal life.
I meet many people that believe that they are doing very well and that they don't need some answer that I have to give them. So, lately I've been talking to people that believe that they have it all together about crisis. Why would anyone need hope when they have a beautiful girl, a sexy car, million dollar house, steady job? They've got it all! So, I've been talking with people about what happens if these things all are gone. What happens when we have nothing material to hang on to? What happens when the only thing we have left is our spirit, and we are bums and beggars in that too? Only when we understand that we are poor in spirit, when we understand that we are unable to produce for ourselves a lasting hope beyond the grave, are we able to understand that there is hope - ONLY in Jesus. Then can we be blessed - because God has provided His Son to give His life so that we can have real, abundant, eternal life.

This past weekend:
We had a group from western Canada here that went to talk to people about the One that has promised to save us if we will surrender to Him. What a group they were!!!! It was so amazing to get to see their heart for Jesus! They flew in on Thursday, and that night only about an hour after they arrived, we were out on the streets. Praise be to God for giving us all the energy that was needed! Friday afternoon we couldn't even do a sketchboard because there were too many conversations going on - and a guy named Jean-Francois accepted Jesus that day. And last night during the Sunday evening service, he was at church!!! Praise God!
Friday night was a good night as well on the streets. Lots of seeds planted, but please pray that God would bring the poor in spirit, the ones that find no hope, so that we may share with them the answer. Many people believe that they have the answer, but my heart breaks for them because they can't see any other way.
Saturday - We went to Magog, which is a little under 2 hours outside of Montreal. We preached on the streets for the first time ever - in terms of doing a sketchboard. The response was very cold from the people, but a man named Daniel made a profession of faith, and as I was talking with him, I spoke very slowly and very simply, and he seemed to really grasp what I was sharing with him about God's promise for him. And he was so excited after he prayed to God... So, pray for Daniel, that God would truly infest his life in such a beautiful way.
Yesterday - was yesterday.... not too much to talk about.
So, sorry for the lengthened thought, that I feel still isn't complete, but I was thinking about it, so I put down what came to mind - I hope that it makes some sense. I encourage you to meditate on a little piece of God's Word today, and just think and think and pray and pray about it. It's amazing to hear God whispering the same thing in our ear and allowing us to understand a piece of His Word in a deeper way - that I'm sure even years from now will seem shallow because He will let us see it deeper and deeper.
Okay - today I must start to prepare a sermon for next week.
I love Jesus.

Loved and loving - because of Him.
Dwight

Word to the Prophets

2006-07-13T11:53:00.000-04:00

When we hear the word "prophet" today, we tend to think of either the Jewish history or the Mormon church (but they also call their 18-20 year old missionaries "elders"). But to be a modern-day prophet, means that you bring forth the Word of God and share His message. It's much different, because God has already revealed His Son and His Word, therefore, we no longer in need of any modern-day revelation, because God has spoken.
So, as I was reading in Ezekiel 2 this morning, I read of the "feel good" language that God used with His prophets. So many times when we hear of missions and projects or places we can go, people make it out to be this wonderfully euphoric experience and that we are going to feel so wonderful, and we are going to be the Indiana Jones of the missions world.
When I was at Bible school, many missionaries would come and talk about how amazing the work is in terms of people being so open to Jesus; and the people and how the people have fallen so in love with them as missionaries, and they accept them and so on. Praise the Lord for where He sends them, because I have not had that experience here. People here get angry about Jesus and His claims and they don't want to hear you or see you. And as I read about who God was sending Ezekiel to go and speak with, I understand clearer that it is not our passion for the people that gets us to go somewhere or do something; no, just the opposite. It is our passion for God and for His plan and purpose that gets us to go WHEREVER or do WHATEVER He asks.
Ezekiel 2:3-8
"Then He said to me, 'Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' As for them, whether they listen or not - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving to you."
The prophets didn't see it as optional to speak that which God gave to them. They went and did as God commanded them to - despite however wild they were - and when they didn't, there was a clear discipline, as seen in Scripture (i.e. Jonah) to help get them back to where God wants them.
Jesus gave the same kind of language to us - His followers. He said that the way of following Him would not be easy and that we should count the cost before following Him, because He commands us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.
I have sung the chorus "Wherever He leads I'll go" with many people, and every time I sing it, I ask myself "Will I go wherever?" And I say to God, that by His grace and mercy and according to His will, as He asked Isaiah, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?"; I answer "Here I am - send me". In answering as this, I understand that He must completely lead every aspect and give me the grace that is necessary because I am but a weak youth - but I don't trust in horses and chariots like the Egyptians - no, we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
As Montreal offers a rebellious and stubborn people, I know that this is where God has me for now, and possibly long-term, as He wills. Wherever you find yourself in the grand scheme of things, remember what God said to His prophets - that whether they listen or not, you just keep on telling what I tell you to and do what I command of you. Keep sharing and sharing and sharing - for we aim not to please men, but our Lord God, who is raising us up to be holy people.

Jesus for today, and by His grace, tomorrow. Live here and now, and trust tomorrow to the Lord. Our hope is in Him, the One who has purchased our salvation.
Don't be rebellious against God!
Begin Again.

Freed.
Dwight

What would happen?

2006-07-11T13:39:00.000-04:00

Numbers 25:10, 11
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying 'Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy."
What would happen if we were jealous for what God is jealous for?
Phinehas had zeal for doing what God commanded and he pleased God in his acting for His glory.
What would happen if we were zealous for the God who gave His own life for us?

What would happen if we lived differently than the world and opened our mouth and told them of what our God is jealous for - maybe they would turn?

What would happen if we loved God enough to die to ourselves daily and not seek our own, but take up our cross and be jealous for what God is jealous for?

What would happen if we live like we're saved?

Let's repent from our past, move forward & live differently from today on. And when we fall - BEGIN AGAIN. Don't quit - because God has not quit on you.

What would happen....?
?
Dwight

Knowing Him

2006-07-11T12:58:00.000-04:00

A different kind of weekend this was. We had the group from Indiana, and what a privilege it was to work with a group of young people that love Jesus and that unapologetically take to the streets with the boldness that God gives and share Him with a city that doesn't want it. I praise God for their energy and reliance on Jesus that they put into their work. They have a mime team that does presentations on the street and then they share what the mime was actually about. I praise God for them.
They met a younger girl that came to hang out with them back at the church and essentially spent the whole weekend with them. Her name is Julia, and she came to know Jesus this weekend because of them letting Jesus use them in such a powerful way. Praise God for this divine appointment! I really appreciated the hearts of their leaders too. What a wonderful time it was to pour out the love of Christ to the city of Montreal with a bunch of fellow "Americans".
I learned a lot about the grace of God this weekend while doing ministry and what it means to cast our burdens onto Him - because His burden is light and His yoke is easy. Despite what happens in life and what is happening around us, we can cast our cares onto Him and He will carry them. So, I praise God that He is able to do far and abundantly more than I could ever ask, and He already knows what I need before I ask of Him. Praise be to Him for that. Ministry is done with the tool of our hearts, and when are hearts are focused or directed toward something else, only God can bring us back and fill us up to be poured out....

Well, it's a new week and I'm encouraged to press on toward the goal - because in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, but not only for me, but for all those who have loved Jesus' appearing. What assurance we have in Jesus.
Sorry if my entry seems a little distracted; it's because I'm in a cafe trying to focus on this task, but I do have to get some other things done here - so I need to end now, but I wanted to share that God is good and He is in control of all things. I want to end with a song verse that impacted me deeply this weekend, and it goes with Philippians 3:10:

"Oh to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die" - Knowing You

May we know Him more and more, through whatever trials he brings us through - and may we cast our burdens on Him, and continue to bring people to His throne of grace in prayer, knowing that only He can change the heart. May God be glorified in everything - in all that we do - whether we eat or drink or sleep or whatever we do - do it all for the glory of the One that left Heaven, to come to earth, and live among His creation, only to be crucified by His own creation - but defeated death and sin - and has risen again to give us eternal life; if we will surrender to Him and trust that He is the only way to God as He so boldly claims. Find joy in Him alone.

Knowing Him.
Dwight

23 Hoosiers coming to town

2006-07-07T10:43:00.000-04:00

This weekend, we have 23 students and their leaders coming here to work on the streets of Montreal with Tony and myself. It will be a crazy weekend!!! But please be in prayer for them as they will be ministering along side us. They are making a crazy drive here for the weekend and returning Monday morning. Pray for their strength and that their joy will be in the Lord!
Last night, we saw a Chinese girl give her life to the Lord. It is such a beautiful thing to see a heart be opened to Jesus. She is leaving to go back to China in 4 days!!! There is a witness that will now be among the people in China. God has such a strategic plan, and He uses us to accomplish it!!! Praise God that He is so faithful to Himself and His glory.
"What do I have if I don't have you Jesus?
What in this life could mean any more?"
God is working mightily here. Please pray that many people, like hundreds of people come to know Him this weekend. Let's pray huge!!! Let's expect God to do major things!!!
Hail Jesus You're my King
Your life frees me to sing
I will praise You all my days
You're perfect in all your ways!

Expecting (not a baby).
Dwight

Church

2006-07-06T14:57:00.000-04:00

Since I've been here in Montreal, I've asked myself some key questions:
What is church?
What is the church supposed to be doing?
Is the church doing it?
What is the church supposed to be placing value upon?
What IS the church PLACING value on?
Is it biblical?
How can we change?
Why would we change?
What does Jesus say about His Church?
How does the Church evaluate and define "SUCCESS"?
How does the Bible evaluate and define "SUCCESS"?

I need the Lord's help to answer these questions. Without having a clear plan and a vision as to what the church should be doing, it will fail. Without relying on the Author and Perfector of FAITH, then the whole body will not carry out the ministry that has been set.

I've seen some real tensions between the church and it's members and different ministries within the body, and it is disgusting to me. I'm not perfect at all!!!!! But, I want to see Jesus' bride do well at what He has called us to.

People talk often about being an "ACTS" church. Well, may I remind you that believers in the book of Acts were killed for their faith, and they were in unity! Here, we are blessed not to have persecution among most of the churches, but I see in myself and clearly in others that we can become fat and lazy in our approaches. We want the world to tolerate us, and we want to fit in. But the thing is - WE DON'T!!!! We are called OUT of the World to go back into the World to save others out of the World.
For those that want to shelter themselves and talk about how evil the world is and hide from it because you are Christians - then do it - but you are not obeying Jesus!
Take up your cross!
Deny yourself!
These are not weak exhortations that Jesus is making to us! He gives us messages that involve us dying to ourselves.
I like the Switchfoot song that says, "We were meant to live for so much more", because we are.

Jesus hung out with people that make Christians nervous. Jesus touched people that could give him diseases. Jesus let a hooker come and rub her hair all over his feet. And he didn't condemn her for her sin. Jesus came to save those that are sick - and Jesus says that those that are healthy don't need a physician.

Here are some important principles I'm learning for the Church:
- We are saved, and we love our Savior.
- We are in Unity (It's Biblical) . I know this one is hard.
- We are focused on Jesus' commands
1. Be His witnesses in all the world
2. Baptize people
3. Disciple them in the Word
4. Teach them in the Word
5. Take care of one another
6. Love
7. Go
8. Preach the Word

There are so many more!!!!!!

Follow Jesus.
Don't play church.
Love Jesus. Love people. Tell people about Jesus. Now.

Dwight

Weekend Update

2006-07-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

Saturday Night:
I was feeling really low for some reason that night. I`m not quite sure what was going on. But anyways, I really wanted to sleep for some reason. But we went out. This ministry seems to be about the faithfulness and going when we don`t want to go or even feel like going, because people need Jesus. The Youth with a Mission team had their final night this night as well. They are awesome!
So, we went out, in faith that God is good and He is so able to change people`s lives. And He did! There were two people that accepted His offer of forgiveness and saving grace through faith! Two people`s lives are now turned around! There is a new eternity in store for them because of what Jesus did for them! It was a really late night on Saturday night for me, and I had to be up early the next morning.
Sunday:
I preached at the Montreal Chinese Baptist Church, on 2 Timothy 4:1-8. The message went well, and God is so good, because I only had 5 hours sleep the night before and we had a whole week of outreach because there was a team here. But God is so good. After, we went out to lunch with the whole YWAM team to a Greek restaurant, which was amazing. Then, we went to the Jazz Festival and to the fireworks. It was a great time with amazing music and sweet fireworks. They are such great people on the team. They have a real passion to serve Jesus and want to love Him and do as He commands them to do. They are leaving for Africa on Monday, so again, please be in prayer for them.
Monday:
Went to eat sushi for the first time and I loved it! It was so amazing. I used chopsticks for the first time too, so it was like one big day of adventures for me! Then I came home and talked to my buddy Craig on the phone and chilled for a while, pondering the question of `What would a man exchange for his soul?" So, I'm thinking about an interview that I can do to find out what people would exchange for their soul. I would like to do a sketchboard message around that theme, so I'm trying to figure out some ways to go about it.
Well, that was about the weekend. I know that I didn't go into detail about much, but I feel like a real surface guy today - so that's it.
Jesus is changing people's lives and mine, so I'm pumped! I love Jesus! May He be your all-surpassing Value - preach the Word - He is the Word!

Preachin.
Dwight

Life Changes on St. Catty street

2006-07-01T01:10:00.001-04:00

Well, today (or yesterday because it`s 1 in the morning) was long!!! The Youth with a Mission group is so cool though. I really enjoy being with them, especially watching them grow in Christ and sharing Him on the streets. It`s intimidating, but Jesus was rejected by His own creation, so we are encouraged by Him and encouraging them through Him, because God is amazing!
This afternoon, we went out on the streets, and praise the Lord, He held the weather off until we had finished, and Tony led someone to the Lord! His name is Derick, so be in prayer for the new brother in Christ. I had finished my message, and while Tony was talking to someone else, I just started a conversation with a random dude that was walking by. I asked him a few simple questions, and this was a guy that wasn`t really sure about if God existed when we started. God pulled down so many walls in his life during our hour and a half conversation though. He left believing that there is a God, that he is a sinner (which took a long time to figure out for him), and that there is a payment that needs to be made to God for those offenses. Praise God for bringing Maxime so far on that route.
The team was so encouraged by what happened on the streets today. They were having conversations and not being ashamed of the gospel and of Jesus at all! It was good to get to see them really digging in. We had some monsterous crowds tonight, and they were staying through the whole message, and staying through to hear about Jesus. Praise God when they don`t leave as soon as the word God is mentioned.
I want to ask you all to be in prayer for the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) team. They will be leaving for Africa for 5 and a half weeks as soon as they leave here on Sunday. Please pray for them all. They are an amazing group of students that want to serve Jesus and share Him with the world. I will include all their names on the next blog because there are some from South Korea and I don`t know how to spell them all - but I do call one girl `Hey Hey`, because her name is (phoneticly) Hey Yung, but I think that hey hey is real cool. But please be in prayer for them, and for the ministry here in Montréal, and that God would be pleased to continually release people from their bondage to sin, and allow them to be free in Jesus.
Okay, I`m really tired and tomorrow is Canada Day, which really means nothing in Quebec except that is the day that people move. But nonetheless, we will be on the streets, and it will be a long day, no doubts.
This morning I read about Jesus and the dude that had a legion of demons in him. When he saw Jesus, he bowed low in reverence, even with demons in him - they bowed to God. His life was changed - and the people became scared of Jesus and sent Him away. May we seek for Jesus to be presented, not sent away, and may we be about this work of ministering to those that the world just wants to shun away and put in a cemetary somewhere. The dude wanted to follow Jesus after Jesus released him of all the demons - but Jesus told him to go and share about what had happened to him. I`m sure that he was an evangelist that no one could argue with, because his life had been so transformed by Jesus! Be continually transformed - not conformed to this world - Romans 12:1, 2

Transformed and relying on Him.
Dwight

Last night

2006-06-30T10:36:00.000-04:00

Well, there is a group called Youth With A Mission that is working with us this week. They are from South Korea, parts of Canada, the US & England. They went to school together and are here in Montreal doing an evangelism trip before the head off to Africa for 5 and a half weeks.
So, yesterday, we were out on the streets, sharing Jesus with people. What a great encouragement it was for me, to get to work with some people my age, and see them excited and also timid about going out into the unknown. But God is good, and He provided conversations for them, and gave them some learning experiences that they would never be able to receive in a classroom or learning setting. God is so good.
So, we went out in the afternoon as well, and as I was picking up something for us to use on the streets, they were on the corner waiting, and "Lucifer" came and met them. A guy that claimed to be Satan came and tried to put fear into these people - but praise God that they trust in Jesus and that He is in full control, and the guy just kept on going after he said his little piece. But it's a reality that we are in a battle - a battle not between flesh, but among principalities of this world. There is a spiritual reality to all this, so please be in prayer for this.
Lately, I've been getting people in conversation that I haven't known exactly what to say to them. Last night after the streets, I went home questioning what was going on. I really felt like I should read the story of the Rich Young Ruler. In the story, the dude appeared to have everything together, but when Jesus got to the heart of the issue and brought out the thing inside of the man that would keep him from following Jesus, the man left disappointed that he would have to sell everything. As I was talking with Tony this morning about this new level of conversation that I've been having, I really feel that I need to get to down to personal things with these people that have all the right answers and can even say that they believe all the things that we are talking with them about - but I really believe that it is self, it is them, that is blocking them from opening up. This is easy to think about in theory, but on the spot trying to figure this all out is so different. It makes me rely on God for the words.
So, please pray for me in my conversations. I really believe that I will have more opportunities to get into these deeper things with people and tell them what Jesus said in Luke 9:23-25:
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, his is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?"
And in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
May God give us wisdom to answer the people that seem to have all the answers, but it feels like there is something missing. May the Spirit give us words to say - and may we lose ourselves in Him.

Seeking Wisdom in Christ.
Dwight

Yahweh

2006-06-26T10:29:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share a few things from the man that so many people don't know what to think about, Bono. He's written some amazingly deep words, and this song comes from the track called, Yahweh.
"Take these shoes, click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes and make them fit.
Take this shirt, polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt and make it clean, clean.
Take this soul, stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul, and make it sing" - U2
I was thinking about how true these lyrics are in terms of what we, as the redeemed, have been made into. We are a people that are loud and just making noise, essentially going to some end that we know doesn't lead anywhere pleasant, but yet we just put our noses to the ground and trudge on. But God helps those shoes that have only made noise for so long actually fit, and do what they are supposed to.
We are like a shirt that is nothing special. We are not truly some designer fashion as we'd like to believe, but like the song says - polyester white trash, with no meaning, nothing! But with God, we are made clean, we are special, we've been bought with a very high price - one that we could never afford - and we're clean.
We have a soul that is imprisoned to the skin and bones that we can't escape. We try to satisfy it in so many ways and by so many means, but we ultimately agree with the Rolling Stones when they sing, "I can't get no satisfaction". But God takes our soul, opens the eyes of our heart, and makes this soul that was once a slave to sin, now a free bondservant with a good Master. We can sing because we are redeemed! What are we worth? Well, we are worth God leaving heaven to come and live on earth, and taking the form of a man, being rejected by His own creation in humans (even the demons knew who He was), having the very beings that He created crucify Him, and dying for the sins of man - all this to ultimately atone for the sins that we could never pay for - and He rose again, signifying victory over sin and death.
Why is this so important?
Because the other night we had amazing opportunities to share Jesus with so many people. We went out with a group of 11 people, which is great. We got to have some amazing conversations. I had a guy named Jordan, who I went through everything with him, and he wanted to accept Jesus, he even prayed to accept him, but I believe that he is confused about what he did, and there was nothing I could really do more at that point to explain more to him because of other circumstances at the time; so please pray that God does a work in him and that he understands what he did or didn't do. I don't want converts so that I can say someone got saved - but I want converts so that they can know that their soul is free.
I talked with a guy named Chris who couldn't understand why I didn't do some of the things that I could be doing. We talked a lot about who Jesus is and what He did, and this dude was having the walls around him broken down by the love of Christ, but one thing stood in the way - a huge thing, so please pray for Chris.
We spoke to the masses through preaching during Thursday, Friday & Saturday night. Probably within the three nights, we got to share the gospel in preaching with over a thousand people. We passed out about 4,000 tracts in one weekend. Yahweh was at work!!!
Please, know that God loves you, and that God has provided the free gift of eternal life and relationship with Him through the blood of Jesus - that has been shed for you! Pray with me as we long to see souls saved around the world!
Last night, I hung out with a group from Youth with a Mission. They will be working with Tony and myself next week. What an excited group of Jesus-followers. It's a privilege to get to pour into these people and be poured into. They are mostly from the western part of North America, but some are from Korea and England - so it will be a sweet week to get to watch people grow in their witness and walk with Jesus!
Today- I am finishing my sermon for Sunday, because tomorrow I am helping someone paint their new apartment. So - I must get working.
"Take this city, a city should be shining on a hill
Take this city, if it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart, take this heart, take this heart
And make it break" - U2

Letting my light shine because of Him.
Dwight

Quick Summary...

2006-06-24T14:57:00.000-04:00

This morning I ate breakfast with my friend, Adriana, because she is leaving tomorrow morning early to fly back to Mexico. It is the St. Jean-Bapiste/Fete National today here in Quebec, and it is just a crazy day. It's 3 in the afternoon, and we are going to be heading out on the street quickly. We were on the street last night until almost 1 am, and it was a very fruitful night despite the weird circumstances and distractions that were going on. God is working.
I know that was a quick synopsis of the past day, but I want to ask you all to do something. Please pray! Pray for tonight, because people are going to be in multitudes, and last night had some crazy distractions, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Please pray that hearts would be open to Jesus. Please ask your families and friends to pray for tonight, as this could be one of the biggest nights of the summer.
Pray for:
Hearts of people to be open
Wisdom in speech and deed
That God would be glorified
That people would see Jesus as their Savior and Forgiver tonight

Please, pray for us and the team going out. I am excited to document what happened because of Jesus tonight. Please pray and let me know what I can pray for you about.
"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and discipline" - 2 Tim. 1:7

Trusting & Praying.
Dwight

Grand Prix, Madonna, Fashion Show & Jesus

2006-06-23T00:28:00.000-04:00

What a night!!!!
Tonight in Montréal, there were three huge things going on. First of all, this is the Saint Jean-Bapiste/Fete National. This is a huge Quebec celebration, and this weekend will be out of control. So, during this time, Montréal also has added the Grand Prix, which is a huge deal. There are people that have come from all over to be at this huge race. So, many were out just seeing the sights tonight before the race this weekend. Second, there is a three-day Madonna concert thingy going on here. The material girl is in the right place, because thirdly, there is a huge fashion show going on all weekend; in fact, it`s the street right next to where we preach and do the sketchboard. So, as you can imagine, there are thousands and thousands of people here in downtown Montréal just for this weekend! They are here to see things that will satisfy some craving for something within themselves.
But the most important thing that is here this weekend is Jesus! He was so ever present tonight on St. Catherine Street. Tony and I preached with the boldness of the authority given by Jesus! There was no holding back tonight in truth and in love! And two people accepted the Lord!!!! Praise Jesus that He has added two new souls into His Kingdom. In the midst of girls wearing almost nothing, guys looking for pleasure from these girls, people lost looking for anything to give them some sort of fix - Jesus Christ made his name known.
It was a weird night in a way too, for me at least. Tonight was the first night that I was actually pushed on the street. During one of the messages, a guy tried to get right in front of our translator, so I tried to step in between them, and this guy thought I was there to fight him or something - so he started - but God is good, and He settled the man by using the crowd & my friend Patrick to get the dude out of there.
I couldn`t really have a good conversation with anyone tonight; it was like I got all the people that just wanted to walk away, but not before they said something first.... But it`s all good, because maybe they`ll remember the name of Jesus, because I constantly repeat His name over and over when I`m talking to someone that doesn`t seem to want to listen, and is walking away.
I praise God that amongst all the distractions and things that were going on, He glorified Himself through the salvation of two young ladies! May they grow in Him, and His love, and know His Word, and go forth, preaching the Word, in season and out of season, with great patience and instruction. May the Lord teach them, and me - more about Him and what He wants to do!
Material girls are going to get flabby, and grand prix cars are going to rust away, and fashion today will be history tomorrow - but the name of Jesus and who He is, will remain the same today, yesterday and forever. Praise Him!
"I solemnly charge you in the name of God and of Christ Jesus.... preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.... be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" - 2 Tim. 4:1, 2, 5

Materially-Undriven.
Dwight

When the rides are over... turn out the lights

2006-06-20T14:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went to "La Ronde", which is part of Six Flags amusement parks. It was huge! I rode so many rollercoasters that made my stomach settled in my throat for short periods of time, and some of the rides made my head feel like I was spinning - after the ride was over. So, it was good. But after the day, I was reflecting on how life seems like one big rollercoaster, where we wait in lines and pay our dues so that we can have fun and experience some thrilling phenomenons momentarily; only to wait in line and pay our dues for the next big ride. The rides are worth the wait (at the theme park), but as I'm sitting here at a computer trying to communicate some essence of the overall experience, I realize that I'm not on the rollercoasters anymore. It was just a temporary fulfillment of pleasure for my adrenaline and manhood (to some extent - because girls ride the rollercoasters, but men conquer them).
So, now that I'm without the rollercoasters, I can either go back to them in order to distract myself longer from the 'norm', or I can deal with the bigger issues of what happens when the rides and the everyday life are over.
I used to listen to the Doors a lot. I used to dig how much Jim Morrison's lyrics were so "out there" and transcendental. I used to read a lot of Thoreau during these times too. I was really looking for the artists with the trippiest lyrics, poetry, music, artistry - whatever - as long as it made me dazzle in moments where reality was but a door to real thought. I wanted to fish deeper for unlocked puzzles and search beaches of mystery for treasures of the mind. So, thinking through my rollercoaster experience and analogy for the pleasures & distractions of this world - I thought of one of the songs by Jimmy M & the Doors that I used to listen to, "When the Music's Over".
This song's (which I will refrain from posting all the lyrics because of the length) main theme is that when the music (or life) is over, we'll just turn out the lights, as if we have real control over what happens next.
Morrison wrote lines such as "Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection, Send my credentials to the house of detention, I got some friends inside"
He even yells near the end of the song, "Save us! Jesus! Save us!" But ends the song with the claim that "Music" or life is your only friend until the end - and Morrison is so unclear about what he expects to happen - except that he wants to be in charge of it. But I thought of him as a man that rode the rollercoasters of life and wrote lyrics that said "We want the world and we want it NOW!" He was an icon and still is idolized by so many. But I don't think that he was ready for what happens when the rollercoasters, or music as he calls it, to be over.
We've got the answer that we can share with these people!
As I was walking in the tunnel of the metro this morning, I had a picture in my mind of the six people in front of me and the judgment of God. May we tell those around us about Jesus - because when the music is over - it'll be too late. The judgment is real - but so is the love of God and His sacrifice which was the payment for what we could never afford.
May we have a God-entranced vision of all things, so that we may offer hope to the people lost in the music and rollercoasters of life - because there are only so many distractions possible - then reality. There is nothing that will bring people joy outside of God - may we offer the answer to what happens when the music really is over.
May the words of Jim Morrison break our hearts for the lost who think this way: "This is the end, my only friend the end".

"...For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him" - 2 Tim. 2:11
Child of God.
Dwight

Mercy ....

2006-06-18T18:32:00.000-04:00

As I was riding the metro this morning and having my worship before the worship service (because I go to a french church and don`t always understand everything that is going on, so I make sure I have some english before I go), I was listening to the song "A Sinner's Cry", and these words penetrated deep into my heart.
I came to a sudden hault in life and everything else seemed like it disappeared and it was just me and God, alone on a subway, and He was speaking directly through this Biblically deep & drenched song, but yet at the same time it is what I cried to God when I first understood Jesus was giving me grace and complete mercy.
It is such a blessed assurance that my salvation does not rest upon my own merit or even feeling saved, but it rests upon the Solid Rock, the Lover of my Soul, the One that has my heart fully, the Teacher that came from heaven to earth to show the Way, the Savior that died willingly for my sins, the Resurrection and the Life that death could not claim victory over. Now, my All-Surpassing Value to whom I can see & savor more and more each day that He so deems that I remain here. But I can't help but often thinking what Paul has said in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain". I am so excited for the day when I get to be with Jesus. I just want to be with my God, because where else would I want to be?
My relationship began with Jesus` payment for my unremovable stain and was tied with a sinner (me) crying for complete mercy, because there was nothing and there remains nothing that I could ever do. A complete cry for mercy, because I deserved God`s justice, but He met me with lovely mercy & grace. All my debts were cast on Him, and I was freed! I am often moved in emotional ways lately as I reflect upon what God has done for me - and for you - if you have cried out to God for complete mercy... because He loves you, and wants to revolutionize your life - in a way you could never imagine.
I know that I've put a lot of lyrics on here (and I want to put this song here as well) - but God seems to be using a lot of music lately to rouse my religious affections as Jonathan Edwards penned - so, I'm going to. May God lift the religious affections of your life and mine! May our emotions meet our theology - and may we be so changed by the loveliness of what God has done! Jesus said "It is finished" - therefore, there's nothing else we can do except cry to God! Righteous...

A Sinner's Cry

Hear, gracious God, a sinner's cry
For I have nowhere else to fly
My hope, my only hope's in Thee
O God, be merciful to me
To Thee I come, a sinner poor
And wait for mercy at Thy door
Indeed, I've nowhere else to flee
O God, be merciful to me

To Thee I come, a sinner weak
And scarce know how to pray or speak
From fear and weakness set me free
O God, be merciful to me!
To Thee I come, a sinner vile
Upon me, Lord, vouchsafe to smile;
Mercy, through blood, I make my plea
O God, be merciful to me

To Thee I come, a sinner great
And well Thou knowest all my state
Yet full forgiveness is with Thee
O God, be merciful to me
To Thee I come, a sinner lost
Nor have I aught wherein to trust
But where Thou art, Lord, I would be
O God be merciful to me

To glory bring me, Lord, at last
And there, when all my fears are past
With all Thy saints, then, I'll agree
God has been merciful to me

May we all put our names in the "ME" of the song.
ME.
Dwight

Send Fire from Heaven Lord! (His Kingdom has been added to)

2006-06-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

This morning during my quiet time, I was reading out of First Kings. I read about one of my favorite Bible figures, Elijah. What a crazy dude! As I was reflecting on his meeting with the 850 prophets of pagan gods, I thought about evangelism and how I present the gospel. I wanted to see principles from Elijah`s life that could be applied to mine.
Elijah was a bold man in this moment of truth. When Elijah tells Ahab in chapter 18 of 1st Kings to have all the prophets of the pagan gods meet him at Mount Carmel as well as all the people of Israel, I get excited. Elijah showed up, knowing what God was capable of, and wanted to see God vindicate Himself. Elijah poses the statement "If God is God, then follow Him... If He's not, then don't." Simply stated. Simple.
So, they set up this cool sacrifice system and the rules, and the pagan dweebs go first. They dance around, cut themselves - and Elijah just taunts them hard. Finally, after their many exuberant efforts to rouse their sleeping gods, Elijah steps in. He fixes the altar that the prophet-wanna-bes had messed up, and puts his sacrifice on there. He has them put one bucket of water all over the sacrifice; then another and another. The thing was drenched!
Then God sends His fire from heaven consuming everything. And in good fashion, Elijah has all the 850 dancers killed.
Application:
First.
Be bold for God & show up, no matter how wild the odds look.
Second.
Allow for others to explain themselves, so that they get to see how twisted their beliefs might be (just don't taunt them like Elijah).
Third.
Proclaim the message that "If God is God, follow Him", then let God do the work.

God wants us to be obedient to His call, go where and to whom He sends us, and just proclaim what He has done - and let Him work. And try not to kill them, because that would be bad news! Isn't it great how God vindicates His own name, and He also vindicates His prophets and His people. Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But don't turn away and cower to a group that is telling you that you are wrong. Remember Elijah.
Sometimes I feel like John & James, the sons of thunder, and want God to throw fire from heaven and vindicate Himself, but I know what Jesus says to them, "you don't know what spirit you're of". So, I repent, and ask for the fire of the Holy Spirit to be sent and reveal Jesus to the hearts of the lost. (I still think that it would be cool to see fireworks from heaven though). But, I know that my aim should not be to see people consumed by fire because I'm always yelling "Send Fire from Heaven Lord!", but I want to see people consumed with the love of Jesus, that they leave everything behind and count everything loss in view of His surpassing Value and Greatness.
Go.
Be Bold.
Allow others to express.
Proclaim the Message!
Let God Work.

Tonight - Weird night on the streets. Had some satanist dudes come and try to intimidate us, but they don't know who they are trying to serve. Satan doesn't even care about them, as long as they can proclaim anything but God, satan doesn't care if people are following buddha or mohammad. Anyways... real different spirit amongst the city-dwellers tonight. But we stood our ground and took our authority, given by Christ and shared His message in a bold way! What a bold night of preaching!
Menchee, one of the Filipino women that goes with us, led a lady to the Lord after one of the messages that was preached! Praise God! Another soul can now find satisfaction in the Only All-Satisfying Jesus! He's now the King of kings and Lord of lords to another soul! Praise God for that. Praise God that He chooses to use men and His Word.
I talked to a muslim guy named Osama tonight, and he was very close-minded to who Jesus was, until I showed him John 1:1 & 14. He was blown away and wants to read the New Testament to see what Jesus says about Himself. Praise God that He is doing so much work in the lives of people, that I don't or could never see it all.
Well, it is late and I have to come up with a new message tomorrow, so good night for now.

Jesus Saves, Lives, Loves & Gives - For His Glory.
For His Glory.
Dwight

Readin' to the Oldies

2006-06-14T12:51:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've been inspired to search out some of the older books and men that are with the Jesus that they loved so much while they were here on earth. I just want to share a bit of encouragement that I've grasped from a couple of these men thus far. I just finished reading "Abounding Grace" by John Bunyan and have started the books on prayer by E.M. Bounds.
In Bound's book, "The Power of Prayer", he writes "Man is looking for better methods. God is looking for better men. Man is God's method". May God give us a deeper love and obedience to God, for His glory.
Here is an excerpt from Bunyan's 'Abounding Grace'. Take encouragement and enjoy the words of this spiritual giant. I can relate to these things ever so well, and found much relief when I read that great men have struggled with these same things. May we always turn back to Jesus when we step away, even momentarily.
"Oh it is a good thing to be on our knees, with Christ in our arms, before God. I hope I know something of these things. I find to this day seven abominations in my heart:
1. An inclining to unbelief
2. Suddenly to forget the love and mercy that Christ manifests
3. A leaning to the works of the law
4. Wanderings and coldness in prayer
5. To forget what I pray for
6. Aptness to murmur because I have no more, and yet ready to abuse what I have
7. I can do none of those things that God commands me without my corruptions thrusting themselves in. 'I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me'(Romans 7:21).

These things I continually see and feel, and am afflicted and oppressed with, yet the wisdom of God does order them for my good:
1. They make me abhor myself
2. They keep me from trusting my heart
3. They convince me of the insufficiency of all inherent righteousness
4. They show me the necessity of flying to Jesus
5. They press me to pray unto God
6. They show me the need I have to watch and be sober
7. They provoke me to pray unto God, through Christ, to help me and carry me through the world." - John Bunyan

May we turn to Christ in our constant struggle to find Him as our all-surpassing Value.

Continually turning to Him.
Dwight

Meditation & Prayer for Today

2006-06-13T12:47:00.000-04:00

A song I was so deeply touched by and had the privilege to sing with my friend Josh at church was "Jesus Cast a Look on Me". I just simply want to post the lyrics here (seperate from my other blog entry from today) and let you pray them into your life. Be affected by them and be effective because of them - Jesus reigns!

Jesus cast a look on me
Give me sweet simplicity
Make me poor and keep me low
Seeking only Thee to know

All that feeds my busy pride
Cast it evermore aside
Bid my will to Thine submit
Lay me humbly at Thy feet

Make me like a little child
Of my strength and wisdom spoiled
Seeing only in Thy light
Walking only in Thy might

Leaning on Thy loving breast
Where a weary soul can rest
Feeling well the peace of God
Flowing from His precious blood

In this posture let me live
And hosannas daily give
In this temper let me die
And hosannas ever cry!

Loving Jesus.
Dwight

Hard-wood flooring & my body

2006-06-13T12:14:00.000-04:00

So, this is more of a general blog - wanting everyone to feel sympathy for me. Yesterday, I went and helped out a friend with a hardwood flooring job (I know how to put in this flooring - yes!!!!). It was a good time except for all 11 hours of the job. Today, there are muscles in the weirdest places that I never knew that I had that are trying to force my body back into bed. My body is yelling "You need to not move", but my mind is thinking otherwise. So, I moved to the computer where now I can rest my body again. But it was a joy to get the opportunity to work hard and labor - and get to see the results. I have a deeper appreciation for the man (or woman) who labors hard with his body. I thanked God this morning that I didn't have to do this often and that it was like a "Go to work with your parents day" for me. Those days were so fun, no matter what you had to do, because it was just something new. I love doing new things and finding out that I don't want to do them ever again, unless maybe I can help out someone someday. New things for me are so fun, but I soon realize that I can only have so much fun before it becomes exhausting. So, I don't think that I will become a hardwood flooring dude anytime soon, but I feel like a Mr. Fix-it a little more than I did before yesterday.
On a different note....
On Sunday, I got to speak at a church of about 400 people, and share what God is doing through my life and the ministry that I have here. It was cool because the pastor used me and the ministry as like a point in his sermon on Acts 1:8. It was so encouraging, and people signed up to help in this ministry as well. Jesus says that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, and that is the case here. I shared very openly how fearful I get before going out to witness, and I think that broke down the barriers for a few people, because people think that it's no problem for me or Tony to go out on the street. But I've learned that my fears aren't real, and that they don't portray the proper picture of what God really wants to do. He wants to work through me and not have me sit scared, but I really feel that I am at my weakest when I am nervous and fearful, and that is when I rely most on God - and He always comes through!
I'm having dinner at a family's house from the church that I spoke at this weekend. I pray that God encourages me through this and uses this for His glory. What a day off it has been. Restful, relaxing, worshipful. I read in Song of Songs last night, and what a beautiful message that has to give - I suggest you read in the Message Remix to get a new flavor of the beauty of love.
This morning, I was so encouraged by King Solomon in 1 Kings, and how he asked God for wisdom over anything else - wisdom to govern God's people in a worthy manner - and this is such a great example of prayer - God using us for the good of other people! May that be my meditation today - that I might be poured into by God so that He may pour me out for the glory of Himself and the good of others, while I reap the blessing of watching God change my life and others. What a good God we serve. May we tell the story of Jesus today and tomorrow and enjoy it deeper and savor it more and more each hour.

"I love to tell the story of unseen things above
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love
I love to tell the story, because I know it's true
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story!
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love"

Telling the story of eternity and Jesus, the Lover of my soul.
Dwight

Kingdom Work: Done by God (using weak people)

2006-06-10T00:47:00.000-04:00

Tonight was amazing! First, before we even went out, I was so burdened in my soul that I wanted to throw-up. I was so burdened that I messed up the contact with Adam, and I didn`t want to be a person that just spouted the gospel-sales pitch ad with anyone I met. So, during our team-prayer time that we have before we go out on the street, I begged God to break me and humble me and use me, because I am weak!
It was horrible outside (raining and not so warm), but we stayed out anyways, under a little roof-type thing outside a store. We preached four messages tonight, with Tony and I swapping off each one. After the second message that I preached, I approached a guy by the name of Keo. He is a native dude. He seemed interested in Jesus, so we talked for about 25 minutes and then something started to change. He really wanted what I was talking about. He started to get serious and not talk about the other spirits or anything else anymore. He was really interested in Jesus and I really felt the Spirit leading the conversation. So, I went through the steps of salvation and asked him if he`d ever thought about things in that way. He said `NO`. So, I asked more questions which led to me asking what he wanted to do with Jesus, and he said that he wanted a relationship with Jesus - so we prayed there on the side of the street and Keo accepted Jesus as his personal Savior, Forgiver and Leader of his life! So, we talked for a while then he went on his way, joyfully changed forever. Please pray for him!
So, I walked back to where Tony was preaching the last message of the night. There were many in the crowd tonight laughing and mocking the message of Jesus. But after Tony was done, I caught up with Jason, a guy who had listened to the whole message. I asked him what he thought about Jesus. We had a long talk, which resulted in Jason telling me that many people had approached him lately trying to give him a Bible and that he really wanted more from God. So I asked a few questions and asked if he had ever surrendered his life to Jesus. He said, `No`. So, we went through how he could be assured of salvation, and he too believed and prayed to ask Jesus to come into his life tonight. He was crying as he prayed for Jesus to come into his life. Praise God!!!!!
So, I`m so pumped right now. I am so positive that God is the only one that can change lives, because when we went out, I was not at all thrilled to be there, because my soul was burdened so much for the dude from the afternoon, Adam. But God chose to open the hearts of two men from Montreal, and God is doing His Kingdom work and is using His weak servants to do so.
One by one, God is building His Kingdom and is bringing the lost into the fold. Please pray for Jason and Keo, as they begin their new life in Christ, changed for eternity because of what Jesus has done for them, and God opening their hearts to see this lovely message! May God get all the glory for these acts!!! He is so worthy of all our worship and all our praise.
I was reminded of my verses that compel me to pray and believe that Montreal and Quebec are where I should be right now. Galatians 6:7-9: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit wil from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
Don't grow weary - and the only way we can do that is to rely COMPLETELY on Christ!
Pray for these new believers and for many more to come to Him.

Relying Hard on Him.
Dwight

But I shared the gospel.....

2006-06-09T18:09:00.000-04:00

What is the purpose of going out to share Jesus?
Today, Tony & I went out on the streets and I went up and sat with a dude that was asking for money on the streets. He isn't your normal street person and I had never seen him before. He was fairly well dressed and so this made me curious and led me to go and talk with him. I went and started asking him about his situation, and talked with him for a little bit, then I went into the gospel with him. I was thinking, "great, this is my opportunity to share with this guy". I was so focused on sharing the gospel with this guy, I wasn't reading him very well. He does have unique circumstances, meaning that he was panhandling just to get home and he had all his stuff taken a few weeks ago while sleeping in public (a very normal occurance here in Montreal), and he has 68 dollars saved up for a bus ticket hom from panhandling every day.
Anyways, I shared a lot with him, and in the middle of one of what I was saying at one point, he politely interupted me and said, "I just want to go home man". I knew that he understood that he was a big sinner, just like you and me, but he wasn't ready for the ninety-nine reasons why he should become a Christian. So, I just stopped talking and started asking him questions about him.
I felt foolish!!!! I thought "But I shared the gospel.... that's what I'm here for" But maybe I was just supposed to listen to him and sit with him on the streets.
He had a one-track mind on getting home.... But he did listen and took some literature about how to trust in Jesus.
So, I went and told tony about Adam's circumstance and Tony offered to give him a ride to the highway so that he could hitch-hike home, which is way cheaper than taking a bus. Adam said he would think about it tonight and that he could take his money that he had saved and buy some used clothes (one bag of clothes for 6 bucks!!!), and then hitch a ride home. He really liked the idea and is gonna call us tomorrow morning to let us know.....
So, when I came back to the church, I was sitting and wondering why I felt like it was so hard to share and why I felt that I had forced the gospel.... and it was because I had! I am learning that it isn't my job to just go and bang out the four points of salvation and my campaign slogans for Jesus.... It's really about loving people and listening to them, and sharing with them because you know that they are able to hear it or need to hear it. My friend needed to hear it of course, but maybe not today. Maybe today he needed someone to listen to him and care about him. He did say that "people aren't usually this nice". May he see Jesus and His love for him. He needs someone to love him. And Jesus loves him! And me! And you!
Let's live out Jesus, and give a reason for why we are so different and be willing to share Jesus and His wonderful plan by word of mouth, but also sometimes just by action, and be willing to listen intently to the Spirit's leading!
Pray for me for wisdom in how to share, and when to be quiet!

Relying on Him.
Dwight

What is a Christian?

2006-06-08T23:46:00.000-04:00

Today was an odd day for me in terms of meeting people. They weren't your normal people that you meet. In fact, most everyone that I talked with claimed to have a relationship with God - of course they all weren't true in the sense of accepting Christ's sacrifice as the only means to be brought to God - but still claiming a relationship.
I met two 7th-day adventist believers today and one that is on fire for Jesus!!! He met us tonight before we started and told us that he really sensed that the Holy Spirit was near. Of course me first thought was "great, now I have to have a deep conversation with this guy about who the Holy Spirit really is!" But, he (Patrick) is a true, born-again believer that loves Jesus and wants to share Him with people. So, I preached the first message on the street tonight and he watched with great enthusiasm. Tony preached the second message and just handed the mic to Patrick to translate, and he did an amazing job. What a gift this guy has for translation!!! He is truly a gift from God, and he is 25 years old, and just wants to share Jesus with people. So, he is going to be there with us tomorrow night and he has a real connection with people. Dude was a drug-dealer before meeting Jesus, now we're serving God together!
It was so funny, because as he translated my second message of the night, he was preaching it with me in french!!!! I loved working with him!!! Such a blessing.
See, my walls of thought about what a Christian (i made the correction here) should be in terms of where they go to church are being torn down. I've met true believers that go to Roman Catholic church in different countries because there is nothing else, but yet disagree with the theology that is being taught. I've met 7th-day adventist believers that love Jesus and want to see His name being spread and not caring about the church differences. I'm seeing that a Christian is someone that has surrendered their life to Jesus, accepted God's free gift of eternal life and loves Jesus. It's not where they go to church, what they think about tongues, or any other issue like that - I love my brothers and sisters in Christ and we need to work together as the body, not seperate powers! More work gets done where there are more hands. We all want to see Jesus lifted high and people come to know Him - fair enough - let's work together! I love my family that will be together forever!!!
On a different note, tonight I also talked with a young man who grew up in a Roman Catholic upbringing, but has doubted many of the claims of Jesus. We had a good, lengthy conversation and I came to ask him the question of what would happen if he stood before God, and God asked "why should I let you in to heaven?" He had no answer except "I was good" We chatted and he ended the conversation after I said that God looks at us in two ways: Those who have His Son and those who don't. He completely disagreed with me, but said he'd take me up on the challenge to read the New Testament and find a different answer to the question of who gets into heaven. Please pray for him, his name is Dario.
We got into many good conversations tonight with non-believers and Tony and I talked to quite a few people this afternoon down in the subway station. Please pray for fruit from those conversations. TOny had a very good conversation with a gay man, please pray that the Lord convicts his heart of what he's doing and that Jesus died for him and loves him.
Please pray for the festivals that are starting here in Montreal. This year is the first World Outgames, which is a huge gay & lesbian festival with lots of olympic-type events. But it is a real burden on our hearts. We are going to go and minister within the festival as it goes on, but please pray for these men and women that have defined themselves by their sexuality and preference. Please pray that God would give them such a dissatisfaction with the evil that they do and open their eyes to Jesus!

Yesterday, Tony & I went into a park. We got to share with kids and teens there, and it was a wonderful opportunity for the children to hear of Jesus' love for them. But as the kid's message was being presented, there was a teenager who sat and listened to it all. His name is Serguy. He is a 15-year old Armanean (I don't know if that is spelled right) with very heavy questions. We sat with him for about an hour and a half and came to the conclusion that he wanted answers but wouldn't accept them. We gave him example and answer after answer, but yet nothing satisfied him. He is really a skeptic. So, we gave his name to a church today that will be following up with him. Please pray that this young man will experience the love of Christ. This is a kid who is very smart, he knows 5 languages and asks very provoking and deep questions. But what do we gain if we get the whole world but lose our own soul?

Lastly, please pray for Montreal. Pray for this darkness to be lifted from the city and that God would infest the lives of the people here.
Pray for His people here. I get the opportunity to speak at People's Church about evangelism and our call to be missionaries to our own cities this week, and this church has about 450 people that attend. Please pray for me, that God would give me wisdom in encouraging these believers and that many workers would help with the harvest here.
Pray for workers! We so desperately need groups of people to come with us on the streets, but people haven't caught a mission for it yet - and this is their Jerusalem!

Question - How are you doing at sharing with the people in your Jerusalem, your area where you live? This is a question for me too.... How are we doing at letting Jesus' name be known among the people that live near us, and with us.
One day - there will be no more need of missions, because everything will be over. But worship will go on forever!!! I want many people to worship Jesus with me forever and ever! Let's step outside of comfort and give our beings to Jesus! He wants to use them for His glory.... He loves you!

I am pray that God develops a love for Him within your soul and that He encourages you to tell others about it - because you love Him so much that you can't shut-up about Him! We've been forgiven much!!!

Please pray for me....

Loved.
Dwight

A Wonderful Birthday....

2006-06-05T23:57:00.000-04:00

I thank so many of you who sent along encouragements today to me! I love encouragements and I love being loved. I`m like a cat that purrs because so many of you are scratching my ears with encouragement! Thank you to everyone who sent their best wishes and blessings.
Tonight, my roommate Alain, my Mexican friend Adrianna and I all went to an Irish pub to eat dinner called Hurleys. It was so amazing!!!! The burgers were incredible and the cheesecake was even better!!! It was a good time to get to sit and relax and take in the fact that God has blessed me in so many ways and He has given me so many friends and family that love me and that I love and I wish were here with me to share in what is going on.
I got to talk to my parents and my sister today which made the day so much better, but came home to an email box full of emails wishing me encouragement and a happy birthday. So, thank you all for loving me. Keep praying for me as I pray for you. What an exciting day it will be to gather for eternity with Jesus Christ and the whole body of Christ!!! I read one of Dave Garda`s (you are truly a great friend Dave) emails to a group the other day, and he put a song in there, and I`m gonna copy it and put on here for you all. I love you all, and Jesus loves you more!You've Got A Friend, Randy Newman (From the deep theology of Toy Story)

You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me
Yeah, you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me
If you got troubles
I got them too
There isn't anything
I wouldn't do for you
We stick together, we can see it through
Cause you've got a friend in me
Yeah, you've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them
Will ever love you
The way I do
It's me and you, boy

And as the years go by,
Our friendship will never die
You're gonna see it's our destiny
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
Yea You've got a friend in me.

Privileged to be your friend.
Dwight

My birthday today...

2006-06-05T15:37:00.000-04:00

As I was reading this morning during my quiet time, I was reading in Jeremiah. I am going to be preaching on Jeremiah in the next couple of weeks. So, any suggestions on reading of commentaries or helps would be appreciated. But I will be using the text of Jeremiah 20:7-13 and Lamentation 3:19-24 and will use the "t" as my sermon-point guide because it worked itself out that way: Trouble (outside himself), Termoil (inside himself), Trust (in God - outside himself)..... so that was good to nail down, until God decides to change it if He wants.
But than as great encouragement on my birthday I read this in Jeremiah 20:14-18
"Curse the day I was born!
The day my mother bore me - a curse on it, I say!..... and so on....with more encouragement"

I took that as a great birthday greeting! What a weird thing to read today.... anyways, I am done blogging for now....

Jesus loves you, whoever you are.

Loved.
Dwight
Lamentations 3:22-24

Too Atonement Centered???

2006-06-05T15:15:00.000-04:00

I read Mark Dever's article in this month's issue of Christianity Today called "Nothing but the Blood". He talks of evangelical Christians that are calling people too atonement-centered, that their focus is too much on Christ's death. Dever says this in the article of this doctrine of the Atonement of Christ, "At stake is nothing less than the essence of Christianity. Historically understood, Christ's atonement gives hope to Christians in their sin and in their suffering. If we have any assurance of salvation, it is because of Christ's Atonement; if any joy, it flows from Christ's work on the Cross. The Atonement protects us from our native tendency to replace religion with morality and God's grace with legalism. Apart from Christ's atoning work, we would be forever guilty, ashamed, and condemned before God. But not everyone these days sees it that way." - Christianity Today, Mark Dever "Nothing But the Blood", p. 29
There are other people that don't believe that the atonement is everything - these are called cults!!!!! Mormons are key in this crew. But many others and the list would be very long! Remember that wonderful hymn, "Nothing But the Blood", and the truth that flows from it? What are we clinging to for truth as believers? ....
Read the whole article here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/005/9.29.html

I have included another interesting comparison in Mormon beliefs and Truth.... Helpful for me in evangelism with Mormons and it's not too much. I'm working on assembling a simple plan for talking to different groups, which I will blog as I go. But here is the website:
http://www.irr.org/MIT/Is-Mormonism-Christian.html

Keep the cross in the center and Jesus at the front! He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! He makes absolute claims about Himself and His necessary death and anyone that denies this is speaking heresy!
Read what Paul says about those who speak another gospel:
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be ACCURSED! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be ACCURSED!" - Galatians 1:6-9

Stand firm for truth! Don't waver like those tossed to-and-fro by every doctrine! By His stripes are we healed! All about Him!!!

Atonement Centered.
Dwight

What a Crazy Couple Past Days

2006-06-04T00:22:00.000-04:00

Last night on the streets was so great! God is doing a lot here in Montréal and He is getting the glory for it. People are getting to hear so much about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but there is something going on. It`s like a darkness or hold that is on people to listen and dialogue but not to make decisions. Praise God for allowing us to get through to people, but there`s something going on that is unexplainable. I`ll share some of the people that I`ve shared Christ with in the past couple days.
Yesterday -
Jason - a skaterboarder dude that smoked a joint in front of me, but really thought what Jesus did was amazing. He wanted to believe something some day, but thought that now wasn`t a good time for him, but someday. He thought what I was doing was cool, but it wasn`t for him now. He believes in God, but said something won`t allow him to make a decision for Christ because there are things that he needs to work out.
Some Russian chick - thought that Jesus was interesting, but claims to not really believe anything. Listened to me and asked questions about what Jesus did and heard the gospel. But she wasn`t sure if she believes in God. So, I offered her a booklet with the gospel in it, and she took it and I offered one to her friend and he said no, and that I should save the trees and not give out so many booklets. I thought to myself that the trees are already dead, but at least your soul has a chance, but I commended him for believing in something, because people want to believe that "as long as you believe in something sincerely, then you're okay". I think more people do crack than I wanted to think before....
Muslim (devout) man named Karim. We talked for over an hour, closer to the 1.5 hour mark. I really like speaking to Muslims, because they are open to talk about spiritual things. I don`t like speaking to Muslims, because they rarely come to see any different way. But with Karim, he really wanted to know how we could be forgiven by someone else making a payment. It is too much to write all about, but anyways, after the conversation was over, it was like a light went off in his head as to what I believed in Jesus being the ultimate payment and that I receive forgiveness because of what Jesus has done, that I am a beneficiary of the payment that Jesus made. He doesn`t believe it, but pray for him that God will move him to faith, because he agreed to read the New Testament, and we know how God loves to work through the power of His Word because it`s Active and Living and sharper than a double-edged sword (Heb. 4:12). So, that was him. And when the conversation was over, I went to shake his hand and his wife's, but I learned that I guess you don't shake the hands of Muslim woman (I should have given her a hug).... But they just laughed about it and it was all good. God is so good.
Jean - a dude that wanted what Jesus did for him, but not ready to make the commitment. Again, he said he believed everything I was talking about, but there was something that kept him from making a decision there. So, please pray for him as he is going to praying over the Word of God and the book that I gave to him with a clear gospel message in it. It`s the power of God`s Word that will change people`s lives, not my words.
TODAY-
Jodie & Nancy - two girls that listened to me talk about what Jesus did for them and how He so radically changed my life and wanted to do the same for them. I talked with them for about an hour and we just shared openly about our lives. They really are searching and they got a lot of questions answered for them and they took booklets and my email so that they can ask me more questions about their spiritual journey. Long, good and open conversation that flowed so smoothly, and they accepted truth, but weren't ready to submit to it yet.
Will & some other Mormon - I approached two poor Mormons today. Tony encouraged me to because I really felt led to go talk to these dudes. They stopped and I asked them sincere questions so that I could share the gospel with them. In the conversation at one point I called them heretics, but God is gracious and allowed them to stay there, then I calmed down. But at the end of the conversation, I challenged them with two things - Is Jesus the God of the earth OR Is Jesus God? They don't claim Jesus to be supreme as God the Heavenly Father. The second thing is Ephesians 2:8 & 9 as well as James. I asked them are they saved by grace through faith OR faith and works. They said both. I said, you can't have both. Either we earn it or we don't.... Anyways, there was so much to this conversation, but they said that they would pray about Ephesians 2:8, 9 and ask God if this is true. Please pray that they do....
Steve - Believer I met, who is struggling and didn't have a Bible until I gave him one of the New Testaments. He was so excited about having a Bible!!!! He wants someone to sit down with him to talk about what to do with his faith, so I asked where he lives and he lives right in my neighborhood. Funny how that all works, eh?
WEll.... There were so many more interesting stories, like people looking at us while we are on the streets and just screaming at us (creepy experience with people filled with something crazy), but God answers prayers and they just walk away.
This is what ministry is here - constant. I preach every night on the streets now, and it is crazy to be a street preacher. It's all the grace of God, and everytime I just place all my trust on God for the words and He is so faithful to give them to me, for His glory. Tony & I are getting to spend lots of time in prayer, and how amazing that is. Thanks to those of you that have been praying for me to have a deep burden to pray! God is answering it.
Well, I have had dreams about french in french and last night I dreamed all about talking to people on the streets, so I am really confident that I am in the right place for this summer. God is using the foolish things to confound the wise! Praise be to Him for that.
I feel right at home here in Montréal, but think of many of you back home so often. I am excited to see what God is doing in your life when I come back, and am excited to hear from you all - so please write me by email or in the blog because my comment section gets lonely without comments. A comments section on a blog without comments is like an ocean without fish or woods without deer or tapioca without pudding - so say hello or bonjour or salut or in whatever language you want to say something - but I miss you all, and love you all, and am most likely praying for you (unless you're a Japonese warrior who happened to come to my blog, then let me know and I'll pray for you).....
I will be speaking next week in a big church of about 400 people about being missionaries in our cities and where we live, so please pray for me and the people, that they catch a vision for evangelism in Montréal and that they'd see themselves as sent out by God and His power to share His love.
Pray for me - for love, wisdom, filled with the Spirit, meditating on His Word, time management, passion for Christ!

All for now.
Enabled.
Dwight.
"I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all - oh, how well I remember -
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope.
God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
His merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great Your faithfulness!!!!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left." - Lamentations 3:19-24 (MeSSage ReMIx)

2006-06-02T11:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon & last night, we were on the streets. For the afternoon, it was Tony & I on the streets and we were using a big evangicube to share with people. What a cumbersome tool, but the Lord used it to open up conversations. We talked to a guy named Rudy who had such a problem with suffering in the world. It seemed like it was a very personal subject to him, but he didn't let on any further than that.
It seems to be the overall attitude here in Montreal that people are so scared of making a decision about anything in terms of commitment. And if they do make a commitment, it seems that they are looking for a way out. What can we do about this? I think that prayer is the only thing. It seems that suffering and past problems have a lot to do with how people's attitudes are. It also has become evident that people have been hurt or disappointed by the church, whether it be the real Church or not. There seems to be a hard forgetfulness of Jesus' command to forgive 70 times 7. There seems to be a reactive spirit to everything that happens, even with people in the church.
Remember the story of Joseph. He went through some incredible circumstances that probably would have left me questioning what God was doing. But that is not how Scripture portrays the attitude of Joseph. (Reread Genesis 37-50 for a reminder of Joseph's circumstances) But instead of reacting to human circumstances, Joseph was proactive about trusting the Lord and Scripture does not talk of Joseph becoming bitter at people, even when they forgot about him.
As the Church, which is made of individual believers, we must pray that we are proactive and prayerful for the Church. We must not continually remember the things that the Church hasn't done for us, but ask what has the Church done for me. And better yet, what has Jesus done for me. We have been forgiven much, so let's remember that as we suffer, or get treated unfairly, or are the target of neglect in the Church, let's be proactive in helping people see the Biblical way of things.
As we talk with people who are dealing with suffering and things that aren't "fair", let's remember that God is sovereign and He has a plan for all things. That He has not randomly distributed suffering, but has allowed circumstances in our life for our good. The Bible says that there is no temptation that is beyond us with the power of God. We are reminded in James that we are to consider it all joy, pure joy, whenever we face trials of many kinds because we know that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And we are reminded in Romans that God is working all things for good for those who love Him.
I love hearing the people on the streets that I talk to tell me of how their life is changing too.
Last night, Tony talked with a guy named Jay, a guy that I had talked with 2 weeks earlier. When I talked with him he was very angry about so much. He made a profession of faith years ago, but was struggling and living on the streets. So anyways, last night, Jay came up to talk with me after Tony had finished with him, and there was such a difference about him. He had such a peace about him and seemed like things were changing in his life. Only God can do this.
Okay, I have to do some stuff now before we go out on the streets. Please pray for the preaching of the Word that Tony & I will be doing on the streets. It is wild out there!

Please, tell me what God is doing in your lives!!!!!!! Keep me connected in your community!!!!!

..... Dwight

For My Pastor Friends & Those in Ministry .... Gotta check this out

2006-05-31T10:27:00.000-04:00

So, as I started my day today with a nice run outside, I got turned around somehow and ended up far, far away from where I intended on being. Anyways, one huge blister and an hour later, I found myself back at my huge, high-rise apartment (but not big enough, because I couldn't see it from where I was running). All that to say that I found myself exercising today, which makes my body very happy with me. Then I found this article online. Please read it for those in the ministry, because if God has called you to the ministry, that is where you should be - and you should be proactive about planning on staying there.... That's what the article is about, Death in the Ministry (but it's about how not to kill ourselves).
http://www.theresurgence.com/mdblog_2006-05-24_death_by_ministry

~ Dwight

A Biblical Formula for building Jesus' Church (I hate formulas - but I love the ones that Jesus gives)

2006-05-30T12:58:00.000-04:00

Gospel + Culture - Church = Parachurch

Culture + Church - Gospel = Liberalism

Church + Gospel - Culture = Fundamentalism

GOSPEL + CULTURE + CHURCH = REFORMISSION

Hence, the name of my blog, Transparent Reformission. I openly declare that I desire this equation for a humanly unattainable task, that being God building His Church. I hate formulas, but I believe that this is the Biblical formuala we are called to, which is really not a formula, but a calling, a lifestyle, a Kingdom call!

Reformissionalist,
Dwight

Refusing to Join Good Causes because eventually we will explode (and parts of us will be found on Pluto)

2006-05-30T11:57:00.000-04:00

Reading some more dangerous material.... Mark Driscoll's new book, "Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church" is starting my mind and keeping it going (as if it needs to move any faster - not that it is severely intelligent, just busy thinking about puzzles and birds and how I can use pigeons to take over the world). Anyways, I came across something that I needed to read and be told boldly, and I know I've heard it before, but I needed to read it and have it come out of the page and smoke me in the face like a Tyson punch. If I keep doing and doing and doing - I will burn out, explode and pieces of me will blow away everywhere, making it hard to have a good funeral because there will be pieces missing... What a tragedy.
Anyways, this passage is addressed to pastors in this book, but it applys to all people in ministry or involved in the church. Read it and let it sink in deeply. Allow yourself to be punched by the truth that I needed to hear and will need to apply into my life immediately - because I just love people and love to do.... here it is:
"Speaking to other pastors, I learned that many pastors, particularly pastors of small churches, are busy but bored like I was. They spend their time taking care of their people and running services but don't have much of a mission to keep their pilot light lit. So they tend to volunteer time in other ministries, such as overseas missions trips, parachurch organizations, and the like, to do something more than just answer the phone and meet with the same handful of people that already know Christ and drive the pastors nuts. I was convicted that rather than spending my time supporting auxiliary ministries outside of our church, I should labor to build a church that would satisfy my ministry desires by being on mission with Jesus to transfrom my city by the power of the gospel. To do this, I would need to stay doggedly focused on our mission. Over the years, this has become increasingly difficult because the other pastors in our area, whom I do sincerely love, are prone to jump on various bandwagons, from political causes to social agendas, and want me to do the same. I REFUSE TO JOIN THEM NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE WRONG BUT BECAUSE THEIR PROJECTS ARE OFF MY GOD-GIVEN MISSION AND, THEREFORE, ARE A WASTE OF MY TIME AND ENERGY, NOT UNLIKE A HOCKEY PLAYER SPENDING HOURS PERFECTING HIS CURVEBALL" - p. 53, Mark Driscoll.
May we not be offended by this unless we should be. May we help our pastors to do their God-given mission for the church - because they are the architect of the ship, not the dishwasher or crewmen - but those jobs are needed and are important!
Help your pastors by making sure that they are not focusing on things that they shouldn't! Allow them time to do what they are called to do! Make them refuse to do certain things.
And for us who are not yet pastors but are in ministry (which means that you are a believer and follower of Christ because you've been given a spiritual gift(s)), make sure that what you are doing is meaningful and what God has called you to do! Don't just be busy, but be effectively used by Him!

Honestly, I don't think that I will ever be much of a pastor in the way that people think of pastors, but I agree with Driscoll when he says that he has "accepted that he is not much of a pastor but rather a missiologist studying the city who leads a church filled with missionaries who reach the city and with pastors who care for the converts"-p.51.
That is my vision - a church filled with missionaries that love Jesus that go out into their community and share the love of Christ and to have elders around me that shepherd the converts while I am following what God calls me to do..... (Somedays of my life....)

Loving Jesus, culture & His Church,
Dwight

First Times....

2006-05-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

First times for most things bring a sense of unexpectancy. We are never quite sure what we are getting ourselves into. Well a couple things have happened in the past couple days that I`ve never experienced before.
First - After church today, I went to `free museum day`in Montréal. Sounds great doesn`t it.... Well here`s the catch.. I think that all of Montréal and a few thousand tourists heard about free museum day and decided that would be the family thing for the day. So, the three museums I had planned to go and see would have had me waiting almost 2 hours just to get inside. So.... Plan B!
Plan B was to go to some other museums that weren`t as popular. So, I went to Technocité, which is part of the science museum. Sounds cheesy (and believe me, parts of it I could only laugh at to keep myself there and sane), but some of the stuff was so cool! I love playing with little kid models that help me learn how the telephone, lights, engines (I never knew anything about engines before today) and refridgerators work! So, that was a good first time that I will make sure that I am never a part of again. I will spend the money to go and see these museums if I want to see them.
Second - I got to preach my first message on the street last night. How much different it is to be preaching to a group that is in church as compared to the unchurched and the people that aren`t quite sure that they like what they are listening to. But, God used me and gave me the words to say. I know that it can only get better, but I really felt confident while I was speaking that this is what God wants me to do while I am here, is to be a part of the preaching team with Tony and allow him to do other parts of the ministry than just preaching. Please pray for me as I continue to preach on the streets this summer and as I will have opportunities to preach in churches within the Montréal area. What a blessing that is! I love to preach - and I really believe that God has given me a passion to share in this manner! I need lots of prayer.
Third - I have a day off tomorrow!!!! Going to buy a fan because it`s gonna be soooo hot! Praise the Lord for days off.

I ask that you pray diligently for the souls of the people that are here in Montréal. It was a weird night last night as we shared on the streets. It was a night where we felt like there were so many things working against us and we all know that this ministry needs to be bathed in prayer. So, if you are reading this and will be praying for this ministry, could you please leave me a comment or email sharing that you will take part in this. Prayer is so essential in this ministry and I know that God loves to answer prayers (not always the way that we want) and that He is faithful for His glory!
Pray that the Lord gives me the words to share with non-believers, that the Lord helps me encourage the believers and that I constantly realize the need to shepherd my soul!
I praise God for what He is doing in my life and for what He is doing here. Please, email me, leave me comments on your life and what is new.
Why I created the blog was so that there could be a means of communication. Please drop me a line just to say hello or tell me what I can pray for you for or that you`ll be praying for me.
Let`s be a community!!!!! Jesus loves you so much, that He sent His only Son - and if we believe in Him and what He has done for us, we will have eternal life!!!! What a great & bold promise!

Holding on to the promises of God,
Dwight
I John 2:25

Creation to Jesus (en francais)

2006-05-26T23:48:00.000-04:00

Today was my last day of french classes at Centre Linguista. I got an A in my grammar and a B+ in my conversation. I thought that those would be my grades, no big deal. But the craziest part of the whole course was this morning.
I had to give an oral presentation of any subject of my choosing and it had to be for 10-15 minutes. So, I chose why we need Jesus. I started by teaching creation like I teach to little kids, through drawing it. Then I talked about how there was a problem after creation, when Adam ate from the tree that God said not to (I know Eve did too, but I wanted to present it as all of humanity through Adam). So, I got to talk about Jesus and what He did on the cross and how He died for our sins! You want to talk about God giving words in a language that is not my own. I studied things for a little bit, but the words were coming with ease this morning. God really took over. The presentation was 15 minutes, but it lasted for an hour!!!! They asked so many questions and I got to give them all New Testaments in french and a booklet `Nouvelle Vie en Jésus Christ` - New Life in Jesus Christ. They were all so interested and when you think about the opportunity, they actually asked me to share since they said that I could do it on whatever I wanted. After class, the teacher gave me his email address and wanted to keep in touch - so I believe that is a good confirmation that seeds were deeply planted today. And my class is full of people from different countries - Columbia, Venezuala, Brasil, Japan, Mexico & of course Quebec! The gospel is being preached around the world in one room! That is the unique opportunity of Montréal.... There is a chance to share the gospel with the world!
Tonight, I went out on the streets with Tony and a group from the area. It was raining but God blessed the group with conversations. It has been a long month for me so far because of the intensity of the language, but I am so thankful.
Tonight, I met two believers from Mexico on the streets and Lord willing, they will be calling me to hang out and that will be exciting to encourage believers from a different place. The whole experience is crazy here! I love it.
Tomorrow - I am doing my message on the street for the first time, so please pray for me! It`s not so easy to keep your train of thought when there is so much going on in the street. Please pray that God brings the words that He wants me to say. This life is so not about me, and I`m learning that ever so well being here. This life is about bringing God glory, seeking Him in all that we do, loving Him and acknowledging Him in all our ways - and loving our neighbor as ourselves.... It`s not about me!
I was asked to preach at a Chinese church on July 2nd as well, so be in prayer for that as well, because it`s another opportunity to share the good news of Jesus.
My friends, brothers & sisters in Christ - Don`t ever get tired of the gospel! Beg God to help you love and cherish it more and more every time that you hear it and are reminded about it. Remember how much it revolutionized your life when you first learned and understood what Jesus did - and go with that message to the world - what Jesus has done and what He wants to do - and will do!
Don`t grow weary - for in due time we will reap what we sow.... What are you sowing?

Jésus t'aime...
Dwight

How do we present Jesus?

2006-05-23T21:15:00.000-04:00

"Benefit evangelism" fills our churches with people who are taught to expect everything to go their way just because they became Christians. But Jesus promises persecution for following Him, not worldly perks (John 15:18-16:4, 2 Timothy 3:12). We want to build Christians and churches who persevere through hardship, who are willing to suffer and be persecuted and even die for the Gospel of Christ, because they value God's glory more than the temporal benefits of conversion. We don't want people to become Christians because it will reduce their stress. We want them to become Christians because they know they need to repent of their sins, believe in Jesus Christ, and joyfully take up their cross and follow Him for the glory of God.
There are indeed wonderful benefits to the Christian life; but being God-centered in our evangelism by focusing less on the temporal benefits and more on God's character and plan makes for more Christians ready to suffer, and more churches motivated by God's glory" - The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever & Paul Alexander. p. 56, 57.
Let's be deliberate in how we share Jesus. Let's not push someone to pray a prayer that is a "blissful damnation". This is a reflection question for me and for you.... How do we present Jesus and how do we offer an opportunity for people to know Him? Do we push at all? Do we put more emphasis on the "benefits" than what Jesus says to His disciples about counting the cost of following Him. The benefits are eternal - but eternal life begins here according to Jesus in the gospel of John, and it is at the moment of conversion that we receive real life - abundant life! What do we put the focus on in evangelism? How do we share the Lover of our Soul?....

On a different note.... Pray for me please.... To pray.
My quiet times have been great here and I'm learning a lot from God's Word and by sharing Jesus - but my prayer has lacked here. I've had a couple good times of prayer, but please pray for me to fully realize that prayer is the work! My prayers have been good in terms of praying throughout the day, but it's taking chunks of time to pray - I need to! Please pray for me that I would have a passion to pray and that I am reminded often that I need to pray.
I received an email from one of my junior-high friends today, and in his email at the very end he wrote, "Don't forget to say your prayers." How much more clearly can it be?? So, praise be to God for helping me see that He wants me to talk to Him more about what is going on. I love doing it, but sometimes I think I'm too busy! That is foolish! Help me and in turn reflect on how much are you talking to the God of the Universe, the Lover of our Soul, the Almighty God - because He wants a close close relationship with us!

2 Chronicles 34:21 - "The the king (Josiah) stood in is place and made it covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book." Compare with Deuteronomy 6-12.... Be encouraged... Jesus loves you..
Cheer up, one day (if you know Jesus as your personal Savior and have submitted your life to Him, repenting of your sins and believing that He has died for your sins as a payment for sin and has risen again - trusting Him completely as your Forgiver, Savior and Commander of your life) you're gonna die and go to Heaven...

Cheered Up,
Dwight

I'm Not Sure the Christian Gospel always draws a crowd

2006-05-22T11:22:00.000-04:00

I just finished a book last night (I've picked my way through it for a long time) called "The Irresistable Revolution - Living as an Ordinary Radical" by Shain Claiborne. It's been a huge stretch in my life to read this book and I suggest it to you if you want everything that you believe to possibly be challenged in terms of following Jesus literally and not trying to fit the Bible into neat little theological boxes, because there's usually always a puzzle piece missing for every side (except the doctrines worth dying for!!!!). But I think that I've answered a few questions I've had for a while - at least partially such as Why Men Don't like church, which has been a heavily debated topic. Now, again, I don't know all the reasonings everywhere - but I have a hunch at least in Maine why most men stay away... Shain says in his book "I'm not sure the Christian gospel always draws a crowd" - and I believe that he is right, because I see people walk away from the gospel as soon as there are absolutes brought into the mix - and Jesus was an absolute guy (read the Gospels if you don't believe me).....
Anyways... I wanted to share a lengthy part of Shane's book and encourage you to read it.

"I've learned that a lot of good things start small and actually grow smaller. It seems to be the story of the early church. Certainly, thousands were added to their number in the early church - the poor, outcasts, people fed up with the world. They were the scum of the earth. The Scriptures describe the early Jesus movement like this: 'We go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.... We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world'. (1 Cor. 4:11-13) Our context is quite different. We live among the wealthiest people of the world (top 2 percent), a tough mission field. We are preaching a gospel that declares that it's easier to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom. But look on the bright side. After we preach the crowds down, we will not need such expensive buildings. And of course, in a Christian culture shopping for the cheapest grace, the temptation is always to tone things down a little bit. People will be more comfortable around a domesticated Jesus than the LION OF JUDAH.
And yet whether it's the Prayer of Jabez (I wish you could read his footnote on this book) or the war in Iraq, many Christians seem to be hoping that the kingdom of God will come in triumphal greatness, expanding God's territory and taking over the world with glory and power - shock-and-awing the masses, if you will. But that's the very temptation Jesus faced in the desert, the temptation to do spectacular things like fling himself from the temple or turn stones into bread, to shock the masses with his miracles or awe them with his power. And yet he resists. The church has always faced the same temptation, from the time of Constantine's sword to now. We are tempted to do great things like rappel from the rafters in the newest church gym or throw the best pizza party so that kids might bow before the altar.
But amid all the church-growth tacticians and megachurch models, I want to suggest something a little different: God's kingdom grows smaller and smaller as it takes over the world" - Shain Claiborne, p. 317-319.

What are we doing to help the kingdom grow? How significant does something have to be to be significant? Small things, small acts of love will push people to see what is different; small questions of faith, small gestures of caring - small things, little significant things for the people that Jesus loves and calls us to love.
"We can do not great things, only small things with great love. It is not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it." - Mother Teresa

"Today... small things with great love (or don't open the door)." - The Simple Way motto

Loving Jesus and you - how can I pray for you????
Dwight

What a Fool I am!!!

2006-05-20T17:35:00.000-04:00

For the past 8 days here in Montréal, it has been raining! What a crazy weather pattern that has gone through here. Last night was the first night of the street ministry for the summer, and due to the weather, we couldn`t go out on the street. So, we went underground with tracts to distribute. Honestly, this is the thing that struggle with the most, because there usually isn`t a lot of conversation involved in distributing tracts. But after about an hour of giving out literature about Jesus and a New Life, one guy stopped and was asking me questions in french. We got to talk for a minute in french (praise God that He allowed me to understand and respond), then he found out I was from the States, so he asked in good english, "So, you speak english?", and of course I was relieved to get to proceed from that point on in english, my favorite language!!
His name is Martin and he is a neuroscientist - what a divinve appointment - genius with a fool. But as the conversation went along, God gave me a quiet patience with Martin and God really helped me answer this very intelligent man's questions. As we were talking, I got to speak with him about how God uses the weak things of the world (because he was trying to explain to me how things of God should be of logic and that if I substituted the word "Green Dragon" for "Jesus", that I would be committed to a mental institution..... haha), but I read him First Corinthians 1:26-31. I want to write here the Message Remix Version:
"Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of the 'brightest and the best' among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these 'nobodies' to expose the hollow pretensions of the 'somebodies'? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with the blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have - right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start - comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, 'If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God." - 1st Corinthians 1:26-31
And what a Fool I am!!!! Even according to my friend Martin. This is some of the advice that he gave me.
- first, find a girl - not a real good looking girl, but average, with a good heart and have a family and do good - and leave this religious stuff behind.
- second, take my eyebrow ring out because I could be a great public speaker, but not with my "thing" in my eye
- third, He said he gave me a clean slate to start over and that I didn't need a God to do that - that he was giving it to me for free
And the list could go on!
But I shared Jesus with him and what Jesus has done for him and that He loves him! I got to share the gospel simply for about an hour with him, and he walked away not understanding why I didn't want "MORE" than my imaginary relationship with Jesus!
Please pray for Martin, my genius (literally) agnostic friend who now has a booklet on a New Life in Christ. Please pray that he'll take up my challenge to him to prove that Jesus is not the Messiah by using the Scriptures and that he will take up God's challenge to abandon it all, deny himself and follow Him!
I am a BIG FOOL - A fool who God gives the words to challenge a man much smarter than I!
I love that God gives me the words and the boldness - We must share Jesus - He is too good to keep just to ourselves!!! FOLLOW HIM with no regard for ourselves!!!

Enabled Fool,
Dwight
Matthew 6:25-34

Going with the Flow that Comes our Way

2006-05-19T11:04:00.000-04:00

As I was on the metro yesterday, these lyrics came screaming at me from a song by Jack Johnson... I think it speaks for itself in terms of how we should be proactive in life (such as Joseph in Genesis 37-50) and not reactive..... Short blog, but lots of meaning to it for me....
"When you move like a jellyfish
Rhythm don't mean nothing
You go with the flow
You don't stop
Move like a jellyfish
Rhythm don't mean nothing
You go with the flow
You don't stop"

And as I was walking in the subway terminal this morning, a singer-for-money-dude was singing these lyrics over and over and over,
"All you need is love... All you need i s love... Love is all you need... Love is all you need!" - Beatles

This was a perfect reminder for me!

Go with flow - through life like a jellyfish - for Jesus - by Jesus - with lots of love!

Flowing Like a Jellyfish,
Dwight

Radical Revolutionary Empire of God

2006-05-17T17:57:00.000-04:00

"The radical revolutionary empire of God is here, advancing by RECONCILIATION and PEACE, expanding by FAITH, HOPE and LOVE - beginning with the POOREST, the WEAKEST, the MEEKEST, and the LEAST. It's time to change your THINKING. EVERYTHING is about to CHANGE. It's time for a new way (WAY) of LIFE. BELIEVE ME. FOLLOW ME. BELIEVE this GOOD NEWS so you can learn to LIVE by it and be part of the REVOLUTION." - Brian McLaren, Wes White; p. 33 "The Secret Message of Jesus".
What do we wait for? Jesus told the Pharisees that it was easier for the prostitutes and tax collectors to enter the Kingdom of God than for them. These were the people that Jesus ministered to! Jesus had this funky way of doing what seems unconventional today (and then by the way) - going to the people with no power and no prestige and who can't pay you back except with their last coins, which was all they had! Jesus went to the crazy people - Jesus just loved on people! He would go to people who didn't believe Him - and He would proclaim the message that could have gotten Him killed again and again, which eventually did! But He rose again - conquering death!
Why talk about WAR, when we must be about our Father's business, which is reconciling people to Him! We are just introducing people to Jesus and letting Him do the rest. If I meet someone and they don't want to acknowledge me or even say hello to me and don't want to admit that I am really there - then that is fine.... they are free to believe what they want, but the fact that I'm there and there are natural consequences of me being there that will happen even if that person doesn't want to believe it.
Jesus is real! Grace is scandalous & free, and God gives it to whom He wants! It's all so crazy in the world's eyes - but so beautiful. God is building His Empire - and I am part of it! Jesus loves me and He loves you! Please, beg God to help you know His love - right now - whomever you are - Jesus' command - Love God with all our strength, heart, soul & mind AND Love others as ourselves - don't be theologically liberal and neglect the second part - and pray for me that I don't either!
"I love you, you love me - ain't that the way it's supposed to be" - Ani DiFranco

Enabled.
Dwight

Get a Grip On Yourself

2006-05-15T18:02:00.000-04:00

When Paul was speaking with Festus and King Agrippa in Acts 26, Festus yelled at Paul during his sharing of God's Story, and he had this to say, "Paul, your crazy! You've read too many books, spent too much time staring off into space! Get a grip on yourself, get back in the real world!"
Jesus-followers really are crazy according to this world's standards. Most of us do spend far too much time staring off into space, wondering what Heaven will be like, and we have a hard time getting back in the "real" world, because this world just won't last!!!!
The end of Acts says this, "Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He URGENTLY presented ALL matters of the Kingdom of God. He explained EVERYTHING about Jesus Christ. His door was ALWAYS open."
What would this look like? If Jesus-followers forsook it all for the sake of the call that Jesus has given us. To die to ourselves daily, take up our cross and follow Him. I beg God to help me follow Jesus everyday. It is a struggle to get up and share Jesus daily (when I do it). But when God does it through me, it's so natural, like this is what I am supposed to be doing.
There is an urgency about the gospel. Paul thought that there was an urgency about 2000 years ago - therefore, we should even more so place an urgency on the gospel! Love people, the people that don't DESERVE the love - because forgiveness was given ever so freely!
TODAY - French class, went to Mt. Royal (the top of the city) and painted (practicing a sketch board)..... Let it all go! Seriously - Let it all go - follow Him - this earth is fading away - allow Jesus to revolutionize your heart and your life!
"Nobody stood and applauded them
So they knew from the start
This road would not lead to fame
All they really knew for sure was Jesus had called to them
He said "Come follow me" and they came
With reckless abandon they came

Empty nets lying there at the waters edge
Told a story that few could believe and none could explain
How some crazy fishermen agreed to go where Jesus lead
With no thought for what they would gain
For Jesus had called them by name and they answered

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die
For the sake of the call

Drawn like the rivers are drawn to the sea
No turning back for the water cannot help but flow
Once we hear the Savior's call we'll follow wherever he leads
Because of the love He has shown
And because he has called us to go we will answer

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die

Not for the sake of a creed or a cause
Not for a dream or a promise
Simply because it is Jesus who calls
And if we believe we'll obey..." - Steven Curtis Chapman

Abandoning It All,
Dwight

Metro Stations, Draculas, Gay Village & Changed Lives

2006-05-14T20:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, a group from CrossWorld Missions were here to work with Tony. We went down to the Metro station to share Jesus because it was pouring rain outside. So, we went down in groups and I was with a girl named Yayra, from Ontario, but originally from Senegal, Africa. She has such a heart for evangelism. We shared with a few people and had some great conversations and God seemed to really be changing some hearts. We were walking and praying about who to approach next and we both without a doubt agreed on a lady that was just standing by a store.
So, as we approached, she was kind of suspicious as anyone would be if two people just approached you to talk about something. But as Yayra shared the gospel with this lady, she just opened up and broke down - and she accepted Jesus! After she prayed to accept Him into her life, she was so excited!!!! She was hugging us and thanking us and we got to go through the next steps that she should do as a Jesus-follower! She was so excited! Praise God that He changes hearts right in front of us!... I want to share part of my journal entry from this morning......
"People are so closed to the message of ANYTHING! People are very skeptical of anyone that is trying to interact with them. It's amazing the people God has you meet. In the Metro Station, in just under 2 hours, Yayra & I met an atheist, catholics, muslims, "christian buddhists", Christian praying for us because she saw us sharing the Bible with people, and a lady who gave her life to Christ!....
After when I returned home last night, I was reading from Acts. Acts 18 specifically encouraged me - because sometimes I feel like I am just giving a message that no one wants to hear. It talks about Paul preaching, teaching & doing everything he could to persuade the Jews at Corinth, but with no such luck as the Message Remix puts it. Sometimes this is how I feel - totally exasperated from arguing something that people don't want to hear. BUT - the chapte continues to say that great many Corinthians believed and were baptized - and the next part is what really encouraged me in what I'm doing here....
"One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: 'Keep it up, and don't let ANYONE intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city'. That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians." - Acts 18:8-11.""" - Entry from my journal...
So, yesterday was amazing. I went into the gay village and into the red light district with a group to help them see the "other side" of Montreal. I got to stop and talk to some gothic draculas for a minute and be around some more of my street friends. But it was good for the team to see that side of the city and the darkness that lures people into itself.
May we be lights and realize that the Master is on our side! He will keep us! One more Scripture to end.... Paul says this to the disciples and apostles that were trying to get him not to go back to Jerusalem because he would be imprisoned and die.... Here's what he says. May we all have this attitude and love for Christ!
Acts 21:12b-13 (MSG) - "Why all this hysteria? why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You're looking at this backwards. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that?" - May we see this!

Jesus loves You!

Enabled.
Dwight
Romans 8:1 & 1st John 2:25

Soul for Christ...

2006-05-11T18:43:00.000-04:00

Today there was a group from CrossWorld Missions working on the streets with Tony and myself. It was such a nice day outside, but long because I came right from french class. Anyways... it was a great time of conversations with people on the street and a day filled with long conversations to help people see God`s big story and His plan in everything. But a dude from Lebanon came to know Jesus as His Savior today on the streets!!! Praise be to God! I`m always amazed when God opens the eyes of someone`s heart and allows them to see Him for who He is and what Jesus has done for our sins! My new friend Jay, he has a rough history, but needs Jesus and he understands so much, but it`s hard to judge where he`s at, so I`ll let God work in his life.... we`ll see each other again, Lord willing... Well, that`s all really. I just wanted to share God`s increase for His Kingdom with you all and let you know that God loves saving people! Praise be to Him!

Q-tips & fries - what a ministry

2006-05-08T18:12:00.000-04:00

Today, after class, I went to Saint Catherine Street to visit some of my new friends. I had q-tips with me, a present for one of my street friends, Damion. It`s amazing how excited people can get about something little when they don`t have much of anything. I had asked Damion recently what I could do for him, because I don`t give money often, and he asked for q-tips. Praise God when you get to clean your ears with q-tips in the morning. This has led me to worship God and thank Him for the things that I have neglected to be so thankful for... Anyways, that`s Damion... He professes to be a believer, but with most of his doings and sayings, it`s a debateable topic, but we keep loving on Damion.
So, after visiting Damion, I went to eat at La Belle Province, where they have greasy burgers (so good), and I met a dude named Chris. Now Chris is playing a guitar with only 3 strings and he`s playing it with a spoon - and he`s good! I was amazed at how good it sounded - and he really only had a spoon and three strings. So, I stopped to talk with him momentarily on my way to the restaurant, but got a good chunk of time with him when I came back (he actually asked if I`d watch his stuff for him while he went to the bathroom - what simple trust - to trust all your belongings to some stranger). Anyways, my friend and I brought him back the fries from lunch that we didn`t eat, and we started talking about his life and what is going on. He started telling me about his `past`lives and how he was going to live a bunch of different lives because of his `lifeline` on his hand... anyways, I listened and asked if he`d be around there often, and he said of course he would, so I get the opportunity of asking Chris some serious questions about this life and what we do with it - please pray for this opportunity as it might come tomorrow. Pray that I have the words and guidance to have this conversation with this guy and to ask the right questions that will probe his heart.
I think that I have the simplest ministry that there is... I talk to people about the One that I love most - Jesus, I give away simple things that people say they need like q-tips and razors, and I give food away that otherwise I would just have thrown out, and I love people because I love Jesus because Jesus first loved me - and Lord willing, I will get to see some of the fruit that the Lord will bring forth - but I love what I do! And I get to spend lots of time with people I enjoy talking to about everything, including Jesus!
I`m sure that people are praying for me lots, because I`m starting to grasp the french much better and I know that this would not be possible without the complete help of a God who speaks every language and every tongue - Sometimes the language is so discouraging to me, but I know that people trust that God can help me, so therefore it helps push me forward... Keep praying, because this is useless without Divine Intervention!
I read Judges 6-8 last night and I heard the message about Gideon yesterday in french in church.... God wins the battles for us! Read it for encouragement - and ask God to help you see what He wants for you.... Remember, Gideon was the youngest and from the least of Manasseh, but God chose Him...
Enabled Powerfully Because of Him.
Dwight
Ezekiel 22:30

Without Love.... it`s nothing

2006-05-07T22:58:00.000-04:00

I listened to a sermon last night and finished it today while I was riding the Metro. It had to do with Jesus-followers loving each other and the world. So I thought, `Wouldn`t it be weird to not have any prisons or social service agencies or AIDS clinics or drug rehabs or homeless shelters`. Answer: Yes, it would be weird, but I also thought how amazing it would be if everyone loved Jesus and people didn`t break the law because they loved Jesus and people didn`t smoke crack so we didn`t need to go and take their kids because they love Jesus, and people didn`t have sex outside of marriage and they waited for the person that God has for them, and people loved Jesus so they let people that didn`t have a home, stay in their home. Wow! I`m sure that this isn`t as interesting to read as it is in my head, but wouldn`t that be Heaven... It will be Heaven, where no sin will have any affect at all on the new world and only those who loved Jesus will be there, and I want people to be there - so let`s go love on a world that doesn`t know what is happening to them. And let`s not just do good because we feel good or because we help the `circle of life`, but because we love Jesus! Jesus was obedient to do what God the Father wanted Him to do, and He went to the poor, the destitute, the prostitutes, the non-believers, the demon possessed, the tax collectors, the drunks - and He just loved on them like no one had ever loved before. Be a radical with me... Love Jesus more than anything else, trust in Him more than you trust in your own breathing, and love on the world with the power of Jesus - a world full of people that the rest of the world shuns away... and we love them! Don`t be a noisy gong, but let`s love; don`t be really smart, but let`s love, because Jesus says that it all boils down to love... `Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul & strength... and love your neighbor as yourself`...
Pray for me as I love people here in Montréal. I have been called to love the down & out, the rich, the educated, the poor, the prostitutes, the fancy, the people that God loves - and so have you... so let`s do it.... Faith, hope & love, but the greatest of all of these is love... ENabLED. Dwight I Corinthians 13... be blameless and scandalously love people for no reason except that Jesus wants us to

So, it's been a while....

2006-05-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

So much has happened here. It's been over a week since I've been here, and this is my first chance to use high-speed internet - for free even! So, it's a good deal, and a rainy day. I want to expound on a few things that I've done thus far, but I want to make a general entry as to what's been going on.... So here are the dates of my life in Montreal thus far....
Thursday 4/27 - Arrived in Montreal. Met Alain, my roommate - what a good Scottish guy.
Friday 4/28 - Played in city and taught Kid's Club for a club that was completely black children, and how wonderful it was to watch God calm their wonderfully crazy personalities to listen to a boring white guy talk about Jesus (the boring white guy being me)
Saturday 4/29 - Went to play in the city again and saw where my classes would be, then went and talked with some homeless guys in "Vieux Montreal". Met Bob and all we could talk about with each other was that Jesus was all about love... How true it is - that it's all about love; if we could only embrace that deeply... what would the world look like?
Sunday 4/30 - Went to a Chinese Presbyterian Church (where Tony preached) and got to encourage the believers there to reach out to their city and love on people, because as Bob put it - it's all about love. I went to watch a hockey game tonight as well - the Canadiens - it's a huge deal in Montreal, but I got to meet a group of people that really love Jesus and are involved in ministry here in Montreal. Pray for them as they minister in a city that is so closed to hearing the message that Jesus has called us all to bring to the nations... also got to talk with some orthodox Jews today... interesting. Please pray for the Jewish people as I got to listen to what they think will happen about Messiah (and He's already been here - Jesus), and there are so many here in MOntreal.
Monday 5/1 - Started french class! I was so humbled by how much I don't know and how hard it is for me, where so many things in life have been relatively easy for me. But I met Adriana from Mexico and we hung out that day after class, just walking around the city and talking about the differences in our cultures and beliefs and what we are doing here....
Tuesday 5/2 - French classes again and still have a low comprehension rate of what's going on, but I feel that God is really helping me rely on Him like every minute to help me understand. It seems like I'm constantly switching from listening intently to praying earnestly for help understanding. It's like a never-ending process, but remembering the fact that I couldn't really communicate with Bob made me desire to understand so much more and gave me a desire to learn a language that is really difficult for me. Hung out with Adriana after class again. She seems like so many people I've met before all mixed in one. We have different beliefs, but she is a great friend already to just see the city with and share about what we believe and don't believe.
Wednesday 5/3 - Despising french class... okay, not really despising, but not enjoying; but understanding more and more. I think that this was the day that I went to old Montreal with Adriana and we met Guy. Guy is a homeless dude from North Bay, Ontario, and the day that I met him, he was all strung out on heroin I believe and he had been hit with something, as he had a huge gash in his head and blood all over himself. But the first thing that Guy said to me was "I'm sorry for what I've done, and I've made so many mistakes, so I'm sorry about that"... It was so crazy to hear some dude I've never met before apologizing for what he's done to me, why would he apologize to me. There's more to come about Guy and my thoughts about what he feels and thinks...
Thursday 5/4 - To the streets with my friends from NBBI. Jay, James, Greg, Tyler, Micah, Annie, Abbie & Mr. Burns were all here to work with Tony and myself. It was a great day for many reasons. I got to have a great lunch with my little friend from Mexico and then hang out with my friends from Nbbi and go tell people on the streets about Jesus... Many seeds planted, and I had an amazing conversation with a dude named Charles. He'd never heard the message of Jesus the way that God allowed me to explain it to him. Hopefully he'll be in touch with me with questions. I got to talk with my homeless friend Damion & I met this dude named Shane. We got to talk a lot about how hard it is on the street, how I don't want to give money for him to buy weed, but we got to share Jesus as well. I got to talk about how Jesus loves him and how my life was changed by Jesus. I hope to see Damion & Shane much more this summer.
Friday 5/5 - Long day!!!! French was hard today, but good. I'm understanding more and more and I'm learning how to put together my thoughts a little better. I went and took the Nbbi team around old Montreal again, and Adriana and I got to talk with these two homeless girls, Sarah & Julie from western Massachusetts. We are supposed to go eat with them Saturday night, but it is supposed to rain, so we'll see. But it was an amazing time all together. The Angelos team did a presentation tonight as well. It touched my heart so much and helped me remember how simple the gospel is, but what a high cost it was for Christ to purchase us for His glory. I loved getting to be with my friends and having them meet my friend Adriana. It was nice to be in the presence of those who are out doing the work that God calls us to do..... Then I went and listened to a band play some music at a cafe and then turned in for the night after a long week of trying to develop french and a better understanding for a culture that is so different from what I'm used to.
Saturday 5/6 (ToDaY) - hanging out at Java U with my roommate, Alain & Adriana, we are all doing work and trying not to do too much serious stuff, because it was such a long week. I want to write more about a few things, which I will....
But I miss so many people, but realize that God is working amazingly here in Montreal and I'm sure back home, because God is everywhere, which continues to amaze me. I will write detail more often now that I'm caught up.... Jesus loves you, whoever you are, and remember that He died for you and your sins, and all we have to do is trust that He did this, and surrender our lives to Him.... He loves you!

Enabled.
Dwight

Beginning of a Transparency

2006-04-25T20:58:00.000-04:00

As I begin to think about departure for Montreal (in two days), I find myself wanting a way to share my life story with others as it continues to unfold according to God's sovereign plan. I have named my blog, Transparent Reformission, and I have done so for many reasons, all of which I hope will be explained over the duration of this means of communication with you - whomever you may be! Please, comment on things that excite you, make you upset, teach you, bring about ideas - and share them with me. I love sharing life with people - that is what we were made for - community!
These are ideas, stories, theological ideas, stupid thoughts, random thoughts, and all part of the journey that God has me on. I hope to share my Montreal experience with you in a very "see-through" or "transparent" way - and may there be many stories in your life of how God is shaping you in some way.
"Seek Him..."

Ton ami (or not (?)),
Enabled.
dwight