By Your Side

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
This song has a lot of depth and meaning to it. Don't chase what the world gives. Don't seek what sin offers. But search Christ with a passion in your heart. He's always there, never letting go. He's just waiting for you and the only thing you have to do...


...is to let go

Camp to SEMP to Mission Arlington

DCCYC is a camp I go every year. Lasting for a week, we basically worship, study God's Word deeply, and hang out with a bunch of friends. The theme for this year was the "Relationship Element." We learned how important it is to build a relationship with people, learn their customs and culture, and much more. The day of coming back from the exhausting yet wonderful camp, I had to pack up for the next morning to go to the mission trip in Chicago. The organization we were in was called SEMP (Students Equipped to Ministry to Peers). This missions was a bit different than the previous missions I have been going to. Where most mission trips tend to be about building houses, painting fences, mowing people's lawn, this was in the territory of Evangelism.

In this SEMP, there were about 500 students and we were all placed in 20 different pod groups. Not knowing any of the people in the pods, but required to work together was a big task. Throughout the week, each pods went to different areas of Chicago. Either it was the pier, park, or even at the train station, we went to share our testimony, the story of Jesus Christ and much more.

A week later, we went to another missions, but this missions was where we lived. Mission Arlington. Staying at church throughout the week, our youth became closer to each other.

We would hand out flyers, go to apartments and invite anyone who would like to come join us in VBS. We would set up outside in a small field near the apartments and we would do songs, memory verses, small group, games etc.

Our youth had to do some major teamwork throughout the day. We would have to help each other when one got stuck in praying, singing or just hanging out with the kids.

The first day, a speaker was telling us a story and i dont really remember it all:

An old lady was experiencing some kind of symptoms and some stranger who was a nurse or something told her she was going through a heart attack soon. He called the ambulance, provided her some comfort and when the ambulance came to take her, she refused. She stayed calm and told them she didn't need them and walked away. Confused, the medics and doctor just stood there wondering why she wouldn't want the things she needs to be saved.

As she walked away, she bumped into her friend and she just started to freak out and told her to take her to the hospital and stuff. What the medics and the doctor didn't realize was that her mom died in the ambulance's car and she just didn't want to die in ambulance car.

The main message in this story was you could give someone everything, the bible, the wisdom, the prayer, lessons, but they won't take it. They are looking for a relationship and by God's plan, we've been learning the Relationship Element in camp and we also learned how to talk to people through SEMP.

As a game leader, I decided to build a relationship with the kids instead of forcing the songs and lessons on them. I could do whatever games they want and I became the "cool" person to hang out. There were always these group of "kids" who would be trouble makers. Our youth pastor, youth and other supervisors were irritated and annoyed by them. Knowing they wouldn't participate in any of the activities we would hand them except for the games, they just wouldn't sit down quietly and pay attention. Trying to discipline

Every morning, I would wake up at 6 and pray. Pray that the holy spirit would use me throughout this week. And on the last day, I was like "Today is the last day, Lord, use me and let these people hear the wonderful story of Jesus Christ and plant a seed in their heart"
During VBS, before small group started, I pulled our youth pastor aside and asked if I could lead a small group. He said yes and I specifically asked for all the trouble-makers

Surprised, he said, yeah.

Through the work of God, 3 people accepted Christ that morning. 10 kids accepted Christ that week. 10. Zeph apparently prayed for 5, but I was pretty sure he said 10, God faithfully answered our prayers.
It's been a great summer, from God changing my bitter heart to a loving heart, I know God has a plan for me.

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

God & Friends

Friends are meant to help each other.

"Two are better than one, 
   because they have a good return for their labor: 
If either of them falls down, 
   one can help the other up. 
But pity anyone who falls 
   and has no one to help them up. 
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. 
   But how can one keep warm alone? 
Though one may be overpowered, 
   two can defend themselves. 
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Above all, don't lose your faith. Do not become faithless.

Trust and believer all things will come.

Prayer is key. And prayer requires discipline.
Prayer requires humbleness.

Prayer requires silence.

It is hard. When the world revolves so fast, so loud, so mighty.

Don't worry for worries do not extend your life.

Place all your anxieties onto Him.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Endurance. Run run run to him and Him alone. Do not place your trust on yourself. Your friends. Do not run the other way. Do not look left or right, though it may be tempting. For God is waiting for us.

That's what I learned for the past weeks. 

Humbleness produces Greatness through God. God uses the weak, not the strong.

Shining out through the Hopeless

The teacher I asked to sponsor PraySing said he could not because he had to take care of his kids and his wife said he couldn't.

Man...

I was really looking forward to it. I stopped praying about it. I woke up late today.

Yet God still showed that He was in control.

There's a devotion group led by a friend of mine that was created during lunch called S.W.A.T. [S]tudents [W]ith [A] [T]estimony

During Chemistry, I was telling him about how I was planning on making a club for Christians and stuff and he started telling me about teachers who could sponsor it.

In the end, he said an art teacher. I didn't know her. I stalled my time. I was like, "okay, I'll talk to her later". And he was like "No, no lets talk to her now, I'll go with you"

We went, and she turned out to be a nice person.

When we greeted her, I explained my club, the purpose and so on. And in a flash, she immediately said "YES, OF COURSE, YES YES. Give me your info and we'll talk more about this later, I have a teacher meeting starting right now."

Later, we left and my friend told me how she was praying and praying for a student to make a Christian club. Not just a club where they play games and have fun, but a true Christian Club. The irony, huh? Nope, it's God's planning.

We started talking as we walked to the parking lot, started talking about uniting S.W.A.T and PraySing. Hoping to bring people in and let them understand that this isn't just a religious thing, but a relationship with Christ.

Crazy...even when I doubted him, had the least amount of faith in Him, he revealed his plans today. I'm suppose to meet with the art teacher tomorrow and just talk about it and stuff. I'm excited. YES! Praise the Lord!

Pray, pray for me and this club. That we can exalt God through this.

"O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, "

                                                                ~Psalms 7:1

 

Shhh

"He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 
   I will be exalted among the nations, 
   I will be exalted in the earth.” ~Psalms 46:10 

How many times have the verse Psalm 46:10 come across our minds?

Do we acknowledge it? Or just live our lives?

I struggle with that. I'm an active person. I love to run around, I love to sing and play guitar. But it's not about me. It's about God.

For God says "Be Still and know that I am God"

Whew... just on our knees and having absolute silence. Nothing.

No music in the background. No prayers or request. Just knowing the splendor of God and his mighty power...just...

                                          ...Silence....

It's hard. Definitely with Spring Break. But as it ends, as school comes and challenges and bumps come. When we need him, we pray. God wants us. He's hear listening and waiting for every need we have, for every praise we can shout out, and every heart broken from some tragic event. We want to live our lives. But God wants us to live for Him.

So in the times of devotions for me, instead of praying an everyday routine, I decided to be silent and know God is God. It's hard. Not to wander my mind off to another thing. A party, a hangout, a girl. Anything. But as times go by, perfection comes closer. So I'll try. Keep it going...5 minutes with silence...10.....15......30.....60....forever...

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

                                                              ~Matthew 6:24

Think

Take a moment and ask yourself this:


Why are you trying to obey the 10 commandments?
Why are you not cheating?
Why do you want to share the Word with others?


Is it because it "seems" right? Or what?
Seriously, just don't do anything right now, but think.




















See, we're here to glorify God.
That's our purpose, to worship and praise God and God only.
Grades isn't the main thing. College. Business. Nothing.
Because everything is in the hands of God. You can't change that. I can't change that.
And if you think about it, in the end, we, believers, are all going to heaven and just glorify God forever and ever. So why not start now? 


1 Chronicles 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 


But the thing is. We're all selfish. It's in us. And we're blinded by it.
Consumed by the world. But God has chosen people to see. Like us.
We became believers. We know God is real. But a lot of people don't know Him. They question Him, they simply just reject God.
And when the times come, when our friends ask us who He is. We're stunned.
We don't know what to say, what to do, or even how to react to the question.
Why?
Because we aren't prepared. We have to read, pray, fight. We have to be ready and armed with the Armor of God throughout our lives. But we don't that's the thing.


For it says in 1 Corinthians 3:6...


I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 


Pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in you throughout the day.
A new task has been given to me now,
The first, is total Obedience toward God - Building that foundation to fight for the years yet to come
The second, is to be ready when the time comes, whatever or whenever that may be.




To not be of this world, but be out of this world. 
To influence, not be influenced.
That's the hard part...well actually they're both hard.
But with God, all things are possible. Just need that passion and the right motivation why we are doing this:


To Glorify God.

Worship forever!

I have SAT this week. Projects to do. AP Test to study for. But, hey, I'm not worried. Because I know my God is with me. Forever and ever!


What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
                                                       ~ Romans 8:31

I've placed my trust in God. And it's been worthwhile. Though I woke up late today, I still overcame the temptations that wandered around me because my walk with God isn't just in the morning times, it's throughout the day. And I know I am a warrior of Christ.

I'm leading worship this Friday, though I think I'm sick again, and my nose is all clogged up, my voice isn't the greatest, I'm still going to worship Him. Nothing, nothing can stop me! :)