Jesus, Lover of my Soul

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!!!

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....

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....

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....

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

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.....

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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